If this was a hand injury or something and he was sitting out I'd be irritated. But it's a knee injury on a guy who had microfracture on the other one - not a pinky with a torn tendon/ligament or a wrist that has a broken bone somewhere in it. I just don't think you should really push injuries that are below the waist because it changes how you walk/run and distribute your weight.
Well then the team could back Oden up a bit and say that he'll be out for an indefinite period. Oh wait, that's what they said, and Oden is the one who stated his return was all up to him at this point.
Yes, I know he did. My point is that many people are trying to suggest Greg 'sack up' and 'play through it like a man' like this would somehow be a smart choice. Considering that Martell and Steve were also cleared by the team when they were clearly not ready as they got reinjured within minutes of being back on the court.. I don't really see why Greg should feel some extraordinary need to be back on the court if his knee still feels tight. What good is sacking up and playing through it like a man and then reinjuring yourself and taking yourself out even longer? I'd rather a smart and completely healthy and comfortable Greg Oden than one who is compensating on his other knee because his left one doesn't feel quite right yet. That'll only lead to bad things.
I don't think there's evidence of anyone handling this badly. The team hasn't done anything improper...they've had their doctors decide when Oden's knee is healthy enough for play and said that he's day-to-day. Oden could, of course, be a malingerer, but without knowing what the discomfort in his knee is, that's impossible to say. As Sebastian Express pointed out, playing with discomfort in one's leg or foot can be a bad idea even if the body part in question is healthy enough, because players often change how they move when they play on a painful area...and changing the way one moves can lead to further aggravations and injuries.
You keep mentioning Martell and Blake, but both of them had more severe injuries than Oden. I'm also not sure what they have to do with Oden, either. Are you saying that because they got injured that Oden would as well? It makes no sense and seems anecdotal in nature.
Oden was his own worst enemy by aw-shucking his clearance to play in the media. A bit too glib in that interview. Anyhow, I certainly don't want him to get hurt again, but his team does need him ASAP.
I keep mentioning Martell and Steve because they were cleared by the doctors and came back. They then reinjured themselves within minutes. Greg has been cleared but is telling the team that he is still feeling discomfort in his knee. Since he is feeling discomfort it would likely change the way he distributes his weight and moves - and he could reinjure himself. I am not saying he would but I am saying he could and there is no logical reason for him to play when he has discomfort in his knee. Again a knee is not your wrist, your hand or your fingers - it supports the majority of your weight and I see no reason to risk aggravating the injury or injuring the area again because of some silly preconceived notions by some fans that athletes should sack up and play through injuries just because they've been cleared by doctors. Even though he's said himself that he still feels some tightness in his left knee. Mostly I connect this with Martell who the week before he came back said there was still some discomfort when running yet the doctors cleared him. He played and under the stress of playing actual basketball and not just running within five minutes he rebroke his foot. I'd really prefer Greg make sure he's 100% okay with his knee rather than have him come back and not be able to make the right cut because his knee is too tight and he goes down in a heap and we don't have him for the rest of the year. I'd rather Greg miss 12-15 games right now and be ready for the playoffs so we have an actual shot at winning a playoff series.
So...are those the only two players coming back from injury in the past three seasons who have been cleared by doctors to play? Again, I'm not following this anecdotal train of thought. Was Roy not cleared to play when he came back this year? Help me out here because I don't see using Webster and Blake being cleared as a valid excuse, unless you are suggesting the Blazers doctors are incompetent and that you know more than they do.
