If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed or follow us on Facebook. Thanks for visiting!

That, friends, is the one of the only highlights you’ll have of Los Angeles Clippers rookie Blake Griffin doing work in his Clippers gear. What started out as a left broken knee cap that has sidelined Griffin since early in the preseason has turned into a problem that will require surgery and leave Griffin and his never-ending reservoir of potential sidelined for the rest of the season.

The team said, in a statement: “It has been determined that the healing in his left patella area has not improved to the expected required level.”

Recovery is expected to take between four and six months, but considering Griffin’s workout ability, don’t be surprised if he’s completely ready for action the next time the NBA’s summer league fun rolls around.

It really couldn’t happen any other way, could it? Not when you are dealing with the Los Angeles Clippers. With the NBA taking the court for real tonight to begin another season, the news about Blake Griffin’s knee is like a punch in the gut. It also indicates the black cloud that perpetuates itself over the Clippers franchise has not dissipated at all. Sure, things looked good when they got the number one pick, a pick everyone knew would be used on Griffin, but just like Shaun Livingston or Danny Manning before him, there’s just no way the news could stay good for long.

Granted, Griffin’s injury isn’t as severe as the two I just mentioned, but the fact remains, if something can go wrong with the Clippers, it usually does. Perhaps they could use a good exorcism. According to reports, Griffin sustained a stress fracture of his left kneecap and will be sidelined for a few weeks.

Now, as far as knee injuries go, it could obviously be a whole lot worse, but the fact is, it doesn’t bode well for Griffin’s tenure with the Clippers — especially when it begins with such an omen. What does this mean for a Clippers franchise that’s been trying to turn the corner since, well, since I can remember watching basketball? TrueHoop has some thoughts:

To the Clipper faithful, Griffin personifies the deeper idea that change can occur instantly.

After 25 years of deprivation, capped by a uniquely miserable 19-63 season in 2008-09, that’s something people who love the Clippers desperately need to believe, which is why news that Griffin will miss up to six weeks with a broken kneecap is so devastating.

Adding insult to injury, the Clippers open their season tonight against the Lakers, in what would’ve been the perfect atmosphere to officially introduce Griffin to the professional basketball world. Unfortunately, it looks like we might have to wait until Christmas for that to happen.

Defending the championship they worked so hard to win last season just got a lot harder for the Boston Celtics, provided Doc Rivers’ foreboding prognostication about Kevin Garnett’s knee comes true. Rivers told the Boston Globe he doubts Garnett — who has been struggling with his knee since around the All-Star break — will be available throughout the playoffs.

“This is the first time I’ve said it, because it’s the first time I’ve really watched him,” Rivers said. “He’s not gonna be ready. After watching him run, there’s no way. So, we’re gonna move without him. And the way I saw him move today guys, I don’t know if he’ll be ready… he’s just limping. He just can’t run. …

“This was an honest run today, you couldn’t fake your way through it … and the guy is a warrior, you can see him trying to mask it, but after 20 minutes of running, there’s just no way. I don’t see it. I just don’t. And I’ve flipped completely because I was watching him move, and he looked great, and then … after today, there’s no way he can play.

Because of his bum knee, Garnett has missed 25 games, but much to the defending champs’ credit, the Celtics are 18-7 during KG’s absence. However, beating teams like Orlando and the Cleveland LeBrons in a seven-game playoff series is much different than posting a respectable win-loss regular season record while a key component nurses an injury.

Appp

Tiger Woods is swinging the clubs again and says:

“I’m stronger than I’ve ever been in my legs,” he said. “The range of motion is good. The only difference is I’ve just got to watch that I don’t overdo it so the leg doesn’t swell. I had a lot of pain early on, but lately, no.”

To quote a staple of cartoons and pop culture, “Ruh-roh, Raggy.” Considering the part legs play in generating club head speed added to the power Tiger was capable of before his injury … well, you can do the math. Woods is intent on being back in time for the 2009 Masters, and when you consider his history at Augusta, I think we all understand why.

As expected, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s year has come to an abrupt end after suffering a knee injury against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. New England coach Bill Belichick addressed the media this afternoon and while he didn’t go into details about Brady’s injury, he did say his quarterback would be undergoing surgery and will be out for the rest of the season.

Amid reports of the Patriots contacting available quarterbacks, it was indicated to the media Matt Cassel would remain the New England starter.

After hearing the opinions of four different doctors, Shawne Merriman has decided he’d forgo surgery to repair two torn ligaments in his left knee so he can play for the San Diego Chargers this season. Apparently, the injury is not going to get any worse, although, I do wonder about the stability of his ACL, considering the other torn ligaments help support the knee. Now the ACL will be doing more work and if there’s anything I’ve learned about the NFL, it’s that ACLs and the NFL don’t make a nice mix.

The concern increases when you realize Merriman’s ACL will be operating without the normal help from its friends. Ultimately, it’s his career and his knee and if the man wants to play, by all means, please do. And while I’m not a Super Chargers fan, I’d hate to see a 24-year old ruin a promising career just so he can play this season.

But again, it’s his knee and his decision, of which, you can tell he really wants to be on the field when the Chargers season starts next Sunday:

“I just want to play football,” Merriman said. “That’s what it comes down to. I know what’s on the table. I know what’s on the line. I’ve put in a lot of work and I want to play… If I wasn’t able to go out there and play at a high level and continue to do the things that I needed to do, I wouldn’t make this decision to play,” Merriman said. “For me it’s about going out there, knowing what I’m capable of doing and going out and getting things done.”

Could Merriman’s decision to play have to do with the Chargers being a Super Bowl contender, something he obviously would not like to miss out on? Or is this a case of simple stubborn pride simply getting the best of Merriman? Naturally, the answers to those questions (as well as these) will be easier to give as the Chargers season gets underway. Then the level of Merriman’s play will reveal a lot.

If he’s flying around the field, causing his normal amount of chaos, then it’s pretty obvious he knew what he was doing. But if he’s ineffective, or worse yet, compounds the injury like Dennis Dixon did, then it’s pretty obvious surgery and rehab were his best choice.

The Chargers open their season with five winnable games, after that, it’s the New England match-up. I think it’s safe to say we’ll know about Merriman and his knee by then.

After suffering one of the more horrendous-looking knee injuries in the history of the NBA, there were questions about whether or not the Clippers lead guard would be able to play again. And if you’ve ever seen the injury (no links or video — if you want to see it, go to YouTube), that thinking is understandable. However, when he began doing basketball-related activities again, there was a new-found level of confidence, even though the Clippers announced they wouldn’t offer him an extension.

Now Livingston is free to find a new team because the Clippers have renounced their rights to the unrestricted free agent this afternoon. This move can be seen as a double-edged sword.

On one hand, it allows Livingston to find a new team and to get a fresh start. I’m not sure if I’d be comfortable playing 41 games on a court that almost decapitated my knee. However, it also means he’s going to have to prove to his potential suitors he’s capable of playing at the level he once did; a level that was good enough to allow him to come to the NBA directly out of high school and be drafted in the lottery.

The unfortunate thing is, if he can’t, his lasting memory of the NBA will be that fateful night in February and I don’t think that would be the way he’d want to be remembered — but he may not have a choice in the matter.

On the bright side, the reports of his resumed basketball activity indicate he was actively dunking the ball, but it’s important to remember Livingston is long, lean 6-7 and should be able to dunk quite easily, even if he’s only jumping off his right leg. As of now, there’s no word on who the recuperating point guard will try out for, although the name “Golden State Warriors” has been tossed around.

And if that happens, it’ll mean Golden State and the Clips just swapped point guards. Who would be the winner in such a case? The Clip Joint for their Boom Dizzle attack or the Warriors for finding a young player with loads of ability and a huge health question mark over his head?

Aren’t offseasons fun?

I saw this while I was perusing around ESPN a few minutes ago and I found it ironically fitting… so I figured I’d capture it for you:

Now if you can’t tell, the letters “ACL” from sponsor Oracle are visible behind Webber’s head and while he didn’t have any direct anterior cruciate damage, his knees gave him enough trouble after his 2003 surgery to qualify as a honorary member.

While we’ve been poking a little at Webber today, it should be noted he is one of six players to average over 20, 9, and 4. Ever.