Finley To Have Surgery

[pbmax]

Mark "Hot Tub" Chmura reported today on the radio that he talked to Finley Sunday before the game.

Finley told him he is having surgery this week (Hot Tub was confused about the exact date but thought it was Thursday) for a cervical fusion for a herniated disk I believe.

Finley's bad disk is a C3-C4. Not as bad as Collins 2-3, but worse than Chewy's 4-5.

Chmura doesn't think Finley will play for the Packers again.

[Freak Out]

Bummer.

[red]

and thats a career folks

[bobblehead]

Between him and Tramon like 16million comes off the books. We should at least be able to resign guys.

[MadScientist]

Well he made good money, has a ring, apparently has an insurance policy and should still be able to lead a normal life. Good luck to him, I hope he makes the transition well.

[pbmax]

Finley's agent takes a shot at Chmura's report. Releases a statement.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/11/13/statement-from-jermichael-finleys-agent/related/

He is having surgery, with the Steelers team neurosurgeon and expects to play again. Doesn't specify what Hot Tub got wrong, but Chmura did not expect Finley to play again. Agent does not confirm or mention which vertebrae are being fused.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I heard Chmura's remarks on radio, he didn't say anything inappropriate or inaccurate.

[pbmax]

I heard Chmura's remarks on radio, he didn't say anything inappropriate or inaccurate.

He said Finley was done. Said he was really down. And said he would likely never play again, certainly not for the Packers. He gave a very grim prognosis without much nuance. Also gave the cervical numbers of the vertebrae involved (3-4 I think).

He could turn out to have it exactly right, but Finley's agent isn't willing to go there yet.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Chmura is well versed on these issues, having retired from a spine injury himself. I expect his report was accurate.

But I'm having second thoughts on whether it was appropriate, he might have betrayed the confidence of somebody who saw him as a friend. I don't know, Finley should know that Chmura is a media member, I'm undecided.

[red]

no packer who has ever had the surgery has gone on to play for the packers

i'm not sure if any packer to have the surgery has ever gone on to play for another team

i don't see us or anyone else giving him big money to sit on IR for a year with the chance he never plays again

[Rastak]

One of the newspapers over there east of me had published an article written by a top surgeon explaining there was only one scenario where surgery wouldn't be necessary and of course in the comments section, where morons of the first order live (in every state) the reception was "How does he know, he hasn't even seen him".


God the unwashed masses are something.

[red]

must have been a poster from west of the mississippi, over in the boondocks

[Rastak]

must have been a poster from west of the mississippi, over in the boondocks

I think it was 40% of the people commenting.....maybe not that high....anyway, don't wish any ill will on the man. That has to suck short and long term.

[pbmax]

One of the newspapers over there east of me had published an article written by a top surgeon explaining there was only one scenario where surgery wouldn't be necessary and of course in the comments section, where morons of the first order live (in every state) the reception was "How does he know, he hasn't even seen him".


God the unwashed masses are something.

Oh it gets even better. Now that the agent, and presumably Finley, have spoken that they expect his career to continue, there is a Twitter fight going on about whether Chmura should have reported what he did.

The "gist" of it? How do Blake Baratz (Fin agent) and Mike Florio "know" Finley's career isn't over?!

Unbelievable.

[pbmax]

Chmura is well versed on these issues, having retired from a spine injury himself. I expect his report was accurate.

But I'm having second thoughts on whether it was appropriate, he might have betrayed the confidence of somebody who saw him as a friend. I don't know, Finley should know that Chmura is a media member, I'm undecided.

Chmura had an injury at a different spot and not all spinal fusions are the same. There can be more or less associated damage or narrowing in one person than another.

For instance, Manning, whose injury was, I think, in the same area as Chmura's, is still playing.

He should have caveated his pretty unequivocal statement with "my experience" or similar. He might have even been on solid ground in saying its likely the Packers wouldn't want to touch him. But its pretty clear that cervical fusion isn't a career ender in and of itself.