2008 Woodie Awards
The Daily OrangeRautins caps recovery with Team Canada appearance
By Tyler Dunne
Posted: 8/27/08, 12:05 AM EST Section: Sports
Leo Rautins knew something was wrong when his son scolded him for eating greasy foods one day. The odd role reversal blindsided him.
"How can you eat that crap, Dad?" Andy would chide.
Leo's response was usually a blank "Who are you?" stare. This was the same Andy Rautins that toted around McDonald's bags like gym bags.
But not anymore. Now he eats greens, chicken, rice, fish - the good stuff.
"Now he looks at me like I'm some fat slob when I eat," said Leo Rautins, Andy's father and Team Canada head coach. "He's become religious about his body, diet, nutrition, the whole bit."
But internally, Andy Rautins had an awakening, his dad said. And it was fortified by finally hitting the court.
Rautins, a Syracuse junior guard, capped his one-year anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation by playing for Team Canada this summer. Actual, competitive game action icing the cake of a mental and physical re-haul. Behind the curtain, Rautins added 20 pounds this offseason, and then he played point guard the entire summer for Canada. No, the Steve Nash-less Canadians did not advance to Beijing. And no, Rautins did not stuff the stat sheet.
But the months of practices and 10 total international games capped Rautins' comeback to full strength, and then some.
"He's a completely different person than he was a year ago," said Leo Rautins, who played for Syracuse from 1980-83. "Commitment, professionalism, he's at an entirely different level."
The summer broke down into three phases for Rautins: training camp (starting June 20), the Olympic Qualifier (July 15) and if lucky, the Olympics in Beijing (Aug. 10). Rautins never rounded third base, but he did fully participate in the first two stages.
After being one of the "three most efficient players, statistically" during the team's four preliminary games domestically, Rautins' impact was minimal in Athens, Greece for the Olympic qualifier. During the three games, he played 13, six and eight minutes - totaling only seven points on nine shots.
"How can you eat that crap, Dad?" Andy would chide.
Leo's response was usually a blank "Who are you?" stare. This was the same Andy Rautins that toted around McDonald's bags like gym bags.
But not anymore. Now he eats greens, chicken, rice, fish - the good stuff.
"Now he looks at me like I'm some fat slob when I eat," said Leo Rautins, Andy's father and Team Canada head coach. "He's become religious about his body, diet, nutrition, the whole bit."
But internally, Andy Rautins had an awakening, his dad said. And it was fortified by finally hitting the court.
Rautins, a Syracuse junior guard, capped his one-year anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation by playing for Team Canada this summer. Actual, competitive game action icing the cake of a mental and physical re-haul. Behind the curtain, Rautins added 20 pounds this offseason, and then he played point guard the entire summer for Canada. No, the Steve Nash-less Canadians did not advance to Beijing. And no, Rautins did not stuff the stat sheet.
But the months of practices and 10 total international games capped Rautins' comeback to full strength, and then some.
"He's a completely different person than he was a year ago," said Leo Rautins, who played for Syracuse from 1980-83. "Commitment, professionalism, he's at an entirely different level."
The summer broke down into three phases for Rautins: training camp (starting June 20), the Olympic Qualifier (July 15) and if lucky, the Olympics in Beijing (Aug. 10). Rautins never rounded third base, but he did fully participate in the first two stages.
After being one of the "three most efficient players, statistically" during the team's four preliminary games domestically, Rautins' impact was minimal in Athens, Greece for the Olympic qualifier. During the three games, he played 13, six and eight minutes - totaling only seven points on nine shots.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Laurie B
Laurie Bieri
posted 8/27/08 @ 5:29 PM EST
Great article Tyler! It's good to read about a positive comeback after an athletic injury. Good luck to Andy Rautins for a successful season.
Marc LeVine
posted 8/28/08 @ 12:35 PM EST
Let's just hope Rautins return and his new found higher level of play athleticism can make us quickly forget Dante Green's abrupt departure. May he and the returning D-man help get us back to the basketball promised land in 2008/09. (Continued…)
NJ 'Cuse Fan
posted 9/05/08 @ 10:10 AM EST
Not for nothing, I met the dude, and he's a jerk. Basketball-wise, he still has poor defensive tendencies, and makes some bad decisions as a point. But he most likely will be coming off the bench to hit jumpshots, so hopefully he can help. (Continued…)
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