Remember that rumor that the Syracuse Orange were going to play the Missouri Tigers on the road as part of the SEC/Big East Challenge? Well, only one part of that rumor turned out to be true...the road part.

The Orange will actually be traveling to Fayetteville, Arkansas to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks on Nov. 30 at Bud Walton Arena

Syracuse will play at Arkansas on Fri., Nov. 30 in the SEC/Big East Invitational. Times and networks TBA. MW

— Syracuse Basketball (@PSBasketball) June 1, 2012

It's been a long time since that 1994 National Title for Arkansas. The Hogs are coming off an 18-14 season, which included losses to fellow SU opponents UConn and Florida.

Still, it's a "true" road game for the Orange and what it lacks in marquee attraction it makes up for in newness and intrigue. And maybe some of them will be pissed off about the Quinta Funderburk thing.

Between this and the San Diego St. game, I don't want to hear any whining about our non-con schedule this year.

Syracuse is 0-1 all-time against Arkansas, a 96-94 heartbreaker in the 1995 NCAA Tournament famously remembered as the Lawrence Moten Brainfart Game.

The Razorbacks uncharacteristically blew a 12-point second-half lead, then in the final minute threw away what might have been the game's last possession. Only a monumental brain cramp by Syracuse's star player, Lawrence Moten -- calling a timeout Syracuse didn't have -- allowed Arkansas to dig a fingernail into the precipice.

Moments later, the PA announcer corrected himself about UCLA-Missouri, Arkansas pulled itself up to force overtime and score on all seven of its OT possessions to win 96-94, and the tourney bracket stood.

Let's do this for Lawrence, you guys.

Do you like baseball? Well, as a Syracuse Orange alum, you're SOL on watching your Orange playing in the College World Series anytime soon. In the meantime, you'll just have to settle for the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies.

Syracuse University Day II at Yankee Stadium is approaching and tickets are still available. Fans of New York's College Team can watch New York's Top Baseball Team in one of New York's Baseball Stadiums in New York on Saturday, June 30 when the Yankees take on the Chicago White Sox.

The event includes a pre-game cookout, bus transportation from Syracuse University and the chance to see SU alumnus Tom Coughlin throw out the opening pitch.

Meanwhile, Syracuse fans in Philadelphia are planning a little baseball outing of their own. The SU Alumni Club of Philadelphia is welcoming home the Class of 2012 for a Thursday, June 21 game between the Phillies and Colorado Rockies.

Pre-game festivities will take place on the McFadden's Ballpark Restaurant & Saloon patio (located at the ballpark – www.mcfaddensballpark.com) and will begin at 5:00 PM. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM. FREE food and soft drinks—courtesy of SUPAC—will be served on the McFadden’s patio until game time.

Get more info on the event page.

Meanwhile, the Mets keep waiting for someone...anyone...to come spend the day with them.

I wasn't planning to do any kind of follow up to the "What Should The Syracuse 30 For 30 Episode" thought-starter but I got so many interesting responses I wanted to highlight some of them.

It's a good reminder of all the quality stories buried just underneath the surface in the history of Syracuse Athletics. It's also proof that if DOC Gross ever starts New York's College Network, he'll have no problem filling space with quality documentary material.

philatsun

The 1950 lax team with Brown, Simmons, Jr. and Oren Lyons
Oren Lyons in his own right
SU lax and the Onondaga Nation—a real life Crooked Arrow
Simmons Sr. and Jr.—football, lacrosse and boxing!

Lots of Pulp

Dave Bing and Jim Boeheim becoming most accomplished backcourt after their playing days

What if I told you an NBA Hall of Famer would go on to achieve his greatest success off the court, and his nerdy-looking teammate would have an even greater legacy on the court?

Mike Smeltz

The Greatness of the Gait Brothers, and the championship taken away from Cuse Lacrosse

Continue reading this post »

And so, here we are. Four cakes. Four winners of their respective brackets. Only one true cake champion.

The Great American 'Cuse Cake-Off ends here. Let's meet the Final Four.

"Cupcakes, Cookies & Pies" Bracket Winner: Vicki's Cupcake Cake:

Non-Otto Cake Bracket Winner: Renegade Pumpkin's Live Ridiculously Cake:

Non-Pro Otto Cake Winner: James' Otto Cake:

Pro Otto Cake Bracket Winner: M. Weizman's Otto Cake:

Now it's time to pick a winner. The winning entry will receive Joe Glisson's new book, "No Place Like Dome!! As for the others, well, I hope they enjoyed their cake. Vote now, polls close Midnight tonight!

This post is sponsored by, well, me.

I had a lot of fun teaching my three online blogging classes last week. We had a bunch of folks taking Intro To Blogging for beginners, Blogging 2.0 for next-steppers and Sports Blogging 101 for those interested in writing about sports. Some folks took all three classes while others picked the one perfect for them. I hope everyone got something out of the classes and I look forward to checking out their blogs as they grow.

Now that the classes have been completed, that means the video recordings and slides are available for anyone who might have missed the classes. Anytime you want, you can view the video of each of the three blogging classes and read-along with the slides to get all the information you could possibly need to get your blog started or keep your blog growing.

Intro To Blogging - This class is for anyone who has ever wanted to start a blog but didn't know where to begin as well as the blogger who signed up for Wordpress, wrote their first post and then realized they didn't know where to go from there. The two-hour online course will hold your hand as we go over the basics of blogging (how to start a blog, how to name it, what to write about, tips for building traffic). Everything you need to get off the ground and get blogging.

Blogging 2.0 - Not only will this class build on what's discussed in the Intro class, but it will also provide critical info for those who want to really expand their community, their traffic, their search engine optimization and make a little money while doing it. If you've already gotten a blog off the ground but need help taking it to the next level, this class should be extremely helpful for you.

Sports Blogging 101 - As a sports blogger, I know that there are certainly rules, topics and tricks that apply only to us. Building a sports community is unlike anything else on the web and this class will be all about how a sports blog goes from a voice in the crowd to leading the discussion. If you're just starting a sports blog or want to learn some tips and tricks to make your current one even more popular, this is for you. If you're interested in signing up for any or all of the classes, you can do so below.

Each class is $50 and that's good for the class video and slides. Upon payment, you'll receive an email confirmation from me that includes a link to the webinar page where the classes will take place as well as an attachment with a PDF of the class slides, which you can keep. The video link will never go away either so save the classes to watch later on as well.

Class Options

Intro To Blogging$50.00 USD Blogging 2.0$50.00 USD Sports Blogging 101$50.00 USD Two Classes (Specify On Payment)$100.00 USD All Three Classes$150.00 USD

Click here to get more information on the classes as well as more background on me.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Syracuse's Dion Waiters Projected To Dallas Mavericks - SB Nation New York
In Yahoo! Sports latest 2012 NBA Mock Draft, draft expert Jonathan Givony projects that Syracuse guard Dion Waiters will be selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the 17th pick.

NBA Mock Draft: Before Lottery, Dion Waiters Projected For Wolves - SB Nation Minnesota
According to the experts over at Draft Express, that pick will be another wing player from the Syracuse Orange basketball team as Dion Waiters is currently slotted with Minnesota. DX's most recent write-up on the 6-foot-4 guard is pretty promising.

Sporting News NBA mock draft: Where will Syracuse's Dion Waiters, Fab Melo be picked? (Sean Deveney) | syracuse.com
17. Dallas Mavericks. Dion Waiters, PG/SG, Syracuse. Waiters was a top sixth man for the Orange, and probably could have posted better numbers on a team without so much backcourt depth. But he is expected to impress in workouts and should work his way into the middle of the first round.

5 Quick Hits After The NBA Draft Lottery; Biggest Winner (New Orleans Hornets), Biggest Loser (Brooklyn Nets) And More... | Jon Rothstein " CBS New York
I’ve made no secrets about the fact that Syracuse’s Dion Waiters was the elite guard in college basketball last season and now it looks like the talented combo guard is starting to rise up the big board. Waiters has reportedly been terrific in pre draft workouts and is quickly climbing into the lottery. Look for the broad shouldered Waiters to continue to raise his status as we get closer and closer to June 28th.

No. 12 Gerry McNamara — Top 15 All Time Syracuse Basketball Players | The Juice Online
McNamara left Syracuse as one of its most beloved players, as droves of fans drove up from Scanton, Pa., for each of his games at the Carrier Dome.

Syracuse University Athletics - Orange Competing At USA High Performance
Three current Syracuse field hockey players and one alumna will be competing at USA Field Hockey’s High Performance National Championship in College Park, Md. on June 1-8. Rising sophomores Lauren Brooks, Stephanie Hussey and Jordan Page will join former SU All-American Shannon Taylor on the North squad.

Syracuse Track & Field: The Orange are Going to Nationals! | Bleeding Orange
The big story, of course, is Jarret Eaton. Eaton won the national indoor championship in the 60m hurdles, and just came away with the Big East title in the 110m event after running a school-record time of 13.44. To be clear, that’s 110m in under 14 seconds, while leaping over four-foot high barriers. Eaton has the fifth fastest time in the nation this year and has a real shot to add another national title to his resume.

Syracuse University Athletics - Orange Ranked #2 in Final Coaches Poll
Syracuse finished second in the final Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches (IWLCA) poll after advancing to the national championship game for the first time in school history. It marks the Orange’s highest ranking in the final poll since the program began in 1998. Prior to this season, Syracuse’s best finish in the final rankings was No. 4, which it did in 2008 and 2010.

The most intense Jim Boeheim biography video you'll ever see.

With the post-Ryan Nassib world rapidly approaching, the Syracuse Orange football team is going to be in the market for a new starting quarterback next year. When they get there, they won't have a lack of options.

Syracuse got a 2013 commitment from yet another quarterback today, this one all the way from Texas.

Zach Allen, a 6-foot-2, 186-pounder from Temple, Texas, gave SU coaches the word he would play for the Orange on Wednesday. Allen is the second quarterback to commit to the Orange, joining Pennsylvania product Austin Wilson who announced that he'd play for SU last week.

Wilson's recruiting struck us as curious since he was more a pocket passer coming into an offense that's apparently going to require a dual threat attack. Allen, meanwhile, fits that dual attack mold perfectly.

The 2013 QBs will join John Kinder, Terrel Hunt and Ashton Broyld in the fold. Likely one of those three will be the next starting quarterback for the Orange but these two will battle it out for the years to come.

Allen has offers on the table from Minnesota, New Mexico, Eastern Illinois, Texas State, Texas-San Antonio and North Texas as well as the Orange. He also apparently had interest from Baylor, Oklahoma State and Houston. You can thank Nate Hackett for putting in the work to get Allen commit with SU,

"There’s a lot of reasons I picked Syracuse University," Allen said about the school in western New York. "Coach Hackett (offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Nathaniel Hackett) did a great job throughout the whole process and stayed on me."

Scout has Allen as a two-star QB while Rivals hasn't rated him. The QB threw for 1,753 yards and 11 touchdowns last season while rushing for 766 yards and nine TDs.

I know this isn't exactly timely but ever since I saw it over on the West Virginia blog, I've been wondering about it.

With the news that Bill Simmons and ESPN will be producing a brand new round of 30 For 30 documentaries, with the caveat that the story had to take place in the 30 years that ESPN existed now gone, one wonders what story from the Syracuse Orange history could make a compelling episode?

All due respect to Ernie Davis and Jim Brown but I feel like their stories have been told enough, and will continue to be told by many more.

The Bernie Fine scandal still feels too fresh and the final chapter has yet to be written.

Looking back for really meaty stories in Syracuse's history, I keep coming to one in particular: The story of The Syracuse 8. It's a story that's known by many in the community but not all of us. I hadn't even been made aware about it until I started researching my book. The Syracuse 8, who were actually nine players on the SU football team, boycotted the 1970 season in protest of coach Ben Schwartzwalder and their desire for better medical care for injured players and stronger support for African American student-athletes as well as at least one African-American coach on the staff.

On one hand you've got an almost unimpeachable coach, Ben Schwartzwalder, who has a exemplary record of letting African-American players perform and excel. And on the other hand you've got the changing times, social structure and the maturation of the African-American athlete in modern America. It's a compelling story and one worth dissection on a national stage.

Continue reading this post »

The Syracuse Orange lacrosse season is over for both the men's and women's programs but there's still a way to combine Syracuse and lacrosse this summer. Syracuse legend Jim Brown, arguably the greatest lacrosse player of all time, is a minority partner in a group that just purchased the MLL's Long Island Lizards on Wednesday.

Jim Brown added, "Not everyone knows this, but lacrosse has always been my favorite sport along with football. I started playing at Manhasset High School, not too far from the Lizards' home field at Hofstra in Hempstead.

"I was an All American lacrosse player at Syracuse and our team went undefeated in my senior year. This sport is ready to explode and I am proud to be a part of it. I am passionate about the Lizards and plan to be at our next home game at Hofstra on Long Island, June 1st, one hour before the 7 p.m. game time, to meet the fans. It will be a bit of a homecoming for me and I am excited beyond words."

Brown will be at the Lizard's home game on Friday.

Former Orange Chris Daniello and Steve Panarelli are on the team, which is 1-2 on the season so far. The Lizards are one of the original teams in the MLL, winning the league championship in 2001 and 2003. They lost in the 2010 finals to their rival, the Chesapeake Bayhawks.

Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim keeps working for cancer breakthrough | syracuse.com
"We’ve been in this battle for 14 years now with fund-raising and research and providing patient care, and every year you’re thinking ‘OK, are we going to come up with something?’ Boeheim said recently. "Even though there have been advances, we haven’t come up with something that’s going to be an answer yet. So you’re always looking for that answer."

'Cuse Classics: Miracle finish breathes life back into Syracuse football season (Poliquin, 1998) | syracuse.com
When it finally did come down, when it finally did descend after a flight of some 35 yards as time ran out on Saturday night, it fell into the arms of Stephen Brominski. And because it did, because McNabb had again effected a miracle, the Syracuse University Orangemen escaped the madness of the Carrier Dome with a 28-26 victory over Virginia Tech.

Waiters Skyrockets: NBA GM Believes Only Superstars in Draft are Davis & Dion : Orange Fizz
"A number of NBA scouts who I really respect have been telling me for more than a month that the real sleeper in this draft is [Waiters]. One GM went even further. ‘There are really only two potential superstars in this draft. One is a sure thing – freshman Anthony Davis. The other one is Waiters. He can be an electric scorer in the NBA. There’s some Dwyane Wade in him.’"

Breaking Down The Big East: Pittsburgh - Inside the Loud House - A Syracuse Orange Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.
Pittsburgh is the first conference game for the Orange this fall, with the two teams meeting up in the Dome on October 5th.

USC — 2012 Syracuse Football preview | The Juice Online
Syracuse will play USC at MetLife Stadium on Saturday, September 8 in New York’s College Classsic. In preparation for the game, we spoke with Anthony Nelson from The Trojan Empire to get a scouting report on USC.

Former Stanford PF Owens one of 12 to work out for W's Monday
The first workout included Michigan State’s Draymond Green, Xavier’s Tu Holloway, Syracuse’s Kris Joseph, Iona’s Scott Machado, Texas A&M’s Khris Middleton and Vanderbilt’s Jeff Taylor.

Blazers take look at centers in workout | The Columbian
Among the others in Tualatin Tuesday were Old Dominion guard Kent Bazemore, Syracuse forward Kris Joseph, and Long Beach State point guard Casper Ware.

Nation Of Orange - Catching Up With 2013 LB/DE Nick Internicola
Nick Internicola is a versatile prospect in the class of 2013 who can play either outside linebacker or defensive end. At 6'3" 210lbs, Internicola is yet another prospect out of Florida the Orange staff has on their radar. We caught up with Nick recently to discuss his game, recruitment, and interest level in Syracuse.

WGY Inks New 5-Year Deal As Albany Affiliate For Syracuse U. Sports | AllAccess.com
Talk WGY-A-F/ALBANY-SCHENECTADY-TROY has signed up to continue for another five years as the CAPITAL REGION affiliate for IMG COLLEGE coverage of SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY football and men's basketball. Some games will air on sister Sports WOFX-A (FOX SPORTS 980), which will also broadcast the school's coaches' shows. WGY has been the local affiliate for ORANGE games since 2001.

The art of nonconference scheduling -- men's college basketball - ESPN
"The game that helped us a lot last year was Syracuse, even in a loss, because we played it relatively close,'' Herrion said. "That was a huge game for us in helping us get a good RPI even in a loss. I think the key is also playing the teams from the non-BCS leagues who are good, like playing Belmont twice and Akron and Ohio. Those games will help you win or lose.''

Kyle McIntosh highlights? Why the hell not!

Last week Doug Marrone stopped by Quick Bites with Mike Quick and Jimmy Cavallo on MSG Varsity and showed off his singing voice and acting chops. Could he top himself with the second part of that appearance?

On cooking:

"I'm the cook in my family. Lotta garlic. And you gotta slice it with a razor so it just melts in there. You don't want the chunks."

On recruiting New Jersey:

"We're doing a better job in New Jersey, for a lot of reasons. I think that, you know, Coach Schiano did such a good job there. And obviously there's a transition going on. They've kept it in-house. But it still leaves a little bit of an opportunity to get in there. And plus...same coaches, same area, just keep building that relationship."

On how the move to the ACC has helped in recruiting:

"The move to the ACC has helped us. It's opened up a little bit more areas down south where, I'm not gonna come out and say they're better players down there, but there's more players down there. And what's helped us is that we have direct flights that go to Charlotte. That go to Atlanta. And my background, having coached at Georgia Tech and Georgia, and then Greg Adkins, our recruiting coordinator, was at Georgia...we have a lot of coaches down there. So this year we're speaking at the coaches clinic down there, the GACA, which is a big deal. You know, we were able to get three kids this year. And Syracuse, when you look at the history, has always had one or two kids from Georgia that have all played and done well. So, I think that's helped us in the area, especially in the ACC now, you know, you can come to Syracuse in a 250 mile radius and I guarantee you're gonna see eight or nine games a year."

Continue reading this post »

Dion Waiters is blogging again over at DimeMag.com. Dion, wow me with an opening that hooks me from the get-go and leaves me no choice but keep reading...

I’ve just been working out this week. Nothing really different this week, just the same routine. Same thing.

Ah.

My number one favorite food to eat is spaghetti. Like I told you guys before, I put sugar on there too. I like it all mixed together – the sauce, the noodles, the meats.

I smell an endorsement deal. "This is Dion Waiters for Ragu Spaghetti Sauce. I just love it all. The Sauce! The Noodles! The Meats! Ragu Pasta Sauce...stay humble and hungry, kids!"

By the way, if there was any lingering doubt as to whether or not Dion was Italian, his usage of "sauce" and "noodles" confirms that it is in fact a "no."

Continue reading this post »

Let's keep on getting to know the Orange we are here to Get To Know. Adonis, you're up...

Name: Adonis Ameen-Moore

Year: Sophomore

Height: 5'10''

Weight: 244 pounds

Hometown: Denver, Colorado

High School: Mullen High

2011 Stats: AAM got action in four games last season. He made his SU debut against Tulane, nabbing 14 yards on four carries. The West Virginia game was his career-high in carries (five) and yards (19). He basically saw action in short-yardage situations and, given his girth, expect that to continue this season. His season ended early due to surgery.

2012 Projections: Tough to say. Given his size, you'd think AAM will see significant time as a short-yardage specialist and red zone runner. However, we'll have to see it to believe it. He's spent the entire spring on the injury list and he's looking at a depth chart that includes Prince-Tyson Gulley, Jerome Smith, Ashton Broyld and Steve Rene...and that's not including the fullbacks and incoming freshmen.

How'd He Get Here: The 2009 and 2010 Denver Post Player of the Year received offers from Utah, Colorado, Colorado State, and Northwestern as well as the Orange. Credit Tyrone Wheatley and Nate Hackett for making the big man trek all the way across the country. Also, give a shoutout to former Syracuse QB Jonny Miller, a teammate of Moore's in high school.

Scouts/Rivals Said: Three stars. How in the world did we get a three-star guy to cross the nation again?

Money Quote: "I’m a physical dude," Ameen-Moore said. "I think I have pretty good vision. I like to use my feet. It allows me to get into a defender first before he tries to contact me. I’m most definitely a downhill runner."

Continue reading this post »

The Great American 'Cuse Cake-Off rolls on as we complete our Final Four. Vicki won the "Cupcakes, Cookies & Pies" Bracket, Renegade Pumpkin made a late charge to win the Non-Otto Cake Bracket and James eeked out a victory for his Non-Pro Otto Cake.

As you might imagine, many of the cakes submitted are either of Otto or feature Otto. There are so many we had to break them down based on whether or not they were made by a pro or by a "normal." Now we'll figure out who has the best professionally-made Otto cake.

I'll provide pictures of the entries below and then you vote on your favorite. The winner will move on to the Final Four where it will face-off against the winners of the other brackets. Then, we'll vote on the No. 1 Syracuse Orange-themed cake/dessert of all time and crown our tasty champion.

Just so you know we've got something to play for, the winning entry will receive Joe Glisson's new book, "No Place Like Dome!!," which I've provided a mini-review of here...

Let's see the entries for the Best Pro Otto Cake...

Continue reading this post »

Games that should continue in the noncon - College Basketball Nation Blog - ESPN
It’s been all hate all the time, a tradition reignited of late by the Internet’s ability to deliver directly that hatred to an opponents’ eyeballs. (For years, one of the most popular SU fan sites was entitled "Hoya Suxa.") As you know, Syracuse is moving to the ACC; Georgetown is holding on for dear life in the mangled Big East. Annual conference supremacy will no longer be on the line, but at this point the rivalry is too good on its own merits to not remain a part of our yearly college hoops diet.

Syracuse University Athletics - Eaton Breaks SU 110-Meter Hurdle Record
Senior Jarret Eaton broke the Syracuse school record in the 110-meter hurdles in the national quarterfinals of the 110-meter hurdles at the NCAA East Preliminary Round on Saturday in Jacksonville, Fla. Eaton’s time of 13.44 seconds beat Adrian Woodley’s mark of 13.50 set in 2010. Lauren Penney also advanced to the national final in the 5000-meter run with a time of 16:24.96.

Syracuse University Athletics - Signees Butler, Roberts Named Parade All-Americans
Brianna Butler and Pachiyaanna Roberts were recently named Parade All-Americans, adding to the list of awards for Quentin Hillsman’s five-member class that is ranked as the sixth-best recruiting class in the country by ESPN Hoopgurlz.

Top Ten Moments of the Syracuse Basketball Season: #1 - Inside the Loud House - A Syracuse Orange Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.
The Syracuse Orange prevailed in a thriller against the Georgetown Hoyas 64-61 in overtime in front of a crowd of 27,820 on February 8, 2012.

Syracuse University Athletics - Four Orange Earn All-America Honors
Juniors Becca Block and Michelle Tumolo and sophomore Alyssa Murray were among the 16 student-athletes selected to the first team. In addition, sophomore Katie Webster earned third-team honors.

Three predictions for Syracuse basketball | The Juice Online
Midnight Madness may be months away, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start to figure out the personality of next year’s Orange based on how the team has performed in the past. Here are three (possibly) surprising predictions.

'Cuse Classics: McNabb and company's miracle finish beats Virginia Tech, 28-26 (1998) | syracuse.com
The first game in the CC spotlight is the Syracuse vs. Virginia Tech football game from Nov. 14, 1998, at the Carrier Dome.

Nation Of Orange - Syracuse Targets Continue Solid Play At 4th EYBL Session
The 4th session of the EYBL concluded on Memorial Day, and the top 24 teams advanced to the Peach Jam. In this session, CIA Bounce finally lost their first game of the EYBL. In fact, they lost two in a row before turning things around and winning back to back games. They had to forfeit their final game due to flight issues, and having already clinched the top overall seed. Many Syracuse targets were in action over the weekend. Here is how they fared.

College Crosse Bracket Challenge: Final Results - College Crosse
With Loyola's carpet bombing of Maryland yesterday at Gillette Stadium, the world became a different place. There are now nine schools that have won a national title at the Division I level and, most importantly, College Crosse is ready to crown its first bracket challenge victor. It's like a totally different world now, man. Things will never be the same.

Top 15 Big East Players for 2012-13 | ZagsBlog.com
Brandon Triche, G, Syracuse — Triche has been able to play a supporting role in past years playing alongside Scoop Jardine and Dion Waiters, yet this year it will be his team from the get-go. After averaging 9.4 points and 2.6 assists, can he step it up to the next level?

Big East Football Confab: When To Name A Starting Quarterback - Big East Coast Bias
When do you prefer to name a starting quarterback: in the spring, at training camp or at the start of the season?

Former Syracuse University basketball star Etan Thomas scores with a book on fatherhood | syracuse.com
"I’ve been through a lot of the things that young people talk about," said Thomas, who played at SU from 1996 to 2000 before embarking on an 11-year NBA career. "I wanted to inspire them." In his new book, "Fatherhood: Rising to the Ultimate Challenge," Thomas takes on the subject of fatherhood. He broadens the book’s scope with the personal experiences of luminaries such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Ice Cube, Taye Diggs and many more.

Courtesy of DraftExpress.com, an exclusive inside look at a workout with Fab Melo as he prepares for the 2012 NBA Draft.

Syracuse's dream of a championship season failed to turn into reality as the Orange lost to Northwestern, 8-6, in the National Championship Game. CitrusTV's David DeGuzman reports on how SU had a difficult time gaining possession against the Wildcats.

Man, we really churned through the Get To Know Your Orange Man series this year. We're already in the 30's!

Player: Ross "Das Boot" Krautman

Number: #37

Position: Kicker

Year: Junior

Height: 5'7"

Weight: 155

Hometown: Franklin Lakes, NJ

High School: Ramapo HS

2011 Stats: Das Boot was your Big East leader in FG percentage last season (78.9%). Of course, that includes getting credit for a rather dubious kick during the Toledo game, but we're willing to let it slide (Toledo, not so much). Krautman was 33-of-34 on extra points and 15-of-19 on field goal attempts, including two overtime game-winners. He also acted as our main kickoff specialist, booting 53 kickoffs for a 62.5 yard average and three touchbacks. He did most of it while fighting a nagging groin injury to boot.

2012 Projections: Kicking duties once again remain Das Boot's to lose. He remains ahead of Ryan Lichtenstein on the depth chart. The interesting twist will be the arrival of Ryan Norton, who is being proclaimed as a kickoff specialist. With 48 touchbacks in his senior year of high school, he's a serious threat to take over that job this year, which is fine by SU fans. Plus it gives Krautman a chance to focus on field goals.

How'd He Get Here?: It was either Syracuse or Miami (OH):

...Not bad for somebody who had one other scholarship offer, from Miami (Ohio), when he committed to Syracuse. Krautman said Rutgers "was on the edge" of offering, as was Boston College and East Carolina.

What'd Scout/Rivals Say?: The ol'two star tango.

Money Quote: "Syracuse was always my dream school since I was little...My older brother Ricky, I went to his games as a young kid at the Carrier Dome. Going to the Carrier Dome is unbelievable. To be able to kick in that stadium is awesome. I always wanted to go there and kick. Seeing him kick int he Carrier Dome was cool. I always wanted to there. I'm always repping the Syracuse gear with my friends. Besides that, Syracuse is a great academic school. It's hard to get into. Loved the facilities. I feel like it's a great fit for me."

Continue reading this post »

The Northwestern Wildcats might have stalled their way to a National Title, but all of their lame tactics couldn't take away the excitement that Syracuse Orange women's lacrosse fans had this weekend in Stony Brook at the 2012 Final Four. A thrilling win over No. 1 seed Florida in the semis and the opportunity to play in their first National Title game, even if it turned into the kind of slogfest that made Wisconsin basketball seem like the Showtime Lakers, was well worth it.

Brett Rosen was on hand and snapped a bunch of photos of the pre-game and in-game action. Let's take a look...

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In this corner, the upstart Syracuse Orange who aren't supposed to be here. They were supposed to lose to North Carolina in the 2nd round before completing a 17-16 comeback win in their final game in the Dome. They were certainly supposed to lose to the Florida Gators, down seven goals with 12 minutes to go, before coming back and winning the game in double overtime.

In the other corner, the mighty Northwestern Wildcats. A team that's gone 182-12 since 2004. A team that is playing in eighth consecutive national title game. A team that won six-straight titles between 1995 and 2001.

Northwestern has beaten Syracuse nine-straight times, including once in the Final Four and once earlier this season. The Orange are in their very first national title game ever and are looking to become the first SU team other than the men's lacrosse and men's basketball squads to win a national title since 1978.

As you can see, there is a good guy here and there is a bad guy. Choose your sides wisely.

Where: Stony Brook, NY

When: 8 p.m. EST

TV: ESPNU

Online: ESPN3.com

Radio: WJPZ 89.1FM, Orange All Access on SUathletics.com.

Leave your pre-, in- and post-game comments below. G'ORANGE!

In the national semi finals of the Women's NCAA Division 1 Lacrosse Championship Tournament, the fourth seeded and fourth ranked Syracuse University Orange women's lacrosse team makes its third ever appearance in the Final Four of the Women's NCAA Lacrosse Championship.

Awaiting the Orange are the number one seeded and number one ranked Florida Gators women's lacrosse team. The two teams will square off at 5:30 today at LaValle Stadium in Stony Brook. The Orange women look to advance to their first ever championship game, as do the Gators who are making their second NCAA tournament and first Final Four appearance in only their third year as a D1 program.

You should be there since the game is on ESPN3.com and that's no fun. But if you're not, we'll be here and there will be commentary in the comments. Join us as we urge our Orange to their first national championship game appearance.

Leave your pre-, in- and post-game comments below. G'ORANGE!

The Rimington Trophy is awarded annually to the best center in college football. And since it's way too early to be making guesses about who's going to be up for the award this year, they've released one of those spring watch lists where they throw the names of 50 players on there and hope they stick.

Syracuse Orange center Macky MacPherson made the list!

All growns up, Macky makes the initial list for what I'm pretty sure is the first time. Most of his accolades have been academic in nature up until now (Member of 2010 Fall, 2011 Spring and 2011 Fall Athletic Director's Honor Roll, 2011 BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection) but it's nice to see that he gets consideration, even if half the centers playing FBS football are on there.

Unless I read it too quickly, Louisville and Pitt were the only other Big East schools to get a player on there.

Party at Macky's place tonight...

The Syracuse Orange lacrosse team will play in their third Final Four in five years Friday when they take on the No. 1 overall Florida Gators at 5:30 p.m. in Stony Brook, N.Y.

The Orange lost those previous two semifinals, losing to Northwestern in 2008 and Maryland in 2010, both of whom went on to win the National Title. This year might be their best chance yet to make it to the title game, considering they've already beaten Florida once before and they know what it's like to play on the big stage of the Final Four. They've never beaten a No. 1 seed before but they've got a good shot on Friday.

So, considering the men's team is already home for the holidays and the women's team is playing for it's first national title in the comfy confines of New York, I ask...are you going?

If so, share the info below. Where's the pregame? Where's the post-game celebration? What is everyone painting on their bodies?

The game will be televised on ESPN3.com, so there won't be much of a gamewatch going on. Your only other options for partaking are to listen in on WJPZ 89.1FM in Syracuse or listen to the game on Orange All-Access.

In other words, get off your butt and go cheer on the Orange...

And you thought this was just going to be another Thursday. Via Syracuse.com:

Veteran college basketball referees Tim Higgins and Bob Donato will be retiring this summer, a Big East Conference source confirmed on Thursday.

Higgins and Donato were two of the most recognizable faces in the game among the stripe-wearing, whistle-blowing set. Higgins is the last official who has worked with the Big East every year since the conference's inception back in 1980.

I finally have a reason to try Tebowing.

Oh what a magical day indeed for the Syracuse Orange fans and fans of all Big East teams. I know, everyone thinks every referee is terrible. But with Higgins, you actually knew it was true!

Remember when Higgins and runnin' buddy Jim Burr literally just said 'f*** it" and walked off the court during a Big East Tournament game before it was over?

Remember when Higgins was a complete a-hole to a little kid in front of a national audience?

Remember the thousands of terrible calls me made against us or in our own favor? Of course you do. We should have started a blog about it years ago.

Seriously, look through all of the times Higgins was mentioned in a comment on TNIAAM. It's a treasure trove of hatred. The man even has his own gallery on Syracuse.com for how much we despise his acumen.

Higgins takes Donato with him but Jim Burr remains. Consider yourself on notice, Burr. The end is nigh. And unfortunately, so is your next phantom blocking call.

Fare thee well, Higgins. You have no idea how happy we are to not see you in a pinstripe shirt ever again.

Actually, now that I think about it, I would imagine you know exactly how happy we are...

Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim discusses the 2012 USA Olympic team | syracuse.com
On Tuesday, Boeheim also said that he would be stepping aside after the London Games. "This will be my fifth year doing this in the last six years,’’ said Boeheim, "so this is enough.’’

Top Ten Moments of the Syracuse Basketball Season: #5 - Inside the Loud House - A Syracuse Orange Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.
A corner 3 point shot at the buzzer from potential All-American Kevin Jones rimmed out and the third ranked Orange held on for a 63-61 victory in Syracuse, New York on January 28, 2012. This game was as memorable as they come, with an apparent missed goaltending call with about 30 seconds left that would have tied the game for the mountaineers.

Syracuse University Athletics - Five Earn All-Region First-Team Honors
The Orange’s honorees include juniors Michelle Tumolo and Becca Block and sophomores Alyssa Costantino, Alyssa Murray and Katie Webster. Syracuse’s five first-team selections were the most for any school in the region.

Nation Of Orange - Catching Up With 2013 RB Augustus Edwards
Augustus Edwards is a 3-star running back prospect from Staten Island, NY. Edwards has already collected a lot of offers, including Syracuse, Connecticut, Boston College, Indiana, Maryland, NC State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Virginia, and more. Alabama has even shown interest. Nation of Orange recently caught up with Edwards to discuss his game and his recruitment.

Central New York duo puts Florida women's lacrosse team ahead of the learning curve | syracuse.com
Florida is propelled by its first two recruits from Central New York. Meagher, a junior, leads Division I with a 6.66 goals-against average and a .539 save percentage. Nora Barry, a freshman midfielder from Marcellus, is fifth on the team with 46 points and leads Florida with 48 ground balls.

Syracuse University junior close defender Brian Megill is a USILA second-team All-American | syracuse.com
Syracuse University lacrosse close defender Brian Megill has received second-team All-America honors by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. The junior is the only SU player to be honored on any of the three teams and honorable-mention list. The Orange had eight players honored last season.

Syracuse football recruit Jason Emerich to play for Pennsylvania in Big 33 Football Classic | syracuse.com
Syracuse University football recruit Jason Emerich will play in one of the best high school showcases in the country next month -- the Big 33 Football Classic.

Orange Basketball: Best NBA Dunks by Syracuse Alumni That I was Able to Find Easily on YouTube | Bleeding Orange
Bleeding Orange presents the "Best NBA Dunks by Syracuse Alumni That I was Able to Find Easily on YouTube"

Patriots sign first-round draft choice DE Chandler Jones
The New England Patriots announced today the signing of first-round draft choice DE Chandler Jones. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Good news, everyone. Dion Waiters did so well in his interview that the Golden State Warriors have already drafted him.

Is it me or has everyone worked themselves up into a lather over the possibility of Scoop Jardine getting drafted by the New York Knicks?

Scoop was invited for a workout yesterday, which is awesome. But it was just that. A workout. The Knicks invited other players (I assume people know this but there were eight other guys there). And they will invite others, as well as attend combines and other player practices as they decide what to do with their No. 48 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.

I love the idea that Scoop is getting love from an NBA team considering how overshadowed he's been by Dion Waiters, Fab Melo and Kris Joseph on the draft boards. He's the Ringo of this Syracuse Fab Four.

Here's the thing. The Knicks might decide to bring Scoop in for summer league. They might extend him a free agent contract and see if he can fill a need for their bench.

But the Knicks aren't going to draft Scoop. No way. That's leaving way too much potential on the board. Scoop's not getting drafted by anyone else and I'm guessing he'd take an offer from the Knicks over any other team, save for his hometown Sixers.

I'm not trying to poo-poo this (well...), but, you know, perspective, you guys.

Scoop talked about the workout in a video here. By the way, is it me or has Scoop lost a lot of weight since the end of the season? His face looks slightly gaunt to me.

Here's what Scoop had to say about the possibility of playing with Carmelo Anthony in NY.

"I mean, it would be the easiest job in America," said Jardine through a smile, "throw a pass to Melo and get out the way! It would be a dream come true, actually going to Syracuse, he was one of the reasons (why I went), so to actually play along side him would be a dream come true, an opportunity to show what I can do, because I'm with one of the best players in the world."

Actually, I'm pretty sure "throw a pass to Melo and get out the way" is what got the Knicks in this mess in the first place. Also, don't show that quote to Amare.

Continue reading this post »

The Great American 'Cuse Cake-Off rolls on as we complete our Final Four. Last week Vicki won the "Cupcakes, Cookies & Pies" Bracket and earlier this week Renegade Pumpkin made a late charge to win the Non-Otto Cake Bracket.

As you might imagine, many of the cakes submitted are either of Otto or feature Otto. There are so many we had to break them down based on whether or not they were made by a pro or by a "normal."

I'll provide pictures of the entries below and then you vote on your favorite. The winner will move on to the Final Four where it will face-off against the winners of the other brackets. Then, we'll vote on the No. 1 Syracuse Orange-themed cake/dessert of all time and crown our tasty champion.

Just so you know we've got something to play for, the winning entry will receive Joe Glisson's new book, "No Place Like Dome!!," which I've provided a mini-review of here...

Let's see the entries for the Best Non-Pro Otto Cake...

Continue reading this post »

Two years ago today, LOST went off the air. In case you don't remember, it was a big deal on the site. There were videos. There were episode discussions. There were lots of finale discussions. And there were coping mechanisms when it was over.

Since Lost went off the air, the TV landscape changed, much like Jack Shepard's pecs. Based on the declining ratings of the show and negative reaction so many people had to the finale, the amount of "mythology" shows on TV, especially network TV, bottomed out. It also didn't help that every post-Lost mythology show seemed to suck (V, The Event, FlashForward, Happy Town).

As for that finale, I was a fan of it at the time and I stand by it. I fully admit it's flaws and the many, many unanswered questions left behind, but I dig a bit of spirituality behind the science fiction (probably why I liked the Battlestar ending more than most).

Because I don't have cable and I do have Netflix On Demand, I had the free time to watch the entire Lost series through again and there's quite a few things that you come away from a second run-through with.

1. Recapturing the magic of season one was always impossible.

If nothing else, Lost fans really have to re-watch S1 at some point in their lives. By the time we got to S3 or S4, the mysteries were so big and vast that it's no surprise that many of them collapsed under their own weight. But in S1, everything was so unknown that the littlest mysteries make for entire episodes of wonder. Remember what it was like to wonder what the thing in the jungle making all that noise was. Remember what it was like to think that Walt and Locke were destined for a dramatic showdown. Remember how shocking it was the first time you saw "Adam & Eve" or The Hatch. Anything seemed possible and it was awesome.

2. Lost was a really friggin' good show.

Lost had it's share of cheeseball moments and overblown silliness but it also had some really amazing episodes and moments of storytelling. Walkabout, Through The Looking Glass and The Constant come to mind. There's a bunch more great episodes and moments here. The difference between Lost and so many other shows like it was the quality of the writing and acting, that is, when everyone wasn't crying.

3. They should have tried harder with Walt.

Watching S1, you remember just how important Walt was to the story. The way they were setting him and his powers up, he was meant for big things. While it's understandable that his growth spurt threw a wrench in the filming of a show in which each season takes place over the course of a few days, they should have seen that coming. And really, in a show with time travel and smoke monsters, you could have figured out a way to bring Walt back into the fold despite looking five years older than he did in the pilot.

The characters in the final scene of Lost are there because their time on the island was the most important times of their lives. Walt spent more time on the island than Boone and the same amount as Libby, not to mention the fact that he's freaking Walt. He kills birds with his mind! He should have been there (And I know that his fate is shown in the epilogue episode, but that wasn't good enough).

4. The unknowable end date hurt S2 and S3.

You can really see the writer struggle with how fast to move the story along in seasons two and three. At the time, they had no idea when the show would end. Would it end in four seasons? Six? Ten? They had to kinda tread water a little bit and the show suffered for it (Nikki and Paulo?).

5. Mr. Eko was awesome

Such a shame he left the show when he did. Another character you could tell was destined for much bigger things on the island. Can't blame the writers this time, the actor wanted to leave the show and left them no choice. At the very least, it would have been nice for him to come back in the finale. Oh well.

Like I was saying, we're two years on and you'd be hard-pressed to find a SciFi mythology show on TV that has measured up. The only show that's even in the same realm is Fringe and that's done next season.

What's a fan of long-form science fiction storytelling to do? Not much sadly.

I mentioned that the TV landscape changed after Lost. The unfortunate side effect of Lost's finale is that networks took it to mean people like SciFi but in a neat little box. That's why we got Alcatraz and Terra Nova, both of which are done after a season.

I looked at all the shows coming down the pipeline next year and I didn't see anything that seemed to fit either. About the closest thing is Last Resort, about a submarine crew that disobeys orders to launch missiles and finds itself on an island holding off the efforts of the US Army to seek revenge. It looks interesting but it's not the SciFi kick I'm looking for.

My only domestic hope at this point is that Fringe hits it out of the park next year. I was disappointed with S4 as a whole. First for the unfortunate retconning of the entire show to start the season and then the anticlimactic way they dealt with the season's big baddie. However, they alluded to some pretty cool storylines for the final season, so fingers remain crossed.

Otherwise, the only other show that satisfies my fix at the moment is Doctor Who. I resisted The Doctor for a long time, mostly because of what I knew of the old series. However, after finding the "best" episodes and then working my way out from there, I've gotten hooked. There's a lot of references I'm still catching up on but it really delivers on the high-stakes SciFi mythology I'm looking for. Especially the latest incarnation of show, The Eleventh Doctor. Showrunner Steven Moffat has traded in some of the show's camp for intricate season-long arcs and some very intriguing concepts.

(And if anyone else is interested, I'm dying to get into DW discussions. Open that TARDIS door for me!)

Anyway, two years on and there are very few TV shows I consider appointment television the way I used to consider Lost. And none of the ones I currently watch are of that ilk. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like there will be for a while. The good news is, if I'm ever feeling sorry for myself and drinking myself into a stupor next to an airport, I know that I can always go back.

We have to go back.

WE HAVE TO GO BAAAAAACK!!!

2012 NBA Draft: Syracuse's Scoop Jardine To Work Out For Knicks - SB Nation New York
The executive called Jardine "real clever and crafty and very good at using angles and has good vision.’’ However, Jardine is not considered particularly athletic or possessing the kind of speed Lin showed during his breakout two months. Still, NBA scouts see Jardine as a potential backup, after he averaged 8.3 points and 4.7 assists for the Orange as a senior.

SB | After standout season, Syracuse looks to build on elite status to advance farther in 2013 - Sports - The Daily Orange
"The best sign of a team after a season isn't the awards and accolades," said Ross. "It's that they never want to stop playing. It says a lot about the future make up of this team that they don't stop preparing, even a day after the season ends."

WLAX | Final four teams boast Tewaaraton finalists leading programs in NCAA tournament - Sports - The Daily Orange
Tumolo has arguably the best chance of any Syracuse player in the program’s history to win the Tewaaraton Trophy. The Big East Offensive Player of the Year scored 43 goals to go along with a team-leading 40 assists during the regular season. The attack is the Orange’s second Tewaaraton finalist, joining Katie Rowan in 2008.

Top Ten Moments of the Syracuse Basketball Season: #6 - Inside the Loud House - A Syracuse Orange Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.
The Orange had yet to play a "true" road game through that point of the season, so the North Carolina State game was a great opportunity to show the country what they are made of.

Northwestern — 2012 Syracuse Football preview | The Juice Online
Syracuse will open its season at the Carrier Dome on Saturday, September 1 against Big 10 foe Northwestern. In preparation for the game, we spoke with Philip Rossman-Reich from the Northwestern football blog Lake The Posts to get a scouting report on the Wildcats.

Syracuse ESPN Radio affiliate to broadcast from Bristol, Conn. | syracuse.com
Syracuse's ESPN Radio affiliate will broadcast its afternoon show, Upon Further Review, live from Bristol, Conn., on Wednesday. The show, which runs from 3 to 6 p.m. on 97.7 FM, was one of a dozen ESPN affiliates around the nation chosen to broadcast from "Audio Avenue" on the quad at ESPN's headquarters.

Syracuse basketball ranks ninth in Sporting News' preseason top 25 (DeCourcy) | syracuse.com
Point guard Michael Carter-Williams could have changed his initials from MCW to DNP. He sat through 11 entire games as a freshman, but that was more about Scoop Jardine and Dion Waiters than Carter-Williams, who brings size, creativity and touch to his position. Remember when Thomas Robinson was a 15-minute backup for Kansas? Yeah, that’s hard to recall now, isn’t it?

Will not pushing for an 8-team college football playoff doom the ACC, Big East? | syracuse.com
Eight teams provide not just far more profit but also the opportunity for each of the six "major" conferences (ACC and Big East included) to get an automatic bid to the tournament. That guarantees access, revenue and power. Every major conference's regular season (and conference title game) now would matter more. (When was the last time the ACC title game had any national impact?)

C.J. Fair returned to Brewster Academy to play in an alumni game that included Will Barton (Memphis), Melvin Ejim (Iowa State), Mitch McGary (Michigan) and T.J. Warren (N.C. State).