MODESTI: To all injured athletes, we say the truth hurts

This might just be the most ridiculous point of view I have ever heard. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but Mr. Modesti's opinion falls into the category of better to be silent and thought a fool than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt.

According to Mr. Modesti, a pitcher who has a line drive hit back in his face at 100 plus miles an hour and suffers a shattered cheekbone is a loser, not unlucky. The hockey player who is slashed across the neck by a wayward skate during a freak accident on the ice; loser!

Am I the only person to whom this sounds completely ridiculous? As far as lingering injuries such as, backs, knees, shoulders, I agree it is in the best interest of the athlete and the fan to avoid these injuries as well, but let me offer a different perspective. The human body is an imperfect machine and machines do breakdown. Is it unfortunate? It is for the fan who would like to see the player. It is for the athlete, who misses out on the opportunity to compete. Is it enough to refer to the person as a loser due to injury. Absolutely not. That term is offensive and in this context utterly ridiculous.

I am not sure of Mr. Modesti's background, but he sure comes across as one of those people who has never been terribly athletic and may even have been picked on by the school jocks as one of those "nerds" in school and now he is thumbing his nose at the big bully athletes. I can almost hear the "na na na na na na" with tongue sticking out.

A injury is a injury.Who are you to decide whether someone plays or not.When was the last time you played 3 weeks straight at tennis or any other sport.sit down and shutup

Garth Sanders wrote:

This might just be the most ridiculous point of view I have ever heard. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but Mr. Modesti's opinion falls into the category of better to be silent and thought a fool than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt.
According to Mr. Modesti, a pitcher who has a line drive hit back in his face at 100 plus miles an hour and suffers a shattered cheekbone is a loser, not unlucky. The hockey player who is slashed across the neck by a wayward skate during a freak accident on the ice; loser!
Am I the only person to whom this sounds completely ridiculous? As far as lingering injuries such as, backs, knees, shoulders, I agree it is in the best interest of the athlete and the fan to avoid these injuries as well, but let me offer a different perspective. The human body is an imperfect machine and machines do breakdown. Is it unfortunate? It is for the fan who would like to see the player. It is for the athlete, who misses out on the opportunity to compete. Is it enough to refer to the person as a loser due to injury. Absolutely not. That term is offensive and in this context utterly ridiculous.
I am not sure of Mr. Modesti's background, but he sure comes across as one of those people who has never been terribly athletic and may even have been picked on by the school jocks as one of those "nerds" in school and now he is thumbing his nose at the big bully athletes. I can almost hear the "na na na na na na" with tongue sticking out.

I can't decide whether this entire piece is just tongue-in-cheek, or whether the author is really being serious.

I choose to go with the former, because I can't believe anyone would be uninformed enough to seriously believe the point-of-view of the story. I have never known any major league athlete who was NEVER injured. Even the iron men of their sports, Gordie Howe, Cal Ripken, Bret Favre, and Michael Jordan have all had injuries. Some play through theirs, but that doesn't mean they should have.

Injuries are a part of sports. Missing an event because of one doesn't make anyone less of an athlete, or a loser.

Mr. Modesti's claim is too sweeping.
I wonder if he would think the same if
it was he or his daughter who begs to be
excused from a sports events because
of some accidental injury.

Mr.Modesti seems to have written
his article in that manner, not so
as a genuine and complete expression
of his belief,as an article calculated
to draw response from the readers. He
appears to have succeeded.

Although I PARTIALLY understand what is being said here, I'm sad that I actually took a few minutes out of my life to read such a sad rag of writing from a guy who's probably never thrown a ball faster than 25mph in his life or tried to chase down a fly ball or tried to run full speed and had something go out on him. What the hell does he know about being part of an organization that depends on you? What does he know about the stress that puts on you mentally, which can mess you up both mentally and physically? Everyone gets injured.
I guess Mr. Modesti is just a perfect human being.
Oh wait, scratch that. My 6 year old cousin could write an article about baseball with more sense and less ignorance than this.
Sorry Modesti, try not to cry too much. And don't get writers block. We might just have to put you on the Designated Losers list as well.

My question for you....have you ever played sports or even know what it's like to become injured? From this "outsiders" viewpoint, it appears that you do not know. Yes, some of it does have to do with training and the like, but some of it just happens over time from the repetitive motions from these sports. It is certainly not fair to call athletes losers because they get hurt.

This is literally this most ignorant stance I've ever heard. I'm guessing this guy hasn't played sports since Little League (if even then) as thus no no knowledge on the subject whatsoever. How writers like this are allowed to print their work is beyond me.

i'm pretty sure the whole thing was tongue-in-cheek. duh.

ok, hope you dont get carpal tunnel douche

WOW GREAT post!. I agree 1000%.
Amy

This was a one of the best articles that i have read in a long time. The title says it all. I couldn't stop laughing at the same time thinking how true it was and how great for someone to right it, and right it this way.

I never played the game!

Modesti, you're a douche. Thanks for pointing out to everyone who reads this article exactly how sad and bitter the life of a sports journalist is. Clearly you have never come down on someone's foot while grabbing a rebound, or been drilled in the wrist by a fastball, and have absolutely no idea the kind of randomness involved in 95% of sports injuries.

This is one of the worst sports articles I've ever read.