Thoughts And Prayers To Darts Legend Michael van Gerwen Who Had To Pull Out Of An Event After Injuring His Neck Trying On Some Shirts

Sarah Stier. Getty Images.

Sports are the true test to determine we place ourselves in the world. Sports force us to ask ourselves what can we put our bodies through to achieve greatness. How far can we push ourselves to be the best? How bad do you want it? Sadly, at some point the physical side of being an athlete diminishes to the point the mental side, no matter how tough, cannot overcome. 

Unfortunately that time appears to be here for darts legend Michael van Gerwen. So what happened? Blisters? Arthritis? Tendonitis? UCL tear? No, it appears the arduous task of putting on a shirt got to the all-time great. 

I know lying is a sin and honesty is the best policy blah blah blah, but you gotta just make something up if the reason you didn't play in a tournament was because you hurt your neck trying on shirts. Even just saying you slept poorly is better than that. We can't be going down from a shirt. Were there too many buttons buttoned when he put it over his head? Or was this while he was taking it off? Way too small of a shirt to begin with? I gotta see the tape. 

Well, what are ya gonna do? I suppose just use this as a teaching moment and be better when it comes to checks notes putting on shirts. For now, he joins the fraternity of obscure sports injuries with the likes of Clint Barmes breaking his collarbone while carrying deer meat, Dustin May tearing his esophagus eating lettuce, and Rickey Henderson getting frost bite while falling asleep with an ice pack on his foot. It's not a good place to be, but sometimes it's just nice to be part of something. Thoughts and prayers to MVG's neck as we hope for a speedy recovery. Need him back out there to battle Littler when darts comes back to MSG this summer.