UConn's Calhoun taking indefinite medical leave

STORRS, Conn. — UConn's Jim Calhoun doesn't mince words when it comes to his health.

So, when the Hall of Fame coach of the defending national champions, who turns 70 in May, had just about had it with his back problems, he let people know.

"The bottom line is I'm going to need some work done," Calhoun told The Associated Press in a phone interview Friday. "In January the shooting pains were getting worse and after one plane ride I couldn't even get up. I tried to hide it. I'm taking medicine right now for the pain. They are waiting for things to quiet down, and I'll meet with the doctor next week."

As a result, Calhoun is taking an indefinite medical leave of absence, as he has been suffering for several months from spinal stenosis, a spinal condition that causes him severe pain and hampers mobility.

Calhoun said he told university President Susan Herbst about it but had hoped to gut out the final weeks of the season.

"But it's just so bad, even getting through practice," Calhoun said. "Now I'm going to see what the next step is. The bottom line is I'm hurting."

George Blaney, the team's associate head coach, will lead the team in Calhoun's absence.

He said Calhoun missed practice Thursday and could not get out of bed Friday morning. Blaney said Calhoun began feeling pain in his legs and buttocks during this week's road trip to Georgetown.

"When we got off the plane, he really had trouble getting in the car and going home," he said.

The Huskies (14-7, 4-5 Big East) have lost four games in a row and fell out of the Top 25 for the first time in 28 weeks. They host Seton Hall on Saturday before traveling to Louisville on Monday.

Calhoun has had a history of health problems. He is a three-time cancer survivor, overcoming prostate cancer in 2003 and skin cancer twice, most recently in 2008.

"I had back pain like never before last summer, thought it was back spasms," he said in the phone interview. "I saw a neurologist and he told me about scoliosis, stenosis and other things and that there could be things like a bone spur and that I could probably need something done at some point. I went for the physical therapy and it worked, but it started to lock up sometimes recently and it was worse."

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spine, normally associated with aging and sometimes with arthritis. If physical therapy and medicines aren't effective, surgery may be considered, although some people's symptoms may not improve after an operation.