We often watched Don “Rooster” Fauls type out the injury report in the FSU training room after pactice. One of us would take it to Coach Bobby Bowden’s office and tape it to the door. There was once a world before e-mail, and I sorta miss it at times.

At any rate, Fauls’ report was simple. He might make a few comments and them make the statement as to status. If it was a simple, “OUT”, well that was that. Bowden left it up to Fauls. Bowden’s only rule was that if an injured player could be at practice, they were to have their helmets with them. If a player were sick, he wouldn’t be out there if Fauls said so.

Coaches – and many good one’s – are control freaks. For some, the possibility a player might be a malingerer is an obsession. As a result they establish rules of zero tolerance, much like the one at Texas Tech that requires injured players to be at practice and doing something. Such policies take away the ability to apply responsible judgement into play.

Some football coaches reflexively question a player’s toughness. Coupled with the mysterious, but dangerous nature of concussions the potential for seriousness emerges.

Thus, we have sagas like the one that fostered at Texas Tech. Tensions were certainly hightened by the interpersonal relationships among all parties involved. The questionable character of Adam James and his high profile father formed a tandem that would required more energy to deal with than most. Mike Leach did not endear himself to his bosses with his insabordination.

This perfect storm might have been avoided if the injury management were left up the Tech athletic training staff. Leach never would have been involved in the first place, with the professionals paid to give athletes the benefit of the doubt making decisions on what to do with Adam James.

My mentor, Fauls, passed away about ten years ago. Bobby Bowden will be coaching his last game tomorrow. Old school, yes. But the lesson from the wisdom in the relationship between coach and trainer might be an idea that needs to be revisited.

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