Scoop update...

[cto]

Spent the evening with Scoop and his extended family at the home of a mutual friend. Two comments:

1) Scoop looks fabulous. He has lost about 30 lbs, the result of intense workouts the past few months. He will spend a few days in Syracuse this week, working out with Mike Hopkins and GMac before leaving for California for more workouts and meetings with his new agent. He knows it will be a tough road, but he is so committed to his dream of playing somewhere at the next level.

2) His extended family is eye-opening to one who grew up in a very different environment. Parents, spouses/friends of parents, half-sibllings, cousins, distant cousins, children of cousins, his grandmother who has legally adopted one of her granddaughters after the child's mother was murdered (she's a wonderful 9-year-old whom I wanted to kidnap) and other relationships too complex to explain. I suspect most of us here grew up in fairly conventional white middle-income environments (as I did). Scoop's family is this loving, sprawling group of delightful people, most of whom live tough lives in rough inner-city neighborhoods. And let me emphasize the word "loving." It was wonderful being part of their family for the evening.

 

[Toga]

What do you think of Scoop as far as future coaching material?

 

[cto]

What do you think of Scoop as far as future coaching material?

Watching Scoop play basketball with a bunch of young kids... coaching them and teaching the entire time... I was really impressed with what seems to be an innate coaching ability. These kids ranged in age from four (that kid could could really dribble) to about nine. Scoop was marvelous with them... teaching the entire time in a driveway game played with a 7-foot-high hoop. It was great fun to watch.

 

[310Pigpen]

Was his dad there? He's flippin awesome.

 

[cto]

Was his dad there? He's flippin awesome.

Yes, Tony was there. I love Tony. He is an original.

 

[RF2044]

Was his dad there? He's flippin awesome.

Scoop's dad and grandmother sat directly in front of us for the two games in Boston during the 2012 NCAA tournament. He was a cool guy--very animated, but cool.

It sure didn't hurt that my father and I were big Scoop supporters.

Glad to hear Scoop has dropped that kind of weight. Would love to see this kid make it to the bigs, even if just for a year or two.

 

[El Jefe Syr]

That's awesome, I hope he achieves his dream. Thanks so much for sharing this.

 

[llandz]

I was going to write on your facebook when you posted abaout the "family" you spent time with. I knew it had to be Scoop's family!! I met his Mom and his Dad in LA last year. His Mom had flown out that day as he had just broken his foot. His Dad was already in LA with him. Also a girl who was like a sister to him. Family but not family. So I get the picture. Everyone was so nice. And this was on the day his dream died for a while, and they were just so cordial and friendly.
Scoop will have success somewhere. If not playing, then yes, I could see him coaching or sports broadcasting, which we know he dabbled in this year. He is smart, and driven to succeed. We will be seeing Scoop somewhere in the future.

 

[cuserulesall]

I was going to write on your facebook when you posted abaout the "family" you spent time with. I knew it had to be Scoop's family!! I met his Mom and his Dad in LA last year. His Mom had flown out that day as he had just broken his foot. His Dad was already in LA with him. Also a girl who was like a sister to him. Family but not family. So I get the picture. Everyone was so nice. And this was on the day his dream died for a while, and they were just so cordial and friendly.
Scoop will have success somewhere. If not playing, then yes, I could see him coaching or sports broadcasting, which we know he dabbled in this year. He is smart, and driven to succeed. We will be seeing Scoop somewhere in the future.

Keep the CUSE rockin in AZ ! It's 110 degrees AZ in love !!!!!

 

[CorduroyG]

scoop-a-loop!

 

[Rocco]

Watching Scoop play basketball with a bunch of young kids... coaching them and teaching the entire time... I was really impressed with what seems to be an innate coaching ability. These kids ranged in age from four (that kid could could really dribble) to about nine. Scoop was marvelous with them... teaching the entire time in a driveway game played with a 7-foot-high hoop. It was great fun to watch.

Would love to see Scoop as a coach some day. Would be really neat to see him on the SU bench again.

 

[Flacusian]

Wow, just the mention of the name "Scoop" conjures up a heaping helping of Syracuse brand feel good. Scoop is a fabulous example of transformation of a player within the framework of the Syracuse program. Scoop overcame adversity many times and on several levels. I remember when he was part of the incoming class with his Philly counterpart Rick Jackson. Now there is a pair of recruits who delivered big time and both exceeded initial expectations by a mile.

In the era of the one and doners and all the attendant publicity they receive it's appropriate to salute the in some ways more substantial and pervasive impact players in the mold of Scoop and Rick provide for their program. How many games was Nerlens Noel key in winning for Kentucky last year? Hmm, you'd have to look that one up but you could certainly count it on the digits you have on your two hands. How many wins were Scoop and Rick directly a part of? I'd suggest starting to unlace your shoes and those of a numerous family members to tally that one up.

Scoop quietly went about the business of assuming ownership of mistakes he made and taking corrective measures to insure that he emerged from situations of hardship as a better basketball player and more importantly a better person. I remember when Scoop was being criticized and judged as someone who would not contribute much to the program while he suffered with a stress fracture in his leg. He spent his time off the court working hard and displaying the resolve and dedication that would make him a bigger asset to the team. By the time he was winding down his career at Syracuse he was no longer the kid who got in trouble with a meal card scandal... he was the heart and soul and vocal leader of a program that had risen from the post Championship years of mediocrity and become a team that was on the precipice of vying for another National Championship.

Let there be no mistake about that. Scoop Jardine was the common denominator and the consistent presence during that key period in Syracuse Basketball history. It was Scoop and Rick representing that Philly connection which also provided us with Dion Waiters and Rak with more on the way. All one really needs to see is the video of the young boy crying over the fact that Scoop, who was his favorite player, would not be returning the following year. When a young kid is so captivated by a player in the manner that young boy was it demonstrates with no uncertainty whatsoever the special charisma and moxie that Antonio Scoop Jardine graced us with for the 5 years that he was here.

Scoop received more than his share of criticism while he was here and much of it was unwarranted. He had his limitations, all players do, but he is an example of someone who maximized what he was able to do with the talents he had been endowed with. The over and back call was an example of that. Some people will contend that he traveled... but that wasn't the call! Scoop also had the brass to take those important shots at the end of games and a lot of them resulted in happy endings for the Cuse. If you go back and look at Scoops career statistics they are pretty solid and to many would be quite surprising as to how they measure up with some current and recent Syracuse players.

I guess it wouldn't be much of a secret to say that Scoop is one of my favorite all time players for Syracuse. It's not so much on account of what he did on the basketball court. It's mostly on account of what he has done and continues to do on the court of life. He has been and I suspect always will be someone who makes me proud to be a Syracuse Basketball fan.

 

[MadNY3]

Scoop could be Iin my top three of players I loved that drove me absolutely nuts.

 

[cuserulesall]

Wow, just the mention of the name "Scoop" conjures up a heaping helping of Syracuse brand feel good. Scoop is a fabulous example of transformation of a player within the framework of the Syracuse program. Scoop overcame adversity many times and on several levels. I remember when he was part of the incoming class with his Philly counterpart Rick Jackson. Now there is a pair of recruits who delivered big time and both exceeded initial expectations by a mile.

In the era of the one and doners and all the attendant publicity they receive it's appropriate to salute the in some ways more substantial and pervasive impact players in the mold of Scoop and Rick provide for their program. How many games was Nerlens Noel key in winning for Kentucky last year? Hmm, you'd have to look that one up but you could certainly count it on the digits you have on your two hands. How many wins were Scoop and Rick directly a part of? I'd suggest starting to unlace your shoes and those of a numerous family members to tally that one up.

Scoop quietly went about the business of assuming ownership of mistakes he made and taking corrective measures to insure that he emerged from situations of hardship as a better basketball player and more importantly a better person. I remember when Scoop was being criticized and judged as someone who would not contribute much to the program while he suffered with a stress fracture in his leg. He spent his time off the court working hard and displaying the resolve and dedication that would make him a bigger asset to the team. By the time he was winding down his career at Syracuse he was no longer the kid who got in trouble with a meal card scandal... he was the heart and soul and vocal leader of a program that had risen from the post Championship years of mediocrity and become a team that was on the precipice of vying for another National Championship.

Let there be no mistake about that. Scoop Jardine was the common denominator and the consistent presence during that key period in Syracuse Basketball history. It was Scoop and Rick representing that Philly connection which also provided us with Dion Waiters and Rak with more on the way. All one really needs to see is the video of the young boy crying over the fact that Scoop, who was his favorite player, would not be returning the following year. When a young kid is so captivated by a player in the manner that young boy was it demonstrates with no uncertainty whatsoever the special charisma and moxie that Antonio Scoop Jardine graced us with for the 5 years that he was here.

Scoop received more than his share of criticism while he was here and much of it was unwarranted. He had his limitations, all players do, but he is an example of someone who maximized what he was able to do with the talents he had been endowed with. The over and back call was an example of that. Some people will contend that he traveled... but that wasn't the call! Scoop also had the brass to take those important shots at the end of games and a lot of them resulted in happy endings for the Cuse. If you go back and look at Scoops career statistics they are pretty solid and to many would be quite surprising as to how they measure up with some current and recent Syracuse players.

I guess it wouldn't be much of a secret to say that Scoop is one of my favorite all time players for Syracuse. It's not so much on account of what he did on the basketball court. It's mostly on account of what he has done and continues to do on the court of life. He has been and I suspect always will be someone who makes me proud to be a Syracuse Basketball fan.

I feel Mr. Rick Jackson was a much better player than Scoop .

 

[bballbeadle]

Flacusian, that was a nice article you wrote! Well done. And I am so glad Joyce shared this with us. I hope Scoop knows how many of us wish him well. Scoooooooop!

I have a very spread out step-family on my husband's side, some of whom I can't even begin to label. Kyle is the son of my stepmother-in-law's sister-in-law's daughter. I call him "nephew." He is also one of the infamous Louisville Cousins. Cousin? Nephew? Who the hell knows?

I am glad Scoop has so many diverse people in his life whom he can honor with the title "family." It's great!

 

[FreeFries100]

great post, thanks CTO

 

[gilardino]

scoop was at taste of syracuse tonight, our boy bleeds orange, but r fans still complain about him. shocker