ESPN Article Claiming Alabama players entering NFL with "Mileage"

WishIwasInBama

1st Team
Jul 17, 2005
934
177
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Okinawa Japan
From Adam Schefter

just last year, NFL teams' medical reports revealed that Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner underwent five different surgeries. Some trainers believed that because of the condition of his toes, former Alabama running back Eddie Lacy would not be able to have an extended NFL career. Teams questioned the condition of former Alabama guard Chance Warmack's knees, defensive tackle Jesse Williams' knees and offensive tackle D.J. Fluker's shoulder.
Now maybe this is all just one big coincidence. No school is turning out more players in a sport that is prone to injury, so some of this is inevitable. But NFL executives believed that having many of the best players in the country squaring off in physically demanding practices and then playing games in the top college football conference took its toll.
It wasn't as if they were taking Alabama players off their boards, but they were aware that some came with medical risks. Those questions repeatedly were raised before the 2013 NFL draft -- and they will be there again before the 2014 draft
I do not know how I feel about the story but using Julio's injury seems like a stretch to me, after all he has been in the NFL for a few years now. The part about the best players lining up against each other would seem to make sense but is he then implying that Alabama's practices are more physically demeaning than a team in the NFL's?

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9828735/schefter-blitz-alabama-players-come-mileage
 

Atl Joe

1st Team
Nov 27, 2010
405
5
37
This article could have easily been written about Miami in the 80's/90's. They had the same issues with players like Matt Patchan, Melvin Bratton, Yatil Green, Greg Mark, Rusty Medaris and Greg Rakoczy. When good players play hard, they get injured.
 

Bama Reb

Suspended
Nov 2, 2005
14,446
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On the lake and in the woods, AL
IDK. I sometimes think that our 4th quarter program is a little over the top. Maybe CNS and staff should let them slow down, take more breaks, have a sweet snack with a cold adult beverage or something. Ya know? Just take it easier on the guys so they aren't so prone to injury later on ..
 

TUSKtimes

1st Team
Sep 18, 2008
563
0
35
Right here, Right now
Eddie Lacey couldn't get on the field as a starter until his last season at the Capstone. Even then, even in key situations and big games, here came Yeldon. Our depth at Bama is ridiculously good, so many players are platooned throughout their career. Many good players at many programs don't enjoy that kind of depth. That would seem to be the type of mileage I would worry about. If you are trying to say Bama will hit you and that takes a toll, true enough, but you should see the wear and tear on the other vehicles.
 

92tide

TideFans Legend
May 9, 2000
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IDK. I sometimes think that our 4th quarter program is a little over the top. Maybe CNS and staff should let them slow down, take more breaks, have a sweet snack with a cold adult beverage or something. Ya know? Just take it easier on the guys so they aren't so prone to injury later on ..
Summer camp pool party
 

jps1983

Hall of Fame
Aug 30, 2006
7,459
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Well, I guess the haters have to look for any flimsy excuse. All players are banged up in bigtime college football.
 

gamersfuel

All-American
Jan 20, 2008
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Auburn/near a cow pasture
i think it's a fair question. however i dont think it's just Bama. I think it's the SEC as a whole especially when you include the SECCG and BCS title game. Thats grueling. I'm willing to bet that has a lot to do with our guys not being able to stay healthy. Because whether you like to hear it or not, we do have a ton of guys with injuries once they get to the NFL.
 

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
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Thing is, unlike most other SEC teams, all teams, in fact, we do not tackle to the ground except in scrimmages. Saban uses the "thud" method especially to limit practice injuries. Still, as pointed out above, ours are bigger, faster and meaner...
 

mariettatider

BamaNation Citizen
Jul 18, 2009
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0
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I worked for someone who played for Auburn same years as Sullivan and he told me that the guys in his dorm suite had a huge number of surgeries. Seemed like they average around 7 each. Also worked with someone who played at Mizzou same years and his shoulders, back knees and hearing were shot. Andrews operated on his shoulder and told him it was one of the worst he had seen and he could only do so much.
 

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
84,528
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Huntsville, AL,USA
I worked for someone who played for Auburn same years as Sullivan and he told me that the guys in his dorm suite had a huge number of surgeries. Seemed like they average around 7 each. Also worked with someone who played at Mizzou same years and his shoulders, back knees and hearing were shot. Andrews operated on his shoulder and told him it was one of the worst he had seen and he could only do so much.
And if they make the NFL, then the surgeries continue to pile up. I was talking to Billy Neighbors right after my third knee operation. He said "Earle, I swear, you sound like an old NFL guy." I'm now up to seven orthopedic surgeries, with one more to go (hope it's only one)...
 

runatl

Suspended
Dec 5, 2011
98
0
0
I bet taking a player with some injury history is a LOT LESS risky than taking players with criminal backgrounds.
Injuries happen - It's football. I wanna see these guys in the NFL in 5 years before we make any conclusions. Other than Rolando, our guys have done well in the pros, right? And Ro's problem wasn't injuries.
 

shottistyeti

Scout Team
Dec 10, 2006
167
6
42
While this may be a fair question, it just feels like yet another attempt to poke holes and find some flaw in our program.
This is an accurate statement of my reaction too - a "feeling" that it's ... well ... not “objective".

But I also think it's not worth a second of worry. If corrections are needed for the good of the players, then CNS will handle it, just as he did with Kiper. And consider that since he does address such situations when he feels he needs to, I think that sends a clear message to the Gronkowskis of the world about how much weight he gives their opinions.
 

TiderGreg

Suspended
Nov 27, 2006
936
0
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There would never be an article is not for several players not meeting expectations.

One of my Auburn customers hit me yesterday with accusations of bama and supplements. I basically told him we played hard and had an excellent medical group that maybe patched players up with pins and such, all I could think of.

I raised the question before that I thought many of our high draft picks did not meet expectations, this was met with scorn. My theory is that that we probably do have a little bit of a system, and players might have been a little overrated. An example is GMAC. No way he would have been drafted if not for coach Saban. And Cody just happened to fill a niche.

The conclusion is that we have a top notch coaching staff that is makes the parts look better through team.
 

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