Reed clears this hurdle just fine

[Bullsfan]

http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/15230869.htm

John Smallwood | Reed clears this hurdle just fine

BETHLEHEM - I've never been bothered by athletes invoking spiritualism as a reason for their triumphs.

I understand why some people are offended or taken aback by it, but personally, if I were a fan and a player on my team said God helped him score a touchdown, I'd probably just say,

"Hallelujah" and "Amen."

But even if you don't believe in a higher being or feel it's just not worth his/her time to worry about the outcome of sporting events, sometimes something happens in someone's life that convinces that person that a higher authority is guiding things.

If you've paid any attention to the saga of Eagles kickoff returner and backup safety J.R. Reed, you can't fault him for believing that his astonishing and ongoing comeback is "literally a miracle from God."

A year ago at this time, Reed's career was in limbo due to a freak accident. As he was scaling a chain-link fence to elude a dog, a metal spike caught his left calf, and left him dangling and bleeding profusely. He sustained damage to the peroneal nerve in his left leg, which affected the use of his lower leg and foot.

Back then, the primary concern was whether Reed would be able to walk normally again. He still has a slight limp.

Yet yesterday, Reed was back at practice, 2 days after playing in his first NFL game since

Super Bowl XXXIX.

Rarely has a meaningless

preseason game meant so much.

The self-motivated workouts, the minicamps, even the practices during the first 2 weeks of training camp mattered - but they didn't really matter.

Sunday's Hall of Fame game against the Oakland Raiders was always going to be the true test.

Up until then, everything about Reed's comeback was

little more than speculation.

The only way to find out for sure if he would be capable of again playing in an NFL game would be his actually playing in one.

Now, that is done.

Yesterday, Reed went back to practice knowing he again is physically capable of playing in the NFL.

Now, he's just like every other player in Eagles camp - a guy trying to prove he is good enough to make the team.

And, yes, Reed feels that is a blessing from above.

"This has brought me that much closer to God," Reed said. "If it doesn't kill me, it's going to make me stronger. Nobody thought I could do this. It was just me, my fiancee, and God. This has been the hardest thing ever. It's gone from depression to getting back out here, trying to get it strong again. It's been fighting the odds.

"Everyone keeps asking me about my leg. What percentage is it at? I'm out there playing, so what percentage does it need to be? It's all mental for me now."

Of course, there is a long way to go. Reed still has to earn a spot on the roster. But that's no different than in 2004, when he was drafted in the fourth round out of South Florida.

To that extent, Reed was glad the Eagles coaches didn't treat him like a guy coming back from an injury Sunday night. He got plenty of action on special teams and in the defensive secondary.

For a player like Reed,

someone who has to prove and reprove himself each training camp, preseason games are about more than just knocking off the rust.

"I knew," Reed said of the amount of action he saw against Oakland. "They always put the younger guys in there to see what they can do. They're going to throw you in the fire to see how you react."

As a rookie in 2004, Reid returned 33 kickoffs for 761 yards (23.1 average), with a long of 66 yards. He averaged 20.5 yards on four kickoffs in Super Bowl XXXIX.

On Sunday, Reed returned a kickoff 19 yards, played on the coverage unit, went back for some punt returns and played in the secondary.

Said special-teams coordinator John Harbaugh, asked his

impressions of Reed against the Raiders: "I'd say favorable. He played really fast, aggressive.

"As a return guy, he has the one return where he really hit it up in there well. There wasn't much room, but he got some good yards. He didn't get a

returnable punt, but he made good decisions."

Harbaugh said that so far Reed looks as good as he did when he showed so much

promise as a rookie.

"Maybe something will show up as we go along, but based on that game he looks like the same player. I think any rational person would have kind of counted [Reed] out, based on that injury.

"It's a great story. I hope it's yet to be played out."

For J.R. Reed, it's a story of faith - whether you approve of him saying that or not.

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[pdiddybull32]

I couldn't believe he was able to move around and run like that on kickoffs other night on Sunday night football! Last fall he was down here visiting and I saw and talked with him a couple of times and he wasn't moving around well at all. He has always been very optimistic though and worked as hard as he leg allowed him too. So congrats JR and I hope the recovery and great success story continues! Go BULLS!

[bulls96go]

much success JR

[applepj]

Myat God continue to bless JR as he continues to put forth his best effort.