sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to National Pumpkin Day!
It’s National Pumpkin Day! Pumpkins are the harbinger of the harvest season, appearing every year as the first sign of autumn. Did you know that the word “pumpkin” comes from the Greek word “pepon,” meaning "large melon"?
Pumpkins can be grown on every continent except Antarctica, and the United States produces about 1.5 billion pounds of them each year. A Wisconsin farmer grew the largest pumpkin ever recorded. He used seaweed, cow manure, and fish emulsion to grow his pumpkin, which weighed a total of 1,810 pounds and was the size of a dumpster!
Celebrate National Pumpkin Day by carving a pumpkin in time for Halloween. Don't forget to bake the tasty seeds for a healthy, autumn snack!
SU News
SU Walk-On Christian White is the Face of NCAA's Sanctions Against Orange (PS; Waters)
Christian White could be the face of the NCAA's sanctions against the Syracuse University basketball program.
But White, a 5-foot-10 senior guard from Rochester, wants to put a different face on the punishment that seemingly is punishing only him this season.
White transferred to Syracuse from Monmouth University a year ago. He came to SU as a walk-on with the hopes of earning a scholarship. In his first year with the Orange, White appeared in just three games, but Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, who had extra scholarships available after underclassmen Tyler Ennis and Jerami Grant left for the NBA, did award White a full scholarship for the 2014-15 academic year.
"I saw that Jerami Grant and Tyler Ennis had left for the NBA,'' White said. "I knew there was a good chance I could get a scholarship. That definitely helped in saying I would come to Syracuse, but I would've come either way.''
This year, however, White is not on scholarship. In March, the NCAA announced sanctions against the Syracuse basketball program. Those sanctions include the loss of three scholarships a year for four years.
Syracuse currently has 10 scholarship players on its roster. That puts the Orange three under the NCAA's limit of 13 scholarships. So even as Syracuse officials await the results of the school's appeal of the NCAA's penalties, Syracuse will start serving its punishment — whatever it may be — this season.
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ACC Preview #9: Syracuse (dukebasketballreport.com; King)
When Syracuse debuted in the ACC, the Orange was a team that could go toe to toe with Duke, UNC, Virginia and very briefly, Maryland, before the Terps decamped for the Big Ten.
That suddenly seems like a long time ago. The heart of those teams – Jerami Grant, CJ Fair, Rakeem Christmas and Tyler Ennis – those guys are all gone.
Only the erratic Trevor Cooney remains.
On top of that, Syracuse was recently hit with a major NCAA penalty which affects scholarships, postseason play and which mandates a nine-game ACC suspension for coach Jim Boeheim.
And on top of that, Boeheim was "encouraged" to announce his retirement plans, which he did: he’ll go three more seasons, counting this one, and be done.
Oh, and Syracuse also forfeited a number of games.
Coach-in-waiting Mike Hopkins will run the team in Boeheim’s absence and then step back, which means that Syracuse will have a short timer in charge and an ambitious man sitting beside him, cooling his heels.
It’s a tough hand and Syracuse may struggle.
Nonetheless, there’s hope.
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Expect Another Frustrating Season For Syracuse (rantsports.com; Knox)
A lot has happened in a a short period of time. The Syracuse Orange recently had their media day at a facility on campus named for one of the school’s favorite sons. It’s kind of funny when you think about it. The Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center is named after a man who helped deliver a proud basketball programs a national championship. Carmelo Anthony graduated and became an underachieving star in the pro ranks who scored plenty of points but no franchise could build a team around. That name, when said to the average basketball fan, brings up thoughts of underachieving, frustration, erratic shooting and failing in big games. The Orange, a once proud basketball programs, have a lot going these days. Their legendary coach, Jim Boeheim, probably won’t be on the sideline with the USA men’s basketball team once Mike Krzyzewski steps down and is replaced by Gregg Popovich. What’s worse, is there’s still a nine game suspension Boeheim is required to serve. The decision means he won’t be around for the first nine conference games. Boeheim has decided to appeal, but there’s no reason to believe he’ll be successful in doing so.
Last year was full of scandal and disappointment for the Orange, and there’s no reason to believe this year will be an improvement. Their most recent season concluded with an 18-13 record that included nine conference losses. Trevor Cooney was supposed to take the next step and didn’t. Dajuan Coleman didn’t play, and no one is convinced he’ll play a full season this year following multiple knee surgeries. This team has the talented Michael Gbinije at point guard, but he’s 6-foot-7. Sure, the Orange will still rely defensively on the zone; but at some point, he’ll be matched up on the smaller guards of the ACC. He should be fine on the offensive side of the court and serve as a mismatch; but defensively, he may prove to be a liability at times.
Tyler Roberson was very impressive last season, and this team has the talent to catapult to the top half of the conference. Unfortunately for Orange fans, they’re more likely to experience offensive droughts from time to time and struggle with the deep ball. Expect the Orange, like Anthony, to provide their fans with a season of underachieving, frustration , erratic shooting and failing in big games.
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Teams Say 'Secret Scrimmages' Pay Off (indystar.com; Baird)
On posters, refrigerator magnets and Purdue’s official website, the men’s basketball season begins with a Nov. 8 exhibition game against Northwestern Ohio at Mackey Arena.
But one week earlier, the Boilermakers will bus to the University of Indianapolis. They will meet Dayton in Nicoson Hall, far from the expectations of fans and media scrutiny. No official score or statistics are kept.
For the first time, Purdue will participate in a controlled — or, as they’re colloquially known “secret” — scrimmage. Per an NCAA bylaw adopted in 1998, teams may play informal scrimmages in lieu of one or both of their traditional exhibition games against non-Division I opponents.
But there are rules. Players cannot miss class time. Only athletic department personnel and “others necessary to conducting a scrimmage” (such as referees) may be present. Teams cannot “publicize” the event, although that restriction is vague. Purdue has not announced the Dayton scrimmage, but coach Matt Painter has answered questions about it.
Dayton is 53-19 with five NCAA tournament victories over the past two seasons. But Purdue isn’t scrimmaging the Flyers — led by 6-foot-6 forwards Dyshawn Pierre and Kendall Pollard and 6-2 point guard Scoochie Smith — for their prestige. Painter anticipates smaller-yet-athletic teams bothering his big lineup — featuring 7-foot centers A.J. Hammons and Isaac Haas and 6-9 freshman Caleb “Biggie” Swanigan at power forward.
“I think Archie Miller has done as good a job as anybody in the country the past three or four years,” Painter said of the Flyers’ fifth-year coach. “His teams are tough and they’re hard-nosed, but they’re quick at each position, not just their guard positions.
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Other
K=ROCK Zombie Ball Guests Explain Why They're Obsessed with the Undead (Photos); PS; Tulloch)
Suck it, vampires. Zombies are still the hottest Halloween trend around.
Downtown Syracuse was alive with the undead this weekend, as animated corpses invaded the Landmark Theatre for K-ROCK's third annual Zombie Ball. In Armory Square, 95X also hosted its own Zombie Crawl from bar to bar.
"This event is always a hit, but I'm 'zombied' out, to be honest," said Zombie Ball organizer Chris Barrella. "I don't watch 'The Walking Dead,' I never really got into it."
Syracuse, however, is not zombied out. About 400 people attended the Zombie Ball, to enjoy haunted tours of the theater, quaff Halloween-themed cocktails and request psychic readings, makeovers or tattoos by BioGraphix Tattoo Studio.
A handful of Zombie Ball guests dressed in non-zombie costumes, but most took the undead theme and ran with it.
Noah Ellis, dressed as a zombie Mad Hatter, said the constant use of zombies in the media are to blame for their relentless popularity year after year.
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