"sighs" Pollack needs surgery

[jjakq27]

POLLACK FOLLOW: Lewis on Saturday said he thought media coverage of the news of linebacker David Pollack's impending neck surgery was extreme and inaccurate.

Pollack, who suffered a fracture of the C6 vertebrae Sept. 17 against Cleveland, will have to undergo a fusion surgery.

"There is no indication that his football career is over," Lewis said. "(Surgery) will be a good opportunity for doctors to make the most accurate assessment of the repair that needs to be made, but surgery was imminent. There has not been a setback. Everything has been positive.

"He was just alarmed because his friends were calling him. We're months away from where he'll have to make that kind of decision."

Pollack will be with the team Monday.

From today's Enquirer....

[HairOnFire]

I don't have a dog in this fight, but I will say this much. Oldschooler is dead on with most of the points he's making, including the fact that Hoosier has never been one to cut David Pollack much slack. There's a bias there that mirrors my own disdain for Chris Perry, and as a Pollack backer it's interesting to see from a different perspective.

Ignoring all that for a second, and the rancor that has defined this thread, I'll make only one point. That being, the information regarding Pollack's health has followed a well established trend by being shockingly inaccurate and subject to change on a day to day basis. The news has gone from being initially positive, to the worst possible, to cautiously optimistic at breakneck speed, and if there's anything that surprises me it's Pollack's statement that after surgery he hasn't ruled out an attempt to return. Well, okay, if Pollack is willing to consider a return to the NFL then the issue of whether or not to wait for him has already been decided. You do it. You support him. You drop him from your long term plans only if and when additional information prompts you to do so.

And obviously we're not there yet.

[agreen_112]

I don't have a dog in this fight, but I will say this much. Oldschooler is dead on with most of the points he's making, including the fact that Hoosier has never been one to cut David Pollack much slack. There's a bias there that mirrors my own disdain for Chris Perry, and as a Pollack backer it's interesting to see from a different perspective.

Ignoring all that for a second, and the rancor that has defined this thread, I'll make only one point. That being, the information regarding Pollack's health has followed a well established trend by being shockingly inaccurate and subject to change on a day to day basis. The news has gone from being initially positive, to the worst possible, to cautiously optimistic at breakneck speed, and if there's anything that surprises me it's Pollack's statement that after surgery he hasn't ruled out an attempt to return. Well, okay, if Pollack is willing to consider a return to the NFL then the issue of whether or not to wait for him has already been decided. You do it. You support him. You drop him from your long term plans only if and when additional information prompts you to do so.

And obviously we're not there yet.

Looks like he's back on the sideline.

**edit** won't let me post pic.... hang on.

here it is. duh.... F-it. Try this: http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/7637/sl...1906bengpa8.jpg

Look at that man, that's beautiful. That smile on his face lets you know that everything is going to be okay. Get well soon Pollack! We miss you too much!!!

[HoosierCat]

I don't have a dog in this fight, but I will say this much. Oldschooler is dead on with most of the points he's making, including the fact that Hoosier has never been one to cut David Pollack much slack. There's a bias there that mirrors my own disdain for Chris Perry, and as a Pollack backer it's interesting to see from a different perspective.

Missed your comment somehow. Just to note: I had no particular beef with Pollack until a few months into this year. I was perfectly happy with the pick, and was in fact one of Pollack's few defenders around here during his rookie holdout, blaming the impasse on the Bengals' traditional mom 'n' pop negotiating style, not the far more popular target of greedy agent and player. The only thing I didn't like was the idea of taking a successful college DE and moving him to SLB. The fact a portion of Pollack's success in 2005 came with him playing as a down lineman in a pass rushing role only served to further my impression that if you want a linbacker, draft one, and if you draft a DE, put him on the line. But that's a criticism of Marvin, not David.

And I was perfectly willing to cut Pollack slack and give him time to learn. Again, last season I even complained about lining Pollack up as a DE. If Marvin was dead-set on moving him to LB, then move him and let him learn. Better to take the lumps early and get him up to speed ASAP. Instead they played him all over and it was only at the very end of the season that he looked like he might be starting to get it. Maybe Marvin was right?

The thing he needed -- and still needs -- is reps, reps, and more reps. And then the Bengals open the '06 offseason program...and in hobbles boot boy.

Welll, isn't that just spiffy, I thought. First a rookie contract holdout. Then a season spent as a situational pass rusher (with, looking back, a few nagging injuries cropping up). Now he's missing out on the offseaason program he badly needs. Oh, well, think I, at last he ought to be ready for camp this summer.

Of course, he then pullls a hammy in camp and spends more time standing around watching other guys run up and down the field. More missed reps. I seriously begin to think this guy is another injury-cursed bum. This stretches into week 1; he's out for the opener.

Finally, game 2. Anticipation is high. Mighty Casey is at the plate...err, Davd Pollack is finally in the game. Two snaps and one broken neck later, he's out for the season. Wonder-f**king-ful.

Assume he intends to return. Even before the recent round of medical reports, Pollack was reportedly looking at a 6-to-9-month rehab window after the halo came off. So kiss another offseason program goodbye. Now, with another surgery thrown in, you have to think the odds are good he'll be a career 0-3 for training camps as well. By opening day of next season he will basically not have played football in a year and a half. Expect conditioning-related injuries to crop up, strains, pulls, etc. When will he be ready? How much of him comes back after the injury? Who knows? And for my part, who cares?

I would like nothing better than to see Pollack return and become a Pro Bowl LB. Heaven knows we could use one. But I no longer have any expectation that will happen, and in fact think his career, if he resumes it, will amount to nothing special. We both hope I'm wrong. But I don't think I am.