He tore cartilage in his knee.
I always hesitate a bit when pro players with huge contracts are allowed to play in the Olympics. If I owned these players contracts, I would have no problem telling them they couldn't play anywhere else.
Griffin's knee injury is considered minor and he's supposed to make a "full recovery." Speaking as someone who has had the same exact surgery, I'd like to add that he will never make a full recovery. Some cartilage will have to be removed from his knee and it will not grow back. He'll be fine, but that knee will always cause him some discomfort. He'll come back at 98% but it will affect his leaping ability and strength training. Deeper squats and leg presses should not be part of his regular regimen any more. Those exercises could cause more cartilage damage in the future.
I still think of Red Sox superstar pitcher Dice K who hurt his arm pitching for Japan in the World Baseball Classic. He's not the pitcher he once was. He's still being paid by Boston, but they are not getting what they paid for.
He used up his talent somewhere else.
IF players want to play in these exhibitions they should sign a waiver. If they get hurt, their contracts can be voided or renegotiated. It's only fair for their teams and their fans.
It's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt.
Guess I'm not the only one thinking this way. Never made sense for guys with pro contracts to play in the Olympics. What's the point? Bragging rights? Pro sports is a business. Amateur sports are springboards into... wait for it... pro sports. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I don't get the way a lot of this stuff works anymore. As an owner who invested a lot of money in athletes, there is no way I'd let my guys play. No way.
ReplyDeleteMLB wouldn't even let the All-Star game play out when the score was tied years ago in case somebody got hurt. But if it's the "Olympics" then it's okay?
The problem with the Olympics now is that very few athletes are actually "amateurs" in any real sense. Many have huge endorsement deals and even those that don't are usually funded by the organizations that sponsor the events. They literally work full-time being athletes, hence they are "pros."
ReplyDeleteBut participants who are PAID to be parts of other pro leagues should not be welcome. It's easy to still draw the line if someone would just draw it. No one wants to because the Olympics are a cash cow and they want the best players in the world.
The World Baseball Classic makes even less sense, though. MLB actually endorses this event AS their Olympics hoping to get more folks interested in baseball worldwide.
If they really want interest have the Japanese World Series winners take on OUR MLB World Series in a seven game series every FOUR years. Three games in Japan followed by four games in the States (alternating every 4 years.)
If that doesn't do it, don't even bother. Some sports aren't going to have worldwide interest.
There's baseball in other countries besides the US and Japan?
ReplyDelete(Oh yeah, Cuba too! lol!)