‘Twas the Night Before Cusemas 2022

A holiday gift to all Syracuse Orange fans from all of us here at TNIAAM

The Night Before Cusemas

’Twas the night before Cusemas, when all through the Dome

Not a creature was stirring, the fans were all home

The jerseys were hung by the lockers with care,

In hopes that script uniforms soon would be there;

Otto’s Army were nestled all snug in their beds;

While visions of soccer kits danced in their heads;

The fans were happy for all of the lads;

That staff made sure their team was up to the task

When out on the Quad there arose such a clatter,

Otto sprang from their bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the concourse he flew like just like Nate

Tore open the curtains and peered out of the gate

The moon light on the breast of the new-fallen snow,

Gave a luster of orange to objects below

When what to Otto’s wondering eyes did appear,

But a miniature sleigh and eight Orange-clad reindeer,

With a lanky figure in the front yelling out loud

Otto knew in a moment Coach Mac emerged from that cloud

More rapid than a cross in the box his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

”Now Anferny, now Noah, now Jeorgio and Buster

On, Levonte on Abdi on, Lorenzo and Russell!

To the top of the nation! Wins will add up

We won the ACC then took the College Cup”

As leaves that before penalty kicks fly,

When they meet with a Hoosier goalie pass it right by;

So up to the new roof the coursers did flash

And then, in a twinkling, Otto felt a slight splash

The prancing and pawing caused moisture to seep

As Otto drew in his head, and was drying his cap

Down to the turf with a slide tackle came Coach Mac

He was dressed in his lucky sweater and Orange tie to boot,

But his Nikes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A collection of trophies he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes — how they twinkled! His smile, how merry

His cheeks were like oranges, his nose like a cherry!

His mouth was drawn up in a smile

And it spread across his face like it went on for a mile

The sound he made as he clapped his hand

Made shockwaves felt all across the land

He had a stern face and not much of a belly

That look when he smiled turned Otto’s legs into jelly.

Mac had a welcoming look he was a jolly good elf,

And Otto grinned when he saw him, before spinning themself;

The stare from Mac’s eye and a point to his head

Soon let Otto know it was time to push ahead

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up to the roof he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle

And away they all flew to South Campus quick as a missile

But Otto heard Mac exclaim, as he flew out of sight—

“Crackin’ Cusemas to all and to all a good night!”