I don’t think that you’ll find a tougher coach in the country than Jim Calhoun?
He’s a three-time cancer survivor. He had surgery to repair a painful condition in his back during last season. He’s dealing with the rigors of being one of the nation’s most high-profile coaches despite being four times as old as the kids he’s recruits. (Yes, that means he is 70.)
Perhaps most notable, however, is the fact that Calhoun, after breaking five ribs in a bike accident back in 2009, decided to finish the race that he was competing in. Seriously. Think about that.
Because over the weekend, Calhoun was in another biking accident. He hit a patch of sand and landed on his left side, Calhoun told the Hartford Courant, which resulted in a fractured hip. Calhoun had his surgery, he didn’t need to get his hip replaced, and he should recover fully.
Oh, and his second fall in three years won’t stop Calhoun from getting his Lance Armstrong on.
“I’ll bike again,” Calhoun told the Courant. “I’ve been getting emails and letters from people, ‘try a treadmill,’ and that sort of thing. But I’ll ride when I’m able to.”
Jim.
Bro.
Give it up. We get it. You’re 70 and can bike. You’re tough. But at this rate, you might be safer if you just went and got a motorcycle. At this point, we might need an intervention. But don’t count on his family taking the bike away:
Don’t we all.
Rob Dauster is the editor of the college basketball website Ballin’ is a Habit. You can find him on twitter @robdauster.