Those of us on the outside of professional sports, like the media and the fans, love to contemplate and fantasize about the glamour and the glory, that we might be enveloped in, had any of us been good enough to become professional athletes. Like any high end endeavour, there are sacrifices that must be made in order to be at,and stay at the level of proficiency required to compete with, and against the very best in a country and the world, to survive the usually short lived stay of the professional, in any particular sport.
It was with that in mind, that I read with great fascination, the quotes from England and Chelsea centre back John Terry, pertaining to his injury problems this season, and an on-going dilemma with a nerve problem in his right leg. Beyond that, the Blues captain also addressed the more general concern,but a greater problem for many athletes,as to what toll the injuries and treatments might have on one’s lifestyle, after the sports career has ended.
He expressed how he feels about the sacrifices required in soccer, and the possible ramifications of that, for the rest of his life. He’s certainly not the first athlete who has addressed these issues. It is within the last couple of years, allegations have surfaced, in hearing and reading the concerns of medical officials and football players in the United States, veterans of the National Football League, and the death at at relatively young age, of some who had suffered from multiple blows to the brain, after several years of playing in the league. Others,allegedly, have been troubled with the early on-set of Dementia, although the studies are so relatively new, the league feels more research needs to be done. Medical authorities In Canada expressed concern about blows to the brain suffered by participants in Mixed Martial Arts, but the provincial government in Ontario chose to ignore the concerns expressed, and give in to the pursuit of lucrative tax revenue,that can be gained by staging sold out events in large stadiums, and obviously hoping to gain some votes in the next election as well.
As for John Terry, he has begun to look ahead to the rest of his life, and try to ensure that it will be one of good quality, not just fond memories. In a recent interview posted in ESPNsoccernet, he shockingly revealed that he has not been playing in good working condition for a long time. “ The last time I played fit ? Maybe five years, maybe more. I can’t really remember. If you can take an anti-inflammatory and struggle through, you do. A lot of players would tell you that, and it happens most weeks. Games are not so bad because the adrenalin keeps you going, but training on a daily basis when every time you move it hurts- that is a real battle. The pain from this injury is the worst I’ve had. ( a nerve problem is his leg ) There is no way I can continue but, even on Sunday ( 2 weeks ago ) against Sunderland, as the goals were going in, I was thinking ‘If I had played one more game, could I have made a difference ? I know a lot of people thought I was just ducking out of England ( a friendly against France ) but would be back to play for Chelsea against Birmingham ( last weekend ), but no . I’m 30 next month and I’ve got to start looking after myself…….But counting medals in a wheelchair ? I’d rather play with my kids in the garden, thank you very much. I hope people will appreciate that.”
A recollection from a game a few years back involving Terry, sounds very typical for the elite of professional sports. It was in a championship clinching game under former Blues boss Jose Mourinho in 2006,while playing against Manchester United, and Wayne Rooney had planted his spike into Terry’s ankle. “ It was pouring with blood. I had ten stitches at half-time and an injection to numb it. I didn’t really want to go off, buy every now and then I’d have a sly look at the bench, thinking he might want to take me off because we were winning well by then. Mourinho wouldn’t even look at me. Didn’t even give me the time of day. He was in one of those moods-Nobody can mess with us, nobody can compete with us,……….By the end, I had the same attitude. I took pride staying on. I thought, I’m going to get through this. I’m going to be there right until the end, but by then I was out of it. I couldn’t walk. I could barely stand up.”
Situations like John Terry’s are almost everyday occurrences in the world of professional sports. The fans all expect the players to routinely sacrifice themselves for the good of the team, especially with the enormous sums of money they earn. It is worth remembering, that long after the fans have stopped cheering for any athlete, whether they are the best or among the fringe of their sport, their achievements will be a distant memory for most, or a point of trivia like conversation. So when it comes to deciding on their long term health, they are best to look ahead somewhat, as John Terry recently did, because when he is gone from the game, the passion and concern any fans may have had for him will also be long gone. He’ll be just another name, and like the rest of us, trying to survive life’s ups and downs. The fans wont be there to cheer him on and appreciate him, if he needs a wheelchair to get around. The only appreciation he or any other athlete will get, maybe at an occasional testimonial or special ceremony. Other than that, the Chelsea captain, and England national defender, will need the DVD’s to find any trace of that adoration and support. That point of view, is not my being mean spirited towards the fans of any sport. It quite simply is a fact of life.