Put me in, Coach!
Yesterday, the first legally deaf player was signed to an NBA contract. It was supposed to be me but that didn't work out. Lance Allred has joined the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He had this to say about his hearing loss:
''I am able to hear most things. Every now and then I will miss hearing a teammate, especially if he is behind me. I've been wiped out on some screens in my career. But that means I have to pay extra attention and be very visually aware and sometimes that actually helps me see things before they happen.''
Well said. Allread has bilateral cochlear implants, by the way.
He had this to say about his hearing loss:
''I am able to hear most things. Every now and then I will miss hearing a teammate, especially if he is behind me. I've been wiped out on some screens in my career. But that means I have to pay extra attention and be very visually aware and sometimes that actually helps me see things before they happen.''
Well said. Allread has bilateral cochlear implants, by the way.
posted by Josh at 11:39 AM
6 Comments:
Very cool. Just sent an all-school email so that teachers could let all their sports enthusiasts know. Of course, students will now be flocking into the library requesting a biography on him! Not a bad thing, really!!
Claudette
What the heck does "legally deaf" mean? First time I've seen that phrase.
Chris
Hey Chris
Legally deaf is a definition the government uses to determine if someone is eligible for certain services and stipends. It's determined by raw scores on audiological tests as well as the ability to discern spoken language.
and the implants allow him to be "functional"
geez!
I don't know, Josh. I poked around on the Web and there seems to be a consensus that there is no such term as "legally deaf." See, for example:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070925114430AAj1X6C
http://www.openroad.net.au/access/dakit/hearing/hhandout1.htm
I suspect that the sportswriter got mixed up with the term "legally blind"....If anyone knows any legal basis for "legally deaf," I would be interested in seeing it.
Best,
Chris
I typed legally deaf into google and found all kinds of links; the definition seems to be a bilateral hearing loss that is not correctible by hearing aids.
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