I attended the event this year with my brother (thanks again cto). It is a fun event, the athletes are very upbeat and happy to be there. The SU athletic department does a fine job producing the event, it is a great celebration of Syracuse's athletic programs and a great day to end the school year.
Some tidbits from the night...
Scott Shafer saw me at the reception beforehand and remembered me as I happened to be visiting OE when he stopped by for his visit. He talked to my brother and I at length. Said this is a big time for recruiting and it feels really strange not chasing 18 year olds all over the country, trying to get them to agree to play for him. He says he likes not have to do it (he is raising funds, representing the program at charity and conference events, doing clinics, etc.
He of course asked about OE and how he is doing. Was pleased to hear his recovery is coming along well. Has heard a lot about the golfing ability of OE and hopes to use him as his designated putter at the big SU football golf outing at Seneca Falls Country Club on Monday June 8th. If you want to play, I believe the cost is going to be $100, which includes lunch at the turn and a steak dinner afterwards. There is a blind auction, all the coaches are typically there, Coach Shafer speaks before dinner, it is a must do event if you are in the area and love SU football. I will make a post on the event in the next day or two.
The food at the reception was good. Lots of healthy vegetables, hummus, tabbouleh, various dips, scallops wrapped in bacon, beef sliders, chicken sliders, eggplant sliders, shrimp, etc. And they had ginger ale too.
Matt Park did his usual capable job hosting the event.
Missy and Scott in Cali Last Week to Raise Funds for Football
Scott and Missy presented the first awards (appropriately giving out the best male and female rookie athletes). Missy chided Scott about not saying any 3 or 4 letter words, to which Scott immediately responded with a 3 letter word to much laughter in the crowd.
Jim and Juli made a presentation. JB jokingly made a disparaging remark about Jerami Grant. Jerami would later be called to the stage to help accept an award and took the opportunity to return fire, implying he would have returned had he known for sure that JB was coming back. JB returned to the stage later with fellow Hall of Famer Floyd Little, and returned fire on JG. It was pretty funny.
The athletes sat together by sport. They didn't have to, but that is how they do it. That leads to organized cheering whenever one of their own is nominated for an award. The football team for instance, would always do low, woofing sounds when a football player or the team had a chance to win something.
Props to the field hockey and hockey teams for making a lot of noise for their peeps. Women's lacrosse was also quite loud. But the loudest groups, by far, were the men's and especially the women's crew teams. My theory is that they were the loudest because they have the most lung capacity. In any event, they took full advantage whenever they could. Impressive esprit de corps, crew athletes.
Coolest cat there was Rakim, who wore dark black sunglasses most of the night.
Dejuan Coleman and Brittany Sykes both had knee surgery near the end of the season. Dejuan is walking well right now, with little or no trace of a limp, while Brittany is still in a knee brace.
Great event, great time.
