#SHALIEVE!! Anything Can Happen

He's not coming back. Not only was the injury too devastating but it would be too dangerous.

 

If anything he might be the most overrated linebacker in all the universe.

 

I can agree with this.

 

I'll go with the Leonard kid in Indy as most overrated on this board.

 

Who?

 

Exactly

 

Holy cow!!!


You never lied!!!

 

I hope he recovers completely and is successful in life whatever he does. To start with, I don't feel he should do anything but what his doctor agrees to. He was a good player, not great. He came close to crossing a line of no return and I don't wish to see him take another blow like he did but next time he doesn't get up. Some things may be worth it but this isn't one of them. I am not a doctor so not sure if having this injury makes him more prone to having it reoccur. He should be set for the rest of his life and it would be preferred that he does so able to walk. Keep reading how we can't find someone to replace him when Dallas did even better last year. Need to get away from the excuses on not having Shazier playing causing our defense to under perform for all eternity. Other teams do it every year losing better players.

 

He has one more All-Pro selection on his resume than Shazier.

 

The argument against him trying to play again is that he is more vulnerable to another spinal injury that could leave him paralyzed and this time it could be permanent. The treatment of back injuries is tricky and even the success stories are often only partially successful. I've known people who had back surgery that worked perfectly, but the pain still wasn't completely gone forever. I've also known people who had it fail completely. Both were disc injuries that weren't nearly as serious as what Shazier suffered.

That said, I think it's great that he is trying to return. It's motivational for him. The work he has to put in to recover, even just to get a normal life back, must be extremely difficult. Anything that helps him cope with that is a blessing. I still don't think he'll ever play in a game again, but I hope he finds an outcome that allows him peace with his career and a long and healthy life.

 

I guess my issue is mostly that people who have no access to Shazier or his medical records seem to know what's best for him. Sure similar injuries and common sense along with the little we know about his specific injury still seem like he'll never recover to the point of being an NFL level player again. But we don't really know for sure.
If a the doctors treating him clear him to continue why should he not consider it?

 

I'm just answering your question and explaining the argument. I think considering it is good for him because I think it's helping motivate him through his recovery.

Doctors don't usually deal in absolutes because they can't. The human body is too complex for that and doctors are human. Maybe one doctor will refuse to clear Shazier, so he will find one that will. Maybe he will be cleared, but with a warning that a second spinal injury is far more likely than the first.

I'll give you an example from personal experience. I'm a teacher, so I have summers off. In the past, that allowed me to work at a day camp running one of their sports activities. It is a job that has me on my feet all day. It's a lot of walking and even some running. I spent the last two summers recovering from surgeries on my right foot. The second procedure was what they call a revision, fixing something that didn't work in the first one. I had a third procedure due to a hardware problem (a broken screw) in December. When the camp invited me to return this summer, I asked the doctor. He said I should be fine, but based on the problems I've had since the first surgery, it was no guarantee. He said I should do it because at some point I have to get my life back. In other words, it's a risk, but one he thought was manageable. The worst that could happen is I hurt my foot again. It would be a big problem for me, but nowhere near as devastating as a second spinal injury for Shazier.

I know Shazier wants his life back, including football. I know we all wish he could have it, but is that risk worth it when the results could be something so devastating?