Syracuse football freshman Jhamal Fluellen was scheduled to undergo surgery on his heart yesterday, head coach Paul Pasqualoni said. Fluellen was diagnosed with Wolf-Parkinson White Syndrome, which results in an additional pathway to the heart.

Yesterday at noon, Pasqualoni said he hadn’t talked to the medical staff and didn’t know if Fluellen had undergone the surgery. According to the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, Fluellen was scheduled for outpatient surgery, meaning it was minor surgery.

Wolf-Parkinson White Syndrome produces a rapid heart rate in most cases.

‘Anytime you’re fooling around with someone’s heart, it’s serious,’ Pasqualoni said.

‘We’re hoping everything comes out fine for him,’ he said. ‘We’ll wait and see what the doctors and specialists say.’

According to the Union-Sun & Journal, Fluellen’s parents were supposed to join him in Syracuse for the procedure.

‘I’m really nervous,’ Fluellen told the Union-Sun & Journal. ‘The doctors say it’s just a minor procedure, but anytime you have surgery on your heart, that’s a big thing.’

Pasqualoni said he was unsure of when Fluellen would rejoin the Orange.

‘We’re not about to get into the business of practicing medicine,’ he said. ‘We’ll wait to make our own decisions and we’ll listen to what the experts say.’

Fluellen, a cornerback, has been held out of practices since August, said cornerback DeAndre LaCaille, and hasn’t played this season.

 

 

Pasqualoni said yesterday that LaCaille and linebacker Kellen Pruitt are making progress and that he’s optimistic both will play Saturday against Connecticut in the Carrier Dome.

LaCaille separated his right shoulder against West Virginia on Oct. 21. He said the injury occurred during the second quarter, when SU strong safety Diamond Ferri ran into him on a pass coverage.

Pruitt played sparingly against WVU, his first action since injuring his knee on Sept. 25 against Virginia.

‘It’s still only Wednesday,’ Pasqualoni said, ‘but we’re optimistic (they’ll play).’

LaCaille said coaches told him his status for Saturday’s game will be a game-time decision. He sat out practice on Monday and was limited on Tuesday. He said he feels like his shoulder is at 75 percent.

Pasqualoni said wide receiver Steve Gregory is 95 percent after recovering from a thigh injury he suffered earlier in the year. Running back Walter Reyes said yesterday he’s almost recovered from the flu, which sidelined him against WVU.

 

 

Of all the physical pain he has taken at Syracuse, Walter Reyes’ mental anguish has been the most taxing. Reyes missed his first football game for Syracuse since 2001, his freshman year.

‘That was probably the hardest thing I’ve gone through in my whole life,’ Reyes said. ‘Having to sit out last Thursday just ate away at my stomach.’

 

 

Everett, Mass., native Diamond Ferri is a diehard fan when it comes to Boston sports. But after the Red Sox won the World Series last night for the first time since 1918, he certainly won’t act like it.

What is this fan going to do to celebrate the Sox championship?

‘Nothing,’ Ferri said, ‘just go to sleep. Be happy. Rub it in the New York Yankees fans’ faces.’

 

 

Connecticut head coach Randy Edsall is a 1980 Syracuse graduate. He coached at SU from 1982 to 1990. … UConn plays its first-ever indoor game Saturday. … Connecticut plays its first road game in 43 days after playing four straight games at home.

Published on October 27, 2004 at 12:00 pm