A great way to spend 16 minutes

[MikeSU02]

Yup. Etan brought the intimidation factor. I remember Troy Murphy for ND would play like he was flat out scared of Etan.

Solid offensive player by his senior year too. I loved that kickout to Deshaun in the first half.

Hart, Etan, and Blackwell all being seniors and at minimum 3 year starters brought a ton of experience to that 2000 team.

I remember thinking how we were going to meet Cincy in the title game while we were on the undefeated run. Etan v. KMart. Then KMart got hurt. We started to slide a little. Rest is history.

 

[skurey]

I swear they've muted the volume at our home games

 

[Zepharus]

Some thoughts:

• Burr!
• Damone Brown was an underrated player
• I loved watching Etan Thomas play
• Jason Hart had such a weird jumper
• Allen Griffin really doesn't look that different
• I had totally forgotten how much I hated Jake Voskuhl
• Kueth looked as happy at the end of that game as he did late on 4/7/03

Add to this that Tony Bland wore uniforms three sizes too big. Oh and tyler Ennis looks like him too

 

[RoatanCuse]

Highlights of the 2000 curb stomping of UConn. This was back when we liked Deshaun Williams. My favorite moment is at 7:50, fast break Hart to Damone, student section loses it's mind.

Thank you! Seeing those run outs really made my day! I miss those days!

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

Saw that game in the best seats I've ever had. Buddy of mine says "I got two for tonight, you in?" Yep. Head up the hill, five rows behind Dicky V, center court.

Dudes in front of us got so excited when Damone threw down that alley oop in the second half that he just dumped an entire beer all over himself. Like literally put it over his head, and poured it all over himself.

Still the fastest court storming I have ever seen. Braveheart-esque. Turns out the guy in front of us got on the front page of the PS the next day, for sitting on the hoop after the storming.

Along with Pitt in '03, my favorite dome hoops memory.

 

[Cusesky8214]

They should bring these uniforms back...just not that baggy!

 

[orangenirvana]

I think the advanced metrics would favor Etan.

Nobody went inside on him.

And if they did, he'd block like 6 shots.

The only player I've ever seen that made me feel when the other team broke the press that they were in trouble.

Jeremy McNeil

I swear they've muted the volume at our home games

That's just what television has done. They think the audiences at home would rather hear the announcers than feel the excitement of being at the game. We've discussed this on the football board. It stinks.

 

[RF2044]

I think the advanced metrics would favor Etan.

Nobody went inside on him.

And if they did, he'd block like 6 shots.

The only player I've ever seen that made me feel when the other team broke the press that they were in trouble.

Mookie Watkins.

 

[Brooky03]

The blue curtain was the most amateur looking thing ever.

if by 'amateur' you mean 'awesome', I agree with you.

 

[sutomcat]

Highlights of the 2000 curb stomping of UConn. This was back when we liked Deshaun Williams. My favorite moment is at 7:50, fast break Hart to Damone, student section loses it's mind.

Nice find. That was a great student section back then. The students today would do well to review this tape and take notes.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Jeremy McNeil

Mookie Watkins.

Guys, come on. Those guys aren't even close to being on the same level as Etan as a shot blocker, especially as the defender at the rim when the press is broken. Let's not get ridiculous here.

Edit: looked at the stats, and McNeil's 02-03 was pretty awesome, but on the per 40 minute stats (if I ran it right) Etan averaged 4.725 blocks and McNeil averaged 3.054 over their careers. Watkins averaged 3.97 over his career.

 

[310Pigpen]

I almost thought you said you missed Blue Curtain!

I have to admit. I miss Blue Curtain only because he brought a different viewpoint and whenever he entered a thread you knew the train was coming off the rails.

 

[CusefanATL]

Highlights of the 2000 curb stomping of UConn. This was back when we liked Deshaun Williams. My favorite moment is at 7:50, fast break Hart to Damone, student section loses it's mind.

how about the hands of etan thomas?

how were there only 25000 people there? i get school night... but we were undefeated and i think they were too.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Trying to remember when the blue curtain was gone for good. I remember it being removed then back for a few games and then gone forever. Can’t remember if I was a student or not yet a studenWas that Doc Gross or Crouthamel? My memory has let me down.

 

[Alsacs]

Trying to remember when the blue curtain was gone for good. I remember it being removed then back for a few games and then gone forever. Can’t remember if I was a student or not yet a studenWas that Doc Gross or Crouthamel? My memory has let me down.

2003-2004 was the last year.

2004-2005 it was gone.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Guys, come on. Those guys aren't even close to being on the same level as Etan as a shot blocker, especially as the defender at the rim when the press is broken. Let's not get ridiculous here.

Edit: looked at the stats, and McNeil's 02-03 was pretty awesome, but on the per 40 minute stats (if I ran it right) Etan averaged 4.725 blocks and McNeil averaged 3.054 over their careers. Watkins averaged 3.97 over his career.

It starts with Bowie.:rolling: . His block on Joe Barry Carroll (the Ewing of his time, as I recall) announced SU on the national level.

 

[Cusefan0307]

2003-2004 was the last year.

2004-2005 it was gone.

Ok so I was a student. I remember a few games I think they tested w/out before it was fully gone correct?

 

[Alsacs]

Ok so I was a student. I remember a few games I think they tested w/out before it was fully gone correct?

Yup you got it Gross got rid of if.

 

[orangenirvana]

Guys, come on. Those guys aren't even close to being on the same level as Etan as a shot blocker, especially as the defender at the rim when the press is broken. Let's not get ridiculous here.

Edit: looked at the stats, and McNeil's 02-03 was pretty awesome, but on the per 40 minute stats (if I ran it right) Etan averaged 4.725 blocks and McNeil averaged 3.054 over their careers. Watkins averaged 3.97 over his career.

Etan was better but I think McNeil deserves to be in the same discussion as a pure shot-blocker alone, especially in the full-court press. JM may have been the MVP of that OSU second-round comeback game in 03.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Etan was better but I think McNeil deserves to be in the same discussion as a pure shot-blocker alone, especially in the full-court press. JM may have been the MVP of that OSU second-round comeback game in 03.

Hammer Toes was good in the press. Etan was just on a different level.

Etan may have been one of the best shot blockers in college hoops history.

 

[Headmaster 9]

I was 23 and living in Cuse at the time. Decided to head up to the hill solo last second and got a ticket from the scalper at a decent price. Going for 16-0, Vitale in town (when it was a thing). Had to do it. Anyway I was sitting down behind the basket opposite students and as it was becoming clear we would win I saw people lining up to storm the court. Ran down around the bleachers to the other side and as the game went final ran on the court amid the mob. I'm a pretty big dude but some giant woman ran into me and i got knocked over one of those 8 foot tables to the court floor. That was an awesome day and one of my hundreds of great Dome memories.

Ummm. Sorry. Didn’t mean to knock you over

 

[OrangeDW]

how about the hands of etan thomas?

how were there only 25000 people there? i get school night... but we were undefeated and i think they were too.

There was actually 26,474.

 

[CusefanATL]

There was actually 26,474.

fair enough - i just went by the late great john saunders aying "25k plus"

26,474 still seems low. i realize 30k is hard to get on a school night...

 

[CusefanATL]

Highlights of the 2000 curb stomping of UConn. This was back when we liked Deshaun Williams. My favorite moment is at 7:50, fast break Hart to Damone, student section loses it's mind.

omg... how about the sequence that starts around 2:45...

Hart makes a pretty contested 3. Next play steal and takes a fast break jumper from teh free throw line. When i say he air balled it doesnt even do it justice. He completely missed rim to the left of the rim. From 10 feet on a straight away shot where he had the hoop in his sights the entire time. that may actually be the worst shot i've seen until Marek threw the ball over the entire hoop last week.

 

[FrancoPizza]

Thank you! Seeing those run outs really made my day! I miss those days!

We can blame lack of depth and proper personnel, but I think it's 90% that JB just doesn't want to run anymore. Half of the break is leaking the guards out towards halfcourt to receive the outlet. The frontcourt can make that pass if they practiced it. It's not rocket science. Running is like rebounding - it's a mindset and a muscle memory. If JB doesn't emphasize it the skill atrophies. That's a big reason why we look so rusty the few times we do get a 2-on-1. FWIW, I think Battle, Marek, Brisset, and Moyer are built to run.

I guess what I'm trying to say is - everyone is getting their hopes up that next year is going to be some type of renaissance back to the run-and-gun days. I think that's setting expectations up for disappointment. Bazley and Carey won't run if JB doesn't push for it. That doesn't mean next year can't or won't be a successful year, but the vintage SU style that we love and grew up with is most likely retired.