Let Best Rest
(Written by Jason Snell)
Jahvid Best seems to have sustained a concussion but otherwise can move his extremities, according to the AP.
That’s fantastic news after what was a terrifying scene at Memorial Stadium tonight.
Hopefully a concussion is all it is. However, given that Best apparently suffered a “mild” (and I use the term loosely) concussion against Arizona State, let me say this as a Cal fan.
After two concussions, Best should sit it out. And I’m talking the month of November, and possibly December.
Brain injuries are serious business. Read Malcolm Gladwell’s piece in the New Yorker if you want to question yourself about being a football fan, given the damage it does to the brains of many players.
I’m sure the doctors and coaches at Cal take this seriously. So should the fans. Jahvid Best is a wonderful athlete to behold. But I’m not interested in watching him risk serious brain injury by returning too soon. If Jahvid needs to hang ‘em up for the rest of the season, I’m going to take a breath and say it’s absolutely the right thing to do. Even if we want to see him play, and Cal win, his health comes first.
All our best to Jahvid and his family.
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November 7th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Couldn’t agree more. I was so happy to hear that he was moving his extremities. I’ve been watching football a long time and I can’t remember seeing an injury that ugly that didn’t end up with someone paralyzed or worse. Couldn’t make the game tonight because of work so I was listening to the radio at home. Turned on the TV right before that play, and was near tears as he stayed on the ground that long, and then seeing him carted off without moving and receiving oxygen.
People like us put a huge emotional investment into this team every year, but deep down I know it’s not that important, not compared to the life of a fine young guy like Jahvid Best.
November 7th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
I agree, it was a scary sight when we saw the fall from 40 rows back and I sit in the Young Alum section… I agree that he should rest for the rest of the season and hope he decides to come back for his senior season, but I think he might go to the draft depending on his draft position.
November 9th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Absolutely. I like having him around, but not enough to want to aggravate anything that might be going on and hurt his future chances. I’d like to see him get his 1,000 yards, too, but he’s put enough highlight-reel runs up this season that no one can doubt he’s the real deal.
The replay was pretty scary, especially the 10th time it was on on all 7 TVs in the bar.
November 10th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Absolutely. Football should be the last consideration right now. If he was my son I would do everything I could to convince him to sit the rest of the season out.