"I had an eminent sports orthopedic surgeon tell me in 1991 that the sudden demise of the career of a seemingly invincible ballplayer due to a rare blood vessel problem could only have been caused by a long-standing hereditary issue that should have affected every male in his family for generations, or by the repeated injections of performance-enhancing drugs into a specific part of the body. "
Im wondering who this could be? Anybody remember a great player falling off around that time with odd health issues?
MTS <mts2562001@hotmail.com> wrote: : On Keith Olbermann's blog today he wrote:
: "I had an eminent sports orthopedic surgeon tell me in 1991 that the : sudden demise of the career of a seemingly invincible ballplayer due to : a rare blood vessel problem could only have been caused by a : long-standing hereditary issue that should have affected every male in : his family for generations, or by the repeated injections of : performance-enhancing drugs into a specific part of the body. "
: Im wondering who this could be? Anybody remember a great player falling : off around that time with odd health issues?
There's really no match among players who last played in 1991.
Among players who last played in 1990, I suppose Keith Hernandez and Fred Lynn could conceivably hit, although no one could call Lynn "seemingly invincible," and Hernandez didn't really didn't have a sudden demise (neither did -- ISTR something a bit unusual about Hernandez's deteriorating health in the last few years).
If it's a mid-career drop in performance without ending the career, Don Mattingly fits -- he stopped being Don Mattingly in 1990. If "bad back" is a euphamism for "rare blood vessel problem."
Of those who last played in 1992, I suppose Jack Clark might sort of fit (great in 1990 at age 34, good in '91, awful in '92). I recall injuries that sounded normal, but I don't remember what they were.
Kal Daniels last played in 1992. He's a famous flame out, but I don't remember anything that seems odd about it.
I don't really see anyone there who fits the description. I didn't look at pitchers, since lots of pitchers all the time end their careers quickly, but none of them are ever seemingly invincible.
Bryan S . Slick 12 March 2005 06:47:39 [ permanent link ]
[MTS (mts2562001@hotmail.com)] [11 Mar 2005 17:39:04 -0800]
:On Keith Olbermann's blog today he wrote: : :"I had an eminent sports orthopedic surgeon tell me in 1991 that the :sudden demise of the career of a seemingly invincible ballplayer due to :a rare blood vessel problem could only have been caused by a :long-standing hereditary issue that should have affected every male in :his family for generations, or by the repeated injections of erformance-enhancing drugs into a specific part of the body. " : :Im wondering who this could be? Anybody remember a great player falling :off around that time with odd health issues?
Glenn Davis?
-- Bryan S. Slick, onyx_hokie at yahoo dot com
"There ain't nothing wrong a few cold beers can't iron out in fact, you tell me just when and where, and I'll buy the first round"
David Marc Nieporent 12 March 2005 12:16:41 [ permanent link ]
In <d0tjo7$13f9$1@agate.berkeley.edu>, <jhb@socrates.Berkeley.EDU> wrote:>MTS <mts2562001@hotmail.com> wrote:>: On Keith Olbermann's blog today he wrote:
: "I had an eminent sports orthopedic surgeon tell me in 1991 that the>: sudden demise of the career of a seemingly invincible ballplayer due to>: a rare blood vessel problem could only have been caused by a>: long-standing hereditary issue that should have affected every male in>: his family for generations, or by the repeated injections of>: performance-enhancing drugs into a specific part of the body. "
: Im wondering who this could be? Anybody remember a great player falling>: off around that time with odd health issues?
There's really no match among players who last played in 1991.
Note that technically it doesn't say that the career demise happened in 1991; it said KO was told in 1991.
Among players who last played in 1990, I suppose Keith Hernandez and Fred >Lynn could conceivably hit, although no one could call Lynn "seemingly >invincible," and Hernandez didn't really didn't have a sudden demise >(neither did -- ISTR something a bit unusual about Hernandez's >deteriorating health in the last few years).
[...]
I don't really see anyone there who fits the description. I didn't look >at pitchers, since lots of pitchers all the time end their careers >quickly, but none of them are ever seemingly invincible.
Bo Jackson?
--------------------------------------------- David M. Nieporent nieporen@alumni.princeton.edu
<jhb@socrates.Berkeley.EDU> wrote in message news:d0tjo7$13f9$1@agate.berkeley.edu...> Kal Daniels last played in 1992. He's a famous flame out, but I don't> remember anything that seems odd about it.
Mpoconnor7@Aol.Com 12 March 2005 17:11:24 [ permanent link ]
jhb@socrates.Berkeley.EDU wrote:> MTS <mts2562001@hotmail.com> wrote:> : On Keith Olbermann's blog today he wrote:>
: "I had an eminent sports orthopedic surgeon tell me in 1991 that
: sudden demise of the career of a seemingly invincible ballplayer
due to> : a rare blood vessel problem could only have been caused by a> : long-standing hereditary issue that should have affected every male
: his family for generations, or by the repeated injections of> : performance-enhancing drugs into a specific part of the body. ">
: Im wondering who this could be? Anybody remember a great player
falling> : off around that time with odd health issues?>
There's really no match among players who last played in 1991.>
Among players who last played in 1990, I suppose Keith Hernandez and
Fred> Lynn could conceivably hit, although no one could call Lynn "seemingly> invincible," and Hernandez didn't really didn't have a sudden demise> (neither did -- ISTR something a bit unusual about Hernandez's> deteriorating health in the last few years).>
If it's a mid-career drop in performance without ending the career,
Mattingly fits -- he stopped being Don Mattingly in 1990. If "bad
back"> is a euphamism for "rare blood vessel problem."
How about Dale Murphy? He was a nothing catcher who moved to the outfield and started hitting tons of homers, and after a great 82-87 stretch and the HOF clearly in sight, he lost his hitting ability.
Another possibility from that era would be Nick Esasky. After a big season in 1989 for Boston where he finished in the top five in the AL in Homers and RBIs, he signed a big contract with Atlanta and IIRC came down with severe vertigo and his career was thru although he tried to come back. I wonder if his condition ever improved
Of those who last played in 1992, I suppose Jack Clark might sort of
(great in 1990 at age 34, good in '91, awful in '92). I recall
injuries> that sounded normal, but I don't remember what they were.
Besides, Clark had been in the league about fifteen years at that point, hardly mid-career. Also, Clark was considered by many one of the great underrated hitters of baseball history, and he was renowned for his great batting eye, which roids cannot help.
Realto Margarino 12 March 2005 18:12:10 [ permanent link ]
mpoconnor7@aol.com <mpoconnor7@aol.com> trolled:
Besides, Clark had been in the league about fifteen years at that> point, hardly mid-career. Also, Clark was considered by many one> of the great underrated hitters of baseball history, and he was> renowned
Underrated by whom? You?
for his great batting eye, which roids cannot help.
"I had an eminent sports orthopedic surgeon tell me in 1991 that the> sudden demise of the career of a seemingly invincible ballplayer due to> a rare blood vessel problem could only have been caused by a> long-standing hereditary issue that should have affected every male in> his family for generations, or by the repeated injections of> performance-enhancing drugs into a specific part of the body. ">
Im wondering who this could be? Anybody remember a great player> falling off around that time with odd health issues?
Drugs that increase the level of testosterone may lead to liver, kidney, and cancer problems. I know Eric Davis lacerated his kidney diving for a ball (that's a blood vessel problem), but something may have weakened the kidney. Then there was the colon cancer. On the other hand, Davis wasn't bulked-up at 185 pounds.
-- Don
Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are much more pliable. ~ Mark Twain
I'm pretty amused that this newsgroup is worked up over something Keith Olbermann says an unnamed source told him 14 years ago.
The guy is a former ESPN primetime anchor, and this "info" came from *HIS BLOG*. Just the fact that one of ESPN's former top anchors has a free blog is a bigger cry for help than Canseco's book.
On Sat, 12 Mar 2005 18:14:14 -0600, GTanner <tanner@nospam.nospam> wrote:
The guy is a former ESPN primetime anchor, and this "info" came from >*HIS BLOG*. Just the fact that one of ESPN's former top anchors has a >free blog is a bigger cry for help than Canseco's book.
When you say "free blog" what do you mean? - If you are pointing out that it is free content for the reader, that hardly seems an issue -- I don't think MSNBC offers pay content. - If you are suggesting that MSNBC doesn't pay Olbermann for his column, I think you must be wrong -- or else he better get a new agent.
Bryan S . Slick 13 March 2005 07:55:33 [ permanent link ]
[Don McC (DonMcC@adelphia.net)] [Sat, 12 Mar 2005 17:56:30 -0500]
:"MTS" <mts2562001@hotmail.com> wrote: : :> On Keith Olbermann's blog today he wrote: : :> "I had an eminent sports orthopedic surgeon tell me in 1991 that the :> sudden demise of the career of a seemingly invincible ballplayer due to :> a rare blood vessel problem could only have been caused by a :> long-standing hereditary issue that should have affected every male in :> his family for generations, or by the repeated injections of :> performance-enhancing drugs into a specific part of the body. " :> :> Im wondering who this could be? Anybody remember a great player :> falling off around that time with odd health issues? : rugs that increase the level of testosterone may lead to liver, kidney, :and cancer problems. I know Eric Davis lacerated his kidney diving :for a ball (that's a blood vessel problem), but something may have :weakened the kidney. Then there was the colon cancer. On the other :hand, Davis wasn't bulked-up at 185 pounds.
I spent more than 20 years as a sports reporter, most of them on the national level. I heard my first accusation of steroid use (ironically enough, against Jose Canseco), from another active player, in the winter of 1987. I had an eminent sports orthopedic surgeon tell me in 1991 that the sudden demise of the career of a seemingly invincible ballplayer due to a rare blood vessel problem could only have been caused by a long- standing hereditary issue that should have affected every male in his family for generations, or by the repeated injections of performance- enhancing drugs into a specific part of the body.
I asked over at Baseball Primer's Primer Dugout today whether anyone knew who Olbermann might mean. I got an e-mail from a gentleman I'll identify if he wants me to, but I won't assume, guessing Bo Jackson. Now, I don't want to ding anyone's good name, but Jackson is an attractive guess:
Sudden demise -- check. A two-sport star, on Jan. 13, 1991, Jackson "suffered a hip injury while being tackled during the Raiders' playoff victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. No one knew at the time, but the resulting condition, known as avascular necrosis, would lead to the deterioration of the cartilage and bone around his left hip joint."
1991 -- check. Jackson got hurt in January of that year, then was released by the Royals in March, and signed on with the White Sox, performing poorly as a result of his injury. He would undergo hip replacement surgery in April, 1992, struggle through another couple partial baseball seasons, and retire.
Seemingly invincible -- check.
Rare blood vessel problem: check: Avascular necrosis is a disease resulting from the temporary or permanent loss of the blood supply to the bones. Without blood, the bone tissue dies and causes the bone to collapse. If the process involves the bones near a joint, it often leads to collapse of the joint surface. This disease also is known as osteonecrosis, aseptic necrosis, and ischemic bone necrosis.
Although it can happen in any bone, avascular necrosis most commonly affects the ends (epiphysis) of long bones such as the femur, the bone extending from the knee joint to the hip joint. Other common sites include the upper arm bone, knees, shoulders, and ankles. The disease may affect just one bone, more than one bone at the same time, or more than one bone at different times. Avascular necrosis usually affects people between 30 and 50 years of age; about 10,000 to 20,000 people develop avascular necrosis each year. Orthopaedic doctors most often diagnose the disease.
If this is who Olbermann is talking about -- clever, if so, since no one (demonstrably, judging by how long it took Primates to guess) immediately associates "rare blood vessel problem" with Bo Jackson instead of "hip replacement" -- it's a shame on one hand, because Jackson was an awfully exciting player to watch, in either sport. On the other hand, if it's true, we don't know how much of that was ability and how much was juice.
Note that I'm only speculating who Olbermann might be talking about; I have no information on which to base an opinion whether Bo Jackson took steroids, and whether they ended his career.
-- Bryan S. Slick, onyx_hokie at yahoo dot com
"There ain't nothing wrong a few cold beers can't iron out in fact, you tell me just when and where, and I'll buy the first round"
Besides, Clark had been in the league about fifteen years at that>> point, hardly mid-career. Also, Clark was considered by many one>> of the great underrated hitters of baseball history, and he was>> renowned>
Underrated by whom? You?>
for his great batting eye, which roids cannot help.>
HGH is said to enhance eyesight.
My vision was almost as good as TSW's when I was younger (20/13), and it never made me a great hitter.
