sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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On August 10th, National Lazy Day gives us permission to relax and kickback. So, we’re going to be a bit lazy here.
As you can see, there is not much information regarding this annually celebrated holiday as we do not feel like doing any research. Actually, we do not feel like doing anything at all. Consequently, we are in our hammocks with a couple of good books and glasses of lemonade and iced tea. Yes, it is a Lazy Day. We choose to be lazy rather than tell much more about this day.
"You can’t teach people to be lazy – they either have it, or they don’t". ~ Dagwood Bumstead
SU News
Axe: 3 reasons SU football could and could not play in 2020 (PS; Axe)
”In the next 72 hours college football is going to come to a complete stop.”
That was the word from a college football source to Sports Illustrated reporters Pat Forde and Ross Dellenger on Sunday.
Other reports from ESPN and Yahoo’s Pete Thamel indicate that the 2020 college football season is on the brink of extinction.
Meanwhile, college football players and fans took to Twitter in droves using the #WeWantToPlay hashtag to express their desire for a football season to happen.
That included a call led by Clemson star quarterback Trevor Lawrence for college football players to form a union.
While we wait for someone to officially pull the plug or call “game on”, here are three reasons why college football, including Syracuse, could play this season and three reasons why it could not.
Reasons to Play
1. Money, Money, Money
Let’s start with the obvious one.
To put it bluntly, hundreds of millions of dollars will be lost if college football doesn’t hit the field in 2020. Colleges, including Syracuse, stand to lose millions of dollars from lost ticket revenue with limited or no fans in the stands in the scenario where football actually plays.
Cancel the season and it is chaos.
That lost revenue has major ramifications as it trickles down through the entire athletic department to fund Olympic sports such as cross country, field hockey, soccer and more.
A rising tide lifts all boats.
2. Players Accept the Risk
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence could opt out of college football right now and be the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Who would really blame him if he did?
Instead, Lawrence been the most significant voice asking for college football players to have the opportunity to take the field in 2020.
Lawrence made a convincing case on social media as to why he and his Tigers’ teammates should be able to play.
People are at just as much, if not more risk, if we don’t play. Players will all be sent home to their own communities where social distancing is highly unlikely and medical care and expenses will be placed on the families if they were to contract covid19 (1)
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Position Breakdown: Special Teams — 2020 Syracuse Football preview - The Juice Online (the juice; Cheng)
As we countdown to kickoff in September, we’re going to be doing a unit-by-unit preview each week over the summer. This week, we’re taking a look at special teams, which will need to replace the best punter in school history.
WHO’S OUT
- Sean Riley: Riley left Syracuse as one of its most productive players, having appeared in all 49 games from 2016-19. He compiled 4,358 all-purpose yards during that time, and made a big impact as a four-year starter as the team’s primary kickoff return man. He set Syracuse records for most career kickoff returns (115) and kickoff return yards (2,433).
- Sterling Hofrichter: Like Riley, Hofrichter appeared in all 49 games during the same time period as SU’s starting punter. As a senior, he was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award and was named a First-Team All ACC Selection and a Third-Team All American from the Associated Press. Hofrichter left SU as perhaps its best punter in school history, and was drafted by the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.
Syracuse football holds first official practice (localsyr.com)
After Syracuse football player sat out of the first day of practice, instead holding meetings as a team to discuss increasing health and safety measures, practice officially began.
All practices this summer are closed to the media, but photos and video of the first day was provided by Syracuse Athletics.
A majority of players looked to be practicing without masks, but members of the coaching staff were wearing masks.
Syracuse Orange press on with practice while Big Ten mulls canceling fall football season (cnycentral.com; Hauswirth)
The unrest surrounding college football is mounting after news surfaced of Power Five Conference leaders holding a meeting Sunday night.
ESPN reported Sunday commissioners of each Power Five Conference gathered on a call discussing the concerns of playing college football in the midst of a global pandemic.
It was clarified later on that school administrators are worried about the long-term effects COVID-19 could have on the heart.
Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger reported the other side of the story, explaining how conference leaders are not only concerned about players contracting the coronavirus, but also what the lasting impacts could be from a medical standpoint.
That's why the Big Ten Conference may be the first domino to fall in the continuing saga regarding college football in 2020, as Yahoo! Sports college football reporter Pete Thamel broke the news late Sunday night.
Thamel indicates the league is "on the cusp of canceling the season", but was interested in gauging the rest of the Power Five Conference leaders on their stances regarding the season being played in the fall.
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SU Top 100: #31 Keith Bulluck – Orange Fizz – Free Syracuse Recruiting News (orangefizz.net; Aki)
One of Syracuse’s surest tacklers checks in at 31st on our SU Top 100 list. Keith Bulluck was a stud for the Orange on Saturdays, and that also carried over to Sundays.
One of the many in-state standouts that have gone on to succeed with SU, Bulluck was a versatile member of the Orange from 1996 to 1999 playing multiple linebacker positions and also appearing in the secondary.
As a freshman Bulluck made an impact in the turnover department. His three interceptions are tied for the second most ever by a first year Orange player and led the team to a victory in the Liberty Bowl over Houston.
Over the course of Bulluck’s career, he racked up 375 tackles, which is tied for the 8th most ever in Orange history. He led the Orange in tackles in both of his junior and senior seasons and even led the Big East in that department in his final season.
Bulluck landed on the All-Big East team twice, a second team nod in 1998 and a first team spot in 1999. Each of those seasons resulted in bowl appearances.
You may notice a theme here. Bulluck played in a lot of bowl games. In fact, he played in the maximum. The Orange reached the postseason in all four years of his career. Bulluck and his Class of 1999 teammates are the last crop of SU players to achieve that and posted a 2-2 record in the process.
His performance at SU made him the 30th overall pick by the Titans in the 2000 NFL Draft as a part of a loaded linebacker class that also featured LaVarr Arrington, Brian Urlacher and Julian Peterson. Bulluck ended his NFL career as a 3-time All-Pro, all of which came with Tennessee.
Some view Bulluck as the greatest linebacker in Orange history, and that’s certainly hard to dispute given his numbers and the 33-16 record his teams compiled. Keep up to see if any other linebackers appear on our list and check out our full breakdowns on our latest episodes of Fizz Radio and the FizzCast.
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Easy/Hard Paths to 2020 ACC CG (RX; HM)
Easy/Hard Paths to 2020 ACC CG
If we assume each team which got votes in the Coaches Poll is a potential contender, we get a list of nine teams that might knock each other off at some point.
Here are the ACC teams which got votes in the Preseason Coaches Poll:
| Rank | Team | Points | 50-Rank |
| 1 | Clemson | 1589 | 49 |
| 10 | Notre Dame | 1012 | 40 |
| 19 | North Carolina | 415 | 31 |
| 24 | Virginia Tech | 143 | 26 |
| 33 | Louisville | 62 | 17 |
| 34 | Miami | 58 | 16 |
| 37 | Virginia | 13 | 13 |
| 48 | Pittsburgh | 1 | 2 |
| 48 | Duke | 1 | 2 |
If we then assign a point value to each team by subtracting their rank in the coaches poll from 50 - so that Clemson is worth 49 points and Duke is worth 2 points - we can compute a total value for each team's schedule, like so:
| Rank | Team | Points |
| 1 | Clemson | 97 |
| 2 | North Carolina | 97 |
| 3 | Louisville | 97 |
| 4 | Notre Dame | 101 |
| 5 | Duke | 110 |
| 6 | Virginia Tech | 130 |
| 7 | Miami | 138 |
| 8 | Virginia | 141 |
| 9 | Pittsburgh | 148 |
True, Clemson and Notre Dame can't play each other - but why do UNC, Louisville and Duke have schedules which are so much easier than Virginia Tech, Miami, Virginia and Pitt?
Pitt plays both of the top contenders, but doesn't get a shot at UNC, Virginia or Duke.
Virginia Tech dodges Notre Dame, but plays every other contender - 7 of them in all.
Miami and Virginia each play six contenders, with both dodging Notre Dame.
BOTTOM LINE:
If I was a conspiracy theorist, I'd say that the ACC was trying to arrange the schedule so that it sets up Clemson vs. either UNC, Louisville or Notre Dame in the ACC CG.
Links, news and rumors - 8/10/20 (RX; HM)
Links, news and rumors - 8/10/20
The biggest story of the weekend, from ESPN: Power 5 conferences talking about no fall football
I'll get into this a little more as time permits.
_____
From ASD: Duke and Notre Dame practiced mitigation and now football
So apparently it is possible to keep the players safe, though obviously not everyone is doing so.
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ACCDN Videos - 8/8/20 (RX; HM)
ACCDN Videos - 8/8/20
Here are a couple of interesting videos from the ACC Digital Network you might enjoy checking out.
2020 ACC Football Schedule Notes
ACC Digital Network
The ACC football season promises to be different from any season before it. Everyone knows that the ACC is playing 10 conference games, Notre Dame will be playing in the conference, and there will be no divisions this season. However, there are a number of other notable things that this schedule has produced. From teams making their first-ever visit to a conference opponents' campus to long-held rivalries not playing against one another for the first time in decades. Check out all the notable things that will happen this season in the ACC.
Tough Road Slate: Syracuse at UNC, Pitt, Clemson, Louisville and Notre Dame
Tough Home Slate: Georgia Tech vs Louisville, Clemson, Notre Dame, Pitt and Duke
Clemson hosting last 3 Coastal Champs: Virginia, Miami, Pitt
NC State only team NOT playing either Clemson or Notre Dame
(first time since 1970 Clemson and NC State won't play)
First time in a long time
Wake Forest and Florida State won't face each other since 1991
Georgia Tech and Virginia won't face each other since 1981
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Days look numbered for the 2020 college football season; what's next? - ACCSports.com (accsports.com; Geisinger)
According to multiple media reports, it appears as though the most recent scheduling efforts for the 2020 college football season may prove to be null and void.
Earlier this week, the ACC announced its official 2020 schedule; however, concerns regarding COVID-19 permeate throughout the league — and the entire college football universe. On Saturday, the Mid-American Conference (MAC) canceled its 2020 season.
After an emergency meeting of the Power Five conference commissioners on Sunday, optimism for a 2020 fall sports season continued to plummet. In fact, despite some noble protests, it may be done.
Presidents of the Big Ten met on Saturday. According to ESPN, those school presidents emerged from the meeting with the desire to gauge interest from other Power Five commissioners, presidents and chancellors with regards to canceling the 2020 fall sports calendar, including football.
The report from ESPN notes that the majority of Big Ten presidents would prefer to postpone the 2020 season. Next spring has emerged as a possible timeframe and setting; however, those details remain murky, too. (This also begs the question: why did the Big Ten release a schedule earlier this week, then want to change course 96 hours later?)
Previously scheduled CEO meetings in some conferences, per sources:
– Pac-12: Tuesday
– Big 12: Tuesday
– SEC: Thursday
They could all be moved up
Commissioners from Power 5 conferences met today, as ESPN has reported.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 9, 2020
Prior to Sunday’s commissioners meeting, ACC officials were scheduled to meet on Wednesday this week. That’s now been moved up to Monday morning, per ESPN.
While there appears to be some movement for the Power Fives to reform as one united front, there are no guarantees. As we saw during the scheduling model fiasco, leagues may look to act and behave in their own self-interest.
If The Big Ten pulls the plug this week, will the SEC follow? I say no. The SEC built its entire scheduling model on the ability to wait until Sept. 26 to play its first game.
— Tony Barnhart (@MrCFB) August 9, 2020
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CFN ACC Preview 2020: Top Players, Games, Thoughts On Each Team (CFN; Fiutak)
5. ACC 2020 Preview
The ACC puffed its chest out after the 2016 season, and rightly so.
Clemson had won the national title, Florida State and Louisville were rolling, Miami was back, Virginia Tech was great, Georgia Tech won nine games, and 11 of the 14 programs won seven games or more. But just as the ACC was starting to feel it, it all started to slip.
Clemson was still Clemson, and the conference was still okay, but it wasn’t dominant league many thought it could be. There wasn’t that push past the Big Ten to challenge the SEC for college football supremacy.
This year might just change all of that.
No, the ACC won’t be as deep or as talented as the SEC, and no, it doesn’t have as many high-end powers as the Big Ten, but it also doesn’t have a Rutgers.
And it has a Notre Dame.
CFN ACC Preview
Teams: Surprise, Disappointments | Top Games
Players To Watch | One Thought On Each Team
– CFN Preview 2020: All 130 Team Previews
Clemson is obvious star, but the league needs a No. 2. The SEC has several of those teams in the mix for whatever the No. 1 is in a given year, and Penn State, Wisconsin, and to a certain extent, Michigan, are there to be Ohio State’s Robin.
With Florida State down over the last few years – and with Miami, Virginia Tech and others being okay, but not killers – the league has been missing the overall oomph.
That just changed.
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BREAKING: OOC News - 8/8/20 (RX; HM)
BREAKING: OOC News - 8/8/20
First, the good news:
So the Tar Heels will play Charlotte as their "plus one" this season (assuming the season still happens, because, well, read on...)
Now, the bad news:
Why is that bad news for the ACC? Because of the following non-conference games:
So instead of just one team looking for a non-conference opponent we now have four.
There might be a solution though.
- For Boston College: UMass just lost a MAC opponent.
- For Clemson: Coastal Carolina just lost one too.
- For Pitt: Temple has a pair of openings.
- For Notre Dame: BYU just lost another game (and already had several openings)
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Other
Lights, camera, face masks: Film production resumes in Syracuse with coronavirus changes (PS; Herbert)
Cameras are rolling in Central New York again after months of being shuttered because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Onondaga Lake Parkway was closed for two days last week for a movie shoot under the company On Three Pictures Inc. A week earlier, the Liverpool-based production company American High completed reshoots for its upcoming film “The Ultimate Playlist of Noise.”
Marc Porterfield, a Hulu production consultant who represents the Disney-owned streaming service in overseeing an eight-picture deal with American High, told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard in a phone interview that they soon will begin filming their next movie, “Plan B” with Natalie Morales (”Parks and Recreation,” “Trophy Wife”). Details, including the cast and plot, have not been released.
“Plan B” will be American High’s eighth movie shot in the Syracuse area. The movie was originally scheduled to start March 16, but was delayed — like most everything else — by Covid-19. It will be the first full-length local production since Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave the state permission to begin filming TV shows and movies last month.
But the production, like other businesses, will have many changes to protect the cast and crew from the virus that’s infected 5 million Americans and killed more than 160,000 people in the U.S.
New York state guidelines allowing TV and film productions to resume include:
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