Post by MizzouTiger on Dec 9, 2007 10:40:21 GMT -5
www.kansascity.com/sports/story/395659.html
Hali has been playing hurt
Tamba Hali hasn’t missed any games for the Chiefs this season. In fact, he’s missed barely any plays or practice time.
So his is the injury story that maybe you haven’t heard about. But it’s there.
For Hali, the second-year defensive end, it’s been one injury or another for him this year, one in which he’s never been able to feel right.
“I’ve been playing hurt all the time,” he said, emphatic in his agreement. “I started with a right abdominal. I pulled it, and I was hurting with that the first two games. It was hurting so much. I couldn’t turn. I felt like every time I turned, somebody was stabbing me with a knife. But I had to play. I got on that cortisone and played. Then, in the fourth game, it was my left knee. I sprained it, but I played. Now I jammed this.”
At that, he paused to hold up a dislocated finger concealed by a brace.
“My shoulder’s always going to hurt because we bang all day,” he continued. “So it’s always going to be something.”
Through it all, Hali hasn’t been as effective as he was when he was a rookie last year. But the Chiefs needed him.
Hali might have skipped the season’s first two games because of the abdominal injury, but his presence was required because of Jared Allen’s two-game NFL suspension. Hali had to fight through the knee problems in large part because rookie Turk McBride hasn’t been ready for a full workload.
“If I can go, I’ll go,” Hali said. “I look at it like my presence on the field helps the team.”
There’s one more reason Hali never seriously considered asking out.
I don’t want to give opportunity to somebody else,” he said. “Somebody else might take my position, and before you know it, I’m watching and not playing.”
Hali has been playing hurt
Tamba Hali hasn’t missed any games for the Chiefs this season. In fact, he’s missed barely any plays or practice time.
So his is the injury story that maybe you haven’t heard about. But it’s there.
For Hali, the second-year defensive end, it’s been one injury or another for him this year, one in which he’s never been able to feel right.
“I’ve been playing hurt all the time,” he said, emphatic in his agreement. “I started with a right abdominal. I pulled it, and I was hurting with that the first two games. It was hurting so much. I couldn’t turn. I felt like every time I turned, somebody was stabbing me with a knife. But I had to play. I got on that cortisone and played. Then, in the fourth game, it was my left knee. I sprained it, but I played. Now I jammed this.”
At that, he paused to hold up a dislocated finger concealed by a brace.
“My shoulder’s always going to hurt because we bang all day,” he continued. “So it’s always going to be something.”
Through it all, Hali hasn’t been as effective as he was when he was a rookie last year. But the Chiefs needed him.
Hali might have skipped the season’s first two games because of the abdominal injury, but his presence was required because of Jared Allen’s two-game NFL suspension. Hali had to fight through the knee problems in large part because rookie Turk McBride hasn’t been ready for a full workload.
“If I can go, I’ll go,” Hali said. “I look at it like my presence on the field helps the team.”
There’s one more reason Hali never seriously considered asking out.
I don’t want to give opportunity to somebody else,” he said. “Somebody else might take my position, and before you know it, I’m watching and not playing.”