Looker Gets a Scare

[RamWraith]

Wednesday, October 1, 2008
By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer

When Dane Looker took a vicious hit from Buffalo cornerback Leodis McKelvin late in Sunday’s game, the immediate diagnosis was what anybody watching would have predicted: concussion.

Indeed, Looker had a concussion from the shot but it wasn’t the lasting effects of the head injury that had him waiting and wondering 24 hours later.

As is custom for a player suffering an injury to the head or neck, Looker went to the doctor Monday morning to go through the usual battery of tests.

The CAT scan and the MRI on his head were normal and he was officially diagnosed with a concussion but it was something that showed up on the tests of his neck that had Looker and his family worried.

“Tt was the kind of deal where they were looking around and they did the CAT scan on my neck to see if there was any damage in my neck and something came up on that image that give them a scare and gave myself and my family a scare,” Looker said. “They thought it was some calcified carotid artery or something like that. I don’t know what the exact term was they used by they brought up terms like aneurysm, stroke, things like that will scare you a little bit.”

The X ray revealed some sort of a blip that doctors thought might be something more serious than expected. Looker said his great uncle had something similar and he wondered if it might be something that runs in the family.

Perhaps the worst part of the situation was Looker being forced to wait 24 hours to get results on exactly what the problem was. The Looker family spent the day together with plenty of prayers mixed in while they awaited the result.

Finally, Looker received the call with positive news. Whatever had appeared on the pictures was a false reading and everything was fine.

“That was scary,” Looker said. “They called me (Monday) night and said everything is fine but they had me scared for 24 hours.”

As for the concussion, Looker has been forced to sit out the past two days of practice and wouldn’t have been able to play this week if the Rams had a game.

But the bye week will give Looker an extra week to recover and he says he will be fine in time for Washington on Oct. 12.

The concussion is the second of Looker’s career but the other happened in 1997 when he was playing at the University of Washington. Because he doesn’t have a deep history with concussions, his clearance will come sooner than later.

Looker said he has experienced no symptoms, including headaches or anything of the sort.

“They said since it was 11 years ago it’s not going to pose any problem,” Looker said. “You just don’t want to get too many stacked up on top of each other.”

GREEN UNDERSTANDS: Rams backup quarterback turned starter turned backup Trent Green spoke for the first time since the job was given back to Marc Bulger on Tuesday morning.

Under orders from former coach Scott Linehan, Green replaced Bulger in the starting lineup against Buffalo and after a strong first half, faded some on his way to a 17-of-32 for 236 yards with a costly interception performance.

Green said Wednesday he understands the decision and that he was promised nothing beyond last week’s game.

“That is his decision and I told him I support it,” Green said. “I was brought here originally, eight months ago, to be Marc’s (Bulger) backup. I appreciate the opportunity. I told Scott thanks for the opportunity. It was fun to get back out on the field again. Every time I get an opportunity to play, it just reconfirms that I made the right decision in coming back.”

Even though he didn’t get the chance to retain the job, Green can’t help but wonder what the situation would be if he had completed a fourth quarter pass to Torry Holt instead of throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Buffalo cornerback Jabari Greer.

“There are a lot of ramifications from the pass,” Green said.” I put it to the spot I thought he was going be, he ran to the spot he thought he was supposed to be and that’s football.”

The always humble and classy Green says he has no problems supporting Bulger’s return to the lineup and re-iterated that he was promised nothing beyond one start.

“I think it was pretty clear last week that the one behind the whole thing was Scott as far as getting me in there,” Green said. “I think everyone else was pretty supportive of Marc.”

PACE RETURNS: Left tackle Orlando Pace sat out Tuesday’s practice because of some shoulder soreness and it was expected he would sit again Wednesday as the team heads into its designated time off.

But there was Pace, practicing in his usual spot on Wednesday, taking most of the repetitions.

“Orlando practiced and he did a nice job,” coach Jim Haslett said. “Like I said, Tuesday is normally their day off and so for us to go out there and practice, you are still a little bit sore. You go out and play 70 plays, it takes you a little while to get back but I thought they fought through it yesterday and then I thought it was a pretty good day today also.”

RAM BITS: Joining the walking wounded as players sitting out Wednesday’s practice was receiver Dante Hall. Hall tweaked a hamstring in Tuesday’s practice but is expected to be back on the field on Monday…The Rams released running back Lance Ball and a decision on tight end Randy McMichael’s season is expected soon. The team is likely to add another tight end, either to the practice squad or the active roster in the coming days.

[CaliGirlRamsFan]

Thanks again for your wonderful reporting.

[RedArcher7]

GREEN UNDERSTANDS: Rams backup quarterback turned starter turned backup Trent Green spoke for the first time since the job was given back to Marc Bulger on Tuesday morning.

Under orders from former coach Scott Linehan, Green replaced Bulger in the starting lineup against Buffalo and after a strong first half, faded some on his way to a 17-of-32 for 236 yards with a costly interception performance.

Green said Wednesday he understands the decision and that he was promised nothing beyond last week’s game.

“That is his decision and I told him I support it,” Green said. “I was brought here originally, eight months ago, to be Marc’s (Bulger) backup. I appreciate the opportunity. I told Scott thanks for the opportunity. It was fun to get back out on the field again. Every time I get an opportunity to play, it just reconfirms that I made the right decision in coming back.”

Even though he didn’t get the chance to retain the job, Green can’t help but wonder what the situation would be if he had completed a fourth quarter pass to Torry Holt instead of throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Buffalo cornerback Jabari Greer.

“There are a lot of ramifications from the pass,” Green said.” I put it to the spot I thought he was going be, he ran to the spot he thought he was supposed to be and that’s football.”

The always humble and classy Green says he has no problems supporting Bulger’s return to the lineup and re-iterated that he was promised nothing beyond one start.

“I think it was pretty clear last week that the one behind the whole thing was Scott as far as getting me in there,” Green said. “I think everyone else was pretty supportive of Marc.”

That's the second (best is clearly that Looker will be ok) best part of that piece. Though it kinda makes you look at Bulger in a different light. Green's being this stand up guy and supporting the change and demotion. Meanwhile, Bulger gave the media the silent treatment. Not what you'd look for in a leader.

[Keenum]

Man, I bet that did give Looker and his family a scare. Glad to hear that he's going to be fine!