sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to National Cocoa Day!
National Cocoa Day celebrates hot cocoa. The day fittingly takes place in December, as the drink is often associated with cold weather. Although the names "hot chocolate" and "hot cocoa" are often used interchangeably, there technically is a difference between the two. This difference is not legal, however, and the two are often mislabeled at stores, most often with hot cocoa being labeled as hot chocolate. The difference lies in that hot chocolate contains cocoa butter, and hot cocoa does not. Hot cocoa uses cocoa powder that is made by removing cocoa butter from ground cocoa beans. Hot chocolate is made from bar chocolate, which has cocoa powder, sugar, and cocoa butter in it. These differences give both their distinct flavor and texture. Hot cocoa is thinner and more chocolatey, but is less rich. The richness in hot chocolate comes from the higher fat content, which comes from the cocoa butter.
SU News
Syracuse center Mounir Hima emerged from inactivity to boost Orange against Georgetown: ‘I was ready’ (PS; $; Waters)
Mounir Hima had appeared in just one of Syracuse’s first nine games, logging a grand total of three minutes in a loss to Gonzaga.
But Hima was still ready when SU coach Adrian Autry called his name on Saturday, sending the 6-foot-11 junior to the scorer’s table in the first half of the Orange’s game against Georgetown.
“I was surprised, but I was ready,’’ Hima said after Syracuse’s 80-68 win over the Hoyas. “That’s part of being a basketball player.’’
Georgetown led 32-31 when Hima entered Saturday’s game. Autry needed the veteran big man to provide a couple key minutes. Naheem McLeod, SU’s starting center, was bothered by a foot irritation. Maliq Brown, McLeod’s back-up, had two fouls. Autry didn’t want Brown picking up a third before halftime.
In less than two minutes, Hima grabbed two offensive rebounds, putting one back for a bucket that helped Syracuse take a 35-34 into halftime.
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Syracuse men’s basketball: Justin Taylor offers more versatility in year two (TNIAAM; Tomaiuolo)
Imagine I asked you, before the season, who would be leading the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team in rebounds through 10 games. Unless you’re a time traveler, you probably would’ve guessed wrong. It’s Justin Taylor.
The guard/forward has taken a massive leap forward on the boards in his second year with the Orange. Taylor’s averaging 6.2 rebounds per game this season compared to just 1.8 last year. He eclipsed the five-rebound mark once in 2022. The sophomore’s tallied that number or more in nine of SU’s first 10 games this time around.
So, how did Taylor become more involved on the glass? Let’s start with the obvious: there’s a lot more space down low. Jesse Edwards is gone after putting up a team-best 10.3 rebounds a year ago. Florida State transfer Naheem McLeod was expected to fill most of that void but is averaging less than 16 minutes played and is now dealing with a foot injury. Quadir Copeland has emerged as a force on the boards off the bench, taking chances away from Maliq Brown, who many expected to lead the Orange in rebounds this season.
This is not to take away from Taylor’s efforts. It’s more to show just how unlikely his emergence is as a top rebounder.
The key to Taylor’s success is his role in head coach Adrian Autry’s man-to-man defense. Instead of being glued to a corner in Jim Boeheim’s 2-3 zone, the Charlottesville native has free reign in man, resulting in him being under the basket more often. With his 6’6, 218-pound frame, Taylor’s had no problem crashing the glass, especially when playing in the JMA Wireless Dome (7.0 per game).
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Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Syracuse men’s basketball: Orange got to the basket in DC (TNIAAM; Wall)
Last week I pointed out that the Syracuse Orange were getting into the paint but not getting to the rim as much as other Division I teams.
On Saturday in Washington, Syracuse took advantage of a weak Georgetown Hoyas defense and repeatedly got to the rim, especially in the second half of the game. The Orange shot 16-21 within two feet of the basket as they pulled away from the Hoyas.
Syracuse attempted 44.4% of their field goal attempts at the rim and converted 75% of them. That helps make up for the 2-8 performance in mid-range jumpers and has to make Adrian Autry happy that his team was converting fast-break and second chance opportunities.
Several of the Syracuse baskets were directly off of forced turnovers, and that’s a formula that Autry has to try and emphasize as this group finds it’s footing from the perimeter. The Orange ended the game with 20 fast-break points and their pressure on the perimeter caused problems for the Hoyas.
Both Judah Mintz and Quadir Copeland had 12 points in the paint and the pressure the Orange put on the Hoyas allowed some second-chance opportunities. This Copeland follow slam put the finishing touch on the victory.
There will be tougher matchups to come, but if Syracuse can continue to attack the basket, good things will follow.
Why Quadir Copeland Might Be Syracuse's Most Important Player (orangefizz.net;
Frank)
Through 10 games under Adrian Autry, Syracuse is still working to develop an identity on both ends of the floor and as a program. The Orange are playing significantly more man-to-man defense than they are zone, ranking 81st in defensive efficiency according to kenpom.com, after years in which SU finished 185th in 2023 and 207th in 2022.
On offense, the Orange are playing a lot of isolation basketball and letting their best players create offense for themselves and for others. Judah Mintz and JJ Starling share a lot of that load, and do a lot of the playmaking for SU. But, one guy who does a lot of the things that don’t show up on the stat sheet, and when he does, they’re loud, is sophomore Quadir Copeland.
The guard/wing/athlete/whatever you want to call him is arguably Syracuse’s best defender in terms of length, activity, and energy. Plus, on offense, he’s a dangerous playmaker and constantly finds his teammates (and the other team often). Where he’s most impressive is in transition, if he grabs a rebound, expect SU to get up and down the court and for Copeland to do something exciting, as he did at the end of the Cornell game with a tomahawk slam and the Georgetown game, with his one-handed putback dunk.
“He’s active. He can move his feet. He has long arms. He’s naturally an aggressive person,” Autry said after the 80-68 win over Georgetown via syracuse.com. “We just wanted to make Epps work. He’s the real deal. And Quadir has just been getting better each week. Our Syracuse people know, he can make things happen and then sometimes he can make you cry. Today he was really good.”
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Newhouse after Noon 12-12-23 (ESPN; radio;Newhouse after Noon)
Matt Lesnik and Izzy Sy start things off proposing a lineup change they’d like to see for Syracuse men’s basketball and looking ahead on the Orange’s schedule. Then, Richard Maj and Nicholas Waley discuss the possibilities ahead for Syracuse football under Fran Brown.
How does the loss to Virginia impact Syracuse's ACC outlook? (orangefizz.net; Admin)
In a challenging battle to open up the conference slate, Syracuse was dealt a blowout loss against Virginia, 84-62, dropping the Orange to 5-3 on the season and 0-1 in ACC play. Let’s delve into an analysis of the game, breaking down key moments, strategies, and performances. Here is five crucial takeaways from this loss that could influence Syracuse’s approach in future games.
THE DEFENSE
Initially, Syracuse’s defense was solid. They effectively disrupted Virginia’s game plan early, forcing turnovers and pressuring the Cavaliers into taking contested shots. However, as the game unfolded, the Cavaliers gradually adapted to Syracuse’s defensive strategy and capitalized on their outside shots.Such adjustments turned the tide in favor of Virginia and left Syracuse struggling to recover. It was disappointing to see the defensive performance waver for the final 25 minutes of the game, as Syracuse’s strong defense had to be their lifeline. Consistency, especially on the defensive end, is an aspect the Orange needs to work on.
JJ STARLING
A beacon of hope amid the defeat was the performance of JJ Starling. He showcased his skills on both ends of the court, contributing 16 points and sinking two of three attempts from beyond the arc. Two assists and a steal further filled the stat sheet. Starling’s performance is huge considering the challenges of maintaining consistency in high-pressure situations....
Other
Crouse Health plans to transform the former CXTec headquarters building on South Bay Road in Salina into a clinic. Photo shot Monday, Dec. 5, 2022. (Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com)
Crouse Health to expand in north suburbs after gift of familiar building valued at $5 million (PS; Dowty)
Crouse Health is planning to expand medical services in Syracuse’s northern suburbs next year after the gift of a 66,000-square-foot building near the Interstate 81 interchange in Mattydale.
Crouse expects to create 50 new jobs — including doctors — as part of its first physical expansion since calling off merger plans with Upstate Medical University earlier this year, Crouse CEO Dr. Seth Kronenberg told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard.
“I think it sends a message to the community that Crouse is expanding,” Kronenberg said. “This isn’t relocating services. It’s really Crouse expanding.”
Crouse will take over the former headquarters of CXTec at 5404 South Bay Road, a building that is being donated to the hospital by CXTec founder Bill Pomeroy.
The building bears an iconic clock tower from its roots decades ago as home to Switz’s craft and variety store. CXTec was headquartered there from 1997 until moving to downtown Syracuse earlier this year.
Crouse will begin retrofitting the building in the new year, Kronenberg said. The building itself is in good shape, meaning that some services can open before the end of 2024, Kronenberg said.
Plans are to open new offices for primary care, as well as for surgical specialties, Kronenberg said. There are no plans to perform surgeries at the new location. There will also be space to do routine screenings for diabetes, stroke, prenatal care and cardiac health.
The new facility will not need expanded state licensing to operate, Kronenberg said, unless it plans to do more intensive medical procedures in the future.
Crouse also plans to open the building’s large meeting spaces for community activities and to expand its Visit to Hospital-Land program for schoolchildren.
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Red Hot Chili Peppers coming to Upstate NY again: How much are tickets? (PS; Liwanag)
Recently revealed tour dates for RHCP feature a concert scheduled for July 12 at Darien Lake Amphitheater, situated near Buffalo. The show will kick off at 7 p.m., with special guests Wand and IRONTOM set to open.
Tickets are on sale through Live Nation, with prices starting at $78.25 for lawn seats. Fans looking to secure tickets are advised to explore reselling platforms such as VividSeats, StubHub, and more.
- VividSeats: Tickets start at $65
- StubHub: Tickets start at $61
- SeatGeek: Tickets start at $59
- TicketNetwork: Tickets start at $78
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group consists of singer Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, guitarist John Frusciante, and drummer Chad Smith. Opening acts for select dates next year include Kid Cudi, Ice Cube, Ken Carson, Otoboke Beaver, and Seun Kuti & Egypt80.
Red Hot Chili Peppers 2024 Tour Dates
May 28 – Ridgefield, WA @ RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater +
May 31 – Quincy, WA @ The Gorge +
June 2 – Wheatland, CA @ Toyota Amphitheater +
June 5 – Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre =
June 7 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater ^
June 18 – West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre *
June 21 – Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre ~
June 26 – Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park ~
June 28 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach ~
July 2 – Burgettstown, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake =
July 5 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center *
July 12 – Buffalo, NY @ Darien Lake Amphitheater ^
July 15 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage ^
July 22 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center #
July 25 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center @
July 30 – St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre @
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