Bird should play it smart
June 23rd 2008 09:22
Pain worth paying attention to - Bird looks set to miss the Origin decider
There is no mountain or tower high enough to avoid Greg Bird climbing the damn things in the first place.
If he wanted to, he could fly a plane, learn how to fly and become a pilot on the same day ,such is his enthusiasim and optimisim.
Not many things can get through to Bird's confidence and destroy it easily. Barring injury of course.
Yes, its the very word that has savaged the playing careers of Benji Marshall, Sonny Bill Williams and Anthony Minichiello through a pain not even a chainsaw to a limb could cause.
For all the brawn in Bird's game, injury is something that cannot be challenged or avoided. It is the only aspect capable of cutting down a players career and leave them in a bronzed glass jar with a signed autograph from their medical advisor.
Sure, there are times when injury allows a player to unwind. Sunglasses on, feet up and hats off. Sucking in the big ones.
Tell Bird that story however and he'll make you back off for the rest of his career. For Bird, playing Rugby League is a blast. After playing Origin last year, Bird's days where launching faster than a Russian missile.
Blowing all critics and opponents alike, Bird's career was well and truly back on the map.
Come yesterday afternoon.
Bird lost his footing. There was nothing else to say. Bird could not explain the pain. Ahhhh!!! was the only noise coming out, as two trainers and a minicab provided a little help.
Despite the pain, no one would dare tell Bird his Origin campaign for 2008 was over. In the end there was nothing no one could do to save his chances.
Like a mother explaining to kids not to say anything unless its worth saying, Bird was chewing his lips, thinking off the right words to describe the pain he was going through.
Every passing second saw Bird gain composure. The reality of the situation became clear, and for the record - a disappointed yet calm figure was stuck on Bird's face. Never one to quit, the Sharks lock had to keep his ammo in check for the rest of the game.
It seems now Bird has become one of the many normal people in the NRL having to contend with injury.
They will make you cry and take you by surprise. Injuries can be cruel ,yet at the same time have been known to save a players career. The eyes do dry eventually.
Others like Bird have suffered. The genius of Marshall has had its workout. Anthony Minichiello has lived a tongue in cheek lifestyle since his back injury.
While Bird will gank his teeth on missing Origin football, its far better to avoid biting your tongue on a season ending injury.
A slice of bad luck comes every once and a while. Like lightning striking twice at once, Bird will experience the flaws of a Rugby League career.
Rather than die and wonder in this situation, Bird must preserve his thoughts and come back, walking like the football star he is.
Life is full of kicks, spits and hits. Everytime Bird has an injury, all these aspects come to the fore. Through all the pain inside of his brain, Bird will stand and acknowledge the fact that clouds will gather on a career full of success.
That's pretty much the jist of it. Bird will be pissed about missing Origin. Like the NRL itself, life is a game of millimetres and it only takes a rushed decision to tear apart, like meat cleavers, such a promising and fulfilling career.
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