We've tallied up the votes and the 2013 Syracuse Orange Blogger (S.O.B.) Awards have been decided. Let's honor the players, coaches, fans and moments from the 2012-2013 Syracuse Orange basketball season (and we'll honor our contracts as well).
Suffice to say that the 2012-13 basketball season had its ups and downs. Beating #1 ranked Louisville on their home court without James Southerland? High point. Dropping four of five to end the season, including two crushing losses to the Georgetown Hoyas? Low point. But which was the lowest?
For me it has to be the beat down that the Orange received during the season finale at the Verizon Center. Syracuse fans were looking for a modicum of revenge after Otto Porter led the Hoyas to victory in the Carrier Dome two weeks prior. It was not to be, though, as not only did the Hoyas beat the Orange to secure a share of the Big East regular season title, they outright embarrassed Syracuse, 61-39.
Personally, the loss itself isn't the worst moment. The worst moment was when I realized that Syracuse wasn't even going to breaks 40 point for the game. It was truly the lowest point of the season, making Syracuse's improbable Final Four run that much more special.
Andy Preger feels my pain...
The schelacking at Georgetown. I was in Arizona and didn't watch the second half I was so disgusted. It was supposed to "revenge" and ended up being arguably the worst loss in Boeheim's entire Syracuse career.
Sean and Jared cite conspicuous Tweets that ruined their days...
Seeing the tweet that first alerted me Syracuse was under investigation by the NCAA for "major" violations. Even though it doesn't seem as bad as was made out, it was the expected seasonal problem we were all hoping not to see.
Seeing the Syracuse University official Twitter account link to the DYST Now! article about Jim Boeheim retiring and NCAA violations. Things were bad then and I knew the firestorm to follow would not be fun to handle.
And, of course, the loss to Michigan in the national semifinal comes up. John blames Trevor Cooney...
Trevor Cooney throwing an errant ball in the vicinity of the backboard toward the end of the Michigan game. Just gut-wrenching to watch us lose like that.
Dan Lyons and The Invisible Swordsman, though, remember The Call Heard 'Round the Georgia Dome...
I'll go with Brandon in the Michigan game. Anyone who follows me on Twitter knows that I was pretty apoplectic about the call, not only because it was blown, but it was the singular event that made me pretty certain that our season was over. Even if Cooney makes a play at the end of the game or finds Southerland for the shot he was supposed to have, I don't think we outlast Michigan in overtime with just one guard, and that call is the reason we were in that situation.
Seeing the look on Brandon Triche's face as the Michigan game and his career were out of his hands and slipping away…heartbreaking
Presented with the information, it's been decided that the "award" for Worst Moment goes to the national semifinal loss to Michigan. Between Brandon Triche fouling out on a questionable call and subsequent play by Trevor Cooney (who really wasn't ready), this moment get the most votes from the TNIAAM staff.
Check out the rest of the 2013 S.O.B. Awards, categories and previous winners by clicking here or visiting the S.O.B. Award Hub.
Look for more S.O.B. winners today and through the week...