Injury Eating At WSU’s Nansen Linebacker Plans Nov. 16 Return; In Time For Stanford, Maybe Dinner
His bark is muffled, his bite gone altogether.
These days, Johnny Nansen swallows his pride through a straw.
The Washington State University senior linebacker has been a spectator during the Cougars’ last two games, his jaw broken and wired shut after a freak injury suffered during practice Oct. 15.
The wires come off Monday, and Nansen expects to return for the Cougars’ Nov. 16 game at Stanford.
Once the vocal leader on defense, Nansen can still speak, although there isn’t much to say.
Teammate Miguel Meriwether, a mere sophomore, reinforced Nansen’s new-found humility during the Oct. 19 game against Cal, a game Meriwether missed with a bad back.
“We went up to one of the stands and he was just ordering stuff,” Nansen said, speaking clearly through closed teeth. “And he said, ‘Yeah, can I have two hot dogs?’
“And I’m looking at him, I’m like, ‘Two hot dogs?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, one for me and one for you.’
“And he looked at me and started laughing. I was like, ‘Ah man, that’s messed up.”’
Nansen’s frustration was compounded last weekend, when family visited for Dad’s Day. He found himself surrounded by food, a prisoner of carrot sticks and potato chips.
“They were eating and I was sitting here like, ‘Man, I wish I could get my hands on some of that,”’ Nansen said. “That’s the worst feeling, when people are sitting there getting their grub.”
Each day, he pushes aside images of BBQ chicken, his all-time favorite, to suck down six cans of Ensure, six cans of Get-A-Load and whatever else he has the will to force through a straw.
“They said I should mix eggs, yogurt, peanut butter and jelly,” Nansen said with disdain. “Then they said to throw some bread crumbs in there.”
With a meal plan like that, it’s no wonder the 5-foot-11 Nansen has lost more that 15 pounds - down from 235 to 218 in barely more than two weeks. He’s still a regular in the weight room, but there’s no substitute for double-cheeseburgers and milkshakes.
WSU’s football buffet, ridiculed by players for its uniformity, has never looked so delectable. How about another bowl of bran flakes, Johnny?
“Trust me - I’m going to get my grub as soon as possible,” Nansen vowed. “I’m hungry, man.”
Word of Nansen’s condition reached San Diego, whereupon former WSU defensive tackle Don Sasa dropped his pizza long enough to dial his old friend’s number.
Sasa, now with the NFL’s Chargers, called Nansen last week. In addition to offering his ex-teammate a few words of culinary encouragement, Sasa said he plans to visit Nansen and the Cougars during Apple Cup weekend.
Most importantly, Sasa stressed, Nansen will be expected to have the BBQ fired up and the chicken waiting.
“I got the Sasa Special Sauce ready,” Nansen assured.
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MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: COMING UP Saturday: Washington State travels to UCLA. Kickoff is at 12:30. ABC will televise the game live.