JOHN DOHERTY: Notre Dame rejects ACL U label

Adversity, you can let it define you, or you can overcome it and define yourself.

At the start of this basketball season, Notre Dame senior star forward Tim Abromaitis suffered a torn ACL and the season was over for him, season over for Notre Dame. In the Big East with Valpo High grad Scott Martin as the only senior left on the squad, the young Irish were doomed.

Worse, Martin was just at the start of year two of his own return from ACL reconstruction.

Mike Brey's team didn't have a prayer, and as the nonconference part of Notre Dame's schedule came to a conclusion in December, clearly the columnists were correct. Against a somewhat-less-than-iron slate, Martin and mates were a mediocre 8-5.

Just two days after Christmas, though, 22nd ranked Pittsburgh came to South Bend and the Irish were done giving gifts. A 72-59 victory over the Panthers was the just the first of five victories over ranked teams, the latest coming Saturday against Marquette. That's more wins over ranked teams than any other team in the country. Second-ranked Syracuse has only one loss -- to Notre Dame.

Martin hasn't lead the way but he's been solid, averaging 9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in Big East play.

It's not as if ACL tears, coping with them -- by victims and teammates alike, and recovering from the resultant surgery are to be unexpected. Nationwide, the incidence of the injury continues to rise. A study released last year by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia showed a 400% increase in the diagnosis over the previous decade.

At Notre Dame, the men's basketball team seems to be stealing a page from the Irish women. Muffet McGraw's roster is dotted with ACL victims, but her teams just keep on thriving, as of this writing, 23-1 and ranked second in the nation.

Give a large dose of credit for the men's team's success to Brey. Last year's AP National Coach of the Year is even more deserving of the award this season for not panicking while bringing his younger talent along. Give a big assist to Irish athletic trainer Skip Meyer and strength and conditioning coach Tony Rolinski. Their efforts helped put Martin back on the floor and have kept the remaining Irish healthy since the loss of Abromaitis.

Abromaitis may not be lost forever. Although he is a fifth-year senior, both he and Martin could apply for a sixth year of eligibility. If either or both were to do so and be successful, the Irish would go into next year a Big East favorite rather than the "Cinderella" they are now.

John Doherty is a certified athletic trainer and licensed physical therapist. This column reflects solely his opinion. Reach him at ptatcsport@sbcglobal.net.