SMU LB on the mend after surgery
Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2013 3:45 pm
While many of the Mustangs chugged up and down the hill at the south end of Ford Stadium Friday afternoon, linebacker Kevin Pope stood in the shade of the tunnel at the north end of the field.
It would have been understandable if Pope had expressed some measure of gratitude to be escaping the hard work his teammates were putting in under the blazing afternoon sun. Instead, Pope looked left out. To be accurate, he felt lucky to be standing.
Any concerns that Pope was trying to get out of the work needed to prepare for his senior season are unfounded.
A week earlier, while at home in Mount Enterprise, Texas, Pope went for his regular run to improve his conditioning level in anticipation of the Mustangs' preseason workouts that begin next month.
"I went out for a run in the evening, like I always do," Pope said. "Next thing I know, there are seven or eight pit bulls chasing me."
Pope accelerated into a sprint and did not look back.
"I tried to make it back to the house, but they were gaining on me," Pope said, "so I jumped into a tree."
Pope climbed on to a branch several feet off the ground, with the dogs waiting down below.
"They tried to climb the tree, but they couldn't," Pope said. "I wasn't getting down - I would have stayed in that tree overnight if I had to."
Only after the dogs had left and were out of sight - he estimated he was in the tree for 15-20 minutes - Pope climbed down and went home, at which point he realized he had blood running down his leg. The dogs had failed to catch him, but in his hustle to escape the dogs, a branch of the tree punctured the back of his thigh, digging about three inches in.
"I had surgery, but I was lucky," Pope said. "The doctors said the branch didn't tear the muscle - it went between muscles, so it could have been worse. It took six stitches to close it up."
Pope filed a report with the police. Because the dogs did not actually bite Pope, the police told the dogs' owner to make sure to keep them locked up.
Pope said he is now free of any pain and is not limited in his movement. He expects to resume working out with his teammates Monday, and expects to take part in all running, conditioning and seven-on-seven drills.
It would have been understandable if Pope had expressed some measure of gratitude to be escaping the hard work his teammates were putting in under the blazing afternoon sun. Instead, Pope looked left out. To be accurate, he felt lucky to be standing.
Any concerns that Pope was trying to get out of the work needed to prepare for his senior season are unfounded.
A week earlier, while at home in Mount Enterprise, Texas, Pope went for his regular run to improve his conditioning level in anticipation of the Mustangs' preseason workouts that begin next month.
"I went out for a run in the evening, like I always do," Pope said. "Next thing I know, there are seven or eight pit bulls chasing me."
Pope accelerated into a sprint and did not look back.
"I tried to make it back to the house, but they were gaining on me," Pope said, "so I jumped into a tree."
Pope climbed on to a branch several feet off the ground, with the dogs waiting down below.
"They tried to climb the tree, but they couldn't," Pope said. "I wasn't getting down - I would have stayed in that tree overnight if I had to."
Only after the dogs had left and were out of sight - he estimated he was in the tree for 15-20 minutes - Pope climbed down and went home, at which point he realized he had blood running down his leg. The dogs had failed to catch him, but in his hustle to escape the dogs, a branch of the tree punctured the back of his thigh, digging about three inches in.
"I had surgery, but I was lucky," Pope said. "The doctors said the branch didn't tear the muscle - it went between muscles, so it could have been worse. It took six stitches to close it up."
Pope filed a report with the police. Because the dogs did not actually bite Pope, the police told the dogs' owner to make sure to keep them locked up.
Pope said he is now free of any pain and is not limited in his movement. He expects to resume working out with his teammates Monday, and expects to take part in all running, conditioning and seven-on-seven drills.
