They’ll go to great pains to play
Posted by GameSetMatch on February 4th, 2010
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward sensed trouble as soon as the second quarter started in Super Bowl XLIII. Up to that point, he had relied on adrenaline and painkillers to aid his sprained right knee, but now, neither of those options was helping his cause. His joint throbbed. He grimaced after every play. Ward also knew the upcoming 30-minute halftime session would only make his knee stiffen more.
But Ward never thought about sitting out the remainder of the Steelers’ eventual 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals. He was going to do anything possible to help Pittsburgh win, and he expects Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney — who is saddled with a sprained right ankle this week — to take the same approach against the New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday.
“The toughest thing to deal with in these situations is that you mentally think you can do things that you physically can’t,” Ward said. “That’s why I could see Dwight doing well in the first quarter and then struggling after that. But trust me, he’s going to be out there.”
Click here to read the full article – By Jeffri Chadiha of ESPN.com
