Emmanuel Negedu has been CLEARED to play again

#151
#151
I just wish that people would stop comparing driving a car and ordinary every day risk to being able to play major Division I basketball with a documented heart condition. It just isn't the same. I don't care how bad he wants to play, if the doctors and University don't feel comfortable with him playing, they have every right to say he can't. People acting like whatever he wants to do should stand and that we all just can't "live in fear" aren't grasping the depth of the situation.
I wish he could play more than anything just because I know that he wants to play more than anything. However, if there is an elevated and unreasonable risk of him dying by playing, it is not worth it.
 
#152
#152
LawVol13 said:
No, but I haven't gone into cardiac arrest and had a pacemaker put in. Slight difference.
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Just for clarification, it is actually an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Device). Which apparently can be damaged in contact sports. That is at least my understanding and I could be wrong.
 
#153
#153
alumvol08 said:
Just for clarification, it is actually an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Device). Which apparently can be damaged in contact sports. That is at least my understanding and I could be wrong.
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Come on alum, you could be struck by lightning when you walk outside. That's exactly the same as Negedu's situation.
 
#154
#154
BasketvolsFan said:
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What's stupid about it is comparing it to situations where folks have no known medical condition with statements such as "you are aware that your heart could stop today". Any of us could pass at any time. However, we are likely to make different decisions if we know we have a potential life threating situation than if we have no knowledge of a problem.---Enough said.
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You can't see the trees for the forest here. Emanuel had a condition that has been treated and corrected. He has been told from a medical standpoint that he can resume basketball activity with no risk of medical problems related to his previous condition.

You keep going back to him having this life threatening situation. That is not the case - he is medically cleared. His situation is actually better than someone with a problem that has not been diagnosed. And honestly, we all have a ticking time bomb in us somewhere.
 
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#156
#156
UT IE 95 said:
You can't see the trees for the forest here. Emanuel had a condition that has been treated and corrected. He has been told from a medical standpoint that he can resume basketball activity with no risk of medical problems related to his previous condition.

You keep going back to him having this life threatening situation. That is not the case - he is medically cleared. His situation is actually better than someone with a problem that has not been diagnosed. And honestly, we all have a ticking time bomb in us somewhere.
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Guess UT disagrees with you.
 
#158
#158
UT IE 95 said:
What?! You're using a story about a friend cheating to somehow tie to E? Seriously?

So let's say Pearl tells him no to playing at UT. He goes to Pine Tree State and collapses and dies on the court because they have no staff and no facilities. Pearl now lives with the decision to send the young man away from a school with the staff and facilities to save him - which they had already demonstrated once.

Yeah, that sounds much better from a clear conscious position.
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Why wouldn't I? They both have pacemakers and my friend wasn't even doing anything physical. The most physical thing he did was play golf. I think it's a valid comparison seeing as it's the exact same medical condition.

If Negedu continues his basketball career elsewhere and something happens to him, blaming Pearl would be pretty stupid. Pearl doesn't think he should play at all but other than not allowing him to play for the Vols, Pearl can't tell him what to do. Also, no school will take Negedu if they aren't equipped properly. Not to mention there are plenty of schools that specialize in heart conditions.

Anyways... Bruce Pearl is going to do what he wants in this situation and as the head coach, he has that right. If you can't understand that then I don't know what to tell you. Maybe someday you'll have the decision of playing a kid with a heart condition and you can do as you please. Until then, you're just going to have to accept that Bruce Pearl has every right to make this decision whether you agree with it or not.
 
#159
#159
(copied from my post in a related thread):

Unless I misunderstand the complicated guidelines published by the Bethesda Conference (regarding participation of competitive athletes with cardiovascular conditions), the American College of Cardiology recommends AGAINST the participation of patients with ICDs in moderate- to high-intensity sports (basketball would fall in this category). The logic is that the success rate of an ICD in such periods of exertion is variable/uncertain and that the device could be damaged during play.

Again, unless I am mistaken, this move by the University is warranted and should be completely understandable.
 
#160
#160
kiddiedoc said:
(copied from my post in a related thread):

Unless I misunderstand the complicated guidelines published by the Bethesda Conference (regarding participation of competitive athletes with cardiovascular conditions), the American College of Cardiology recommends AGAINST the participation of patients with ICDs in moderate- to high-intensity sports (basketball would fall in this category). The logic is that the success rate of an ICD in such periods of exertion is variable/uncertain and that the device could be damaged during play.

Again, unless I am mistaken, this move by the University is warranted and should be completely understandable.
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Makes sense to some on here.
 
#161
#161
Makes sense to every one who doesn't put possible contributions to the basketball team above serious health issues.
 
#163
#163
It's very simple, guys: You let the doctors decide whether he can play or not. They are the experts--and if there is a consensus among them that it's ok, you play him. This is why every team has medical personnel and medical consultations.
 
#164
#164
BasketvolsFan said:
Makes sense to every one who doesn't put possible contributions to the basketball team above serious health issues.
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The assumption was his health issue WAS NOT SERIOUS, thus a cardiologist cleared him to play basketball. It's not a difficult concept if you understand what medically cleared to resume activity means.

OTOH, If he is being told by medical experts that he shouldn't play due to his health, then by all means keep him off the court. But that is not the case - he is medically cleared by an expert that can make that determination.
 
#165
#165
Obviously, there are other medical experts that do not agree. UT is not willing to take the chance and I applaud their decision.
 
#166
#166
I haven't read through the entire thread but I seriously doubt that Negedu has a pacemaker. More like an ICD.

Zero chance he could play sports with a true pacemaker.
 
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