lol, that’s your problem, you think this is an “authority” thing…it’s not. Guys playing injured, or trying to is just part of the culture & they’ll almost always side with the conservative approach to treatment rather than subjecting themselves to going under the knife. It’s a player thing and it happens across all sports.
HC/GM asks a player how he feels or if he can go, the player 95% of the time is gonna say yes…..at a min, they’ll say they will try to go…it’s how they’re wired.
Furthermore a GM isn’t gonna voluntarily PuP a player…if there’s ANY chance they’ll be able to play with alternative treatment…..let alone a key starter unless he has to for something acute. You can’t force these guys to have surgery. They’re going to give the player the benefit of the doubt..b/c as with ANY patient, they know their bodies and how they’re feeling better than anyone…..period.