sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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George Herman Ruth Jr. was born on February 6, 1895, in Baltimore, Maryland. A baseball star who played as both a pitcher and an outfielder, he is most remembered for his hitting abilities. He was usually called Babe Ruth, but he was also known as "The Bambino," "The Sultan of Swat," and "The Colossus of Clout." On April 27, 1947, he arrived at Yankee Stadium for Babe Ruth Day. Just as he was honored that day, we once again honor him today.
SU News
Malcolm Bergeron, Annie Bergeron, Matthew Bergeron, Kimberley Bergeron and MarcArthur Bergeron pose for a family photo following Matthew's participation in SU's Pro Day on March 20 inside the Ensley Athletic Center. Bergeron is expected to be the first Syracuse player selected in this weekend's NFL draft. (Courtesy of Annie Bergeron)
Bergeron’s family has witnessed each step of his rise to NFL (PS; $; Leiker)
Inside the Ensley Athletic Center on March 20, the Bergeron family watched closely as the eldest of their clan, Syracuse football’s Matthew Bergeron, ran through a series of individual drills at SU’s Pro Day.
Bergeron’s mother, Annie, and his three younger siblings stood near the front of a crowd of Bergeron’s Orange teammates and scouts from 32 NFL teams.
Annie Bergeron had her phone out, capturing nearly every second of yet another special moment in her son’s football career.
Football has always been a deep family affair for Bergeron.
His family has followed him nearly everywhere his football career has taken him: to games at his prep school an hour away from his hometown of Victoriaville in Quebec, Canada; to games six hours away and across the border at the JMA Wireless Dome; and to Mobile, Alabama, for the Senior Bowl.
Now, they hope they can continue to follow him on his next journey in the NFL. Bergeron is poised to become the first player from his hometown to be drafted into the league.
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(youtube; video; Syracuse Orange)
Matthew Bergeron shares his Syracuse Story of developing into an All-ACC talent and coveted #NFLDraft prospect.
2023 NFL Draft Highlights: Matthew Bergeron - OT, Syracuse (nbcsports.com; video)
Highlights of Syracuse offensive tackle Matthew Bergeron
College football: Bergeron expected to lead best Syracuse NFL draft class in decade (yahoo.com; St Croix)
Dino Babers beamed with pride at the sight of Matthew Bergeron sporting his Syracuse University football practice attire for his pro day workouts, in front of personnel from every NFL franchise recently at the Ensley Athletic Center.
The head coach anticipates a similar feeling of fulfillment over the next few days as he watches the NFL Draft with up to four SU players potentially being picked, led by Bergeron, the offensive tackle likely to be the highest selection of Babers' seven-year tenure.
Bergeron is expected to be joined by cornerback Garrett Williams, running back Sean Tucker, and possibly linebacker Mikel Jones in what is forecasted to be the largest SU draft haul in at least a decade.
Babers recently expressed his gratitude for Bergeron's unspoken gesture, particularly with such a large contingent of scouts and coaches on hand, after witnessing dozens of players in past years work out in gear representing a training facility or agency.
"To do that on our turf in front of all those pro scouts — I've been here seven years — guys come in with pro-this, pro-that, trainer-this, trainer-that, but I've never seen anybody do it in their own gear," Babers said. "It was really cool to see, and to see the guys watch him do it."
The NFL Draft will kick off the first round at 8 p.m. Thursday, while the second and third rounds will begin at 7 p.m. Friday. Rounds 4-7 will wrap on Saturday with coverage on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network throughout.
Syracuse has three players projected in the top five rounds and Jones appears in the seventh round of some recent mock drafts. Three players chosen would mark the Orange's largest draft class since 2013 while four would be the most since 2006. No SU players were picked in last year's draft.
"We're headed in the right direction," Jones said at the SU Pro Day. "Syracuse football will be respected, a lot of progress is coming to this team."
Bergeron — the 6-foot-5, 318-pound offensive tackle from Victoriaville, Quebec — should be the first SU representative off the board and has been predicted as high as the late first round. He is most frequently projected in the second round, according to the NFL Mock Draft Database.
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Mikel Jones motivated to showcase his talents in the NFL (spectrumlocalnews.com; MacWilliam)
Mikel Jones looked athletic and agile during Syracuse's Pro Day in front of all 32 NFL teams.
“A lot of thoughts but I was happy I was able to go out there and perform," Jones said. "Show my talents. Show what I’m good at. To be able to do that in front of all these teams, I feel like it’s the most teams I’ve seen since I’ve been here. It’s a blessing.”
His tape does all of his talking. The heart and soul of a defense that was one of the best in the NCAA a season ago before an ankle injury cut short his final season in Orange. But his motivation at Pro Day came from not being invited to the NFL Combine in April.
What You Need To Know
- The NFL Draft is just one day away, and former Syracuse linebacker Mikel Jones hopes to hear his name called
- He showcased his talents a few weeks ago during Syracuse's Pro Day and was pleased with his performance
- He's hopes to follow in the footsteps of others and prove he can play with the best
“I was very surprised," Jones said of not getting a combine invite. "But also, I feel like it was one of those situations where God makes no mistakes. It was probably in my best interest. It made today a lot more because it was my only opportunity to showcase my talent. It gave me an extra two weeks to dial in on the details on some of the small drills and things like that. I got stronger on the bench press in those two weeks. It was a blessing at the end of the day.”
And Jones might have already found a mentor at the next level: former SU standout Zaire Franklin of the Indianapolis Colts.
“I talked to him right before the full process," Jones said. "I know he knows in this process a lot of people will be reaching out, and he did give me words of encouragement during this process, how it’s going to be and what to expect, so I definitely appreciate him. And he also tweeted out something. I’m sure you’ve all seen the tweet. It just gave me a little bit of comfort knowing the situation. Toy can start wherever, it’s all about how you finish.”
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Syracuse Football: Aaron Bolinsky and Andre Szmyt deserve draft love, too (itlh; Fiello)
With the 2023 NFL Draft nearly upon us, this could be one of the most successful drafts in years for the Syracuse football program. As a Syracuse football fan, I often wonder why more Orange guys don’t get drafted, but I also admit I’m biased.
But this time I don’t think I’m biased when I sit here on the week of the draft wondering if two guys are being overlooked. I’m not saying they should be first-rounders but these two have contributed significantly to this team and been pillars of their position.
I’ve written about Sean Tucker getting medically cleared and available. I’ve written about why I think Mikel Jones could be the next Zaire Franklin being drafted late but being a huge team contributor to whoever drafts him. We all read the love Garrett Williams and Matthew Bergeron are getting and rightfully so. But what about Andre Szmyt and Aaron Bolinsky?
Andre Szmyt is a kicker and Aaron Bolinksky is a long snapper. Two positions that don’t necessarily bring excitement to a draft board. But here’s the thing, these are two guys who were great at their positions, and most of the time we only discuss these positions if they fail.
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30 Minutes in Orange Nation (ESPN; radio; Orange Nation)
Paulie Scibilia and Steve Infanti open the show debating whether Syracuse men’s lacrosse or football showed more improvement this season. Then, Paulie recaps the Spring Game and makes a plea. Lastly, Jordan Capozzi joins them in studio to discuss the latest NBA Playoff games.
https://www.si.com/college/syracuse...son-loves-family-atmosphere-on-syracuse-visit (SI; McAllister)
Syracuse football hosted class of 2024 defensive back Dashaun Gibson out of Mt. Zion Academy in Maryland over the weekend. The 6-2 DB said hospitality was the theme of the trip.
"I loved it," Gibson said. "They had a family atmosphere and the coaches and staff showed me and my family hospitality. The best part was getting to meet the coaches and the staff. They showed me lots of hospitality as soon as I stepped foot on campus. The campus is really nice and I really like how the coaches run their program."
Gibson was able to spend time with cornerbacks coach Travis Fisher and Director of Player Development Deon Maddox. He was able to speak with both and get to know them on a more personal level. The conversation with Travis Fisher was especially important as Fisher is a new coach this offseason, and that would be Gibson's position coach if he picks Syracuse.
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Syracuse defensive lineman Jatius Geer enters transfer portal as end of second window nears (PS; Leiker)
Syracuse football won’t be exiting the second NCAA transfer portal unscathed.
Defensive lineman Jatius Geer is in the transfer portal according to the 247 Transfer Portal Twitter account. He has not yet posted a statement from his own social media accounts.
He’s the first SU player who was with the team for spring practice to enter the portal in the latest window, which opened April 15 and closes Sunday.
Quarterback JaCobian Morgan officially entered the portal on April 17 per 247 but had already left the program, as he was not rostered for spring ball.
Geer played in 14 total games through two seasons at Syracuse and started 12 at defensive end during the 2022 season. He was seemingly poised to retain a starting position alongside returning defensive linemen Kevon Darton and Caleb Okechukwu.
Geer, a three star, had 34 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one block in his time with the Orange.
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ACC News
ACC spring wrap: 14 players ready to break out in 2023 (wnct.com; AP)
A look at football players in the Atlantic Coast Conference this spring who are poised to have standout seasons this fall in the now division-less league:
BOSTON COLLEGE: OL Christian Mahogany was a second-team all-ACC selection in 2021 who missed all last year with a knee injury. But the 6-foot-3, 333-pound guard is back to anchor the Eagles offensive line.
CLEMSON: DL Peter Woods is a 6-3, 270-pound freshman who enrolled in January and showed he’s capable of helping to make up for the loss of three-year starter Bryan Bresee.
DUKE: CB Al Blades Jr. is a graduate transfer who played five seasons at his late father’s alma mater of Miami. The younger Blades played in 49 games for the Hurricanes with four interceptions and 14 pass breakups.
FLORIDA STATE: TE Jaheim Bell is a South Carolina transfer who was one of the most versatile Gamecocks players last season. Bell also lined up at running back and receiver and was the team’s second-leading rusher and fourth-leading pass catcher.
GEORGIA TECH: QB Haynes King transferred from Texas A&M and looks like he’ll make an impact in the first full season of coach Brent Key. King opened as the Aggies’ starter, but was limited to six games due to injuries. He threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns against Alabama.
LOUISVILLE: QB Jack Plummer, the son of Jake “The Snake” Plummer, rejoined new Cardinals coach Jeff Brohm after a season at Cal and four at Purdue. The younger Plummer is well versed in Brohm’s schemes and could ease the transition for a new offense.
MIAMI: RB Chris Johnson is a freshman who picked the Hurricanes over Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan and Mississippi. Johnson should have opportunities to contribute in Mario Cristobal’s second season —- if he’s up for it.
NORTH CAROLINA: WR Kobe Paysour should be a valuable option with the Tar Heels looking to replace all-ACC receiver Josh Downs. Paysour, a third-year player, was fourth on the team with 29 catches and had four touchdowns.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE: QB Brennan Armstrong is the Virginia transfer looking to earn a starting job after Devin Leary transferred to Kentucky. Armstrong will be reunited with offensive coordinator Robert Anae, who directed a prolific passing game with the left-hander at Virginia in 2021.
PITT: TE Karter Johnson is in his second season with the Panthers after playing at Butler (Kan.) Community College. Johnson, 6-2, 265 pounds, started two games last season and is expected to be a bigger factor for the team this fall.
SYRACUSE: DB Isaiah Johnson joined the Orange from Dartmouth last season and started six games after a midseason knee injury to Garrett Williams. Syracuse is counting on Johnson to continue his improvement and be a key defensive contributor.
VIRGINIA: CB Tayvonn Kyle is an Iowa State graduate transfer who started two games for the Cyclones. The Cavaliers hope he can help patch a secondary that lost starting cornerbacks Anthony Johnson and Fentrell Cypress.
VIRGINIA TECH: DT Wilfried Pene is a 6-3, 285-pound fourth-year player who the Hokies hope takes a step forward after playing in 11 games with 12 tackles last season. He picked up a sack in the Hokies’ spring game earlier this month.
ACC Spring Wrap Football (madison.com; Ebenack)
The ACC has a distinctly old-school feel to it this spring with defending champion Clemson and rising powerhouse Florida State looking to dominate once more. The Tigers and Seminoles figure to be fighting for the top two spots that advance to the ACC's championship game in the first year since the league eliminated the Atlantic and Coastal Divisions. Nothing that happened during the ACC's spring practices did anything to change opinions that it'll be Clemson and Florida State playing for the title next December. If one or both should stumble, North Carolina, Pitt and North Carolina State could jump up.
40 Years Ago - Historic NFL Draft (RX; HM)
40 Years Ago - Historic NFL Draft
From SI:AM - The best of Sports Illustrated
So, just who was taken in the first round of that historic draft?
| Pick | Tm | Player | Pos | College/Univ |
| 1 | BAL | John Elway HOF | QB | Stanford |
| 2 | RAM | Eric Dickerson HOF | RB | SMU |
| 3 | SEA | Curt Warner | RB | Penn St. |
| 4 | DEN | Chris Hinton | T | Northwestern |
| 5 | SDG | Billy Ray Smith | LB | Arkansas |
| 6 | CHI | Jimbo Covert HOF | T | Pittsburgh |
| 7 | KAN | Todd Blackledge | QB | Penn St. |
| 8 | PHI | Michael Haddix | RB | Miss.State |
| 9 | HOU | Bruce Matthews HOF | G | USC |
| 10 | NYG | Terry Kinard | DB | Clemson |
| 11 | GNB | Tim Lewis | DB | Pittsburgh |
| 12 | BUF | Tony Hunter | TE | Notre Dame |
| 13 | DET | James Jones | FB | Florida |
| 14 | BUF | Jim Kelly HOF | QB | Miami (FL) |
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Overall #1 Picks as of 2023 April 25th (RX; HM)
Overall #1 Picks as of 2023 April 25th
Today there will be another #1 NFL draft pick - but not likely from the ACC. I wouldn't consider this as important as, say, the total number of first round picks, but I guess it's something...
From NCAA.com: Colleges with most overall No. 1 picks in the NFL Draft
Notre Dame (5) — Walt Patulski (1972), Paul Hornung (1957), Leon Hart (1950), Frank Dancewicz (1946), Angelo Bertelli (1944)
Oklahoma (5) — Kyler Murray (2019), Baker Mayfield (2018), Sam Bradford (2010), Billy Sims (1980), Lee Roy Selmon (1976)
Southern California (5) — Carson Palmer (2003), Keyshawn Johnson (1996), Ricky Bell (1977), O.J. Simpson (1969), Ron Yary (1968)
Georgia (5) — Travon Waker (2022), Matthew Stafford (2009), Harry Babcock (1953), Charley Trippi (1945), Frank Sinkwich (1943)
Auburn (4) — Cam Newton (2011), Aundray Bruce (1988), Bo Jackson (1986), Tucker Frederickson (1965)
Stanford (4) —Andrew Luck (2012), John Elway (1983), Jim Plunkett (1971), Bobby Garrett (1954)
LSU (3) — Joe Burrow (2020), JaMarcus Russell (2007), Billy Cannon (1960)
Ohio State (3) — Orlando Pace (1997), Dan Wilkinson (1994), Tom Cousineau (1979)
Texas (3) — Kenneth Sims (1982), Earl Campbell (1978), Tommy Nobis (1966)
California (2) —Jared Goff (2016), Steve Bartkowski (1975)
Miami (FL) (2) — Russell Maryland (1991), Vinny Testaverde (1987)
Michigan (2) —Jake Long (2008), Tom Harmon (1941)
Nebraska (2) —Irving Fryar (1984), Sam Francis (1937)
Penn State (2) — Courtney Brown (2000), Ki-Jana Carter (1995)
South Carolina (2) — Jadeveon Clowney (2014), George Rogers (1981)
Tennessee (2) —Peyton Manning (1998), George Cafego (1940)
Virginia Tech (2) — Michael Vick (2001), Bruce Smith (1985)
Alabama (1) — Harry Gilmer (1948)
Central Michigan (1) — Eric Fisher (2013)
Chicago (1) — Jay Berwanger (1936)
Clemson (1) — Trevor Lawrence (2021)
Colorado A&M (1) — Gary Glick (1956)
Florida State (1)— Jameis Winston (2015)
Fresno State (1) —David Carr (2002)
Illinois (1) — Jeff George (1990)
Iowa (1) — Randy Duncan (1959)
Indiana (1) —Corbett Davis (1938)
Kentucky (1) —Tim Couch (1999)
Louisiana Tech (1) — Terry Bradshaw (1970)
Michigan State (1) — Bubba Smith (1967)
Mississippi (1) — Eli Manning (2004)
N C State (1) — Mario Williams (2006)
Oklahoma State (1) — Bob Fenimore (1947)
Oregon (1) — George Shaw (1955)
Oregon State (1) —Terry Baker (1963)
Pennsylvania (1) —Chuck Bednarik (1949)
Rice (1) — King Hill (1958)
Southern Methodist (1)— Kyle Rote (1951)
Syracuse (1) — Ernie Davis (1962)
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Rx to Fix CFB - Coaching Talent (RX; HM)
Rx to Fix CFB - Coaching Talent
Here's another reason why College Football has become so unbalanced...
Concentration of Coaching Talent
The REAL problem? Lack of cost control.From "Here's how a former D-I AD would propose fixing college sports" posted by Matt Brown on ExtraPointsMB,
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Rx to Fix CFB - Give 'Em Hope (RX; HM)
Rx to Fix CFB - Give 'Em Hope
So far we discussed...
But even if they fixed the talent concentration and the runaway coaching salaries, there would still be one more problem...
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After short stay at Penn State, Storm Duck heading back to ACC out of transfer portal (nittanylinonswire.usatoday.com; McGuire)
When Storm Duck arrived in Happy Valley for the spring semester, it was expected he could be a contender to lock down a possible starting job in the secondary going into the 2023 season after transferring from North Carolina. Instead, Duck is flying out of State College and returning to the ACC after a brief stay in the NCAA transfer portal.
On Wednesday, Duck announced his commitment to Louisville. Duck announced his commitment on his Instagram account, ending a quick stop in the transfer limbo that is the portal.
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Maryland’s Mike Locksley Pitches Salary Cap for College Football (localsyr.com; Jackson)
As conference realignment and the rise of name, image and likeness have brought sweeping changes within the college football landscape, Maryland coach Mike Locksley feels that the sport should take it a step further an institute a salary cap.
Pointing to the Big Ten’s $7 billion TV rights deal signed last summer, Locksley suggested using that money to supplement programs’ recruiting efforts on Wednesday, and that the league should adopt a similar structure to the NFL.
“We signed a billion-dollar TV deal in the Big Ten,” Locksley told RJ Young of Fox Sports. “Let’s take $25 million out of that and give it to every school and say, ‘That’s your salary cap. That’s what you recruit with. You manage it how you see fit,’ which is very similar to what the NFL does with their salary cap.”
Locksley believes that incorporating such a drastic approach would go a long way in creating parity in a sport that’s long been rife with financial inequities.
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Other
Eugene Levy, an award-winning Canadian actor and comedian, spotted at Pastabilities in Syracuse, on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. (Courtesy Pastabilities)
Famous actor and comedian Eugene Levy spotted at Pastabilities (PS; Kirk)
Eugene Levy, the award-winning star of “Schitt’s Creek,” was spotted at Pastabilities Wednesday evening, according to the restaurant’s Facebook post.
The night manager Jace Zimmer was seating a party of three at the restaurant. The group was masked and Zimmer heard one woman address the man as Eugene.
It took Zimmer a minute and then he realized.
“With the hair and eyebrows,” he said, “how could you not?”
He realized their guest was Eugene Levy, the well-known actor and comedian.
Levy made a name for himself playing strange characters on SCTV such as The Shmenge Brothers with John Candy and Earl Camembert, a TV anchor, in the 1970s.
The Canadian actor and writer went on to star in two films, “Armed and Dangerous” and “The Man.” He also appeared in “National Lampoon’s Vacation” and “American Pie.”
Most recently he was on Schitt’s Creek as Johnny Rose with his son Dan Levy, playing the father and patriarch of a family who loses everything and is forced to seek shelter in a town they bought as a joke.
His arrival at the Armory Square restaurant was a surprise.
“They just walked in here,” Zimmer said. The entire restaurant staff was excited, he said. The party told Zimmer they were passing through Syracuse for the night, he said.
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