Mr. Laz
06-26-2005, 02:54 PM
TV/RADIO: Taylor opens up on WZNZ show
By JEFF ELLIOTT, The Times-Union
Admitting publicly for the first time what many had already assumed to be the case, Fred Taylor revealed on Thursday that the knee injury he suffered in the Green Bay game last December was more serious than what was stated and that the Jaguars kept it under wraps.
Speaking to co-host Pete Prisco on The Frank Frangie Show (WZNZ, 1460 AM), Taylor offered candid comments about that injury and a groin injury that caused him to miss the final 14 games the 2001 season.
"It was a lot worse than initially thought," Taylor said about last year's knee injury. "How that came about, I don't know. It definitely was. They kept that under wraps.
"I had an MCL [medial collateral ligament] and PCL [posterior cruciate ligament] combo [tear]. The thing that I heard was that it was just under the severity of an ACL [anterior cruciate ligament] -- not as bad, but just below it because of the combination of the two. And that's what people failed to understand. Every time people saw me, they were thinking, 'Why are you still on crutches? Why aren't you walking correctly now?'
"But that was only three weeks out of my surgery and I had a full cut surgery instead of a scope. Everybody thought I had [arthroscopic surgery], but it was worse than that."
Prisco asked Taylor if he felt that because of last year's injury and the 2001 groin injury, that "... you've kind of been hung out to dry on the injuries. Why is that?"
Taylor cast part of the blame on the media.
"First of all, I guess it's the market we're in," he said. "So I guess once the media gets their hands on it, and chop it up on how they want to, and serve it how they want to, I'm kind of left out to dry. Other than that, it just happens.
"I'm not the type of guy that's going to rebel, rebel against the organization or go express all of my feelings to the media and start something that maybe we can handle right here in house. But you know, it only can happen so many times until a person gets enough.
"This is actually the second time that it's happened in my career, where I'm getting called out for being a softy, this and that. 'It's an injury where he should return in this amount of time.' And then, here I am, not looking like I'm working hard."
Taylor said he was encouraged by his rehabilitation and that he expected to be ready to play in time for the season opener Sept. 11 against Seattle. He also said he didn't see the necessity to play in any of the Jaguars' four preseason games.
"Even from the first couple years, I felt we had too many preseason games to play in," he said. "I don't even think I really need to play in one, even though I wouldn't mind. My goal is to be ready for the Seahawks on the 11th."
By JEFF ELLIOTT, The Times-Union
Admitting publicly for the first time what many had already assumed to be the case, Fred Taylor revealed on Thursday that the knee injury he suffered in the Green Bay game last December was more serious than what was stated and that the Jaguars kept it under wraps.
Speaking to co-host Pete Prisco on The Frank Frangie Show (WZNZ, 1460 AM), Taylor offered candid comments about that injury and a groin injury that caused him to miss the final 14 games the 2001 season.
"It was a lot worse than initially thought," Taylor said about last year's knee injury. "How that came about, I don't know. It definitely was. They kept that under wraps.
"I had an MCL [medial collateral ligament] and PCL [posterior cruciate ligament] combo [tear]. The thing that I heard was that it was just under the severity of an ACL [anterior cruciate ligament] -- not as bad, but just below it because of the combination of the two. And that's what people failed to understand. Every time people saw me, they were thinking, 'Why are you still on crutches? Why aren't you walking correctly now?'
"But that was only three weeks out of my surgery and I had a full cut surgery instead of a scope. Everybody thought I had [arthroscopic surgery], but it was worse than that."
Prisco asked Taylor if he felt that because of last year's injury and the 2001 groin injury, that "... you've kind of been hung out to dry on the injuries. Why is that?"
Taylor cast part of the blame on the media.
"First of all, I guess it's the market we're in," he said. "So I guess once the media gets their hands on it, and chop it up on how they want to, and serve it how they want to, I'm kind of left out to dry. Other than that, it just happens.
"I'm not the type of guy that's going to rebel, rebel against the organization or go express all of my feelings to the media and start something that maybe we can handle right here in house. But you know, it only can happen so many times until a person gets enough.
"This is actually the second time that it's happened in my career, where I'm getting called out for being a softy, this and that. 'It's an injury where he should return in this amount of time.' And then, here I am, not looking like I'm working hard."
Taylor said he was encouraged by his rehabilitation and that he expected to be ready to play in time for the season opener Sept. 11 against Seattle. He also said he didn't see the necessity to play in any of the Jaguars' four preseason games.
"Even from the first couple years, I felt we had too many preseason games to play in," he said. "I don't even think I really need to play in one, even though I wouldn't mind. My goal is to be ready for the Seahawks on the 11th."