Tommy Kurth

[MattCarter]

I am curious if anyone else noticed that Tommy wasn't dressed with the team.  He wasn't in warm ups or streets either (that I noticed).  I know Richie was sick, but anyone know what the deal with Kurth is?

[Crusader03]

Would anyone be surprised if he is transferring?  He can read the writing on the wall.  The question now becomes, how soon can he back his bags and get down to Evansville? 

[PatVU07]

From the Times....
"Drew said redshirt sophomore Tommy Kurth was not on the bench against Green Bay due to an undisclosed illness. Kurth was scheduled for some tests Thursday while home with his parents and is not expected to be in Detroit but will make the trip to Dayton for a game against Wright State on Sunday."

Read more: http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/crusaders-searching-for-consistency/article_8f2bdbab-cd4e-5bb0-a795-39bfc6a9c321.html#ixzz1ieLeTsqX

[valporun]

If it's an undisclosed illness that requires some kind of testing I'm thinking we may find out that Kurth has mono?

[covufan]

If it's an undisclosed illness that requires some kind of testing I'm thinking we may find out that Kurth has mono?

Mono they'd take care of at Valpo.  To me, going home for the tests suggests something other than mono.  Does say he is expected at the game on Sunday.

[Pgmado]

A member of the women's team may have mono at the moment and she has gone home for testing and hasn't been with the team for the last two games.

[covufan]

A member of the women's team may have mono at the moment and she has gone home for testing and hasn't been with the team for the last two games.

I stand corrected.  Maybe the best place to treat mono is at home, away from campus and the closesness of a team.  Once they are no longer carriers, maybe that is when they can join the team?

[swiftmutiny]

I'd imagine that him staying at home until they're sure he's no longer contagious is probably for the best. Can't risk any other team members getting sick. It's not too big a deal for him either, since he only lives about an hour away and it's currently break.

Edit: Actually, good, I'm glad he's at home. I just remembered that I live on the same floor as him. 

[johnestuff]

Someone mentioned that a member of the girls team has Mono, so Tommy must have it too. That is a bit of a jump. No one has said what his problem is. If he is to be back after missing only two weeks, it is seriously doubtful that he has/had Mono.

[justducky]

I know even less about medicine than I do about basketball but I have to wonder if Tommy's season long sub-par performance  and these tests might in some way be connected. If so it could explain a bunch.

What comes to mind is Bryce Drew. Somebody help me but I think it was his junior year at Valpo high when he was being treated for what? (abnormal or irregular heart rhythm?) He was able to compete pretty well but you could tell the difference. At best his level of play was maybe 75 or 80 %. Everything he did was just a little slower than normal.

So there might be some rational explanation for the Tommy Kurth mystery, or not. We await the results.

[Valpo89]

I know even less about medicine than I do about basketball but I have to wonder if Tommy's season long sub-par performance  and these tests might in some way be connected. If so it could explain a bunch.

What comes to mind is Bryce Drew. Somebody help me but I think it was his junior year at Valpo high when he was being treated for what? (abnormal or irregular heart rhythm?) He was able to compete pretty well but you could tell the difference. At best his level of play was maybe 75 or 80 %. Everything he did was just a little slower than normal.

So there might be some rational explanation for the Tommy Kurth mystery, or not. We await the results.

Bryce actually had three heart surgeries around the time of his junior year. I think the last one did the trick, and he was obviously fine for his senior year. I don't remember the name of his affliction, but you're right - it was something to do with an abnormal or irregular heart beat.

[valporun]

Bryce actually had three heart surgeries around the time of his junior year. I think the last one did the trick, and he was obviously fine for his senior year. I don't remember the name of his affliction, but you're right - it was something to do with an abnormal or irregular heart beat.

Was it a heart murmur? I didn't follow Valpo basketball that closely when Bryce was playing, but a heart murmur is a possibility.

[valpopal]

I followed Bryce throughout all his games in high school. He had an unusual condition that caused his heart to sometimes beat up to 250 times per minute when exerted, which would cause dizziness. I remember one game where he suddenly stopped at half-court during play and crouched for a couple of minutes while the other nine players continued the game. It was scary to watch. I was sitting near Homer and Janet, and you could see the concern on their faces. The doctors declared Bryce's status luckily wasn't life threatening (though it is similar to another condition that is life threatening), and in surgery they eventually burned away some tissue around the heart that they determined was apparently causing the problem of the rapid heartbeat.

[zvillehaze]

I followed Bryce throughout all his games in high school. He had an unusual condition that caused his heart to sometimes beat up to 250 times per minute when exerted, which would cause dizziness. I remember one game where he suddenly stopped at half-court during play and crouched for a couple of minutes while the other nine players continued the game. It was scary to watch. I was sitting near Homer and Janet, and you could see the concern on their faces. The doctors declared Bryce's status luckily wasn't life threatening (though it is similar to another condition that is life threatening), and in surgery they eventually burned away some tissue around the heart that they determined was apparently causing the problem of the rapid heartbeat.

I hadn't heard about this, but a little research indicates that he had tachycardia.  http://my.hsj.org/Schools/Newspaper/tabid/100/view/frontpage/schoolid/151/articleid/32028/newspaperid/127/What_the_NCAA_and_March_Madness_mean_to_me.aspx

I know a little about tachychardia, because I have it.  At elevated heart rates (170+), my heart rate will suddenly jump to 220-240 bpm.  The cause is a "short circuit" of the electrical impulses that tell the heart to beat, resulting in the rapid heatbeat.  Treatments are medication or cardiac ablation to essentially "burn away" the areas of the heart tissue where the short circuit is occurring.  In my case, I chose to deal with it because my doctor indicated that it wasn't life threatening and I am able to regulate the heartbeat by taking a few deep breaths and backing off on the effort a bit.

[valpofan56]

Can we please stop talking speculatively about medicine on this board?  For those of us who are medically inclined, it drives us nuts. 

[valporun]

Can we please stop talking speculatively about medicine on this board?  For those of us who are medically inclined, it drives us nuts. 

If you're "medically inclined", then give us some insight into what we're talking about.

[valpofan56]

Can we please stop talking speculatively about medicine on this board?  For those of us who are medically inclined, it drives us nuts. 

If you're "medically inclined", then give us some insight into what we're talking about.

There's no where near enough information to even begin to speculate which is why this discussion was silly to begin with.

[covufan]

Any further news on Kurth?  Is he dressing or on the bench in street clothes?

[humbleopinion]

He was on the bench last night.

[justducky]

Can we please stop talking speculatively about medicine on this board?  For those of us who are medically inclined, it drives us nuts. 

I used to have a girlfriend who was medically inclined, and so she eventually moved on and tried to marry a doctor. In her defense- I used to drive her nuts too.

As for Tommy's play it is very unusual for a college kid to progress backward on his skills level. So I either have to conclude that there might be something going on that we do not understand, (not being told?), or that I and a number of others have totally misjudged his level of talent and potential. I hope it is not the latter. That would mean both that my judgement  was incorrect and more importantly that Tommy Kurth will likely have no or little impact on the future of Valpo basketball..

[valpofan56]

As for Tommy's play it is very unusual for a college kid to progress backward on his skills level. So I either have to conclude that there might be something going on that we do not understand, (not being told?), or that I and a number of others have totally misjudged his level of talent and potential. I hope it is not the latter. That would mean both that my judgement  was incorrect and more importantly that Tommy Kurth will likely have no or little impact on the future of Valpo basketball..

I think there might be a word that means what you were saying there, but I'm not sure . . .

[valporun]

valpofan56, do you think he's plateaued on his skill ability, or do you think his potential showed, but since then he's regressed from what he could be to what he is now?

[valpofan56]

valpofan56, do you think he's plateaued on his skill ability, or do you think his potential showed, but since then he's regressed from what he could be to what he is now?

Yes

[lowposter]

In all fairness to Tommy, we do not know how much injuries have affected him.  Often an injury will have a major impact on the overall athletisim of a player.

Has Scott Martin of Notre Dame ever been the same since his knee? 

[covufan]

Looks like Kurth is only getting minutes with Shelton and Stegelmann, but not always.  What kind of practice time is he getting?  Is he fully recovered from mono?  or slightly injured?