The Blazers' Team Physician, enjoying a productive day at the office.
The Blazers Team Physician, enjoying a productive day at the office.
  • The Blazers’ Team Physician, enjoying a productive day at the office.

Yesterday, there appeared to be some sort of thing growing out of LaMarcus Aldridge’s hip that necessitated some looking into. Whatever it was (whether it uttered the word Quaaaaiiiid I cannot confirm nor deny), it was bad enough to keep him out of last night’s game, and now, it appears it that thing was a labral tear (sounds gross), and it will need surgery to be fixed, thus ending his role in 2011-2012’s Clusterfucked Season of Confusion and Consternation.

Here’s where things get interesting though: The day before Aldridge decided to go under the knife (a decision he apparently had to make after consulting people outside of the Blazers Medical Staff) I was made aware via the Blogtown comments section (See? Comments sections aren’t all worthless) that Sports Kinesiologist Larry Wayne “Zig” Ziegler had posted what was a pretty damning account of the Blazers’ complete medical ineptitude regarding the diagnosis and treatment of Greg Oden, and later, Brandon Roy. If what Ziegler writes in that account is true, it certainly explains, at the very least, why Aldridge would have sought a 2nd opinion after meeting with team physicians.

And then, earlier today, stalwart, erstwhile, and other similar noble sounding adjectives Ben Golliver of Blazers Edge dug around and discovered the possibility that Ziegler’s expose might not have been posted with the most honest of intent; Ziegler is facing fraud and securities charges in multiple states, and the attention the blog is recieving might not be all that bad for the prospective reality show he’s hoping to get off the ground, a trailer of which resides on the same blog many basketball fans are hitting up today.

Before diving into this morass of backroom sports politics, know that Aldridge believes this injury (a labral tear) is minor enough that, should things go well, he still fully plans on playing for the U.S. Olympic team. So all-in-all, Aldridge missing the last few games of this particular season shouldn’t be that big a deal. But what might come from the strange case of Zig Ziegler? That could be a much more interesting mess, one Blazers management (such as it is) wasn’t planning on having to clean up.

Bobby Roberts is one of the Portland Mercury's calendar editors, as well as one of its film and pop-culture critics. His past career choices included joining corporate broadcast radio just in time for...

4 replies on “Paging Dr. Giggles to the Blazers Locker Room, Paging Dr. Giggles”

  2. I remember being REALLY weirded out as a kid, at having to reconcile that the same guy playing “Benny” on LA Law (I think that was his name?) was Dr. Giggles.

    I was also young enough, and dumb enough, to believe that the actor was ACTUALLY mentally handicapped.

  3. I worked across the street from the old Shriner’s Hospital, the “insane asylum” Dr G broke out of. The place was way creepier than in the movie. I got to take a “special after-hours tour” one night. Wish it was still there. One of Portland’s finest creepshow spots. At least it lives on in video.

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