Topic: Lee Smith hospitalized with broken jaw

[ShawHerd]

Lee Smith hospitalized with broken jaw
By JESSE SMITHEY, smitheyj@knews.com
October 21, 2006


Marshall University freshman football player and former Powell High School standout Lee Smith has been hospitalized for breathing problems stemming from a broken jaw.
Powell coach Matt Lowe said Smith's jaw was broken in practice Tuesday or Wednesday, and that the "football-related" injury inflicted damage to the esophagus, which, in turn, caused abnormal breathing.


Smith was under the aid of a respirator, Lowe said. But the coach hasn't heard much since.

"I haven't talked with (Smith's father) Daryle in two days now," Lowe said Friday. "What he told me at the time was they were debating whether to do surgery and put a steel plate in there or not. If you have surgery and put a steel plate in there you're out the next two months. If you don't, it'll heal on its own, but it'll take a year or year and a half.

"So, that's kind of where they were at a few days ago. I'm not sure what the family has decided since then."

Officials at Marshall did not return phone messages.

Smith transferred to Marshall after being dismissed from Tennessee's football team because of a drunken driving charge on Aug. 2. Smith is not on scholarship. He's sitting out this season, per NCAA rules, and will be eligible next season as a redshirt freshman.

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/football...082701,00.html

[W0lfman]

This happened on TUesday.

[Krash]

I'm not trying to start rumors, but I've heard it may have been from a fight in the lockeroom. Any truth to that?

[muherd34]

I hope he makes a full recovery.  My friend had his jaw broke in football, and played with his mouth wired shut, it could have been a fight or from a play in football.

[HERDFAN1999]

You know what?  I don't care if there are fights in the locker room.  I hope we do get a lot more emotional.  Sometimes fights in the locker room are a good thing.  Get it out in the open, get it over with, and move on.  Hell, in the military you fight guys that end up being some of your best friends!!  This is no different.  With that said, I have no idea if this was a fight in the locker room.  I just wanted to make a general comment.

[Chico]

HERDFAN1999 I like your style...

[_sturt_]

Sounds real masculine like, but there's all kinds of things the alleged fight may have concerned, and most of the things on that list would not necessarily be positive... unless you consider that "team unity" thing to be fluff and useless.

[Conda]

I would just leave this topic alone, as fans sometimes we think we have a right to know every little thing.  Whether it happend on the field or in the locker room I feel like its team business.  Its not something that needs to be stired up trust me.

[_sturt_]

I would just leave this topic alone, as fans sometimes we think we have a right to know every little thing.  Whether it happend on the field or in the locker room I feel like its team business.  Its not something that needs to be stired up trust me.

 :mad:

[Krash]

I guess my only concern as far as a fight goes is if his feathers are ruffled enough not to return to the team. I have heard a lot of good things on the field about him and would hate to lose him.

[fullboat]

You know what?  I don't care if there are fights in the locker room.  I hope we do get a lot more emotional.  Sometimes fights in the locker room are a good thing.  Get it out in the open, get it over with, and move on.  Hell, in the military you fight guys that end up being some of your best friends!!  This is no different.  With that said, I have no idea if this was a fight in the locker room.  I just wanted to make a general comment.

First of all you should care when a 4 star tight end who just transferred in ends up with a broken jaw.  
Second, what do you mean you want them more emotional?  The fight may have had nothing to do with football at all.
And third, this isn't the military and I really don't see the comparison you tried to make.

[HERDFAN1999]

Where did I say I didn't care he had a broken jaw?  Point that out to me?  I said I didn't care if we have some fights in our locker room.  The comparison between our football team and the military is these guys are part of a tight group that most other people don't have a clue about.  I am a combat veteran myself and I am not saying these guys are soldiers.  But there is a comraderie that most people have not experienced.  There will be family arguments anytime and especially when a team full of all-staters is 1-5.  I am glad I am seeing more emotion and if it boils over in the locker room that isn't entirely a bad thing.  Now, for the record, I am never happy when any of our players is injured for any reason.  Lets all just hope they have cleared the air and our aggression is done legally on the field.

Sturt and Conda, I agree and this will be my last post on this topic.  I just wanted to respond to the post calling me out.

[dixie10]

lets see here fullboat, you want a field full of football playing girls or do you want men? Call it anyway you want, fights happen, guess you weren't on the winning end of many of yours.

[cubsrams1]

lets see here fullboat, you want a field full of football playing girls or do you want men? Call it anyway you want, fights happen, guess you weren't on the winning end of many of yours.

I don't know about you, but nothing about a "broken jaw" makes me think someone is so much more of a MAN.  Fighting teammates is a lack of discipline.  No other way to spin it.

[fullboat]

lets see here fullboat, you want a field full of football playing girls or do you want men? Call it anyway you want, fights happen, guess you weren't on the winning end of many of yours.

I say I don't like the fact a guy gets his jaw broken and suddenly I want girls playing and haven't won many fights?  What rock did you crawl from under?  And for your information, you wouldn't be the first guy whose a$$ I beat.

[marshall fanatic]

Sucks he has a broken jaw. Not important how it happend. The only thing important that it heals. Sounds like they have a tough decision with putting in the plate.  Hopefully his jaw will heal and that Lee will be back on the feild for next yr.