sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to National Lineman Appreciation Day!
The hard work, dedication, and innovation of electrical lineworkers are honored and celebrated today. The idea for National Lineman Appreciation Day came when lineman Bill Bosch realized the public was largely unaware of the work that lineworkers do and thought that should change. He wanted lineworkers to be honored with a day and submitted legislation for National Lineman Appreciation Day to Congress. He chose April 18 for the date because his father, M.L. "Cliff" Bosch, who also was a lineman, passed away on the date in 1992.
On April 10, 2013, Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) submitted Senate Resolution 95 on behalf of himself and Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), and it was agreed to by unanimous consent. It "recognize[d] the efforts of linemen in keeping the power on and protecting public safety" and "support[ed] the designation of April 18, 2013, as National Lineman Appreciation Day." The day has continued to be observed each year since.
SU News
Arguably the greatest player in Syracuse basketball history, Dave Bing led the team in points, rebounds and assists in the 1965-66 season.
Has a SU player matched Clark’s feat of leading team in points, rebounds, assists? (Mike’s Mailbox) (PS; $; Waters)
I generally don’t like comparing men’s basketball players to women’s players.
In my mind, they play in two separate arenas. Comparing Caitlin Clark’s scoring numbers to those of the late Pete Maravich is futile and fails to recognize the differences created by playing in two different eras under different rules and, in the case of Maravich, being limited to just three varsity seasons.
But sometimes, it can be rather useful to compare the achievements of an athlete from one era to one from another.
And in the case of a question from one reader, it allows us to use Clark, the Iowa women’s superstar, as way to remember the greatness of former Syracuse men’s star Dave Bing.
That’s where we start in this week’s Mailbox. Let’s go!
(If you have a question; follow-up or otherwise, for the Mailbox, email it to mwaters@syracuse.com).
Q: Caitlin Clark led the Iowa women’s team in scoring speaks. She also led Iowa in rebounds per game. However, my question relates to her assists. She had more assists per game (8.9) than her next three highest teammates combined. Has a Syracuse player ever achieved that feat?
Bill N.
Mike: Caitlin Clark, the Iowa women’s superstar, put up some out-of-this-world numbers this past season. She averaged 31.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game, leading the Hawkeyes in all three categories.
As Bill noted, Clark had more assists than her next three teammates combined.
Syracuse’s official records for assists go back as far as the 1969-70 season. Since then, Syracuse has had 17 players led the team in both points and rebounds. Two of those players did it twice: Hakim Warrick in 2004 and 2005 and C.J. Fair in 2012 and 2013.
But none of them also led the team in assists.
There is one Syracuse player, though, who did lead the team in scoring, rebounding and assists in the same season. The one and only Dave Bing.
Thanks to statistics available for Bing’s senior year in 1965-66, we know that Bing led Syracuse in scoring at 28.4 points per game, in rebounds with 10.6 per game and in assists with 6.6 per game.
Bing didn’t quite equal Caitlin Clark’s feat of totaling more assists than the next three teammates.
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Syracuse basketball has DMV ties to Duke senior PG Jeremy Roach, who is entering the transfer portal and the 2024 NBA Draft. / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Syracuse Basketball: 'Cuse staff has DMV ties to Duke PG transfer Jeremy Roach (itlh; Adler)
Duke senior point guard Jeremy Roach, who hails from the talent-rich Washington, D.C., market, is a prospect whom I'd love to see Syracuse basketball coaches pursue, although I acknowledge this is a huge long shot and probably not going to happen.
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Roach said in a recent post on Instagram that he plans to enter the 2024 NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility and also entering the transfer portal. He would have one season of collegiate eligibility left.
Once this news broke, I saw a lot of comments from my fellow Orange fans expressing hope that the 'Cuse coaching staff would make a run at Roach. College basketball insider Adam Zagoria said in an article that the leaders for Roach at this time include St. John’s, Kentucky and Arkansas.
Assuming he stays in college, Roach will be highly sought-after. He had a solid senior season for the Blue Devils, which reached the Elite Eight of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Roach, in the 2020 class, was a five-star, top-25 national prospect and a McDonald’s All-American who starred for a powerhouse high school program in Northern Virginia.
Syracuse basketball coaches have DMV connections to Duke PG transfer Jeremy Roach.
In 2023-24, as Duke went 27-9 overall and finished ranked No. 9 in the country, Roach averaged 14.0 points, 3.3 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game, while connecting on 46.8 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from 3-point land and 84.4 percent from the free-throw line, according to ESPN data.
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30 Minutes in Orange Nation (ESPN; radio; Orange Nation)
Steve Infanti and Paulie Scibilia start today’s show with some numbers on Jyare Davis and Dakota Leffew’s performance against Power Five teams before discussing whether or not Syracuse needs a pass-first point guard. Then, a caller prompts a discussion on how the transfer portal has impacted college sports and the life of a college athlete. Later, they look back on the quarterbacks Syracuse has had in recent years to figure out the last time the Orange had a signal caller comparable to OSU transfer Kyle McCord.
Does Syracuse Need a True Point Guard? (orangefizz.net; Gotkin)
As college basketball continues to evolve, one thing that has become a big topic of conversation is the importance of having a true point guard on the floor. Syracuse hasn’t had one in a while. From Judah Mintz this past year to Joe Girard, the Orange have had combo guards and shooting guards running the offense. It begs the question, do the ‘Cuse need to go after a true point guard to lead the team or can they go another season without one?
In the national title game this year, UCONN and Purdue are two teams that still run their offense through traditional point guards. Tristen Newton and Braden Smith both averaged more than six assists per game. One big piece in both of those teams is their reliance on centers that aren’t the most mobile, Zach Edey and Donovan Clingan.
While SU’s new center Eddie Lampkin may not be at that level, he does in some ways fit the build. In addition, the other starting guard on next years team, JJ Starling, doesn’t have the ability to create for his teammates that you need if you don’t have a true point guard. Chris Bell is best as a spot-up shooter who plays off-ball. Donnie Freeman can handle the ball at times but of course, a 6’10 freshman can’t be your primary ball-handler no matter how good he is.
The offense this past season had so many issues in half-court offensive sets. The Orange played at one of the fastest paces of any team in the country and had to because when they were slowed down, everything fell apart. For Starling, Bell, Lampkin, and the rest of the team to be as successful as possible, SU needs a true point guard who can facilitate the offense and create in half-court sets.
Adrian Autry fit the mold of a true PG when he played for the Orange. Can the second-year head coach find his guy in the portal to run his team?
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Syracuse Is Finding The Perfect Roster Balance (orangefizz.net; Griffin)
North Carolina may have “only” gotten to the Sweet 16 in March Madness, but that program’s roster was about as well-balanced as it could have been. The Tar Heels had veteran, homegrown players in RJ Davis and Armando Bacot, transfer portal experience in Cormac Ryan and Harrison Ingram, and a new kid on the block in freshman point guard Elliot Cadeau. That’s what you want to see in college basketball in 2024, and Syracuse is starting to piece it together.
Despite lost talent like Maliq Brown, Quadir Copeland, Judah Mintz, and Justin Taylor, SU still enters next season with a few guys who have been around the program for years. One of them, JJ Starling, is a local kid who found his offensive game as the season hit its stride. Chris Bell also settled into his role much more efficiently this year. Adrian Autry gave the sharpshooter a significantly longer leash than Jim Boeheim did, and it seemed to really boost his confidence. There are your veteran, homegrown players.
The transfer portal gives and takes. It took a lot from the Orange right out of the chute, but now it’s starting to give. Jyáre Davis is a pure wing scorer who can attack the basket, which felt like something Syracuse lacked last season. Eddie Lampkin Jr. has big game experience and Colorado and provides an opportunity to bring the program another thing it was missing- big man stability. And who knows who else might come over the next few weeks. There’s your transfer portal experience.
The incoming recruiting class isn’t exactly a large one, but there are some studs heading into the program, both of whom are top-100 recruits. Donnie Freeman has had some outlets list him as five-stars, and his dynamic ability at the four has as good as guaranteed him a spot in the starting lineup (possibly why Brown left?). Elijah Moore isn’t as highly-touted, but is still a versatile guard who should provide key minutes. There are your new kids on the block.
That is how a roster needs to be built in this day and age of college basketball. It’s impressive that the Orange won 20 games with no big-time freshmen and no true veterans (Starling, Naheem McLeod, and Kyle Cuffe transferring in hit that marker). Now that Syracuse has a good mix of the three, it’s hard to not be encouraged by what Autry is building.
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MSN (msn; photo gallery)
John Wallace (1992-1996)
Led Syracuse to the 1996 NCAA Championship game and earned All-American honors. On February 29, 2020, Wallace had his number 44 retired into the rafters at the Carrier Dome, making him the last Syracuse basketball player to ever wear the “Magic 44.”
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Syracuse Basketball: 5-star PG transfer, D.C. teammate of 5-star commit, off to Hoyas (itlh; Adler)
A lot of Syracuse basketball fans whom I interact with on social media had hoped that the Orange coaching staff would end up landing a commitment from five-star transfer prospect Malik Mack, but the nation's No. 1 point guard via the portal has committed to former Big East Conference rival Georgetown, per a post on X from On3 national reporter Joe Tipton.
With sophomore Judah Mintz headed to the 2024 NBA Draft and other guards on the 'Cuse 2023-24 roster transferring out, one of the Orange staff's biggest needs this off-season likely centers around securing a lead guard ahead of the 2024-25 stanza.
At the top of the list, per many Orange fans, was the 6-foot-1, 170-pound Mack, who hails from the Washington, D.C., market and was previously a teammate in our nation's capital of Syracuse basketball 2024 commit Donnie Freeman, a five-star power forward.
I don't have specific intel here, but my sense is that the 'Cuse staff likely at least reached out to Mack after he entered the portal, which opened for business on Monday, March 18, running for 45 days.
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https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/duke/article287774200.html (newsobserver.com; Wiseman)
Seeking to add a strong defensive presence with scoring punch to next season’s team, Duke basketball welcomes Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown to campus on Thursday for a recruiting visit.
The 6-8, 222-pound Brown made the ACC’s all-defensive team last season as a sophomore, when he started 18 times among his 31 games played for the Orange. A native of Culpeper, Virginia, he played two seasons with the Orange before entering his name in the NCAA Transfer Portal on April 1.
As a sophomore, Brown averaged 9.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game as Syracuse went 20-12. Impressively, he made 72% of his two-point shot attempts.
His best overall performance came on Jan. 2 at Cameron Indoor Stadium when Duke beat the Orange, 86-66. Brown scored 26 points on 11 of 16 shooting. That included five dunks. He grabbed seven rebounds and played 32 turnover-free minutes.
Brown recorded a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds when Syracuse lost, 83-65, to N.C. State in the ACC Tournament’s second round on March 13 in Washington, D.C. That was one of five double-double performances for Brown last season.
Duke envisions Brown as a power forward along with 6-9 freshman Cooper Flagg at small forward, due to Flagg’s 3-point shooting ability. The Blue Devils are also adding 7-1 center Khaman Maluach as part of their freshman class this summer. Brown’s defensive ability and scoring prowess inside would certainly improve an already talented Duke roster for Jon Scheyer’s third season as head coach.
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Other
Upstate NY brewery takes home title of ‘best beer label’ in U.S. (PS; Hernandez)
A good beer label will make a brew stand out from the crowd and pique our curiosity to what delicious libation lies inside. One Upstate New York brewery was recently voted to have the best label in America.
Readers of USA Today voted Liquid Crush, a New England IPA from Liquid State Brewing Company, to be the most captivating beer label in the country. The publication commented that the label will take you out to sea with its blue and green label art-deco inspired design.
Equally matched to the refreshing beer inside, Liquid State’s website describes the drink as a hazy IPA with flavors of stone fruit, citrus and lush tropical fruits.
Hailing from Ithaca in the Finger Lakes, this brewery was started in 2016 by two friends, Ben Brotman and Jamey Tielens. Brotman, a former Ithaca Beer brewer, and Tielens, a project manager at Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology, they run two locations including their beer hall in downtown Ithaca and their summers-only spot on Cayuga Lake in Romulus.
Liquid State Brewing Company has a 17-barrel brewhouse and fermentation cellar which can be seen from their downtown Beer Hall. The brew many styles other than IPAs including German lagers, stouts and sours.
Syracuse University alum to do play-by-play for Olympics basketball games (PS; AP)
Noah Eagle is broadcasting his second Olympics this summer. He’s going to his first.
NBC Sports announced Wednesday that Eagle will be the play-by-play voice for USA Basketball’s men’s games, women’s games and the medal rounds at this summer’s Paris Olympics. The men’s roster was announced Wednesday; the women’s roster will be announced in the coming weeks.
Eagle broadcast 3x3 basketball at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago — but because of the pandemic, he did that from a studio in the U.S. This time, he’ll be courtside.
“I’m excited to feel it,” Eagle said.
The 26-year-old Syracuse University alum called some Brooklyn Nets games for YES Network this season, previously spent four years as the radio voice of the Los Angeles Clippers and recently picked up a Sports Emmy nomination for his first season as the play-by-play voice of the Big Ten Saturday Night football package on NBC and Peacock.
“Noah has excelled on many high-profile events, including as our lead Big Ten voice, and NBA and college basketball games,” said Rebecca Chatman, the vice president and coordinating producer for NBC Olympics Production. “We are excited to hear him call Team USA’s quest for gold in both the men’s and women’s tournaments this summer.”
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Bruce Springsteen Shares Funny Memory About His First Show in Syracuse from 1973 (PS; Friedlander)
The Boss is at it again! Bruce Springsteen has shared the latest in a series of videos promoting upcoming shows on his current U.S. tour with the E Street Band.
In the new clip, Springsteen was joined by founding E Street Band bassist Garry Tallent to address the fans in Syracuse, New York, where Bruce and the gang will play their next show, on April 18.
“Syracuse! First time I came to Syracuse was 1973,” Springsteen said, standing shoulder to shoulder with Tallent. “And you are looking at the only two members of the E Street Band that were there, 51 f—ing years ago!”
Tallent then piped in, sharing how Springsteen was introduced at the show.
“They said, ‘Welcome Bruce Spring-stine,” he recalled, to which Bruce added, “That’s right. It was ‘welcome Bruce Spring-stine.’”
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