Magee Undergoes Season-Ending Hip Surgery

When people talk about 'reversion to the mean' in football, they're usually talking about that elusive quality called 'form' - a finish hits the far post and bounces out instead of in; a touch into space hits a divot and leads back into traffic; all the vagaries and vicissitudes of chance turning against the formerly-blessed. Mike Magee's 2014 has been a testament to all those things - after scoring an astonishing 24 goals in all appearances in '13, this year has been harder, full of weird moments and unsatisfactory breaks.

Say this for Magee's 2014: Now, at least, it's over. The 2013 MLS MVP had this no-good, very-bad season of ill health and odd mischance ended with eight games remaining by a persistent hip injury.

"It's unfortunate that Mike will be out for an extended period, but he's been struggling this season with the injuries," said Fire head coach and Director of Soccer Frank Yallop. "After consulting with our medical staff, we decided that this was the best time for Mike to have the procedure."

At least Magee is in the best of care. The surgeon, Dr. Marc Phillippon, is one of the leading orthopedic hip specialists in the world, and works out of the highly-regarded Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado.

Magee's convalescence is expected to last six to eight months, meaning he is unlikely to be available for the start of training camp in 2015, and could even miss early-season games. Perhaps when he returns, his 'mean' will have sunk enough that the prospect of reversion to it will be a happy one. From everyone at Hot Time, we wish Mike the best of health, and anxiously await his return to the Men in Red.