Brooks trying to stay patient with recovery
 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/news/2003/0410/1537200.html


Thursday, April 10

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Associated Press


METAIRIE, La. -- Twelve weeks after undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder, New Orleans Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks says he needs to stay patient to stay on schedule.

Brooks is still two weeks away from throwing a football, but is on schedule to be at full speed by the start of training camp in late July.

Brooks spoke publicly Thursday for the first time since undergoing arthroscopic surgery Jan. 17 to reattach a tendon that connects a rotator cuff muscle to the humerus bone in his upper right arm. "I'm trying to stay on course and make sure that everything is going well,'' he said. "I am not trying to get back early and have a continuous problem and become injury prone. I want to make sure that I take care of my shoulder and my body.''

Brooks said he was unsuccessful in trying to get Saints head trainer Scottie Patton to let him take the shoulder out of its post-surgery sling earlier than scheduled.

Patton said Brooks is doing "extremely well'' in his rehabilitation from an injury Patton called unique for a quarterback.

Brooks begins rehabilitation exercises at 7 a.m. each Monday through Thursday. He said after two hours of treatment and his normal offseason film study, he finishes about 1 p.m.

Brooks is doing exercises with dumbbells, "rehabilitation balls'' and rubber bands to stabilize and strengthen the shoulder, which was injured against Tampa Bay in the 12th game of the season.

Brooks continued to play, but his production dropped off and the Saints lost three of their final four games, falling one win short of the playoffs.

"I can't second-guess myself,'' Brooks said. "I played as hard as I could. If I had it to do over again I'd do the same thing. I felt good going into the games. It's just that at certain times certain throws weren't there. I don't think I did anything to jeopardize the team.''

The Saints' first offseason minicamp is scheduled for May 2-4. How much work Brooks does during that camp will be determined by the progress he makes between now and then, Patton said.

"I'm in a transition phase,'' Brooks said. "I'm focusing on the techniques to strengthen the muscle. The plan is to get it stronger than it was before.''

Brooks, who was booed loudly for his performance during a loss to Carolina in the Superdome to end the season, said he has gotten mixed reaction when in public.

He said he walked into a New Orleans restaurant and was booed by a customer. He said another fan got his cell phone number and called him to say, "Jake's the man,'' referring to former Saints backup quarterback Jake Delhomme, who recently signed with Carolina as a free agent.

But Brooks has been visible at New Orleans Hornets games and said some fans have been encouraging and children have asked for his autograph.

Brooks trying to stay patient with recovery
 

All you jackasses who call him on his cell phone and boo him in public, are utter ****ing geniouses. Grow the **** up, if I was Brooks, I would be in jail for throwing a rock through your tiny, immature skulls.

Brooks trying to stay patient with recovery
 

JAKES THE MAN!!!! ;)

Ha, ha. Just looked to see if I could stir that boiling pot of gumbo that is B&B at the moment! ;)

Brooks trying to stay patient with recovery
 

mmmmmm, Gumbo!

And yes, I made this post before I had my morning coffee. :P

Brooks trying to stay patient with recovery
 

I wonder if these people that boo him are actually Saints fans. Not only is he the best quarterback that the Saints have ever had, he will be here for quite some time. At least until the organization considers him a distraction or feel that he\'s asking for too much money. :)
Fact is, he WILL be the starting quarterback this coming season so these goofy Saints fans should be a little more reasonable.

Brooks trying to stay patient with recovery
 

Archie Manning is the best quarterback that the Saints have ever had. Brooks has potential and has played well at times. Now he needs to put it all together.

Brooks trying to stay patient with recovery
 

True dat, WhoDAT. I got a little crazy. I just appreciate the talent that I\'ve seen Brooks display. He certainly has the physical capabilities to become great. Maybe the best. It doesn\'t hurt that he has weapons that Manning or even Stabler didn\'t have.
When I saw Blake go down against the Raiders I was so upset. The Saints were just getting things going. And then this Brooks guy comes in. \"Who\'s this guy?\" I thought. Then his first pass gets intercepted. I was scared then but I\'m happy with him now.
I\'m am just sooo thankfull that we don\'t have any Billy Joe\'s in at quarterback :o

Brooks trying to stay patient with recovery
 

JAKE JAKE JAKE

Brooks will be fine. He can lead us to 9-7 paradise.