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Toronto Maple Leafs forward Jay McClement left Saturday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks and will not return. Rio Mavuba Jersey . The 30-year-old went heavily into the boards in the second period and suffered what the club is calling an upper-body injury. McClement, a defensive and penalty-kill specialist, has scored three goals and added four assists in 58 games with the Maple Leafs this season. Mickael Landreau Jersey . -- Canadas Milos Raonic defeated Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France on Saturday to advance to the third round of the BNP Paribas Open. Michel Platini France . Darvish is scheduled to make his season debut Sunday at Tampa Bay after getting through an extended bullpen session without any issues. INDIANAPOLIS -- Peyton Manning made it out to practice Monday. Hes still nowhere close to throwing yet. The four-time MVP was in good spirits when he made his first public appearance on the field since having neck surgery Sept. 8. "Save a copy for me for my scrapbook," Manning joked as he walked past the television cameras filming his arrival. Those around Manning are not elaborating about his medical recovery. Fox Sports, citing an unnamed source, reported Sunday that Manning travelled to Europe for stem-cell treatment before his latest surgery. The procedure has not yet been approved for use in the United States. Colts vice chairman Bill Polian and Tom Condon, Mannings agent, both declined to comment about the report following Sundays 27-19 loss to Cleveland. On Monday, Mannings surgeons followed suit and Caldwell reiterated that the team would not provide any additional details about Mannings progress. "Just in terms of how weve handled things around here, we have not discussed anything of that nature in terms of medical situations or whatever it may be," Caldwell said. "I think, also, in (the Sept. 8) release, we stated that were not going to discuss anything further, and thats where Im going to end it." Dr. Gowriharan Thaiyananthan, co-medical director of the Chapman Neurosurgical and Spine Institute in Orange, Calif., said its possible stem-cell treatment could speed up Mannings recovery. But its still unlikely, Thaiyananthan said, that the Colts will get Manning back sooner than the current timetable. Manning is expected to miss at least two months after having an anterior fusion to treat a nerve injury that was causing weakness in his triceps. The procedure normally involves making an incision in the front of the neck, removing soft disk tissue between the vertebrae and fusing the bones together with a graft. The goal is to ease pain or address a disk problem. Some doctors have said the recovery can take four months or longer, which could keep Manning out all season. "He still has to recover from a cervical fusion, so I think that will be several months," Thaiyananthan said.. Moussa Sissoko Jersey. "I think the hope is that he can get back to playing sports." The stem-cell treatment does not use embryonic stem cells, which have caused so much consternation in the U.S., but rather cells from Mannings own body. Doctors harvest the cells, expand them and then put them into the body. Its a procedure Thaiyananthan believes athletes may use more frequently in the future so they can avoid surgery. Hes not alone. "The stem cells very quickly affect the inflammation and then theyre like a factory where they will regenerate right at the site," said Kevin Dunworth, founder and CEO of SpineSmith in Austin, Texas. Manning had a prior surgery May 23, but that did not fix the problem. The Colts are hoping this latest procedure will. "Hes convalescing from the surgery and that will take a little while yet, and then at some point, the doctors will bring him back and assess his situation," Polian said on his weekly Monday night radio show. "Were not sure when that will take place. Hes up and around, I can tell you that. But it is surgery, and there is a period of time where it takes its toll on you, and thats where hes at right now." Teammates were happy to have Manning back on the field -- even if it was only as a spectator. When five-time Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne walked past reporters and saw Manning, he blurted out: "(Hes) walking it off." The injury ended Mannings streak of 227 consecutive starts, including the playoffs, and without him, the Colts have not been the same. Theyre off to their first 0-2 start since 1998, Mannings rookie season, and have scored only two touchdowns in eight quarters. Panicked fans are calling for changes, even replacing Kerry Collins who has started the first two games. The Colts, however, are more worried about fixing the mistakes than making personnel changes. "For the foreseeable future, its not going to be the high-efficiency offence that weve been used to," Polian told listeners. "Kerry cant do that, nobody can. You could probably bring back Johnny U. (Unitas) and you wouldnt have that." ' ' ' |
