Have not been this pumped up for a game since the ‘98 Tennessee game | Syracusefan.com

Have not been this pumped up for a game since the ‘98 Tennessee game

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OK here’s why. This game represents a unique opportunity that we haven’t had for a long while.

That ‘98 Tn game was the last time we had potential national implications if we had won and this one does as well both locally in terms of how the population around here will respond to a win and nationally with finally reaching a level of some respect after too long a time without any.

Win the Tennessee game with that cast of talented players and literally anything would’ve been possible that year, with so much to play for on a national level I think they would’ve avoided the letdown of the NC State game.

This year with this cast of players led by Rhino (now off the field) and with the level of talent as shown with players like Enrique, it similarly suggest the implications could be the same, emphasize could with a long way to go in the season certainly with a lot to play out, but win this one and the big dreams REALISTICALLY remain alive.

And the potentialities and implications of a W this weekend would set this program off in a direction that RF accurately points out has not been even sniffed since 1987 (with that statement Jeremycuse is shaking his head), but it is an accurate legit and correct statement.

Now I was crushed after that Tn game the depths of which probably wasn’t healthy fully realizing the complete utter missed opportunity for national relevance it represented and for The very real possibility of likely sustained excellence that was lost. .

Well Here we are again with a similar opportunity. That said going in fully understanding this time around with the big 10 refs coming it will likely be another hurdle needed to be overcome just like the SEC refs and their favorability towards Tennessee. Sucks yes, unfair sure, but it is what it is.

And think It’s actually an advantage going in knowing they won’t just have to beat Purdue but will have to play at a level they haven’t reached yet to meet this challenge and win this game. A tremendous challenge no doubt.

But one I think that can be met both by this talented team that just seems to have a legit decent and different vibe about it as well as for 40-45,000 or so hard cores that I expect to be there with us to help things along.

And just like like we are seeing things on the field we haven’t seen in a long long time, same too with the fans with a crowd like last game the likes of which have not been seen in the place in probably two decades. When MacDonald made that interception the noise level reminded me of Dan Conley‘s interception in 1992 against Miami. I think we see some of those moments this Saturday.

Despite being a team without the marquee name of a Notre Dame or Florida State, Make no mistake about it this Purdue game is as big as it gets in the big picture. Think both the team and us fans are gonna be up to the challenge this time around, from my mouth/keyboard to gods ears!

LFGO! WAR DAMN OTTO!
 
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Fully agree…. Usually I find it extremely hard to sleep the night before a game…. I haven’t slept well since the night of the Louisville game…. I know we need to take it one game at a time and the wheels can fall off at any point as we’re accustomed to.. but I feel like this is going to be a truly special year and just can’t wait for it all to unfold…. Gotta enjoy the ride…. As that is the most fun of it all…. LFGO!
 
OK here’s why. This game represents a unique opportunity that we haven’t had for a long while.

That ‘98 Tn game was the last time we had potential national implications if we had won and this one does as well both locally in terms of how the population around here will respond to a win and nationally with finally reaching a level of some respect after too long a time without any.

Win the Tennessee game with that cast of talented players and literally anything would’ve been possible that year, with so much to play for on a national level I think they would’ve avoided the letdown of the NC State game.

This year with this cast of players and level of talent it similarly suggest the implications could be the same, emphasize could with a long way to go in the season certainly with a lot to play out.

But the potentialities and implications of a W this weekend would set this program off in a direction that RF accurately points out has not been even sniffed since 1987 (with that statement Jeremycuse is shaking his head), but it is an accurate legit and correct statement.

Now I was crushed after that game the depths of which probably wasn’t healthy fully realizing the complete utter missed opportunity for national relevance it represented and for The very real possibility of likely sustained excellence.

Well Here we are again with a similar opportunity. That said going in fully understanding this time around with the big 10 refs coming it will likely be another hurdle needed to be overcome just like the SEC refs and their favorability towards Tennessee. Sucks yes, unfair sure, but it is what it is.

And think It’s actually an advantage going in knowing they won’t just have to beat Purdue but will have to play at a level they haven’t reached yet to meet this challenge and win this game. A tremendous challenge no doubt.

But one I think that can be met both by this talented team and for 35,000 hard cores that I expect to be there with us to help things along.

And just like like we are seeing things on the field we haven’t seen in a long long time, same too with the fans with a crowd like last game the likes of which have not been seen in the place in probably two decades. When MacDonald made that interception the noise level reminded me of Dan Conley‘s interception in 1992 against Miami. I think we see some of those moments this Saturday.

Despite being a team without the marquee name of a Notre Dame or Florida State, Make no mistake about it this Purdue game is as big as it gets in the big picture. Think both the team and us fans are gonna be up to the challenge this time around, from my mouth/keyboard to gods ears!

LFGO! WAR DAMN OTTO!

That was my first game that I attended as a student (was a fan growing up/had been prior).

The calls in that Tenn game were atrocious, but to your point, I agree with the gravity of the game.

We beat Purdue, we’ll be on the map nationally. The team will have beaten two P5 teams in three games to start the year and would be looking at hammering a not great UVA team and then Wagner.

We get to 5-0… we won’t just be on the map, we’ll be filling the bandwagon with national attention bc we have NFL talent, a heisman candidate at RB, a stud QB, and up and coming assistant coaches.

Has to start this Saturday, though. Well coached, solid Purdue team is a team we need to beat.

We will. And nothing against Purdue, I think they can end up having a good year, but we’re rolling right now. We win big.
 
That was my first game that I attended as a student (was a fan growing up/had been prior).

The calls in that Tenn game were atrocious, but to your point, I agree with the gravity of the game.

We beat Purdue, we’ll be on the map nationally. The team will have beaten two P5 teams in three games to start the year and would be looking at hammering a not great UVA team and then Wagner.

We get to 5-0… we won’t just be on the map, we’ll be filling the bandwagon with national attention bc we have NFL talent, a heisman candidate at RB, a stud QB, and up and coming assistant coaches.

Has to start this Saturday, though. Well coached, solid Purdue team is a team we need to beat.

We will. And nothing against Purdue, I think they can end up having a good year, but we’re rolling right now. We win big.
Like I said with my post, from your keyboard for gods ears bro!
 
Yep and as I have said here several times before, have ya ever seen not one but friggin TWO penalties for inappropriate uniforms before or since that game?!
Never and to this day, i’m still pointing out shorts that don’t go below the knees. The entire Louisville offense would have had a flag thrown at them last week
 
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I am still furious about the socks call.
Yep and add insult to injury the worst part was on the replay watching it listening to that idiot Bill Curry defend the referees and make it sound like it was legit, another friggin southern homer. Like I said not seen before or since
 
that was the loudest game i was ever at in the dome.

Hard for me to say what was the loudest, but I can safely say that was the loudest game I've ever been to that started at noon.

Tennessee fans traveling in droves really helped amp up the atmosphere.

Will never forget after the game, two Tennessee ladies of a somewhat advancing age telling me "that was the loudest stadium we've ever been to, and we've been to 'em all".
 
If we lose on a bad call and last second field goal, I will never forgive you.
but if we win the three Mike Lentini's will be giving you the biggest man hugs you've ever had...
 
but if we win the three Mike Lentini's will be giving you the biggest man hugs you've ever had...

Sounds terrifying. Mostly because of the likelihood of a broken rib or two.

f6795a97-95ef-4df7-b116-f36e0f4d7087_text.gif
 
Fully agree…. Usually I find it extremely hard to sleep the night before a game…. I haven’t slept well since the night of the Louisville game…. I know we need to take it one game at a time and the wheels can fall off at any point as we’re accustomed to.. but I feel like this is going to be a truly special year and just can’t wait for it all to unfold…. Gotta enjoy the ride…. As that is the most fun of it all…. LFGO!


Huh, I haven’t slept well since last Thursday.

Not sure if it’s the game or the newborn

LOL
 
Super nervous about this game and it’s the most I have been in a long time. If we win, UVA will take the crown.

I am praying we don’t have a let down.
 
Purdue is not at the very top of the BT as Tennessee was at the very top of the SEC back in '98, but beating Purdue would be a very big deal.

Wasn't your last Lambert Trophy back before 1998?
 
OK here’s why. This game represents a unique opportunity that we haven’t had for a long while.

That ‘98 Tn game was the last time we had potential national implications if we had won and this one does as well both locally in terms of how the population around here will respond to a win and nationally with finally reaching a level of some respect after too long a time without any.

Win the Tennessee game with that cast of talented players and literally anything would’ve been possible that year, with so much to play for on a national level I think they would’ve avoided the letdown of the NC State game.

This year with this cast of players and level of talent it similarly suggest the implications could be the same, emphasize could with a long way to go in the season certainly with a lot to play out, but win this one and the big dreams realistically remain alive.

And the potentialities and implications of a W this weekend would set this program off in a direction that RF accurately points out has not been even sniffed since 1987 (with that statement Jeremycuse is shaking his head), but it is an accurate legit and correct statement.

Now I was crushed after that Tn game the depths of which probably wasn’t healthy fully realizing the complete utter missed opportunity for national relevance it represented and for The very real possibility of likely sustained excellence that was lost. .

Well Here we are again with a similar opportunity. That said going in fully understanding this time around with the big 10 refs coming it will likely be another hurdle needed to be overcome just like the SEC refs and their favorability towards Tennessee. Sucks yes, unfair sure, but it is what it is.

And think It’s actually an advantage going in knowing they won’t just have to beat Purdue but will have to play at a level they haven’t reached yet to meet this challenge and win this game. A tremendous challenge no doubt.

But one I think that can be met both by this talented team that just seems to have a legit decent and different vibe about it as well as for 35,000 hard cores that I expect to be there with us to help things along.

And just like like we are seeing things on the field we haven’t seen in a long long time, same too with the fans with a crowd like last game the likes of which have not been seen in the place in probably two decades. When MacDonald made that interception the noise level reminded me of Dan Conley‘s interception in 1992 against Miami. I think we see some of those moments this Saturday.

Despite being a team without the marquee name of a Notre Dame or Florida State, Make no mistake about it this Purdue game is as big as it gets in the big picture. Think both the team and us fans are gonna be up to the challenge this time around, from my mouth/keyboard to gods ears!

LFGO! WAR DAMN OTTO!
Your post is spot on! It captures all the subtle implications for future success of that '98 SU team. Some of the same implications exist now. My sharpest memory isn't the atrocious calls, the noise, or even the ball sailing toward me as I sat in the end zone. Mine is the memory of the guy with the ten-gallon hat on the bus ride back to Sky Top acting as though UT had it in the bag all along.
Let's get this BIG team early and not ease our foot off the gas.
 
OK here’s why. This game represents a unique opportunity that we haven’t had for a long while.

That ‘98 Tn game was the last time we had potential national implications if we had won and this one does as well both locally in terms of how the population around here will respond to a win and nationally with finally reaching a level of some respect after too long a time without any.

Win the Tennessee game with that cast of talented players and literally anything would’ve been possible that year, with so much to play for on a national level I think they would’ve avoided the letdown of the NC State game.

This year with this cast of players and level of talent it similarly suggest the implications could be the same, emphasize could with a long way to go in the season certainly with a lot to play out, but win this one and the big dreams realistically remain alive.

And the potentialities and implications of a W this weekend would set this program off in a direction that RF accurately points out has not been even sniffed since 1987 (with that statement Jeremycuse is shaking his head), but it is an accurate legit and correct statement.

Now I was crushed after that Tn game the depths of which probably wasn’t healthy fully realizing the complete utter missed opportunity for national relevance it represented and for The very real possibility of likely sustained excellence that was lost. .

Well Here we are again with a similar opportunity. That said going in fully understanding this time around with the big 10 refs coming it will likely be another hurdle needed to be overcome just like the SEC refs and their favorability towards Tennessee. Sucks yes, unfair sure, but it is what it is.

And think It’s actually an advantage going in knowing they won’t just have to beat Purdue but will have to play at a level they haven’t reached yet to meet this challenge and win this game. A tremendous challenge no doubt.

But one I think that can be met both by this talented team that just seems to have a legit decent and different vibe about it as well as for 35,000 hard cores that I expect to be there with us to help things along.

And just like like we are seeing things on the field we haven’t seen in a long long time, same too with the fans with a crowd like last game the likes of which have not been seen in the place in probably two decades. When MacDonald made that interception the noise level reminded me of Dan Conley‘s interception in 1992 against Miami. I think we see some of those moments this Saturday.

Despite being a team without the marquee name of a Notre Dame or Florida State, Make no mistake about it this Purdue game is as big as it gets in the big picture. Think both the team and us fans are gonna be up to the challenge this time around, from my mouth/keyboard to gods ears!

LFGO! WAR DAMN OTTO!
Love This GIF by Judge Judy
 
Never and to this day, i’m still pointing out shorts that don’t go below the knees. The entire Louisville offense would have had a flag thrown at them last week

Yea, I think they got rid of that rule a while ago. Such a dumb rule anyways, and just incredible that we received a penalty for it.
 
OK here’s why. This game represents a unique opportunity that we haven’t had for a long while.

That ‘98 Tn game was the last time we had potential national implications if we had won and this one does as well both locally in terms of how the population around here will respond to a win and nationally with finally reaching a level of some respect after too long a time without any.

Win the Tennessee game with that cast of talented players and literally anything would’ve been possible that year, with so much to play for on a national level I think they would’ve avoided the letdown of the NC State game.

This year with this cast of players and level of talent it similarly suggest the implications could be the same, emphasize could with a long way to go in the season certainly with a lot to play out, but win this one and the big dreams REALISTICALLY remain alive.

And the potentialities and implications of a W this weekend would set this program off in a direction that RF accurately points out has not been even sniffed since 1987 (with that statement Jeremycuse is shaking his head), but it is an accurate legit and correct statement.

Now I was crushed after that Tn game the depths of which probably wasn’t healthy fully realizing the complete utter missed opportunity for national relevance it represented and for The very real possibility of likely sustained excellence that was lost. .

Well Here we are again with a similar opportunity. That said going in fully understanding this time around with the big 10 refs coming it will likely be another hurdle needed to be overcome just like the SEC refs and their favorability towards Tennessee. Sucks yes, unfair sure, but it is what it is.

And think It’s actually an advantage going in knowing they won’t just have to beat Purdue but will have to play at a level they haven’t reached yet to meet this challenge and win this game. A tremendous challenge no doubt.

But one I think that can be met both by this talented team that just seems to have a legit decent and different vibe about it as well as for 35,000 hard cores that I expect to be there with us to help things along.

And just like like we are seeing things on the field we haven’t seen in a long long time, same too with the fans with a crowd like last game the likes of which have not been seen in the place in probably two decades. When MacDonald made that interception the noise level reminded me of Dan Conley‘s interception in 1992 against Miami. I think we see some of those moments this Saturday.

Despite being a team without the marquee name of a Notre Dame or Florida State, Make no mistake about it this Purdue game is as big as it gets in the big picture. Think both the team and us fans are gonna be up to the challenge this time around, from my mouth/keyboard to gods ears!

LFGO! WAR DAMN OTTO!
Love this take and am absolutely fired up. I’m not quite *there* with the analogy, though. In ‘98 we had built it up gradually. We had Mcnabb with bowl wins under his belt and nothing to prove from a “program relevant “ perspective.

This year is clearly is more out the blue. We’re coming off a massively disappointing season (multiple seasons) with a coach on the hotseat and a bunch of local and national apathy about the program. I’m taking it for everything it gives us but still don’t have expectations anywhere in the stratosphere of where they were in 98.

Regardless, let’s win and see where it goes.
 

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