The Break And Sports Thread #2 For 9/28/09: USC's Stafon Johnson Rushed To Hospital

Awful news just to here on Stafon Johnson, and how dangerous the weight room can be in just a blink of an existence.

USC running back Stafon Johnson has been injured in a weight room accident at the school.
The senior from Dorsey High was lifting weights this morning when he apparently lost control of the bar and it landed on his neck. He was reportedly spitting up blood and was taken by ambulance to the hospital, where he is undergoing surgery, according to the USC website.

Chris Carlisle, USC's strength and conditioning coach, said such an accident was rare. "I've seen players have the bar slip and fall onto their chest, but never in my 25 years of coaching have I heard of someone dropping a bar on their throat," the coach said.

Carlisle, who was within feet of Johnson when the accident occurred, said an assistant strength and conditioning coach was acting as a "spotter" for the player.

Coach Pete Carroll called the incident "an unfortunate accident," adding that "our thoughts and prayers are with Stafon."