We'll know if JO gets surgery or not on Tuesday

[CelticHooligan3]

It's funny how people are calling JO "tough" when he has a reputation around the league for sitting games out with a hangnail.

Maybe the reputation JO has with fans is a false one.  Here's what Stephen Jackson, a former teammate, said:

"I remember in Indiana, in the playoffs, he was taking shots to play,’’ said Jackson. "I know that he played hurt for at least two or three years. It’s sad it’s starting to catch up with him, but I’d rather have a guy that’s going to put it on the line and play hurt sometimes than someone who won’t.’’

Again, that doesn't sound like a soft guy or somebody talking about playing for PR reasons.

Sorry Roy I'm a big fan of yours but I've got to humbly disagree. To me Stephen Jackson Captain Jack Up A Shot is not the most credible source to me. People forget that it wasn't just Artest who entered the stands. This meatsack did as well. I can see them being close friends. And of course your gonna go to bat forva friend. That qoute tells me Captain Jack is loyal to a friend nothing else. I just don't buy it.

Look at his fat face. The loss of definition in his arms. The story to me is he drank and ate his way through the summer. Came into camp thinking he could play it off. Tweaked his knee possibly due to it. And still has not gotten on the court even though we gave him added time to rest and get healthy.

I say grow a pair earn your six mil and suck it up. Throw a brace on it. Take a cortisone shot if need be and be thankful you get to share a lockerroom with real warriors who dont cry to the media with sore knees.

This isn't Indiana this isn't Miami this isn't Toronto Portland or god knows wherever else he played. This is BOSTON. Don't insult our intelligence Jermaine. It's not a cakewalk. It's not a picnic. It's not time to rest on your laurels. The fans here pay attention and care. In Miami his last home they pass out fliers to tell their fans to show up and how to cheer. Sorry Jermaine that's not the case here. If you don't wanna get sizzled like Sundays bacon suit up! Otherwise the fans and media will turn on you. And I'll be leading the chorus of boos starting in the nosebleeds and reaching those oh so delicate ears of yours sitting courtside with your free seat watching a game you should be playing in and earning your money.

[GreenEnvy]

Even worst case scenario Shaq and Semih are hurt this version of JO is still next to worthless so do what ever you have to do to get right ASAP.

It depends upon what level of JO we'd be getting without surgery.  If it's the guy who misses 50+% of his games, then yeah, get the surgery.  If it's the guy who played recently, who played good defense and rebounded fairly well, I'd probably hold off.

As Doc and JO both said, if JO gets back during the last two weeks of the season, it's going to be almost impossible for him to contribute in the playoffs, anyway. 

What I don't understand, though, is why -- if surgery is likely to help -- the team and JO didn't get it six weeks ago.  It may have hurt a tiny bit in the regular season, but it would have had him healthy (or close to it) with 10 weeks left in the regular season.

This is why he's considered soft Roy. As another poster said the guy talks a great game. He's gonna play through the pain he's wants to contribute blah blah blah. Put your money where your mouth is Jermaine. Suck it up and tough it out.

As has been also previously stated by another poster he was having these problems with the knee LAST SEASON with Miami. He could have had surgery in the offseason. Maybe even the beginning of the season. The funniest part here is that he claims he injured it making a cut while playing. Laughable. When has he even played? Preseason a few games here & there? Gimme a break.

He came into camp fat and out of shape. When your a big guy with his injury past and balky knees that's a HUGE no no. This isn't rocket science. Your a professional athlete that's most likely seven feet tall. Your a veteran. You've had knee issues in the past. You don't under any circumstances come into camp overweight.

That's a guy not careing enough about his team and where he fits into it to me. I'm tired of listening to all his talk if I was in that lockerroom I'd call him out in front of all the other guys and tell him to grow a pair wrap up the knee and suck it up. You can tell by his teammates body language around him that they have considered it. He's avoided like the plague.

They're all old. Everyones knees hurt. KG's knees hurt. Shaqs knees hurt, Pauls, Rays. They don't complain and go to the media with a big sob story.

He's had plenty of time to rest it and take care of it. We took the safe approach with it by giving him EXTRA rest. And it's still an issue. That's called procrastinating. Or just being plain soft. What it's not is being tough. Or being a warrior.

I say earn your paycheck throw some icy hot on that thing and a brace and dive on the floor ala Dave Cowens. Then talk to us about being a tough guy. He woulda been blacklisted on any of the old school classic Celtics teams. What a toolbag.

I agree.. If this guy is so tough and willing to play through the pain then why isnt he playing? He's just trying to get a free paycheck/ring.

He's not the only person who decides whether he can play or not. If that was the case, KG would have suited up vs. the Bulls back in 2009.

Doc, Eddie, and the doctors have a say.

Tuesday we will get an answer. Until then, we will just have to wait. Speculating now does nothing. What he is saying makes sense. Either he will play through the pain, or he will have surgery if the benefits outweigh the risks. He is getting multiple opinions first before making arguably one of the most difficult decisions of his life.

I think we can win the championship without him, but with him (and all the other bigs), we are the clear-cut favorites IMO.

I broke my wrist one time and couldnt afford to take any time off of my job which requires me to do some heavy lifting and a lot of working with my hands. I put an ace bandage on it, took some ibuprofen and went to work. Doctor told me I needed surgery and I never got it. Just sayin...

I don't know your situation obviously, but it's extremely difficult to compare normal people to professional athletes.

Did your employer invest nearly $12 million dollars in you? We are rather easily replaceable. NBA players aren't.

I get what you're saying, but it's apples to oranges.

[GreenEnvy]

Sorry Roy I'm a big fan of yours but I've got to humbly disagree. To me Stephen Jackson Captain Jack Up A Shot is not the most credible source to me. People forget that it wasn't just Artest who entered the stands. This meatsack did as well. I can see them being close friends. And of course your gonna go to bat forva friend. That qoute tells me Captain Jack is loyal to a friend nothing else. I just don't buy it.

Look at his fat face. The loss of definition in his arms. The story to me is he drank and ate his way through the summer. Came into camp thinking he could play it off. Tweaked his knee possibly due to it. And still has not gotten on the court even though we gave him added time to rest and get healthy.

I say grow a pair earn your six mil and suck it up. Throw a brace on it. Take a cortisone shot if need be and be thankful you get to share a lockerroom with real warriors who dont cry to the media with sore knees.

This isn't Indiana this isn't Miami this isn't Toronto Portland or god knows wherever else he played. This is BOSTON. Don't insult our intelligence Jermaine. It's not a cakewalk. It's not a picnic. It's not time to rest on your laurels. The fans here pay attention and care. In Miami his last home they pass out fliers to tell their fans to show up and how to cheer. Sorry Jermaine that's not the case here. If you don't wanna get sizzled like Sundays bacon suit up! Otherwise the fans and media will turn on you. And I'll be leading the chorus of boos starting in the nosebleeds and reaching those oh so delicate ears of yours sitting courtside with your free seat watching a game you should be playing in and earning your money.

He does not look all that different than he did in Miami last season, or Toronto the year before. Does he look like he did in Indiana in the early 2000's? No. But that's what age does to most players. Shaq hasn't look like he has in LA since, well, when he was in LA.

The guy has flat out said if the surgery isn't going to all but guarantee it will rid his knee of pain for good, he will play through it. What more do you want? He has gutted it out the past few weeks when perhaps his knee was originally mishandled by either the C's or his doctor in Miami.

If this isn't handled correctly now, it could affect not only this season, but next season as well (in addition to his life after basketball).

If he ignores the doctors and plays and it continues to get worse and worse to the point where he can't contribute at all, people will call him out for being arrogant and stubborn.

[Tai]

It's funny how people are calling JO "tough" when he has a reputation around the league for sitting games out with a hangnail.

Maybe the reputation JO has with fans is a false one.  Here's what Stephen Jackson, a former teammate, said:

"I remember in Indiana, in the playoffs, he was taking shots to play,’’ said Jackson. "I know that he played hurt for at least two or three years. It’s sad it’s starting to catch up with him, but I’d rather have a guy that’s going to put it on the line and play hurt sometimes than someone who won’t.’’

Again, that doesn't sound like a soft guy or somebody talking about playing for PR reasons.

Sorry Roy I'm a big fan of yours but I've got to humbly disagree. To me Stephen Jackson Captain Jack Up A Shot is not the most credible source to me. People forget that it wasn't just Artest who entered the stands. This meatsack did as well. I can see them being close friends. And of course your gonna go to bat forva friend. That qoute tells me Captain Jack is loyal to a friend nothing else. I just don't buy it.

Look at his fat face. The loss of definition in his arms. The story to me is he drank and ate his way through the summer. Came into camp thinking he could play it off. Tweaked his knee possibly due to it. And still has not gotten on the court even though we gave him added time to rest and get healthy.

I say grow a pair earn your six mil and suck it up. Throw a brace on it. Take a cortisone shot if need be and be thankful you get to share a lockerroom with real warriors who dont cry to the media with sore knees.

This isn't Indiana this isn't Miami this isn't Toronto Portland or god knows wherever else he played. This is BOSTON. Don't insult our intelligence Jermaine. It's not a cakewalk. It's not a picnic. It's not time to rest on your laurels. The fans here pay attention and care. In Miami his last home they pass out fliers to tell their fans to show up and how to cheer. Sorry Jermaine that's not the case here. If you don't wanna get sizzled like Sundays bacon suit up! Otherwise the fans and media will turn on you. And I'll be leading the chorus of boos starting in the nosebleeds and reaching those oh so delicate ears of yours sitting courtside with your free seat watching a game you should be playing in and earning your money.

Asserting your and/or Boston's blue-collar mentality is admirable, but it doesn't prove your point. Doc already said JO may have to deal with the way his knees are for the rest of his life; how does that mean that JO just wants to sit courtside with his "free seat" instead of play?

Semih's already playing despite needing surgery after the season, and JO may do the same. If he does, maybe then you'll start believing him, and not spinning everything to prove your point (especially on the Stephen Jackson quote).

[Roy H.]

It's funny how people are calling JO "tough" when he has a reputation around the league for sitting games out with a hangnail.

Maybe the reputation JO has with fans is a false one.  Here's what Stephen Jackson, a former teammate, said:

"I remember in Indiana, in the playoffs, he was taking shots to play,’’ said Jackson. "I know that he played hurt for at least two or three years. It’s sad it’s starting to catch up with him, but I’d rather have a guy that’s going to put it on the line and play hurt sometimes than someone who won’t.’’

Again, that doesn't sound like a soft guy or somebody talking about playing for PR reasons.

Sorry Roy I'm a big fan of yours but I've got to humbly disagree. To me Stephen Jackson Captain Jack Up A Shot is not the most credible source to me. People forget that it wasn't just Artest who entered the stands. This meatsack did as well. I can see them being close friends. And of course your gonna go to bat forva friend. That qoute tells me Captain Jack is loyal to a friend nothing else. I just don't buy it.  

Would you buy the word of reporters covering the team at the time, that JO was getting cortisone injections to play?  Or his coach?

O'Neal isn't interested in common sense right now. He's in a playoff chase. Calling it a blessing that the teams with records similar to Indiana's in the Eastern Conference continue to lose, he's going to continue to fight. He took his cortisone shot and manned up. . . .

The situation is painful to watch. Seeing O'Neal -- who has struggled to find his way in this league after coming into it so young -- finally doing the right things and getting no return on it is disappointing. Going against the advice of team doctors? Jeopardizing doing damage to his knee? That's the sign of a desperate man. Maybe it's not the smartest thing considering how unlikely the Pacers making a run seems, but it's the sign of a soldier.

"I want to be there," O'Neal said. "The biggest thing now is gauging 'are you hurting the team? Emotionally? Mentally?' But every game is a must-win."

That's why O'Neal trotted out against the Spurs, hoping he could influence his teammates just by being on the court. To put a percentage on it, he's probably at about 60. There's still some explosion left in those legs, but when he runs, his limp is obvious. The funny thing is, he said he didn't even notice it until trainers pointed it out. Tim Duncan took full advantage of him, landing him in foul trouble. Francisco Elson swatted one of his shots as if he were Jermaine Jackson instead of Jermaine O'Neal.

"I give him a lot of credit for sucking it up and playing through pain and swelling and soreness," coach Rick Carlisle said. "He's doing everything he can, and for that, we're grateful."

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/10080430/1

[CelticHooligan3]

It's funny how people are calling JO "tough" when he has a reputation around the league for sitting games out with a hangnail.

Maybe the reputation JO has with fans is a false one.  Here's what Stephen Jackson, a former teammate, said:

"I remember in Indiana, in the playoffs, he was taking shots to play,’’ said Jackson. "I know that
he played hurt for at least two or three years. It’s sad it’s starting to catch up with him, but I’d rather have a guy that’s going to put it on the line and play hurt sometimes than someone who won’t.’’

Again, that doesn't sound like a soft guy or somebody talking about playing for PR reasons.

Sorry Roy I'm a big fan of yours but I've got to humbly disagree. To me Stephen Jackson Captain Jack Up A Shot is not the most credible source to me. People forget that it wasn't just Artest who entered the stands. This meatsack did as well. I can see them being close friends. And of course your gonna go to bat forva friend. That qoute tells me Captain Jack is loyal to a friend nothing else. I just don't buy it.

Look at his fat face. The loss of definition in his arms. The story to me is he drank and ate his way through the summer. Came into camp thinking he could play it off. Tweaked his knee possibly due to it. And still has not gotten on the court even though we gave him added time to rest and get healthy.

I say grow a pair earn your six mil and suck it up. Throw a brace on it. Take a cortisone shot if need be
and be thankful you get to share a lockerroom with real warriors who dont cry to the media with sore knees.

This isn't Indiana this isn't Miami this isn't Toronto Portland or god knows wherever else he played. This is BOSTON. Don't insult our intelligence Jermaine. It's not a cakewalk. It's not a picnic. It's not time to rest on your laurels. The fans here pay attention and care. In Miami his last home they pass out fliers to tell their fans to show up and how to cheer. Sorry Jermaine that's not the case here. If you don't wanna
get sizzled like Sundays bacon suit up! Otherwise the fans and media will turn on you. And I'll be leading the chorus of boos starting in the nosebleeds and reaching those oh so delicate ears of yours sitting courtside with your free seat watching a game you should be playing in and earning your money.

Asserting your and/or Boston's blue-collar mentality is admirable, but it doesn't prove your point. Doc already said JO may have to deal with the way his knees are for the rest of his life; how does that mean
 that JO just wants to sit courtside with his "free seat" instead of play?

Semih's already playing despite needing surgery after the season, and JO may do the same. If he does, maybe then you'll start believing him, and not spinning everything to prove your point (especially on the Stephen Jackson quote).

The point your not getting that I've been trying to make is that he had all offseason preseason and beginning of the season to take care of this issue. The team gave him extra time to rest and get healthy. Essentially they took the safe route on this injury. They didn't rush him back at all. If he needs surgery he should have gotten it a while back so he could contribute this year. Now he's in the position that he must choose between surgery and playing in pain. That's why I have no sympathy for him. He waited and waited and waited some more. He clearly didn't help his situation any. To me that's procrastinating and wasting the teams money. Maybe to you it isn't. But to each his own I guess.

As for your blue collar reference who said anything about that? I was taught the game a certain way and I expect it to be played a certain way whether that's fair or not. But it has nothing to do with my class or education I can assure you sir.

[CelticHooligan3]

Sorry Roy I'm a big fan of yours but I've got to humbly disagree. To me Stephen Jackson Captain Jack Up A Shot is not the most credible source to me. People forget that it wasn't just Artest who entered the stands. This meatsack did as well. I can see them being close friends. And of course your gonna go to bat forva friend. That qoute tells me Captain Jack is loyal to a friend nothing else. I just don't buy it.

Look at his fat face. The loss of definition in his arms. The story to me is he drank and ate his way through the summer. Came into camp thinking he could play it off. Tweaked his knee possibly due to it. And still has not gotten on the court even though we gave him added time to rest and get healthy.

I say grow a pair earn your six mil and suck it up. Throw a brace on it. Take a cortisone shot if need be and be thankful you get to share a lockerroom with real warriors who dont cry to the media with sore knees.

This isn't Indiana this isn't Miami this isn't Toronto Portland or god knows wherever else he played. This is BOSTON. Don't insult our intelligence Jermaine. It's not a cakewalk. It's not a picnic. It's not time to rest on your laurels. The fans here pay attention and care. In Miami his last home they pass out fliers to
 tell their fans to show up and how to cheer. Sorry Jermaine that's not the case here. If you don't wanna get sizzled like Sundays bacon suit up! Otherwise the fans and media will turn on you. And I'll be leading the chorus of boos starting in the nosebleeds and reaching those oh so delicate ears of yours sitting courtside with your free seat watching a game you should be playing in and earning your money.

He does not look all that different than he did in Miami last season, or Toronto the year before. Does he look like he did in Indiana in the early 2000's? No. But that's what age does to most players. Shaq hasn't look like he has in LA since, well, when he was in LA.

The guy has flat out said if the surgery isn't going to all but guarantee it will rid his knee of pain for
good, he will play through it. What more do you want? He has gutted it out the past few weeks when perhaps his knee was originally mishandled by either the C's or his doctor in Miami.

If this isn't handled correctly now, it could affect not only this season, but next season as well (in addition to his life after basketball).

If he ignores the doctors and plays and it continues to get worse and worse to the point where he can't contribute at all, people will call him out for being arrogant and stubborn.

He doesn't look any different than he did last year in Miami? I could be wrong here but last I thought he averaged 14 and 7 for Miami and a block or so.. Somehow I doubt he's coming anywhere close to those averages this season. To me it's a night and day arguement. He came in fat out of shape and injured. There's no excuse for that to me sorry.

And as I've stated a few times or so we took the safe route with him. We didn't rush this guy at all. No pressure on Jermaine from day one. So how is that putting his health at risk in any way? I don't get it. To me the excuses need to end and he needs to play period.

[CelticHooligan3]

It's funny how people are calling JO "tough" when he has a reputation around the league for sitting games out with a hangnail.

Maybe the reputation JO has with fans is a false one.  Here's what Stephen Jackson, a former teammate, said:

"I remember in Indiana, in the playoffs, he was taking shots to play,’’ said Jackson. "I know that

he played hurt for at least two or three years. It’s sad it’s starting to catch up with him, but I’d rather have a guy that’s going to put it on the line and play hurt sometimes than someone who won’t.’’

Again, that doesn't sound like a soft guy or somebody talking about playing for PR reasons.

Sorry Roy I'm a big fan of yours but I've got to humbly disagree. To me Stephen Jackson Captain Jack Up A Shot is not the most credible source to me. People forget that it wasn't just Artest who entered the stands. This meatsack did as well. I can see them being close friends. And of course your gonna go to bat forva friend. That qoute tells me Captain Jack is loyal to a friend nothing else. I just don't buy it.  

Would you buy the word of reporters covering the team at the time, that JO was getting cortisone injections to play?  Or his coach?

O'Neal isn't interested in common sense right now. He's in a playoff chase. Calling it a blessing that the teams with records similar to Indiana's in the Eastern Conference continue to lose, he's going to


 continue to fight. He took his cortisone shot and manned up. . . .

The situation is painful to watch. Seeing O'Neal -- who has struggled to find his way in this league after coming into it so young -- finally doing the right things and getting no return on it is disappointing. Going against the advice of team doctors? Jeopardizing doing damage to his knee? That's the sign of a desperate man. Maybe it's not the smartest thing considering how unlikely the Pacers making a run seems, but it's the sign of a soldier.

"I want to be there," O'Neal said. "The biggest thing now is gauging 'are you hurting the team? Emotionally? Mentally?' But every game is a must-win."

That's why O'Neal trotted out against the Spurs, hoping he could influence his teammates just by being
on the court. To put a percentage on it, he's probably at about 60. There's still some explosion left in those legs, but when he runs, his limp is obvious. The funny thing is, he said he didn't even notice it until trainers pointed it out. Tim Duncan took full advantage of him, landing him in foul trouble. Francisco Elson swatted one of his shots as if he were Jermaine Jackson instead of Jermaine O'Neal.

"I give him a lot of credit for sucking it up and playing through pain and swelling and soreness," coach Rick Carlisle said. "He's doing everything he can, and for that, we're grateful."

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/10080430/1

To me anything that happened in the past is simply that.. In the past. It has nothing to do with his actions or play on the celtics so I have little care. I judge and go only by what I've seen with my own two eyes and what I've read while he's been here.

From what I've personally seen.. 1) He came into camp fat and out of shape. 2) He never took care of an injury that plagued him at the tail end of last season. 3) He was given more than ample time to heal or get surgery. 4) He choose to do none of these things. Instead just got extra rest which to this point has done nothing for him or the team. 5) Hes been a songbird when it comes to him talking about how he's played thru the pain. How much pain he's in etc. Yet to this point has played in a handful of games. 6) And this is my favorite part. He had no problem taking thevsix mil we offered him. He just had a problem when it came to earning it.

I was mad last year with Sheeds lackadasical play and indifferent play during the regular season but this truly takes the cake. At least Rasheed went out there and hoisted a few bricks for his MLE. This guy won't even step on the floor. If your man enough to sign on the dotted line be man enough to be held accountable that's all I say. Just earn your keep.

Birds knees hurt. Parishs knees hurt. McHales knees hurt. It's basketball. Everyones knees hurt. Especially at this level and at that period in your career. But if you sign a contract saying you'll play then play. Don't take the precautionary route by sitting out as long as possible then go back to the media saying it's still not better and you may need surgery. He's a professional. It's his job to either take care of it in the offseason or play with the pain it's that simple. Lots of people would do just about anything to be in his shoes with the bummed knee! So just grit your teeth take some advil and have a few beers after the game or somthing. Or maybe not since he's fat now. Take the cortisone shot a few percs whatever floats your boat Jermaine. Just play the game and stop whinning to us he fans and media. Soon it will fall on deaf ears.

[LooseCannon]

There seems to be an assumption that Jermaine O'Neal's injury is a continuation of what he suffered at the end of last season.

His injury last season was reported to be as a result of being kicked in the ankle while the injuries that kept him out of preseason were reported to be primarily a hamstring, but also back and wrist problems.

I'm not sure if the perception that some have that this is some sort of lagging injury that JO failed to take care of is an accurate assessment of the situation.

[CelticHooligan3]

In looking for Jermaines actual ailment that affected him so much against us in last years playoffs I came across this doozy. "Boston Celtics Jermaine O'neal Has Had Injury Plagued Preseason: No Need To Worry Just Yet" by Rob Nelson on Boston Celtics Report. I forgot all this actually but earlier this very year it was his hamstring his wrist and his back. The other part is Nelsons assertion that O'neal claimed if it was the regular season he'd play. Well I guess that feeling has changed since he made those statements.

The best part also something that I forgot was the fact that Doc Rivers felt the need to call him out. To light a fire under him so on and so on. Read the article if you want but it echoes my sentiments just earlier I'm the year. And even goes so far as to insinuate that he pulled these boy cried wolf injury stunts in his other stops but it wouldn't be tolerated here. Well so far it has. By lots of people. Hopefully this will change. Cause I'm tired of these excuses and people going to bat for this guy.

I apologize for the outburst and my nonecomputersavvyness so there's no link but just google that article. It basically proves my point. Not even Doc beleived him. He called him out in fact and told him to play. Jermaine took the safe route to get healthy. And he's still not healthy.

That to me is a problem with the player not the organization or medical staff. Maybe even from his teammates from not getting on him more. But seriously we've been listening to these excuses since pre-preseason. It's getting old.

[Drucci]

Even worst case scenario Shaq and Semih are hurt this version of JO is still next to worthless so do what ever you have to do to get right ASAP.

It depends upon what level of JO we'd be getting without surgery.  If it's the guy who misses 50+% of his games, then yeah, get the surgery.  If it's the guy who played recently, who played good defense and rebounded fairly well, I'd probably hold off.

As Doc and JO both said, if JO gets back during the last two weeks of the season, it's going to be almost impossible for him to contribute in the playoffs, anyway. 

What I don't understand, though, is why -- if surgery is likely to help -- the team and JO didn't get it six weeks ago.  It may have hurt a tiny bit in the regular season, but it would have had him healthy (or close to it) with 10 weeks left in the regular season.

I don't understand that either. It would have basically solved the problem since it would have put JO's return about a month before the end of the season/the start of the playoffs, which was enough to get back in time for the games that really count. It seems they hoped he would miraculously heal between then and now?

[Roy H.]

That to me is a problem with the player not the organization or medical staff. Maybe even from his teammates from not getting on him more. But seriously we've been listening to these excuses since pre-preseason. It's getting old.

When his knee is swelling, though, that's not all in his head, right?  That's something that is medically observable, and cause for concern.  It's not like he's faking it.

Also, keep in mind that one of the players the Celtics organization "called out" in the past was Big Al, for not recovering more quickly.  The team suggested that Big Al's injury was all in his head... only to find that team doctors had misdiagnosed bone chips in his ankle. 

Sometimes, players know their own body, and it does more harm than good to push through injury.  Arguably, this is what happened with JO, when he played through obvious injuries with the Pacers, and it's likely that he's still feeling the effects of those decisions today.

[Celtics18]

http://www.bostoncelticsreport.com/2010/10/boston-celtics-jermaine-oneal-has-had-injury-plagued-preseason-no-need-to-worry-just-yet.html/

There you go, Hooligan. 

[CelticHooligan3]

That to me is a problem with the player not the organization or medical staff. Maybe even from his teammates from not getting on him more. But seriously we've been listening to these excuses since pre-preseason. It's getting old.

When his knee is swelling, though, that's not all in his head, right?  That's something that is medically observable, and cause for concern.  It's not like he's faking it.

Also, keep in mind that one of the players the Celtics organization "called out" in the past was Big Al, for not recovering more quickly.  The team suggested that Big Al's injury was all in his head... only to find
that team doctors had misdiagnosed bone chips in his ankle. 

Sometimes, players know their own body, and it does more harm than good to push through injury.  Arguably, this is what happened with JO, when he played through obvious injuries with the Pacers, and it's likely that he's still feeling the effects of those decisions today.

I think that's an excellent point Roy. Somtimes I forget this is a business and that it's in the organizations best interest if they just push a player to play even if the players not ready. I like to think that the Celtics are above that type of greed and shortsightedness. But I know that it can be a reality in the NBA unquestionably. So I see your point and it's well taken. But from my perspective they gave him all the time in the world. He had more than enough time to get healthy. Why isn't he then? When I look at him I see that he looks overweight this year. Why is no one addressing that issue? Couldn't that affect his knee? Isn't it his job to be in shape and ready for the season? Take care of all issues in the offseason even preseason? Did he do that? No.. That's where the problem lies for me.

Also I don't know how to do quotes or show how to find that article but it hit the nail on the head for me. Doc called him out for all this stuff before the season even began. But then he shut up and took jermaines advice and didn't push it or him. It's effectively gotten us nowhere too.

[CelticHooligan3]

http://www.bostoncelticsreport.com/2010/10/boston-celtics-jermaine-oneal-has-had-injury-plagued-preseason-no-need-to-worry-just-yet.html/

There you go, Hooligan. 

Thank you I appreciate it. I'm still on my itouch till next week so it's a little hard to navigate quotes and such. I'm also not so tech savvy but I try.