A flippin' pain: Real Salt Lake's Espindola out a few weeks as flip ends in ankle injury

Kicker Bill Gramatica tore his ACL when landing funny after jumping up to celebrate a made field goal while Ohio State's Ted Ginn Jr. missed the rest of the national championship football game against Florida after he was injured celebrating with his teammates after taking the opening kickoff back for a touchdown.

Accidents happen.

RSL forward Kenny Deuchar should be used to seeing things wrong with the human body. After all, he is a licensed physician back in his home country of Scotland. But even he admits that some of the things that happen either on or away from the pitch make a person think.

"Back home, we had a guy that got kicked in the neck and actually had a cardiac arrest," Deuchar said. "Luckily, they got him to a hospital quick enough and he was fine after that. (Unfortunately), he wasn't able to play football after that. That was pretty bizarre. That was one that hit home the most. I was back home and he was just a young boy and starting out his career. But it was all right because they found he had that heart problem and now he is healthy."

Almost all players experience some type of injury during their career. One just never knows how or when it will happen.

"I tore my ACL in Giants' Stadium," said RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando. "It was on the new turf, and I was just throwing a ball out. I went to throw it and planted my leg and my knee gave. Nobody was around me or anything, so you just never know."

The physical nature of the game of soccer lends itself to some pretty gruesome injuries.

"I haven't seen that many odd injuries," said midfield Clint Mathis. "That one of Fabian's was pretty different just on a goal celebration. Most of what I have seen just came during the game. I remember in college seeing a guy get his leg broken pretty badly."

"I broke my leg twice in a year in the same place," said Deuchar. "I've got a nail in my leg now that I got when I was 19-, 20 year-old. That was hard at the time, but luckily I haven't had anything more serious since then."

Those accidents happened on the field, but there are always the head-scratchers that happen away from it. Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz was burned while ironing his shirt. The story got even more exposure because he was still wearing it at the time.

Even coaches trying motivational ploys can sometimes contribute to the injury bug. Jacksonville Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio put a wooden stump in the locker room and told his players to, 'keep chopping wood,' or to keep working hard. The players would use an axe and take a few chunks from the stump. Punter Chris Hanson missed and hit his non-kicking leg injuring himself badly enough he missed the remainder of the season.

Although Espindola's injury came in a way that made headlines around the league, his coaches and teammates stand behind him completely.

"It is too bad that it had to happen to him right now when he has just been picking up some steam," said Deuchar. "We hope he recovers fast so that we can have him back for our playoff push, or in the playoffs if we get there.

"I know I won't be doing any somersaults any time soon," he added. "I'm actually glad I can't do them and don't have to worry about getting hurt doing one."

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E-mail: mblack@desnews.com