On the Steelers: Polamalu lucky, blessed to just survive
September 3, 2012 12:01 am
By Ed Bouchette / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Troy Polamalu witnessed yet another young player writhing on a football field Thursday night at Heinz Field. He has seen too many in his 10 years playing for the Steelers, young and old alike.
Since January alone, he has seen teammates Casey Hampton, Rashard Mendenhall, Max Starks, David Johnson and now rookie linebacker Sean Spence lost in a rage of ACL tears unprecedented in a generation in such a short period. That doesn't even count rookie guard David DeCastro's torn MCL, among other damage fixed Wednesday in a surgery, that will shelve him for at least half the season.
Hall of Famer Jim Kelly, who grew up in East Brady, Pa., often joked that Western Pennsylvania produced so many great quarterbacks because of the Iron City beer brewed in the area. But what's in the water that might be causing so many knee ligament tears on the hometown team lately? There are no answers.
Polamalu has had his own share of injuries, including a torn MCL in 2009 that limited him to just five games that season. Seeing all that carnage through the years provokes all kinds of emotions in this five-time All-Pro safety.
He feels humbled, and lucky to have survived all these years.
"Humbling in a way, I guess, if I look at it, egotistically, that I've been in so many games, so many battles -- 16 games in the regular season, four preseason games, postseason games," Polamalu said after seeing Spence carted off Thursday night at Heinz Field. "To see an injury happen like that to a guy who has all the potential in the world in only his fourth preseason game, it's really humbling. I feel so blessed at every opportunity."
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/on-the-steelers-polamalu-lucky-blessed-to-just-survive-651636/
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