The search for Walter Reyes

Fellow loyal Syracuse Football Fans, please read

Now that I'm knee deep in my very own paperback copy of Sean's book and getting all hyped up for SU Football 2010, which I'm sure will prove to be an epic season, I've started to reflect upon seasons past and the players that made them special. I started following football somewhere in the early 90's, and was a student at SU from 2000-2004. While I was there I'd say I was the biggest SU Football fan I knew, most of my fellow students only seemed to care about basketball. It was mostly a mediocre time for football, there were certainly some spectacular momemts I saw live at the Dome: I saw the sack master Dwight Freeney slam Michael Vick 4.5 times to the Dome turf in 2000 (though SU would lose that game). I saw SU issue a payback for 1987 Sugar Bowl as they blasted Jason Campbell and Auburn in 2001. I saw the marathon finish as an underdog SU team knocked off a ranked Virginia Tech team in 2002. And SU crushing Notre Dame in front of a National TV audience in 2003 was pretty sweet too. My point is that as much as we bitch and gripe about now how fans so easily forget the 90's era of SU football greatness, and how much things got screwed up since then, we need to focus on the few things that actually went right in the more recent past. 

At any rate, the aforementioned Dwight Freeney was probably the best football player I was able to witness in person. At least, in terms of game changing performances. However, there's one thing thats been gnawing at me for awhile, and even more so now. Walter Reyes, one of the premier running backs of all-time at SU seems to be all but completely forgotten about. I'm not going to spout off in a lecture about stats, but his numbers were among the best all time at Syracuse. Not only was he an amazing runner, but he also did it while sharing time with local boy Damien Rhodes (though Walt did get more carries). For those who don't know, Reyes twice was considered for #44, the first time when he was recruited and spruned Ohio State to attend Syracuse, instead donning #39 worn by Larry Csonka. The second time was heading into his senior year in 2004 when he had a chance to break every rushing record all-time at SU, and was a legit Heisman contender (the last one SU has had). Think about that for a second. Amongst the all time greats at SU, he had a chance to be better than them all. If he had not been injured for a good chunk of the season, he probably would have done it, or at least come close. Even still, he's way up on the list.

via blog.syracuse.com

Best Running Back at Syracuse not to wear #44? You betcha. Best photo of Syracuse asserting its dominance over Notre Dame of all time? Absolutely.

Like all great tragedies, my guess is that Reyes rode off into the sunset without much recognition for a multitude of reasons. One of them is certainly due to the departure of Jake Crouthamel and Coach Pasqualoni. Like them or not, I'm sure that if the two of them had anything to do with it, Walter Reyes would probably have had at least a proper send off. I do like Doc Gross despite the huge gaffe he made in hiring Greggers, and think he has been steadily making up for that error ever since. But he also missed the boat on Reyes. He might have dissappointed in his senior year, but that still does not diminsh just how dominating a runner he was. I also think Reyes lack of a pro career doesn't help the way he is remembered. Then again, when the coaches that recruited, taught and mentored you for 5 years are abruptly shown the door just weeks before the draft, for some clown who doesn't even know how to run a strength and conditioning program, that certainly doesn't help your draft stock.

In the years since, Walter Reyes has been nowhere to be found. Not playing football anywhere since 2005, I can only assume. My mission here is simple. I want to see Walter Reyes recognized for the athlete that he was at Syracuse. I'm not sure if anyone here has any connections through SU or knows that wherabouts of Walt that might be able to make this happen in some way, but that guy deserves it. I'm serious about this. I also think that, since its quite obvious 44 isn't going to come back (at least for the forseeable future), #39 should be kept on the shelf until the next great Syracuse running back comes along. I'm not trying to replace 44. No sir. But #39 should have a special place as well (apologies to Ricky Azzoto, you don't quite fit that mold).

My idea? Get Larry Csonka and Walter Reyes for a pregame ceremony dedicated to the history of the backs that wore the number. Hell, get Roger Praetorius and Al Newton in there too if you can. As long as these guys (other than the 'zonk, of course) remain shrouded in obscurity, and the longer our beloved #44 hangs in the rafters, the more this needs to happen. If nothing else, to show new fans that Syracuse Football is more than just about one number.

Feel free to chime in here. If you have any information regarding Mr. Reyes whereabouts or ideas to get this thing rolling, email me at mikey.b44@gmail.com. I'm dead serious about this. Thanks and GO ORANGE!!!!!