The Injury Report

Well, that mysterious ankle injury suffered by the Bulls’ Denzel Valentine just got a whole lot worse.  Valentine is slated for “ankle reconstruction” next week and is likely done for the season.  The good news here is that the Bulls still expect Lauri Markkanen, Bobby Portis and Kris Dunn back soon, sort of.  Either this team is awful unlucky, or something else.  I’m starting to lean in the direction of something else.

Valentine’s injury history goes to back college; Dunn had a concussion last year.  Zach LaVine came to Chicago off of knee surgery with the Timberwolves.  And let’s not forget the litany of injuries sustained by Derek Rose.

While we’re at it, let’s not forget the injuries that have hit the White Sox recently—Micheal Kopech ended his season with Tommy John surgery; 2017 first-round pick Jake Burger has torn his Achilles twice so far; mega-prospect Louis Robert can’t seem to go more than a month without hurting himself.  Maybe it’s a coincidence both the Bulls and Sox are owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, maybe not.

The point I’m trying to make here is that both teams may have the same approach to injuries past, present and future.  The two front offices could use less concern about the potential for injury—Kopech, Burger—and the effects of injuries sustained by players [LeVine, Rose].  It just ain’t luck.

Consider the Bears.  Under head coach John Fox, they were always getting “dinged,” as I think Fox used to put it.  Only the dings added up during the Fox era of 2015-2107 to the point that the Bears ended each season with an injured-reserve list that rivalled the active roster.  No more.  Why is that?  What changed?   Hint:  The McCaskeys realized it was time for a new head coach with a new approach.

Too bad the owner of the Bulls and Sox doesn’t feel the same way.