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Twellman out indefinitely with concussion-related symptoms

Taylor_twellman_isiphotoscom

Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse for the New England Revolution heading into its MLS playoff series vs. the Chicago Fire, the Revs have been hit with more bad news. The Boston Globe is reporting that star striker Taylor Twellman is out indefinitely with ‘concussion-related problems’. Sources with knowledge of the injury have confirmed to SBI that Twellman is expected to miss both games of the Chicago series.

The club has confirmed Twellman’s status on Tuesday afternoon:

“Taylor has been experiencing some on-going issues related to the concussion he suffered against LA,” Revolution Vice President of Player Personnel Michael Burns said. “Concussions, especially repeated concussions, are very dangerous and the most important thing for Taylor and his future – both off the field and on – is to get the rest he needs so he can return to normal as quickly as possible.”

The injury, which occurred when Steve Cronin struck Taylor Twellman in the face during an Aug. 30 game,  means the Revs will be without Twellman and Steve Ralston, who is sidelined by a broken leg, for its Eastern Conference playoff series against the Chicago Fire. They are also set to be without defender Gabriel Badilla and midfielder Khano Smith, who both received red cards in the regular season finale against Kansas City.

New England was considered an underdog before the Twellman injury. Without their most reliable and dangerous goal scorer, the Revs are in serious trouble.

What do you think of the news? Is New England toast? Think Steve Nicol can rally the troops?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. this is too bad really. i wish both teams were at full strength, but injuries happen. concussions are very serious. ive been knocked out before and hospitalize for a concussion years ago. was out of soccer for almost a month.

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  2. I wouldn’t wish this on any team, even Chicago, and I certainly wouldn’t want any player hurt or taken out…I was at the Revs/KC game, and at first, I thought it was just Khano being, well, Khano, since my line of sight didn’t allow a good view of the foul. But the replay showed different. I’m upset and embarrassed. It was classless and stupid.However, that’s not the whole team and I hope we can overcome this. GO REVS!

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  3. To:anotherbodymurdered

    One of the red cards had nothing whatsoever to do with Gomez or retaliation. Badilla got sent off (somewhat questionably) for a DOGSO.

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  4. well done, Brett. WELL DONE!

    I almost always hate playing a game when the opponent is at such a “disadvantage”, BUT NOT IN THIS CASE! the cynic and eternal pessimist in me knows that this is the exact situation in which the revs will somehow pull off a couple wins and i will have to go back into my (now) yearly hibernation depression because of the god-damn revs. GO FIRE

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  5. I have to agree that after that last game the Revs sure do look like the LEAST classy team in the league. And how does Sharlie not get fined for admitting the team was going after Gomez?

    Sucks for Twellman. Sucks that the Revs denied him a transfer cause this could be a career killer. He suffered the knock in August and he’s still feeling effects. That’s not good.

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  6. I wouldn’t wish this kind of injury on anyone but I’m finding it hard to have a lot of sympathy for the Revvies, given Shirley Joseph’s comments about being out for revenge on Gomez vs. KC … revenge that led to two red cards. Someone above called the Revs a “Much classier team” than the Fire. I’d like to see an example of *any* Fire player stating that they are out to physically injure another team’s player. Much classier my ass.

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  7. Glad to see lots of red cards being handed out the last few weeks. Too bad it is a new development. Might have saved some careers long the line if MLS had allowed its refs to properly enforce the laws the last years …

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  8. No Twellman, no Ralston, no Smith, no Badilla, no Cristman, no Warren… I’ll stop short of saying the Revs have no chance on Thursday, but it’s going to be awfully, awfully tough.

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  9. The Revs won SuperLiga w/out Twellman (but Ralston was playing). If the games are low scoring (and they might be if the Revs get all but two players behind the ball and Reis plays well), the Revs can pull it out. The Revs will have a lot of players with speed on the field who also score a lot of poachers’ goals (Mansally, Nyassi, Thompson, and Dube) as well as players who might convert from set pieces (Joseph, Albright, Heaps and Larentowicz).

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  10. MLS should do the right thing and avoid letting the Revs injure Fire players.

    They should just let the Fire advance without playing the games. The Revs obviously have no chance and will just be out for blood…..

    Then again the US hockey did beat the Soviets in 80 and the US did beat Portugal….

    But this would be an upset of even larger proportions.

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  11. Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap. I think that’s the last nail in the coffin for our season.

    Hey, Ives, can you go back and edit your ESPN Eastern Conference preview column? Just cross out the entire section on Fire-Revs and replace it with “The Revs are screwed.”

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  12. AL17-

    I agree. Whatever you think of tight shirt, concussions are crappy. This whole “thank god someone has brain injury” stuff is kind of disgusting. Usually, I am not a fan of Chicago guys, but you are okay in my book.

    -Mike

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  13. New England has more than just Twellman and Ralston, but this is a serious blow. I still have faith in our boys to stand up to the challenge and Khano and Badilla weren’t sure thing starters anyway. Hopefully Joseph can inspire the offense though passes and Parkhurst/Reis can do the same with the defense. If not, this just may not be our year; damn and it looked so promising back in July

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  14. I still would never count the revs out. They are awful but never out. The playoffs is a different beast all together. I hope that DH takes them serious.

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  15. I still won’t say it will be a cakewalk. And I honestly would rather face an opponent fresh and ready to fight rather than crippled….it almost takes the thrill out of the victory. And especially after our (the Fire’s) playoff result against the revvy scummers…it won’t be anywhere near as vindicating as it would be if both Ralston and Tightshirt were on the pitch. I’m not sorry to see Smith out though, he’s a hack.

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  16. Al17 – injuries happen all the time,so no need to throw out the “i want to beat them, but not this way”…

    i will agree that fans shouldnt get ahead of themselves and simply look at the game at hand..

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  17. The Fire were most likely going to advance past New England to begin with, so it’s not much of a big deal.

    On a more concerning problem is Twellman. Will he be able to recover? And if so, will he ever be the same? Alecko Eskandarian never fully recovered from his concussion caused by Matt Reis and there’s a lengthening list of MLS players who are retiring early due to concussion related illnesses.

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  18. Shmenge – all of which has been handled by the back line…. 3-0-0 outscored 9-1 this season…

    NE’s speed is not what’s going to keep me in knots… its our history of losses against them in the playoffs, regardless of how the season goes :-/

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  19. I always want the best players on the field, but I really really want to see Chi-Columbus for the Eastern crown!

    When did the concussion(s) occur? Link doesn’t say either.

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  20. I’m a Fire fan and there’s nothing good about anyone being unable to play because such a serious issue. Let’s keep this in perspective for a change. I want to see us beat the Revs but not this way. Besides, we still need to actually play the match and win, so til this happens, I’m not jumping ahead to the conference finals. Without him they’re still a tough team.

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  21. Twellman has played like crap lately (perhaps because of this lingering concussion).

    There’s now no one who can hold the ball up, so I’d play bunker-ball and let Mansally, Dube and Nyassi loose on the counter (and Smith when he returns). That would be some scary speed coming at the Fire backline.

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  22. LOL, i honestly think that some divine being truly has it for us… clearly we have appeased someone….

    ralston, twellman, and Smith out?? couldnt ask for better odds….

    NOW, only hoping Rolfe n’ Co. show up and thrash NE this thursday… id much rather come back to TP with a 3-0 lead 😀

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  23. This is good news for the Fire, but this is the post season and anything can happen. The Revs have had our number in the playoffs for three years and they are the one team I would rather not face, regardless of the fact that they will be without T shirt, Grand pa and that hack Khan’t play.

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  24. crapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrap

    I really, really wanted NE Revs in East Conf finals for Columbus. Much classier team and if The Crew can’t make to the title game, I’d rather the Rvs get 1 more shot than Chicago.

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