As I sat in the stands at Memorial Stadium with the final seconds ticking off the clock of Ball State University's first victory against a BCS opponent in program history, I couldn't help but remain seated, worrying about No. 86 sitting in a hospital bed somewhere.
Beating Indiana University, especially with a score of 42-20, is a huge win for the Ball State program and puts the team one step closer to the undefeated season it seeks, but the serious injury to Dante Love squashes practically all of the excitement for fans and team alike.
When a player, whether a star such as Love or a bench player, feels numbness and remains down for close to 20 minutes after a hit, he becomes the important factor - more important than the outcome of the game.
Coach Brady Hoke made a brief statement about the game and then left to go check on Love rather than taking 10 minutes of questions like during his normal postgame press conferences. There is nothing wrong with that. At times, the press, whether it's television, print or radio, becomes unimportant and takes a back seat. Some media members might not like to admit it, but the press isn't the most important thing during any sporting or news event. The press doesn't always have to get the story.
From the moment Love suffered the possibly illegal hit (helmet-to-helmet, plus one guy hitting low and another hitting high) it was obvious he was hurt. Before Nick Polk got to the end zone for the fumble return, Indiana coaches were signaling for the training staff.
An injury such as Love's puts a lot of things into perspective. Buffalo Bills fans know all too well how quickly a player's career can be over.
A rookie reserve tight end last year, Kevin Everett absorbed a hit that abruptly ended his young career during his first regular season game. A year later he's just happy to be walking after doctors said he might never again.
While there is little known at this point, Love's injury doesn't seem as serious.
After the game it was announced he felt numbness and tingling after the hit. As weird as it is to say, that is actually a good thing. He could feel. That meant he wasn't paralyzed - or at least not fully. Every year dozens of players at all levels of football leave the field feeling nothing, so the fact Love was able to feel numbness and tingling is a good sign.
Right now Cardinal fans shouldn't be hoping he will be able to come back this season. They should be hoping and praying he can live a normal life.
Love came into the game leading the country in receiving yards and all-purpose yards. He had raised his stock from a possible draftee in next year's NFL Draft to a possible first day (rounds one and two) draftee.
All that is in jeopardy, which has to be scary for Love, his friends, his teammates and his family, but I doubt that is what any of them is concerned about. They aren't thinking he might have just lost a chance to make millions. All they are thinking about is whether he will be OK.
Hopefully he will make a full recovery and will be back juking his fellow students on McKinley Avenue soon enough.
Get well soon Love.
Write to Levin at ltblack@bsu.edu
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