Staying Healthy

Columbia's encouraging 2006 season was mostly injury-free (CREDIT: Columbia Spectator)

As we wait and hope that Craig Hormann will recover from his ACL injury, it's important to realize how fortunate Columbia was last season when it came to injuries. I realize players like Troy Evangelist and Ray Rangel, who missed significant time because of injuries, won't exactly share in this sentiment, but the vast majority of Columbia players stayed healthy all season long.

That hasn't been the case in past seasons, and with Columbia's classic depth issues, one big injury has had the ability to ruin an entire season. I thought All-Ivy Wade Fletcher's injury at the start of the 2004 season killed our chances to win several games in a year that we ended up finishing 1-9. Mike Cavanagh's season-ending broken leg destroyed what had been a very promising 1995 season up until that point. And one season after they burned up the Ivies as sophomores, running backs Solomon Johnson and Greg Abbruzzese suffered injuries at the start of the 1989 campaign that they never really fully recovered from. (Commentors can feel free to chime in with the other killer injuries they remember over the years).

Injuries happen, they're very much a part of the game. But for Columbia, they have always hurt that much more because we just haven't had the horses to replace players for short or long periods of time.

But that's why the current CU roster looks so good. To come into camp, (which I believe begins on August 19th or 20th), with as much as 103 players is something we haven't seen in many, many years. And in addition to the actual numbers, you also have to factor in versatility. We have a lot of players who can play more than one position, especially when you realize a lot of our lighter guys can play defensive end in the 3-5-3 system when they wouldn't be able to be anything but linebackers anywhere else.

That said, Columbia could be little better than dead in the water if players like Austin Knowlin or Phil Mitchell went down. But would we be as bad off as we would have been in the past? Unless 20 or so players walk off this team in training camp, it's pretty obvious we'd still have a fighting chance in most games.

Let's just hope that the injury discussion remains academic for as long as possible.


Helmets are for sissies!

Rugby fans take note! There's a bunch of Columbia alums
who act as guardian angels for talented players. A lot of people wish rugby would become a varsity sport again at Columbia, but with our budget and Title IX, it ain't gonna happen. It's good to see the guys who once played this awesome sport at Columbia are still giving back to the game.


And finally...

The final pieces of the roster bio puzzle are in place now that we have the info on Bruce Fleming and Michael Antonakakis, you can check them out here.