Ex-Rocket Bullard has decided to retire due to "years of pounding," hey Matt, was that from the 2 rebounds per game??? or your teammates beating you up after each game for sucking so much? Just wondering, when is the "Bullard Night" in Houston gonna be? http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news/ap/20021108/ap-hornets-bullard.html NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Injured Hornets forward Matt Bullard, who hasn't joined the team since it moved to New Orleans this season, thinks his playing career is over because of a bad back. ``My back is so bad. I can barely live a normal life, let alone the life of an NBA athlete,'' Bullard said in an interview posted Friday on the team's Web site. ``I got pretty depressed ... not because I wasn't going to be able to play as much as the knowledge I wasn't going to be able to live a normal, pain-free life.'' Bullard said ``years of pounding'' on NBA courts have caused a degenerative disc condition so bad he can no longer play golf or even a casual basketball game with his kids. Bullard, who was placed on the Hornets injured list on Oct. 28, has played 11 seasons in the NBA, nine with Houston, where he still lives. He also played one season for Atlanta. Bullard appeared in 31 games as a reserve for the Hornets last season, averaging 3.4 points and 1.5 rebounds. He missed the final 35 games with what the team at the time termed as back spams. Bullard said he has no shock absorption between two discs in his lower back. ``It's like the bones are just hitting each other,'' he said. Bullard signed a two-year contract with the Hornets before last season and likely will remain on the injured list for the rest of the season, since he remains under contract, Hornets spokesman Harold Kaufman said. Bullard has played in 615 games during his pro career, averaging 5.3 points and two rebounds.
All the best, Air Bullard. I always liked the guy and I wish him the best for his back. I believe the tone in your post is inappropriate.
damn that really sucks for bull. why can't these things happen to people like karla instead of class acts like bullard. sorry to see it end this way, thanks for all the 3's and the occasional dunk. long live air bullard.
Anyone want a good laugh, listen to one of Chance's songs. http://users.ev1.net/~chancellor/airbull/Chance McClain - Air Bull.mp3
o.k. so i have had a couple glasses of wine. I meant to put: It must have been the rough practices with chilly pete
I feel bad for him,he was a fine role player for the Rockets and showed loyalty to the organization and appreciated the fans. I wish him well in his future.
i believe my tone is sarcastic...will a smiley face make it better?...i'll edit it for you, cuz i don't want your feelings hurt over a sarcastic comment.
A-MEN! I was unable to WALK for nearly a year with a back problem in my 20's. If you've never had back problems, you have NO idea how bad it can be.
What type of back problem did you have? I actually watched the 95 Finals from a hospital room. I had 4 ruptured disks (was only 21 YO). I had to have a laminectomy and disectomy. I remember losing an inch of my height cause of the damage I did to my disks.
Get well Bull. I had a bulging disc in my back during my early twenties. I did it while.................you guessed it, playing basketball. I heard and felt a pop after coming down with a board but it was still okay until I woke up the next morning. Couldn't get up. Had to turn onto my back and do a push-up to raise myself. Hurt like hell just pivoting my ankles or putting my chin against my chest. The pain was almost unbearable. Luckily I'm 99% healthy again. But you never know when or if it may occur again. Back pain? Yeah, I know back pain.
Originally, I had a severly strained muscle but it was aggrivated by the wrong treatment. By the time I was at my worst, I had no fascia left over my lower back, two badly damaged nevers, several torn muscles and a couple of badly damaged tendon/ligaments. I never had any back surgery though every doctor I went to said I should. I went, very skeptically at the time, to a number of natural health practitioners including one amazing woman who helped me to rehab very slowly over the course of nearly a year. She's still amazing in her 60's.
Gosh, the Air Bull era comes to an end. While Matt was mainly a 3 point shooter, he did have a knack for being able to fill-in at a lot of positions for the Rockets. One of the truly good guys in sports, and a fan favorite everywhere.
Best wishes to Bull... I met him several times and he always seemed like a true class act.... I wish him well.... he already does comets broadcasts and maybe he will become a successful nba broadcaster or something
No fascia? Ouch. Sounds like our back problems are totally different. Although, in order to get to my spine, they had to cut 12" vertically through my back muscles. After my surgery, the pain in my legs were gone, but I had a whole new pain. lol My ruptured disks ended up partially severing two nerves (pains in the legs and ankles) and damaged two others. I consider myself to be very luck that it happened when i was 21 rather than 31 or even 41 like Bullard and Hakeem. I was able to heal with minimal rehab. Although, to this day, I can not sneeze or cough unless im in a sitting position because of the stress and ensuing pain that it puts on my repaired muscles. lol Of course, by far, the most depressing thing was, at the time I was young, single and lived by myself. I dont know if anyone else could appreciate the fact that it just wasnt cool when I had to use my walker for support when walking the 100 yards across the parking lot to check the mail. All the ladies would look at me like i was 80 years old.
