sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to Winnie the Pooh Day!
Winnie the Pooh Day is celebrated on the birthday of A.A. Milne, the English author who created the popular children's character, Winnie the Pooh. The name "Winnie-the-Pooh" first appeared in a story called "The Wrong Sort of Bees," on Christmas Eve in 1925, in The Evening News. The following year, Milne published a volume of stories about Pooh, simply titled Winnie-the-Pooh. He followed this in 1928 with The House at Pooh Corner.
A black bear named Winnie—short for Winnipeg, as she had come from Canada—was an inspiration for the character. Winnie had resided at the London Zoo, and Milne's son, Christopher Robin Milne, liked to visit her; he even had the opportunity to feed her honey. Christopher named his own teddy bear Winnie the Pooh, after the real-life Winnie, as well as after a swan named Pooh, that the Milne's had seen while on vacation. Christopher's bear actually had originally been named Edward, and had been purchased at Harrods in London.
SU News
Inside John Bol Ajak’s journey and commitment to Syracuse (DO; Dabunddo)
John Bol Ajak stood near mid-court at West Chester University, wearing gray sweatpants and a gray sweatshirt donning a “W” across the front. All he wanted to do was play. Around him, Westtown (Pennsylvania) High School took the court for warm-ups before playing Roman Catholic (Pennsylvania) High School.
For the last six weeks, Ajak, a Syracuse commit, had missed practices and games with a hip injury. He stood at the free throw line as his teammates warmed up, smiling and laughing. Once the game started, Ajak spent more time standing in front of the Westtown bench than sitting in his chair.
Throughout Westtown’s win, Ajak called out screens, coached teammates in timeouts and supported his new friends. In the far corner of the gym, former Syracuse star Billy Owens stopped Ajak near the locker room for a moment after the game.
“I heard you’re going to Syracuse,” Owens said.
Ajak responded, “Yes, sir.”
Owens offered his hand.
“Welcome aboard,” Owens said.
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Beat writer Q&A: Craig Meyer of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette breaks down Syracuse-Pitt (DO; Staff)
Ahead of Syracuse’s (12-5, 3-1 Atlantic Coast) matchup with Pittsburgh (12-5, 2-2) on Saturday at the Carrier Dome, we connected with Craig Meyer. A Pitt beat writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Meyer addressed former Duke coach Jeff Capel III, the possibility of a Syracuse win and how Pittsburgh has gotten off to a surprising start so far.
The Daily Orange: What is the sense of first-year head coach Jeff Capel’s job so far? How has the team differed from a season ago?
Craig Meyer: I think it’s undeniably optimistic in a way it hasn’t been since maybe 2011, when Pitt was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament before losing in the second round to Butler. Even in the years that followed, when they would win 20-25 games but lose early in the tournament, there was some bewilderment over why they weren’t quite as good as they once were. Capel’s hire was incredibly well-received, which was far from a guarantee. As thrilled as fans were that Kevin Stallings was fired, some of the candidates that were proposed or whose interviews were leaked during the coaching search were met with skepticism or outright anger. With Capel, there was jubilation. Though he was something of an unexpected choice, he filled two requirements Pitt desperately needed — a top recruiter who could immediately improve a diminished talent pool within the program and someone with an intimate knowledge of the ACC.
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Unplugged: How Syracuse athletes handle their tech addiction (DO; Gutierrez)
A new sign in Manley Field House, fixed on a filing cabinet inside the weight room area, reads: “Don’t post about it, be about it.”
The 8.5-by-11-inch sign functions as a continual reminder for Syracuse athletes to worry less about maintaining their Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat accounts. They’ve become downtime fillers in the locker room and while teams travel. But they’ve also become distractions.
A growing number of collegiate programs have instilled phone rules, written or unwritten. Syracuse Athletics is no outlier. From men’s basketball to softball to field hockey, SU athletes must abide by a number of restrictions, based on their team’s discretion, that dictate when they can and can’t scroll through their phone. Knowing when to unplug presents a challenge.
“Phones are getting a bad rap,” Syracuse men’s basketball assistant coach Allen Griffin said. “Some guys can watch film on themselves. It’s a powerful tool. But checking your phone for your girlfriend’s text messages 20 minutes before a game? That’s not good.”
The near-universal access to digital technology — tablets, phones and laptops — is transforming modern society, including athletics. Technology can unite teams through group texts and film-study accounts like Hudl, although it can have negative effects on physical and mental health. Most adults spend 10 hours a day or more consuming electronic media, according to the Nielsen Total Audience Report.
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By developing his weak hand, Tyus Battle hopes to score more and boost draft stock (DO; Gutierrez)
Tyus Battle, Syracuse’s leading scorer over the past two seasons, knew exactly where he needed to improve entering his junior year. Feedback from NBA scouts after the 2018 combine focused on two main focal points: his shot and his weak hand.
Since Syracuse lost to Duke in the 2018 Sweet 16, Battle’s improved left hand has flipped opposing team’s defensive approach. Now, they shade the natural right-hander to the right. Syracuse University assistant coach Allen Griffin even said he was “stronger” going to his off-hand. On the wings, some defenders urge him to drive right, despite it being his dominant side.
Battle’s said he’s always felt comfortable going left, even as a 10-year old. He developed his signature stepback jumper going left, giving him a new scoring element away from his dominant side.
Yet, last season, Battle noticed a lot of his points were on dribbles to the right. When he’d get into the paint with his left, he previously tried to finish with his strong hand. But it wasn’t always there. For Battle, a junior guard for Syracuse (12-5, 3-1 Atlantic Coast), his weak-hand development represents the latest refinement in his evolving game. Polishing both his abilities to get to the rim via either hand, then finishing up close, could provide a slight boost to his draft stock, players and coaches said.
“Ever since I was young, people would force me left. Now I feel really comfortable with either hand,” said Battle, who’s averaging a team-high 18 points per game on 45.2 percent shooting. “Over the summer and now, I’ve been working on my left hand a lot, finishing at the rim. It seems to be paying off.”
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Watch: Pitt's Khameron Davis, Terrell Brown Prep for Syracuse, Dome, Zone (pittsburghsportsnow.com; video; Saunders)
Pitt guard Khameron Davis and center Terrell Brown spoke with the media, including Alan Saunders of Pittsburgh Sports Now, after practice on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2019 as the Panthers prepare to visit Syracuse on Saturday.
Davis and Brown talked about their experience playing against Syracuse’s vaunted 2-3 zone and in the cavernous Carrier Dome.
ACC Showdown Preview: No. 4 Virginia at No. 1 Duke (cbssports;video; Norlander)
Matt Norlander breaks down what to expect in the Virginia-Duke matchup on Saturday.
FSU Basketball: ‘Noles NCAA Tournament projections take a hit chopchat.com; Hunt)
FSU basketball was thought to be one of the most underrated programs in the country a couple of weeks ago. That perception is no longer after three losses in ACC play.
Is No. 11 FSU basketball (13-4, 1-3 ACC) an overrated team? That’s not the case as they played toe-to-toe with arguably the most talented team in college basketball in the Duke Blue Devils last week.
However, a loss against a mediocre Pittsburgh team had some fans scratching their heads. It was a predictable let-down game after losing how they lost to Duke.
It didn’t help the referees were awful in that game too, but good programs find ways to win those games and don’t play to their level of competition.
Then again there are a lot of factors that come into play like: rest, stylistic matchup and injures. For example, Duke’s a great program and they lost their next game against Syracuse after defeating FSU basketball at the buzzer.
Do they suck? No, it’s just the nature of the beast of playing in the best conference in the nation too.
They’ve dropped in ESPN’s latest bracketology projections. Joe Lunardi has them as a No. 6 seed taking on No. 11 Wofford in the opening round after they’ve gone 1-3 in early ACC play.
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Syracuse Basketball Recruiting: Qudus Wahab resets announcement date (itlh.com; Adler)
An important development on the Syracuse basketball recruiting front, as 2019 big man Qudus Wahab will reveal his college choice at the end of the month.
Qudus Wahab, one of the last remaining targets for SU in its class of 2019, plans to unveil where he will play on Jan. 30, according to Syracuse.com and other media reports.
The 6-10 center, listed as three or four stars depending on the recruiting service, is down to a final five of Connecticut, the ‘Cuse, Georgetown, Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech.
Previously, Wahab had expected to make his collegiate announcement on Dec. 13, but he then elected to delay that decision.
Wahab, who presently attends the Flint Hill School in Oakton, Va., near Washington, D.C., took an official visit to the Orange campus in November of 2018.
Syracuse basketball recruiting target Qudus Wahab sets announcement date Syracuse basketball recruiting target Qudus Wahab sets announcement date
— syracuse.com (@syracusedotcom) January 16, 2019
Nationally across the 2019 class, he is rated as a top-150 guy by the majority of recruiting Web sites, and Wahab is also deemed a top-10 prospect overall in the Commonwealth of Virginia.Recruiting analysts, from what I’ve read online about Wahab, describe him as an athletic, physical post player who would fit in well anchoring SU’s vaunted 2-3 zone.
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Sided.co Pitt podcast–Jerry DiPaola on Pitt vs. Syracuse (sportstalk.triblive.com; podcast; DiPaola)
Pitt hosts Duke on Tuesday. But first Jeff Capel’s crew visits Syracuse on Saturday. Tribune-Review Pitt beat writer Jerry DiPaola and I discuss the prospects of the Panthers pulling off another upset, attacking the Orange 2-3 zone, slowing ‘Cuse’s fast break, and Dome Dogs. We also bring up Pitt football and the Panthers’ new offensive coordinator, former Steelers quarterback coach Mark Whipple.
Episode 117- Syracuse Basketball: Pitt Preview! - Armchair All-Americans (armchairallamericans.com; podcast; Cuse Militia)
Episode 117- Syracuse Basketball: Pitt Preview!
Bracket Watch: Virginia benefits from Duke's stumble (si.com; Beller)
The SI.com Bracket Watch has been fully operational for two weeks, and we already have our first shakeup on the top line—sort of. The top four teams—Virginia, Michigan, Tennessee and Duke—remain the same as we head into the January 17–20 weekend, but their order has changed after Duke’s loss to Syracuse earlier this week. Virginia is now the No. 1 overall seed in the country, earning what would be a nice, quick trip to Washington, D.C., where the East Region will be hosted this season. Michigan remained at No. 2 overall, with Tennessee sliding up to No. 3, out of the West Region and into the South, hosted in Louisville. Duke lost its cushy spot in D.C. but remained a No. 1 seed, though our current projections now have the Blue Devils traveling out to the West Region.
Duke-Virginia Game Info & Links (DBR; King)
- Time: 6:00 Saturday
- Venue: Cameron Indoor Stadium
- Video: ESPN
- Duke men’s basketball set to host No. 4 Virginia in first game without Tre Jones
- Why Duke-Virginia could be college basketball’s game of the yea
- Tre Jones proving he’s as valuable as his brother once was to Duke
- Duke guard Tre Jones’ shoulder injury not season ending, considered day-to-day, report says
- UMBC coach and Mike Krzyzewski put kibosh on former UMBC player attending UVA-Duke game
- Key Three: Duke men’s basketball will have to adapt without Tre Jones against Virginia
- College Basketball Rankings: Duke drops in the Top 25 And 1 after losing at home to Syracuse
- College basketball: What dominating wins by Virginia and Tennessee mean after Duke’s loss
CLEMSON BASKETBALL: Reed’s 30th leads to first ACC win (thetandd.com)
Marcquise Reed turned in a career-high 30 points in Clemson University men’s basketball’s wire-to-wire victory over Georgia Tech on Wednesday night. The win was Clemson’s first of ACC play.
The Tigers (11-6, 1-3 ACC) got off to a 14-0 run in the opening five minutes of the contest and extended that to a 20-2 run with 12:42 left to play in the opening stanza. The Tigers endured a 10-0 run from the Yellow Jackets (10-7, 2-2 ACC) to close the half and take a 35-30 lead into halftime.
Reed posted his highest-scoring first half of the season with 19 points in the first period.
Clemson greeted Georgia Tech with a 7-0 run to begin the second half and extended its lead to double figures yet again. The Tigers would lead by as many as 15 in the second half and the Yellow Jackets closed to within nine and eight on two occasions, but that’s as close as they would get.
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ACC Daily Digest, Jan. 17: 5-star Hurt to visit Duke; Nwora continues to produce - ACCSports.com (accsports.com; Geisinger)
5-star PF Matthew Hurt to visit Duke
One of the top players in the 2019 recruiting class, 5-star power forward Matthew Hurt, will take an official visit to Duke this weekend. Hurt, a consensus top-10 player in the class, has already visited UNC and Kentucky. In a few weeks, he’s set to visit Kansas, too.
Official Visitor Profile: 2019 PF Matthew Hurt will be on Duke's campus this weekend – Official Visitor Profile: 2019 PF Matthew Hurt via @TheDevilsDen (VIP)
— Adam Rowe (@AdamRoweTDD) January 17, 2019
He will be at Duke for the matchup with Virginia.
Nwora notches career-high 32 points; Louisville defeats BC, 70-60
As Louisville continues to win (3-1 ACC), Jordan Nwora continues to put up big scoring numbers. In the Wednesday night win over Boston College, Nwora slapped up a career-high 32 points: 12-16 FGA, 5-9 3PA (41 3P% on the season). He also grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out four assists, too.
On the other side, Jordan Chatman broke out — six 3-pointers — but BC managed to score just one point per possession.
Speaking of career highs: Marcquise Reed; Clemson wins over GT
In a game that Clemson absolutely had to have, Marcquise Reed delivered in a 72-60 win over Georgia Tech — which hit the brakes on a three-game losing slide for the Tigers. Reed needed only 13 FGA to hit a career-high 30 points — to go along with four steals and only one turnover.
Georgia Tech’s James Banks continues to terrorize at the rim, though; the Texas transfer blocked four more shots, which gives him 41 for the season.
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Bracket Watch: Duke Hangs on as a No. 1 Seed Despite Syracuse Stumble (msn.com; Bender)
The SI.com Bracket Watch has been fully operational for two weeks, and we already have our first shakeup on the top line—sort of. The top four teams—Virginia, Michigan, Tennessee and Duke—remain the same as we head into the January 17–20 weekend, but their order has changed after Duke’s loss to Syracuse earlier this week. Virginia is now the No. 1 overall seed in the country, earning what would be a nice, quick trip to Washington, D.C., where the East Region will be hosted this season. Michigan remained at No. 2 overall, with Tennessee sliding up to No. 3, out of the West Region and into the South, hosted in Louisville. Duke lost its cushy spot in D.C. but remained a No. 1 seed, though our current projections now have the Blue Devils traveling out to the West Region.
Duke’s second loss of the season did not push it down a seed line for a few reasons. First, even with the loss, Duke ranks fourth in the NCAA’s NET ratings behind—you guessed it—Virginia, Michigan and Tennessee. Second, Cam Reddish missed the loss to Syracuse with an illness, and Tre Jones left the game late in the first half with a shoulder injury. The committee takes the composition of losses into account when it seeds teams, especially if the missing players in question are back in the fold by tournament time. Reddish obviously will be, though Jones is out indefinitely because of the sprained AC joint in his shoulder. The fact that Duke pushed the game to overtime without two of its best players keeps it on the top line, even though the loss came at home. There are arguments for Gonzaga, Kansas and Michigan State to all claim the final No. 1 seed, and one of them could very well be there to start the Bracket Watch next week with Duke and Virginia meeting in Charlottesville this weekend. For now, however, Duke is still more worthy of a No. 1 seed than any of those three.
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Other
Mayor Ben Walsh: Syracuse 'is on the cusp of a renaissance’ (PS; Knauss)
A confident Mayor Ben Walsh laid out a vision for his second year in office tonight. He promised that, despite persistent poverty, the city’s "best days are within our reach.''
Walsh outlined an ambitious, technology-inspired plan called the Syracuse Surge that he said will position the city to "leap into the future.'' He described efforts to boost employment, improve city services and help struggling residents achieve financial stability.
There will be more cops on the street, he said. There will be better housing. If all goes well, there may even be fewer potholes, Walsh said. But most of all, Syracuse will push to the forefront of technology, he promised.
The Syracuse Surge is a plan that, if successful, will both promote the development of new technology and train people to work on it. Walsh said he has more than $200 million in public and private funding "committed already'' to pay for it. (He did not provide details.)
The project’s initial centerpiece is a proposed regional high school in the former Central Tech, where the curriculum would emphasize science, technology, engineering, arts and math – or STEAM. The renovation of the school could cost roughly $90 million, Walsh said.
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