Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose was in Alabama on Tuesday consulting Dr. James Andrews and a physical therapist in Andrew's office as he continues to rehabilitate his surgically repaired knee, according to sources familiar with the situation. The rehabilitation is going well, according to a source. Rose, 23, injured the anterior cruciate ligament on April 28 during the first game of the Bulls' Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the Philadelphia 76ers. Without Rose, the Bulls became only the fifth No. 1 seed to lose to an eighth seed as the Sixers won in six games. Dr. Brian Cole performed the surgery on May 12 and said the recovery period is 8-12 months. Read more: http://espn.go.com/chicago/nba/stor...k-rose-getting-knee-examined-dr-james-andrews
I know Rose could be seeking a second opinion for any number of reasons, but I have license to worry, right?
You always have license to worry if you really want to. Rose didn't see Dr. Andrews. He went to see a physical therapist on Andrews' staff, a visit that was part of Rose's rehab plan. Nothing to see here folks...move along. http://m.espn.go.com/nba/story?storyId=8079282&wjb
Top 25 in the country according to Becker (Andrews also in the top-25) http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/lists-and-statistics/25-of-the-best-knee-surgeons-in-the-united-states.html Of course for the indescribably ignorant critics of the Bulls' medical staff, this will mean nothing.
You may think there's nothing to this, however, there's nothing to indicate Rose seeing Andrews (or his staff members) was part of the plan the Bulls organization would like. There are four interests here. 1) The Bulls want Rose to play at the start of the season, if possible, or as close to it as possible. Gives the team a chance to compete for a title. 2) The Bulls want Rose to rest for as long as it takes so he doesn't become somewhat crippled and less a player than he would be given all the time he truly needs to recuperate and get back into shape. 3) Rose wants to play at the start of the season, etc. He is a competitor and wants to play. 4) Rose wants to rest as long as it takes, etc. He's going to get another big contract before he's through. Some of these conditions are not aligned. That is, #1 Bulls want Rose to play ASAP and #4 Rose wants to rest as long as it takes. If I were Rose, I'd absolutely seek a 2nd opinion and wouldn't let my entire future rest on the Bulls' interests.
You mean other than Dr. Cole saying that it was part of the plan, right? Do you honestly believe that Cole would say it was part of the plan if it wasn't? Do you understand that, if there was no such entity as the Chicago Bulls, Dr. Cole would still be one of the most respected orthopedic surgeons in the world?
I think it was part of the plan. But the plan was negotiated. It may not have been what the Bulls wanted, but they were willing to accept. It could be the Bulls insisted on it as 3rd party validation, should they want Rose to not come back too soon.
Where did I say it reflects poorly? All I said is that I would seek a 2nd opinion, particularly of an elite/respected surgeon not tied to the Bulls. Rose gave his all (and his knee) for the team. I think he should be back on the court when Rose is truly ready, not when the Bulls insist he's ready. The 2nd opinion is a way of validating either the player's or the team's wish that he come back maybe too soon.
Well then the timing of this "2nd opinion" as you call it is most unusual, since no one in the realm of the even marginally sane would be pushing Rose at this point. Sometimes a cigar is only a cigar.
There is nothing wrong with getting a second opinion. There is nothing shady to be taken of the first opinion by getting a second opinion, especially when both docs (as Transplant pointed out) are top 25 in their field. Dr. Cole makes a pretty penny at Rush and the Bulls job is just a wee part of it. Anyone who things Dr. Cole would risk his license or reputation to push Rose back too early is a candidate for a conspiracy theory foil hat.
