Dolphins coach Tony Sparano revealed today that inside gremlin-backer Channing Crowder has been sent to a specialist for a second opinion on the unnamed leg injury that has sidelined him since August 17.
Here's guessing Crowder first shoots the wrong hallway on arrival, finally finds the doctor mid-exam, and jumps on a pile of hospital gowns three seconds too late.
“What we’ve done is we’ve just sent him for another opinion right now,” Sparano said. “He’s not out here today. I don’t really want to get into what, who, how or any of those things, but that’s what we’ve done right now. So we’ll see.”
Sparano refused to say whether Crowder's current trouble is related to the Lisfranc fracture for which he underwent reconstructive surgery on his foot in the offseason.
But word of a specialist's involvement certainly brings the old uneasy feeling where Crowder, who is crucial to the Dolphins mostly in terms of depth, is concerned.
The 26-year-old has yet to become a game-changer in the NFL, despite being given plenty of time as one of the only holdovers from the Ca-- [garbled choking sound] --on era. He is also coming off a career-worst year, and was already relegated to a two-down role, fighting to play alongside Karlos Dansby against the newly arrived Tim Dobbins, when he returned to camp this fall.
Which isn't to suggest the Dolphins don't need Crowder. On the contrary, it's all hands on deck as the injury bug has already claimed lives. But it does make one wonder -- if Crowder's issue turns out to be serious, will the Dolphins eventually just cut their losses and run?
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Admitedly, that's looking very far -- probably too far -- ahead. And hopefully, for Crowder's sake, we won't have to find out. But outside linebacker Charlie Anderson has started getting work inside, which doesn't bode well for a speedy return.
