GMAC

[Orangepace]

Ok, it's been 8.5 years since GMAC went out like a boss in the Big East tourney, ending a very memorable career as an Orange. His career needs no introduction as he was definitely the most beloved Syracuse basketball player I can remember (I'm 32) and arguably ever. He embodied everything the University, City and Fans could ever ask for. Hell, his senior day introduction is the first time I think I've ever teared up.

To the powers that be - Retire the damn jersey!

 

[OrangeDW]

Ok, it's been 8.5 years since GMAC went out like a boss in the Big East tourney, ending a very memorable career as an Orange. His career needs no introduction as he was definitely the most beloved Syracuse basketball player I can remember (I'm 32) and arguably ever. He embodied everything the University, City and Fans could ever ask for. Hell, his senior day introduction is the first time I think I've ever teared up.

To the powers that be - Retire the damn jersey!

Agreed, but Moten and Wallace first!

 

[cto]

Ok, it's been 8.5 years since GMAC went out like a boss in the Big East tourney, ending a very memorable career as an Orange. His career needs no introduction as he was definitely the most beloved Syracuse basketball player I can remember (I'm 32) and arguably ever. He embodied everything the University, City and Fans could ever ask for. Hell, his senior day introduction is the first time I think I've ever teared up.

To the powers that be - Retire the damn jersey!

As Mike Waters pointed out in a few articles last week, there are several folks in line ahead of him. You may not remember players like Louie and Bouie and Moten and Wallace... but they helped build the program and left their mark on it ... before you were old enough to notice.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Moten was supposed to be honored last season, but they couldn't coordinate with his new coaching job.

Louie & Bouie have to be next.

 

[Orangepace]

As Mike Waters pointed out in a few articles last week, there are several folks in line ahead of him. You may not remember players like Louie and Bouie and Moten and Wallace... but they helped build the program and left their mark on it ... before you were old enough to notice.

I remember Moten and Wallace. Both definitely SU greats, no doubt. I'm not that young. Still, neither brought an entourage with them to games. Both had more talent than Gmac. GMac may have had the biggest heart of all.

I respect all the players mentioned here. All definitely had their moments.

 

[orange79]

Still, neither brought an entourage with them to games.

I'm not sure what this means.

Gerry will get his time in the rafter-sun, but he's going to have to wait his turn. First things first.

 

[Brooky03]

Let's just wait until he becomes the head coach after Hopkins finishes a 20 year career at the helm. Retiring a new head coach's number would be pretty neat, wouldn't it?


#wishfulthinking

 

[sufandu]

I remember Moten and Wallace. Both definitely SU greats, no doubt. I'm not that young. Still, neither brought an entourage with them to games. Both had more talent than Gmac. GMac may have had the biggest heart of all.

I respect all the players mentioned here. All definitely had their moments.

I'm not sure what the entourage has to do with anything. That's more a statement about his popularity in his hometown, not his impact on our program. Louis and Bouie helped to establish JB and this program leading into the start of the Big East conference and ESPN. Wallace and Moten kept it from falling into a potential abyss in the shadow of our NCAA violations and restrictions that followed. If GMac's run in the Big East tournament was big, how much bigger was Wallace carrying an underdog team on his back to a near upset of a juggernaut Kentucky team in the NCAA final? As others have said, GMac will get his turn. Those other guys need to be honored first, if for no other reason than to teach young fans that our program existed prior to our national championship.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

John Wallace is responsible for not only leading the '96 team to a near upset of Kentucky for the national championship, he is responsible for two of the greatest clutch plays in 'Cuse history: the perfect pass from out-of-bounds at midcourt to Cipolla for a great shot at the buzzer to tie Georgia in the Sweet 16 and send the game in OT, then JW ended the game by doing this; my voice was shot for a day or two.

 

[dasher]

John Wallace is responsible for not only leading the '96 team to an upset of Kentucky for the national championship, he is responsible for two of the greatest clutch plays in 'Cuse history: the perfect pass from out-of-bounds at midcourt to Cipolla for a great shot at the buzzer to tie Georgia in the Sweet 16 and send the game in OT, then JW ended the game by doing this; my voice was shot for a day or two.

We lost to kentucky.

 

[MSOrange]

John Wallace is responsible for not only leading the '96 team to an upset of Kentucky for the national championship, he is responsible for two of the greatest clutch plays in 'Cuse history: the perfect pass from out-of-bounds at midcourt to Cipolla for a great shot at the buzzer to tie Georgia in the Sweet 16 and send the game in OT, then JW ended the game by doing this; my voice was shot for a day or two. YouTube Video

What?? I missed a national championship???? Holy crap!

 

[Fireball Jr.]

We lost to kentucky.

oops ... shoulda read that over before posting ... meant to say "near upset." now, i'm really upset.

 

[dasher]

oops ... shoulda read that over before posting ... meant to say "near upset." now, i'm really upset.

well, we should have won.

 

[realorange]

well, we should have won.

While we gave a valiant effort, even if Wallace had stayed in the game, I'd have a hard time saying we should have won. Kentucky's lineup was awesome with Tony Delk dropping one dagger after another at the end.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

While we gave a valiant effort, even if Wallace had stayed in the game, I'd have a hard time saying we should have won. Kentucky's lineup was awesome with Tony Delk dropping one dagger after another at the end.

We were only down by 5 when Wallace fouled out.

Z makes a better pass, Wallace scores and gets fouled, and now we're only down by only 2 with about a minute left. :noidea:

 

[Orangepace]

As others have said, GMac will get his turn. Those other guys need to be honored first, if for no other reason than to teach young fans that our program existed prior to our national championship.

I take offense to this... sometimes the problem with old farts is that they believe young people are too naive. Have you ever considered that maybe, just maybe, some of the new generation of sports personas actually could have been better than the old? Too many times the legend of a player that played long ago is believed to hold higher court than someone who played less than a decade ago, only because it feels too fresh. I don't disagree that some of the legends absolutely deserve to be up on the wall. I just don't think it fair of you or anyone to say us "younger" fans are too naive to discuss things of this nature because we weren't around when so-and-so did such-and-such. I assume I just read the tone of that message the wrong way.

Carmelo is on the wall because he was the leader on a national championship team. GMac was very instrumental in that tourney run as well averaging 13.3 pts, 3.5 assists and 2.5 stl per game as a true freshman.

 

[Orangepace]

John Wallace is responsible for not only leading the '96 team to a near upset of Kentucky for the national championship, he is responsible for two of the greatest clutch plays in 'Cuse history: the perfect pass from out-of-bounds at midcourt to Cipolla for a great shot at the buzzer to tie Georgia in the Sweet 16 and send the game in OT, then JW ended the game by doing this; my voice was shot for a day or two.

I remember everything about that game. Never said anything about it being unfair he isn't on the wall. I merely made a suggestion that I believe GMac belongs on the wall. Not sure why so many in this thread think differently. I respect the oldies but goodies as much as anyone. Lots of guys come "close" to winning a championship though...

 

[Orangepace]

We were only down by 5 when Wallace fouled out.

Z makes a better pass, Wallace scores and gets fouled, and now we're only down by only 2 with about a minute left. :noidea:

Kentucky was the better team though... SU wins maybe 5 out of 100 games against that team.

 

[HOFCeluck]

We were only down by 5 when Wallace fouled out.

Z makes a better pass, Wallace scores and gets fouled, and now we're only down by only 2 with about a minute left. :noidea:

Two way street. If we hit only one buzzer beater instead of two vs Georgia it's another sweet sixteen loss for Syracuse.

 

[Todd Gack]

Carmelo is on the wall because he was the leader on a national championship team. GMac was very instrumental in that tourney run as well averaging 13.3 pts, 3.5 assists and 2.5 stl per game as a true freshman.

There are three million additional reasons Melo is on that wall (ahead of others, that is).

 

[cto]

I remember everything about that game. Never said anything about it being unfair he isn't on the wall. I merely made a suggestion that I believe GMac belongs on the wall. Not sure why so many in this thread think differently. I respect the oldies but goodies as much as anyone. Lots of guys come "close" to winning a championship though...

No one is saying GMac does not belong "on the wall." They are simply saying that guys who starred before he did... deserve to be there before he is.

 

[Orangepace]

There are three million additional reasons Melo is on that wall (ahead of others, that is).

I was going to include that, but he would have been there without the $3 million... CTO isn't on the wall and she was at the championship game as well.

 

[HOFCeluck]

No one is saying GMac does not belong "on the wall." They are simply saying that guys who starred before he did... deserve to be there before he is.

I'm not saying I disagree but the university has never followed this principle.

 

[OttoMets]

John Wallace is responsible for not only leading the '96 team to a near upset of Kentucky for the national championship, he is responsible for two of the greatest clutch plays in 'Cuse history: the perfect pass from out-of-bounds at midcourt to Cipolla for a great shot at the buzzer to tie Georgia in the Sweet 16 and send the game in OT, then JW ended the game by doing this; my voice was shot for a day or two.

First, you're right. And thanks for posting something that no one could turn down an opportunity to watch for the thousandth time. Awesome.

Second, Wallace did a great game of setting up his game-winner by offering the most half-hearted close-out on Anderson's three at the other end. That's more startling to me with each passing year; say what you will about our current teams' flaws, but our defensive effort is a lot better than it was years ago.

Third, great to hear Al's enthusiasm - he was loving that game as much as any fan, not as an announcer but as a fan himself.
Miss him.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

First, you're right. And thanks for posting something that no one could turn down an opportunity to watch for the thousandth time. Awesome.

Second, Wallace did a great game of setting up his game-winner by offering the most half-hearted close-out on Anderson's three at the other end. That's more startling to me with each passing year; say what you will about our current teams' flaws, but our defensive effort is a lot better than it was years ago.

Third, great to hear Al's enthusiasm - he was loving that game as much as any fan, not as an announcer but as a fan himself.
Miss him.

This, to me, was even more exciting, if that's possible. Great pass to Cipolla, great clutch shot (and landing) by Cipolla. Thanks to senorpalmer for posting this on youtube.