Yao’s Big Toe, And The Weird (And Maddening) World Of Sports Injuries

Am I advocating amputation? Let’s back up for a second. By now you might have heard that Yao Ming, all 7′6″ of him, is going to be out “several weeks” with an infected toe. He underwent surgery today (20/12/05) in Houston and is going to need weeks of prescribed rest/antibiotics before he can get back on the court.

The surgery was performed by Rockets chief physician Dr. Tom Clanton at the Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center in Houston. What was the problem? An infected big toe. Yao had developed osteomyelitis, a common inflammation of the bone caused by bacteria.

Let’s take a look at the real-life and fantasy implication of Yao’s injury. Judging from the dearth of talent at Center on my waiver wire, you’re probably looking at losing about 400 points, 150 rebounds, and 40 blocks while Yao’s on the shelf. That’s taking into account the fact that you’re going to pick a backup C whose sole redeeming quality is that he’s tall, and shove him into your lineup. See Adonal Foyle. Think it’s going to be nice getting 5 points and 6 rebounds/night?

All this over a toe. You’ve also got to consider the fact that the word “several” is completely ambiguous. It means more than 2 or 3, but not many. So…what, anywhere for 3-5 weeks? 3-6 weeks? How many games is this guy going to out because his toe hurts?

Of course any pathetic injury like this is going to remind us of some of the worst excuses in the history of sports. You’ve got Glen Allen Hill’s spider-bite; Sammy Sosa throwing his back out while sneezing; Wade Boggs falling while putting on his Cowboy boots; Clint Barmes breaking his collarbone carrying a side of venison up his apartment stairs; John Smoltz burning himself while ironing a shirt he was actually wearing. The list goes on.

But those guys suffered legitimate injuries. Sure, they were caused by their own bad-luck or stupidity. But what about the “injuries” we see every day in the sports-world that keep a player off the floor/rink/field when most fans are saying “what the heck’s the problem?” How many times have you seen a football player miss a bunch of games with turf-toe? Click Here For An In-Depth Look At Turf Toe. While we’re saying “get the hell out there,” these guys are in actual pain.

I know it’s the same with me and NBA players with sprained ankles. Josh Howard just missed 2 1/2 weeks with an ankle strain. Jose Calderon’s out indefinitely with a strained heel. Angel Guzman missed 3/4 of the minor-league season with a strained forearm.

On the other hand you’ve got NHL players playing with dislocated shoulders, broken hands, broken faces. Bobby Baun scored the game-winning goal in the ‘64 Stanley Cup while playing on a broken leg! Travis Henry played out the 2003 NFL season with a cracked fibula. And he’s a RUNNING back.

There’s no doubt that NBA players are the ballerinas of the sports universe. Just take a look at an NBA injury report and you’ll see guys out with “sore” elbows, knees, backs. Not broken, but “sore.” I wonder if there’s ever been an NBA player who fell down and actually got back up without someone lifting him off the floor?

Injuries will kill a fantasy season. Anyone with a fantasy football team knows that keeping alive is all about luck. So it’s understandable that you’d want your guys playing. But petty injuries can seriously affect performance, and some of these athletes live in constant pain. Curtis Martin spends the week after a game with his body packed in ice. Maybe Yao should take a crack at RB.