Sands Doubtful for 2008 Cup

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008

Pictures surfaced this week of Andy Sands on crutches, reminding many of the Tom Brady foot injury controversy prior to Super Bowl XL.

Sands’ Hip Injury May Require Surgery

April 29, 2008
Four days before defending their Phi Alpha Cup title, Team 1997, was delivered some harsh news – not by tournament officials or prognosticators – but by the most unlikely of sources, tabloid site TMZ.com. The website shocked team members and the world at large by posting pictures of a hobbled Andy Sands on crutches mere days before opening ceremonies of the 2008 Phi Alpha Cup. The pictures, first posted on TMZ’s website and later across Internet sports sites and gossip blogs, show Sands leaving the back entrance of Duke University’s sports medicine offices on crutches and unable to put any weight on his left leg.

Subsequent reporting by the New York Post has shed more light on Sands’ injury and his whereabouts over the past week. According to reports, Sands arrived in North Carolina last Friday in order to attend a friend’s wedding in Wrightsville Beach, 30 miles north of this year’s tournament site in St. James Plantation. Witnesses say he was walking with a noticeable limp and left the ceremonies early. Sands was next spotted in North Myrtle Beach on Sunday, where he attempted to play 9 holes at a local Par 3 course. Property manager of the Volcano Valley Par 3, Clint McDowell, says Sands left after only completing three holes. Reporters finally caught up with Sands Monday in Durham, where he was apparently receiving treatment on his injured hip.

The barrage of press coverage and criticism for not officially disclosing the injury earlier caused members of the Duke Medical staff and Sands himself to comment Tuesday on his condition. (There are no official PAC Guidelines for injury reports, although through the years, it has been considered a matter of sportsmanship.)

Sands’ injury, according to Dr. Craig Campbell, has to do with trauma suffered to the bursa in his left hip, which is what prevents friction between the tendon and the bone (bursitis). “In Andy’s instance, he is suffering from an extreme case of bursitis, and I have recommended that he avoid putting any weight on his leg for at least two weeks. He’s been struggling with this injury for 3 weeks and is now seeing residual pain in his left knee, and although this is an injury that can last 6 weeks or longer, with the severity of this particular injury, surgery will have to be an option if we don’t see any improvement soon.”

Contrary to published reports and unidentified sources within the 1997 camp, Sands has yet to concede that he is considering withdrawing from the 2008 Cup. When approached outside his Pinehurst villa Tuesday afternoon, he would only go as far as to say he would be participating in Thursday’s ceremonial opening round with Team 1998 Captain David Johnson.

And while Sands nor any of his team members are talking about a withdrawl, longtime 1997 alternate Todd Balsley was spotted in Atlanta boarding a flight to Wilmington with golf clubs in tow, adding to the speculation that Sands may not be participating in this year’s Cup.

Johnson, for his Team’s part, released a statement late Tuesday, voicing his support for his competitor, saying he hopes Sands is able to play. “In the past, we had something similar happen on our team, and I would not wish the same on any competitor, no matter how fierce this rivalry is. In our case, we had Jeff Cohen on a standby flight and then had to fly in our actual alternate to fill out our team. Luckily, we have a Permanent First Alternate in Jeff that can step in and keep that position when we need someone else to actually play in the tournament. There’s not a better Permanent First Alternate out there, in my opinion.”

Jeff Cohen could not be reached for comment, as Team 1998 does not allow Permanent First Alternates to speak with the press.