keep up with him as he continually raises the bar.
My first extended interaction with Jim occurred after I herniated two discs in my back in 1995. The outstanding care I received from him and the specialists he put me in touch with allowed me to return to action in time for the playoffs. Jim McCrossin has always extended his time, talent, and rehabilitation facility to get me back on the ice through numerous injuries including knee surgeries in two successive off-seasons (2006 and 2007), a shattered big toe I suffered two days prior to training camp in 2006, and a partial thickness tear in my left shoulder that resulted from a blindside hit from behind I took in a game in Los Angeles in March of 2009.
(I shattered the toe when I fell down the stairs carrying Jaime’s television on her return home from a summer job, before she entered Rutgers Law School. I missed the second step, and as I flew down the stairs, I cradled the TV in outstretched arms in a pose reminiscent of a football wide receiver. I jammed my right foot down—as if looking for the sidelines—and the joint in my bigtoe exploded. I am happy to report the television escaped injury.)
On the third Friday of June 2009, I outlined my personal objectives for injury rehab and ongoing maintenance: stabilizing my core, increasing my lean-muscle mass and adding strength, increasing my cardio capacity, and getting my body fat level below 10 per cent. Short of bronzing me and putting me beside the statue of Rocky at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, I knew it was a tall order to fill, even for someone of Jim’s ability. But he simply said, “We can do that. Just follow the same program I have set out five days a week for my players. When do you want to start?” I loved his confidence. The following Monday, I went to work. I embarked on the routine Jim had designed for the players, along with some specific exercises he’d added for knee and shoulder maintenance. Four hours each day, five days a week, and boy, did it pay dividends.
On Saturday mornings, I would ride with my son-in-law Harry Dumas III and the Pro Pedals Bike Club based out of Hammonton, New Jersey. We rode 50 miles at an average speed of between 21 and 23 miles per hour just before breakfast. I took the Sundays off and dedicated them to Kathy and the family.
I’ve developed a love for road biking over the past few years. I ride in charity events such as a 95-mile ride for ALS and the 50-mile ride from Philadelphia to the Jersey Shore, which is a cancer fundraiser. Some days, when Jimmy Mac had an upper-body workout scheduled for me, I would ride my hybrid bike the 20 miles to the Flyers Skate Zone, complete my workout, and ride the 20 miles back.
I got hooked on road biking by accident. Just two days prior to a scheduled knee surgery in June 2006 (to be performed by outstanding orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Peter DeLuca of the Rothman Institute, who works for the Philadelphia Flyers, NBA 76ers and the NFL Eagles), Harry and his father, Harry II, convinced me to participate in the 50-mile ride for cancer. While I hadn’t trained for the event, I thought, how hard can it be? The guys took it easyon me and we only averaged 16 to 18 miles per hour. It was so much fun. I was immediately sold. Two days later, Dr. DeLuca scoped my knee, cleaned out some debris, and told me to take it easy for a while. Truth is, I couldn’t wait to get back on the bike with the Saturday-morning Pro Pedals group.
One Christmas, my family surprised me with a beautiful (and very expensive) Cervélo racing bike. I had been riding my hybrid, which has wider tires and is heavier than a racing bike, with the bike club.
Biking protocol, I learned early, is that you ride along in a line and the leader “pulls” the team along (breaking wind and setting the pace) for a period, then he bumps out to the left, falls to the back of the line, and it’s the next guy in line’s turn to lead. Everyone else drafts close behind the rear tire
My first extended interaction with Jim occurred after I herniated two discs in my back in 1995. The outstanding care I received from him and the specialists he put me in touch with allowed me to return to action in time for the playoffs. Jim McCrossin has always extended his time, talent, and rehabilitation facility to get me back on the ice through numerous injuries including knee surgeries in two successive off-seasons (2006 and 2007), a shattered big toe I suffered two days prior to training camp in 2006, and a partial thickness tear in my left shoulder that resulted from a blindside hit from behind I took in a game in Los Angeles in March of 2009.
(I shattered the toe when I fell down the stairs carrying Jaime’s television on her return home from a summer job, before she entered Rutgers Law School. I missed the second step, and as I flew down the stairs, I cradled the TV in outstretched arms in a pose reminiscent of a football wide receiver. I jammed my right foot down—as if looking for the sidelines—and the joint in my bigtoe exploded. I am happy to report the television escaped injury.)
On the third Friday of June 2009, I outlined my personal objectives for injury rehab and ongoing maintenance: stabilizing my core, increasing my lean-muscle mass and adding strength, increasing my cardio capacity, and getting my body fat level below 10 per cent. Short of bronzing me and putting me beside the statue of Rocky at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, I knew it was a tall order to fill, even for someone of Jim’s ability. But he simply said, “We can do that. Just follow the same program I have set out five days a week for my players. When do you want to start?” I loved his confidence. The following Monday, I went to work. I embarked on the routine Jim had designed for the players, along with some specific exercises he’d added for knee and shoulder maintenance. Four hours each day, five days a week, and boy, did it pay dividends.
On Saturday mornings, I would ride with my son-in-law Harry Dumas III and the Pro Pedals Bike Club based out of Hammonton, New Jersey. We rode 50 miles at an average speed of between 21 and 23 miles per hour just before breakfast. I took the Sundays off and dedicated them to Kathy and the family.
I’ve developed a love for road biking over the past few years. I ride in charity events such as a 95-mile ride for ALS and the 50-mile ride from Philadelphia to the Jersey Shore, which is a cancer fundraiser. Some days, when Jimmy Mac had an upper-body workout scheduled for me, I would ride my hybrid bike the 20 miles to the Flyers Skate Zone, complete my workout, and ride the 20 miles back.
I got hooked on road biking by accident. Just two days prior to a scheduled knee surgery in June 2006 (to be performed by outstanding orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Peter DeLuca of the Rothman Institute, who works for the Philadelphia Flyers, NBA 76ers and the NFL Eagles), Harry and his father, Harry II, convinced me to participate in the 50-mile ride for cancer. While I hadn’t trained for the event, I thought, how hard can it be? The guys took it easyon me and we only averaged 16 to 18 miles per hour. It was so much fun. I was immediately sold. Two days later, Dr. DeLuca scoped my knee, cleaned out some debris, and told me to take it easy for a while. Truth is, I couldn’t wait to get back on the bike with the Saturday-morning Pro Pedals group.
One Christmas, my family surprised me with a beautiful (and very expensive) Cervélo racing bike. I had been riding my hybrid, which has wider tires and is heavier than a racing bike, with the bike club.
Biking protocol, I learned early, is that you ride along in a line and the leader “pulls” the team along (breaking wind and setting the pace) for a period, then he bumps out to the left, falls to the back of the line, and it’s the next guy in line’s turn to lead. Everyone else drafts close behind the rear tire
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