Will Fame And Love Return
The Long Road Back
Chesapeake Harbor Stadium
Baltimore, Maryland
Wednesday August 8, 2007
Rick Randolph was sitting in the stadium medical suite, having been examined by the Clippers team Doctor Dennis Donaldson.
The team doctor was very satisfied with Rick’s recuperation and was explaining to him his findings that he had observed and the prognosis that he came up with. Doctor Donaldson said to Rick that he had recuperated well enough and that he was being cleared to rejoin the Clippers and could return and resume play when the team returns home and begins their home series with the Indianapolis Racers.
The one scenario that concerned Doctor Donaldson the most was that when someone experiences a severe concussion, such as the one that Rick was the recipient of, that whether it is an average person or a world class athlete, even though a person recovers, they will still have lingering effects from it down the road and that it will diminish an athletes on field performance and there will be struggles to regain the level of play that they were once accustomed to, especially when they were a dominant player.
After being told that, Rick Randolph said to Doctor Donaldson that he understood and was willing to persevere through the problems that the concussion had created, that he was willing to work through them and eventually overcome the after effects.
After arriving back at the hotel suite, Rick decided to call his dad, Gerald. Clicking the speed dial on the phone for his dad, it started ringing, then Gerald answered it saying “Hello son, what’s up”. Rick said ‘Hello dad, I just returned from my appointment session with Doctor Donaldson”. Gerald Randolph said, “Well, I hope that it’s good news”. “Yes, indeed it is” Rick responded, “I was cleared to return to the lineup and will be starting in Friday night’s game against the Indianapolis Racers”.
Gerald Randolph responded by saying, “Even though I am in deep with preseason training camp with the Washington Continentals, your mom and myself will be there to cheer you on”. “Well, I will see you both, then”, Rick replied. And with that both father and son said their goodbyes, and both shut off their phones.
(C) 2021
