sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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May Day is a spring holiday in many cultures, and a national holiday in many European countries. It stemmed from ancient celebrations which included Floralia, a Roman festival honoring the flower goddess Flora; Walpurgis Night, which was celebrated by Germanic countries; Beltane, a Gaelic holiday; and Anthesteria, a Greek festival. In some European pagan cultures, it was seen as the first day of summer, while the summer solstice was celebrated as Midsummer. Celebrants would get up early and gather flowers and branches to decorate their houses with.
SU News
Syracuse QB Lamson is entering the transfer portal (report) (PS; Leiker)
Syracuse football quarterback Justin Lamson is entering the transfer portal, per a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Lamson had just made his return to the field this spring after a year off due to a non-contact knee injury he suffered last May. He split reps as the first-string QB during spring ball as Garrett Shrader was out with injury, and he started at the position in the Orange’s spring game April 21.
SU now has just two quarterbacks on scholarship — Shrader and Carlos Del Rio-Wilson — and walk-on Luke MacPhail.
The Orange would’ve been in better position to handle a loss like this had it been able to retain LaNorris Sellers in its 2023 recruiting class. Sellers had been verbally committed to the Orange for nine months before flipping on early signing day and inking with his home state flagship, the University of South Carolina.
Dino Babers and his staff will now either need to recruit a young quarterback out of the transfer portal or target the position heavily in the class of 2024. SU has offered seven QBs in the upcoming recruiting cycle according to 247 Sports.
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Rich Barnes
Syracuse football: Justin Lamson reported to be entering transfer portal (TNIAAM; Wall)
The weekend started well for the Syracuse Orange football program with two players selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft.
Unfortunately the good vibes won’t last as we just learned that backup quarterback Justin Lamson is entering the transfer portal.
Lamson who was the starter in last week’s spring game had returned from a torn ACL suffered in 2022. We had suspected that Syracuse might lose another quarterback at some point but it appears that Lamson is not going to wait to battle Garrett Shrader and Carlos Del Rio-Wilson for the job this summer.
The deadline to enter the portal was today and while players can return after entering, the timing would indicate that Lamson has likely been in contact with schools and has an exit strategy.
If he does in fact leave, Syracuse would have Luke MacPhail as the 3rd string option this Fall. We’ll see if the Orange land someone in the portal themselves but it’s going to be an interesting summer.
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https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...-best-players-not-taken-in-the-2023-nfl-draft (athlonsports.comp Lassan)
With the 2023 NFL Draft officially in the books, it’s time to look back and see which of college football’s biggest stars went undrafted. Whether it was a concern about size, overall talent, an injury, how a player will transition from scheme or handle the jump to the NFL, a handful of stars from the previous college football season did not hear their name called over the three-day event.
Every position featured a notable college star who didn't get drafted, including quarterbacks like Minnesota's Tanner Morgan and Louisville's Malik Cunningham, and standout running backs like Minnesota's Mohamed Ibrahim and Syracuse's Sean Tucker. Fresno State's Jalen Moreno-Cropper was the top wide receiver to go undrafted. On defense, Cincinnati's Ivan Pace, Notre Dame's Brandon Joseph andOhio State's Ronnie Hickman were just a few of the top players who will look to make a team as an undrafted free agent this offseason.
Which of college football’s biggest names (FBS only) went undrafted? Here’s a look at the best players, weighing talent, career and 2022 achievement totals.
College Football's Best Players Not Taken in the 2023 NFL Draft
First-Team Offense
QB Malik Cunningham, LouisvilleRB Sean Tucker, Syracuse
RB Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota
RB Keaton Mitchell, East Carolina
AP Travis Dye, USC
WR Jalen Moreno-Cropper, Fresno State
WR Rakim Jarrett, Maryland
WR Jalen Wayne, South Alabama
TE Joel Wilson, Central Michigan
C Grant Gibson, NC State
OL Jaxson Kirkland, Washington
OL Emil Ekiyor, Alabama
OL Connor Galvin, Baylor
OL Alex Palczewski, Illinois
OL T.J. Bass, Oregon
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Locked On Syracuse - Daily Podcast On Syracuse Orange Football & Basketball on Apple Podcasts (apple.com; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
BONUS EPISODE: Matthew Bergeron And Garrett Williams Are Headed To The NFL + Day 3 Syracuse Draft Predictions
https://twitter.com/CuseFootball/status/1652291998458494976/video/1 (twitter)
Matthew Bergeron message to Syracuse fans...
(youtube; podcast; KJ Shot It)
Episode 9: Syracuse Alum Terrel Hunt Talks Football Career, Childhood in Queens, & His Non-Profit
Syracuse football: undrafted free agent signings tracker (TNIAAM; Wall)
The 2023 NFL Draft has concluded, and several former Syracuse Orange players have agreed to undrafted free agent deals as they pursue their professional aspirations.
Andre Szmyt- Chicago Bears
Mikel Jones- Los Angeles Chargers
Sean Tucker- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Waiting on notification of expected deals for:
Aaron Bolinsky
DeVaughn Cooper
Chris Elmore
ACC News
2023 NFL Draft picks by college team, school: SEC leads for 17th straight year, Georgia keeps setting records (cbssports.com; Patterson)
When breaking down the 2023 NFL Draft by conference, you probably could have guess the the league with the most draft picks before the No. 1 overall pick was even announced. Because after Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and 61 other players from the SEC were selected by NFL franchises in the three-day event, the conference claimed the honor of having the most players selected in the NFL Draft for the 17th consecutive season.
The SEC's 62 picks are a slight step down from consecutive record-setting years when it had 65 players selected in the NFL Draft across both 2021 and 2022. Still, the league maintained the overwhelming edge against the rest of the county that it has established in recent years.
The Big Ten was a close second with 55 picks, marking the fifth straight draft in which it finished second to the SEC. However, after the two most powerful conferences in the nation, there's a large gap before we reach third place as the ACC checks in with 33 picks. The Big 12 follows with 29 with the Pac-12 rounding out the top five with 27.
The SEC's edge was widespread but powered in part by the two-headed pro development machines that are Alabama and Georgia. The Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs tied for the most picks in the NFL Draft with 10 each, marked the sixth consecutive season that an SEC program led the way in overall selections. It's also the fifth time in the last six years that the program leading the country in draft picks is either Alabama or Georgia.
The two-time reigning champion Bulldogs set two new records for the most players selected across two drafts (25) and three drafts (34). This year's 10-player UGA class followed the record-setting 15 players selected in 2022 with nine more chosen in 2021. Considering the team the Dawgs are expected to field this fall, other records may soon fall in forthcoming years.
2023 NFL Draft picks by schools, conferences
SEC (62)
- Alabama — 10
- Georgia — 10
- Florida — 6
- LSU — 6
- Tennessee — 5
- Auburn — 5
- South Carolina — 5
- Ole Miss — 4
- Kentucky — 3
- Texas A&M — 3
- Arkansas — 2
- Mississippi State — 2
- Missouri — 1
Big Ten (55)
- Michigan — 9
- Ohio State — 6
- Penn State — 6
- Maryland — 5
- Purdue — 5
- Northwestern — 4
- Illinois — 4
- Iowa — 4
- Michigan State — 3
- Minnesota — 3
- Wisconsin — 3
- Nebraska — 2
- Rutgers — 1
ACC (32)
- Clemson — 6
- Pitt — 6
- North Carolina — 4
- Louisville — 3
- Miami — 3
- Syracuse — 2
- Wake Forest — 2
- Florida State — 1
- Boston College — 1
- Georgia Tech — 1
- NC State — 1
- Virginia — 1
- Virginia Tech — 1
Four First-Round Picks Highlight ACC’s 2023 NFL Draft (theacc.com)
Four Atlantic Coast Conference football players were selected in the first round of the 2023 National Football League Draft Thursday night in Kansas City.
Pitt All-America defensive tackle Calijah Kancey was the first ACC player off the board at No. 19 overall. Kancey was the 15th unanimous All-American in program history following a tremendous 2022 season and the Panthers’ first since Aaron Donald in 2013. He was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the prestigious Outland Trophy (nation's top interior lineman) and Bronko Nagurski Trophy (national defensive player of the year). Kancey compiled 31 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 11 games played. His 14.5 TFLs led the nation’s interior defenders.
Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers was chosen 22nd overall by the Baltimore Ravens. Flowers became the first BC receiver drafted since 1987 and first skill position player taken in the first round since 2008. A three-time All-ACC selection and first-team honoree in 2022, he finished as BC’s all-time leader in career and single-season receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He was a third-team AP All-American in 2022 with 78 catches for 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns. Flowers finished the season with five 100-yard receiving games and two 10-reception games. He leaves BC as the Eagles’ all-time leader with 200 receptions, 3,056 receiving yards and 29 receiving touchdowns.
Clemson defensive end Myles Murphy was taken 28th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals. Murphy was a two-time All-ACC honoree, including a first-team All-ACC pick in 2022. He was credited with 45 tackles (11.0 for loss), a team-high-tying 6.5 sacks, three pass breakups and a forced fumble in 13 games (11 starts).
Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee was the No. 29 pick of the first round by New Orleans Saints. Bresee was a three-time All-ACC honoree and was a second-team All-ACC selection in 2022. A Lott IMPACT Trophy quarterfinalist this season, Bresee was credited with 16 tackles (5.5 for loss), 3.5 sacks and two pass breakups in 10 games (seven starts).
Syracuse offensive tackle Michael Bergeron (Atlanta), Georgia Tech edge Keion White (New England) and Miami’s Tyrique Stevenson (Chicago) all were second-round picks. Five ACC players went in the third round on Friday: Syracuse cornerback Garrett Williams (Arizona), North Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs (Indianapolis), Louisville defensive end YaYa Diaby (Tampa Bay), Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson (Baltimore) and Wake Forest defensive tackle Kobie Turner (Los Angeles).
Twenty ACC players went in rounds four through seven on Saturday, including 10 in the fifth round.
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NFL Draft: Falcons Rookie Jovaughn Gwyn Brings 'Very Good Football IQ' (yardbacker.com; Brener)
Among the list of goals for the Atlanta Falcons coming into the 2023 NFL Draft was finding some depth on the offensive line.
The team did that on Day 2 by taking Syracuse's Matthew Bergeron, who should be in contention to be the Week 1 starter at left guard for the Falcons in training camp. The team also grabbed some depth on Day 3 by taking South Carolina interior lineman Jovaughn Gwyn.
"Gwyn isn’t a great athlete and as he gets further downfield, there is noticeable strain on his film," SI Draft Bible writes. "Overall, Gwyn’s lack of size and length make him a prime candidate to switch to center at the next level, with guard versatility. He doesn’t have impressive traits but he has very good football IQ and experience. In a weaker interior offensive line class, Gwyn is a candidate to be selected and compete for a roster spot."
Overcoming some of his physical limitations at 6-1 weighing 297 pounds, Gwyn was voted Second-Team All-SEC by coaches thanks to his exceptional run blocking, a skill that should fit in nicely with Arthur Smith's run-heavy scheme, which mauled defenses last season.
Gwyn hopes that his football knowledge can land him a spot on the Falcons' 53-man roster this season.
Aydan White, Akheem Mesidor, and Other ACC Breakout Defenders (wenatcheeworld.com; Perkins)
Breaking down the ACC's next generation of elite defensive players
1. DB Aydan White, NC State
As a true sophomore in 2022, white graded out as the Wolfpack's top DB per Pro Football Focus, and it's easy to see why. He's a smooth athlete with great instincts that does a great job sticking to receivers of all different builds. He could be one of the top corners in the conference this fall.2. DL Akheem Mesidor, Miami
There's a lot of talent coming back on the 'Canes, but Mesidor isn't one that's as talked about as much. The former West Virginia transfer led Miami in sacks with seven in 2022, and that was as a rotational lineman. He should have a chance to rack up double-digits this season.3. DB LaMiles Brooks, Georgia Tech
Brooks was quietly one of the top safeties in the conference in 2022, playing center field as well as anyone and improving his play in the box as he became a full-time starter. As a junior in 2023, he's primed to lead a Yellow Jacket defense that is looking for consistent play after an up-and-down season last fall.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...
Limited Championship Opportunities
In the NFL, 14 of the 32 teams make the playoffs (43.75%). In College Football, only 4 teams make the playoffs - out of 133 in the FBS, that's only 3%.In the soon to be expanded College Football Playoffs, it will be 12 teams out of 133 (9% of FBS). If you limit the pool to just the power five teams, it's 12 out of 69 (17.4%).
Increasing the field from four to 12 teams puts eight more teams on a higher platform at the end of the year, boosting their exposure and appeal to recruits.
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ACC 2023 NFL Draftees (RX; HM)
ACC 2023 NFL Draftees
Every ACC team except Duke had at least one player drafted into the NFL, and two teams had six players each drafted...
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | Total |
| BC | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Clemson | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | ||||
| Duke | 0 | |||||||
| FSU | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| GT | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Louisville | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||||
| Miami | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||||
| NC State | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| UNC | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||||
| Pitt | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
| Syracuse | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||
| Virginia | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| VT | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Wake | 1 | 1 | 2 |
From the official ACC release of Saturday, April 29, 2023...
Thoughts on 2023 Louisville FB (RX; HM)
Thoughts on 2023 Louisville FB
There's a lot going on with Louisville Cardinals Football this year.
New Head Coach.
Favorite Son Jeff Brohm has taken over as the new Head Coach of the Cardinals. Brohm is known as an offensive-minded coach, which will play well in Louisville. The defense may struggle in year one (only 50% of last season's defensive productivity returns), so the Cards may seek to out-score opponents.
Recruiting is already showing good signs under Brohm, and he has grabbed some much needed help via the Transfer Portal as well. But maybe Brohm's biggest impact: the fans are excited once again!
Favorable Schedule.
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Links, News and Rumors 2023 April 28 (RX; HM)
Links, News and Rumors 2023 April 28
From SI:AM
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Life after football: Ali Marpet is enjoying unstructured free time (fltimes.com; Lambos)
When Ali Marpet hung up his helmet and cleats for good, he had accomplished everything an NFL player could ever dream of — or at least what he could: Highest ever drafted Division III player, started every game he played in, All-Rookie honors, blocked for the greatest quarterback to ever play in Tom Brady, won a Super Bowl, All-Pro honors and lastly, a Pro Bowl selection.
He did all that in seven seasons and retired at 28.
Just after turning 30 on April 17, Marpet returned to his alma mater last weekend to be inducted into the Hobart Hall of Fame. Between his retirement and Hall of Fame induction, he has kept himself very busy.
Trips to Greece, Hawaii, Italy, India with his father, summiting Mount Kilimanjaro, getting engaged, losing 75 pounds — Marpet has had little trouble filling the time where practice, eating and training used to occupy.
“Very much so,” Marpet said on whether he’s enjoying life after football. “I wasn’t really able to travel when I was playing. Even in the off-season when there’s a lot of time, in order to workout as intensely as I had to, I really had to be in one location. Maeghan, my fiancé, our first date we asked what are the top three places we wanted to go and it was Hawaii, Greece and Italy. The first things we did after I retired were Hawaii, Greece and Italy. So I’ve been able to do things that I wasn’t able to do while I was playing and I feel very grateful.”
And, he hasn’t regretted walking away from the NFL one bit.
Even at 300+ pounds in the NFL, there weren’t too many players that were quicker than the offensive lineman from Hastings-on-Hudson. But living and playing at that weight were two separate things for Marpet, who has reduced his once mountain-sized body by 75 pounds.
“I feel so much better,” Marpet said. “Recently, I was able to climb Kilimanjaro and I couldn’t imagine doing that at 300 pounds.”
With the weight gone, Marpet wanted to visit places around the world he never got to travel. As a four-year lineman at Hobart, he never got a chance to study abroad. Visiting unique places around the world with friends and family was something he often thought about during his time as an NFL player.
With perhaps one or two more places still to check off his bucket list, Marpet has his sights set on his next chapter: pursuing a five-year doctorate of psychology starting this fall at National Louis University in Tampa, one of two accredited schools with a Psy.D. program in Florida.
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Other
Roy Sardo is turning his brother's Van Buren pizzeria into Mangia Bene. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller
11 months after abruptly closing, popular Italian restaurant is relocating on Tuesday (PS; Miller)
In the middle of the night last June 1, Roy Sardo shut down his beloved restaurant and rid it of all the appliances and equipment, leaving behind a sizeable and dedicated customer base longing for his homemade sausage, meatballs and hand-spun pizzas.
At 11 a.m. Tuesday, Mangia Bene Italian Kitchen will be reborn, this time in a strip mall about 4 miles away from its previous home in Lakeland.
“It’s time to start cooking again,” Sardo said Thursday afternoon. “It’s been too long. It seems like a lifetime.”
Mangia Bene, which means ‘Eat Well’ in Italian, opened two years ago in the building had been home to Ernie’s Lakeland Cafe for 17 years. It quickly became a popular takeout spot after a story highlighted how he made his own sausage and meatball mix used in his recipes. Sardo said he had no choice but to close a year later because of a disagreement with the building’s owner over the lease.
The new Mangia Bene is located in the Seneca Knolls Market Place at 7249 State Fair Blvd., sandwiched between a Dollar General Store and a liquor store. It had been Sardo’s Pizza, a pizzaria Roy opened in 1996. His brother, Mark, took it over a few years ago. They shut Sardo’s down two weeks ago and started the transformation into Mangia Bene. Food suppliers started making deliveries Thursday.
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The village trusted Burt Marshall. Now he owes $90 million in lost retirements and broken dreams (PS; $; Eisenstadt)
The jars of homemade pickles have been in hundreds of Madison County cabinets, each one with a little message from the guy they rely on here: Before you get into a pickle, call Burt Marshall.
Marshall, 71, went to work at 7 a.m. in the small village of Hamilton and left after the sun set. He called clients on their birthdays. He threw them a massive block party every year at the end of tax season. They crowded the street and enjoyed all-you-can-eat shrimp.
Marshall is the kind of person people do business with because their parents and grandparents did before them. In Hamilton, he was a landlord, the insurance guy, the tax guy, the payroll guy and the self-storage guy.
He’s Burt Marshall, the one everybody trusted.
That’s why people handed over their life savings when Marshall began sharing a simple offer 30 years ago:
Give Marshall your money and he’ll pay you 8% in interest.
The debt was secured by nothing. You received no shares of anything. It was just an IOU, with names and amounts hand-written on a store-bought pad. The scrap of paper is technically a “promissory note.” A promise.
Yet nearly 1,000 people bought in. Over decades, Marshall came to owe $90 million in principal and interest.
Why did they do it? Because it was Burt Marshall. He defined small-town hard-work ethic. He could do 2,000 tax returns, all by himself.
Marshall told investors the money was going into the community. He took some of the lenders on drives to see his real estate portfolio, now more than 100 properties. Most are rentals for Colgate University students.
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