Dang. This kid is some kind of ballplayer. Built like my dad, the only male offspring in his line to come close to the no-neck thing. I'm not a full on wimp but I was never as buff as this kid. I'm not fully briefed on the diagnosis. One or two cartiledge packs squeezed apparently - some nerve pain in legs, not sure if both. Several weeks of meds, some crooked walking. Looking good now but who knows?

//www.northwestcollegerugby.com.prod.sportngin.com/roster_players/4412712]

Tied for second leading scorer on the Central Washington State Ruby team, 8th ranked nationally:

Central Washington Wildcats - 2014 Regular Season - Statistics

He definitlely does not want to stop playing. He's saying "maybe a half season next year."

Here are some of their recent games:

04/05/2014 W 89-0 Washington Huskies
03/29/2014 W 95-6 Washington State Cougars
03/15/2014 W 43-8 at Washington Huskies

Dumbass me, I saw him twice in college football as a freshman (Fall '11), but never in rugby. I'm torn. I sort of wish he would quit but if he's going to do it, I want to go see him at least once. I attended both WSU and UW and it's pleasing to see their stuffed shirts get pummeled about by tiny CSU.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

If surgery is necessary, he should consult with Dr. Jho in Pittsburgh.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

My biggest concern for him is further injury. If he plays w/o surgery, w/o fusing the discs, what is the risk of nerve damage? I mean, not that you have the answer but this is where I'm in the dark. I don't know if football players - college or pros - suffer this injury often and what the future holds after that.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Dang, that's rough. The kid is a beast! Spine stuff scares the hell out of me but they do amazing things these days. I'm sure there will be lots of consulting with folks far smarter than us. Best of luck to him!

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

He's a serious athlete. He told me about their regimen. Includes getting up at 5 am for weightlifting and then practice in the afternoon. Probably SOP for college programs come to think of it.

I think you're right. Nothing I can do about it anyway. One hopes medical science can deal with it.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

well im in my early 30s and i have an increasingly bad ankle, bad knee that freezes up, occasional back issues, and other minor complaints, all long term legacies of high school football, let alone college rugby, which is orders or magnitude more punishing without all the pads.

tell him after his sports career is over at whatever level he attains, he will still live for 50 years with the injuries he sustains as a young man without the resiliancy of youth and muscle mass he maintains now, so they will hurt worse, and be harder to deal with.

anything he does now must be about the long term, not about getting back in the game. if he ruins his back so he cant lift a gallon of milk, that will dramatically impact his whole life.

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^excellent suggestion!

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Toyota is a leader only because their drivers block everyone behind them. Oh what a feeling.

Very good advice there.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

That is good advice, and well put. Hate to tell you though, I told him approximately that and I don't think it had much impact. Told him that if he has kids someday, they'll be teenagers in his late 30s or 40s and it would be nice to still have some athletic ability to devote to playing with them.

He really digs the camaraderie, the toughness of it all. He's a serious babe magnet and being the athletic stud is, of course, no small part of that. My best hope is that doctors dissuade him from it.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K