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Update on Alonzo

Mooney said I think during the coaches show on Monday that they still hope ANO can come back. They did see he is still having problems with double vision and until that goes away he can't resume basketball activities. He did indicate the surgery went well. It sounds like their is no timetable other than when ANO vision returns to a state where the doctors will release him to play again.
 
Given that we're 2 weeks from the conference tourney, it's hard for me to see him returning. I really hope i'm wrong.
 
as much as I would like to seen him play I would rather he not come back if he is not close to 100%. Since he has not been able to train I would think he will need conditioning and timing to get back to speed and there is not much season left
 
Originally posted by MolivaManiac:
Given that we're 2 weeks from the conference tourney, it's hard for me to see him returning. I really hope i'm wrong.
I agree. Maybe I was reading into Chris's comment a bit too much, but it sounded like he is ready to return as soon as the vision problems clear themselves (meaning that the actual broken bone and surgery are OK to play now). He also can't really do any physical activity until the vision is cleared up, so I think his conditioning will be an issue if he is able to get back on the court.
 
If ZO is released to play I would hope that he only plays a reserve role to give someone a breather. The rotation we have been using is working pretty darn good. I doubt that he would be physically or mentally ready to do much more. In fact our rebounding has improved and I think part of the reason is our bigs are not deferring to ZO attempting a block or positioning for a rebound. I also think our defense in the paint has improved because of adjustments put in place to compensate for not having ZO.
 
Hopefully he will be ready to play in the A-10 tourney against Rhode Island so that he can break the eye bone of the player who broke his. An eye for an eye, right?
 
I wouldn't want to do anything that could impact his senior season, his health and especially his sight. If he comes back for the A10 tournament great, for any post season great. But don't push it.
 
As he suffered a concussion as well as the broken orbital bone that can complicate the situation. The concern about the after effects of concussions has been heightened as more awareness has arisen with our own former football player Ray Easterling being a prime example of all that can go wrong. Want all the best for Zo and as much as I enjoy his competitiveness on the court don't want his health endangered in any way. Am certain our medical staff will make the best call.
 
When was the last time we had an official update from the Ath Dept or Coach Mooney? Certainly think we are due one. Would someone submit a question tonight on the Coach's show? I tried the link on the website but the link didn't work.
 
FWIW - announcers for St. Joe's game mentioned they had talked to Mooney and he said Zo's return was unknown at this point and it was up to the medical personnel when he would be cleared for play.
 
From the RTD on-line

On Monday, UR coach Chris Mooney said there is no firm date for Nelson-Ododa's return because "the sensitivity of the area has limited kind of a traditional timetable for him. We're hopeful. I think that could be a great spark if that could happen. Most important is his health."

Around the a10
 
Wouldn't it be nice to get a straight answer for a change? I recall a case study in a marketing class when one of my fellow students was called on and it was obvious that he was unprepared but he rambled on with a non answer. The professor cut him off and said "how much does it cost to ride the bus Mr. ***" ? Mr. *** responded $.25 sir. The professor responded, you know Mr. ***, I could get the same info from the bus driver for $.25! Such is this case
!
Why can't Coach say something like there is a __% chance he will be back for the A-10 tournament? You never get any insight into the program at all listening to Coach Mooney! IMO not the way to build a loyal fan base!
 
9legs, I agree that it would be nice to get some better info, but I think its a little far to say this will hurt the loyalty in our fanbase. My support and love of the Spiders wasn't going to change based on a percentage Mooney said.
 
CM can't share what he doesn't know. As I recall, Zo has a doctor visit sometime this week. We all will know more then.
 
26, I am saying that the coach never tells you anything you don't already know when he does an interview. IMO if you want support of your fan base you have to let them know that you are interested in them and you want them to be a part of the program. UVA loses Anderson and they say he's out 4-6 weeks. I will bet you get an update after the 4 week period that ends Sat. Perrantes goes out and they quickly say he's "day to day". Coach Mooney treats the fan base like they need a " top secret" clearance to get any insight into the program. IMO he's very distant from the fan base only doing the obligatory requirements.
 
9 I take it your not a fan of the Patriots.

I agree with you on coach speak, but with this case it sounds like he needs to go back to the MD first. I guess Mooney could address how he is feeling and whether he is still experiencing double vision as it was reported before.
 
Mooney obviously doesn't know if ANO will be back, but if there was no chance he would have said so. ANO is getting evaluated by doctors every week and when they say he is good to play he will play. If this was a standard injury then we would have a time table, but with concussion like symptoms and a fractured eye-bone who knows.
 
CM should tell anyone until he's ready, why help opponents prepare?
 
the fact that he traveled with the team and was jumping off the bench during the rpi game, tells me the concussed part is over and he is 100% from that standpoint. the vision seems to be the hangup and not a thing anyone here, meaning on earth, can do about that. would assume he can ride a stationary if he can jump as he was doing in the rpi game. if he does come back, would bet it will be off the bench as suggested above. just hope he has no permanent damage the basketball is secondary.
 
I have looked at the replay of Zo's injury multiple times, and it's just freaky, hard to believe that the contact we all saw caused so much damage.

Perantes from UVA actually had a similar, but less serious injury recently, but it was patently obvious from the replay that he took a major blow to the head (concussion and broken nose at the bridge), but he is back playing already. Of course he didn't have surgery, but based on the blow, I would have guessed he had a much more serious concussion than Zo did.

Just goes to show that we can't judge these sort of things based on how they appear.

Having been an athlete who had multiple concussions, and as a participant in the Boston U. CTE program, my advice to ANO would be to listen to the doctors, and don't rush back. He has the rest of his life ahead of him just like Becca Wann does.
 
I think CM is terrific with the media. what do you want him to say? how do you give a timeframe when there is no timeframe? ANO will be cleared when he's cleared, not before.
 
My understanding is that Zo's concussion was very minor and symptoms of his concussion cleared very quickly. What is holding him back is the double vision from the eye injury.
 
I agree, that we should err on the side of caution. Zo is going to have a terrific senior year. Would love to see him play this year, but it's doubtful, unless he can play some minutes in a postseason tournament, most likely, the NIT. Otherwise, let him heal, and prepare for a great senior year.
 
Double vision is also a common symptom of CTE/concussion. I would guess it is not clear cut whether the eye injury or the head injury or some combination of the two are complicating factors in the vision problems. That might be why the doctors and CM are taking a conservative stance.
 
Originally posted by keefusb:
Double vision is also a common symptom of CTE/concussion. I would guess it is not clear cut whether the eye injury or the head injury or some combination of the two are complicating factors in the vision problems. That might be why the doctors and CM are taking a conservative stance.
True Keef, but my understanding is the double vision is only in the eye that was impacted, which means that the double vision is the eye injury. Concussion symptoms cleared in the first day or two after the injury and I think it was even indeterminate whether he had an actual concussion.

I know a lot about CTE and concussion through my work, so I am in complete agreement with you on the need to be conservative in return to play. They had one of the athletic trainers talk about his injury during one of the call in shows a couple weeks ago and he explained the injury.
 
97, I'm not a medical professional, but I have had 5 medically verified major concussions, and as such I have been a patient/subject of the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University since 2007. I actually have a card I carry around in my wallet to ensure my brain goes to them in the event of my death.

All I can say to ANO is that it is not worth the risk to come back too soon.

Every time I forget where I put my keys, I wonder if it is normal 50-something brain aging, or the beginning of something much more sinister. Not a good feeling to have.
 
Originally posted by keefusb:

All I can say to ANO is that it is not worth the risk to come back too soon.

Every time I forget where I put my keys, I wonder if it is normal 50-something brain aging, or the beginning of something much more sinister. Not a good feeling to have.

Keef, I have had that problem since my freshman year in college. I lost my student ID 9 times my freshman year.
 
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