SUCKING IT UP

It takes a lot more than aches and pains to bench NBA and NHL players when rings are being fitted.

(L) Graig Abel/NHLI/Getty Images | (R) Fernando Medina/NBAE/Getty Images

Who doesn't lose it during that scene in The Replacements when Keanu Reeves says, "Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory lasts forever"? Anybody who's ever taken a tip or a draw knows those words are truth. Why else would Kobe hoist 25 shots a night for the Lakers with a lifeless pinkie? Why would Patrick Thoresen risk his manhood to push his Flyers closer to Lord Stanley? Athletes put their already battered bodies and psyches through hell during the postseason. Their motivation? That cup or trophy, sure, but something else too. In the NBA and NHL, nothing shines a reputation better than playing hurt—and nothing dulls it worse than flinching at the prospect of pain.

CONTRIBUTORS: J.A. ADANDE, MORTY AIN, SAM ALIPOUR, AMANDA ANGEL, LINDSAY BERRA, CHRIS BROUSSARD, RIC BUCHER, JOHN HOLLINGER, E.J. HRADEK, GARE JOYCE, MOLLY KNIGHT, CHAD NIELSEN, CHRIS PALMER, CHRIS SHERIDAN, MARC SPEARS, MIKE WELLS

Some injured postseason heroes are treated like kings. Others wind up getting crowned
MANU GINOBILI With a comfortable 3-0 lead over the Suns in the first round of this season's playoffs, coach Gregg Popovich suggested to Manu Ginobili that he sit out Game 4. Ginobili clearly needed to rest his badly strained groin and sprained ankle, but he refused. "I've never seen anybody with the desire to play under any circumstance like Manu," says Spurs GM R.C. Buford. "He's had too many gutty performances to remember any specific one." Let's try: In 2002, Manu led Argentina to silver in the World Championship on a badly sprained ankle.

He played the 2005 NBA Finals against the Pistons with a purply mess of a right thigh. With the series tied, Robert Horry sealed Game 5 with a late-second three. Ah, but why was Horry open? Because Rasheed Wallace left him to double-team Ginobili, and Manu eluded the trap for the game-clinching dime. Ginobili's trademark drives and runners returned for the final two games, producing his first playoff double-double in Game 6, and 11 of his 23 points in the final minutes to hold off the Pistons in Game 7.

In Game 5 against the Suns, on April 29, Ginobili struggled with his injuries. Still, Popovich played him down the stretch. Sure enough, Ginobili delivered three free throws in the final 25 seconds to send the Suns home again.

There's proof that for all the pain Ginobili has endured over the years, he's left opponents feeling a whole lot worse.

JOE THORNTON In the final week of the 2003-04 season, Bruins center Joe Thornton tore rib cartilage in a game against the Caps. "I was hurt, man," says Thornton. "You get a rib injury and it hurts to breathe. If you sneeze, you think you're gonna die." The Bruins' first-round series was against Montreal. As their No. 1 offensive threat, Thornton was a marked man, and the Canadiens made sure to finish every check against him. Boston brass considered sitting Thornton, but he insisted he could play. "Some guys can play with pain, some guys can't. It was my experience that Joe could," says former B's coach Mike Sullivan, now a Lightning assistant. The injury wasn't an issue early as the Bruins jumped to a 3-1 lead. Then Boston lost steam, three straight and the series. Angry fans and media scapegoated Thornton, who had failed to score a single point. Early the next season, the Bruins traded him to San Jose. Despite being blamed for the loss, Thornton says he has no regrets: "I wouldn't have done anything differently. We all want to get to the postseason, and I was captain of the team—I just think you have to play." Sullivan says he was concerned about Thornton's welfare, but ultimately left the decision to the player: "Maybe there could've been a different course of action; it's an injury that can be very difficult to play through. But you have to trust the player. When a player of his stature says he can play, it's hard to say no." Even when you should.
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When they gotta get injured players back in the game quickly, trainers have their tricks
1. CUT CLOSERS NHL trainers use Dermabond, a medical superglue, to close bleeding cuts: Smear it on the injury, pinch the skin and voil�! Sutures follow postgame and the glue comes off with acetone (i.e., nail-polish remover). 2. HYDRATORS Call it Gatorade, special brew, even pickle juice. Because proper hydration is critical, trainers keep a variety of drinks handy to fight electrolyte loss (including Pedialyte, which is normally for kids). "Two percent dehydration and you are going to feel fatigued," says Flyers trainer Jim McCrossin. "Six percent, you're done." 3. MAGIC FINGERS Massages don't come in a bag, but they're a must for sore starters and stiff pine-sitters. "The sooner you can get your boys refreshed, the better off they are," says McCrossin. 4. MONSEL'S STYPTIC The NBA's no-blood rule makes this product a must. Step 1: press gauze to wound. Step 2: apply solution to clot cut. It's immediate, but burns like crazy. 5. LAUNDRY AIDS NBA players with blood on their uniform must leave the court. So trainers stock bottles of blood-removing bleach and water for instant midgame laundry duty. 6. STEROIDS Cortisone is a legal steroid that can be injected to reduce inflammation, a primary cause of pain. But it doesn't work immediately. Injured athletes can take a postgame shot and the drug kicks in within 48 hours. 7. TONS OF TAPE The ubiquitous tool in every trainer's bag has a million uses, from holding together Kobe's pinkie to supporting Sid the Kid's sprained ankle. 8. QUICK FIRE Stick-on heat patches ease lower-back pain; just ask Icy Hot spokesman Shaq. Players also apply heat to quads or hands to keep loose while chilling on the bench.
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Playing through a broken bone is one thing. But playing through a broken heart?
DEREK FISHER "I had never heard of retinoblastoma before that cancer was diagnosed in my 10-month-old daughter Tatum's eye during last year's playoffs when I was with Utah. We flew to New York to see specialists the day of Game 1 against the Warriors and, two days later, the morning of Game 2, they operated on Tatum. The surgery was successful, and we left at 4 p.m. That's the first time I thought about getting back for the game. I wasn't sure I was on the roster, but I felt I could help the team spiritually. "We flew to Salt Lake City, then I listened to the game in the car as I sped to the arena. The reaction from the crowd was amazing, and coach Jerry Sloan put me in before I got to the bench. I was thinking about my daughter, but once I decided to play, I had to help us win. Down the stretch, we needed stops; I told an assistant that I might not be able to make a shot but I could help defensively. In overtime, I started to feel like a basketball player. Up three, I was about to take a shot that would clinch the game. I hadn't shot in three days. So I did what I've done a thousand times: got my legs under the shot and followed through. It felt good when I let it go. To see the ball go through the net was a great moment. I pointed to the sky and thanked God, not just for that moment, but for the entire day."

DAN BOYLE "We lost Game 1 of the 2004 Finals against the Flames, so I already wasn't in a good mood. After the game Dave Andreychuk told me to go to GM Jay Feaster's office. I knew the Lightning hadn't traded me, but it had that kind of feel to it. "Jay told me that there was a fire at my house. Immediately, I thought it was the one that I owned in Fort Lauderdale. Then they told me it was my home in Tampa. I went there right away. I could smell the smoke about five blocks away. There were three fire trucks in front. The firemen, who'd been watching the game before responding to the alarm, figured out it was my house when they went inside to hose things down. They noticed my hockey things with my name on them. "The fire destroyed about a third of the house, so I stayed at a hotel the next three weeks. I had trouble sleeping. I'm playing for a Cup. It should be the best time in my life, and this happens. What if my girlfriend hadn't been at the game? What if I had children or pets? "I lost all my clothes but didn't want to go shopping, so I borrowed from two teammates, Brad Richards and Brad Lukowich. Management took care of the insurance paperwork. That was a huge help. Scoring a goal in Game 2 and winning the Cup didn't hurt either."
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Sorting out players who tough it out from those who just lay down
NHL and NBA seasons are equal-opportunity body bashers. Pretty much everything hurts for pretty much everybody. But some guys stare down pain better than others. We asked dozens of players, suits, scouts and trainers to salute the tough guys—and call out the softies.

WARRIORS

NHL
- Jason Smith (Flyers)
- Scott Hartnell (Flyers)
- Stephane Robidas (Stars)
- Daniel Alfredsson (Senators)
- Rod Brind'Amour (Hurricanes)
- Mats Sundin (Leafs)
- Mike Modano (Stars)
- Danny Briere (Flyers)
- Jonathan Toews (Blackhawks)
- Peter Forsberg (Avs)
NBA
- Allen Iverson (Nuggets)
- Deron Williams (Jazz)
- Kobe Bryant (Lakers)
- Kevin Garnett (Celtics)
- Shaquille O'Neal (Suns)
- Gilbert Arenas (Wizards)
- Grant Hill (Suns)
- Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks)
- Andres Nocioni (Bulls)
- Steve Nash (Suns)

WIMPS

NHL
- Viktor Kozlov (Capitals)
- Dominik Hasek (Red Wings)
- Marc Savard (Bruins)
- Alexander Semin (Capitals)
- Peter Forsberg (Avs)
NBA
- Tracy McGrady (Rockets)
- Vince Carter (Nets)
- Pau Gasol (Lakers)
- Sam Cassell (Celtics)
- Kwame Brown (Grizzlies)

PAIN CALLOUTS!

From players to coaches and scouts to trainers, we canvassed the NBA and NHL to discover who they thought were Warriors and Wimps when the pressure's on and pain comes a'calling. (The promise of anonymity helped loosen some tongues.)
NBA NOTES

WARRIORS
- Manu Ginobili: "He's one of the toughest guys in the league. He's always got some knick-knack injury."
- Allen Iverson:
  - "Look at his x-rays. He's one of the toughest, smallest guys to ever play in this league."
  - "He's about a buck forty, plays 42 minutes every game, get's made whenever he comes out, and it's his 12th year in the league? Come on, G."
- Deron Williams: "He's got a broken booty."
- Shaq: "He takes a beating night in and night out. Guys put a body on him. People don't realize how unathletic guys look in the morning getting out of bed."
- Johnny Kerr: "He never missed any games. He played with a terribly bruised calf. His one leg was twice as big as the other. But a lot of guys played with aches and pains. That was their job. They weren't getting set for life."
WIMPS
- Jerome Jones: "I never see him on the court. He's always hurt. Never seen him trying to fight through any pain."
- Carmelo Anthony: "I just turned the game on today. He just kinda quit on his team today."
- General Wimp quotes:

NHL NOTES

WARRIORS
- Chris Clark: "He took an Alex Ovechkin shot to the face/head while he was in front of the net trying to screen the opposing goalie. He missed a little time from the injury, but sure enough, a few games later he was back in front of the net dodging Ovie's rockets. I don't think Clarkie feels pain.
- Valeri Zelepukin: "He played with a grade-two MCL and he came in and asked for a brace and out he went to play. He was one of the toughest guys I ever met."
- Brendan Shanahan: "I saw him get his jaw broken by a deflected shot and he didn't even go down. He dropped his stick, covered his face and skated off, didn't even wait for whistle."
- Scott Hartnell: "Philly plays with so much edge that there's more slashes, big hits, late hits and cheap shots. Nobody takes more than Hartnell and he shows up every game and every shift. You know that he's playing hurt a lot of the time and he's fearless. He sets the tone for a lot of the Flyers other young players. And Paul Holmgren (the general manager) was that type of player—he appreciates what Hartnell does and what he has to play through."
- Jason Smith: "You know the type of game he plays, he's going to be playing hurt a lot. You can tell the respect that he gets from the teams that he played with in Edmonton that his teammates know he's committed."
- Stephane Robidas: "What he did in the playoffs this year—I mean, his face looked like something out of a horror movie—was one of the bravest things ever. Everybody knows that now, but that's the type of player he's always been."
- David Legwand: "He played through a fractured knee and a ligament tear in the playoffs [this season]. Went in cold—hadn't played in weeks."
- Jon Toews: "Took a skate blade in the face—more than forty stitches—like he got cut a new mouth, and played the next night even though he couldn't speak or eat."
- Daniel Alfredsson: "He understood early on that his 75 percent was better than the other guys' 100 percent, and played through injuries that would have sat down a lot of teammates."
- Peter Forsberg: "He's paying the price now for playing hurt so many times in the past. He dressed in the playoffs when he should have been shut down because of concussion problems, but probably fought management on it."
- Mats Sundin: "He has to have taken a lot of abuse to play his game. How many cross-checks has he taken to the kidneys? With him and with a lot of guys in their late 30s, it's not a matter of playing with an injury but playing with a back that makes it tough to get out of bed every morning, a wrist or a knee that just isn't right and never gets better."
- Mike Modano: "He sucked it up and played with a broken wrist in the finals in '99 and played really well."
- Chris Phillips: "He has respect in the Ottawa room because of he's always willing and ready no matter how broken up he is."
- Vincent Lecavalier: "He doesn't have to announce it. He toughs it out."
- Anton Volchenkov: "Gives up his body so much [blocking shots and hitting] he'd never play if he waited to heal … what he went through to play in this year's playoffs, not five percent of the league players, even tough ones, would have dressed and played")
- Kris Draper: "You know how he plays he's only going to start the season at 100 percent."
WIMPS
- Euros with old-school values: "A lot of people in the league think that Euros won't play hurt, even a little, but it's something that they have to accept to stick around … if they don't or if they don't like it, they go home."
- Viktor Kozlov: "Had to be 100 percent to play, not willing to play even at 90 percent. It's one of the reasons he's frustrated teams in his career and worn out his welcome."
- Dominik Hasek: "Other players will step up and play hurt when the team is in trouble and the season on the line. There's no doubt he pulled the chute in Buffalo and Ottawa when he could have, and should have, played hurt."
- Alexander Semin: "When he first came over. there were some questions about what he was willing to play through. Not driven or committed. Looking for the first chance to bail out. This spring, though, and in the playoffs, he stepped up. Probably because of the willingness and readiness of Ovechkin."
- Carlo Coliacavo: "Legitimately injured early on in his career but this past season you could see him winceing on every hit, calling the trainer over, but getting back in the game 10 minutes later like nothing happened. His teammates had to wonder if some of it was in his head."

In their respective sports, these two players were all guts, all glory

WILLIS REED New York Knicks (1964-1974) The Knicks' season appears to be over when Reed tears a thigh muscle in Game 5 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the Lakers. But in Game 7, The Captain takes the Garden floor and hits his first two jumpers, inspiring the Knicks to a 113-99 victory. "Pulling a Willis Reed" becomes part of sports vernacular.

BOB BAUN Toronto Maple Leafs (1956-1973) In the third period of Game 6 of the 1964 Finals against Detroit, Baun takes a Gordie Howe shot in the right ankle. He leaves the ice, but returns after getting taped and numbed. His overtime goal forces a Game 7—and he doesn't miss a shift. Only when the Cup is won does he let doctors treat his badly broken ankle.
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A timeline of taking one for the team
• 1300ish B.C. Israelites vs. Amalekites in a Sinai throwdown. For the Jews to win, Moses must keep his arms raised during the battle. (He does, they do.) Props to bro Aaron and bro-in-law Hur for propping up his arms. • 216 B.C. Hannibal leads elephant-borne Cartheginians over the Apennines in Italy, losing an eye to infection along the way. His unit eventually routs the Romans at Cannae. • 1967 Roberto Clemente lines a shot at Cards ace Bob Gibson, breaking his leg. Gibby pitches to two more Pirates before collapsing. • 1976 F1's Niki Lauda is given last rites after suffering burns, broken bones and scorched lungs in a crash in Germany. Six weeks later he finishes fourth in the Italian Grand Prix, peeking through bandages. • 1976 Rocky hits theaters. "Cut me, Mick!" • 1979-80 DE Jack Youngblood fractures his left fibula in a first-round playoff game against Dallas—then plays every defensive down on the Rams' run to Super Bowl XIV. • 1986 In a loss to France, New Zealand rugger Wayne Shelford loses three teeth and after the game discovers that his scrotum is torn open and that one of his testicles is hanging out. Bet the beer tasted good that night. [For Wayne Shelford's take on his injury, click here.] • 1988 U.S. diver Greg Louganis smashes his head on the springboard at the Seoul Olympics. Four stitches later Louganis completes his last two dives, advances to the medal round and wins gold. • 1988 Hobbled by a bad knee and hammy, LA pinch- hitter Kirk Gibson goes yard off A's closer Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the World Series. Play-by-play legend Jack Buck will never believe what he just saw. • 1989 English soccer D Terry Butcher cuts his forehead against Sweden. He reopens the wound with headers, finishing with blood dripping down his face, but England gets a draw, eventually qualifying for the '90 World Cup. • 1996 Dale Earnhardt finishes second at North Wilkesboro while recovering from a broken collarbone and breastbone. That's Big E for effort. • 1999 BMXer Mat Hoffman has ACL surgery on his right knee, fully awake and without anesthesia. No, really. • 1999 Travis Pastrana separates his shoulder on Letterman publicizing an upcoming Supercross race. Nixing surgery, he rubs crushed Advil and a topical ointment on the shoulder—and wins the race the following week. • 2002 Marshall QB Byron Leftwich hurts his left shin playing against Akron. He's taken to the hospital but returns to lead the Thundering Herd on a touchdown drive, his linemen carrying him downfield between plays. • 2003 Brett Favre passes for 399 yards and 4 TDs to beat the Raiders 41-7 on Monday Night Football—one day after his father's death. • 2004 Red Sox doctors suture the loose tendon in Curt Schilling's right ankle so he can pitch in Game 6 of the ALCS vs. New York. Boston wins, and the bloody sock is now in the Hall of Fame. • 2005 Nursing a broken right ankle, skateboarder Danny Way jumps the Great Wall of China. How do you say awesome in Mandarin? • 2008 In Game 1 of the Flyers-Caps series, Philly's Patrick Thoresen takes a puck to the groin. He's rushed to the hospital and almost loses a testicle, but he is on the ice for Game 3. One tough nut, that Thoresen.
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