At the Victorious tent yesterday at the Orange and Blue game, five players from the b-ball team were there signing autographs and talking with fans. Handlogten shocked me with no cast on his leg. I didn’t get to talk with him but I ask another person who had just come out of the tent talking to him. He said that Handy said the doctor told him he was lucky and the break wasn’t as bad as originally thought. He told him three months of rehab and he would be ready for the season, surprise! Thomas Haugh by looking at him next to Handy, looked like he might have gained another inch in height. Can’t confirm it but it made me feel good that these two bigs looked happy and healthy. The Gator basketball program has two young players back that want to get even better. With a chamber of commerce day of weather and seeing a lot of the team smiling and having fun with the fans, even Walter Clayton was smiling and engaging the fans. Makes me feel good about the Gator Basketball program! We are going to be a factor in the SEC in the coming years!
We ran into him and Pullin leaving the baseball game last night. I told him I was surprised he didn’t have a cast and he said he was recovering well. He and Pullin were great by the way. They happily took pictures with my sons. Made their day!
This made my day! I was thinking it was 50-50 that Handles would play at all, and that if he did he wouldn't be full speed or even available in November. Seems like the physical part is on track, we just need to get him at the right stage mentally, which is not always easy coming off a major injury.
Wait. One thing about the cast. He didn’t have a cast on sitting behind the bench at the Colorado game, did he? Castless since the injury?
Bigs with leg probs. Microfractures, …. Greg Oden, Sam Bowie, …. Can’t support body length and weight in many cases. Something to watch. Hope it was just a fluke injury
Bigs with leg probs. Microfractures, …. Greg Oden, Sam Bowie, …. Can’t support body length and weight in many cases. Something to watch. Hope it was just a fluke injury we are so conditioned to sports injuries like a torn ACL or a pitcher needing Tommy John surgery that normally requires a year or more of recovery. We just need to wait to see in Micah's case whether he'll be ready to go this fall (6 months) or it's career threatening.
Given the type of break it looked like he probably had internal fixation (like a metal plate and screws) which is why he doesn’t have a cast.
Cartilage and ligamentous injuries can cause long term problems. Handlogten broke his leg which should heal and not be an issue again. If he had dislocated his ankle that would have been something to worry about long term.
The challenge will not only be the leg healing, but also once it does heal getting in condition and playing again. Think its a real long shot he contributes in a significant way next season.
I am familiar with a break like this and while its hard to watch its not that rare and a injury that heals better and presents far less issues down the road as ligaments and tendon tears. The most dangerous setback is infection after surgery and he has pasted that hurdle. He should be full strength 4-5 months from surgery.
