sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to Mardi Gras!
In French, Mardi means Tuesday, and gras means fat, so it makes sense that Mardi Gras is often called Fat Tuesday. It is also called Carnival or Carnaval—a name that is also used to refer to the whole period between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday—as well as various other names in different countries. It takes place on the day before Ash Wednesday—when Lent begins—although, in many places where it is widely celebrated, it is a week-long festival. Mardi Gras is held all around the world, particularly in cities with large Roman Catholic populations. Its epicenter is New Orleans, where most non-essential businesses are shut down and locals and pilgrims come together for parades, music, food, and drink. Revelers wear costumes, dress in purple, gold, and green, and wear beads they catch at parades. Large Mardi Gras festivals are also held in Brazil and Venice, and celebrations of the holiday commonly take place in Mississippi, Alabama, Canada, Germany, and Denmark.
Although Mardi Gras is a Christian holiday, it is generally believed to have roots in pagan celebrations of spring and fertility like Saturnalia and Lupercalia. (Although, some experts dispute that there are pagan roots and say it sprang up in response to the Catholic Church's stringent rules during Lent.) Upon Christianity's arrival in Rome, the religion blended with pagan traditions, and so began a time of debauchery preceding the 40 days of fasting between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. In the lead-up to Lent, Christians made sure to eat all the rich and fatty foods in their house, like lard, milk, eggs, cheese, and meat. As Christianity spread to other European countries, so did these traditions.
SU News
Syracuse team-leading WR Damien Alford dismissed from team (PS; $; Leiker)
Syracuse football team-leading wide receiver Damien Alford is no longer with the program, a team spokesman confirmed to syracuse.com Monday.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel first reported the news that Alford had been dismissed, citing anonymous sources.
Thamel later reported that Alford plans to enter the transfer portal as a graduate transfer. The next transfer portal window is April 16-30, at the end of spring football.
Thamel’s report states that Alford had considered entering the transfer portal after SU’s loss in the Boca Raton Bowl but chose not to in part to graduate this spring. He is majoring in human development and family science at the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, per his SU bio.
The Orange spokesman said Alford has the opportunity to continue at the university academically this semester.
Around 6:45 p.m., SU head football coach Fran Brown shared the following statement on social media.
“(Damien Alford) is a fine young man,” Brown wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “He has a bright future, wish him nothing but the best.”
Alford, a team captain this season, led SU with 33 catches for 610 yards and three touchdowns in 2023. He averaged 18.48 yards per catch and 46.92 yards per game.
In his four-year career with the Orange, the Canadian had 67 total receptions for 1,291 yards and seven touchdowns.
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Syracuse Football: 'Cuse has plenty of depth to overcome loss of leading WR from 2023 (itlh; Adler)
The loss of wide receiver Damien Alford, who led Syracuse football in receiving yards last season, does sting a bit, but the Orange has ample depth to overcome his departure from the program.
On Monday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that the 6-foot-6, 210-pound Alford, a junior, will not return to the ‘Cuse for the upcoming 2024 season.
The native of Montreal, Quebec, plans to enter the transfer portal as a graduate transfer, Thamel reports, citing a source.
First and foremost, Orange Nation is wishing nothing but great success to Damien in the future.
The leading WR for Syracuse football in 2023 is moving on.
This past term, when the ‘Cuse went 6-7 overall, Alford was second on the team in receptions, with 33. He was No. 1 in receiving yards, at 610, averaged 18.5 yards per catch, and tied for first on the Orange 2023 roster with three receiving touchdowns.
There’s no doubt that Alford has proven an experienced, veteran wide receiver for the Syracuse football program, so he will be missed.
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Analyst gives Syracuse football 2024 high school class a ‘B’ – it’s an ‘A’ in my book (itlh; Adler)
national analyst Adam Friedman has doled out a “B” grade for the Syracuse football 2024 class at the high school level, and that’s solid.
Last Wednesday, on the traditional National Signing Day, the Orange announced a surprise commitment from 2024 three-star athlete Malachi James out of Burlington City High School in Burlington, N.J.
Also on that day, 2024 three-star defensive back/wide receiver Ibn McDaniels out of Elizabeth High School in Elizabeth, N.J., also officially signed with the ‘Cuse.
Most of the Orange’s high school senior commits officially signed with the program during the early signing period in December of last year.
An expert gave the Syracuse football senior class a “B” grade.
In any event, new head coach Fran Brown and his staff have done a tremendous job with their inaugural high school class, as this cycle ranks in the top 40 across the country, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, the industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking and https://syracuse./commitments/football/2024.The national rankings of the ‘Cuse 2024 class are much higher than the squad’s ratings on a national scale in other recent seasons. Analysts and scouts have, in recent weeks, praised Brown and his staff for their work on the recruiting trail.
In fact, as I noted a few days ago, 247Sports named Brown as the country’s No. 1 national recruiter in the 2024 cycle, given what he did at Georgia. He was, before joining the Orange, most recently the defensive backs coach with the Bulldogs.
For some context, the Syracuse football high school senior class is highly ranked when compared to other recent ‘Cuse cycles, but it’s still rated well below many other programs within the Atlantic Coast Conference and around the country.
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Syracuse Football's New Era: Top Talent from South Jersey and Greater Philadelphia (bnnbreaking.com; Khan)
Syracuse football has made a significant leap forward with the addition of 23 talented players to their Class of 2024. Under the guidance of head coach Fran Brown, the Orange's recruiting efforts have been laser-focused on South Jersey and Greater Philadelphia, resulting in an impressive haul of 15 out of 33 commits from the region.
A New Era for Syracuse Football
The Class of 2024 is being hailed as the best modern class in Syracuse University's history, with multiple sports outlets ranking it within the Top 40. The Orange's commitment to recruiting the finest talent from South Jersey and Greater Philadelphia has paid off handsomely, with several standout players joining the ranks.Star Players and Early Enrollees
Among the new recruits, Jayden Tremble has been earmarked as the successor to Oronde Gadsden II, a testament to his exceptional skill and potential. Justin Edwards, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound edge rusher, has also turned heads with his impressive athleticism and dedication to community service. Edwards' unique social media presence has further solidified his status as a player to watch.The Class of 2024 also boasts several early enrollees, including running back Ja'Vier Hart and offensive lineman Taj Rosahac. Their early commitment to the Orange is a testament to the strong culture and vision that Coach Brown has cultivated.
Building a Legacy
With the influx of top-tier talent from South Jersey and Greater Philadelphia, Syracuse football is poised to make a lasting impact on the collegiate landscape. Coach Brown's emphasis on recruiting from the region has not only resulted in a formidable roster but has also fostered a sense of unity and shared purpose among the players.
As the Orange continue to build their legacy, the Class of 2024 stands as a testament to the power of strategic recruiting and the unwavering commitment to excellence that defines Syracuse football.
ACC News
2024 ACC Football Kickoff Set for Four Days, July 22-25 (theacc.com)
For the first time in the history of the event, the Atlantic Coast Conference will conduct the annual ACC Football Kickoff with four full days of interviews, July 22-25, at the Hilton Charlotte Uptown in Charlotte, North Carolina. ACC Network will provide live coverage for all four days.
With the addition of three new members in the University of California (Cal), Southern Methodist University (SMU), and Stanford, the breakdown of all 17 schools will consist of three schools on Monday, July 22, five schools each on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 23-24, and four schools on Thursday, July 25.
Additional information on credentials, media schedules, student-athletes attending, and much more will be announced in the future.
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(youtube; podcast; Ruffino & Joe Show)
Joe DeLeone and Blake Ruffino react to the news of Bill O'Brien heading to Boston College football
Links, News and Rumors 2024 Feb 12 (RX; HM)
Links, News and Rumors 2024 Feb 12
The 12-team playoff era will begin with a very different selection committee...
From the College Football Playoff: The 2024-25 CFP Selection Committee Members announced
The College Football Playoff (CFP) Management Committee has appointed the following new members to the CFP Selection Committee:
- Chair: Michigan AD Warde Manuel
- Washington State AD Patrick Chun
- Former All-American Arizona State OL Randall McDaniel
- Former head coach at Toledo and Missouri Gary Pinkel
- Baylor University AD Mack Rhoades
- University of Virginia AD Carla Williams
- Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek
- Former All-American Nebraska lineman Will Shields
That's 87.5% turnover from last year's controversial group - not a bad thing, IMO!
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From Athlon Sports: New ACC Coach Named 247Sports National Recruiter of the Year
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Way-too-early 2024 Preseason Top 25 (RX; HM)
Way-too-early 2024 Preseason Top 25
As more and more "Way-too-early" Preseason Top 25 lists come out, we are beginning to see a pattern: no ACC teams at the top. And while we've gotten used to all the disrespect to an extent, it still makes our blood boil at times...
Garrettabc wrote (on CSNBBS):
CuseRoc wrote:
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ACC’s Jim Phillips talks three years as commissioner and ongoing issues with FSU, NIL and media revenue (mlive.com; SBJ)
Editor’s note: This article was written by Ben Portnoy and first appeared in Sports Business Journal, the industry’s leading source of sports business news, events and data.
Jim Phillips steps into the meeting room just off his main office in the ACC’s new uptown Charlotte headquarters on a recent afternoon, nestling into the chair at the head of the table that runs the length of the space. Phillips, always well-dressed, dons a familiar uniform, including a striped tie twisted into a clean Windsor knot.
“It’s run the whole gamut,” Phillips said of his tenure as ACC commissioner just days out from his three-year anniversary with the league. “But at the heart of it I think the world of these soon-to-be 18 schools, the student athletes that we’re trying to support, the leadership in the conference as it relates to our presidents, our athletic directors and coaches.”
The ACC has undergone massive changes during Phillips’ 36 months on the job. It moved from its historic home in Greensboro, N.C., to a more corporate-inclined location in Charlotte. The league is set to add Cal, SMU and Stanford to the fold this fall. Then, of course, there’s the recent uproars and lawsuits from Florida State and the general instability of college athletics as a whole that loom large.
Phillips sat down with Sports Business Journal for a wide-ranging interview on his first three years in the commissioner’s chair and the challenges facing the league.
Pitt Athletic Director Heather Lyke supports what she has seen so far in Phillips’ performance.
“He had a deck of cards that he was dealt, and I think he’s done a pretty darn good job with that deck and made it better in many ways, [being] progressive and forward thinking,” she said.
It’s no secret college sports are facing an existential crisis. Phillips, who previously was Northwestern’s AD, jokes he’s spent far more time in Washington, D.C., than he imagined when he took the job in early 2021. Name, image and likeness hearings and lobbying efforts have filled the calendars of administrators across the country. For Phillips, that included a recent trip to D.C. with his Power Five commissioner contemporaries Greg Sankey (SEC), Tony Petitti (Big Ten), Brett Yormark (Big 12) and George Kliavkoff (Pac-12).
That time included a meeting between the commissioners and NCAA President Charlie Baker, whose proposal to create a new subdivision within the NCAA model that would allow institutions to pay athletes more directly sent shock waves throughout the enterprise and was created largely under the cover of night.
“Charlie’s initial statement back in early December was a conversation starter,” Phillips said. “There’s not everything that we agree on that he stated, and he wasn’t looking for that to be the beginning and the end of the conversation and this is what we were going to do. I think he was just trying to get us to start thinking collectively on what we believe to be maybe the best path for our four particular conferences, as well as college athletics.”
That there is ongoing dialogue between the commissioners at the top of the sport — although Kliavkoff’s days at the Pac-12 have felt numbered for months — is also a seeming step in the right direction. The power conferences have had their spats in recent years, trading traditional weaponry for the threat of poaching programs from one another.
The realignment carousel has, for the moment, slowed, allowing those in charge to pick up the pieces. Still, there are divides to manage. The Big Ten and SEC continue to wield their massive television contracts over the rest of their compatriots. A recently announced strategic partnership between the two leagues, too, has plenty in the space concerned about a continued fracturing in major college football. (Sources who spoke with SBJ about the agreement cautioned that division is not the initial design of this task force-like agreement.)
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SMU Football in the ACC will make noise but how much under Rhett Lashlee? l College Football Podcast (youtube; podcast; Locked on College Football)
SMU is the reigning American Athletic Conference football champions, and they head into the ACC with the momentum of an 11-win season from a premier G5 conference. As they head into the ACC, their win total is posted at 7.5 according to FanDuel. The Mustangs, back in the power ranks of college football, are a good over bet.This segment is from Monday's episode of Locked On College Football with Spencer McLaughlin
DeShaun Foster is named UCLA football coach after Chip Kelly’s move to Ohio State (wnct.com; Reedy)
UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said to give him 96 hours to find a new football coach after Chip Kelly resigned on Friday. It turns out, Jarmond needed less than 72.
Former UCLA great DeShaun Foster was named head coach on Monday to take over the program after Kelly left to become offensive coordinator at Ohio State. Foster has been a Bruins assistant the past seven years but left last month to become the Las Vegas Raiders’ running backs coach.
“This is a dream come true,” Foster said in a statement. “I always envisioned being a Bruin ever since I was young, and now being the head coach at my alma mater is such a surreal feeling, and I’m grateful for this opportunity. The foundation of this program will be built on discipline, respect and enthusiasm. These are phenomenal young men, and I’m excited to hit the ground running.”
This will be Foster’s first head coaching job after 11 years of being an assistant in college, including 10 at UCLA. He was the running backs coach at Texas Tech in 2016.
Foster was promoted to associate head coach last season as well as coaching running backs. In 2022, he was a nominee for the Broyles Award, presented annually to college football’s top assistant.
“While undergoing a comprehensive search for our new head coach, DeShaun resonated from the start and throughout the whole process,” Jarmond said in a statement. “We are looking for a coach with integrity, energy and passion; someone who is a great teacher, who develops young men, is a great recruiter and fully embraces the NIL landscape to help our student-athletes. DeShaun checks all of those boxes and then some. He is a leader of men and a true Bruin. I am excited to partner with him as we usher UCLA Football into an exciting new era.”
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Other
A visitor feeds a giraffe at the Busch Gardens zoo in Tampa, Florida, in 2021. (Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com)
Giraffes may be coming to Syracuse zoo, with lions possibly following (PS; $; Boyer)
Ted Fox hears plenty of new animal suggestions for the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, but one animal tends to come up most frequently.
“Everybody wants giraffes,” the zoo’s longtime director said.
A 2014 master plan for the Onondaga County-owned attraction envisioned creating an African savanna exhibit with giraffes as a focal point, but more-pressing projects had to come first, including a new animal health center that opened in April 2022.
Now the time is arriving for a project to make a home for giraffes — and gazelles, antelopes, African cranes and possibly even the return of lions.
Onondaga County’s most recently adopted capital improvement plan includes a $7.85 million African savanna project that would be engineered and constructed in 2025. The county Legislature will be asked to approve the funding in the fall. If that timeline holds, Fox believes the exhibit could open by 2026 or 2027.
The exhibit would be located in a mostly unused area of the zoo to the south and southeast of the new animal health center. How much space it would occupy is not yet known, but that’s a key question in determining just how extensive the exhibit will be, including the number of giraffes who will roam there.
At a minimum, the zoo will have two giraffes, Fox said, because that’s a standard for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the accrediting body that oversees the Syracuse zoo. The hope, though, is that there could be room for at least a male and two females to eventually allow for a breeding program.
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Another country concert added to Syracuse amphitheater’s 2024 lineup (PS; $; Herbert)
Another country concert has been added to the Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview’s 2024 lineup.
Dierks Bentley will perform at the Syracuse amphitheater on Friday, Aug. 16, as part of his “Gravel & Gold” tour dates. Special guests Chase Rice and Randy Rogers Band will open the show at 7 p.m.
Tickets go on sale Friday, Feb. 16 at 10 a.m. through Live Nation. Prices may vary.
Bentley is a Grammy-nominated country singer who was named Top New Artist at the ACM Awards in 2004. His hits include “Drunk on a Plane,” “Every Mile a Memory,” “Sideways,” “Home,” “Somewhere on a Beach,” “What Was I Thinkin’” and “Woman, Amen.”
Bentley’s upcoming tour dates include two other Upstate New York stops on July 18 at the Broadview Stage at SPAC (Saratoga Performing Arts Center) in Saratoga Springs and July 20 at Darien Lake Amphitheater near Buffalo.
It’s the fifth country concert on the 2024 lineup at the Empower FCU Amphitheater. The Amp, previously known as St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview and the Lakeview Amphitheater, was recently renamed in a 7-year deal worth $4 million.
Twelve total shows have announced for this season, with more shows expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
2024 Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview concert schedule
May 21 - Hozier
May 22 - Judas Priest
June 21 - Lainey Wilson
July 11 - Jason Aldean
July 18 - Jordan Davis
July 31 - Train / REO Speedwagon
Aug. 15 - ZZ Top & Lynyrd Skynyrd
Aug. 16 - Dierks Bentley w/ Chase Rice, Randy Rogers Band
Aug. 23 - “Impractical Jokers”
Aug. 24 - Hank Williams Jr. with Whiskey Myers
Sept. 4 - Rob Zombie / Alice Cooper with Ministry, Filter
Sept. 6 - Hootie & The Blowfish with Collective Soul, Edwin McCain
Upstate NY music legend finally nominated for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (PS; $; Herbert)
An Upstate New York music legend has finally been nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The 2024 Rock Hall nominees were announced Saturday, including Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Eric B. & Rakim, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Jane’s Addiction, Kool & The Gang, Lenny Kravitz, Oasis, Sinead O’Connor, Ozzy Osbourne, Sade, and A Tribe Called Quest.
Ten of those 15 artists are appearing on the ballot for the first time, including Foreigner — one of the best-selling rock bands of all time with more than 80 million records sold worldwide. The group had been eligible since 2002, making them one of the Rock Hall’s biggest snubs of the past two decades.
Original Foreigner singer Lou Gramm, a Rochester native who lives in the suburb of Webster, N.Y., would be inducted with bandmates Dennis Elliott, Ed Gagliardi, Al Greenwood, Mick Jones, Ian McDonald, and Rick Wills. Jones, 79, is the only active member but has stopped touring with Foreigner, according to Billboard.
“I deeply appreciate the recognition from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (nominating) committee,” Jones told Billboard. “It is wonderful that Foreigner has maintained its presence all these years and brought the music to our fans. Getting this news is an incredible endorsement of what we have achieved over time.”
“We’re more than thrilled,” Wills, 76, added. “It’s been over 20 years since we’ve been waiting for this day. I suppose we were frustrated, to be perfectly honest, but we tried to hide it as best we could because we didn’t want to appear like we were sad people [laughs].”
Gramm, a graduate of Gates-Chili High School and Monroe Community College, co-founded Foreigner with Jones, Elliott, Greenwood, Gagliardi, and McDonald in 1976. Wills replaced Gagliardi on bass in 1979, and performed on some of the band’s biggest albums, including “Head Games,” “4″ and “Agent Provocateur.”
Gramm, 73, was the original voice of Foreigner hits like “Hot Blooded,” “Cold As Ice,” “Feels Like the First Time,” “I Want to Know What Love Is,” “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” “Urgent” and “Juke Box Hero.” He and Jones were inducted together in the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013.
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