By Charles Farmer
Contributing Columnist
Columbus Post

The whispers were circulating in the basketball world, that the Portland Trailblazers' Greg Oden could be damaged goods after the number one overall pick's first season was cancelled before it started - when he underwent surgery to repair cartilage damage to his knee.
Originally, Oden was scheduled for a light clean-up of his knee before the season. During the procedure further damage was found and additional measures had to be taken.
The procedure performed is known as micro-fracture surgery, which involves placing puncture wounds in the bone of the knee in order to stimulate cartilage growth.
I think this is a clear example of how young athletes participating year round in a specific sport, can take a tremendous toll on the body, very early in their careers.
This point is why I am not surprised how NBA pre-draft physicals showed results of the wear and tear Oden's body suffered over the years prior to college, particularly for a young man his size and at such an early age. The first true sign of how non-stop competition took a toll on Oden occurred when he arrived at The Ohio State University and was diagnosed with a wrist injury that delayed the start of his college career.
Some cynics will point to Oden's setback as just another page to add to the curse of Portland professional basketball, which includes top players like Bill Walton and Sam Bowie suffering injuries early in their careers.
Instead, the more important lesson for parents to learn, in particular, is to gauge how often they allow their student-athletes to participate in their respective sports throughout the year.
Of course, many so-called experts contend if prospective athletes want to be considered among the elite, then they must compete against the best, which could create greater opportunities down the line.
Part of that statement may be true, but ask yourself if is it really necessary for these athletes to play in every AAU tournament that is held? That is where I contend that some parts of AAU basketball have truly gotten out of hand because the focus has switched from trying to improve athletes by facing better competition, to a number of egomaniacs trying to prove their worth as coaches and build a reputation through the blood, sweat and tears of their players.
Sometimes, it is hard for these young athletes and their supporters to say no, particularly when certain power-hungry, financial-driven AAU coaches apply pressure by suggesting to players that they could miss an opportunity to be seen by college recruiters and NBA scouts if they do not compete all the time.
I say this thinking that not every athlete will be a beloved seven-foot top recruit like Greg Oden, who despite his injuries has now financially secured himself; no matter how many seasons he plays in the NBA.
It has always been my contention that if an athlete is talented enough to play on the highest level, then the appropriate parties will find them, I will use Scottie Pippen (Central Arkansas) and Dennis Rodman (Southeastern Oklahoma State) as examples of players who came from small schools and probably did not have the best exposure in high school but went on to excel professionally.
Keep this in mind: A little rest early on in an athlete's career can make a big difference in regards to having a healthier body down the line.
Just out of curiosity, I wonder how much basketball Oden played from the time he was in the sixth grade up to the present, now that would be an interesting stat to know.

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