GRIMM REALITY

Defensive end Michael Berg recorded four tackles, including a sack, in Harvard’s 34-24 win over Cornell last Saturday.

Not a bad performance by any stretch of the imagination, but one that seems far more impressive upon learning that he played more than three quarters of the game despite a broken bone in his leg.

Berg suffered an incomplete fracture of the fibula in his left leg during the first quarter when he was accidentally leg whipped by one of his teammates, yet, despite the discomfort, he managed to finish out the contest.

“I knew something wasn’t right when I got hit,” Berg said. “But when I got up to walk, I felt fine walking. I just thought it was a bruise.”

But post-game x-rays revealed the break, sidelining Berg for tomorrow’s game against Northeastern. Despite the serious nature of the injury, the sophomore said that he is only out week-to-week, and will be re-examined on Monday in the hopes of returning to action against Princeton on Oct. 23.

Fortunately for Harvard, the man Berg replaced, junior Erik Grimm, has sufficiently recovered from a strain of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his right knee, and will dress for tomorrow’s game after two weeks on the sidelines.

ALL THUMBS

Despite torn ligaments in his right thumb, Corey Mazza has racked up three consecutive 100-yard games and hauled in four touchdown passes thus far thus season.

Now he’ll find out whether he can post similar numbers with two bad thumbs.

Though he went on to post gaudy numbers—194 yards and two touchdowns on nine receptions—Mazza actually tore the ligaments in his left thumb on a routine play during Saturday’s win over Cornell.

While making a block, Mazza’s hand got tangled up in an opponent’s jersey, causing the injury.

As a precaution, Mazza did not catch passes during practice earlier this week, he said, and throughout the week he has sported a brace to support the thumb, but, as was the case with his other injury, he will play tomorrow unassisted.

“I got used to it with the other hand,” Mazza said. “But I’m not going to wear it in the game. It’s just a pain tolerance thing.”