By Greg Palmer
800. Eight Hundred. 1100100000. DCCC.
It’s just a number. Or is it?
In numerology, 800 represents a higher degree of understanding or appreciation of our experiences from which we learn. Granted, I don’t believe one iota in this mumbo-jumbo, but how better to describe a man who has coached young men for over 34 years and molded those athletes into teams that have ALWAYS won more than they lost. In fact, all those different teams with all those different players have won a combined 74% of their games. Only someone who truly learns from their mistakes and improves upon their strengths could ever achieve what James Arthur Boeheim has with the Syracuse University Basketball program.
Not to sound like a palm reader, but 800 has numerous energetic vibrations, including prosperity, abundance, authority, leadership, self-motivation, and infinity.
PROSPERITY
We are 5th in total wins and 7th in win percentage. And that’s out of 347 Div I basketball programs in the country.
Amazingly, there have only been seven coaches in 110 years of SU basketball history. Those first six coaches combined for 952 wins over 75 years. And the next coach got 800 wins in 34 years and is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Is that prosperous enough for you?
ABUNDANCE
Three Big East Coach of the Year awards. Seven regular season Big East Championships. Five Big East Tournament Championships. Ten Sweet Sixteen appearances. Three National Championship games. One National Championship.
AUTHORITY
Chairman of the USA Basketball 2009-12 Men's Junior National Committee.
Former president and current board member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
Coach of the United States Men’s Basketball team in 1990 and 2006 FIBA World Championships games as well as the 2008 Olympics, in which we won the Gold.
LEADERSHIP
It’s fitting that Jim Boeheim got his 800th win in a Coaches vs. Cancer game. He is a leader in that organization and routinely raises hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for the American Cancer Society.
SELF-MOTIVATION
In 1976, when Roy Danforth left Syracuse University, the athletic department was ready to conduct a national search for a new coach. Jim Boeheim paid a visit to the Vice Chancellor and told him in no uncertain terms that HE, the lowly assistant with no head coaching experience, was THE man for the job. More than that, he told them he’d leave immediately for his next job if a coaching search was started. Nevermind that he didn’t have a next job at the time.
Out of all the words that can be used to describe Jim Boeheim, competitive is one that most would agree on.
INFINITY
Well, nothing in this world is infinite. But certainly there are things that stand the test of time. As talk inevitably turns to the NEXT milestone for Jim Boeheim, and discussions of a succession plan seem to percolate every year, it’s nice to know that a man who played for this university, learned to coach here, and then spent his entire head coaching career here will someday be replaced by a similar man, with a similar competitive fire.
Mike Hopkins has a tough act to follow. If he takes over in the next five years, and wins 22 games a year, he’ll need to coach until he’s nearly 80 years old to win 800 games.
Of course, Boeheim could hit 900 wins before Mike gets promoted, maybe even passing Bobby Knight. While that is certainly an amazing accomplishment, knowing Boeheim, it wouldn’t lessen the pain of that loss in 1987 one bit.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
The Best Keep Getting Better… God, I Hope So
By Greg Palmer
Every 10,000 years or so the planets align. Even Pluto. The next time it happens in 2012, the Inca’s believed the world would end. Let’s hope the almost equally rare phenomenon of Syracuse University losing an exhibition game doesn’t portend a similar cataclysm.
The Div-II Lemoyne Dolphins beat the Syracuse Orange, a top five D1 program in wins. Le Moyne, that OTHER college here in Syracuse, the one you could hit with a basketball from the Dome (if you used a howitzer), was, shall we say, a slight underdog. What’s next, OCC beating us in Lacrosse? There’s a good chance this is some end-of-days omen.
It was like getting beat in a game of HORSE by your much younger, much shorter brother. Beneath the overwhelming embarrassment is just a hint of pride that you’re brother just beat a giant.
Didn’t anyone send Le Moyne the memo? Exhibition games don’t count.
ex⋅hi⋅bi⋅tion [ek-suh-bish-uh n]
a public display, as of the skills of performers
Scoop Jardine was supposed to be the performer. Wesley Johnson or Andy Rautins. Those are performers. Who knew Le Moyne has some performers of their own?
The Dolphins played hard and played to win. The game was close through-out and unexpectedly exciting in the closing minutes. The sparse crowd didn’t even realize they could cheer at exhibition games until we were down by five with only a few minutes left. Hey wait, we can lose exhibition games? If you’re going to lose a game, you might as well lose one that doesn’t count.
If there’s a silver-lining here at all it’s that this young team just learned a valuable lesson. Come to win or be ready to lose.
In all seriousness, I am fairly certain that the woman in the courtside seats wearing an SU Snuggie brought the basketball gods’ wrath down upon us. Please don’t take offense Ms. Snuggie-fan, but there has to be SOME explanation for the calamity I witnessed last night. I have talked to my contacts in the Athletic Department and am doing my best to get Snuggies or any other blankets with sleeves that are being marketed on TV banned from the Dome.
Every 10,000 years or so the planets align. Even Pluto. The next time it happens in 2012, the Inca’s believed the world would end. Let’s hope the almost equally rare phenomenon of Syracuse University losing an exhibition game doesn’t portend a similar cataclysm.
The Div-II Lemoyne Dolphins beat the Syracuse Orange, a top five D1 program in wins. Le Moyne, that OTHER college here in Syracuse, the one you could hit with a basketball from the Dome (if you used a howitzer), was, shall we say, a slight underdog. What’s next, OCC beating us in Lacrosse? There’s a good chance this is some end-of-days omen.
It was like getting beat in a game of HORSE by your much younger, much shorter brother. Beneath the overwhelming embarrassment is just a hint of pride that you’re brother just beat a giant.
Didn’t anyone send Le Moyne the memo? Exhibition games don’t count.
ex⋅hi⋅bi⋅tion [ek-suh-bish-uh n]
a public display, as of the skills of performers
Scoop Jardine was supposed to be the performer. Wesley Johnson or Andy Rautins. Those are performers. Who knew Le Moyne has some performers of their own?
The Dolphins played hard and played to win. The game was close through-out and unexpectedly exciting in the closing minutes. The sparse crowd didn’t even realize they could cheer at exhibition games until we were down by five with only a few minutes left. Hey wait, we can lose exhibition games? If you’re going to lose a game, you might as well lose one that doesn’t count.
If there’s a silver-lining here at all it’s that this young team just learned a valuable lesson. Come to win or be ready to lose.
In all seriousness, I am fairly certain that the woman in the courtside seats wearing an SU Snuggie brought the basketball gods’ wrath down upon us. Please don’t take offense Ms. Snuggie-fan, but there has to be SOME explanation for the calamity I witnessed last night. I have talked to my contacts in the Athletic Department and am doing my best to get Snuggies or any other blankets with sleeves that are being marketed on TV banned from the Dome.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Halloween BOOOOOOOO-fest
By Greg Palmer
The team is driving the field against the #5 team in the country, against a defense that gives up very few touchdowns. The second string quarterback trots on to the field for his pre-designed offensive package. The crowd cheers. The play ends. The first string quarterback replaces him. The crowd boos… loudly. And so the “fans” alternate between booing and cheering their quarterbacks.
I’ve had this debate many times, with friends, with family members, with season ticket holders. Leaving the quarterback controversy out of it, is it ever okay to boo an amateur athlete? My answer has always been “no”. In my mind, there is no gray area. The people I’ve debated are smart, level-headed fans and they always have the same basic points…
- Booing is ubiquitous. It happens everywhere.
- Fans pay their hard earned money to sit on those silver benches. As long as they are not being abusive or vulgar, let them cheer, scream, or boo to their hearts’ content.
- Fans aren’t really booing the player(s), they are booing the coaches’ decisions to play those specific players or call those specific plays.
- Syracuse’s fan-base is comprised mostly of locals who have no real tie to the university, and as such the athletics program is for all intents and purposes considered a “pro” team.
Each point has merit and some inherit truth to it. But to me, they are simply justifications and excuses for juvenile, mean-spirited behavior. What else could you call booing a twenty-something year old kid doing his absolute best to represent his university?
Whether people anywhere else in the country are willing to boo their players and coaches doesn’t make it right, does it? Stupid is as stupid does, I guess.
The economy is tough. Entertainment dollars are few and far between. Deciding to spend money to watch a football game isn’t an easy decision for many people. But buying tickets doesn’t give you the right to be a poor sport or a poor role model for the kids that are watching the game beside you.
I don’t get the argument that fans aren’t really booing the players. Maybe it helps explain why adult fans and fellow students aren’t ashamed to boo their own team, though. Stand on the field and listen to thousands of fans boo and explain to me how you are supposed to interpret the intent of that booing. Do you take a poll?
The “pro” mentality seems to best explain why fans feel it’s okay to boo. College football is big time business. It involves millions of dollars. These kids are getting lots of scholarship money, so doesn’t that mean they are getting paid? But think about it this way… scholarships or no, would you boo the band? How about a college-production of Grease or students at an art exhibit? Is it simply because they are athletes that booing is considered acceptable?
Although the wins still haven’t come yet, we have ourselves a blue-collar, hard-nosed football team. A team that reflects the city it plays in. These kids are representatives of our community. No one is more frustrated with losing than these kids and coaches. I know the fans want this team to succeed. But no one deserves a successful football program. It has to be earned. If we want a first-class, winning program, perhaps we have to start trying to be a first-class, supportive fan base.
Anyone who calls themselves a fan of Syracuse football or even just college football would have a hard time arguing that the team is not giving their all, not trying their best, not playing with heart, not hustling, not using all of their god-given talent to try and win every game they play. What more could you ask? And why would you boo that kind of effort?
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Who You Calling Ugly?
By Greg Palmer
U... G… L… Y…
You ain’t got no alibi.
You ugly.
You ugly.
The Akron win, that is. At least that was my first reaction on Saturday. But after the worst four-year stretch in SU football history, a win is a win. Honestly, who are we to judge? Now that we understand how ephemeral success on the field can be, we need to learn to appreciate wins and look for the good amongst the bad and the ugly.
And there was good. Even great.
Consider the SU Marching Band getting a Family Weekend (aka Parents Weekend) ovation at half-time for their Michael Jackson tribute performance of “Thriller” complete with zombiefied-choreography and all. All they were missing was the single diamond studded glove. Some might consider it a stretch mentioning the band in a discussion about the good things about Saturday’s game, but those people didn’t see the tuba guys put down their instruments and strut their moves. Classic.
Consider Delone Carter’s career high performance of 170 yards and 3 touchdowns on 30 carries. All on a titanium hip. His 53 yard run was a thing of rare beauty in these parts and it wasn’t an untouched sweep around the end, it was a workhorse like effort that saw Delone break free in the secondary and get to the sideline, finally getting pushed out of bounds at the 8 yard line. But that run doesn’t define Mr. Carter. After that long break-away you’d expect a guy to get a breather. Not Delone. He stayed in the game and got the next two handoffs, until he rammed an Akron defender on the two yard line and crashed into the end zone for SU’s last touchdown.
Consider the defense holding Akron to zero yards rushing. Zero. As in, every time they carried the ball they averaged no gain. Zip. Nada. They only managed to get back to the line of scrimmage, which can basically be accomplished by tripping and falling forward. It was an impressive performance.
Sure it wasn’t pretty. But you don’t get style points in football. Only one win goes in the history books. The temptation to focus on the attractiveness of the win stems from an instinctive, though probably misguided belief that Arkon is a team we should beat and beat easily. And that’s not to disrespect Akron or their program. Some of you will ask how can a fan of a team that has lost so much in recent history believe they should beat anyone, let alone a team that beat us by two touchdowns only a year ago? It’s not based on logic, that’s for sure. It’s based on having experienced what this program can accomplish, on having witnessed some of the greatest moments in the program’s history, and on a firm hope that with hard work, we will get back to those glory days— a time when we had the luxury of calling a win anything less than what it is… a win.
And On a Personal Note
One of the loudest cheers of the day came when a young man proposed on the big screens during the Kiss Cam. She said yes while covering her face and nodding. Not only did he pull off the surprise but he did it at a game we won, which can only bode well for their future.
Saturday was my own anniversary-eve, as my wife Jodi and I were married twelve years ago on October 25th. If you look up the schedule from 1997, you’ll notice that it was a bye-week and you’ll probably realize that my wife let me pick the date. On our honeymoon, we went to a bar in Salem Massachusetts and watched SU demolish West Virginia in the Dome. And those are just two of the countless reasons I love her. SU sports don’t mean much to my wife, but she knows they are a part of me and what they mean to me and she doesn’t make me feel guilty for it. She enjoys the games at my side and I feel lucky to have her.
She wasn’t with me this Saturday like she usually is and I missed her. She was at home recovering from the flu and taking care of our four sick children. How the whole household got stricken and I escaped illness is a mystery.
The winter following our wedding we decided that we were going to travel with the Orange Pack (now known as the Orange Club) to the SU-Michigan game that was scheduled for September 1998. Shortly after paying for the trip and making accommodation plans, we find out Jodi was pregnant. She was due in August. Not knowing anything about having babies, we stuck to our plans. Twenty-eight days after giving birth to our first son, my wife joined me on a trip to Michigan. Our son stayed with his grandparents. It was a HARD weekend, being away from him. We just didn’t know it would be like that. You probably think we were crazy but we weren’t. We were just young and inexperienced and okay, slightly stupid.
Most of you probably remember the game. Donovan McNabb beat down Tom Brady and the Wolverines in the Big House. What you might not remember is that it was about 98 degrees that day. The pit-like structure that Michigan plays in offers absolutely no shade, at least not to the visitors’ side of the field. My wife, who was nursing, couldn’t stand the heat and neither could I. I looked like a Bedouin with a towel tucked into my baseball hat, but I couldn’t leave the field. I was witnessing one of the greatest games in SU history. My wife, on the other hand, needed shade. I sat with her in the grass under a tree outside the stadium concourse at halftime drinking the warm water that was being passed out to avoid mass-heatstrokes amongst the crowd.
When the 2nd half started up, I went back to our seats. My wife stayed outside where it was cooler. I found her later in the stadium emergency ward with two bags of ice, one for each breast. Apparently, heat and nursing and your baby being a couple states away are NOT a good combination. When I walked in, she smiled and then hit me as soon as I was close enough, informing me that she would NEVER let me forget this. I haven’t and never will. I owe my wife everything. She is my strength. She is my joy. I love her. Forever. And always. (Hey Jo, how’s that for a blog mention?)
U... G… L… Y…
You ain’t got no alibi.
You ugly.
You ugly.
The Akron win, that is. At least that was my first reaction on Saturday. But after the worst four-year stretch in SU football history, a win is a win. Honestly, who are we to judge? Now that we understand how ephemeral success on the field can be, we need to learn to appreciate wins and look for the good amongst the bad and the ugly.
And there was good. Even great.
Consider the SU Marching Band getting a Family Weekend (aka Parents Weekend) ovation at half-time for their Michael Jackson tribute performance of “Thriller” complete with zombiefied-choreography and all. All they were missing was the single diamond studded glove. Some might consider it a stretch mentioning the band in a discussion about the good things about Saturday’s game, but those people didn’t see the tuba guys put down their instruments and strut their moves. Classic.
Consider Delone Carter’s career high performance of 170 yards and 3 touchdowns on 30 carries. All on a titanium hip. His 53 yard run was a thing of rare beauty in these parts and it wasn’t an untouched sweep around the end, it was a workhorse like effort that saw Delone break free in the secondary and get to the sideline, finally getting pushed out of bounds at the 8 yard line. But that run doesn’t define Mr. Carter. After that long break-away you’d expect a guy to get a breather. Not Delone. He stayed in the game and got the next two handoffs, until he rammed an Akron defender on the two yard line and crashed into the end zone for SU’s last touchdown.
Consider the defense holding Akron to zero yards rushing. Zero. As in, every time they carried the ball they averaged no gain. Zip. Nada. They only managed to get back to the line of scrimmage, which can basically be accomplished by tripping and falling forward. It was an impressive performance.
Sure it wasn’t pretty. But you don’t get style points in football. Only one win goes in the history books. The temptation to focus on the attractiveness of the win stems from an instinctive, though probably misguided belief that Arkon is a team we should beat and beat easily. And that’s not to disrespect Akron or their program. Some of you will ask how can a fan of a team that has lost so much in recent history believe they should beat anyone, let alone a team that beat us by two touchdowns only a year ago? It’s not based on logic, that’s for sure. It’s based on having experienced what this program can accomplish, on having witnessed some of the greatest moments in the program’s history, and on a firm hope that with hard work, we will get back to those glory days— a time when we had the luxury of calling a win anything less than what it is… a win.
And On a Personal Note
One of the loudest cheers of the day came when a young man proposed on the big screens during the Kiss Cam. She said yes while covering her face and nodding. Not only did he pull off the surprise but he did it at a game we won, which can only bode well for their future.
Saturday was my own anniversary-eve, as my wife Jodi and I were married twelve years ago on October 25th. If you look up the schedule from 1997, you’ll notice that it was a bye-week and you’ll probably realize that my wife let me pick the date. On our honeymoon, we went to a bar in Salem Massachusetts and watched SU demolish West Virginia in the Dome. And those are just two of the countless reasons I love her. SU sports don’t mean much to my wife, but she knows they are a part of me and what they mean to me and she doesn’t make me feel guilty for it. She enjoys the games at my side and I feel lucky to have her.
She wasn’t with me this Saturday like she usually is and I missed her. She was at home recovering from the flu and taking care of our four sick children. How the whole household got stricken and I escaped illness is a mystery.
The winter following our wedding we decided that we were going to travel with the Orange Pack (now known as the Orange Club) to the SU-Michigan game that was scheduled for September 1998. Shortly after paying for the trip and making accommodation plans, we find out Jodi was pregnant. She was due in August. Not knowing anything about having babies, we stuck to our plans. Twenty-eight days after giving birth to our first son, my wife joined me on a trip to Michigan. Our son stayed with his grandparents. It was a HARD weekend, being away from him. We just didn’t know it would be like that. You probably think we were crazy but we weren’t. We were just young and inexperienced and okay, slightly stupid.
Most of you probably remember the game. Donovan McNabb beat down Tom Brady and the Wolverines in the Big House. What you might not remember is that it was about 98 degrees that day. The pit-like structure that Michigan plays in offers absolutely no shade, at least not to the visitors’ side of the field. My wife, who was nursing, couldn’t stand the heat and neither could I. I looked like a Bedouin with a towel tucked into my baseball hat, but I couldn’t leave the field. I was witnessing one of the greatest games in SU history. My wife, on the other hand, needed shade. I sat with her in the grass under a tree outside the stadium concourse at halftime drinking the warm water that was being passed out to avoid mass-heatstrokes amongst the crowd.
When the 2nd half started up, I went back to our seats. My wife stayed outside where it was cooler. I found her later in the stadium emergency ward with two bags of ice, one for each breast. Apparently, heat and nursing and your baby being a couple states away are NOT a good combination. When I walked in, she smiled and then hit me as soon as I was close enough, informing me that she would NEVER let me forget this. I haven’t and never will. I owe my wife everything. She is my strength. She is my joy. I love her. Forever. And always. (Hey Jo, how’s that for a blog mention?)
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Year three of Midnight Madness...
By Juli Boeheim
Year three of Midnight Madness… Cuse style…this time at The Dome!! I’m thrilled to see this event taking shape right here in Orange Country! It’s a thrill for the fans and something every player wants.
The bar was raised this year, not only by moving to the Dome, but finding outrageous ways to bring out players, coaches and staff. I loved the fire truck entrance for the women’s team, and the Harleys were perfect for the guys! Jim a policeman…a big stretch of the imagination and shocking to see as he managed to get himself out of the driver’s seat of the brand new cruiser he was allowed to drive. He was a good sport to wear the jacket, hat and aviators, of which he had raised above his glasses as he drove in. Thank goodness he remembered to pull those down before he got out! I always look to the team to see their expression when “Coach” is out of character. They were laughing and loving that scene as Officer Boeheim approached them to huddle. A classic moment for all of us – including our three kids!
I wonder what we’ll come up with for next year’s Midnight Madness. Whatever it is, Jim will be willing to participate with little to no grumbling! The players will be pumped for the chance to debut in a grand way. I’m hoping that we can keep raising the bar and filling the seats on this thing. It’s a treat for all – and free to the fans – a little thank you for all the support. We couldn’t do any of this without you!!!
GO CUSE!
Year three of Midnight Madness… Cuse style…this time at The Dome!! I’m thrilled to see this event taking shape right here in Orange Country! It’s a thrill for the fans and something every player wants.
The bar was raised this year, not only by moving to the Dome, but finding outrageous ways to bring out players, coaches and staff. I loved the fire truck entrance for the women’s team, and the Harleys were perfect for the guys! Jim a policeman…a big stretch of the imagination and shocking to see as he managed to get himself out of the driver’s seat of the brand new cruiser he was allowed to drive. He was a good sport to wear the jacket, hat and aviators, of which he had raised above his glasses as he drove in. Thank goodness he remembered to pull those down before he got out! I always look to the team to see their expression when “Coach” is out of character. They were laughing and loving that scene as Officer Boeheim approached them to huddle. A classic moment for all of us – including our three kids!
I wonder what we’ll come up with for next year’s Midnight Madness. Whatever it is, Jim will be willing to participate with little to no grumbling! The players will be pumped for the chance to debut in a grand way. I’m hoping that we can keep raising the bar and filling the seats on this thing. It’s a treat for all – and free to the fans – a little thank you for all the support. We couldn’t do any of this without you!!!
GO CUSE!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Interrupting Your Regularly Scheduled Broadcast: Midnight Madness
By Greg Palmer
Smack dab in the middle of football season, a basketball season broke out at Midnight Madness in the Dome last Friday.
It started at 8 pm.
“Does it go until Midnight?” my wife asked.
“No, it ends around 9:30,” I said, matter-of-factly.
“So why do they call it Midnight Madness?”
“Read my blog,” I said, wondering how many husband-wife conversations out there in Orangeland revolved around the misleading name.
Friday was the first day that college basketball teams were allowed to practice. Technically speaking, they could have started practice at 12:01 am on Friday. In the past, some programs have actually done just that. Hence, Midnight Madness. For those that have never been to one, imagine an event that is part 9th grade pep rally, part three ring circus, and part exhibition basketball practice.
SU’s Midnight Madness involved both the women’s and men’s basketball teams. The fans arrived early. Most of the 100 level seats were filled in well before eight. Otto, the cheerleaders, the dance team, and the Sour Citrus Society did their best to set the mood and get the fans revved up. Billy Owens was in attendance and waved to the fans when his presence was announced. Some sort of banquet was set up courtside for the high-rollers, most of whom occupied the cushioned chairs that encircle the court. Concessions were open, including beer, and sales seemed brisk. Tickets were free, but my son and I spent about twenty on drinks, nachos and some M&Ms (basically, pure carbs… might as well have ordered a bag of sugar). Not many programs in the country are able to make money off basketball practice. But then again, not many programs have won as many games, broken as many attendance records, or enjoyed as much success as Syracuse Basketball.
The lights dimmed and went near-dark to start the show, bringing back memories of our 2003 National Championship celebration. The Dome lights don’t just turn on or off at the flip of a switch… it’s more like a slow power-down and fade. Not as dramatic as a dark NBA arena, but it’s still pretty cool to see.
John Wallace was MC. Fans welcomed him with a little standing O as he told the crowd how he continues to bleed Orange and loves coming home to the best fans in the country.
The women’s team came out first riding a Syracuse Fire Department Ladder Truck. That’s right… a fire truck pulled right out of the tunnel and dropped the team off curtain side. Coach Q bounded onto the court wearing a fireman’s helmet. I’m not sure he’s actually tall enough to be a fireman, but there are no height requirements for women’s basketball coach. The guy shows great energy and enthusiasm and seems to be doing a good job making the women’s team competitive in one of the tougher conferences in the country (with two perennial top-10 teams, UConn and Rutgers).
After introductions by the PA guy, the team ran through brief drills then went right into an intra-squad scrimmage. But it’s more of a casual pick-up game in practice uni’s.
I think the trampoline guys came next. I mentioned three ringed circus, right? Flips and summersaults and other highflying antics by a couple Canadian (one of whom reminded me of a heavier-set Roman Polanski or perhaps OJ Simpson’s lawyer Barry Scheck) world-champion trampolinists (is that a word?).
Midnight Madness is a show. It’s entertainment. It’s definitely more for the fans and any visiting recruits than it is for actual basketball fundamentals.
Once the “halftime” entertainment was done, the lights went dim again. Police motorcycles zoomed up the tunnel, each one carrying an SU player or coach as passenger. First one, then another, and another, until the whole team was on the court. The strangest sight had to be Gerry Mac, wearing glasses, running on the court as a graduate assistant. Welcome home, Gerry.
And last but not least was our Hall of Fame coach in a police cruiser, lights flashing. I thought he’d be in the back seat, but when the car came to a stop, Coach Boeheim popped out of the driver’s seat wearing a policeman’s hat, jacket and sunglasses (over his prescription, signature spectacles). Coach was smiling ear to ear. The kind of smile he must have had when Juli said yes.
Coach huddled the team and they met briefly at half-court. I have no idea what he said. But if it were me giving the opening speech to this team, I think I’d mention that the “superstars” are gone. We need people to step up, be leaders, fill roles. And we need to play as a team if we want to get our 20-something wins and an NCAA bid.
Same as the women, the men ran through some warm-ups and then went right into a scrimmage, sans-defense.
A couple of observations from this completely meaningless full-court 5 on 5...
It’s slightly weird not seeing Johnny and Paul and E. I wish them all well in everything they do. They’ll be missed.
AO’s sporting a hawk, more Kanye then Clubber Lang. He looked mostly recovered from his knee problems and ran the floor well. He also seems to have gone on some kind of extreme survival diet, because he lost nearly half a basketball player in the off-season.
Scoop looks to be in fine shape, though his performance in the three-point contest made Wallace quip, “You know this is a shooting drill, right?” Jardine redeemed himself by sinking his last five shots. He’s also wearing #11 (Paul Harris’s former number), which just looked strange.
Andy looks ready to lead and looks to be in great shape.
Kris Joseph looked smooth and more confident.
Mooooooo… kie… well, we haven’t seen what this kid has yet. Hopefully, he’ll get his chance this season.
Mr. Jackson looks ready to build on the strides he made last year.
Wesley Johnson is an athlete. He’s long and he’s quick and I think he makes an instant impact this season.
And then the new guys…
I couldn’t believe it when I saw Sean Williams on the court again. I thought he transferred? He did. The kid I thought was Sean was Dashonte Riley. Kid is tall and lean and has wide shoulders. He’s going to be a large presence in the middle before he graduates.
James Southerland seems very athletic and ready to play. Looks like he’s got a good stroke beyond the arc, as well.
And then there’s Triche. This kid is a tough, old-school player. He’s a local and was greeted with loud applause. I think he’ll be a fan fav this year.
After the scrimmage came the 3-point contest and dunk contest. There’s a good chance that the shooting percentage in the 3-point contest was actually higher than the dunk contest. Tons of spectacular missed dunks. Not that we lit it up in the 3-point contest because I’m not sure anyone hit better than 30%. But it was still fun to watch and the players had fun as well.
John Wallace ended the show with “Thanks for coming and see you next week.” Next week! ?! That’s right. The season’s first exhibition game is October 25th, against the Stevie Thompson-coached Cal-State L.A.
My son and I filed out of the Dome and got back on the Manley shuttle bus. We got a seat at the front. A women sitting next to us turned to her husband and said, “I’m glad that didn’t go until midnight… I’m tired.” See, my wife and I weren’t alone.
Smack dab in the middle of football season, a basketball season broke out at Midnight Madness in the Dome last Friday.
It started at 8 pm.
“Does it go until Midnight?” my wife asked.
“No, it ends around 9:30,” I said, matter-of-factly.
“So why do they call it Midnight Madness?”
“Read my blog,” I said, wondering how many husband-wife conversations out there in Orangeland revolved around the misleading name.
Friday was the first day that college basketball teams were allowed to practice. Technically speaking, they could have started practice at 12:01 am on Friday. In the past, some programs have actually done just that. Hence, Midnight Madness. For those that have never been to one, imagine an event that is part 9th grade pep rally, part three ring circus, and part exhibition basketball practice.
SU’s Midnight Madness involved both the women’s and men’s basketball teams. The fans arrived early. Most of the 100 level seats were filled in well before eight. Otto, the cheerleaders, the dance team, and the Sour Citrus Society did their best to set the mood and get the fans revved up. Billy Owens was in attendance and waved to the fans when his presence was announced. Some sort of banquet was set up courtside for the high-rollers, most of whom occupied the cushioned chairs that encircle the court. Concessions were open, including beer, and sales seemed brisk. Tickets were free, but my son and I spent about twenty on drinks, nachos and some M&Ms (basically, pure carbs… might as well have ordered a bag of sugar). Not many programs in the country are able to make money off basketball practice. But then again, not many programs have won as many games, broken as many attendance records, or enjoyed as much success as Syracuse Basketball.
The lights dimmed and went near-dark to start the show, bringing back memories of our 2003 National Championship celebration. The Dome lights don’t just turn on or off at the flip of a switch… it’s more like a slow power-down and fade. Not as dramatic as a dark NBA arena, but it’s still pretty cool to see.
John Wallace was MC. Fans welcomed him with a little standing O as he told the crowd how he continues to bleed Orange and loves coming home to the best fans in the country.
The women’s team came out first riding a Syracuse Fire Department Ladder Truck. That’s right… a fire truck pulled right out of the tunnel and dropped the team off curtain side. Coach Q bounded onto the court wearing a fireman’s helmet. I’m not sure he’s actually tall enough to be a fireman, but there are no height requirements for women’s basketball coach. The guy shows great energy and enthusiasm and seems to be doing a good job making the women’s team competitive in one of the tougher conferences in the country (with two perennial top-10 teams, UConn and Rutgers).
After introductions by the PA guy, the team ran through brief drills then went right into an intra-squad scrimmage. But it’s more of a casual pick-up game in practice uni’s.
I think the trampoline guys came next. I mentioned three ringed circus, right? Flips and summersaults and other highflying antics by a couple Canadian (one of whom reminded me of a heavier-set Roman Polanski or perhaps OJ Simpson’s lawyer Barry Scheck) world-champion trampolinists (is that a word?).
Midnight Madness is a show. It’s entertainment. It’s definitely more for the fans and any visiting recruits than it is for actual basketball fundamentals.
Once the “halftime” entertainment was done, the lights went dim again. Police motorcycles zoomed up the tunnel, each one carrying an SU player or coach as passenger. First one, then another, and another, until the whole team was on the court. The strangest sight had to be Gerry Mac, wearing glasses, running on the court as a graduate assistant. Welcome home, Gerry.
And last but not least was our Hall of Fame coach in a police cruiser, lights flashing. I thought he’d be in the back seat, but when the car came to a stop, Coach Boeheim popped out of the driver’s seat wearing a policeman’s hat, jacket and sunglasses (over his prescription, signature spectacles). Coach was smiling ear to ear. The kind of smile he must have had when Juli said yes.
Coach huddled the team and they met briefly at half-court. I have no idea what he said. But if it were me giving the opening speech to this team, I think I’d mention that the “superstars” are gone. We need people to step up, be leaders, fill roles. And we need to play as a team if we want to get our 20-something wins and an NCAA bid.
Same as the women, the men ran through some warm-ups and then went right into a scrimmage, sans-defense.
A couple of observations from this completely meaningless full-court 5 on 5...
It’s slightly weird not seeing Johnny and Paul and E. I wish them all well in everything they do. They’ll be missed.
AO’s sporting a hawk, more Kanye then Clubber Lang. He looked mostly recovered from his knee problems and ran the floor well. He also seems to have gone on some kind of extreme survival diet, because he lost nearly half a basketball player in the off-season.
Scoop looks to be in fine shape, though his performance in the three-point contest made Wallace quip, “You know this is a shooting drill, right?” Jardine redeemed himself by sinking his last five shots. He’s also wearing #11 (Paul Harris’s former number), which just looked strange.
Andy looks ready to lead and looks to be in great shape.
Kris Joseph looked smooth and more confident.
Mooooooo… kie… well, we haven’t seen what this kid has yet. Hopefully, he’ll get his chance this season.
Mr. Jackson looks ready to build on the strides he made last year.
Wesley Johnson is an athlete. He’s long and he’s quick and I think he makes an instant impact this season.
And then the new guys…
I couldn’t believe it when I saw Sean Williams on the court again. I thought he transferred? He did. The kid I thought was Sean was Dashonte Riley. Kid is tall and lean and has wide shoulders. He’s going to be a large presence in the middle before he graduates.
James Southerland seems very athletic and ready to play. Looks like he’s got a good stroke beyond the arc, as well.
And then there’s Triche. This kid is a tough, old-school player. He’s a local and was greeted with loud applause. I think he’ll be a fan fav this year.
After the scrimmage came the 3-point contest and dunk contest. There’s a good chance that the shooting percentage in the 3-point contest was actually higher than the dunk contest. Tons of spectacular missed dunks. Not that we lit it up in the 3-point contest because I’m not sure anyone hit better than 30%. But it was still fun to watch and the players had fun as well.
John Wallace ended the show with “Thanks for coming and see you next week.” Next week! ?! That’s right. The season’s first exhibition game is October 25th, against the Stevie Thompson-coached Cal-State L.A.
My son and I filed out of the Dome and got back on the Manley shuttle bus. We got a seat at the front. A women sitting next to us turned to her husband and said, “I’m glad that didn’t go until midnight… I’m tired.” See, my wife and I weren’t alone.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
When the Future and the Past Are All That Matter
By Greg Palmer
Patience. After eight years of middling to inferior results on the football field, patience is one virtue running in short supply amongst the SU faithful. The boos said it all. Apparently, Doug Marrone’s short honeymoon is over. But I think the real frustration in the stands was the nightmarish deja-vu of being out-classed by a traditional opponent. Everything that could go wrong did—untimely penalties, dropped passes, a costly turnover, a missed extra point, the list goes on.
I’m not going to even attempt to look for the silver-linings in that dark, cold cloud that swept over the Dome last Saturday. Nothing will make that loss feel better, not for the players, nor the coaches, nor the fans. It was ugly. And if one more coach from the opposing team tells us that we are a “different Syracuse team” shortly after extending their ever-lengthening win streak against us, I’m going to puke. Please save the pity for programs that have never been there and never will.
All that said, we need to keep things in perspective and maintain realistic expectations.
Patience. There’s that word again. I know… it’s easier said than done.
West Virginia is a good program, stocked with exceptional talent and athletes. They have had a system in place since Rich Rodriguez came to Morgantown in 2001. They have won the Big East four times this decade alone, while we are at the tail end of arguably the worst period in 120 years of SU football. We have had numerous offensive coordinators and offensive line coaches in the last several seasons, and this year we are running entirely new defensive and offensive systems. Our quarterback, whether it is Paulus or Nassib, is a first year player. Our roster has been trimmed bare due many pre-season defections and coupled with mounting injuries, our depth is thin.
Despite my gag reflex every time another coach tells us they see a difference in this year’s team, well…. I see a difference in this year’s team. We are making progress. And that’s what was so disappointing with the loss to West Virginia. The progress simply was not evident. We looked like a different team than the one that played in the first five games, and not in a good way.
We need to keep in mind the stark realities of trying to rejuvenate a program that has lost its way. It is a process. First, you have to find the right coach. I believe we’ve done that. Second, he needs to bring in a talented, experienced staff. I believe he did that. Third, the players play the game, and so we need talent. We have some very good football players on this team, just not enough to compete with the top programs in our league or the country. Plenty of young talent has been getting experience this year, building for the future. We have verbal commitments from some very talented prospects. It takes time.
We were told the same thing four years ago, I know. Fool me once… but no one is trying to fool anyone. Everyone connected with the program wants to achieve success. Failure is simply not an option. The coaching staff and players are working hard to get things turned around, the right way. The university is spending the money required to support a successful program. The alumni and boosters are getting involved and raising money and spreading the word. The fans are coming to the games, having improved attendance significantly over last year. And more important than simply buying their tickets, the fans are being loud and doing their best to make the Dome a difficult place to play again. If everyone continues to do their part, we will be back. All we need is patience.
As we hope for a brighter future, it can be beneficial to reflect on the past. Syracuse has a great football tradition, one to be proud of. And as a fan, sometimes it’s all we have to hang our hat on. That tradition and history was on full-display this weekend as the football field was dedicated as “Ernie Davis Legends Field”. The University put on a heartfelt and fitting ceremony, with video addresses by Floyd Little and Vice President Biden, and speeches by Martin Luther King III, Ernie’s uncle Chuck Davis, and our own Jim Brown.
Most SU fans know Ernie’s story now, and so the significance of the field being named after him does not need to be explained. That wasn’t always true.
I like to write. I’ve written a couple screenplays, a handful of short stories, and have started a never-ending novel. Fifteen years ago, while I was in college, my father said to me, “Greg, you want an idea for a great movie?”
“Sure,” I said.
“You need to tell the story of Ernie Davis.”
At the time, I knew Davis as one of three famous 44’s. He must have been pretty good to be lumped in with Little and Brown. But beyond that, I didn’t know anything about him. And surprisingly, most SU fans I spoke with didn’t either. From that moment, I began collecting any story or article about Davis I could get my hands on.
I won’t rehash his story, because most of you have seen the movie, The Express (no, unfortunately, I’m not the screenwriter). You know about the national championship, the Heisman, and his tragic death at a young age. As my father said, it is a great story. A tragic story.
But sometimes, lost in the tragedy are the details of just how good of a football player Ernie was. That was never more evident than a recent internet message board discussion on a UConn fan website. The gist of the topic was whether Donald Brown, a very good running back in UConn’s short history, should have a statue on their campus “the way Ernie Davis does at Syracuse”. As people debated the topic, an interesting point was raised. Ernie only had a little over 700 yards in his Heisman year. Donald Brown had over 2,000 yards in his senior year. Could Ernie really be considered dominant? Of course, this whole argument ignores the fact that football has changed a lot in fifty years, but I digress. If we were to take away his meeting with Kennedy or his death at 23 years of age and all the rest of the “story”, was Ernie Davis a football player worth being celebrated? Not his off-the-field accomplishments or personality, both of which we cherish as a community, but the game-day results. Were they worth him being considered a legend?
To be completely honest, I wasn’t sure. I had never seen Ernie play and had only a cursory knowledge of the stats he accumulated while at Syracuse. So I did some research.
First the awards… two-time All-American, Heisman Trophy Winner, Cotton Bowl and Liberty Bowl MVP.
In three years at SU, Ernie averaged 6.6 yards per carry. A first down and more every two times he touched the ball.
He averaged 10.3 yards per catch in his college career. A first down every time they threw it to him. Most wide receivers would love a stat like that.
Every 12.4 times Ernie Davis touched the ball, he scored a touchdown, which he did 32 times while at SU. And let’s not forget he did it while playing both ways.
But this is a team game, so how did SU fare while Ernie played? 26 wins and only 5 losses in three years. The results speak for themselves.
Take away the “story”, and all you are left with is one of the Legends of 44.
Patience. After eight years of middling to inferior results on the football field, patience is one virtue running in short supply amongst the SU faithful. The boos said it all. Apparently, Doug Marrone’s short honeymoon is over. But I think the real frustration in the stands was the nightmarish deja-vu of being out-classed by a traditional opponent. Everything that could go wrong did—untimely penalties, dropped passes, a costly turnover, a missed extra point, the list goes on.
I’m not going to even attempt to look for the silver-linings in that dark, cold cloud that swept over the Dome last Saturday. Nothing will make that loss feel better, not for the players, nor the coaches, nor the fans. It was ugly. And if one more coach from the opposing team tells us that we are a “different Syracuse team” shortly after extending their ever-lengthening win streak against us, I’m going to puke. Please save the pity for programs that have never been there and never will.
All that said, we need to keep things in perspective and maintain realistic expectations.
Patience. There’s that word again. I know… it’s easier said than done.
West Virginia is a good program, stocked with exceptional talent and athletes. They have had a system in place since Rich Rodriguez came to Morgantown in 2001. They have won the Big East four times this decade alone, while we are at the tail end of arguably the worst period in 120 years of SU football. We have had numerous offensive coordinators and offensive line coaches in the last several seasons, and this year we are running entirely new defensive and offensive systems. Our quarterback, whether it is Paulus or Nassib, is a first year player. Our roster has been trimmed bare due many pre-season defections and coupled with mounting injuries, our depth is thin.
Despite my gag reflex every time another coach tells us they see a difference in this year’s team, well…. I see a difference in this year’s team. We are making progress. And that’s what was so disappointing with the loss to West Virginia. The progress simply was not evident. We looked like a different team than the one that played in the first five games, and not in a good way.
We need to keep in mind the stark realities of trying to rejuvenate a program that has lost its way. It is a process. First, you have to find the right coach. I believe we’ve done that. Second, he needs to bring in a talented, experienced staff. I believe he did that. Third, the players play the game, and so we need talent. We have some very good football players on this team, just not enough to compete with the top programs in our league or the country. Plenty of young talent has been getting experience this year, building for the future. We have verbal commitments from some very talented prospects. It takes time.
We were told the same thing four years ago, I know. Fool me once… but no one is trying to fool anyone. Everyone connected with the program wants to achieve success. Failure is simply not an option. The coaching staff and players are working hard to get things turned around, the right way. The university is spending the money required to support a successful program. The alumni and boosters are getting involved and raising money and spreading the word. The fans are coming to the games, having improved attendance significantly over last year. And more important than simply buying their tickets, the fans are being loud and doing their best to make the Dome a difficult place to play again. If everyone continues to do their part, we will be back. All we need is patience.
As we hope for a brighter future, it can be beneficial to reflect on the past. Syracuse has a great football tradition, one to be proud of. And as a fan, sometimes it’s all we have to hang our hat on. That tradition and history was on full-display this weekend as the football field was dedicated as “Ernie Davis Legends Field”. The University put on a heartfelt and fitting ceremony, with video addresses by Floyd Little and Vice President Biden, and speeches by Martin Luther King III, Ernie’s uncle Chuck Davis, and our own Jim Brown.
Most SU fans know Ernie’s story now, and so the significance of the field being named after him does not need to be explained. That wasn’t always true.
I like to write. I’ve written a couple screenplays, a handful of short stories, and have started a never-ending novel. Fifteen years ago, while I was in college, my father said to me, “Greg, you want an idea for a great movie?”
“Sure,” I said.
“You need to tell the story of Ernie Davis.”
At the time, I knew Davis as one of three famous 44’s. He must have been pretty good to be lumped in with Little and Brown. But beyond that, I didn’t know anything about him. And surprisingly, most SU fans I spoke with didn’t either. From that moment, I began collecting any story or article about Davis I could get my hands on.
I won’t rehash his story, because most of you have seen the movie, The Express (no, unfortunately, I’m not the screenwriter). You know about the national championship, the Heisman, and his tragic death at a young age. As my father said, it is a great story. A tragic story.
But sometimes, lost in the tragedy are the details of just how good of a football player Ernie was. That was never more evident than a recent internet message board discussion on a UConn fan website. The gist of the topic was whether Donald Brown, a very good running back in UConn’s short history, should have a statue on their campus “the way Ernie Davis does at Syracuse”. As people debated the topic, an interesting point was raised. Ernie only had a little over 700 yards in his Heisman year. Donald Brown had over 2,000 yards in his senior year. Could Ernie really be considered dominant? Of course, this whole argument ignores the fact that football has changed a lot in fifty years, but I digress. If we were to take away his meeting with Kennedy or his death at 23 years of age and all the rest of the “story”, was Ernie Davis a football player worth being celebrated? Not his off-the-field accomplishments or personality, both of which we cherish as a community, but the game-day results. Were they worth him being considered a legend?
To be completely honest, I wasn’t sure. I had never seen Ernie play and had only a cursory knowledge of the stats he accumulated while at Syracuse. So I did some research.
First the awards… two-time All-American, Heisman Trophy Winner, Cotton Bowl and Liberty Bowl MVP.
In three years at SU, Ernie averaged 6.6 yards per carry. A first down and more every two times he touched the ball.
He averaged 10.3 yards per catch in his college career. A first down every time they threw it to him. Most wide receivers would love a stat like that.
Every 12.4 times Ernie Davis touched the ball, he scored a touchdown, which he did 32 times while at SU. And let’s not forget he did it while playing both ways.
But this is a team game, so how did SU fare while Ernie played? 26 wins and only 5 losses in three years. The results speak for themselves.
Take away the “story”, and all you are left with is one of the Legends of 44.
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