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Message: [QUOTE="Flacusian, post: 1683916, member: 264"] Thank you Trevor Cooney for all that you contributed to our program. Thank you for enduring all of the criticism which has been heaped upon you by grown people who don't have the grace to act with even a shred of dignity when a college basketball team that they more than likely live vicariously through in an all too serious fashion loses a big game. Forgive them since they are constitutionally incapable of appreciating the fact that although you weren't able to live up to their lofty expectations it doesn't mean that you didn't give all of yourself to the best of your ability in an effort to make our proud program a winner. I appreciate the fact that you were called upon to carry a burden which was well beyond what you perhaps should have been asked to assume. I watched as you struggled mightily, running frantically in a blur of twisting and turning with someone invariably in hot pursuit having been instructed to not let you get even the most remote peek at an open look. And after several minutes your stalking personal assassin would be relieved by a fresh set of legs and 2 fresh lungs not heaving in an effort to supply their cramping muscles with oxygen. Oh, I'm sure you could have used a breather... but there was almost never a blow on the bench to catch your breath. And yes, we all know that college athletes don't need a rest. If they are conditioned properly they can go all game. (How many other guys are having to run around like a sh&% house rat being chased by a farmcat?) I also feel for having lost your best friend. Do you even remember him? He was with you when you arrived here. Your best friend was your shot. It was a thing of beauty when you got here. Oh how people raved about how you were a bigger better version of the Scranton Idol GMAC. GMAC himself raved about how you were the best shooter he had ever seen. But then it began... eventually you became relied upon as the ONLY 3 point threat for the ORANGE. And it was a well kept secret...NOT. Everyone was ready for you. They were going to cover you like white on rice. And your best friend was only fleetingly seen... as you found yourself having to compromise the things that all good shooters know cannot be compromised. You would have to shoot fading away, have to shoot leaning on the move, have to shoot with being double covered, have to shoot when everyone KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO SHOOT. Having to shoot when you were so red in the face it looked like you were ready to stroke out. And I'm sorry that so many supposed Syracuse fans were always ready to criticize you and constantly complain that you weren't good enough, fast enough, reliable enough. JB continued to ask you to carry the weight and you watched other players come and go. Suddenly you looked around and saw that you were the last man standing. I'm also sorry that while you were here you had to live through some terrible crap that went down with the program. Accusations that one of your coaches was a pedophile which came from a former ball boy. All of the circus which ensued and robbed the team of the focus which they so desparately needed. You had to play your entire career with the spectre of a NCAA investigation hovering over the program and the uncertainty as to when the other shoe would fall. I'm sorry that through none of your doing you had to endure a year in which Syracuse self imposed a post season ban which robbed you of the opportunity to do something in the post season. And I feel that as a result of much of what I've mentioned things culminated toward today when you were asked to sit humbly on the bench as your team struggled to win a game that they seemingly need to qualify for the dance. In the end, I don't think it's all your fault that you were wore out. Perhaps physically, mentally, and spiritually at this point. I really felt the hurt you must have been feeling while you were sitting there next to JB. God, if ever there was a moment that you had been waiting for your whole career... this was it during todays game trying desperately to salvage what was beginning to look like a late season swoon by the team. You wanted to be out there... you should have been out there... yet there you were with the eyes of all of the Orange fandom upon you... on the bench. That sucked. And I am one who thinks you were ridden too hard for too long and too much was expected of you. You weren't the only one missing shots this year. God we all know that. And I also feel bad that the final shot was thrust upon you and I'll always remember how the rest of the team looked so detached from that last play that it was almost impossible to believe. Nobody tried to clear out for you, nobody raced down to set a pick, nobody raced down to get into position to possibly tip it in if it started to rim out. In the end It was just Trevor Cooney alone but you weren't alone kid. I was cheering for you regardless and wanted that shot to go in so so so badly. Not just for me and for Syracuse. But for a kid who gave so much for so long and still there are those who think he didn't give enough. You gave it all. And I thank you and you will always be one of my favorites for carrying the Orange banner longer than anyone else during what has been one of the most difficult periods in the Boeheim era. And regardless of anything else. You have got my respect for what you brought to this program. The team may not have won today... But Trevor Cooney... you will always be a winner. Thank you! [/QUOTE]

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