Syracuse’s disgusting loss to Louisville today says plenty about the problems they’ll have come March. They showed that clearly they don’t care about basketball, aren’t interested in playing basketball, and couldn’t care less if the season ended now, so long as their precious poll standing was really really high and sexy-looking.

The team that played today won’t make it to the Sweet Sixteen. That’s clear to anyone with a brain. I’ll let the experts break down exactly how toxic every single aspect of Syracuse’s basketball game is right now. They’re more qualified.

However, as a spectator, I have to call out the terrible display put on by all Syracuse fans this season, myself included.

We have been content to come away with lackluster wins against teams that shouldn’t even be in the gym with us. We high-five each other. "Yeah!!! We’ll take it!!!" (I’ve heard this sickly phrase only a hundred times this year, coming from everyone I know, and me.)

The fact is, that in four out of Syracuse’s last seven games, they have played like the world owes them a victory, and we, the fans, who are supposed to be supporting our team, have been like pathetically weak codependent mothers, letting them get away with not blocking out, and not closing out on shooters.

Getting angry now doesn’t even have any credibility, because we’ve given them a pass for UConn, DePaul, and Marquette, not to mention the hundred other games where they didn’t play at all in the first half. Sure, now that they lose we can call out their shortcomings, but we should have been angry, lividafter those other performances. The headlines should have read "Syracuse Gets Manhandled by UConn in Terrible Performance (W)" and "Syracuse Looks Like a Schoolboy Bitch Against DePaul (W)".

Instead, we said "We’ll take it! High five! Another W baby!"

Well I’m not doing it anymore. It’s not often that a national championship caliber team serendipitously comes together as this one has. The defensive performances against Cal, UNC, West Virginia, and Georgetown were some of the best I’ve ever seen. The chemistry in those games was at a level comparable to 2003 and 1996. But the most consistent thing that Syracuse has shown me in my 27 year rollercoaster of fanhood is the ability to get caught up in its head, get soft, and then lay down like a pansy little bitch.

No more. I expect a 30-point victory at Georgetown on Thursday. Anything less is abject failure. The Hoyas shouldn’t be in the same NCAA Division as this team. Get your heads out of each other’s asses and crush them. If not, you will be held accountable by at least one supportive fan. 

Tonight, the Syracuse Orangemen beat the Connecticut Huskies in a game that came down to the wire, and was ultimately tainted.

I am a die-hard Orangemen fan, and am always glad to come out with a victory, but I also have to keep it real about this game. I think it was Voltaire who was quoted as saying "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." This very important quote to me has a very weak stretch of a connection to what happened tonight, but basically: "I disapprove of UConn beating Syracuse, but I will defend to the death their right to win."

Totally weak, but I’m tired, so forgive me. Here’s the truth:

UConn was robbed on an egregious abuse of a terrible NCAA rule.

Syracuse had the ball with the game tied and 40 seconds left. Andy Rautins rushed and badly missed a three, presumably in order to ensure that Syracuse would have the ball for the last shot. Luckily, Syracuse got the rebound, and could now hold for the final shot. Suddenly, on a nucklehead play, Scoop Jardine decided to rush down the lane and force a bad circus layup. This was a terrible error in judgment, and there is no excuse for it. He missed the layup, and UConn corralled the rebound and would now have a chance for the final shot to win.

Oops, pumpfake! Actually, Syracuse gets the ball back and another try. Mulligan! Silly Scoop Jardine! We’ll give you another crack at it!

What could possibly justify this?

Well, a few years ago, the NCAA willfully and thoughtlessly decided to institute a new rule that coaches are allowed to request time-outs. This is complete bullshit on every possible level, and clearly just the Coaches’ Lobby getting their way.

Jim Boeheim called a time-out, literally while Scoop was in the air taking a shot. He tapped on the official’s shoulder. "Gee, Russell, that boy’s outta control over there! Better call a time-out before he lets go of the ball…"

Coaches are not playing the game. They should not be allowed to have any effect on the actual gameplay. They are there to coach. This was a glaring exposure of an unconscionably stupid rule instituted by the pathetically incompetent people who run the National Collegiate Athletics Association.

They should be ashamed of themselves.

Syracuse very well may have won this game either way, but we’ll never know now, will we? I love a victory, but a tainted one leaves a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.

For any of you who think "It’s just a game. Calm down, psycho…": A post for you will be forthcoming.