A Syracuse Fan's Rooting Interest In The Super Bowl

by Sean Keeley on Jan 27, 2010 2:25 PM EST Comment 12 comments

At first glance, it might seem obvious that any Syracuse fan worth their weight in Dwight Freeney jerseys should be rooting for the Colts in two weeks for Super Bowl XLIV.

Indy boasts a roster that includes Freeney as well as a practice roster that includes former SU receiver Taj Smith. Up until recently the Colts also featured legendary receiver Marvin Harrison, who, might not be quite the beacon of hope that he once was. But still...Syracuse and the Colts work. We send them great players, those players win championships.

Hold the phone though...seriously, put down the phone...I'm talking to you...what about the Saints? Sure, there aren't any Syracuse players on the roster. But what about the Syracuse-related person who ISN'T there anymore? I'm talking about Doug Marrone, you guys.

Doug was merely some kind of offensive coordinator for the Saints when he first appeared on our oh-so-sexy radar. If not for his experience and time there, who knows if he could have matured into the fine young man we know now. And they also did him the kind favor of letting him get to it when he took the Cuse job, not wasting his time with double-duty. They even let Greg Paulus hang out and drink up the Drew Brees Experience up close and personal before the season started. Who knows how many more INTs Greg would have thrown if not for that?

And so, I think we owe our allegiance to the Saints for this one. Besides, Dwight's already got a ring. He's good. The Saints and the city of New Orleans could use this so much more. Consider it a thank you present for Douggers.

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The Jets are out.

I could care less now.

by adselver15 on Jan 27, 2010 2:28 PM EST reply actions

Geaux Saints.

Once my Eagles were out, it was Saints all the way. Being here in NOLA for that NFC Champ victory was intense. Not sure I’ve ever experienced anything like that before. Can’t imagine what this town will be like if they win this thing. (And with Mardi Gras just a week later no less.)

by NOLACuse on Jan 27, 2010 3:21 PM EST reply actions

Saints DE Will Smith is from Utica, NY

so there’s that.

And local school legend Mike Hart is the 3rd string RB for the Colts.

Both of these guys spurned their hometown team for Big 10 schools, so not sure if we shouldn’t just cheer for the Saints because Sean is the boss here and we should always do what he says….

by Dana0430 on Jan 27, 2010 3:29 PM EST via mobile reply actions

As an Eagles fan…

Wild Card Round: After the Eagles go out, I root for Green Bay
Divisional Round: After the Eagles and Green Bay go out, I root for San Diego
Conference Championship Round: After San Diego goes out, I root for the Jets

So I shouldn’t root for anyone in the Super Bowl.

by wildcatlh on Jan 27, 2010 3:38 PM EST reply actions

You can wait outside

Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician - The Syracuse blog that cares.

by Sean Keeley on Jan 27, 2010 3:48 PM EST up reply actions

As an Eagles fan...

After the Eagles go out, I root for anyone not from Dallas

GO CUSE, BLUE, AND EAGLES!

by tanman5 on Jan 27, 2010 9:43 PM EST up reply actions

It's funny, as a Pats fan

As soon as it was confirmed that they were just a plain average, sometimes good, sometimes terrible team this year, I immediately threw my allegiance at the Saints. It helps that a bunch of my friends out here are transplants from New Orleans. When they smoked my Pats on MNF, I ended up talking to a random group of Saints fans and truly appreciate their “underdog” allegiance.

Once it was BrettFavre, Indy & the J-E-T-S, it further bolstered my affinity for the Saints.

Unfortunately, they got a gift in the NFC championship and as much as it pains me to admit this, Peyton Manning is the best QB in the game and will play like a maniac in the SB.

by TheRenegadePumpkin on Jan 27, 2010 3:56 PM EST reply actions

*2nd allegiance

by TheRenegadePumpkin on Jan 27, 2010 3:57 PM EST up reply actions

I don't know if it was a complete gift (if you're referring to Favre's interception).

I know I was completely expecting it to come sooner or later at the end of the game. And the couple Vikings fans with the balls to watch the game at a Saints bar were completely unsurprised by Peterson’s fumbles. The Saints D gave up a shit ton of yards, but I think it was pretty clear the gameplan against Minnesota was: beat the shit out of Favre (check) and go for the strip (check). I couldn’t believe how lucky they seemed, but then I revisited all the turnovers and realized that really only one of them was completely the Vikings’ fault (handoff fumble) while most of them were very well placed punches or tomahawks by Saints defenders. The last pick was a pretty good jump by Porter so that’s 60/40 Favre’s fault (never should have thrown it to begin with) and the first one was thrown under pressure so you could call that 50/50 on Favre.

That said, if Williams uses the same blitzing scheme against Peyton the Saints are screwed (on defense that is). I’m not entirely sure he will though.

by NOLACuse on Jan 27, 2010 4:09 PM EST up reply actions

Good points.

The last Favre pick was so Greg Paulus! Or were about 6 of GP2’s picks so BrettFavre? Probably have to go with the latter.

The Saints definitely attacked the ball, and definitely kicked the living shit out of BrettFavre. So, I concede that the game wasn’t a gift.

I just ultimately feel like the last hole in Peyton Manning’s game was filled at halftime of the AFC Championship in 2006-07. I had end zone seats for that game, and as soon as he emerged for the 2nd half, there was something visibly different about him. He had a ridiculous determination in his posture, in his command at the line, and ultimately in the pocket as he checked down receivers and strung the ball. I could see it again on Sunday, despite them going down 17-6.

In prior live games I saw him in, like the 2004-05 playoffs in New England (the one where weather reports were “45 and sunny” all the way until I was tailgating and the temperature plummeted and a snowstorm materialized), he had more of a panicked, uncertain demeanor the entire time… and that was after a season in which they set offensive records.

Hell, maybe the Pats knew the plays as they were being called? (hate to bring that up).

Look for it, though… there’s a deserved level of urgency & confidence.

by TheRenegadePumpkin on Jan 27, 2010 5:04 PM EST up reply actions