Success Story

(yeah, I know, my posting has dropped off; wish I could have done a cheerier re-entry, but here goes)

A bit of a story here in New England as Patriots Offensive Coordinator and new Norte Dame Head Coach Charlie Weis is suing the doctors and hospital who performed his weight loss surgery from a couple years ago. In stark contrast to the constant bleeting of celebs like Al Roker and Carney Wilson, Weis's horror story has gotten very muted coverage. He was profiled on 60 Minutes a while back, but even then they hardly dwelled on the significant complications he had. Just pesky, insignificant things like a 2-week coma, severe and persistant leg problems that make it difficult for him to walk, and a condition that was so dire a priest had performed his last rights. You never hear about this side of weight loss surgery.

For a clue as to why you don't, check out the defiant response from the attorny for his surgeon. Inspite of the grave problems Weis continues to face, they regard the opperation as a success. Want to guess why?

"It appears that Mr. Weis has been successful in keeping his weight down after the surgery,''

Because who cares if you can barely walk, so long as you are slightly thinner.

Looking back, I was able to find some articles on the subject from sports reporters who DID report on his complications in a substantive manner. You can see more about the complications his surgeons so flippantly dismissed from this artcile by Chris Mortensen. It also is reveling in giving away some to revisionist history WLS patients engage in, apparently even when the surgery is a monumental failure (except for the slightly less fat part). In the Boston Herald article above, Weis is quoted explaining his motives...

"It has nothing to do with getting jobs. That's what everyone else says because they want to put words in your mouth," he said. "The bottom line is when you're unhealthy, you do something about it."

2 years ago only shortly after the surgery (and ensuing coma), Weis had this to say...

"I'm not going to deny what my motive was, even though there are obvious long-term health benefits," said Weis. "My thoughts were that if I wanted to be a head coach, I had to lose weight. If that was the obstacle that was going to keep me from being a head coach, then why not do something about it?"

Same reversed motives seen with Wilson and Roker. Guess someone reminded him that fat is supposed to be acknowledged as a cosmetic issue. Its much more marketable if you pretend there is a different justification.