With one awkward landing, a fantastic grimace and the collective gasp of hundreds of thousands of fans, Jamaal Charles effectively dashed this town’s playoff hopes against the rocks of reality.
Okay, so I’m being melodramatic.
This season was likely lost before Charles’ knee turned into a quivering mass of gelatin early in Sunday’s game. Had he not gone down, and had all of the stars that were rapidly plummeting to earth remained securely tucked in the heavens, this was still nothing better than an 8 win team. At absolute best. But truthfully, they’d been shaving wins off of the turkey’s carcass before the season even started.
Tony Moeaki gone in the preseason.
Eric Berry gone after one game.
And this, the final nail in the coffin, the fat lady singing her greasy heart out, her arteries clogged by years of barbecue-abuse. So we chalk it up as a lost cause, a “Suck for Luck” campaign that is gaining traction with each passing Sunday. The real concern, though, is that of the future.
The anterior cruciate ligament is nobody’s punk. Short of complete and total paralysis, it’s the biggest nemesis of most speed-based skill players in the game. While a quarterback may not have as big an issue with rehab and the healing, it’s a much more daunting task for a running back or a safety to transcend.
And there have been those on this site that are crowing that this means the end of Charles and Berry as we know them; that we’ve seen the best they’ll ever give… perhaps, that they’ll never play again.
This could be true.
But it goes without saying: everybody is different. With modern medical advances, a torn ACL– even in its most severe incarnation– isn’t necessarily the death sentence that it was back in the days of ballplayers named ‘Bronco’ and ‘Youngblood.’ Today’s professional athletes are much better equipped to handle such violently devastating injuries. Oh sure, Charles may never be the insane speedster that we were privileged to watch these past few years, but in all honesty, he may still be a pretty good fucking halfback.
So before we link arms and tandem-jump from the roof of the spooky, soon-to-be abandoned AMC building, let’s take a quick peek at some others who suffered similar injuries and how they fared in overcoming their ACL uh-ohs.
Edgerrin James— whose teeth are up 100% since his retirement in ’09—tore his ACL in 2002 and averaged 1,280 yards per year in his next six seasons.
Willis McGahee suffered an ACL tear while in college and has had a respectable seven year career featuring three seasons where he eclipsed the 1,100 yard rushing mark.
Jamal Lewis tore his in college as well. In a nine year pro career, he averaged 1,178 yards per season including a lunatic-like 2,066 in 2003.
Wes Welker tore his in the last game of the ’09 season. Though it was anticipated he’d be far from ready by the start of 2010, he ended up playing in 15 games, catching 86 passes for 848 yards.
Braylon Edwards had an ACL injury in 2005. Though he hasn’t quite lived up to his original expectations, he caught 80 passes for 1,289 in 2007. Oh, and his ACL didn’t affect his ability to drink and drive, so that’s nice.
Antonio Cromartie tore his in 2005… and, well, he’s Antonio Cromartie, one of the better cornerbacks in the game. Additionally, his malady didn’t put a damper on his dingus. A prolific procreator, he has 9 children with 8 women in 6 different states—talk about some stats!
Roman Harper, Saints safety, started all 16 games in 2007 after tearing his ACL midway through the ’06 season. He’s a subsequent two time pro-bowler and Super Bowl champ.
Warren Sapp’s vicious facemask take-down caused Jerry Rice to tear his in 1997. Over the next five years, he averaged 80 catches per, for an average of 1,028 yards.
Look, I know there’s an argument to be made—that the running backs named were less dependent on finesse and speed than our hero. And that’s true. But the fact of the matter remains, even if Charles fails to recapture the entirety of his abilities, he’s still got a chance to be a very dangerous back.
Here’s the science and math behind all of this, all broken down in one simple equation:
Jamaal Charles at 80% > Thomas Jones at 120%.
There. Now don’t you feel a little better?
Dr. Zhivago > Dr. Oz
Who died and made you Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at John’s Hopkins?
Again, more fucking speculation based on needle in the haystack facts about the specifics of the injury.
The number one nemesis of speed players in the NFL is strip club PUSSY with sports talkers, writers and bloggers a close second.
Both smell like rotting fish. One is somewhat predisposed to that aroma as an occupational hazard and the others arrive at that scent do to an overinfusion of dairy, hormone fed meat products, too much processed food, refined sugars, chronic masturbation, rotting grey matter and lack of exercise. In both cases they all live to fuck athletes that they no little or nothing about.
Antonio Cromartie blows by Derrick Thomas!
I think Derrick wanted a son on every team in the NFL.
“9 children by 8 women in 6 different states”
Some Father’s Day.
Guys have Father’s Day, Mother’s have Mother’s Day, Harley/JoJo has Palm Sunday.
Randy Covitz is breaking some BIG news today in the Star
He says the Chiefs should draft and develop a first round QB.
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/09/20/3156628/now-may-be-time-for-the-chiefs.html
P.U.L.I.T.Z.E.R.
Coviitz’s can car pool with Lewis Diuguid for the ceremony and subsequent apotheosis into that pantheon of exalted scribes we honor in America.
What the fuck does that guy get paid to write, in a sports column, that the Chiefs, MIGHT need to draft a fuckin QB???
Matt “Man V Food” Cassel, who has NEVER met a football he didn’t want to eat, might not be the future QB in KC???
Sheesh…
The bar is set pretty low here in KC for sports journalism Brandon.
Make some hay.
🙂
This from CBSSPORTSLINE.COM
“But the fact remains that only a handful of teams ever have been outscored by more points through two games. The 1961 Raiders lost by a combined 99-0, the ’73 Saints were outscored by 92, the ’89 Steelers dropped their first two games 92-10, and the ’78 Colts by a combined 80 points.
Even the odds-makers in Las Vegas are having a hard time putting the Chiefs’ miserable start in perspective. They installed the San Diego Chargers as 13-point favorites for Sunday, and people immediately poured money on them to cover. Hours later, the line was more than two touchdowns. ”
Whoa!
13 points wasn’t enough, Ace Rothstien gets his ass chewed and the line moves WAY fuckin NORTH!!
To Kerowhack’s credit, he is not on here gloating, but I actually would like to hear him beat up on the home town boys, its tragically comedic at this point.
If the line is less than 17, I betcha there is STILL money pouring in.
We lose by 27.
This is pretty funny…
A Clark Judge article that calls the Indy-KC game the “Luck” Bowl.
http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6384866/32129175
I gotta go to work now.
I am sure Harley (JoJo) will be posting stuff under my name today, whenever he gets a break from his new internet business—
“letsgohikinginIran.com”
Brandon, I Bet Against Them Before Injury
I said they were a doormat during preseason, with no injuries they would maybe win 3 or 4 tops. Now one or two. I never ever thought or considered 8 or even 7…this was a bad, bad team at the end of last year. There is very little improvement since Herm, who was below average. We are nearly the same 2-14/4-12 team we’ve been, no defense, none, no quarterback, he is near the bottom in everything, no weapons of importance, that includes the scat back, he is very good, but with no help, kinda worthless against good teams when well. Charles is a very good back, great, not sure yet, now we will never no. No he won’t come back from the ACL, too little, too needy of speed, most of the guys you mentioned are big guys…he is total speed back. He’s done. You didn’t write about the larger amount of players who never came back. Still good story.
Wow Craig
Why don’t you just write. Like me like me please like me Brandon. I’m smart.
So Brandon let me tell you the truth. And I can direct you to the entries if you need to confirm. Yes from day one Glaze has said they will suck. No he has never said they would finish 8-8. However he did say 7-9 and even claimed to make that a Vegas pick. Since then he has picked any where from 2-14 to 6-10. Stability not one of his strong points.
I sadly said 10-6 with no injuries. Now even with injuries I’ll reverse those numbers and say 6-10. Yes I’m an optimist.
But enough about me and wacko.
GREAT ARTICLE. I especially enjoyed the run down of past players and how they did coming back from injuries.
I also want to remind everyone that we still have TWO 1000 yard runners on our team. For one that time has long pasted. The other I don’t know. I also said during pre season that I had a feeling Jackie Battle was going to have an impact on this team before the season is over. So if he can hang on to the ball and gets a chance we’ll see.
Keep it up Brandon good stuff.
Let Glazer write…
…about the shit he knows…drugs…prison…sex…prison sex…viagra… And please allow me to say that’s how to write a sports column.
Welcome, kid.
Brandon,
I’m sure you already realize this but I just wanted to make sure. Glazer is full of shit.
Thanks.
Kent Babb
wrote this story in the Star yesterday. Keep trying though. And before you comment Hearne, I know, no one reads the Star anymore.
Write on man, write on
Good article, nice facts, good points… but no, I dont feel any better the Chiefs, but it is was good read.
ps
As you were warned, please ignore some of the moronic fuckheads who comment here, some appear to be here to ruin your day, Just write your piece, skim the comments and dont take any of it personal or too serious… just keep on keeping on and lets see how it goes after 6 months… I always give people at least six months…… hell I gave that fkn retard glazer over a year.. but time after time article after article all he does is drop names, talk bs and self promote…. I wish he would not even be allowed to post on the sports thread to keep his stink outta here…… NO ONE GIVES A FUCK WHAT galzerboy BETS WINS, DRIVES OR FUCKS
pps
Keep on keeping on Brandon, great 2nd article.
PS push… errrrr I mean pass
ppps
No reason you shouldnt use your new staus as sports writer to get press pass/access to the Kansas Speedway for the upcoming races…. and remeber there is no reason to exclude ANY sport from your writings, no telling what might draw people in …just an idea….. feel free to delete this comment so the raceway boys dont see it.
hearne, get this man some press passes… and please , request that glazer stay out of the sports threads, he balthers his drivel enough around here… and harley more than makes up for it (me too , I suppose) 😉