Shouldn't that Midland doctor have contacted Coach Gaines and told him he had a player with a torn ACL who wouldn't listen to his diagnosis? I can understand an 18 year old kid reacting like he at the hospital, but the uncle walking out of there without listening? - reprehensible.
shareIf you're speaking of the "movie" doctor, then yes.
If you're speaking of the real thing, keep in mind that Boobie's injury WAS diagnosed and spoken of to the head coach.
The movie is all Hollywood... folks need to keep that in mind.
Wouldn't doctor-patient confidentiality come into play in that scenario?
Why? Because I made it rain! That's what I did today! And that's enough.
Uh, no. The doctor has an absolute duty to keep his patient's information confidential and private. Even if he knows that the patient is going to risk further injury by playing his sport against the doctor's advice that doesn't allow the doctor to breach his patient's privacy rights.
The uncle not listening and ignoring the facts was reprehensible. But it isn't movie fiction, that's what really happened to the real Boobie Miles.
Exactly. Though there is nothing stopping him from telling the coach that he highly advises that a player not play.
shareWhat I don't understand is why didn't Coach Gaines check with the doctor himself to find out what the truth was?
If Boobie Miles was such a great player and asset to the team and if Gaines cared about the young man's future, he should have taken Boobie to the doctor himself as soon as he had a chance.
What evil drives the Car?...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFWea3Eu97E
I agree with Rusty Shackleworth, the coach should have made Boobie's return conditional on a full analysis of his injury at that hospital (indicating that the injury had healed) which would evidently require Boobie's consent to reveal the information. In watching the film, I also found the coach to be highly irresponsible for playing him. Of course, I am talking about the film. I have no idea what happened in real life.
shareHere's the thing. You're right that the coach was irresponsible in letting him play. It's too big a gamble for that young man and his life to let him play on an injury like that. This is absolutely true, however, you also have to look at the situation the coach is in. The man pretty much has to win state every year or he could be fired. His star player gets hurt and he may or may not get more injured if he plays on it.
shareDoc89, I understand your point and the situation the coach is in, but it doesn't change my perspective one bit. What you appear to be saying is that, if doing the right thing potentially involves personal costs, then he is released from that obligation. I don't think so. His first and foremost obligation is to do right by his players and protect them from undue harm. If he can't do that, he shouldn't be in coaching.
shareThat bit made no sense to me either. Boobie was their best player but when he got injured no one really seemed to care. Surely the Coach would have gone to the doctor with him and closely followed his care.
Get on the scale! Get off the scale.
Well that's kind of one of the points made in the film. The coach was dependent on him, his uncle was dependent and even Boobie himself were dependent on football getting him out of the poverty, that being the reason he was willing to take that risk.
As it was pointed out in the film audio commentary people cared more about his football ability when he could barely read.
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I looked this up online after I first watched the film, and confirmed it by reading the book - in reality I think it was initially diagnosed as a sprained ligament and he was given the choice between having an operation/further tests immediately or playing in a knee brace for the rest of the season. He opted for the knee brace because he felt he couldn't afford to not play. One game during the regular season, when Permian were thrashing an opponent, he came on and actually managed to score a couple of TDs even with the brace.
And he didn't break down on the field and have no choice but to stop playing as shown in the film. In reality (or at least in the book) he was so disappointed to not start the big game against Midland that he quit the team. And it was only when he went for surgery that it was confirmed as a tear, which made it a wonder that he was able to train or play at all as it was the ligament that allowed for sharp stopping or change of direction