sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to National Rubber Ducky Day!
Today is National Rubber Ducky Day! In 1970, Jim Henson performed the song “Rubber Duckie” as Ernie on Sesame Street, and the rubber duck bath toy has been an iconic American symbol ever since. Rubber ducks have been around since the rise of the rubber industry in the late 1800s, but no one knows their exact origin.
Did you know that in January of 1992, a shipment of 29,000 rubber duckies fell off a cargo ship in the Pacific Ocean? By 2007, the “Friendly Floatees” had traveled 17,000 miles around the world on the ocean currents. Some are still afloat today! Over the years, people reported sightings in Indonesia, Australia, South America, the Bering Straight, the Arctic, and (eventually) the Atlantic Ocean.
Happy Rubber Ducky Day!
SU News
Greg Robinson Defends Syracuse Career 'I Left It In Very Good Shape' (DO; Blum)
Former Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson spoke to The Daily Orange in an exclusive interview Monday afternoon. He reflected on his Syracuse career and defended his 10-37 head coaching record over the 2005-08 stretch. The five wins from his first two seasons at the helm have been vacated by the NCAA because of violations.
“I loved my time at Syracuse. Absolutely loved it. Hated that it had to end the way it did. Wish we had won more. We had great kids. It was a great situation. Great people. I love the town. I go back all the time to see my grandkids.
“If you go back and check out the archives of the players that I left in that program. A whole bunch went into pro football that I recruited … I do know this. I left it in very good shape. I’m not going to say it was better than when I came, or whatever, but I’m just going to tell you that I left in very good shape for years to come. And if people really go back and really do their homework, they’d see that. They’d see Justin Pugh, what’s the quarterback’s name on the Giants? I’m redshirting him and Chandler Jones. And Pugh, I’m the one that was recruiting that guy. He ended up being a first round pick. Mike Williams, you still had in the program. And I could keep going. There was a bunch of them. There was a whole bunch of guys. I feel good about what I did there. I needed to win more games.”
When asked about his reputation in Syracuse, which has taken a hit publicly since his tenure as the least successful coach in program history, he defended his perception.
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The Story of Greg Robinson Giving Luke Cain a 2nd Chance (DO; Blum)
When Greg Robinson first got to Syracuse in 2005, he made a point to sit down with the team trainer and third-year linebacker Luke Cain. Robinson said that Cain already had issues before he took over as the head coach, so Robinson wanted to make sure it was clear that he would be kicked off the team if he tested positive on another drug test.
“And he did come back and test positive,” Robinson recalled. “So I was planning to send him home.”
Within two hours, word had spread throughout the team of Robinson’s intentions. The next thing he knew, 15 players had stepped into his office. They really knew Cain and they loved him. They knew about his difficult home life, Robinson said. At first, Robinson wasn’t sure what to think. But it didn’t take long for him to gather the whole team and tell them that Cain would have one more chance. If he screwed up again, he was done.
He never tested positive again.
“He ended up turning out to be a really good football player for us,” Robinson said. “He was always a great kid, he was a good athlete. But he buckled down. He played very well for us. He was a great guy.”
On Sunday, Cain passed away at the age of 33. He played at Syracuse from 2003-06, and started three games in his sophomore year and 11 in his senior year. The Washington D.C. native was found dead in his home, per syracuse.com. Robinson, who gave Cain a second chance, said he still thinks about him all the time.
Cain had been panhandling on the streets of Syracuse, but kept a strong relationship with Robinson’s son, Dominic, who worked in the community and often checked on Cain and would get him a meal.
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Other
Lake Effect Snow Machine Fires Up in CNY: What to Expect Today (PS; Coin)
The first major lake effect storm of the season has descended upon Central New York.
Heavy lake effect snow is falling across the northern Syracuse suburbs all the way into southern Oneida County. I-690 had near whiteout conditions. Some schools have already closed, including the Syracuse district.
Expect blowing snow and possible whiteout conditions today before the storm winds down tonight. Strong winds could make the morning commute difficult.
Here's what the National Weather Service says we can expect today:
• Major lake effect snow bands will sweep across the Finger Lakes, Syracuse area and even into Utica-Rome. (The total snowfall for Oneida County has been cut down a little since last night.)
• Snow will fall at rates up to 1 to 2 inches an hour. Some areas could see a total of 12 inches today.
• Driving will be tough. Winds gusting up to 33 mph this morning will make it hard for drivers to see the roads, and for crews to keep the roads clear.
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