As news spread that Ryan Mathews had suffered a broken clavicle on the first play of 2012's pre-season, fans began to panic. I was no exception. We Chargers fans have seen it all before. Panic has become a pungent substitute for what passes as rational thought in the non-sporting world.

John Gennaro did his best to bring reason to a fearful fan-base this morning (mourning?) but some were still intent on making jokes or basking in familiar "woe-is-me" self pity. But then I started to reflect on the physical plight of Ryan Mathews and I determined that, medically speaking, his broken clavicle is probably a good thing . . .

I thought back to watching one of those sports science shows on Discovery or Versus and it was the training of Muay Thai kick boxers that gave me resolve as a Chargers fan.

Muay Thai practitioners in Thailand use the trunk of a banana tree to strengthen their shins. As they continuously kick away at the tree's trunk they create micro-fractures in their shins which leads to calcification and ultimately what amounts to stronger, more lethal bones. The Muay Thai kick boxers become instruments of death! This is the track that Ryan Mathews is taking. With each passing injury the Fresno State star is becoming . . . indestructible!

Ryan Mathews is wise to the career arc of the average NFL Running Back and he will not let statistics or modern medicine defeat him.

DISCLAIMER:

I don't know anything about medicine anything. I am not a doctor nor would I know a good one if I saw him/her. I once let Chargers team Doctor, David Chao operate on my shoulder -- the capsule has since torn again. I also let David Chao, M.D. drain an ear that was on its way to a state of cauliflower. He did not give me proper instructions after the procedure and it has long since calcified. I am not a smart man. But my ear is indestructible. As too will be Ryan Mathews.