Seriously Pittsburgh, Villanova, Louisville...enjoy the 2009-2010 season. Really, have at it. Go nuts. Dominate the Big East if you can. We're all for it. Good for you guys.
Just understand, this is your last chance for a while. I didn't know exactly how to break this to you so I figured I'd just come out and say it. Syracuse University Basketball is going to dominate the Big East and, dare I say, the nation moving forward.
Don't believe me? Well let's start with what's already there. Look, it's not like SU is going suck this year. Sure, we're no longer the NCAA title contender we were with Jonny Flynn but look at what's left. Andy Rautins, who will drive many a 3-point-dagger into the hearts of opponents this season. Wes Johnson who, if he is half as good as advertised, will put up solid numbers and be SU's playmaker. Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson, who will only score more, grab more rebounds and command more attention down low. And Brandon Triche, who might be a freshman, but that's not a good reason anymore to think he can't lead the team. Remember a guy named Jonny Flynn?
So fine, that team isn't going to win the Big East (at least, we don't think so yet). But did I tell you about what happens in 2010? See right now Syracuse basketball is a semi truck. It's big and imposing and moving at a dangerous speed. Certainly not something you can ignore but I suppose you could outrun it. But in 2010, that truck TRANSFORMS into Ottomus Prime with a big, booming voice and swords and sh*t and he's going wreak f***ing havoc on you and your basketball program.
This is simply because of the incoming 2010 recruiting class. You know, the one that, according to Rivals and ESPN is the #1 recruiting class in the Big East hands-down. (6th in the nation according to ESPN) The one that includes SG Dion Waiters (26th overall), PF C.J. Fair (90th overall) and C Baye Moussa Kieta (4-star). Not only can all of them step in immediately and produce, all will be stepping into spots that will have just been vacated, thereby eliminating the normal lag between upper- and underclassmen position replacement. Not to mention that Triche and Jackson will still be there, along with James Sutherland who will be coming into his own. Seriously, apologies in advance.
Oh, and I didn't even mention that we're still in the running for the #1 2010 recruit in the nation Brandon Knight. We'll do our best to spread the wealth around but, no promises. Blame Mike Hopkins, I guess.
As for 2011, sure, we've got lots of time. Well, I mean YOU'VE got lots of time. We're busy recruiting the #1 2011 recruit LaQuinton Ross hard. And sorry to report, he's totally into us too.
Ross told NBE that he would likely visit the Orange this August and that SU is "mainly the one in the Big East I like."
So yeah, beat up on everyone now, guys. I highly suggest it. Georgetown, maybe you even want to get back into it this year. Cause lord knows this is your last chance for a while. Promise.
I'm reminded of the scene in Rudy where Sean Astin sits down with the priest at church to pray about getting into Notre Dame. To paraphrase the priest (played by all-time-great-That-Guy Robert Prosky)...Son, in 35 years of religious study, I have only come up with two hard incontrovertible facts: there is a God, and Jim Boeheim is him.