Is it time to shut down Lou?

[JustinesGuy]

Rest of the season? No chance.

A few weeks would probably be smart. She will probably need to get the ankle major rest or taken care of after the championship game.

 

[stamfordhusky]

But I have to ask if it wouldn’t be better for Lou’s future in basketball if Geno were to shut her down for and extended period of time, if not the rest of the season?

I think it would be best to let the UConn medical professionals decide when it is proper for her to return to the court. Further rest, beyond the point where it is healed, may well accomplish nothing. If it happens periodically, as it does to some NBA players, it likely is due to a weakness in the ankle that is not fully going away even if she rests a year.

 

[UConnNick]

there seems to be a macho attitude among basketball coaches where they maintain that their players tough it out if they are injured.....if it ain't broken you play...I've experienced it with my own daughter's high school coach and I know that Geno is a big proponent of this philosophy....UConn players are well known for their mental/physical fortitude but there's sometimes a price to pay for that.......KLS, Crystal, Gabby will hopefully be able to tough it out the rest of the way through

That's from the classic Vince Lombardi school. Are you hurt or injured? Many coaches draw a distinction between the two. Hurt means you have pain and you should play through it. Injured is way more serious, like something has to be torn or broken. Bernie Kosar once played an entire half of NFL football with a broken leg. That's not good.

 

[donalddoowop]

Lou needs to be shut down. There are 13 days until South Carolina. Put her foot/ankle in a boot. If this happens during the tournament, they are SOL.

And when she does play, stop playing her 35 to 40 minutes a game, in the conference games.

 

[dogged1]

These are difficult issues.....contrary to what some may believe, women's basketball is a really tough game and almost all players suffer from nagging injuries during the season....I've seen plenty of players that are just born complainers......they only want to play when they are in perfect physical condition.......I've seen players try to continue to play with broken fingers, broken hands, dislocated shoulders, dislocated knee caps, torn ACLs, torn MCLs you name it.......certainly there has to be a middle ground........the age old question is how injured do you have to be to throw in the towel and sit it out....that choice has to be made by the player, the medical staff and the coach...you know UConn players want to be on the court no matter how injured they are.....hopefully none of the walking wounded miss too much time but take enough time to prevent further injury during the season ..

Great post, all of it. But the part I bolded is especially true. Sometimes the coach and staff have to talk an ultra competitive player like KLS into sitting when they do not want to. I am content with leaving the decision in the hands of those with the first hand knowledge. Geno's track record proves that he always puts the health of his players above his desire to win.

 

[VillageHusky]

I think it would be best to let the UConn medical professionals decide when it is proper for her to return to the court. Further rest, beyond the point where it is healed, may well accomplish nothing. If it happens periodically, as it does to some NBA players, it likely is due to a weakness in the ankle that is not fully going away even if she rests a year.

I wholeheartedly agree with StamfordHusky; let the professionals decide when it is proper for Katie Lou (and Gabby and Crystal and anyone else on the team who is suffering from injuries) to return to the court. The implication and undertone of many of the comments in this thread is that, left to his own devices, Geno Auriemma will play his star players into the ground and cause them lifelong injuries in an attempt to win meaningless regular season games and certainly in pursuit of a 12th NCAA Championship. In my view, there is simply no reason to believe that Geno would risk the long-term health of Katie Lou, Gabby, or anyone else in pursuit of an additional national championship. Moreover, besides the moral issues involved in asking players to risk their long-term health in pursuit of short-term glory, I think Geno is just too smart to do something that, in the short run, could undermine his credibility with new recruits but, in the long run, tarnish his legacy (which at this point is more than about an additional national championship much less an AAC win or loss.) Forget the 11 national championships, the 1000+ wins, the gold medals, the all-time winning percentage, does not the universally positive view in which he is held by his former players constitute sufficient reason to believe he never risked in the past or ever would risk in the future the long term health of any of his players for a victory or victories. I recognize that the Boneyard is a forum to speculate, debate and discuss but, at least to my ears, the criticisms made recently about this team and Geno's management of it ring with a degree of certainty and confidence that is unwarranted and unfair.

 

[oldude]

I’m certainly not a doctor, nor have I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express recently, but it’s worth pointing out that with her ankle heavily taped and wearing a support brace, this is the 3rd time Lou has hurt the same ankle this season, that we know of.

I suspect Lou has a condition referred to as Chronic Ankle Instability. Multiple ankle sprains will weaken the surrounding ligaments and may also lead to additional complications. The condition is usually treated with therapy, rest, medication and ankle support. In some instances, surgery is required.

Lou’s ankle appears to be getting worse. I’m sure she wants to finish the season playing with her teammates. She may need someone to protect her from herself, which would be Geno and the UConn medical staff.

 

[JustinesGuy]

I’m certainly not a doctor, nor have I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express recently, but it’s worth pointing out that with her ankle heavily taped and wearing a support brace, this is the 3rd time Lou has hurt the same ankle this season, that we know of.

I suspect Lou has a condition referred to as Chronic Ankle Instability. Multiple ankle sprains will weaken the surrounding ligaments and may also lead to additional complications. The condition is usually treated with therapy, rest, medication and ankle support. In some instances, surgery is required.

Lou’s ankle appears to be getting worse. I’m sure she wants to finish the season playing with her teammates. She may need someone to protect her from herself, which would be Geno and the UConn medical staff.

This sounds completely reasonable to me.
They need to do what's best for her but hopefully what's best for her in March.
I do see the diminishing marginal returns specifically talking about length between a tweak.

 

[Centerstream]

When she’s healthy, Lou is one of the best players in the country. When she’s not healthy she’s a warrior who’s willing to battle through injury, illness and the occasional muggings she receives from opposing teams.

This season, chronic foot/ankle problems have already kept Lou out of all or part of a number of games. Last night, wearing a brace again to stabilize her left foot/ankle, she reinjured her ankle once more. The most alarming thing was that she didn’t land awkwardly or step on another player. She appeared to hurt it doing nothing other than running.

Clearly Lou’s left foot/ankle needs rest. While the medical staff will undoubtedly provide her with the very best care and treatment, I’m concerned that as soon as Lou feels marginally better she’ll start pushing to return to the court again because she loves the game and feels her teammates need her, which they do.

I know that no one on the BY wants to hear my suggestion. But I have to ask if it wouldn’t be better for Lou’s future in basketball if Geno were to shut her down for and extended period of time, if not the rest of the season?

Rest of the season? Sure, Number 12 can wait until next year. Or maybe MW or one of the other "bench" players will suddenly step up and become a KLS or a Stewie. Not holding my breath for that to happen.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Doesn't say anything we don't know, but: Katie Lou Samuelson Injures Ankle In UConn's Victory Over Tulsa

"it doesn't look good right now."

 

[Bigpetunia]

If I were a coach, I would only want the gutsy kind of players on my team who hate to be shut down, who want to contribute even if they're hurting. Nevertheless, allowing such warrior-type players to make these decisions is not always in their self-interest, nor in the best interests of their teams. What this ultimately boils down to is a question of goals. Is the primary goal for this season to go undefeated, or to win a National Championship? To me, the former is meaningless, and all effort should be focused on the latter. Of what possible consequence can it be if this team loses at South Carolina? So what if it loses to Louisville? In neither case does it matter a whit. Our favorite team will desperately need Lou, Gabby and Crystal six weeks from now. In the interim, their contribution, however desirable, has little impact on The One True Goal. The heretofore underachieving bench players clearly need more trial-by-fire experience, and need to face the demand that they step up and make the contributions of which they are capable. By the way, they ARE capable. They aren't here for no reason. I'd be in favor of killing two birds with one stone. The injuries the stars are dealing with can best be served by rest. I say grant them rest, whether or not the players seek it, and even if they're peeved by it. Come tourney time, they and their team will be better off!

 

[Centerstream]

I’m certainly not a doctor, nor have I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express recently, but it’s worth pointing out that with her ankle heavily taped and wearing a support brace, this is the 3rd time Lou has hurt the same ankle this season, that we know of.

I suspect Lou has a condition referred to as Chronic Ankle Instability. Multiple ankle sprains will weaken the surrounding ligaments and may also lead to additional complications. The condition is usually treated with therapy, rest, medication and ankle support. In some instances, surgery is required.

Lou’s ankle appears to be getting worse. I’m sure she wants to finish the season playing with her teammates. She may need someone to protect her from herself, which would be Geno and the UConn medical staff.

I wonder if the UConn Training/Medical staff know about this possibility? Do they have access to a nearby Medical Facility or maybe WebMD?

 

[oldude]

I wonder if the UConn Training/Medical staff know about this possibility? Do they have access to a nearby Medical Facility or maybe WebMD?

I’m certain the medical staff knows exactly what Lou’s problem is, and the range of options to treat it. The gray area is trying to determine how much weaker the ankle is after each successive tweak, and whether the appropriate course is to allow Lou to play again or not.

 

[dogged1]

I’m certain the medical staff knows exactly what Lou’s problem is, and the range of options to treat it. The gray area is trying to determine how much weaker the ankle is after each successive tweak, and whether the appropriate course is to allow Lou to play again or not.

Don't even want to think about the last sentence.

 

[Rsna]

I recently watched 2003 march to NC and DT had an ankle injury the whole seson and missed a few game along the way. Geno said DT just have to tough it out and deal with it in the summer. U guys need to trust UCONN and quit being old ladies. Didn’t DT manage a few games in the WNBA

 

[Carnac]

OK, let's chew on this possibility for a moment. IF they decide to shut Lou down for the rest of the regular season, or the rest of the year, what do you do? Lou should be held out as long as her medical condition warrants it, regardless of the repercussions. Who fills her starting role. Stevens is not necessarily the obvious choice here, especially since Geno is less than pleased with her defense. I still like her as their 6th man. Does Geno move Azura into that 5th spot, and let Megan continue to be the first player off the bench when Az starts, or does he move someone else into Lou's spot, and Stevens remains the 6th man? Thoughts.....................

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

I’m certain the medical staff knows exactly what Lou’s problem is, and the range of options to treat it. The gray area is trying to determine how much weaker the ankle is after each successive tweak, and whether the appropriate course is to allow Lou to play again or not.

Thank You OldDude... We need to give the UConn Medical Staff their due....and expect and respect that they will devise a treatment plan and make recommendations to both Geno and Lou that is best for (1) Lou first... and (2) Team second. This is the only time it's right to look out for yourself over the Team. Geno's complete comment during the presser was "We'll know more in the morning, but it doesn't look good right now." But, what's being quoted in various comments is just the last and worst part of Geno's reply. Of course it didn't look good last night, it was wrapped in ice... which is always the first step in treating this kind of injury. Lou walked off the court with nary a noticeable limp, and I do not recall seeing much of a facial expression or other reaction...like in the ND game when she was visibly upset when she tweaked her ankle, presumably thinking she may have done something significant to the ankle/foot again. Not to minimize what it might turn out to be or anything. She returned to the bench in ice...not a boot or crutches. Was it precautionary?? I surely hope so. The only update on Lou's ankle that I have been able to find so far is on Lou's FB page in a post about her eye getting better.... someone's asked "but what about the foot now?"... she replied with a quick 2 word answer, "very sore"... There was no further info, no punctuation, no capital letters, etc., no mention of being in a boot, on crutches, in a wheelchair, etc. I am hoping this injury is minor, and can be treated and she return to action in the "near future"... But I surely won't know until someone "in the know" makes a definitive statement regarding her condition. I trust the medical staff and Geno...they will make the right decisions.

 

[oldude]

OK, let's chew on this possibility for a moment. IF they decide to shut Lou down for the rest of the regular season, or the rest of the year, what do you do? Lou should be held out as long as her medical condition warrants it, regardless of the repercussions. Who fills her starting role. Stevens is not necessarily the obvious choice here, especially since Geno is less than pleased with her defense. I still like her as their 6th man. Does Geno move Azura into that 5th spot, and let Megan continue to be the first player off the bench when Az starts, or does he move someone else into Lou's spot, and Stevens remains the 6th man? Thoughts......

I think it has to be Z starting, despite Geno’s frustration with her defense, although one BY’er suggested that Geno might play only 4, like Gene Hackman in Hoosiers

 

[HopJim]

And when she does play, stop playing her 35 to 40 minutes a game, in the conference games.

This would have been a better discussion 2-3 weeks ago.

 

[donalddoowop]

This would have been a better discussion 2-3 weeks ago.

You are right HopJim. I meant the non conference games.

 

[Los24]

there seems to be a macho attitude among basketball coaches where they maintain that their players tough it out if they are injured.....if it ain't broken you play...I've experienced it with my own daughter's high school coach and I know that Geno is a big proponent of this philosophy....UConn players are well known for their mental/physical fortitude but there's sometimes a price to pay for that.......KLS, Crystal, Gabby will hopefully be able to tough it out the rest of the way through

I do not think its just basketball, its most sports. There is some element that when you play you are never 100% through the entire season. When I was in high school I hurt my foot. I was on crutches all week and did not practice (football.) Game day we were warming up and my coach was screaming that my back up better be ready because "We may have quitter," since I was limping bad. I was only supposed to play defense and see how it went. I took 800mg of Ibuprofen, ended playing the full game both ways RB on offense and DB on defense. BTW: I rushed for 100+ scored 2 TDs and got an INT : - ) Okay, now I feel like Al Bundy.

 

[JordyG]

I seem to recall that at some point after Lou injured her ankle for the second time this season vs ND, Geno said something to the effect that she’s just going to have to live with it and maybe have something done after the season.

The second part of Geno’s comment was somewhat vague, but implied some type of surgery. If in fact Lou needs surgery, in the long run it may be better to have it done sooner rather than later, allowing ample time for recovery and a healthy senior season.

I am hardly a physician. But the only reason she would need surgery after the season is if the issue is Lisfranc as I initially said when the injury first occurred . If so, her playing with that type of pain is brave but in foolhardy. Again, I'm no physician, but the longer the surgery is delayed, the greater the potential for long term chronic pain.

 

[cabbie191]

When she’s not healthy she’s a warrior who’s willing to battle through injury, illness and the occasional muggings she receives from opposing teams.

Meanwhile, over on the Volnation board where our friends are trying to explain their debacle against Notre Dame, some are suggesting that after Russell took a hit to the mouth, she essentially shut down for the rest of the game after an apparently good or terrific first quarter. That may be true - I tuned in just after Q2 started and watched the Lady Vols steadily lose the tremendous lead they had. Except for a few spurts they generally looked lethargic, Russell in particular.

When I read the criticism about how Russell reacted to the hit, my mind immediately flashed to how our kids react to this physicality and yes, the photo of KLS with the black eye and smile popped into my head.

Side note - lost in the discussion about Notre Dame's comeback is the fact that they missed two bunnies and a third relatively easy shot in the closing minutes of Q2. They could have easily become dispirited at that time. Kudos to the Irish for never quitting.

 

[oldude]

I am hardly a physician. But the only reason she would need surgery after the season is if the issue is Lisfranc as I initially said when the injury first occurred . If so, her playing with that type of pain is brave but in foolhardy. Again, I'm no physician, but the longer the surgery is delayed, the greater the potential for long term chronic pain.

Actually, the surgery that is recommended for Chronic Ankle Instability is called Brostrum Lateral Ligament Repair, and I am thinking of staying at a Holiday Inn Express.

 

[TitleTown]

Maybe now we can stop tempting the Basketball Gods with threads like "Who can't we afford to lose"?