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Like many of you, win or lose I like to see how TNIAAM and our opponents’ blogs assess the weekend game, with a keen eye on how we view each other in its aftermath. The day after Syracuse’s solid 20-3 road victory over Maryland, I made the trip over to Testudo Times to see how the game was perceived. Inside the first paragraph, I saw something that I never expected to see regarding the writer’s opinion of our football team -- A team who just laid down their second straight strong performance (and third in four games), featuring a tough-as-nails defense who has allowed a single field goal two games.
- Was our defense credited with shutting down a struggling offense?
- Would our hard-nosed play be acknowledged?
- Would Jay Bromley’s incredibly charming and articulate postgame interview where he honestly appeared to have field reporter Jenn Hildreth blushing by the end be a clever footnote?
...you can't even properly put words to how putrid Maryland looked against what is a very, very bad Syracuse team.
Come again?
Look, I’m generally a pretty thick-skinned guy, but after that comment, I pretty much choked on my coffee in indignation and decided that I’ve had enough with the complete lack of any attempt by individuals who are trusted to have an educated opinion of Syracuse football to, you know, ACTUALLY HAVE an educated opinion. Sure, Syracuse is not setting college football on fire, but the narrative that we suck is tired and completely ignorant. And for those ignorant souls, I have a moniker for you… you are a DABO. In other words, you opine on Syracuse football but Don’t Actually Bother to base your opinion on reality.
Need to know if you are a DABO? Here’s a short guide:
* If you accurately point out that we are an average BCS conference team with vulnerabilities, you are not a DABO. You are what is commonly referred to as "right".
* If you make the prediction that an elite team with skill and size will overwhelm us, you are probably right… and you are not a DABO. We know where we stand Seminole fans.
However,
* If you are a lazy media type who projects Syracuse as a bottom of the pile ACC team in 2013, listing us as a "middle-of-the-pack" Big East team in 2012, (regardless of the fact that we were co-champions of the said conference), you are a DABO.
* If you refuse to believe we are a competent football team due largely to our geography, you are a DABO.
* If your current perception of Syracuse football is in any way based on the years 2005-2008, you are a DABO.
* If you point to a recent bad result as proof of our complete inferiority, without studying or acknowledging why we won the games surrounding it, you are a DABO.
* If you are an opposing blog writer who lists us as a "very, very bad" football team after we just punched your team in the mouth and completely dominated you for four quarters…you are a DABO.
* If your name is Dabo, that's rather unfortunate...oh, and you too are a DABO.
Rant over. Coach Shafer, anything you want to add? 
Well said Coach. Well said.