Comments about ‘Dick Harmon: Medical miracles in sports never cease to amaze’

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Published: Saturday, May 24 2014 6:25 p.m. MDT

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Holladay, UT

It looked like questionable play to me that gave Chuckie the injury in the first place.

Henry Drummond
San Jose, CA

I have a friend with a similar story. He has two new knees, a new right hip, and a rebuilt angle - all old football injuries. I was just amazed at how quickly he recovered from each surgery and the elevation in his quality of life. He doesn't even need a cane anymore. Simply amazing.

Paul Anderson

Medical marvels are great. I had an older brother who died young of a brain aneurysm. (bulging weak blood vessel) One day my medical GP was asking me some family medical history questions and when I told him about my brother, he sent me right over to the hospital for an MRI. He said that aneurysm's tend to run in families. I had the test and found that I had an aneurysm too! Fortunately, I was able to to have surgery to repair it and although the surgery did impair me somewhat, at least I am not in danger of suddenly dying or being left an invalid from a ruptured blood vessel in my head!!
Thank you doctors!!!!

hi, UT

Miracle? Really? Might be time for a dictionary check, if not a priority check.

Richmond, VA

Great article indeed! There's no denying the amazing effect of modern medicine and medical advances in treatments we have today, and doctors and nurses rightfully should get their due acknowledgement for the marvelous job they do for sure. However, I think the number one acknowledgement that was missing from the article is that of the divine, God, who is the source of all knowledge including all these new technological advancements we're blessed with today.

Old But Not Stupid
Moorpark, CA

Holladay, UT

"It looked like questionable play to me that gave Chuckie the injury in the first place."

I recall when Chuckie went down that his opponents would be assaulted in the media for intentionally injuring him. I was relived and surprised at the time when the slo-mo instant replay showed no contact on his leg when his knee gave out.

So depending on your definition of "questionable," you may want to find the video replay of the injury and clear up your unfounded concern.

Paul B.
South Jordan, UT

Super article Dick - thanks for sharing! Although the examples of medical "miracles" you described are becoming almost commonplace, they would have truly been considered miraculous only a generation or two ago. Modern medicine is allowing not only athletes and aging golfers to flourish, but also premature infants, handicapped children and pain-ridden people everywhere to enjoy active, fulfilling lives that would have been unimaginable only a few years ago. This article gives us a perspective that we all need. Great stuff Dick!

What in Tucket?
Provo, UT

With Obama care we do not know what the future of medicine holds. I fear the Federal bureaucracy will botch it up and we will have less competition, fewer new drugs and treatments and less qualified people becoming doctors.

scottsdale, AZ

What we have devised is a very technically advanced medical system but at horrendous financial cost. Thirty pills taken one daily for Chronic Leukemia cost approximately $8000 per month…and because they work so well will be taken for years. We face a true medical crisis…not because of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act but because of what has happened to require health care reform. When one tries to blame Obamacare , I usually find the individual has no idea of what the act provides, only that they don't like the sitting President who took on health care reform. Their idea of what to do is either non existent or a simplistic "revoke Obamacare and elect a Republican".

Toole, UT

Great story, I just want to know how you play basetball.

midvale, UT

Hang in there Dick. 10 weeks after total knee replacement I hopped on a jet and flew to Fiji for some diving in the high current Somosomo straits. Had a ball. The worst part was the long airplane rides.

Las Cruces, New Mexico


$8000 a month leukemia pill. Do you think the reason they might cost so much is because of the expense of discovering, testing and licensing the new drug, etc.. They then go into a holding pattern until it's approved by the FDA? Maybe the reason they cost so much is because the government is involved. If we had to pay for or arrange for their purchase through individual means I doubt they would cost $8,000 per month. But if the government (somebody else) is picking up the tab, I'll eat them like candy. Who cares about the horrendous financial cost? What cost?

You say, "we face a true medical crisis because of what has happened to require health care reform". Was does that mean?

Without financial incentives, these discoveries and miracles won't happen. It is nice to have the option for those who need and can afford miraculous medications. And with Obamacare we can all afford it, unless they decide that we aren't worth keeping alive. No longer our choice.

Soon perhaps, the most miraculous drug available will be - aspirin! But it will be free!!! Does "VA Healthcare" set off any alarms for you?

Las Vegas, NV

I agree with AggieAndee, the play that took out Chuckie Keaton looked extremely questionable and very similar to the same play that took out Oklahoma's Sam Bradford for a year. Makes ya wonder!

scottsdale, AZ

Greg, doesn't matter if you think the discoveries are driven by financial incentives or not (I have engaged in medical research and during the Nixon era war on cancer, the incentives were federally directed, as an example and we are yielding the fruits now). The point is our medical care is so expensive it is breaking the system. Medicare copay of 20% on a chemo bill of $10,000 every three weeks puts most participants in severe financial jeopardy. The overwhelming majority of people who criticize Obamacare have no concept of the act itself or just how bad our health system is.


scottsdale, AZ
"When one tries to blame Obamacare , I usually find the individual has no idea of what the act provides"

Nancy Pelosi said about Obamacare: "we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it,” Apparently, the politicians who voted for it to begin with didn't know all that was in it either.


@JD Las Vegas, NV


Have a nice day.

Y Grad / Y Dad
Richland, WA



I was just going to say 1) one was a shoulder, one was a knee; 2) one was a sack, one was a scramble for decent yardage; 3) one was a sitting duck, one was an elusive, open field run but 4) both were caused when a body part came down hard on the ground.

Eerily similar and both suspect...

Granstville, UT

@328 in Provo,
So, you're explaining why all the crying and gnashing of teeth continues over the ACC and SEC decision to not count the cougars as worthy P5 opponents.

You did a good job of it and it helps clear up why the "effect is stronger for emotionally charged issues and for deeply entrenched beliefs", such as the cougars are relevant in the national college football world.

Because, it is easy to overlook the fact that "people also tend to interpret ambiguous evidence as supporting their existing position" in these type of situations.

Have a nice day :)

Southern, UT

A questionable play caused Keeton's injury? You can't be serious.

West Point , UT

Lol at people saying Keaton's injury was suspect. Let's see, neither Sam Bradford or Chuckie Keeton felt the injuries were malicious in any way...and they had a better view than any of us. They were both legal tackles made using fundamental technique. Thank you 32843 for pointing out confirmatory bias which is exactly what this is. The hit that caused Keetons injury was no more intentional and questionable than the hit a U player out on Jamal Williams that caused his concussion in the rivalry game.

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