Tinoisamoa ends season reluctantly

[RamWraith]

By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Saturday, Dec. 16 2006

Finishing the year on injured reserve is so repugnant to Rams linebacker Pisa
Tinoisamoa that even after suffering his fifth significant injury of the season
— a broken right hand — he considered lobbying for his roster spot.

"I thought about it, I really did," he said. "But it was pretty much
determined." And Tinoisamoa couldn't really argue with coach Scott Linehan's
decision, which officially ended his fourth NFL season.

"It was my one good hand," he said. "The other one had that elbow that's still
kind of up and down, so once I knew this hand was out, I was like, 'Aw, it's
not going to work.'"

Tinoisamoa's latest injury came Monday night against Chicago. Previously, he'd
dislocated his left elbow, re-dislocated it, broke his left hand and sprained
his right shoulder.

"It's been tough on him all year, and he's been really good about playing
through it as best he can," Linehan said. "He's had his fair share of bad luck."

Before this season, Tinoisamoa hadn't missed a game. He said he felt that the
original elbow injury was the root cause of his subsequent problems.

"Although I knew my elbow was getting better, I didn't want to put too much on
it because I knew it could probably go out again. So I was compensating a lot,"
he said. "That's what I believe was the reason behind the bones breaking. One
thing led to another, which led to another, which led to another."

Tinoisamoa said a medical exam showed no inherent problem with the structure of
his bones.

"They said the bones were fine," he said. "It was just bad luck. I really think
that, and I hope that that's true. …

"I fought as hard as I could. But I think my body was telling me it's about
that time" to shut down what he called a "frustrating" season.

"It was, but there were a lot of good things that came out of it, too," he
said. One, he noted, was the five-year contract extension he received in
October. Another, he insisted, was the promise that he sees on the defensive
unit.

"Although statistically it probably doesn't show, I feel like we're getting
better, and the system is instilled where it allows us to do big things," he
said. "It's something to build off."

[laram0]

This is definitely one of Linehans better decisions.

[live4ramin]

I can't for the life of me not think of the Black Knight in ' MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL'.

But seriously, the dude must have the bone density of a twenty year old persian cat.