All Samb wants for Christmas is his two front teeth

by Matt Watson on Dec 17, 2007 12:09 PM EST

This was posted in the comments a couple of days ago (thanks, LanierFan), but I wanted to get it up here for everyone who missed it: although Cheikh Samb looked good in his first two games with the Mad Ants, he won't be playing again any time soon. From the Ft. Wayne News-Sentinel:

Seconds after Mad Ants center Cheikh Samb took an elbow to the mouth Friday night, he walked calmly to the bench.

Then he spit his two front teeth into his hand.

This was not the sort of toughening the Detroit Pistons had in mind when they sent Samb to Fort Wayne to work on his pro basketball skills.

"(It happened) on a play when he got a foul called on him," Ants coach Kent Davison said. "Go figure."

Samb’s teeth, which came out at the roots, were immediately placed in a saline-based "tooth saver," Ants athletic trainer Pam Kutella said. He was taken to a local dentist to have the teeth reset in his mouth. He also suffered a probable upper jawbone fracture, Kutella said.

"At minimum, he’ll be out two weeks to replace the teeth," she said, emphasizing that she didn’t have an official diagnosis Friday night. "At maximum, if he needs surgery, he’ll probably be out two months."

Just reading that makes me cringe (and not just because of my hokey title). I've yet to hear any updates on Samb's status, but here's for hoping surgery wasn't needed.

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Comments

The bad news is, losing two teeth = about 10% of Samb’s body weight.

by Rob G on Dec 17, 2007 12:24 PM EST reply actions

Ha ha ha Rob, great comment. Thanks for making me laugh at an otherwise boring day of work. I think he should keep them out, it would make him look though.

by Ronnie DeLaura on Dec 17, 2007 2:34 PM EST reply actions

Nah, he’d whistle like the world’s longest piccolo.

by LanierFan on Dec 17, 2007 4:03 PM EST reply actions

Too Bad Arnie Kander isn’t there to magic them back into his jaw. Arnie Kander is a wizard.

by Mike Payne on Dec 17, 2007 4:12 PM EST reply actions

http://myespn.go.com/nba/truehoop

Isaiah proving he’s always had a problem knowing what was appropriate to say. It reminded me that it’s no wonder people keep cutting Isaiah so much slack, Bobby Knight was his college coach. He’s probably so obviously psychologically scareed that people have no choice but to continually give him second chances, like Micheal Jackson.

by Kyle on Dec 17, 2007 4:32 PM EST reply actions

I don’t know if you saw this, but:

http://awfulannouncing.blogspot.com/2007/12/gus-johnson-interview.html

Gus Johnson “grew up admiring George Blaha.”

Granted he also said that he would want to announce a b-ball game with Hubie Brown. I chose to look at the good.

by Ben on Dec 17, 2007 7:14 PM EST reply actions

Hubie has fans here, my man … if only because he lends himself to a mean “Skeletor” parody.

by LanierFan on Dec 17, 2007 7:47 PM EST reply actions

i’ll take him over walton any day. and i’d rather strangle myself with constantine wire than hear jeff van gundy ever again (for the record).

by Kyl on Dec 17, 2007 9:47 PM EST reply actions

If I’m Hubie Brown, you gotta be thinking, “How can I change point of view more than four times in one of your sentences? How do you see things from more than just my perspective?”

by Rob G on Dec 17, 2007 9:54 PM EST reply actions

I agree Kyl. I want to fight that little VanGremlin with knives. I just trademarked “VanGremlin”, btw.

As for Bill Walton, did anyone see his cameo in “300”? I’m surprised at what a great physical actor he is.

by Mike Payne on Dec 18, 2007 1:46 AM EST reply actions

if samb were to get a shiny new nelly grill, would david stern stop him?

by lindsey on Dec 18, 2007 2:46 AM EST reply actions

I gotta say, you guys are the funniest group of fans, which helps make DBB one of my favourite pit stops. The comments always crack me up.

About Samb: I remember a few years ago when Dirk lost a tooth on national TV. He got hit on the baseline, and came up with his hand to his mouth. Then he grabbed his front tooth and popped it out. Where toothless happens.

by Garrett on Dec 18, 2007 8:01 AM EST reply actions

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/rookies/rankings?season=2008&playerRankingType=1&period=1&set=2

David Thorpe lists Arron Afflalo as the 22nd best rookie in the league right now.

by Kyle on Dec 18, 2007 12:02 PM EST reply actions

I like Hubie Brown. You gotta be thinking the guy’s style is not particularly enjoyable, but also he is the type of broadcaster who brings tremendous substance to the game head nod to Rob G. I love his analysis, as I find it to be usually spot on. I find Hubie pointing out trends/patterns I totally miss, which is something I really enjoy hearing and rarely find from NBA commentators.

Dang Mike Payne, that Walton dig was kind of harsh. Next thing I know, you’ll be saying when he was a gangly teenager he was the male lead in this movie:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089560/

by LawyerBoy on Dec 18, 2007 12:33 PM EST reply actions

Mike Payne: Throw the axe, big fella! Throw the axe!

by Garrett on Dec 18, 2007 2:49 PM EST reply actions

Word is that Samb returned to Detroit early this week for some dentistry. Sounded like he’ll stay with the Pistons, since he can’t do any playing in Fort Wayne.

by LanierFan on Dec 19, 2007 9:40 AM EST reply actions