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Dream Season Worth the Pain for K-State's Grant Gregory
"Usually Manhattan, Kan., isn't the most obvious place where dreams come true. For Grant Gregory it proved the perfect location. Since 2004, Gregory had waited for an opportunity to be a starting college quarterback and contribute -- to really contribute -- in a game.
After spending 2004 at Indiana, Gregory transferred to South Florida in 2005. For the next three seasons he mostly watched from the sideline as starter Matt Grothe became the Big East's career total offense leader.
After the 2008 season, because of various injuries during his career, Gregory received a rare sixth season from the NCAA. Gregory already had decided if he got the extra season he would transfer from USF to another school so he could compete for the starting position. He chose Eastern Kentucky, but at the last minute Kansas State coach LHC Bill Snyder called. Snyder made no promises, but said Gregory would get a fair shot in Manhattan so Gregory opted for K-State and a chance to start in the mighty Big 12 Conference.
Gregory's dream had finally come true. Or so he thought. Only this dream came with a wicked twist.
Upon arriving to Manhattan, Gregory was zipping passes to his new teammates during an informal June workout. It was a few months before the season opener and he had never felt better. On his second day, a blitzing cornerback hit his right arm as he released the football. Excruciating pain shot through his shoulder. Something did not feel right.
On Dec. 5 in Birmingham, Ala., Grant Gregory's right shoulder -- the one with the torn rotator cuff and torn labrum -- was operated on by Dr. James Andrews.
The surgery should have been performed back in June when Gregory injured his throwing shoulder. But that would have meant Gregory's dream would have ended even before it began.
So Gregory opted to delay the surgery until after the season. And the man played on.
He played his final season of college ball with a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum in his right shoulder, a slightly torn meniscus in his right knee (suffered in the season opener) along with playing his final 7 1/2 games with a dislocated left shoulder.
"Literally every day during two-a-days and during the season, I wondered if that was going to be the last day that I was able to throw," Gregory told FanHouse over lunch recently in Tampa, Fla. "I wondered if it would give out. The [team] doctor said it was basically holding on by a couple of threats and at any point it could go."
Only Kansas State's coaches and trainers, a few of his teammates and Gregory's family knew about the right shoulder injury. Only his family realized the extreme pain Gregory went through on a daily basis.
There were days the pain was so intense Gregory couldn't brush his teeth right-handed. When he tried, the pain knocked him to his knees. Lifting his right arm for a drink of water also was torture. Reaching with his right arm to change the radio in his car sometimes felt like his shoulder was being ripped off the sockets.
"There were some absolutely miserable days," Gregory said.
Gregory never complained. He also never missed one practice, never missed one workout -- although the strength coaches basically had to revise his weight room workouts for that of a one-armed man -- and never, ever didn't make every single throw in practice.
"That was one of the most proud parts about last season," Gregory said. "I did not miss a single rep in practice or games due to injury.""
Having been a quarterback myself, the fact that Gregory was able to play through this kind of pain is incredible. This is determination and drive at its best. He deserved every single success that the wildcats experienced this year.
"I got hit and I could feel it pop completely out... This was my first start and my shoulder just popped out. I'm lying on the ground. I didn't want anyone to see that I was hurt. I got up and it popped back in."
http://www.projectdeliverance.com/january21st2010.htm 
