Round one to raccoon? Shoulder surgery successful for Summitt

While Pat Summitt won the celebrated battle with a raccoon last March, the victory came at a cost.

The Tennessee women’s basketball coach suffered a separated right shoulder in giving the raccoon a forearm shiver and knocking it off the back deck railing of her home. She said the shoulder has come out seven times since then.

As a result, Summitt underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery Thursday morning. Jenny Moshak, the Lady Vols associate athletic director for sports medicine, said Dr. Edwin Spencer and UT team orthopedists Dr. Russ Betcher and Dr. Greg Mathien performed the surgical procedure at Ft, Sanders West Surgery Center to address “recurrent instability problems with her shoulder.”

Summitt took on the raccoon because it was about to attack Summitt’s yellow Labrador retriever, Sally.

“I’m going to hit him with my left shoulder if he comes back,’’ Summitt said jokingly on Wednesday.

Summitt said she will be wearing a sling for six weeks.

“She will begin rehabbing the shoulder in about a week,’’ Moshak said.

Official team practice begins on Oct. 17. The season opener is Nov. 15 against San Francisco.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!