January 26, 2005

Dr. T.O.

The latest news on the Only Super Bowl Story Anyone Cares About: Terrell Owens wants to play in the big game, but the doctor who did his surgery has not cleared him to play- meaning either that Owens will be held out, or the legend built on his performance in the game will be buttressed because he “went against doctor’s orders.”

I had another thought. Now, as we learned from the Shaquille O’Neal episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” superstar athletes have the power to fire team doctors at will, whether it’s because of unfavorable diagnoses, or because they cheated at Scattergories.

So what if TO fires the doctor and hires another who lets him play? But what if the second doctor won’t clear him either? Will he just fire them all until he finds one he likes, like Nixon used to do with attorneys general?

Not sure how it'll all shake out, but I'm sure we'll hear about it, every day, for the next week and a half.

Posted by Stephen Silver at January 26, 2005 10:44 PM
Comments

Steve, I think you sound bitter ;) TO's allowed to play against doctor's orders. And the doctor who said "No" wasn't a team doc, but rather Terrell's private, personal doctor. The team doctors say he can play.

If TO's doc said yes, and then TO got injured, the doc could be liable. This way, TO's making the decision.

To be honest, though, I hope we don't need him on Super Sunday.

Posted by: Lex at January 26, 2005 11:48 PM

Lex, you long-suffering Eagle fany you...
Hope against hope... with the Patriots defensive schemes, you might need TO at all the WR positions to make a dent. I'm not saying that the Pats will run away with it, but Belichick makes Bill PArcells look like MIke Tice.

Posted by: A at January 27, 2005 09:04 AM

note that in an analogous situation, the Red Sox ended up firing the team doctor that did that macabre procedure on Curt Schilling's ankle that allowed him to pitch in Game 2 of the World Series ...

Posted by: LilB at January 27, 2005 12:31 PM
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