sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican victory at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, during the Franco-Mexican War. The day is a minor, regional holiday in Mexico, being mainly celebrated in the state of Puebla where the city of Puebla is the capital. Military parades, speeches, and reenactments of the battle are held there. It is also celebrated in Veracruz and Mexico City, but in many other places of Mexico, May 5th is no different than any other day.
It is more widely celebrated in the United States, where it commemorates the battle, and celebrates Mexican culture and heritage. It is most celebrated in areas with large Mexican-American populations. The day began gaining popularity in the 1940s, during the beginnings of the Chicano movement. Mexican immigrants used the day to show their pride in their Mexican heritage. Awareness of the holiday was further raised in the 1960s by Chicano activists. Today it is celebrated by many in the country, regardless of their ethnic background. Parades, parties, and festivals are part of the day. These events usually include mariachi music, Mexican folk dancing, and traditional Mexican foods. The largest festivals in the country are held in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston.
SU News
Checking in on former Syracuse basketball players in the NBA - The Juice Online (the juice; Dagostino)
As we sit in the portion of the calendar where we find out which Syracuse basketball players will enter (or remain) in the NBA Draft, it’s a good time to see what the guys that have already made the jump to the league have done this season. Less than two weeks remain in the NBA regular season and more than a couple Syracuse guys have made headlines this season.
Jerami Grant. In his seventh season, Grant should be in line for his fair share of Most Improved Player votes. At 22.5 points per game, Grant is averaging nearly 10 points a game more than he has in any other season. His choice to leave Western Conference contender, Denver, for more of a role on the lowly Detroit Pistons has not paid off in the win column. But, it certainly has shed light on his individual game. However, with the Pistons in full tank mode, Grant has sat in six of the last 11 games. Given his play throughout the rest of the season, where he averaged at least 20 points in every month, the DNPs should not hurt his chances at the award.
Oshae Brissett. It has only been in recent weeks than Brissett has begun to make a name for himself on the NBA stage. After signing a 10-day contract with the Indiana Pacers on April 1 and a second one after that, the Pacers rewarded Brissett with a three-year contract to remain with the team. Why? Because, while filling in for the injury-riddled Pacers with guys like Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis out, Brissett has scored in double figures in eight straight games, including four double-doubles in that span.
Carmelo Anthony. Just this week, Anthony passed Elvin Hayes to move into 10th on the NBA all-time scoring list. In his second season with the Portland Trail Blazers, Anthony has settled nicely into his role as scorer off the bench. He has averaged over 13 points a game in less than 25 minutes per night for a Portland team gearing up to try to make a playoff run.
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Andreo Ash is One to Watch in 2024 (SI; McAllister)
Class of 2024 prospects are still in the infancy of their recruiting cycle. That has not stopped some schools from extending offers, however. On Tuesday, 2024 Liverpool (N.Y.) High forward Andreo Ash picked up his first offer from Stony Brook. Ash is already 6-7, has tremendous upside, and will be sure to attract more offers going forward.
Given that he is a local prospect who is being coached by a former Syracuse player (Ryan Blackwell), the natural question will be is he good enough to be a high major prospect. Blackwell thinks he has that potential.
"Dreo has a chance to be special," Blackwell said. "With his size, skill level, footwork, shooting ability, touch, work ethic and overall attitude/demeanor, he has a great base to improve upon. The key is how much he grows into his size 17s and how tough/mean he can become going forward."
Ash has a connection to Syracuse beyond being local and his head coach. His sister, Tyler Ash, played for the Orange women's program from 2008 to 2012. Tyler was a former top 25 recruit who picked Syracuse and many viewed as having pro potential. However, injuries derailed her career and she did not play in her final two seasons at SU.
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Syracuse Basketball: Mapping out glorious, daunting non-conference slate (itlh; Adler)
The Syracuse basketball non-conference schedule for the upcoming campaign could ultimately amount to one of the toughest dockets that the Orange has endured over the last bunch of seasons.
As we’ve detailed, Syracuse basketball is planning to battle former Big East Conference rival Villanova in the 2021 Jimmy V Classic at the famed Madison Square Garden in New York City, according to CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein.
The Wildcats should enter the 2021-22 term as a pre-season top-five group. The ‘Cuse will travel to Washington, D.C., to face another former Big East foe in Georgetown, which this past March captured its league’s post-season tournament to land an invite to the Big Dance.
The Orange is expected to host a game at the Carrier Dome in the annual ACC-Big Ten Challenge. The Big Ten Conference has proven a juggernaut in recent years.
That’s three non-conference encounters. Then, I believe that Syracuse basketball will play three games in the 2021 Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis, an event whose field includes Arizona State, Auburn, Loyola Chicago, Michigan State, Connecticut, VCU and Baylor, the 2021 NCAA champion.
This brings us to six contests. Assuming that the ‘Cuse will play long-time Empire State rivals Colgate and Cornell, and that makes eight. If, in 2021-22, the Orange has the full assortment of 11 non-conference opponents, this leaves three games remaining.
Other squads that we want on the Syracuse basketball non-conference calendar.
Given the novel coronavirus pandemic is still here, perhaps the Orange may want to schedule some games versus groups that aren’t too far away, geographically speaking.If that’s the case, I have a few possibilities in mind for the last three spots.
One is St. Bonaventure out of the Atlantic 10 Conference. The Bonnies, projected as a pre-season top-25 team by numerous national commentators, should prove an excellent unit in 2021-22.
Next up is Iona from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Rick Pitino, a former assistant under Orange head coach Jim Boeheim many years ago, took the Gaels to the NCAA Tournament in his first stanza at the helm of Iona. Boeheim versus Pitino is always must-see TV.
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Syracuse Basketball: 5-star Benny Williams among stars at Iverson Classic (itlh; Adler)
Syracuse basketball 2021 five-star commit Benny Williams is planning to arrive in Central New York in the near future, but first he will take on the best of the best in his class this coming weekend in a major All-American game.
On Saturday, May 8, Williams will participate in the 2021 Allen Iverson Roundball Classic, which will take place in Memphis, Tenn. His selection to this event speaks volumes about just how exquisite the 6-foot-8 forward is, and what he will bring to the Orange beginning in the upcoming season.
Williams, ranked as high as No. 15 nationally in his class by , is part of the Team Loyalty roster for the Iverson Classic, per a press release.
Also on this roster is former Syracuse basketball target Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, out of Scotland Campus in Scotland, Pa. The 6-foot-9 Huntley-Hatfield, a five-star power forward, recently selected Tennessee over a group of other finalists that included the ‘Cuse.
Huntley-Hatfield also has decided to reclassify up from the 2022 class to the 2021 cycle, enabling him to suit up in the Iverson Classic.
According to a recent tweet from Jonathan Givony, an NBA Draft analyst for ESPN, the NBA has given the green light for the Iverson Classic to be a “certified event, allowing NBA scouts to evaluate prospects in attendance.” It’s time for Williams to shine!
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Axe: SU losing more than players to transfer portal (PS; $; Axe)
It’s been just over a month since Syracuse men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim told us to “buckle our safety belts” for the oncoming transfer portal era in college basketball.
I don’t know about you, but I haven’t felt safe taking mine off yet.
It feels like the SU basketball rosters change more than the arrivals and departures board at Hancock International Airport.
Boeheim has seen Kadary Richmond, Robert Braswell, Woody Newton and John Bol Ajak all decide to leave via the transfer portal. Alan Griffin entered the NBA draft. Quincy Guerrier is deciding between the pros and college, but if he returns to school it will not be to Syracuse.
Cole Swider, Jimmy Boeheim and Symir Torrence have been brought in from the portal in addition to 2021 recruit Benny Williams to hopefully fill the void.
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Clemson AD Responds To Allegations Against Brad Brownell (DBR; King)
On Sunday we linked to a story about how the parents of a Clemson basketball walk-on were upset with coach Brad Brownell, accusing him of verbal abuse and of blaming this spring’s ACC Tournament loss to Miami on the scout team.
Clemson AD Dan Radakovich has responded, saying this:
“This is a circumstance that we took seriously when it was brought to us. Our administrative staff that is charged with that part of our organization looked into it and it was determined that there was no violation of a university code of conduct. Brad understands that there is a high standard and he works hard to meet that. I will tell you that over the last few months there has been a lot of pressure on our student-athletes and a lot of our coaches given the COVID requirements and the changes that they’ve had to go through.
“It doesn’t excuse any of that, but it’s a circumstance where our folks looked into it and Brad has had conversations with the student-athlete and our individuals have had a conversation with the parent and we are looking move forward.”
We only have one question: excuses any of what?
Duke to host nonconference tournament in 2021-22 (247sports.com; Gates)
The Duke Blue Devils will be hosting their own nonconference tournament at Cameron Indoor Stadium, according to a report from CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein. Along with Duke, the tournament will also include Army, Hartford and Campbell.
The 2021-22 college basketball season is one that Duke and its fans will be eager to get going after the way the 2020-21 season went. The Blue Devils lost as many as six of eight games in one stretch and then lost three straight games to end the regular season at 11-11 overall and 9-9 in ACC play. Duke won two games in the ACC Tournament and was set to face Florida State in the next round, but a COVID outbreak knocked the Blue Devils out of the ACC Tournament, effectively ending their season. Duke missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1995.
There will be many things different about the Blue Devils’ program in 2021-22, most notably the roster. Four Duke players entered the NCAA Transfer Portal and three players — Matthew Hurt, DJ Steward and Jalen Johnson — all declared for the 2021 NBA Draft. The Blue Devils are bringing in a recruiting class that is currently ranked second in the country and first in the ACC with three, five-star prospects, one, four-star and two players from the transfer portal.
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Other
Owners of 6 popular CNY bars, restaurants admit hiding over $4 million in sales (PS; $; House)
The owners of six popular Central New York restaurants have admitted hiding millions of dollars worth of sales tax from the state.
George Seibel, 60, of Homer, and Anthony Caruso, 60, of Cortland, pleaded guilty last week to tax fraud, state Office of the Attorney General and Department of Taxation and Finance announced Monday. The pair — who own bars and restaurants in Cortland and Onondaga counties — admitted failing to turn over more than $4 million worth of sales tax over the course of five years.
Seibel and Caruso have fully repaid the money they’d withheld, department officials said.
The tax evasion happened at six different businesses, officials said:
- A Pizza and More, a pizzeria chain owned jointly by Seibel and Caruso with locations in Cortland, Homer and Tully
- Hair Tony’s, a Cortland pub owned by Caruso
- Dark Horse Tavern, a Cortland bar owned by Seibel
- Dasher’s Corner Pub, a Homer restaurant and bar owned by Seibel
Seibel and his company, James & Main, LLC, pleaded guilty in December 2019 to fifth-degree criminal tax fraud, a misdemeanor, officials said. He was sentenced to serve a one-year conditional discharge for withholding sales tax owed by Dasher’s Corner Pub.
