Evolution of the Patriots's Approach to Injuries?

[Off The Grid]

Though I suspect that many would disagree with me on this, I don't believe that the Patriots are a Team of 53 Robots who Mad Bill has imposed his Will on, in terms of Keep Your PieHole Shut and Do Your Job.

What I mean to say is: I don't believe that he's reigning them in so much as constantly seeking to gather 53 guys so inclined by their own Natures: Guys who are passionate but focused, who understand the destructive potential of running their mouths ~ or Tweets ~ in Public, and are too focused on Winning to do so.

A Team of 53 Individuals focused on each other ~ on the Team.

All For One and One For All, By God.

And that's why I love this Team.

What a Privilege to root for'm.

***

So when I notice, as I feel I have, over the last few Years, a change in the general tone of public Statements, it gets my attention. Specifically, this short Video from Kong ~ that's Robert Gronkowski, Esquire, to you Earthlings ~ wherein he appears to place emphasis, it seems to me, on not rushing back ~ on returning when he's 100%, to be exact. This isn't the first time that I've heard or read that particular reference over the last couple of Years or so ~ 100% ~ and indeed not even the first time from Kong, himself...

And I could be wrong ~ I could most definitely be wrong, as Recall isn't exactly a Strength of mine ~ but it seems to me that for many, many Years, you'd rarely or never hear or read of Players mentioning 100% as a Goal, the underlying Message of course being: Hey, we're FootBall Players. Everybody out there ~ or at least a lot'f'm ~ is in Pain to some extent. If you can play, you play. Rub some dirt on it. Et Cetera.

Far be it from me to countenance a soft, squishy approach to things: FootBall is simulated WarFare and our Players are indeed Gladiators. But there's being tough on the one hand, and there's rushing Players back on the other. The Team, the Doctors, and the Players themselves are of course in far better position to judge what is rushing back early and what is not than we are: Our Information is always somewhat derivative.

But I've been getting the general sense, the last Year or two or so, that the Patriots are taking an increasingly measured and Big Picture approach to Injuries, with guys like Kong, Amendola, and Collins being given that extra Week or two to heal more fully. And that seems to've been reflected in the occasional Public Statement such as Kong's, for while he's oh so very much an Individual, neither is he the kind of guy, I believe, who'd make such a Public Statement with anything less that the full Support of Mad Bill and the Team.

From my perspective, this is a tremendous Development: a subtle yet crucial shift in Priorities from The Next Game to The Championship. Of course: That's just my perception, and I could quite possibly be inferring nuances where in fact there are none. Does anyone else perceive this...or am I perhaps mistaken?

 

[ViperGTS]

Not even close. When it comes to injury, Team Gronk makes noise. The Pats would rather insulate themselves in this circumstance from any BS about the recovery time while they are trying to win football games.

Situational football injury reporting if you will.

 

[borg]

1) It's a different league now. The NFL recognizes they have liability issues due to prior neglect on the injury front and the league has adjusted its tactics
2) Stars operate in a different sphere than JAGs.....especially stars who have been victimized before with liberal diagnosis and fast tracked recovery schedule.

Gronk has "hand"

 

[Galeb]

I would like the record to show that I got my useful rating in before QM's disagree.

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

I think it's a blend of both. There are certain players who they will take longer with than they may have a few years ago.

At the same time, Hightower playing most of last year with a torn labrum and a few others, that fall under the radar as long as it doesn't cost much in the long term.

 

[Off The Grid]

I would like the record to show that I got my useful rating in before QM's disagree.

Well done, Sir!!

Quantum Mechanic's Opinion is about as valuable as a Screen Door on a SubMarine.

 

[Galeb]

Well done, Sir!!

Quantum Mechanic's Opinion is about as valuable as a Screen Door on a SubMarine.

Given the large number of Russian sub sightings along the fiber optic cables that span the oceans between continents, I would argue that a screen door on Russian subs would have tremendous value.

 

[DarrylS]

Need to move from anecdotal evidence provided here, when we hear some details on Jamie Collins then might become more of a believer.. some stuff is just common knowledge.

Remember how well we were informed on Nate Solder's testicular cancer last year??

 

[RayClay]

They might be more inclined to give more time to heal for practical reasons, but they are wary of gronk and his family because of how they, or their medical staff screwed up on his recurring arm injury.

 

[Off The Grid]

A Little Help, Here?

There's some chatter about Gronkowski's Dad, his Family in general, his Recovery Time, and the 100% Business that triggered this Thread in the first place...But I'm having about as much Success finding anything on that as I did back in the Lycos/Yahoo/InfoSeek/AltaVista days. Will somebody who actually grasps the Concept be kind enough to provide a Link to something on this subject? Thanks!!