Every now and then, the sports world provides a story that leaves me speechless. Sometimes about a player overcoming great adversity in order to succeed. Other times it’s an athlete who makes an incredible personal sacrifice.

This story fits both of those categories:

Trevor Wikre, a 21-year-old offensive lineman for Division II Mesa State College, recently had the top two joints of his pinky surgically removed so he could finish his senior season.

Wikre injured the pinky while throwing a block during practice. The finger became caught in a teammate’s jersey and was severely dislocated. It would have required surgery and six months of rehab.

So instead of missing the remainder of his senior season, he chose to cut it off.

Now, is this guy incredibly tough or just a nutjob?

Valid arguments could be made for both sides.

Obviously, a decision of this magnitude takes some guts. Nobody is going to doubt Wikre’s commitment to football.

In his entire career — all the way from Pop Warner through college — Wikre has never missed a game.

Offensive linemen have to do the dirty work in the trenches and are commonly injured, so playing in every game for that long is impressive.

I doubt Wikre completely avoided injury in that time, which means he has regularly played with pain. So the guy is tough, but does that toughness come from having a screw loose?

His choice was so drastic that the surgeon didn’t even list it as a possible choice of action.

Had this happened during any of Wikre’s previous years of playing football, I highly doubt he would have made this decision. This is his final year in college, and because he won’t be going to the NFL it’s his last chance to experience competitive football.

No players want to miss their last college game, but I don’t think many would sacrifice a digit to play. Most players have their priorities straight.

Your pinky may seem unimportant, but losing it is still significant. Now how can he show how sincere his promises are? And the hard setting of Guitar Hero just got that much harder.

In all seriousness, a missing finger will attract unwanted attention to Wikre for the rest of his life. People will ask what happened, he’ll explain it to them and then they’ll promptly judge him as a crazy ex-football player with crazier priorities.

I admire Wikre for his determination, but will it really be worth it? I go back to the main question: is this guy incredibly tough or just a nutjob?

The answer is … both.

— Corey DeMoss is the sports editor and a journalism senior.