TNT's Craig Sager addressed the return of his leukemia on HBO's "Real Sports" and said doctors have told him people with his diagnosis normally have "3-6 months to live" without treatment. Sager said he asked his doctor, "What are my chances? How long do I have to live? Is there a cure?" He said, "They talk in terms of, ‘Everybody's totally different,’ and I go, ‘I know, but what are the chances?’ ... He goes, ‘Somebody may only have a week. Somebody maybe five years. You could be the person with the five years.’ And I go, ‘Well, whatever it takes, let's get doing it because I'm not going to be that 3-6 months. I'm going be the five years.’" HBO's Bernard Goldberg reported Sager has "continued to work despite his relapse." During a recent game in San Antonio, Sager "had trouble stopping his nose from bleeding, which made him weak." However, Sager "refused to be sidelined ... any longer.” He said returning to work is the “greatest thing ever." Sager: "When you're here, you totally forget that your platelets are low and your blood count's down and you need to have another bone marrow biopsy on Monday, and you're going to have more cancer treatment.” Goldberg told Sager, “I know I'm speaking not just for myself, but for all the people in the business who know you and for all the people watching who don't know you personally, we're all pulling for you” (“Real Sports,” HBO, 3/22).
SUPPORTS CONTINUES TO ROLL IN: ESPN’s Rachel Nichols said of Sager, “There is not enough time to list all of Craig's accomplishments, what he continues to mean to the sport. But you can suffice it to say, the news hit the entire league like a sucker punch. As usual, the person lifting everyone's spirits is Craig himself” (“The Jump,” ESPN2, 3/22). ESPN's Scott Van Pelt said, Craig Sager, we’re thinking of you. We stand with you as you continue to fight and we know that that fight requires many things and we offer whatever we can from all this distance away. There are a whole lot of people you don’t even know who are keeping a good thought. You are admired, revered and beloved in our business and you are in our prayers. Go fight like a madman. We know you will” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 3/23).
