Clemson entrace

[Scooch]

Baby steps. I do notice that more people wear orange to SU events now.

SU's best bet is being the loud, hot, stadium that no team wants to play in. We had it once, we can have it again.

Outside of that, yeah, it's LGO or bust.

I'm sure I've told this story a million times, but what the hell I've got time. Semi-related. After the ND game in 2003, we eventually made our way to Armory Square. Irish singer at Kitty Hoynes plays a slow version of the ND fight song. A lot of ND fans still hanging around (after being thrashed on the football field), and they were enjoying it. Syracuse fans start getting on the singer about playing the SU fight song. He says he doesn't know it but if anyone wanted to come up and sing it, the mic was theirs. Everyone looks around confused. So me, clearly being drunk enough, step up to the mic. I start singing the song, after about 5 seconds in, everyone starts clapping to it. Then I get big cheers at the end.

All I remember thinking was, no one knew our fight song, but could somewhat recognize it once given the context. And to me, that summed up SU fans and the college tradition/fight song thing. It's just not for them. Which is fine I guess. Just always feels weird when you play one of these other schools who has thousands of fans that know every tradition and song related to their program.

I can top that story, and it's much more sobering...

As people here know I was in the SUMB, which of course makes me super cool. Every year we had a banquet at the end of the season and had a guest speaker. My senior year (1994) our guest was none other than Paul Pasqualoni. Coach P was very gracious and said some complimentary things about the band. But at one point he says "... and I love that song that you guys play every time we get a first down. I don't know what it is, but I like it."

That song he didn't know was the SU fight song, 'Down The Field'. There was literally a collective groan that went out across the 200+ band geeks in attendance.

Now, a lot of SU fans will say "who cares!", I want the coach focusing on winning games, not the fight song. But do you think for a second that Nick Saban couldn't recognize the Alabama fight song in his 4th year as head coach? Frank Beamer? Urban Meyer? Chip Kelly? Dabo Swinney?

It was just an illuminating anecdote that underscored just how little value SU places on tradition. I loved that Marrone tried to bring some things back: flipping the banner at the V, having the team learn and sing the alma mater, etc. Unfortunately our fan base makes no such effort.

 

[Moontan]

I went to that walk for the UVa game, it was so sparse Robinson was able to address people by name as the team went through.

I was there for the first one (WVU) and thought it was pretty cool. It sounds like it quickly dwindled to nothing. Too bad. If they did it now they could go by the Ernie Davis statue.

 

[Moontan]

When I was at the Final 4 in Atlanta the Michigan, Louisville and Wichita State fans did a slew more cheers than SU.

Agreed. Their chants (other than Louisville's) were eerily impressive.

Louisville's was annoying. Syracuse's was non-existent.

 

[Bayside44]

I can top that story, and it's much more sobering...

As people here know I was in the SUMB, which of course makes me super cool. Every year we had a banquet at the end of the season and had a guest speaker. My senior year (1994) our guest was none other than Paul Pasqualoni. Coach P was very gracious and said some complimentary things about the band. But at one point he says "... and I love that song that you guys play every time we get a first down. I don't know what it is, but I like it."

That song he didn't know was the SU fight song, 'Down The Field'. There was literally a collective groan that went out across the 200+ band geeks in attendance.

Now, a lot of SU fans will say "who cares!", I want the coach focusing on winning games, not the fight song. But do you think for a second that Nick Saban couldn't recognize the Alabama fight song in his 4th year as head coach? Frank Beamer? Urban Meyer? Chip Kelly? Dabo Swinney?

It was just an illuminating anecdote that underscored just how little value SU places on tradition. I loved that Marrone tried to bring some things back: flipping the banner at the V, having the team learn and sing the alma mater, etc. Unfortunately our fan base makes no such effort.

I heard the words of the alma mater 2x at SU, the day I got there and the day I left. Granted that was a long time ago now in the dark ages of all sorts of things (plaid, grunge) but still...

I was so looking forward to hearing the SSS play Amen after a hoops win, but apparently the liberals took that away when I got there.

 

[Scooch]

I heard the words of the alma mater 2x at SU, the day I got there and the day I left. Granted that was a long time ago now in the dark ages of all sorts of things (plaid, grunge) but still...

I was so looking forward to hearing the SSS play Amen after a hoops win, but apparently the liberals took that away when I got there.

Sitrus still plays the theme from Jesus Christ Superstar at the end of every hoops game, so you still have your Christian rock.

 

[DoubleDee]

I heard the words of the alma mater 2x at SU, the day I got there and the day I left. Granted that was a long time ago now in the dark ages of all sorts of things (plaid, grunge) but still...

I was so looking forward to hearing the SSS play Amen after a hoops win, but apparently the liberals took that away when I got there.

i miss amen too. I always took the "it's the goddam liberals" angle too.

Not for nothin, I'm a mere fan who did not go to SU, and I know a couple words just from being at games. It scrolls in the scoreboard, it used to be printed in every "lucky number" program, and they still play it after every game.

Prior to "Down the field" the fight song was called the saltine warrior. Look it up its pretty cool. They have the sheet music on eBay.