Marc Stein hits the target but not the bullseye. Yes, injuries are an enormous and under-reported issue. The larger question is why?
Why are players’ bodies "breaking down" when players today have better nutrition, superior training techniques, advanced shoes and equipment, specialists of every kind, and the best medical care? Why, when these player often have played fewer collegiate games in the "one-and-done" era, not to mention "load management" and other strategies that have intentionally reduced their time on the court? Today, players play less and have orders of magnitude more injuries and more serious ones at that compared to just a few years ago.
I'm not sure I understand what "demands" are being made exactly. It was not that long ago that playing 82 games was not an issue - not discussed at all. It was expected...no big deal. Why has playing the games in the modern era with less inside play in exchange for a barrage of uncontested three-point shots now suddenly become such an issue? Consider for a moment that when the NBA puts out a rule that you must play less than 80% of the games to be eligible for the MVP award (of all things!) - and everyone screams about how unfair it is - just how very wrong things are.
And it's not just basketball...it's everywhere today. You see it in baseball of course, and not only pitchers. I would love to see a running list of how much money professional sports teams have tied up in players on the injured list or sitting out as the season progresses. The total dollar figure must be mind boggling. Huge dollars paid out just waiting for players to do what they are actually paid to do.
Or look at football and the explosion of Achilles tendon tears injuries in recent years. A decade ago, it was an extremely rare injury and career threatening. Now it happens multiple times each season. Sometimes - e.g., Dre Greenlaw - an Achilles tendon ruptures just from running onto the field in the Super Bowl. It's so common now that surgeons have developed new techniques to speed recovery...and so common that we have stopped thinking about just how bizarre and alarming it is.
Yes, injuries continue to be a problem for teams. Figuring out why that is so these days - and why it only gets worse no matter what steps are taken - is the real story waiting for someone to cover.
I will have none of the Aldama slander keeping him out of the star category Mr Sutton! 🤣
Marc Stein hits the target but not the bullseye. Yes, injuries are an enormous and under-reported issue. The larger question is why?
Why are players’ bodies "breaking down" when players today have better nutrition, superior training techniques, advanced shoes and equipment, specialists of every kind, and the best medical care? Why, when these player often have played fewer collegiate games in the "one-and-done" era, not to mention "load management" and other strategies that have intentionally reduced their time on the court? Today, players play less and have orders of magnitude more injuries and more serious ones at that compared to just a few years ago.
I'm not sure I understand what "demands" are being made exactly. It was not that long ago that playing 82 games was not an issue - not discussed at all. It was expected...no big deal. Why has playing the games in the modern era with less inside play in exchange for a barrage of uncontested three-point shots now suddenly become such an issue? Consider for a moment that when the NBA puts out a rule that you must play less than 80% of the games to be eligible for the MVP award (of all things!) - and everyone screams about how unfair it is - just how very wrong things are.
And it's not just basketball...it's everywhere today. You see it in baseball of course, and not only pitchers. I would love to see a running list of how much money professional sports teams have tied up in players on the injured list or sitting out as the season progresses. The total dollar figure must be mind boggling. Huge dollars paid out just waiting for players to do what they are actually paid to do.
Or look at football and the explosion of Achilles tendon tears injuries in recent years. A decade ago, it was an extremely rare injury and career threatening. Now it happens multiple times each season. Sometimes - e.g., Dre Greenlaw - an Achilles tendon ruptures just from running onto the field in the Super Bowl. It's so common now that surgeons have developed new techniques to speed recovery...and so common that we have stopped thinking about just how bizarre and alarming it is.
Yes, injuries continue to be a problem for teams. Figuring out why that is so these days - and why it only gets worse no matter what steps are taken - is the real story waiting for someone to cover.