John Wallace to have jersey retired on Feb 29 against UNC

[OHIORANGES]

I'm still waiting on Jim Lee and Rudy Hackett. Jimmy hit the biggest shot in syracuse history up to that pt.

I graduated with them. Great players & great guys.
First Final Four ever!
What in the hell are we waiting for?
Their jerseys need to be retired!

 

[Eric15]

It seems to me like pre-Carrier Dome SU basketball players with the exception of Dave Bing get very little respect and notoriety.

 

[FrancoPizza]

It seems to me like pre-Carrier Dome SU basketball players with the exception of Dave Bing get very little respect and notoriety.

maybe the fans that were around back then to watch them are mostly in retirement homes now?

 

[longtimefan]

maybe the fans that were around back then to watch them are mostly in retirement homes now?

I beg your pardon!

 

[dasher]

maybe the fans that were around back then to watch them are mostly in retirement homes now?

So the University shouldn't honor them? And since you brought up age, maybe we should honor them soon. Before their health goes.

 

[OHIORANGES]

maybe the fans that were around back then to watch them are mostly in retirement homes now?

Dude!
That’s just mean!
Really, really mean!

 

[dasher]

Dude!
That’s just mean!
Really, really mean!

What he doesn't understand is that there are two things that can happen as you age. One is you get older. The other is you die. Just my opinion but getting older is the better option. Those two guys got Syracuse their first final four. They pulled off an amazing upset of North Carolina. It is a disgrace that they haven't been honored yet.

 

[FrancoPizza]

Dude!
That’s just mean!
Really, really mean!

Nothing like a little jab to rouse them from their slumber.

Not sure why they've been triggered. Retirement communities these days are a pretty nice way to live. Kramer was on to something.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

It seems to me like pre-Carrier Dome SU basketball players with the exception of Dave Bing get very little respect and notoriety.

Not too many Youtube highlights of Vic Hanson, Billy Gabor, and Wilmeth Sidat-Singh.

 

[GreekFreak]

My John Wallace anecdote:

I was standing down by the court watching warm ups and JW's ball bounced away. A young boy about 4 years old grabbed the ball. JW went over to the boy, picked him up and talked with him for several minutes. I was really impressed that any player would do that much less our star player. Classy guy! Glad he's Orange.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Both played under Danforth I think when JB was an asst’t. I used to see Jim Lee who lived locally at the dome quite a bit after his playing days. Wonder if Rudy who was from Mount Vernon ever came back after he left SU? He is a strength and conditioning coach at USC where his son, Daniel played. I know SU has honored the 1975 team in the dome but I can’t recall if Rudy Hackett attended. It would be nice to see him personally honored. Didn’t we recruit Rudy’s son, Daniel?

 

[orange79]

Both played under Danforth I think when JB was an asst’t. I used to see Jim Lee who lived locally at the dome quite a bit after his playing days. Wonder if Rudy who was from Mount Vernon ever came back after he left SU. He is a strength and conditioning coach at USC where his son, Daniel played. I know SU has honored the 1975 team in the dome but I can’t recall if Rudy Hackett attended. It would be nice to see him personally honored. Didn’t we recruit Rudy’s son, Daniel?

Yes, we did.

https://basketballrecruiting./news/hacket-headed-to-usc

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[MSOrange]

Wow I would encourage everyone to read that story. Great interview. Talk about Syracuse Pride - John definitely has that. Very well versed on the history of the program and what this honor means.

 

[RF2044]

Wow I would encourage everyone to read that story. Great interview. Talk about Syracuse Pride - John definitely has that. Very well versed on the history of the program and what this honor means.

I got chills reading that.

Just proves what a special cat Wallace is, JDub is more than just an all time great -- he's a local who was a fan of SU, who also happened to be a great player.

 

[HOFCeluck]

What he doesn't understand is that there are two things that can happen as you age. One is you get older. The other is you die. Just my opinion but getting older is the better option. Those two guys got Syracuse their first final four. They pulled off an amazing upset of North Carolina. It is a disgrace that they haven't been honored yet.

FrancoPizza on honoring Lee and Hackett:

 

[Doc5120]

He’s a hilarious twitter follow. He’s addicted to tiger tracker and just responds to him during a golf tournament. It would be a great story for an aspiring SU writer to get the reason for it. Reaf was good people.

I was at the Georgia game and consider it one of the best sporting events I’ve ever been to and I’m a Boston sports fan who has seen about 200 of them.

When Z Simms hit the two 3s late I’ve never been more amped up. I mentally passed out when Cipolla hit the corner shot. I have told the story before but i was the Orange that season but a cheerleader got sick for the sweet 16 so I wore the cheerleading outfit and was fletch for the UGA and Kansas games. I ended up behind Wallace in the photo that was AP when we beat Kansas. My father, a machinist in Bridgewater opened the Globe and almost passed out seeing me there.

The plane ride home from Denver I will never forget. Hancock had so many people waiting for us to return. I thank Big John for putting the team on his back for that tournament. To think he almost missed game 1 of the tourney. A story for another day...

Come on man - now I want to know! Please let me know when "another time" is.

 

[OttoMets]

I got chills reading that.

Just proves what a special cat Wallace is, JDub is more than just an all time great -- he's a local who was a fan of SU, who also happened to be a great player.

Arguably the most important Syracuse player since Pearl.

 

[moqui]

Arguably the most important Syracuse player since Pearl.

i think that's an argument you'd lose
(no disrespect to jdub, but the honor clearly goes to carmelo)

 

[OttoMets]

i think that's an argument you'd lose
(no disrespect to jdub, but the honor clearly goes to carmelo)

My thinking: no Wallace, Boeheim doesn't make it til 2002. No Carmelo.

Wallace (and Moten and some other guys) bridged the probation gap. SU would've been awful if he and a few other talented commits/underclassmen with choices had bailed rather than sit through 1993 without postseason eligibility.

 

[OrangeAl]

i think that's an argument you'd lose
(no disrespect to jdub, but the honor clearly goes to carmelo)

I think that argument is pretty even. JW held us together during some potentially lean times, and we even excelled in them.

 

[moqui]

wallace's comment on chemistry was important.
from the social media posts of several players, it seems to me that this year's squad is very tight knit.

 

[tbonezone]

oh my god...

cuse is in the house oh my god - Bing video

 

[moqui]

i wonder how many of his teammates will attend?

 

[moqui]

oh my god...

cuse is in the house oh my god - Bing video

it will be awesome to hear 35000 serenade him with "wallace in the house, oh my god, oh my god!"