Monday, December 27
'Bama's Samuels still feeling pain
Associated Press
MIAMI -- Alabama still isn't sure if Outland Trophy winner
Chris Samuels will be able to play against Michigan in the Orange
Bowl because of recurring soreness in the left tackle's knee.
Samuels has fluid on his right knee, and possibly arthritis. He
twisted his knee Oct. 16 against Mississippi but continued to play
through the season.
Samuels, who has started 41 straight games, did some light
running Sunday. It was his first activity since Dec. 4, when
Alabama (10-2) beat Florida in the Southeastern Conference
Championship game.
The senior lineman said he was encouraged after the run but
still didn't know if he could play Jan. 1 against Michigan (9-2).
"At this point, it's still paining me pretty much the same,"
said Samuels, who also worked on coming out of his stance. "I
don't know if I can play or not. Hopefully I can because I really
want to play in my last game."
Alabama coach Mike DuBose said he had hoped to see more
improvement in Samuels' knee.
"Some of the swelling is down, but not all of it," he said.
"But we're still not to the point where we can say he is going to
play or not going to play."
He is the primary blocker for tailback Shaun Alexander and the
protector of the blind side of Alabama's quarterbacks. He didn't
allow a single sack from the left side this season and had 89
knockdown blocks.
Samuels finally expressed concern before the SEC Championship,
saying the pain had been constant, but went out and played almost
the entire game on the artificial turf in the Georgia Dome.
"After the Ole Miss game, it's just pretty much been going down
from there," he said. "It's been swelling a lot more than
usual."
Samuels said he expected his knee to feel better each week, but
it has instead felt worse.
"I just couldn't take it any more," he said.
Samuels visited Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., but was
told a further examination would be needed after the Orange Bowl.
Alexander said when Samuels sat out the last three weeks of
practice, he realized how much pain the tackle was in.
"I know how Big Sam is; he's a warrior," Alexander said. "If
he's not practicing, he's hurt."
