not me. i know how it feels to have people doubting you, and telling you you can't do something even if it is medically "impossible." CJ should have died in that crash -- look at the wreckage. the fact that he not only lived, but escaped with his leg still in one-piece (though barely,) tells me that someone upstairs isn't finished with him. a lot of it has to do with how dedicated he is to his rehab, but he can do it. like i said, he probably won't be the same player, but i'm betting he will still be able to pitch as well as before when it's said and done. reality says that he probably won't be able to do it, but just look at those pictures.
well, that's just one other miracle, i suppose. :hihi: but really, just the fact that he said he "will play football again" says a lot. how many people, when faced with what he had to deal with, would just look at the situation, feel sorry for themselves and just close themselves off and not deal with it? most people, i would bet. maybe i'm just overly optimistic, but i went through a very trying and cynical stage after leukemia where i felt everyone was against me and that i was doomed to a meaningless and insignificant future. but positive thinking counts for a lot! chad said himself that he is surrounding himself with positive people, that's the best thing that can be done sometimes. :yelwink2:
I don't for one second doubt his courage, desire or heart. But it looks to my untrained eye that the accident took, what, 3 percent of his quad/hamstring. Maybe more. Even if he can get it back to nearly full strength, he's still going to lose something. And in the ultra competitive world of the NFL that might be too much for him tombe able to compete. But can he pitch? Maybe. Even if he can't he's taken, as you note Jay, the most important step -- he's on his feet and swinging away. And nobody can ask for anything more from him.
Remember Tom Dempsey? NFL record 63-yard field goal... never know. I know, his may have actually aided him in his specialty. :yelwink2:
You're absolutely right. We never know. And wouldn't it be great for a Tiger to make a comeback like that?
New member here. But I figured I would start off here. Simply because I love Chad Jones & when I heard about this I was literally crushed. I'm glad to see that he still has the competitive fire in him. I don't know if he'll fully recover to play, but I wish him the best. I just think about Shaun Livingston from the NBA. Talented PG, had a terrible injury. Everybody doubted his return, but he rehabbed, busted his butt, and came back a much smarter player, even though he lost the talent that brought him there. But he is much smarter now and is using what he has to the best he can. I'm sure that Chad Jones can & will have the same type of recovery. Geaux Tigers!!
As some of you know, I was in a very bad auto crash that resulted in a career ending injury...although my career was dentistry and not athletics. My response was the same as Chad's...I was absolutely determined to take the bull by the horns and do whatever it took to pick up where I left off. I was determined. I repeated my third year of dental school and...six months later I was in a head on crash at about 45 mph that was even worse. It was a real miracle that I even survived. Although my rehab went well...my dental career was over. I understand what it means to be totally self reliant, to have a goal, to work hard for it, and to finally realize that it would never happen. Through the years, I gradually realized that it was all part of God's plan and that every single, crazy turn that my life took was to bring God's will to fruition in my life. Worldly things that were important to me before became much less significant. Things that I gave short shrift to (like faith) began to hound me and not go away. Through the years, gradually, all things came together to give me a proper perspective on life...and to bring me to where I am right now in this short journey so that God's will is fulfilled in my life. What JayB and Chad Jones went through, I didn't. I don't pretend to understand. All I can advise is to be open for all possibilities, to pray, to listen, and to cooperate. I was real hard headed and it took too long for me to find true happiness. Maybe that's why I have such a different perspective on LSU football...I don't pin my happiness and self worth on how our athletes perform on the football field like so many of you guys do. Maybe that's why I really do love and realistically care about the human drama and metaphor for life that sports really is. Chad, keep up your dream...don't give up...but cooperate with the Lord. You never know what he's got in store for you.
