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The other day, college basketball folks were falling all over themselves to praise Michigan State for playing a road game at Bowling Green. As someone pointed out, Bowling Green is actually 100 miles closer to Lansing than NYC is to Syracuse. And yet...you all know what happens when we play at the Garden.
It's the same thing that will happen Saturday when the Syracuse Orange take on the Temple Owls in MSG. The game won't "count" because MSG and NYC are home's away from home for Syracuse. Unless, of course, we lose. Then it will magically count.
And, well, there is truth in that sentiment. And Syracuse isn't going to do anything to change that perception even as they leave the Big East behind.
Mike Waters spoke with DOCTOR Daryl Gross recently about SU's prospects of playing in the Big Apple without the Big East Tournament on the docket and DOC seems pretty adament that the Orange and the Apple will be intertwined for years to come.
On continuing to play at Madison Square Garden...
"No question about it. We’re going to play down there, probably annually. Madison Square Garden has a piece of our heart.’’
On continuing the St. John's series...
"We’re in really good talks with St. John’s right now,’’ Gross said. "That rivalry is something we want to keep going and (St. John’s athletic director) Chris (Monasch) wants to keep the rivalry going."
On continuing to play in tournaments like the NIT Tip-Off or Gotham Classic...
We’ll keep playing in tournaments that lead to New York City as well.’’
On the possibility of playing games in Brooklyn...
"The folks running the Barclays have reached out to us."
On the possibility of the ACC Tournament rotating to NYC...
"They have a base in North Carolina whether it be Greensboro or Charlotte, but they’ve rotated cities in the past. With us and Pitt coming in and folks thinking how wonderful this league will be from a basketball perspective, it’s obvious that they’d look at the New York City area as a potential rotational site.’’
On playing at MSG next season...
"It’s definitely in the high priority option phase,’’ he said. "I’d anticipate that we’ll be there next year.’’
In the past, Gross and Boeheim have been adamant about making sure the Duke and North Carolina home games remain in the Dome. But let's face it, you can't help but wonder if that's gonna hold. There's no two games that the folks at MSG or Barclays would want more.