// BEGIN editorial data
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spt_PlaytingThroughPain.sPubDate = "6/14/2008 11:16:28 PM GMT";
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spt_PlaytingThroughPain.appHeader = "Suck it up: Athletes who have persevered through pain";
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spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/GOLF/Tiger%20at%20US%20Open/080612_Tiger-13th--happyhole.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Denis Poroy", "AP", "357", "278", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "Despite missing more than a month of action and several tournaments due to a knee injury which led to surgery, Tiger Woods did not let that stop him from playing in the 2008 U.S. Open. Woods struggled at first but found his stride in the second round.
Take a look back at some of the other impressive painful performances over the years from around the world of sports.";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Byron Leftwich ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pain/pain_ByronLeftwich.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Phil Long", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "342", "278", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "
Marshall quarterback Byron Leftwich (7) is carried from the field by teammate J.T. Rembert (32) and a team assistant after Marshall's 34-20 loss to Akron, Nov. 2, 2002. Leftwich injured his leg in the first quarter and came back in the game in the third quarter.
Leftwich left the game in first quarter for X-rays and returned to throw 208 yards despite playing on a broken tibia.";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Greg Louganis","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pain/pain_GregLougainis.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Katsumi Kasahara", "AP", "273", "340", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "
In what is considered one of the greatest feats in sporting history, Greg Louganis suffered an injury, hitting his head on the diving board during the preliminary rounds of the 1988 Summer Olympics while performing a reverse 2 1/2 pike.
He completed the preliminaries, despite a concussion, then went on to repeat the dive during the finals, with nearly perfect scores, earning him the gold medal.";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Curt Schilling ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pain/pain_CurtSchilling.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Winslow Townson", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "273", "405", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "
Blood is seen around the ankle of Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling during the first inning of Game 2 of the World Series on Oct. 24, 2004, otherwise known as the \"Bloody sock game.\"
Schilling was pitching with a dislocated ankle tendon held together by suture.";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Donovan McNabb","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pain/pain_DonovanMcNabb.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Chris Gardner", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "273", "327", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb grimaces in pain after an injury to his ankle during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals Nov. 17, 2002.
McNabb broke his fibula in the first quarter, but convinced coaches it was just a sprain. The QB stayed in and amazingly went 20-for-25 passing for 255 yards and four touchdowns.";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Emmitt Smith","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pain/pain_emmittsmith.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Ron Heflin", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "358", "238", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "
After being brought down awkwardly in the first half, X-rays revealed that Emmitt Smith had suffered a dislocated shoulder in a game against the Giants on Jan. 2, 1994.
Smith came back in the second half to rush 13 times for 59 yards as the Cowboys won 16-13 and clinched the NFC East title and home field advantage. The game also clinched the rushing title for Smith.";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Jack Youngblood","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pain/pain_JackYoungblood.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Doug Pizac", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "358", "229", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "
On Dec. 30, 1979, Rams defensive end Jack Youngblood suffered a stress fracture of his left fibula after being chop-blocked, but refused to come out.
Trainers taped him up at the half and gave hima leg brace, and Youngblood returned. To make the courageous effort even more impressive the future Hall of Famer was able to record a sack against Roger Staubach.
Youngblood even went on to play the next week to lead the Rams to the NFC title over Tampa Bay and played in a losing effort in the Super Bowl. Instead of getting treated right away, he sucked it up and even played in the Pro Bowl. ";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Michael Jordan ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pain/pain_Jordan.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Jack Smith", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "358", "246", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "
There were no broken bones, but Michael Jordan's performance in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals might be as impressive as it gets.
Even though he was vomiting all day and had a fever, Jordan took the court against the Jazz. The Bulls found themselves in a 16-point first-half hole, but Jordan led his team with 38 points including 15 in the fourth quarter and a huge three-pointer in the closing seconds to seal the win for the Bulls to give them a 3-2 series lead.";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Kerri Strug ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pain/pain_kerristrug.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Susan Ragan", "AP", "273", "316", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "
Keri Strug struggled on her first vault at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta during the team competition and suffered a sprained ankle and torn ligaments.
Despite barely being able to stand, Strug mustered up the strength and courage to do one more vault and scored a 9.712. The vault helped the U.S. hold off the Russians and land its first ever team gold medal.";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Kirk Gibson ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pain/pain_KirkGibson.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "John Swart", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "273", "358", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "
With a strained hamstring and a sprained knee, Kirk Gibson was forced to watch Game 1 of the 1988 World Series against the Oakland A's from the dugout on Oct. 15, 1988. Well, until he came in to pinch hit with two outs in the bottom of the ninth with his Dodgers trailing 4-3.
Clearly hobbled, Gibson somehow got worked of the game's most dominant closers, Dennis Eckersley, into a full count. In a fairy tale ending, Gibson smacked a slider over the right field fence to give the Dodgers the improbably and inspirational Game 1 victory. It was his only at bat of the World Series, but it was enough to inspire the Dodgers to win it in five games.";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Kobe Bryant","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pain/pain_kobe1.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Lisa Blumenfeld", "Getty Images", "314", "278", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "Despite tweaking his back in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz, Kobe Bryant sucked it up and took the court in Game 5. Despite not hitting a field goal in the 4th quarter, Bryant still racked up 26 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists in 41 minutes of pain.
";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Michael Chang","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pain/pain_MichaelChang.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Anonymous", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "273", "381", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "
Win by any means necessary. It's a motto shared by many, and it's exactly what Michael Chang did during the 1989 French Open, specifically against Ivan Lendl in the fourth round.
Lendl was the world's No. 1 ranked player and a three-time former French Open champion. Chang was only in his second year of playing professional tennis. Lendl took the first two sets, 6-4, 6-4. The 17-year-old Chang rallied to win the third set 6-3. But then, during the fourth set, Chang went down with severe leg cramps. No. 15 Chang tried to slow things down by hitting \"moon balls\" and ate bananas in between games. He drank as much as he could and even took an extended bathroom break.
The normally calm Lendl lost his cool and started swearing at the umpires and yelling at the crowd. Chang even went so far as to hit an underhand serve in the fifth set, which seemed to totally break Lendl's concentration. Up two break points on Lendl's serve in the fifth set, Chang stood well inside the baseline to throw Lendl off, and it did as the No. 1 player double faulted. Chang fell to his knees and seven days later he was the youngest male French Open champion ever.";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Muhammad Ali","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pain/pain_MuhammadAli.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Rhs", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "300", "278", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "
On March 31, 1973, Muhammad Ali squared off against Ken Norton. Ali was working towards a rematch against Joe Frazier, but Norton stood in his way.
Norton was able to land several jabs early in the fight, and it set up a devastating straight right hand, breaking Ali's jaw. It was only the second round, but after the blow, Ali's corner wanted him to throw in the towel. Ali refused, stating that he could still \"beat this sucker.\"
Ali persevered for another 10 rounds but lost a narrow decision. They met again months later in a rematch, and Ali exacted his revenge.";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Ricky Rudd","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pain/pain_RickyRudd.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Tom Strattman", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "273", "354", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "
Many critics will say that NASCAR drivers aren't real athletes because all they do is drive around in a circle. Try telling that to Ricky Rudd.
During the Busch Clash in 1983, Rudd was involved in a horrendous crash flipping multiple times. His seat broke, his window net came lose and his arm was hanging outside the car as it flipped and rolled. From beating around in the car, he had torn cartilage in his rib cage. Rudd’s eyes were swollen shut and he looked doubtful for making the start in the Daytona 500.
Rudd amazingly sucked it up and decided to drive. Only one problem - his eyes were still swolen shut. Rudd shook it off and used duct tape to keep his eyes open while racing the Daytona 500. He came in 7th, but just begininng the race was impressive in itself.";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Ronnie Lott ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pain/pain_RonnieLott.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "George Rose", "Getty Images", "273", "380", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "
Ronnie Lott was one of the most feared defenders in the NFL and it's no surprise after hearing what happened to him in 1985. At the end of the season, in a game against the Cowboys, he mangled his pinky during a collision. He continued to play despite agonizing pain.
He continued to play with it taped up the following week, but once the season was over, the easy decision was to have surgery to repair the finger. But Lott didn't take the easy way out.
Instead of risking losing time the following season, Lott decided to just amputate part of the finger to solve the problem. He did have 9 other fingers after all.";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Pete Sampras","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pain/pain_Sampras.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Charles Krupa", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "334", "278", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "
Pete Sampras is one of the most decorated tennis players of all time, but perhaps his most impressive win came at the 1990 U.S. Open in the quarterfinals against Alex Corretja.
So exhausted it made him sick, Sampras vomited on the court in the middle of a fifth set tiebreaker. Sampras continued to limp around the court, leaned on his racket and appeared very dizzy at times, but he never gave up.
An improbable second serve ace gave him an 8-7 lead in the tiebreaker and then Corretja inexplicably double faulted to give Sampras the win, 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (9-7).";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Paul Pierce","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/Pics/080614_Paul-Pierce.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Charles Krupa", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "358", "250", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "
During Game 1 of the 2008 NBA Finals, Boston Celtics guard Paul Pierce appeared to suffer a series-ending leg injury that forced him to be carried off the court in a wheelchair. However, in less than five minutes of real time, Pierce was back on the court and led his team to a win against the Los Angeles Lakers.";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Steve Yzerman","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pain/pain_SteveYzerman.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Ryan Remiorz", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "358", "271", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "
Steve Yzerman blew out his knew during the second half of the season in 2002, but he refused to go under the knife. Instead, Yzerman sucked it up and led his team all the way to the Stanley Cup and somehow scored 23 points in 23 games during the postseason, basically on one leg.
The injury was so bad that reconstructive surgery kept him out the entire first half of the following season.";
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i++] = new Array("","Willis Reed ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pain/pain_WillisReed.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "342", "278", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_PlaytingThroughPain[i-1].body = "
After severely pulling his thigh muscle during the 1970 NBA Finals, the Knicks were forced to play Game 6 against the Lakers without Willis Reed. Wilt Chamberlain exploited his absence by blowing up for 45 points and 27 rebounds.
It looked like all hope was lost, but Reed shocked the world but walking out of the tunnel for Game 7. Inspired by Reed's effort, the Knicks went on to defeat the Lakers 113-99 to capture their first NBA Championship. Reed only scored four points on five shots, but there's no way to measure how much inspiration he gave his teammates.";
// END editorial data