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On Your Radio Dial
Tobias Harris: A Good Reminder For Fans. And Recruits.
by Sean Keeley on Nov 20, 2009 3:09 PM EST
15 comments
Honestly, NOW it makes sense...
H/T: SpazSports
Tobias Harris is learning a valuable lesson today in marketing. He's already seeing how his decisions affect his reach. And he's also learning that, when deciding on where to go to college and you know you're not going to choose the team in New York, don't go to a prominent New York establishment when fans of that team are out in droves and are allowed to sit all around you while you make your decision known. (Video courtesy of The Orange Fizz)
"Go back home!" Huh? He IS home. Iz confused.
Are we jerks for booing a 17-year-old kid over his life choices? Of course we are. But Tobias isn't sitting in an ESPN Zone surrounded by Syracuse fans unless Tobias makes that happen. You get what you pay for. Or you pay for what you get.
But we all need to keep perspective. These are 18-year-old kids, deciding where they want to spend their next few seasons playing sports. Tobias did not jerk everyone around. He did not continually delay his decision. He professionally went about his business, with a structured family unit in tow. And decided on Tennessee.
And we booed. Watch the video. Fans dressed in orange (I'm assuming they're not Vols fans), on their way to the Garden for the Cal tilt hissed.
Not ok.
Maybe not. But Tobias should have known better. He's a sports fan himself. He knows how deep allegiances and passion runs. Especially on a game day when NYC Syracuse fans had their hackles up in preparation for the big showdown with Cal in a few hours.
Besides, Tobias should probably get used to it. You're entering the world of college athletics. Not only that you're entered the world of the SEC, where college sports are 100 times more paramount than in the Northeast. Getting booed by fans might be the least of your concerns.
At the end of the day, I think we're all done. Tobias isn't the first high-profile recruit to spurn the Orange. He won't be the last. Like many have said, SU has nothing to worry about in that department, our 2010 class is stacked.
Lessons learned, everyone. Let's get back to work. Tobias, good luck, the Lady Vols are lucky to have you.
15 comments | 0 recs |
The Battle For New York City's Heart And Eyeballs
by Sean Keeley on Nov 20, 2009 2:43 PM EST
0 comments
Just put together my weekly College Football Buffet feature on SBNation.com and when I was compiling this weekend's games and TV listings, the SU-Rutgers game wasn't even listed. Had I not been an SU fan I probably would have just missed it altogether. The Battle For Who Could Care Less might be more apt, apparently.
Look, you want facts about tomorrow's game against Rutgers? Doug Marrone will give you facts.
"We’re playing a Rutgers team that’s a good football team," Doug Marrone said earlier this week. "Coach (Greg) Schiano has been there for nine years. He’s done a good job of building that program."
FACTS!
Let's get the scary stuff out of the way first. The Orange are walking wounded, they're without their two best defensive players, their best offensive player and there's no telling how many more players could be lost between now and then. Plus, there's this stuff:
Rutgers will enter the game with the nation’s best turnover margin at plus-21 (29 forced, eight committed). It boasts a run defense that allows only 98.2 yards per game, a physical offensive line and one of the conference’s elite deep threats in Tim Brown, who averages 21.5 yards per reception.
Well, let's shift focus, shall we? I think we can all agree that we've officially tuned out football season anyway. So let's take some time to worry about honor the seniors so we can get them on their way and move forward. Like Lavar Lobdell, Andrew Robinson and Mike Stenclik.
Lavar Lobdell. Andrew Robinson. Mike Stenclik. Each arrived determined to lead SU to Big East championships and big-time bowl games. Each will run through the tunnel and onto the Carrier Dome turf for the final time shortly before 3:30 p.m. Saturday having tasted neither.
In that regard they failed, but don’t dare call them failures. Or losers. Or quitters. Each has endured coaching changes. Each has suffered injuries. Each has experienced broken dreams of stardom. And each is still here, playing in a reduced role for love of the game and loyalty to teammates, coach and school.
"Lobdell appeared to be headed to Miami." Wow.
I definitely think Robinson in particular deserves his own post and I'll get to that next week, but despite their efforts we do say thanks to the seniors for their efforts. They got dealt a crap hand and they made the best of it...those that are still here.
As for predictions...
0 comments | 0 recs |
Boeheim vs. Williams Highlights Syracuse-North Carolina Tonight
by Sean Keeley on Nov 20, 2009 1:55 PM EST
15 comments
It's been 22 years since Syracuse has played North Carolina. The Orange had beaten North Carolina in the '87 NCAA Tournament en route to their Final Four run but the Tar Heels got a modicum of revenge by tipping SU in overtime to begin the season. Since then...nothing. As Cuse Country points out, the only current SU player even alive at that point was Andy Rautins. It was so long ago it was Howard Triche, not Brandon, leading the Orange attack.
Of course, Jim Boeheim and Roy Williams have a much-more recent history together. Jimmy B was right, Roy Williams would be back in the title game and now the Orange will take on the defending National Champ for the 2nd-straight season. (That said, expect to see a LOT of video from 2003...not that there's anything wrong with that.)
Whereas the Orange cruised last night, North Carolina had to survive Ohio State's late-game surge.
And then there was the last ten minutes. Up by nineteen the Heels proceeded to rack up eight turnovers, floundered against an OSU press, and stood by helplessly as Larry Drew went 2 for 6 from the free throw line over three consecutive possessions. By the time the smoke cleared, it was a two point game with eleven seconds remaining. Thankfully, an OSU foul before the inbounds play sent Drew back to the line, where he hit both shots to put the game out of reach.
Certainly, SU fans can empathize about the need to hit free throws.
The Tar Heels will of course be preparing for the zone defense that stymied Cal last night. They've got some experience matching up against it, but they're still a work in progress.
The good news is that Carolina has worked on a zone offense - whether they wanted to or not - in every game this season, since that's about 85% of what they've seen defensively. The bad news is that the offense has not always looked fluid. Carolina's ball movement in the halfcourt offense has come light years even since the beginning of the year. It shows with the outside shooting especially - Carolina has gone from making 9-of-26 three's to start the season (34.6 percent) to making 13-of-30 (43.3 percent) in its last two games. Deon Thompson was double-teamed and found a wide-open Larry Drew II for a key late three. Marcus Ginyard and Will Graves also each made important late three-pointers.
Dick Vitale even thinks the Orange could give the Tar Heels trouble so you know things are serious.
The national media has officially pricked it's ears up in the direction of the Orange. A win tonight will certainly catapult them directly into "the discussion." A loss and the Orange still walk away from NYC with a newfound respect...but not quite as much. If SU wants to mark their territory and fulfill their "Nobody Believed In Us" destiny, they'll want to make a statement tonight in front of the partisan crowd.
15 comments | 0 recs |
Introducing Scoop Jardine, Wes Johnson & The Rest Of The Syracuse Orange
by Sean Keeley on Nov 20, 2009 11:57 AM EST
3 comments
Last year Syracuse played the defending National Champion (Kansas) in a preseason tournament with a hostile crowd and came away victorious. It's deja vu all over again, except this time the Orange should have a bit of a crowd advantage when they take on the No. 2 North Carolina Tar Heels tonight.
First, let's make sure we recap last night's win. Or as I like to call it, The Night All The College Basketball Experts Jumped Back On The Syracuse Bandwagon.
So...Scoop Jardine was on the front page of ESPN.com last night. That's crazy.
We like us now very much, thanks.
For ‘Cuse, It’s Jardine At The Gard-ine...Cuse Orange
The Dangerfield defense: Syracuse's zone earns respect in win over California...Mike Waters
Orange is off and running at the Garden...Donna Ditota
Jardine was pinned to a corner of the Syracuse locker room Thursday night as reporters closed in and asked questions.
SU coach Jim Boeheim wandered past.
"What the hell are they talking to you about, Scoop," he joked.
"I don’t know, Coach," Jardine said.
Syracuse guard Andy Rautins re-injures ankle...Mike Waters
"I rolled it again and it’s swollen," Rautins said. "I’ll get some treatment for it tonight and (Friday) morning. Hopefully, it’ll be fine."
Scoop came to the Garden, he saw in the Garden and he conquered in the Garden...Bud Poliquin
Cuse's two-headed PG effective vs. Cal...Andy Katz
Before tipoff, [Jonny] Flynn sent a text message to Jardine.
"It really helped me out," Jardine said. "He said 'Let's Goooooo.' I wrote him back and said, 'I got you.' And he said, 'Go show them what you've got.' I played against him for two years. I knew that if I was backing up Jonny or Brandon like I'm doing now, I had to lose weight and work on my shot. Coach Boeheim and Coach Hop didn't lose faith in me. I've got to give them credit for sticking with me.
Wes Johnson makes his Garden debut memorable...Donna Ditota
Syracuse - California Postgame Reactions OR Upset? Not Us...Orange44
Syracuse rolls past California...CuseConfidential
SU-California Recap...Brent Axe
Wes could be on the brink of having a very exciting all around season for this team. He is gaining a reputation for a strong work ethic, something noted by ESPN's Doris Burke during the game, and is proving to be a smart, steady player on the floor in addition to his terrific athleticism. The funny thing is one of his biggest highlights of the night may even be a play he didn't make in missing a dunk where he soared towards the basket with about 13:00 to go in the first half. Had he connected on that, and he isn't going to miss many of those, we are talking # 1 play on the Sportscenter Top 10 material.
Some video highlights after the jump.
3 comments | 0 recs |
That'll Happen, Tobias
by Sean Keeley on Nov 20, 2009 11:33 AM EST
6 comments
Tobias Harris' Twitter followers before last night's announcement:
Tobias Harris' Twitter followers this morning:
6 comments | 0 recs |
The Scoop & Wes Show: Syracuse 95, Cal 73
by Sean Keeley on Nov 19, 2009 10:09 PM EST
17 comments
Forget LeMoyne. Forget the preseason rankings (or lack thereof). Forget everything you've been hearing. Syracuse is a good basketball team. And for all the excuses that you'll hear tomorrow (It's like a home game...Theo Robertson was out..), Syracuse absolutely dominated the No. 12 team in the nation tonight. For Syracuse fans who have been suffering through football season and had to deal with the LeMoyne blowback...tonight's win over Cal was a lot of fun.
Scoop Jardine scored 22 points, grabbed six rebounds, dished out six assists and added four steals, as Syracuse dominated from the start in an emphatic 95-73 rout of 13th-ranked California in the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer.
Wesley Johnson recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Arinze Onuaku added 12 points for the Orange (3-0), who advanced to Friday's title game against the North Carolina-Ohio State winner.
The zone looked strong for most of the night and the Orange took advantage of the size differential down low. The Bears were a mere 6-20 from three-point range.
For their part, Syracuse shot 57.1 percent and made nine three-pointers, including two each from Andy Rautins, Mookie Jones and Wes Johnson. Johnson especially made tonight his coming-out party to the nation with some aerobatics and great play...though he could have made 1 or 2 more dunks along the way. From what we saw tonight...he will.
17 comments | 0 recs |
Syracuse Orange (2-0) vs. Cal Golden Bears (2-0) GameThread
by Sean Keeley on Nov 19, 2009 6:45 PM EST
269 comments
The Orange get their first test of the season. Late word is that Cal's small forward Theo Robertson has a right foot injury and is doubtful to play tonight. One down...
Leave your pre-, in- and post-game comments below. G'Orange.
269 comments | 0 recs |
Syracuse vs. Rutgers: The Seeds Of Rivalry
by Sean Keeley on Nov 19, 2009 6:30 PM EST
0 comments
The first time Syracuse and Rutgers played each other in 1914, they tied (14-14). It would be the last time the two teams walked onto the same field evenly matched against one another.
From that point forward up until 2004, Syracuse basically dominated this series the way hairspray dominates the hair of a Staten Island meathead pumping fists at D'Jais. Between 1917 and 2004, the Orange won 28 times and lost only six. That includes a stretch of 12-straight W's between 1987 and 1998.
Then, in the early 2000's the winds of change blew through both campuses and the roles were suddenly reversed. The Scarlet Knights have won the last four meetings of this series and five of the last six. Unheard-of for a team that hadn't ever won back-to-back games against the Orange in the previous 80 years.
Now, Rutgers might not have ascended the heights predicted by some after their breakout 10-win season a few years back. However, they have proven themselves adept at maintaining relevancy, albeit with a little scheduling help along the way. The Orange are in the beginning stages of a rebirth, one that still has a ways to go. But if the Orange are capable of at least returning to mediocrity in the next couple years, it could very well set the stage for the great football rivalry that both schools so desperately need.
Syracuse doesn't really have a true football rival. West Virginia's the closest thing and Mountaineer fans will be quick to tell you they don't exactly feel the same way. Boston College was growing into a rival, but, you know what happened there. Then there's Rutgers. On paper, it makes perfect sense. We fight for the same territory (Upstate, NYC, NJ). We both have a vested interest in the #1 media market in the nation. We're conference rivals. And finally, something that seemed unthinkable just a few years ago, there's bad blood.
0 comments | 0 recs |
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Orange Football Schedule
Minnesota
|
Sat 09/05 | L 20 - 23 |
|
@
Penn St.
|
Sat 09/12 | L 7 - 28 |
|
Northwestern
|
Sat 09/19 | W 37 - 34 |
| Maine | Sat 09/26 | W 41 - 24 |
| South Florida | Sat 10/03 | L 20 - 34 |
|
West Virginia
|
Sat 10/10 | L 13 - 34 |
| Akron | Sat 10/24 | W 28 - 14 |
| Cincinnati | Sat 10/31 | L 7 - 28 |
| @ Pittsburgh | Sat 11/07 | L 10 - 37 |
|
@
Louisville
|
Sat 11/14 | L 9 - 10 |
|
Rutgers
|
Sat 11/21 | 3:30 PM EST |
| @ Connecticut | Sat 11/28 | 12:00 PM EST |
Big East Conference Standings
(updated 11.15.2009 at 4:19 AM EST)
| Conf | Overall | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | W | L | |
| Cincinnati Bearcats | 6 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Pittsburgh Panthers | 5 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
|
West Virginia Mountaineers
|
3 | 2 | 7 | 3 |
|
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
|
2 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| South Florida Bulls | 2 | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Connecticut Huskies | 1 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
|
Louisville Cardinals
|
1 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
|
Syracuse Orange
|
0 | 5 | 3 | 7 |
Orange Basketball Schedule
Next 5 Games
|
@
North Carolina
|
Fri 11/20 | 7:00 PM EST |
| Cornell | Tue 11/24 | 7:00 PM EST |
| Columbia | Fri 11/27 | 7:00 PM EST |
| Colgate | Mon 11/30 | 7:00 PM EST |
| Maine | Sat 12/05 | 7:00 PM EST |
Last 5 Games
|
@
California
|
Thu 11/19 | W 95 - 73 |
| Robert Morris | Wed 11/11 | W 100 - 60 |
| Albany, N.Y. | Mon 11/09 | W 75 - 43 |
Big East Conference Standings
(updated 11.20.2009 at 3:59 AM EST)
| Conf | Overall | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | W | L | |
| Villanova Wildcats | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| South Florida Bulls | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
|
Syracuse Orange
|
0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Pittsburgh Panthers | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Providence Friars | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
|
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
|
0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Connecticut Huskies | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Marquette Golden Eagles | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
|
Georgetown Hoyas
|
0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Cincinnati Bearcats | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| St. John's Red Storm | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Seton Hall Pirates | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
|
West Virginia Mountaineers
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
Louisville Cardinals
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DePaul Blue Demons | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
Most Commented
Syracuse Orange (3-6) @ Louisville Cardinals (3-6) GameThread
by Sean Keeley 6 days ago
355 comments | 0 recs
Syracuse Orange (2-0) vs. Cal Golden Bears (2-0) GameThread
by Sean Keeley about 23 hours ago
269 comments | 0 recs
Tobias Harris Announcement Open Thread
by Sean Keeley about 24 hours ago
180 comments | 0 recs
It's Rutgers Week
by Sean Keeley 3 days ago
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Kragthorpe'd: Louisville 10, Syracuse 9
by Sean Keeley 6 days ago
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