Year-in-Review: Our (Top 10) Favorite TNIAAM Staff Articles of 2015

As you're well aware, we're a big community of Syracuse fans here. And that community thrives and grows on the contributions of everybody at TNIAAM. With that in mind, Sean and I wanted to feature some of our favorite posts from the site's staff after a pretty eventful 2015.

These aren't ranked -- we couldn't decide which we liked most. So enjoy them all as a group (in chronological order), one more time before we turn the page on the calendar.

Our Favorite (Top 10) TNIAAM Staff Articles of 2015

Syracuse Basketball: Rakeem Christmas, Trevor Cooney Are Giving Fans A Reason To Care Again (Jared Smith)

Just as Syracuse hoops seemed to be at its depths, the team began to bounce back on the strengths of team leaders Rakeem Christmas and Trevor Cooney. Jared managed to capture the influx of weird feelings as we were waiting for the NCAA hammer (this was before the self-imposed stuff too), urging everyone to celebrate the interesting team we were watching in mid-January. Simpler times...

Is Rakeem Christmas Having the Greatest Season For a Syracuse Center Ever? (Brian Tahmosh)

Rakeem Christmas left Syracuse as one of the most beloved players in recent memory. Due to the bittersweet ending (the best player on a nowhere-bound squad), we spent a season clamoring for the silver lining on Rak's career. And perhaps no one on the site captured that better than Brian, who gave us a glimpse of just how special 2014-15 was for the Orange big man.

The Modern History of the Random, Out-of-Nowhere Performances vs. Syracuse Basketball (Jared Smith)

Perhaps we ask Jared to come back and rewrite this one, including St. John's Federico Mussini this time? Syracuse fandom is frustrating a lot of times, but perhaps none more so than these games when that out-of-nowhere kid just kills us from three. Every name in this post -- from Darrun Hilliard and Donte Grantham, to Davante Gardner, Kyle McAlarney and more -- will make your blood boil in some way shape or form. Sorry.

SU Hoops: Punish The Coach, Not The Team, Even In This Case (Matt McClusky)

When Syracuse punished itself in early February, things got pretty heated around the entire web as Orange foes eagerly attacked and the program's fans had no idea what to think. Many of opinions hit similar chords in one way or another, but Matt managed to put forth an interesting, simple solution to everyone's complaints. Little did we know a Jim Boeheim suspension would later be the crux of the NCAA's irrational, subjective punishment. But at the time, this sounded like a quality solution for a then-bubble team.

Despite Rankings & Success, Syracuse WBB Draws Conference-Low Attendance (Sean Farrell)

This wasn't the first or last time we discussed this, but it was perhaps the most poignant and lengthy time Syracuse fans' odd refusal to really support the women's basketball team was brought up here. Sean talked to players about the issue too, asking how on earth a successful program could fail to have all that many attending patrons at its games. We're still not sure of the answer, so we'll continue beating the drum. Support this team, please!

THE QUINDENION in "Game of Zones" - Episode 1 (The Invisible Swordsman)

Back in the Big East days, the Octonion was always a beloved feature of the site. Now in the ACC, Syracuse's mascot interactions had to evolve, and our own Invisible Swordsman was the man for the job. With Game of Thrones and an NCAA postseason ban as inspiration, we joined a merry collection of mascots in their quest for hoops supremacy. You're not busy at work this time of year. Go read it again.

Syracuse Employs Lowest Percentage of Female Head Coaches Among Major Schools (Michael Burke)

Though DOCTOR Gross's regime did eventually yield some incredible success for non-revenue sports and women's sports in general, the same can't be said for Syracuse's hiring practices in the process. Michael dug in and found out that not only did SU hire female coaches at a low rate, but it was actually the worst among major universities. In an offseason full of plenty of posts to pass the time between academic years, this was entirely the opposite of that.

Syracuse Basketball: The Case for Using Tyler Roberson at Center (Michael Burke)

The Orange have never been ones for "small ball," but with minimal depth or experience at center, Michael brought up the interesting concept of Syracuse doing exactly that for 2015-16. Some lauded it and others scoffed at it way back in August. But ends up there might have been some merit to the concept as the Orange continue to try and figure out what works best for its three-pointer happy offense.

Syracuse Football: What if SU Athletics Used Promotions More Effectively? (Brian Tahmosh)

"This is a dead horse." - you, maybe. But leading up to Syracuse's first home game of 2015, Brian didn't just complain about what the athletic department was doing wrong in terms of promotions. He handed them a pile of pre-planned ideas, ready to go at a moment's notice. These were simple, cost-efficient and (YES) could've gotten fans excited. These didn't happen, but maybe read up on them for consideration next year?

Syracuse Football: Scott Frost Chose UCF and Here's Why That's Good (Brandon Ross)

With one-time head coaching candidate favorite Scott Frost headed to a "Group of Five" school, this place was ready to implode. But just as always before Syracuse's big athletic decisions, we just needed a dose of reality. Brandon brought it right on time, reminding us why there might be greener grass elsewhere. We'll never know for sure, but at least for now, there's a good chance he was right and Dino Babers was the right answer all along.

***

This is far from EVERYTHING we loved throughout the year. And an article's lack of inclusion here doesn't mean we failed to appreciate the value it brought to another great year for TNIAAM. Quite the contrary. With a great staff churning out so many quality pieces of work, it was a laborious process to narrow this list. Hopefully it's an even more difficult (in a good way) task next year.

Thanks, everyone, for writing. And for reading too.