Jahvid Best

[Beckron]

I hope the Cal running Back is okay that looked awful

[MaryS]

Doesn't look good --

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/abr ... y_id=51219

Cal's Jahvid Best suffers major injury in Oregon State game

Jahvid Best, Cal's Heisman Trophy candidate is, sadly as I write this, on the way to a hospital having suffered a major injury in today's game against Oregon State.

With 2:06 and Cal on the Oregon State three yard line in the second quarter, Best took the handoff from Cal QB Kevin Riley, turned around left end and as he was about to score a touchdown, jumped in the air. As he was airborne he was hit by OSU Safety Cameron Collins, who threw Best with his left hand as Best was in the air.

When as Best was coming down - he was about five feet in the air - his body turned so that the upper portion of his back hit the turf. He scored.

Best held out both arms as if he was frozen and did not get up.

Cheers turned to silence and both Cal and Oregon State players dropped to one knee to pray for Cal's star running back.

In a fast moment, trainers and doctors came out along with members of Best's family and a small crowd formed around him. After what seemed to be an eternity of waiting for Best to some how get up, all hopes were eliminated when a cart and a stretcher were brought onto the field.

Best was placed in a stretcher with what appeared to be some kind of large orange brace around his neck and head.

As of this writing (I was actually on my way to the game) there's no official word on Best's injury or condition. The game is being televised on the Fox Sports Network.

Jahvid Best is Cal's third all time leading rusher and one of 16 Maxwell Awards semi-finalists for the nation's best player.

[MaryS]

Update -- doesn't sound QUITE as grim.

Associated Press
Cal RB Jahvid Best hurt on touchdown

By JANIE McCAULEY, AP Sports Writer

(11-07) 18:08 PST Berkeley, Calif. (AP) --

California tailback Jahvid Best was carted off the field Saturday night and taken to the emergency room after he landed on the back of his head when he leapt more than 5 feet in the air and flipped over a defender to score a touchdown.

Cal spokesman Herb Benenson said that a preliminary evaluation showed Best sustained a concussion, but more tests were being done before a final diagnosis would be announced by the school. Best had movement in all of his extremities, Benenson said.

Best's helmet came off on impact. He vaulted into the air over Oregon State safety Cameron Collins. Paramedics removed Best's jersey and he appeared to be receiving oxygen when taken away. Benenson said he was taken to an emergency room for observation and examination.

Best missed practice Tuesday and Wednesday with a slight concussion sustained in the team's 23-21 win at Arizona State last Saturday, but participated in full during Thursday's workout. The concussion wasn't diagnosed right away.

The latest injury — with 6:07 before halftime — silenced Memorial Stadium, where fans chanted "Jahvid! Jahvid!" before everything went quiet. His teammates went down on their knees and waited, then moved to the end zone as trainers and doctors took him away on a stretcher. The game was delayed 13 minutes.

Best, one of the most dynamic running backs in the country and a preseason Heisman Trophy contender, has 16 touchdowns and 867 rushing yards this season for the 23rd-ranked Golden Bears, including 29 yards on nine carries Saturday with the 7-yard TD run. He also has 22 catches for 213 yards.

Cal quarterback Kevin Riley took a hard hit with 1:19 left in the first half and was helped to the sideline.

[Vince P]

Wow Mary, thx for this post. I've been out of town on "business" and missed everything about Jahvid, who is a great kid.

I'll call TT pronto and get some updates.

Vince P

[Turfenator]

Cuck Fameron Cucking Follins

[MaryS]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 1AH6CK.DTL

Best released from hospital

Ron Kroichick, Chronicle Staff Writer

Cal running back Shane Vereen had trouble sleeping Saturday night, after watching teammate Jahvid Best's terrifying tumble against Oregon State. Vereen kept seeing the play in his head - Best soaring high into the air and crashing awkwardly to the turf - so he was relieved to receive a text message Sunday morning.

Best tapped out welcome words: Doing fine, feeling better.

"That was very reassuring," Vereen said. "It was good to hear from him. You always want that little extra confirmation from him that he's OK."

Best was released from Oakland's Highland Hospital on Sunday, after spending the night there with a severe concussion. CT scans and X-rays came back normal.

Cal officials announced Best will not play Saturday against Arizona, and his status remains uncertain for the Bears' final two regular-season games, Nov. 21 at Stanford and Dec. 5 at Washington.

Coach Jeff Tedford and running-backs coach Ron Gould visited Best in the hospital Saturday night. Tedford also spoke with Best by phone Sunday afternoon, before the rest of Cal's players convened at Memorial Stadium for their customary day-after-game video session and light workout.

"He's sore, but we're all thankful there's no severe damage," Tedford said. "He was awake and talking when I saw him. He was a little groggy because they had him medicated, and he had a headache, but he was doing fine."

Best also had a stiff back, understandable given the dizzying height he reached before his fall. It happened on a 7-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter, when he swept left and spectacularly hurdled Oregon State cornerback Tim Clark near the goal line.

Another defensive back, safety Cameron Collins, pushed Best while he was airborne. That sent his head at least 8 feet above the ground - some Cal players estimated it was 9 feet - and twisted his upper body, making the impact all the more violent.

The scene when Best hit the ground was unnerving, to say the least. His helmet popped off, his face went blank, his arms stiffly hung by his side and he didn't move at all as trainers and doctors rushed to his side. It was impossible not to fear Best might have been paralyzed.

Cal athletic director Sandy Barbour called it the worst on-field incident in her 29 years as an athletic administrator - especially to see Best carted away, his body strapped to a backboard and an oxygen mask covering his face.

"He was so high up in the air, and you knew he was coming down," Barbour said Sunday. "I held my breath at the top of his jump. ... It's a collision sport - you always live in fear of that moment."

The moment also made an impact on backup running back Covaughn DeBoskie-Johnson. Two weeks earlier, against Washington State, he similarly hurdled a defensive back who was crouched down, ready to tackle DeBoskie-Johnson at his ankles.

"It did give me second thoughts about jumping when I jumped," he said of seeing Best's injury. "If the guy would have stood up, I probably would have gone through the same predicament Jahvid did."

Fullback Brian Holley, the first player to summon help after Best landed, offered an interesting perspective a day later. Holley is writing his thesis on "cognitive dysfunction of football players," so he knows all about the risks of long-term impairment.

This was Best's second concussion in eight days - he also sustained one Oct. 31 against Arizona State.

"My advice to him is just take it easy and leave it to the medical staff," Holley said.