Waiting for Blake
By John Helsley
We wait for news on the availability of Blake Griffin.
And in this case, no news definitely is not good news.
Blake wasn’t ready to go against Kansas Monday night. And his father, Tommy, said his son was “nowhere near ready.” With the Sooners stuck in their first two-game losing streak of the season, there’s an urgency — although not at the risk of his health — to get the big man back and get the Sooners back to winning.
Concussions are a tricky issue. Unlike a sprained ankle or twisted knee, the symptoms aren’t always clear. You can’t apply ice or tape or stitches or easily recognize the healing.
There are tests, reliable tests. Still, there’s uncertainty, too. And there’s an inclination to err on the side of safety with any injury to the head.
For those who saw Griffin on the bench Monday night, he was clearly still suffering from some post-concussion struggles. He plugged his ears when the LNC got too loud. He sat down and rubbed his face after he got a little too excited.
In the case of a mild concussion, which is what Blake’s injury has been termed, the “normal” time before a return to activity is a minimum of one week, although it can last longer.
So we wait for news.
The Sooners are due in Lubbock Saturday to take on the struggling Red Raiders of Texas Tech. Will Griffin play? Will he reprise his “Terminator” role of the first meeting between the two teams?
Or will it be up to Willie Warren and the other Sooners to right the ship?
Time, agonizingly, will tell.
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Comments
I am a Jayhawk fan, but it was painful to watch Griffin on the bench Monday night. I felt badly for the guy. Nonetheless, his health is at stake and TX Teck are the cellar dwellers right now.
Rest up and get healthy for a rematch in the Big XII tourney. Jayhawk and Sooner fans alike are ready for this!
Taking a chance on Blake’s healt against Tech would be foolish. If they can’t beat Tech without him then we aren’t going very far in the NCAA tournament anyway.