Calhoun

[BlackKnight76]

Not a Calhoun fan at all, but it's definitely not as fun without him out there being all curmudgeonly.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Last year I destroyed a disk in my back. I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone. Good luck to Calhoun.

Dash, we told you not to take that charge on Blake Griffin. I shed not a tear for the stupid.

 

[SUJazz44]

It may be insensitive, but he has left during bad seasons/bad health...just an observation more than anything. Wish him a speedy recovery, if possible. IMO, lower back, where the issue is now for him, is no joke. My pops had major back problems and even with surgery, it's never the same as a healthy backbone top to bottom.

 

[Muttsy]

There's back pain and then there's back pain. Some who are lucky enough too have never had a back problem probably can't relate.

I'm 6 ft tall..when I was in my late 30's and weighing around 165 (I was in good shape) I bent the wrong way and ended up spending a month on my couch. I could hardly move.

Not all back problems/pain are debilitating, but there are times when it's pure hell to try and function when your back is really acting up, not just physically, but mentally.

I'll cut Calhoun some slack.

Cosign all that

 

[orangecuse]

Straight from the Coach K playbook.

We'll see if next year he petitions the NCAA to disregard the season/losses.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Spinal stenosis is a fancy way of saying he has a bad back.

Bad season + back pain = leave.

At the risk of sounding insensitive, I don't think that if UConnvict was 20-1 he would be taking a leave.

Absolutely incorrect as I have a family member with stenosis of the spine. Extremely painful, debilitating condition. Surgery is ususally just a temporary fix.

 

[SkanSU]

Spinal sentosis

I have had spinal stenosis and still went to work? Uncomfortable but not debilitating.More than back pain inmy case. Left leg was almost totally numb as well. Doc said no surgery ... and that it usually resolves itself (it did) ... and if not he would have sent me to physical therapy. Physical pain/discomfort is not funny and most certainly limits your activity. From what I am reading here there is also a wide range of "discomfort" etc. ... so I wish him well and am glad its no more serious than that... and at out age it always could be.

 

[Millhouse]

 

[CIL]

I also have it...it can be a bitch at times. It's not the back pain that's bothersome but more the numbness and tingling in the legs. I'm only 33. Can't wait for my 40's.

 

[jvbj01]

I hope his condition gets better, but I like the fact that JB can really extend his lead in wins.

 

[ljmilman]

I hope his condition gets better, but I like the fact that JB can really extend his lead in wins.

Can't they petition to get any wins in his absence credited to Calhoun (I think in order to petition he must return this year)? I thought they petitioned last year and were denied, but if I remember right, when JB missed the 3 games for his cancer treatment in 2001-2002, Bernie Fine coached, but the wins eventually went to JB.

 

[SkanSU]

I also have it...it can be a bitch at times. It's not the back pain that's bothersome but more the numbness and tingling in the legs. I'm only 33. Can't wait for my 40's.

The tingling and numbness are a real bitch ... I don't know what you are waiting for ... bad news... as you get older it only gets worse.

 

[zhanjuzi]

As a fellow back problem sufferer I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy .. it can be completely debilitating.

Like moqui, cto and few others here, I have tremendous admiration for the toughness of Jim Calhoun and it will be a very sad day when he leaves the sidelines.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

About ten years ago, I was sitting in a chair at work and bent over to tie my shoe and ended up missing two weeks of work and having to sleep on the floor. Fortunately, I've been fairly lucky since then but back pain is no joke.

I'm one to think that the rivalry is more with the coach than the school. My hatred for Georgetown is a lot less since John Thompson retired. If we don't face Calhoun, I think the rivalry loses some of its lustre. Nothing is forever and Cuse will be moving on and establishing new rivalries. Hopefully by the time we get to the ACC we will be able to hate Coach K and Roy for a few years before they retire. I know some people take it pretty personally, but at the end of the day, you have to wish Calhoun the best of health. We can despise him, and we do, but he has been a big part of our Syracuse Basketball the last twenty or so years. That in itself shows a lot of respect for him.

 

[Flacusian]

Anyone who as experienced extreme back pain realizes how debilitating it can be. The pain can be so pervasive that it literally becomes impossible to focus on anything but the pain and there is seemingly nothing that you can do to obtain relief. I have had cronic degenerative disc disease with spinal stenosis and arthritic remodeling of the vertebrae. I have had pain so severe that you can eat percocet like skittles and still be in agony with no modicum of relief.

Stress can exacerbate the condition as much as physical activity and I would reason that coaching a top flight NCAA Basketball program could be a bit of a life stressor. So, aside from having reasons to not like Jim Calhoun in a sporting sense I can completely understand his need to take a hiatus from coaching. I grew up in Connecticut and I remember the days when UConn basketball was virtually like Sacred Heart or Fairfield. Calhoun built that program in to argueably the best program of the past 10 to 15 years. I give him credit for his accomplishments and I also have compassion for what he must be going through from a health perspective. I mean, we are talking about a rival sporting adversary and not a terrorist here.

 

[armory]

I guess I can't get over the pure vitriol here. You don't have to like Calhoun, but shouldn't there be a line drawn somewhere that stops you from furthering your hate when someone is having health issues?

I hate UConn and I think Calhoun is dirty, but I can't fathom attacking him for conspiracy theory motives here. He's been in and out of poor health for years. Shouldn't it stand to reason it would eventually catch up with him, without there being anything else behind it?

What vitriol? This is a pretty classy thread.

 

[sutomcat]

Indefinite medical leave

The worst part of leaving the Big East is not getting to beat against Calhoun and his minions. Great coach. I hate him and I respect him. Best wishes for a quick return. The games against UConn will not be the same without JC on the bench.

 

[Whitey23]

Phil Chardis @uconnmbbsid
UConn: Coach Jim Calhoun's medical leave of absence will be extended through at least the next three games.

 

[moqui]

Phil Chardis @uconnmbbsid
UConn: Coach Jim Calhoun's medical leave of absence will be extended through at least the next three games.

that timeline means he will make an emotional return to Gampel Pavilion for what could possibly be an NCAAT do-or-die game vs. the Orange

 

[pearl31]

that timeline means he will make an emotional return to Gampel Pavilion for what could possibly be an NCAAT do-or-die game vs. the Orange

This is exactly what I thought when I saw the update on espn. I'm willing to bet that's the game he's been aiming for as his return.