TNIAAM Roundtable: Is The Syracuse vs. Georgetown Rivalry Still Strong?

So yeah, we're pretty excited about the face that the Syracuse Orange and Georgetown Hoyas are about to renew their rivalry. The TNIAAM Crew got together and decided to answer some thoughts on this renewal of the best rivalry in college basketball. (Oh just go away Tobacco Road.)

Note: I asked everyone to fill this all out on Tuesday and put it together Thursday morning, before, yeah...

Ok. Boeheim out. Hopkins in. Does this diminish or add to the rivalry?

Andy Pregler

I don't think it impacts the rivalry, but it definitely adds another interesting layer. Mike Hopkins, Boeheim's (basically son) heir, gets his first game against against John Thompson's son in the renewal of a rivalry. That's juicy in itself, and I think makes up for the fact that Boeheim, who has been with this rivalry since the beginning, won't be allowed on the bench.

James Szuba

I don't think this impacts the rivalry all that much as big John Thompson and Boeheim were the initial faces of that rivalry, but the NCAA definitely threw a curveball. Surprise! Suspension begins now. NCAA gonna NCAA.

Brian Tahmosh

Depends on what happens. If Georgetown wins, SU fans (and players) can blame the loss on the "distraction" and almost write this one off as not a real Georgetown loss. But if Syracuse wins, the Orange fans will rub it in the Hoyas' faces just a little bit more, which always helps fuel a rivalry.

John Cassillo

The lack of notice probably hurts our chances a little. But I don't think it impacts the rivalry itself, no.

Dan Lyons

It could go either way. If Hopkins comes in and beats Georgetown in a dramatic game, it could be a cool first moment for him as head coach. If things don't go well for SU, we'll probably all feel a bit cheated, fair or not.

Sean Keeley

I don't think it will impact the rivalry aspect. If anything, it adds an entirely new layer to the game. It sucks not to have Jim Boeheim in the mix but there's something about having two coaches who aren't Boeheim & Thompson II that will give us some perspective on how the rivalry will feel after Boeheim is really gone.

Scale of 1-10, how excited are you for this game?

Andy Pregler

10. First, it's my first true Syracuse Road Game experience (yes, even though Verizon will probably be at least 40-60 Syracuse) and because the last time I saw this game in person, Otto Porter ruined my day at the Dome. So not only is "the rivalry" coming back, but there's a ton of emotion for me personally as well as general excitement

James Szuba

About an 8. This game is overdue and it should be played every year. I'd be more excited if Georgetown was still ranked, but you know. What time is it?

Kevin Wall

10. It's Georgetown and honestly as someone who grew up on Big East hoops, I'm more excited about this game than any other on the SU schedule this season.

Steve Haller

9.5. It's a game that needs to be played consistently again. It's SU vs Georgetown. Come on. "The best team didn't win tonight..." "Manley Field House is officially closed..." "The Punch" "The Shot" This is the rivalry conferences were built on.

Andrew Carey

9. It's Syracuse vs. Georgetown, its just one of those rivalries that will always be competitive an special. You never know what is going to happen, from buzzer beaters, to fights, and thrown oranges, it makes for one of the craziest rivalries in College basketball. Couple all off that with a very exciting Syracuse team to watch and I'm pumped!

Brian Tahmosh

7. It's not the same. Not being in the same conference means it doesn't matter as much. Win or lose, conference standings won't be affected. Likewise, by the time the tournament rolls around, it will be a distant memory and will only somewhat affect selection and seeding. It means more than any non-conference game, for sure, but the ACC tilts matter a lot more for the season. I'm glad we're doing it, and I'm excited about it, but it's nowhere near what it was a few years ago.

John Cassillo

8? Would've been higher before we lost to Wisconsin (dumb). But still, it's Syracuse and Georgetown, and that's something worth celebrating. Things haven't been perfect for either party since we last met, but this game gives us an opportunity to establish the rivalry's narrative as we go forward. I also love hating the Hoyas, so just having the game puts this at a 7, as a baseline.

Dan Lyons

Probably like a 7. I'm incredibly excited and happy that we got this series back on track, but could we not have found a date that didn't run up against some of the biggest football games of the year? This is more a sports media problem than anything, but I'm sort of bitter that I can't make it to D.C. Also, the Wisconsin loss takes away a bit from things.

Sean Keeley

I'd say I'm a cautious 8. I admit that it takes me a little bit to really get into SU Basketball season as it is and I've had my head on Football Coach Search 2015. But this should get my focused. I'm looking forward to seeing those familiar ugly faces in D.C.

What's your favorite Syracuse-G'town moment?

Andy Pregler

I'll always remember Kris Joseph at the Dome in overtime draining the game winning three and then finger gunning the crowd. The Ottos ended up next to Lawrence Moten somehow and just everything about the moment cemented the rivalry as the definitive can't miss game for me in my fandom.

James Szuba

Speaking from a younger generation, it has to be when McNamara beat Georgetown in the Garden in '06. There was just a magic to that game and that tournament that was unparalleled. Others include McNamara's game-winning three at Georgetown and the 2013 Big East Tournament game. We defied odds in that game.

Kevin Wall

Dave Johnson's shot in the 1992 BE Final. It gave SU its 1st BE Title win over Georgetown in a year when expectations were low following Billy Owens' departure to the NBA. This was a small, scrappy Orange squad which took down Mourning's Hoyas and the image of Johnson rising up over Mourning lingers with many SU fans.

Steve Haller

The first of the "memorable ones" that I can remember is the McNabb game. Of the ones I was cognizant for (a lot of the history I was alive, but too young to remember), It's McNamara in the '06 BET. Part of the miracle run through that tournament, down by 15 at the half, single handedly putting that team on his back. Everything a memorable game against the Hoyas requires.

Andrew Carey

My first choice is in 2004, when Syracuse beat Georgetown in Washington D.C on a last second miraculous 3-pointer by Gerry McNamara. Then hearing the call by Mark Jones after say, "Gerry Mac drops one on G'town." That game was great and always seems to get lost among all the others. The close second for me was in 2013 when the Orange got the last laugh in the Big East Tournament in overtime.

Brian Tahmosh

I went to my first road Georgetown game in 2011 at the Verizon Center. Somehow my tickets ended up directly next to the Hoya student section on the upper level. We saw two Georgetown students get into a fist fight over SAT scores - TRUE STORY. They yelled at us for much of the game, and I just kept my mouth shut the entire time, waiting. Then when SU finally prevailed we "politely" asked them to leave OUR house. We sang the hey song and literally danced in the street blocking traffic with a sea of Orange.

John Cassillo

My first year at SU (2006-07), we beat the 12th-ranked Hoyas at the Carrier Dome by 14. We thought it was the win we needed to get off the NCAA Tournament bubble, so there was a lot of joy in rushing the court after the game. Slight add to that: Syracuse never lost a home game to Georgetown while I was there, which is a ridiculous point of pride for me.

Dan Lyons

I'm only 25, so I missed the meat of the rivalry, but man, I still pull up that C.J. Fair Big East Tournament dunk on Otto Porter. I was at a cousin's wedding rehearsal dinner watching on a cell phone under the table, and almost blew my cover.

Sean Keeley

For me it was when we stormed the court in the Dome after beating Georgetown in overtime in 1998. Yes I know that's sacrilege but it's one of the most fun memories I have from my time at SU. My friend rubbed Jim Boeheim's head, everyone celebrated on the court and we all left without making a mess or problem.

There will never be another Syracuse-Georgetown. Will holding these kinds of games yearly ensure the rivalry lives on?

Andy Pregler

I'm not 100% sure. Unlike every other college rivalry, this one was built on mutual respect, physical play, coaches and big moments. I'm not sure how much longer any of that will stay. I want this game to mean something to kids just coming to Cuse now and that means when Hop takes the reigns, some big game when he first squares off with GTown. Other than that, I'm worried this will just turn into the old folks yearning for the glory days.

James Szuba

Yes, but it won't be as meaningfull as it was in the past. Don't get wrong, this game should still be played, but there's less at stake. I hope these two teams play every year. It's good for college basketball.

Kevin Wall

Yes. There is so much history between these schools that an intense rivalry can continue even as non-conference foes. It's not just the coaches who carry on the passion of the rivalry, it's the former players, and the fans who keep the fire burning.

Steve Haller

It will definitely keep the rivalry alive. Nothing will be as heated as it was. Like Kevin mentions, there's too much history there to not despise all that is Hoya. It's no longer conference supremacy at stake, but it's still a very worthwhile game to play.

Andrew Carey

Yes, but as James points out it will never be the same again. The two schools do have a ton of history against each other, but Syracuse vs. Georgetown meant so much more when the Big East was in its prime.

Brian Tahmosh

No, I don't think so. It's nice to try, and hopefully I'm wrong. But the rivalry was already fading for some time. When I was at SU from 04-08, UConn was arguably our biggest rival, as Syracuse and Georgetown never seemed to be good at the same time. It had a nice revival near the end of the Big East, but there will now be generations of fans that lose the hatred over time. The stakes simply aren't as high as they used to be, and you'll need to explain to students going forward why they should care more about this game than Duke, UNC or other ACC foes. Playing every year would help slow the decline, but I think it's inevitable.

John Cassillo

No. I mean, it'll exist in the same sense that we'll dislike each other a bunch. But as the gap in resources grows between the Power 5 and other leagues, and our assimiliation into the ACC's traditions grows, the luster will start to come off this one. It's inevitable. It's not college football, where most inter-conference rivalries can still stand up as a key part of the schedule. And we don't have the proximity that Kentucky and Louisville do to keep theirs heated. I'll always hate the Hoyas. But one day, that'll be a hate only based in memories.

Dan Lyons

It won't be the same, but I hope we end up making this an annual thing. Playing Nova and St. John's is nice, but Georgetown is The Rivalry, and while leaving for the ACC was a total no-brainer, it would be nice to stick to our roots a bit in hoops.

Sean Keeley

Not the same way it used to because there's just something about the weight of a basketball game in February compared to one in December. That said, I do think there's something unique for SU fans that we can continue to have our historical rivalry season in December against G'town, St. John's, Villanova and UConn and then turn our eyes to ACC rivalries. There's something fun about that.

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So how about you guys? Will this rivalry live on for our little oranges? What's your favorite Cuse-Georgetown moment?