sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to National Diversity Day!
Taking place during Global Diversity Awareness Month, National Diversity Day is "a day to celebrate and embrace who we are, despite our differences, no matter what race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, nationality, or disability. A day to reflect on and learn about different cultures and ideologies. A day to vow acceptance and tolerance. A day to consciously address these areas at educational and religious institutions, as well as in the workplace and at home."
SU News
Syracuse men’s basketball player profiles: Justin Taylor (TNIAAM; De Guzman)
The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball season is slowly creeping up on us. I know, that came all of a sudden, right? We start our player profiles on the site today as we feature one of the newest Orange members, Justin Taylor.
Taylor is reportedly in the mix for a starting lineup spot. We knew that Jim Boeheim alluded to starting freshmen earlier this year, although I doubt many expected Taylor to be one of those guys in discussions. Indications from various reports is that Taylor is the leading favorite to start at the traditional small forward position for Syracuse.
One look at Taylor’s tape and frame indicates that the Orange are dealing with a player who is very similar to one Jackson Thomas “Buddy” Boeheim. In fact, Boeheim and Taylor are the same height and weight. While we did see the younger Boeheim son play the bottom of the zone at times, it wasn’t a position he stayed at often. Defensive questions out of the way, Syracuse is hoping the offensive potential Taylor holds can supplement the other weapons the Orange have.
Position: Guard
Class: Freshman
Vitals: 6-foot-6, 205 lbs.
Stats: Taylor averaged 17.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game with IMG Academy last season.
Strengths/Weaknesses: The tape on Taylor shows a very versatile offensive play style. Of course, you’ve got to take what you see with a grain of salt against high schoolers, but Taylor showed ability to put the ball on the floor and catch-and-shoot. Most of his earlier tape shows a decent pump fake and dribble for mid-range shots and strength to crash the rim for dunks. The shooting that drew the Buddy Boeheim comparisons as well are present in his game.
The frame concerns are going to play a factor on both sides of the court. The ones more rooted in Syracuse basketball history can correct me, but I don’t remember too many players that were as short as 6-foot-6 that played at the bottom of the zone. Not like Buddy, who made spot appearances here and there, but guys who played a significant amount of time at the wings. We saw plenty of defensive issues at the wings last season, and they’ll be needed to help Jesse Edwards avoid foul trouble. On offense, if Taylor is going to play small forward, it may be tough to find a matchup when he can take advantage of his dribble and drive skills instead of staying on the outside.
...
Syracuse men’s basketball player profiles: Joe Girard III (TNIAAM; Chiappone)
It’s another year of Syracuse Orange men’s basketball, and with that comes another round of player profiles for the 2022-2023 season. Christian did the honors of kicking off our ‘Cuse men’s basketball team profiles with freshman Justin Taylor. For our second profile, let’s shift to one of the team’s veteran seniors and well-known names: Joe Girard III.
You could easily make the case Girard was the most underrated player for Syracuse this past season, which is crazy given how important of a role he has served since he joined the team back in 2019.
Last season, Girard’s impact was overshadowed by the 1-2 Boeheim brother punch and Cole Swider. In 2021, his minutes were down compared to his other two seasons, mainly because of how much guard depth ‘Cuse possessed during their March Madness run from two years ago. When the train fell off the tracks in 2022, many were quick to blame Girard when in reality, there were many factors that led to Syracuse’s regression this past season.
Amidst all the chaos and subtle disappointment from this past season, Girard quietly took a leap as a playmaker and a three-point marksman in 2022.
In his 2021-2022 campaign, Girard ranked third on the team in points per game, first in assists, first in steals, and first in three-point percentage. Compared to the rest of the ACC, Girard was top-7 in the conference in assists, steals, and three-point percentage while remaining one of the ACC’s best volume scorers (ranking 20th in points per game).
In other words, he may not have been the Orange’s best player, but other than maybe Jesse Edwards, Girard was Syracuse’s most irreplaceable player. Compared to the other guards on the roster, no one topped Girard’s ability to shoot the lights out from three, get the rest of the team involved, and keep defenses honest as a respectable scorer.
As he approaches what could be his last year for the Orange, Girard will look to build off of what I believe was a promising performance last season.
Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Position: Guard
Class: Senior
Vitals: 6-foot-1, 190 lbs.
Statistics (2021-2022): 13.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.
Strengths/Weaknesses: As most fans saw last season, Girard’s off-the-dribble shooting and ability to play off-the-ball helped guide Syracuse to the 4th-best scoring offense in 2022. Having a guard who can attack the basket (and more importantly, make teams pay at the foul line), create some stability in the offense, and set the tempo either in transition or in the half-court is a must. In a conference as talented as the ACC, having players who can pop on offense is all but a necessity.
While not the most athletic guard, Girard’s pesky defensive style, quick hands, and IQ allowed him to be one of the best turnover-forcing players in the ACC. Part of the reason why Syracuse looked good on offense was Girard’s active hands on the defensive end.
Girard’s shooting from three is both a blessing and a curse for Syracuse, and that will be the biggest x-factor for the team heading into this season. In his first two years with the Orange, Girard was a below-33% shooter from three. In 2022, his three-point percentage ballooned north of 40%. Shooting waxes and wanes all the time in basketball. Given the sample size, there’s a likelihood Girard regresses more to the mid-thirties from the three-point line. How that will impact the team’s offense remains a concern.
Speaking of offense, the biggest concern for Girard is his role moving forward. One of the major reasons why Girard did so well last season was that he fit within the context of the team. Buddy Boeheim led the ACC in scoring, while Cole Swider (19th) and Jimmy Boeheim (21st) gave Girard more options on that end of the court. With all three of those players gone, who steps up for the Orange remains a glaring concern for Syracuse. Can Girard step up into a larger role as a scorer for Syracuse? For now, that remains to be seen.
...
SU’s Wildhack on Weitsman’s plan to offer $1M to single recruit: ‘That’s an individual decision’ (PS; $; Waters)
Syracuse athletic director John Wildhack has yet to talk to Adam Weitsman after one of the school’s most visible boosters announced that he would offer $1 million to a football recruit and a basketball recruit through the NCAA’s new name, image and likeness rules.
Weitsman, the Upstate New York recycling magnate who regularly attends SU basketball games alongside celebrity guests such as Tom Brady, Jimmy Fallon and Giannis Antetokounmpo, plans to make the million-dollar offers to five-star recruits in both sports.
Weitsman’s proposal represents a stark departure from SU’s other NIL efforts, which have focused on maximizing current athletes’ ability to earn money based on their name, image and likeness.
In a question-and-answer session with local media on Thursday, Wildhack said he had not discussed the million-dollar deal with Weitsman.
“That’s an individual decision, right, that Adam makes,’' Wildhack said. “Which he can do. It’s the world of NIL. It’s a new world for everybody.’'
...
Syracuse Orange forward Jimmy Boeheim (0) takes a peek at the scoreboard. Syracuse played Florida State in the second round of the ACC Tournament in Brooklyn N.Y. March 9 2022. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com
Jimmy Boeheim’s pro basketball life in Greece: Nobody knows his name and he kind of likes it (PS; $; Ditota)
Like most Americans who take a job abroad, Jimmy Boeheim had concerns.
Would there be a language barrier, particularly in Greece, where the alphabet presents a challenge? Would he be able to effectively communicate with his employers and his workmates? Would he find anything he liked to eat? Would he be homesick?
Boeheim, 24, contracted to play this season in the Greek Basket League (GBL), the highest division of basketball in that country. Already, he and his Karditsas teammates have played nine “friendly” games, which are the European equivalent of scrimmages. (Oddly, those scrimmages are against other teams in the league.)
Karditsas plays its first game of the 2022-23 season Saturday when it faces AEK. And so far, Boeheim feels like things have gone about as smoothly as he could have hoped.
“Obviously, I’ve been adjusting to living in a different country, but it’s been great. I live in a relatively smaller city in Greece, which has made the adjustment easier, not having to worry about having to get around in a bigger city,” he said in a Wednesday phone conversation. “Basketball has been great, too. I think I’ve learned a lot. The game’s a little bit different here. So yeah, I think I’m settling in nicely.”
Boeheim, who played three seasons at Cornell before finalizing his college career in Syracuse last season, said he’s been slotted into the power forward position, which in Europe mostly means he occupies the stretch four spot.
Last season, he shot a college career-best .379 from the 3-point line. He took 95 shots from that distance and converted 36 of them on a team that put four legitimate 3-point threats on the floor.
That evolution in his game (he was a career .298 3-point shooter at Cornell) speaks to the work he put in to improve his jump shot and to his attractiveness to European teams that covet big men who can shoot.
...
Other
The site that once held a car wash and dry cleaners. It has been vacant for 10 years. (Elizabeth Doran|edoran@syracuse.com)
A key spot on a CNY village’s main drive has been empty for a decade. See who plans to move in (PS; $; Doran)
When the former Village Cleaners building in Fayetteville and the car wash next to it closed in 2012, proposals for what to do with the property started to surface.
The property, at 129 W. Genesee St. and Highbridge Road in Fayetteville, is a busy intersection. Plans for a Dunkin’ Donuts, a Walgreens and a mixed-use building with apartments and a restaurant never materialized.
Now, a car wash chain plans to redevelop four parcels into one parcel and construct a 5,500-square-foot building to house a Splash Car Wash.
DDS Engineers submitted the application for the automatic car wash in May and village planners have been reviewing the site plan since July.
The drive-thru car wash would also have vacuum stations.
A public hearing held earlier this week drew only two people. The next step is getting site approval from planners.
Splash Car Wash, based in Milford, Conn., operates more than 40 locations throughout Connecticut and Vermont. It employs more than 500 people and washes over 1 million cars a year.
Welcome to National Diversity Day!
Taking place during Global Diversity Awareness Month, National Diversity Day is "a day to celebrate and embrace who we are, despite our differences, no matter what race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, nationality, or disability. A day to reflect on and learn about different cultures and ideologies. A day to vow acceptance and tolerance. A day to consciously address these areas at educational and religious institutions, as well as in the workplace and at home."
SU News
Syracuse men’s basketball player profiles: Justin Taylor (TNIAAM; De Guzman)
The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball season is slowly creeping up on us. I know, that came all of a sudden, right? We start our player profiles on the site today as we feature one of the newest Orange members, Justin Taylor.
Taylor is reportedly in the mix for a starting lineup spot. We knew that Jim Boeheim alluded to starting freshmen earlier this year, although I doubt many expected Taylor to be one of those guys in discussions. Indications from various reports is that Taylor is the leading favorite to start at the traditional small forward position for Syracuse.
One look at Taylor’s tape and frame indicates that the Orange are dealing with a player who is very similar to one Jackson Thomas “Buddy” Boeheim. In fact, Boeheim and Taylor are the same height and weight. While we did see the younger Boeheim son play the bottom of the zone at times, it wasn’t a position he stayed at often. Defensive questions out of the way, Syracuse is hoping the offensive potential Taylor holds can supplement the other weapons the Orange have.
Position: Guard
Class: Freshman
Vitals: 6-foot-6, 205 lbs.
Stats: Taylor averaged 17.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game with IMG Academy last season.
Strengths/Weaknesses: The tape on Taylor shows a very versatile offensive play style. Of course, you’ve got to take what you see with a grain of salt against high schoolers, but Taylor showed ability to put the ball on the floor and catch-and-shoot. Most of his earlier tape shows a decent pump fake and dribble for mid-range shots and strength to crash the rim for dunks. The shooting that drew the Buddy Boeheim comparisons as well are present in his game.
The frame concerns are going to play a factor on both sides of the court. The ones more rooted in Syracuse basketball history can correct me, but I don’t remember too many players that were as short as 6-foot-6 that played at the bottom of the zone. Not like Buddy, who made spot appearances here and there, but guys who played a significant amount of time at the wings. We saw plenty of defensive issues at the wings last season, and they’ll be needed to help Jesse Edwards avoid foul trouble. On offense, if Taylor is going to play small forward, it may be tough to find a matchup when he can take advantage of his dribble and drive skills instead of staying on the outside.
...
Syracuse men’s basketball player profiles: Joe Girard III (TNIAAM; Chiappone)
It’s another year of Syracuse Orange men’s basketball, and with that comes another round of player profiles for the 2022-2023 season. Christian did the honors of kicking off our ‘Cuse men’s basketball team profiles with freshman Justin Taylor. For our second profile, let’s shift to one of the team’s veteran seniors and well-known names: Joe Girard III.
You could easily make the case Girard was the most underrated player for Syracuse this past season, which is crazy given how important of a role he has served since he joined the team back in 2019.
Last season, Girard’s impact was overshadowed by the 1-2 Boeheim brother punch and Cole Swider. In 2021, his minutes were down compared to his other two seasons, mainly because of how much guard depth ‘Cuse possessed during their March Madness run from two years ago. When the train fell off the tracks in 2022, many were quick to blame Girard when in reality, there were many factors that led to Syracuse’s regression this past season.
Amidst all the chaos and subtle disappointment from this past season, Girard quietly took a leap as a playmaker and a three-point marksman in 2022.
Joe Girard By The Numbers (2020-2022)
| Joe Girard Statistics (Career) | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | 33 | 12.4 | 3 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 34.8 | 32.4 | 89.4 |
| 2020-2021 | 27.7 | 9.8 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 1.4 | 35.5 | 33.3 | 78 |
| 2021-2022 | 34.1 | 13.8 | 2.8 | 4.2 | 1.6 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 88.2 |
In other words, he may not have been the Orange’s best player, but other than maybe Jesse Edwards, Girard was Syracuse’s most irreplaceable player. Compared to the other guards on the roster, no one topped Girard’s ability to shoot the lights out from three, get the rest of the team involved, and keep defenses honest as a respectable scorer.
As he approaches what could be his last year for the Orange, Girard will look to build off of what I believe was a promising performance last season.
Position: Guard
Class: Senior
Vitals: 6-foot-1, 190 lbs.
Statistics (2021-2022): 13.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.
Strengths/Weaknesses: As most fans saw last season, Girard’s off-the-dribble shooting and ability to play off-the-ball helped guide Syracuse to the 4th-best scoring offense in 2022. Having a guard who can attack the basket (and more importantly, make teams pay at the foul line), create some stability in the offense, and set the tempo either in transition or in the half-court is a must. In a conference as talented as the ACC, having players who can pop on offense is all but a necessity.
While not the most athletic guard, Girard’s pesky defensive style, quick hands, and IQ allowed him to be one of the best turnover-forcing players in the ACC. Part of the reason why Syracuse looked good on offense was Girard’s active hands on the defensive end.
Girard’s shooting from three is both a blessing and a curse for Syracuse, and that will be the biggest x-factor for the team heading into this season. In his first two years with the Orange, Girard was a below-33% shooter from three. In 2022, his three-point percentage ballooned north of 40%. Shooting waxes and wanes all the time in basketball. Given the sample size, there’s a likelihood Girard regresses more to the mid-thirties from the three-point line. How that will impact the team’s offense remains a concern.
Speaking of offense, the biggest concern for Girard is his role moving forward. One of the major reasons why Girard did so well last season was that he fit within the context of the team. Buddy Boeheim led the ACC in scoring, while Cole Swider (19th) and Jimmy Boeheim (21st) gave Girard more options on that end of the court. With all three of those players gone, who steps up for the Orange remains a glaring concern for Syracuse. Can Girard step up into a larger role as a scorer for Syracuse? For now, that remains to be seen.
...
SU’s Wildhack on Weitsman’s plan to offer $1M to single recruit: ‘That’s an individual decision’ (PS; $; Waters)
Syracuse athletic director John Wildhack has yet to talk to Adam Weitsman after one of the school’s most visible boosters announced that he would offer $1 million to a football recruit and a basketball recruit through the NCAA’s new name, image and likeness rules.
Weitsman, the Upstate New York recycling magnate who regularly attends SU basketball games alongside celebrity guests such as Tom Brady, Jimmy Fallon and Giannis Antetokounmpo, plans to make the million-dollar offers to five-star recruits in both sports.
Weitsman’s proposal represents a stark departure from SU’s other NIL efforts, which have focused on maximizing current athletes’ ability to earn money based on their name, image and likeness.
In a question-and-answer session with local media on Thursday, Wildhack said he had not discussed the million-dollar deal with Weitsman.
“That’s an individual decision, right, that Adam makes,’' Wildhack said. “Which he can do. It’s the world of NIL. It’s a new world for everybody.’'
...
Syracuse Orange forward Jimmy Boeheim (0) takes a peek at the scoreboard. Syracuse played Florida State in the second round of the ACC Tournament in Brooklyn N.Y. March 9 2022. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com
Jimmy Boeheim’s pro basketball life in Greece: Nobody knows his name and he kind of likes it (PS; $; Ditota)
Like most Americans who take a job abroad, Jimmy Boeheim had concerns.
Would there be a language barrier, particularly in Greece, where the alphabet presents a challenge? Would he be able to effectively communicate with his employers and his workmates? Would he find anything he liked to eat? Would he be homesick?
Boeheim, 24, contracted to play this season in the Greek Basket League (GBL), the highest division of basketball in that country. Already, he and his Karditsas teammates have played nine “friendly” games, which are the European equivalent of scrimmages. (Oddly, those scrimmages are against other teams in the league.)
Karditsas plays its first game of the 2022-23 season Saturday when it faces AEK. And so far, Boeheim feels like things have gone about as smoothly as he could have hoped.
“Obviously, I’ve been adjusting to living in a different country, but it’s been great. I live in a relatively smaller city in Greece, which has made the adjustment easier, not having to worry about having to get around in a bigger city,” he said in a Wednesday phone conversation. “Basketball has been great, too. I think I’ve learned a lot. The game’s a little bit different here. So yeah, I think I’m settling in nicely.”
Boeheim, who played three seasons at Cornell before finalizing his college career in Syracuse last season, said he’s been slotted into the power forward position, which in Europe mostly means he occupies the stretch four spot.
Last season, he shot a college career-best .379 from the 3-point line. He took 95 shots from that distance and converted 36 of them on a team that put four legitimate 3-point threats on the floor.
That evolution in his game (he was a career .298 3-point shooter at Cornell) speaks to the work he put in to improve his jump shot and to his attractiveness to European teams that covet big men who can shoot.
...
Other
The site that once held a car wash and dry cleaners. It has been vacant for 10 years. (Elizabeth Doran|edoran@syracuse.com)
A key spot on a CNY village’s main drive has been empty for a decade. See who plans to move in (PS; $; Doran)
When the former Village Cleaners building in Fayetteville and the car wash next to it closed in 2012, proposals for what to do with the property started to surface.
The property, at 129 W. Genesee St. and Highbridge Road in Fayetteville, is a busy intersection. Plans for a Dunkin’ Donuts, a Walgreens and a mixed-use building with apartments and a restaurant never materialized.
Now, a car wash chain plans to redevelop four parcels into one parcel and construct a 5,500-square-foot building to house a Splash Car Wash.
DDS Engineers submitted the application for the automatic car wash in May and village planners have been reviewing the site plan since July.
The drive-thru car wash would also have vacuum stations.
A public hearing held earlier this week drew only two people. The next step is getting site approval from planners.
Splash Car Wash, based in Milford, Conn., operates more than 40 locations throughout Connecticut and Vermont. It employs more than 500 people and washes over 1 million cars a year.
