James Southerland's Appeal Next Week, Will Miss At Least Two More Games

The Post-Standard is reporting that Syracuse Orange sixth-man James Southerland will have the chance to appeal whatever it is that's keeping him indefinitely suspended sometime next week. That means that he will miss at least two more games for the Orange.

The source said Southerland's appeal will be in front of a Syracuse University panel; not NCAA officials.

The scheduling of the appeal for sometime next week means that Southerland will miss Syracuse's next two games. The Orange (18-2 overall, 6-1 Big East) plays at Pittsburgh on Saturday and then returns home to face Notre Dame on Monday at the Carrier Dome.

We know that there was an issue with Southerland and term papers that were allegedly done by a tutor, possibly among other things. There was also an earlier issue of improper benefits that was apparently taken care of.

Syracuse is 3-1 without Southerland but the effect of his absence is really starting to show on the squad. It will show even more now that DaJuan Coleman will miss four weeks with an injury, leaving SU with seven active scholarship players.

The gut feeling I and many other folks have had is that Southie's season is done. However, clearly the door is still open. Let's hope he's able to walk through it.

(And as for that other rumor you keep hearing about someone else on the team, I've heard nothing and all signs point to it being BS).