Ohio State men’s basketball coach Jim O’Brien’s back surgery went as to be expected, but what came next may affect the 2003-04 season as well as his ability to coach.
“I sense from talking to the doctors involved that this could be an ongoing situation for me throughout the season,” O’Brien said. “In its simplest terms, I had disc surgery and sometimes, from what I understand, by having the disc surgery that I had, there is potential for vocal-chord damage, which is what I have.”
O’Brien spoke softly in his post-game press conference after his team defeated the Coaches vs. Cancer All-Stars 95-87 in exhibition play at the Schottenstein Center Friday. He said it would likely be his last press conference of the year because he would like to keep the focus on his team, not his situation.
“It affects my ability to communicate. When it gets loud, they have a hard time hearing me,” O’Brien said. “I don’t think it affects too much what goes on in practice.”
“We meet in the mornings, we plan practice, and I watch every practice on tape. So I have a lot of input with regard as to what’s going on. I have not been there physically that much,” he said. “I do plan on being there a little bit more physically, but it’s just hard to communicate right now.”
O’Brien cited a back problem he dealt with two years ago as the reason he wanted to get this surgery before the season started. He said he did not want to go through a season like he did when he had lower back pain and it became a nagging three-month ordeal.
“My thought process was to deal with it now; have the surgery and then I’d be ready for practice,” O’Brien said. “I’m hoping that this thing is going to regenerate on its own – the nerve with the vocal chord. They tell me there is a chance that can happen, so that will be a good thing. But if it doesn’t, there are more surgical options.”
O’Brien’s Oct. 1 surgery left him with some soreness in his back but without the amount of pain he had been dealing with. Prior to the operation, O’Brien had been feeling pain in both his back and down his left arm.
He knew going in one risk of the procedure performed was a possibility of damaged vocal chords. That risk is now a reality that O’Brien, his coaching staff and the team are working through.
“Our staff has been phenomenal in dealing with this,” O’Brien said. “But our players have been remarkable … with their attention … even in the huddle today, being tuned in, just trying … hearing what I’m saying.
“I want to coach,” he said. “I want to coach these kids. I really like this team a lot and this is just something we have to deal with right now.”
