Spring Break
The Daily OrangeRehabbed and ready
One is stronger. The other more mature. Both Andy Rautins and Eric Devendorf used their ACL injuries as an opportunity to transform themselves
By Tyler Dunne
Posted: 11/12/08, 7:33 PM EST Section: Basketball 2008
Now, they're back. Rautins grew physically. Devendorf, mentally. Both are different people with different perspectives, harvested by one painful year away from the game that defined their lives.
"It's, it's extremely tough," Devendorf stammered. "Your teammates are out there, at times struggling, and you want to go out there knowing you can contribute. Especially, not being able to play the game that I love. It was taken away from me.
"You really don't know how much it means to you, until it is taken away."
***
Rautins was disappointed in himself that Oct. 15 day in the weight room, the day Paul Harris raved about. Rautins said he burned out toward the end of the set. Still, the once-frail, now-ripped guard pumped up 225 pounds 14 times.
Before his injury? Two reps, tops.
But Rautins changed the way he approached training and the way he approached his diet. He dumped his fast food infatuation. He monitored everything that went into his body. He studied fitness magazines and worked out every day. His father couldn't believe it.
"Like a lot of young players he lifted, but I don't know how committed he was to it," said Leo Rautins, who played for SU from 1980-83. "Now it's 100 percent commitment to his body - lifting, running, training, the whole bit. … He took what was a horrible injury and what could have been a horrible experience and made it a real positive one."
Andy Rautins wanted to re-introduce himself as a completely different physical specimen. In isolation, he built his surprise daily.
"It almost feels much better than being in the spotlight, putting in that work behind closed doors, knowing you're getting better without being glorified," Rautins said. "I liked that much better - doing it my own way."
Now he aims to apply this to the court. During his sophomore season, 188 of Rautins' 226 field goal attempts came from beyond the arc. He rarely ventured into the lane, accumulating 24 free throw attempts and 69 rebounds in 35 games.
"It's, it's extremely tough," Devendorf stammered. "Your teammates are out there, at times struggling, and you want to go out there knowing you can contribute. Especially, not being able to play the game that I love. It was taken away from me.
"You really don't know how much it means to you, until it is taken away."
***
Rautins was disappointed in himself that Oct. 15 day in the weight room, the day Paul Harris raved about. Rautins said he burned out toward the end of the set. Still, the once-frail, now-ripped guard pumped up 225 pounds 14 times.
Before his injury? Two reps, tops.
But Rautins changed the way he approached training and the way he approached his diet. He dumped his fast food infatuation. He monitored everything that went into his body. He studied fitness magazines and worked out every day. His father couldn't believe it.
"Like a lot of young players he lifted, but I don't know how committed he was to it," said Leo Rautins, who played for SU from 1980-83. "Now it's 100 percent commitment to his body - lifting, running, training, the whole bit. … He took what was a horrible injury and what could have been a horrible experience and made it a real positive one."
Andy Rautins wanted to re-introduce himself as a completely different physical specimen. In isolation, he built his surprise daily.
"It almost feels much better than being in the spotlight, putting in that work behind closed doors, knowing you're getting better without being glorified," Rautins said. "I liked that much better - doing it my own way."
Now he aims to apply this to the court. During his sophomore season, 188 of Rautins' 226 field goal attempts came from beyond the arc. He rarely ventured into the lane, accumulating 24 free throw attempts and 69 rebounds in 35 games.
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