Jeff O'Brien - Ironman or Nuts?

Nothing keeps him down if he's jammin', by Randy Silvey

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So there I was Sunday night at the 98 FPA Worlds awards banquet and things are winding down and I am chatting with Jeff O'Brien.

Randy: Jeff I don't remember you playing this weekend.   I thought you were teaming up with Toddy Brodeur?

Jeff: Oh I did, but I twisted my ankle in the Prelims?!

Randy: What? Are you OK?

Jeff: Yeah, I didn't think it was that bad at first but it really started swelling later on and I realized I wouldn't be able to play.

During the hustle and bustle of setting up tents, banners, tables, etc., and then tearing it all down I had no idea this had happened. I couldn't believe Jeff had traveled all the way to Seattle just to have the "Jammer Nightmare" occur (an injury)!!!!!!

The true impact of this did not hit me until I sat down and watched the video of Jeff and Toddy's prelim routine (Thanks Mr. Scannell). So I sit down at the VCR and put in the tape and hit play. They start off with Jeff doing a wicked self set one handed turnover to Toddy (very cool). Nice opening sequence, Jeff's Oliver to Toddy's combo into a Co-op section with a long gitis shoot to Toddy's catch. Then it happens. Jeff attempts some weird double legover into a hitch kick when his ankle lands weird and turns...Ahhhhhhhhhh!

I stopped the tape and hit rewind and watched it in Slow Mo to see how bad it was. Yikes! It was like when they kept showing Joe Thiesman when he broke his leg over and over and over. I couldn't watch, the cringe factor was to much. So I hit play again. Jeff obviously in pain and rolling on the ground somehow gets up and hobbles over to the disc with Toddy yelling "roller roller" and manages to throw Toddy a roller. Toddy (mercifully) rips off a LONG juicy combo and then throws to Jeff. Uh Oh! Jeff regains his composure and attempts a safe combo. He throws it back to Toddy who immediately rims it back to Jeff!!!! At this point Jeff has just turned off the pain brain and does a spinning backwards left footed (the injured one) kickbrush to Toddy's scarecrow. Awesome. Back to Jeff who does a spinning heel brush to himself to an attempted catch. Toddy cashes in a very sweet combo. Throw to Jeff for a nice Co -op that Toddy seals. The disc returns to Jeff who for some ungodly reason decides to go off on a brushing run. After a few skids he takes off spanking Mr. plastic and chases him down to do a flying gitis and land on the ankle he just twisted. Unbelievable!!!!!!!!

Kudos to you Mr. O'Brien!!!!!!

These guys pulled off a great routine under very challenging circumstances and it is too bad they didn't get the chance to go for the gold. They would have put in a good bid.

Jeff O'Brien has always been one of my favorite jammers to watch because of his original and creative moves. He brings the hein to the table without much fanfare and never leaves without me going - what was that?!?! I like that.

I hope Jeff (and Toddy) will return to Seattle for a injury free jam or two. Green Lake is always open for your kind.