From Chon.com: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/6138625.html [rquoter] With guard Tracy McGrady still limping his way through the season, McGrady and the Rockets decided to try to find another way. McGrady will miss Saturday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs and again tomorrow in Denver before flying to Birmingham, Ala. to meet with Dr. James Andrews on Monday. "I think it’s a smart decision," McGrady said. "I’m just not ready to play. With the limping and everything, I’m not healthy enough to play anymore. It’s good that I’m going to see the doctor on Monday and get a second opinion and then we’ll make a decision on the future." Rockets doctors have said that McGrady can best get back to full strength by playing. McGrady had surgery May 6 to repair his left knee, missed most of training camp and the preseason and has struggled since. McGrady, who has already been seen by team physician Dr. Tom Clanton and Dr. Walter Lowe, said that he hopes to return from Birmingham with another treatment plan. "There’s got to be," McGrady said. "If I’m limping, I can’t continue to play my career by limping. There has to be some sort of other alternative that we can do and I’m sure he has another answer." Asked if another surgery is an option, McGrady said, "No, not at all. That is the last option." McGrady, who did not play Wednesday against the Pacers after scoring just six points in Miami on Monday, is averaging 15.6 points on 40.7 percent shooting this season. [/rquoter] I'm going to assume in this post that the Rockets team doctors have made the correct assessment on Tracy's knee and what the healing process will entail. I get the impression that T-Mac doesn't have what it takes, mentally, to put in the necessary training to overcome his knee problems. He's searching for an easy answer (like his miracle back treatment from the Waco doctor) when likely what's required is what our team doctors have maintained -- he needs to play hard in game to strengthen the knee. The irony is that T-Mac has notoriously been unwilling to play hard in games his entire career, which means that he won't benefit so much from this remedy as another (Battier, say) might. What's going to be required, I think, is for Tracy to exhibit some will power. He needs to accept the pain and fight through it on a daily basis, and he'll regain his strength. But the longer he resists, searching in vain for an easy fix, the longer this issue will persist. And the longer he sets back our team, instead of contributing to it.
this old son of a gun, why cant we stop talking about his injuries and time missed? What cant we talk about his awesome stats that he was supposed to put up. WHAT A FAKE!
I am going to break ranks here and say that yes, I think he does have the willpower - he is just scared. I agree with your assesment 100%, that it is all mental, but if every doctor says the same thing, then he will have to accept it and put in the work to get better. There is nothing wrong with getting a 2nd opinion, my problem with him is this should have all happened over the summer, but because for whatever reason, Tmac didn't rehab it....the team is now having to deal with it during the season. Oh well, let him sit, the team can grow as is......I would like to see him supporting his teamates at the games though, at least the home games. DD
Nope not for a while But I strongly believe that t-mac will be healthy when the playoffs start, and even though he is 0-7, his individual game in the playoffs is undoubtedly very good, and he will be back when we need him.
he does. this is nowhere close to the back problems in 05-06 where he thought of retirement bro. he got a 2nd opinion on that back from that witch doctor and came back fine. i think he just wants a 2nd opinion b/c the team's doctors failed him the past few yrs. he just needs to be really sure that the knee will be fine and that he'll be fine again. and seeking a 2nd opinion makes me think tracy really wants to be cautious. but he'll be fine. nothing is worse than the back, like i said.
From the looks of this, it would appear only the doctors can help him mentally (not physically). Perhaps the doctors should just straight lie in front of his face, apply minor rehab treatment on his knee. Do whatever the miracle back doctor did except it isn't actually doing anything at all. Right after that, tell him it's done. I believe it is all mental, and I strongly believe McGrady believes there is a treatment to his knee. So if McGrady is looking for some sort of treatment, just give it to him. Bottom line is, just scan through his whole damn knee with MRI and whatever else they can give him, then give whatever treatment is possible. I think McGrady is looking for reassurance. If I remember correctly he decided to drop the MRI. So if I were the rockets organization, I would make him get his knee completely checked up on monday.
Just like the "Its on ME" which he didnt have to say, he brought it on himself saying we'll get a a "Fierce McGrady" this season. Will power and fierceness go hand-in-hand to some people. Over optimistically, if he's true about what he said, he'll do what it takes to get back on the court. But with McGrady you gotta give him more time and coddling than the average player.
I've asked you this before and I'll ask again: how on Earth can you think McGrady just took the summer off if he was supposed to be rehabbing?
Are you saying he rehabbed during the summer? I remember reading in the chronicle before the season that he had done nothing all summer as he recovered...and I found that odd considering rehab for arthoscopic knee surgery generally starts around day 7. It doesn't matter....it is what it is...... DD
Wow. The guy gets arthroscopic surgery on his knee in early May of this year. You know, the type of surgery NBA players get all the time? A "maintenance" surgery. Now, almost 7 months later he is still b****ing about something that should have been a non-issue coming into training camp and judging by what he looked like coming into this season he didn't do much to rehab it or even step into a gym over the summer. The doctors must be wrong about that knee. All the other guys who get the same surgery and come back stronger are wrong too. Nope, Tracy says there is something not right but he sure as hell isn't going under the knife again and getting another 1/2 inch incision made in that knee no matter what. Instead he is going to go from doctor to doctor hoping someone will validate his opinion that something just isn't right....just as long as it doesn't require another outpatient surgical procedure to correct. Memo to Tracy: If you want to make some progress go to a sports psychologist or a gynecologist because the experts are going to keep telling you that you should be on the court attempting to earn that franchise player salary.
again. this. really want him out of our life for a while. get well soon. come back stronger. bye now.
Didn't think I'd ever say this, but I'll say it now. T-mac needs to stop acting like a little girl. Man up.
Let's define "Soft". One Measure of Soft = the ability to tolerate pain. Does T-Mac have great tolerance for Pain. Sadly, no. Another measure of Soft = attitude to play hard at all times, especially under pressure. Does T-Mac have an willingness to play hard at all times, especially in pressure situations? Sadly, no. He's unstable emotionally, and will often display emotional tantrums. If he's upset, he may not play hard at all. I think we can conclude that T-Mac is not a very "tough" player mentally. He can't tolerate Pain very well, and he often has a bad attitude towards playing. Let's examine Yao Ming. Many people here call him soft. Is that true? Pain tolerance: Can Yao Ming play with pain? Yes. He's demonstrated again and again a willingness to play through pain. Aggressiveness: Does Yao play aggressively. Here is where Yao displays "soft". Too often, Yao lays up when he should DUNK that thing! Too often, Yao defers to his teammates, when he should demand the Ball! So is Yao "Soft"? Well, he is tough enough to play through pain, but he's not aggressive as he should be. So Yao has his moments when he plays "soft". Our two superstars are "soft". Of the two, T-Mac is softer than Yao.
yao plays soft in that he isn't always as aggressive as he is. but yao is dedicated and has a much stronger will to rehab/train/improve/play his best on the court. t-mac is just soft in all aspects.
This is the type of comments that start all the flaming from the *** and the ***. The OP started a good thread, stick to the topic. your other three posts have been horribly biased as well. Maybe its me but I dislike posters whose nickname is a personal opinon such as "JVG > Aldeman" - it is like his opinon is so deeply rooted that it cannot be changed. I can anticipate that whenever there is a discussion, you will be paying out Aldeman.
I'm not disagreeing with you, but McGrady has been playing through injuries his entire life. This goes to show how bias you are. He was injured almost all season last year, rushed back from an injury after Yao went down in order to keep the Rockets alive. He played with the knee injury for at least half a season, and I don't expect a normal human to be able to sustain that great deal of pain for such a long time. So it is only normal if he really needed a rest, after the continues soreness for over half a year. That being said, I'm not loving McGrady, nor do I agree with him sitting out. But McGrady is going nowhere before, and after playing a few games already he has still yet to show signs of improvement in his knee. A "realistic" fan would want a better option to improve his health. Yet "realistic" fans would also get pissed off at the fact that he isn't moving as fast nor running with the motion offense as well. So. IMHO. Rockets need to switch to another plan on McGrady's condition. It is obvious plan A ain't working.
Man I almost want the team to say "F* it, we can win without you Tracy, stay on the bench until you are well." If anything he'll feel better with the rest, and hopefully feel motivated when the team wins without him.
T-Mac is disappointing. I think T-Mac could begin rehab within 2 weeks after the process. I dont know wtf T-Mac did in summer but it seems his rehab was minimial.
