Floyd Little wants 44 back link now working

[Orangeyes]

Syracuse running back Jerome Smith wants 'nothing to do with' wearing No. 44

 

[jekelish]

1. I'd kill to see that
2. That'd be an enormous pressure on the young man, but I think he could handle it.
3. Remembering to pack a second pair of underwear for the game would be smart.

To make it even better - he wears something over his jersey through pregame and then pulls a WWE and rips it off revealing the 44 jersey.

And then he knocks out a Penn State player and spraypaints SU4LYFE on his chest to keep with the whole WWE thing.

 

[jekelish]

If you're waiting for the next Brown or Davis or Little to wear it - it would never get handed out.

I honestly can't think of many transcendent RBs on any team in any conference that match those guys over the last 10 years...

In terms of just being electric and transcending the college football landscape, I'd say Reggie Bush is the closest over the past decade (and JUST the past decade, obviously). He's obviously not on their level, but he was one of the most exciting football players to watch when he was in college. Still think it's BS that he had to give back his Heisman, because the off the field stuff doesn't change that he was the best player in the country that year.

 

[SaltineWar]

Regarding 44, Jerome said: "I don't need nothing to do with it."




So I guess he needs something to do with it.

 

[RICuse44]

In terms of just being electric and transcending the college football landscape, I'd say Reggie Bush is the closest over the past decade (and JUST the past decade, obviously). He's obviously not on their level, but he was one of the most exciting football players to watch when he was in college. Still think it's BS that he had to give back his Heisman, because the off the field stuff doesn't change that he was the best player in the country that year.

AP also. Kid was a beast in college. And then in the pros. Also remember pre-ACL Lattimore? To step on the scene like that as a frosh in the ACC was something.

 

[OttosBestFriend]

In terms of just being electric and transcending the college football landscape, I'd say Reggie Bush is the closest over the past decade (and JUST the past decade, obviously). He's obviously not on their level, but he was one of the most exciting football players to watch when he was in college. Still think it's BS that he had to give back his Heisman, because the off the field stuff doesn't change that he was the best player in the country that year.

Darren McFadden (Arkansas)
Rashard Mendenhall (Ill)
Jonathon Stewart (Oregon)
Ray Rice (Rutty)
LeSean McCoy (Pitt)
Knowshon Moreno (UGA)
CJ Spiller (Clemson)
LaMichael James (Oregon)
Trent Richardson (Bama)
Marcus Latimore (SC - pre-injury)
Montee Ball (Wisco)

Those are some of the very few RBs in the last 5 or 6 years that might COME CLOSE to "transcending the college football landscape"... I'm sure I'm overlooking a few others, but you're right in that there haven't been many in all of America.

And I'm not saying the guys above were even transcendent... Just that they came close or were at the very least, quite exciting to watch burst through the line and scamper in the open field.

I agree with you, you can't set the 44 bar so high that no one would ever actually get the number... Then why un-retire it in the first place?

 

[sufandu]

AP also. Kid was a beast in college. And then in the pros. Also remember pre-ACL Lattimore? To step on the scene like that as a frosh in the ACC was something.

SEC. I think your excitement for our new conference got the better of you.

 

[capeorange]

I would also like to see 44 return. But it must be earned while at SU by a running back who is as special as those who made 44 special. When it was used as a recruiting tool, some of those who wore 44 did not live up to our expectations. If we need to wait 40 more years for that special RB, so be it. I’ll be dead or close to it, but I think 44 is something that should be reserved for that special player who is capable of leading the team to the promised land or damn close to it.

 

[dollarbill44]

After all of the discussion I've changed my mind. I don't want it unretired. It needs to stay in the rafters, so it doesn't become diluted as merely an award for hard work and citizenship.

The way I see it, if it stays retired and in the rafters, it will become diluted over time as the players and fanbase get further and further away from the big 3. Traditions are handed down from generation to generation and are living, breathing things.

A jersey in the rafters is NOT a tradition, but merely a piece of memorabilia.

 

[OttosBestFriend]

After all of the discussion I've changed my mind. I don't want it unretired. It needs to stay in the rafters, so it doesn't become diluted as merely an award for hard work and citizenship.

No one said on field performance doesn't count for something.

Look at what Michigan does with #1.

Save for Rich Rod screwing it up in 2008 (go figure), for the last 20+ years, #1 is EARNED at Michigan through leadership and performance.

And it's all only worn by WRs. (At least since the days of Anthony Carter)

#44 at SU is a RB number. End of story. So no Mackey or Bromley or Spruil.

And it could/should go to an upperclassmen who's earned it - on and off the field.

 

[sufandu]

The way I see it, if it stays retired and in the rafters, it will become diluted over time as the players and fanbase get further and further away from the big 3. Traditions are handed down from generation to generation and are living, breathing things.

A jersey in the rafters is NOT a tradition, but merely a piece of memorabilia.

I will agree with all of that... unless we start giving the number to players like it's the Rudy award.

 

[All4SU]

No one said on field performance doesn't count for something.

Look at what Michigan does with #1.

Save for Rich Rod screwing it up in 2008 (go figure), for the last 20+ years, #1 is EARNED at Michigan through leadership and performance.

And it's all only worn by WRs. (At least since the days of Anthony Carter)

#44 at SU is a RB number. End of story. So no Mackey or Bromley or Spruil.

And it could/should go to an upperclassmen who's earned it - on and off the field.

How does Michigan handle it? I am uninformed. That would seem to be the closest comparison?

 

[Orangeyes]

Darren McFadden (Arkansas)
Rashard Mendenhall (Ill)
Jonathon Stewart (Oregon)
Ray Rice (Rutty)
LeSean McCoy (Pitt)
Knowshon Moreno (UGA)
CJ Spiller (Clemson)
LaMichael James (Oregon)
Trent Richardson (Bama)
Marcus Latimore (SC - pre-injury)
Montee Ball (Wisco)

Those are some of the very few RBs in the last 5 or 6 years that might COME CLOSE to "transcending the college football landscape"... I'm sure I'm overlooking a few others, but you're right in that there haven't been many in all of America.

And I'm not saying the guys above were even transcendent... Just that they came close or were at the very least, quite exciting to watch burst through the line and scamper in the open field.

I agree with you, you can't set the 44 bar so high that no one would ever actually get the number... Then why un-retire it in the first place?

Nice research, I started doing the same but ran out of patience.

 

[Orangeyes]

I would also like to see 44 return. But it must be earned while at SU by a running back who is as special as those who made 44 special. When it was used as a recruiting tool, some of those who wore 44 did not live up to our expectations. If we need to wait 40 more years for that special RB, so be it. I’ll be dead or close to it, but I think 44 is something that should be reserved for that special player who is capable of leading the team to the promised land or damn close to it.

100% agree