this pisses me off
feel bad for TJ
but I know Al wasnt trying to hurt him, he went for the ball and hit his head
"Definitely not. I'm not a dirty player," Horford said.
Horford said he was fooled by Ford's move as he went up for the layup with 1:32 left.
"When it happened with a minute and a half left, we were still down by eight [92-84]," Horford said. "He got the steal. I just tried to go and block the shot. When he went up, I went up too. He tried to use the rim and I thought he was going to stay on [one] side so I went up and tried to hit the ball and I hit his head.
"He just made a good move and fooled me."
Get well soon, TJ.
As timvp said, stop your career, it there has too much risk by continue to play Basketball for you.
Horford foul wasn't intentional but I'm not surprise to see the Raptors fanbase being mad after Horfod given that it should the most clueless fanbase in the nba.
wow. this is all very scary. It makes me grateful that our guys are okay and yet also fearful because anything could go wrong at any given time. I'll be praying for you, TJ.
I hate seeing the video. Looks bad. I didn't see intent to injure from Horford. Sucks that it happened, but it was Ford's quick-step to the other side of the rim that seemed to discombobulate Horford into a reaction he wasn't anticipating with such a great position for the block. Sucks for both. I pray Ford is able to come back, but if there's lasting trauma/injury, he should walk away while he still can. Neck injuries are nothing to screw with. Holding your kids and playing with them is more important than getting back on the court. Hopefully he realizes life is much more than just hoops.
TJ is heading back to Toronto today and it looks as if he intends to play again- although how soon is not known.
This is now the third really scary injury I have watched on the Raptors since Rasho got there (Jose being wheeled off on a stretcher and Garbo's leg pointing the wrong direction). It makes it really frightening to watch people I know play in the NBA now. It used to be fun.
Horford intentionally tried to commit a hard foul instead of giving up an easy layup, but he didn't intentionally go for the head. TJ's a tough guy and I know he'll want to play again, but whether or not he should depends a lot on the severity of this injury and the potential impact of something like this happening again. I remember watching him at Sugar Land Willowridge then especially UT, and it sucks to see his career and health go down this path.
He's heading home. I hope that means he's okay.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html
Ford set to be released from hospital
ATLANTA (AP) -- Toronto Raptors guard T.J. Ford is expected to be released from a hospital Wednesday and return to Toronto, a day after his head bounced on the floor and he was removed from the court on a stretcher.
Raptors spokesman Jamie Deans said he had no details on the time of Ford's release from Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, where Ford was taken for tests Tuesday night.
"All that I know is he's expected to come home today," Deans said.
Ford missed the 2004-05 season with Milwaukee following neck surgery, leading to immediate concerns when he didn't get up after his fall.
Toronto forward Chris Bosh and team spokesman Jim LaBumbard said after the game Ford had feeling and movement in his arms and legs.
Raptors director of basketball operations Marc Eversley and assistant trainer Rory Mullin remained in Atlanta with Ford on Tuesday night.
Ford hit the floor hard when fouled by Atlanta's Al Horford late in the game. Horford was ejected for the flagrant foul. He said he was trying to block Ford's shot and instead hit the player's forehead, knocking him to the floor.
Ford scored 26 points in the Raptors' 100-88 win. Toronto hosts Dallas on Wednesday night, and there was no immediate word on Ford's status for the game.
http://www.sportsline.com/columns/we...rrish_thoughtsTexas coaches quickly reach out to Ford
Updated: Dec/12/2007 12:20 PM
The Texas coaches watched on television as T.J. Ford was taken off the court on a stretcher late Tuesday. Naturally, they immediately reached out to their former point guard and were pleased to hear the flagrant foul delivered by Al Horford didn't cause a serious injury that will require anything more than an overnight stay in an Atlanta-area hospital.
"One of my assistants had a chance to talk to somebody who was there with him, and he's going to be OK," Texas coach Rick Barnes said by phone Wednesday morning. "My assistant said T.J. was actually feeling pretty good."
Regardless, it was a scary sight.
Ford was attempting a transition layup with 92 seconds remaining in the Raptors’ game at Atlanta when Horford hit him in the face and sent him crashing to the surface. Knowing Horford, it's difficult to imagine he had bad intentions. But it was still a hard foul, one that caused great concern given Ford's history of neck and spinal problems.
"Anybody would've gone down with that kind of hit," Barnes said. "But it looks like he's going to be OK."
According to the Raptors, T.J. Ford is up and walking around in Atlanta and is scheduled to fly home on a charter this afternoon...
The emerging sense is that Ford did suffer another stinger and that it happened in the air after Al Horford pulled back on his head. As a result the fall was much worse than it would have been...
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/wbbasketball
The fall was "worse than it would have been" because TJ was guarding his tailbone as he came down and unfortunately had to sacrifice his skull. He still landed on his butt, which is probably why he was so scared.
On ESPN they showed footage of what appeared to be him crying. I just felt sick. He's a good person by all accounts and a fantastic PG. I love watching him play. I was really upset that his career could have been over.
As glad as I am for Ford, I'm just as happy for Horford, who seems like a classy player who didn't intend for this to happen. It would suck to have a career-ending play on your conscience.
Three stingers in his last 16 games? That's just crazy. I don't understand why they keep letting him go out there.
I know acquired spinal stenosis can be operated on to be relieved, but I guess congenital stenosis is a different problem.
TJ, take the money and run.
It was nice to see him at the game tonight.
Bryan said Ford spent more time consoling Horford than the other way around.
They keep saying that the tests look the same- that his MRI is no different after than before, but it scares me.
Link here to interview with Ford.
http://www.nba.com/raptors/
Thank you, Jesus! Good report! Power of prayer people.
Have faith. God will take care of T.J.
I can't help but admit I'm being mostly selfish when I say I hope he comes back strong, but the realist in me is seriously worried and giving into all this retirement talk. Poor kid. He's so insanely bad ass too....Without a doubt he is the truest young point guard in the GAME.
One good healthy season and him and that other lanky texas boy take the RAPTORS to the playoffs. I hope he's okay and if he does come back he better be 110+++%
.
Last edited by LaMarcus Bryant; 12-13-2007 at 06:23 PM. Reason: n/m
Ford should retire.The club says that Ford is no more at risk for a catastrophic spinal injury than he was before this injury. But that is not the same as saying that Ford is less at risk than anybody else. True, his recent rash of stingers has not elevated that risk. But the reason Ford is prone to stingers is the same reason his risk level for more serious injury is not the same as everybody else's.
He has still earned enough money to have a nice life for him and his family.
Even if he loves playing basketball, it's not worth taking the risk to be paralyzed.
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