MattStark's Blog

Wow.

That was my reaction Thursday, when I picked my jaw off the floor, to the news that Tennessee's Chris Lofton played his senior season after surviving a bout with testicle cancer during the spring and summer of 2007.

The fact that the cancer was discovered only due to a random drug test by the NCAA is incredible.

The full story- available on ESPN.com  is just amazing.

The courage and determination Lofton showed is a fine example for all about what the human spirit can endure. His decision to keep his diagnosis and treatment a secret was, I'm sure, not an easy one.

Looking back, it's even more remarkable how he handled himself when fans/media wondered "What's wrong with Chris Lofton" when he got off to a slow start this season. Think how much it must have been killing head coach Bruce Pearl-- who was one of the few UT officials who knew about Loftons treatment--to not be able to defend his player when those questions came up.

The good news is Lofton says he's in fine health, and looking forward to participating in the NBA pre-draft camp in Orlando.

He's certainly got a new legion of fans in his corner.