So, you may have heard, we're going to a bowl game. And we're going to play it in Yankee Stadium in New York City. The SU football team has done everything it can to make this season a success. Now it's DOC Gross' turn...
Is DOC Gross excited? You bet your ass DOC Gross is excited.
What was the Orange athletics director, fully beaming at the podium? He was The Happy Barker. That’s what he was as he discussed the event he was made to hawk. All that was missing was a sandwich sign.
"We get to spend a week down there with the New York media," Gross declared, "in, arguably, the greatest city in the world. And there we are for a whole week to take over the town and paint it orange."
So at the end of the day, after all the hoopla and chest-puffing dies down, is this really the best thing for SU football? Better than the Champ Sports Bowl? It probably is, honestly.
1. The storylines. Brent Axe breaks down all of them and there's so many to choose from, it's crazy (Marrone from NY, Syracuse in Yankee Stadium, NY's College Team, etc...)
2. Alumni base. Syracuse fans are not known for traveling to football games. But we pack the friggin' house in NYC. And we'll pack this house much the same way we've been doing at MSG for years.
3. The whole Yankee thing. As much as it pains me as a Mets fan, there's something about the Yankee Stadium mystique and aligning the program with the No. 1 sports franchise in the country. And don't think the Yankees won't keep reminding you of all of this the entire time. /threwupinmouth
4. Better chance to win. I know we're all worried about the geography and all that but let's face it. We've got a better chance of winning this game than we do the Champ Sports or Meineke Car Care. Getting here is good, winning and going out with eight wins is GREAT.
5. NYC's college team. Let's face it, if DOC Gross could change that branding to "New York City's College Team," he would. The "New York's College Team" campaign isn't trying to convince the people of Schenectady to get on board, it's directly almost solely at NYC. Say what you will of Rutgers' proximity or UConn's TV reach but for the next month, there will be no denying that SU is NYC's team. And hey, if the Big Ten/ACC is watching...
How's the ticket sales going? Syracuse purchased 10,000 tickets for the game. According to DOC, they're going fast and the comments in yesterday's announcement are a testament to that. And honestly, if we can't get 10K Syracuse fans into Yankee Stadium to watch Syracuse football play their first bowl game in five years, we should probably just disband the program.
- Notre Dame and Army believe Syracuse is headed for an amazing experience at Yankee Stadium...Donnie Webb
- Daryl Gross Talks SU Football in the Pinstripe Bowl (Podcast)...Brent Axe
- It looks like Syracuse-Kansas State III, but this time it should be an Orange home game...Dave Rahme
- SYRACUSE TO PLAY IN INAUGURAL PINSTRIPE BOWL DEC. 30...Daily Orange
- New Era Pinstripe Bowl: Syracuse Orange Accept Invite To Play At Yankee Stadium...SBNation NY
- Orange Looks Damn Good In Pinstripes...Otto's Army