Me Likey

[syracuse95]

But yeah, at this point it's been 25 years since it was worn. We allowed an outsider AD who immediately crumbled the program to retire it during halftime of a game against a team we've never played before, in a 1 win season.

You forgot the part where the jersey that we hung in the rafters was made out of Hefty tall kitchen garbage bags

 

[baggerbob]

And that was a colossal mistake by Gross.

We should bring it back. If only because it's a tool -- one of many -- that we should have in our recruiting arsenal. Every little bit helps.

We don't need to be precious about it either. When I was in school Terry Richardson wore it and he was fine. But a shot of the hanging 44 jersey is a part of literally every SU football telecast. Might as well have it be active and use it.

FWIW, all the kids of my SU friends are hyper aware of #44, because we beat it into them (not literally). It's not exactly a difficult tradition to understand. Teenagers today do know who Jim Brown was.

Every time the 2 PT conversion against West Virginia is shown to keep the 1987 undefeated season alive the number is 44 Michael Owens.

 

[Scooch]

You forgot the part where the jersey that we hung in the rafters was made out of Hefty tall kitchen garbage bags

It's amazing that there are people around who loathe Wildhack when Darryl Gross's tenure is still within our living memory.

 

[Franz69]

44 should have never been retired and it absolutely should be unretired. Unretire it in a big way, don't just hand it to someone already on the team. Use it the way we used to use it, but with a modern twist. Invite the 44 best high school junior running backs in the country to compete on campus, in a televised competition similar to the Elite 11 for QBs. Winner gets a scholarship to SU, wears 44 and a $4.4 million NIL deal from "insert sponsor here".

 

[GeauxSU]

44 should have never been retired and it absolutely should be unretired. Unretire it in a big way, don't just hand it to someone already on the team. Use it the way we used to use it, but with a modern twist. Invite the 44 best high school junior running backs in the country to compete on campus, in a televised competition similar to the Elite 11 for QBs. Winner gets a scholarship to SU, wears 44 and a $4.4 million NIL deal from "insert sponsor here".

That is a... brilliant idea.

 

[Franz69]

That is a... brilliant idea.

Thanks. E-mail Wildhack and tell him to hire me.

 

[bnoro]

44 should have never been retired and it absolutely should be unretired. Unretire it in a big way, don't just hand it to someone already on the team. Use it the way we used to use it, but with a modern twist. Invite the 44 best high school junior running backs in the country to compete on campus, in a televised competition similar to the Elite 11 for QBs. Winner gets a scholarship to SU, wears 44 and a $4.4 million NIL deal from "insert sponsor here".

Yeah brilliant idea, let's commit 44 recruiting violations to kill the program!

 

[Franz69]

Yeah brilliant idea, let's commit 44 recruiting violations to kill the program!

So tweak the idea to fit the rules. It's not rocket surgery. My general point is that we do nothing innovative or attention grabbing as a program. Until now. Fran is a very good start.

 

[SUFan44]

Yeah brilliant idea, let's commit 44 recruiting violations to kill the program!

Georgia has committed at least that many this month, and they're thriving.

 

[kingtidge]

Bring 44 back full speed.

1. LaQuint stays...

2. A special, do-not-miss-pregame announcement before the first home game next year is blasted to all media outlets and social media 5 days or so before the game, asking people to be in their seats 15 minutes early.

3. 15 minutes before the start of the game, the lights go out in the dome, except for a spotlight that shines on the 44 retired jersey in the rafters...

3. 2001 Space Odyssey theme blasts over the loudspeakers as the shirt slowly descends on a zipline to the center of the field with spotlight following it... the jumbotron flashes a collage of names and images of past 44 players...


4. Then a spotlight flashes on to the center of the field as smoke machine puffs smoke about... LaQuint is standing there in his game-day gear (sans a jersey) and the announcer states "Ladies and Gentlemen, # 44 is officially un-retired... Congratulations to LeQuint Allen, Syracuse's NEW # 44!"

5. LaQuint takes jersey from zipline and puts it on.

6. Rest of the team bursts out of lockeroom straight to midfield for 2 minutes of congratulations.

7. I well-up ap and tear in my beer... others do the same...

8. Coach Brown hits the mic for a couple minutes congratulating LaQuint and firmly announcing that 44 is back and how he and his coaches are actively looking for its next potential wearer on the recruiting trail now... and how 44 is a great recruiting tool for RB's, yadayada...

 

[kcsu]

I like everything about him.

He handled the suspension situation well. He didn't quit. He played hard all year. He was great as a Wildcat QB.

I just really like him.

I would love to see him wear No. 44.

LA reminds me of a great back who played for Maloney. I think his name was Ken Kinsey he was a local kid who was a work horse. Great vision good hands and almost always got positive yards. He lacked speed like LA but they are similar backs.

 

[OrangePA]

LA reminds me of a great back who played for Maloney. I think his name was Ken Kinsey he was a local kid who was a work horse. Great vision good hands and almost always got positive yards. He lacked speed like LA but they are similar backs.

Ken Kinsey was from Central Tech - I believe.

During his sophomore year - Maloney's first year - he was a dynamo for the first half of the season - regularly gaining well over 150 yards per game.

He lacked breakaway speed as you have noted and had significant hamstring issues that derailed his career.

But those first four or five games in 1974 were a revelation.

 

[BKCuse]

He’s a very different player than Sean Tucker. I’d be curious to see the consensus on who people think is the better player.

LQA

 

[FasterCuse]

Konrad wore it in 1998. Daryl Gross retired it in 2005.

But yeah, at this point it's been 25 years since it was worn. We allowed an outsider AD who immediately crumbled the program to retire it during halftime of a game against a team we've never played before, in a 1 win season.

If you're going to kill a tradition, might as well go all out.

We probably don't even tell the incoming kids about it anymore. Nor the natty in 1959, nor the Heisman. Who cares, it was so long before they were born.

Thanks for making me feel old. I hadn't realized it has been that long. The kids we're recruiting now weren't even born when the jersey was retired. I just had to explain to my son why all the Syracuse jerseys sold had the number 44 on them. It just doesn't hit the same when you weren't even alive to watch the number be worn.

 

[kcsu]

Thanks for making me feel old. I hadn't realized it has been that long. The kids we're recruiting now weren't even born when the jersey was retired. I just had to explain to my son why all the Syracuse jerseys sold had the number 44 on them. It just doesn't hit the same when you weren't even alive to watch the number be worn.

Saltine Warrior Orangemen
44 Gone.

 

[Ringostar57]

Ron Page from Schenectady Mt Pleasant high another very good back whose career derailed by some nasty injuries. Class of 74. A speedy explosive back who reminded folks of Floyd Little. Wore number 46. Thought he was more than good enough to wear the 44.

 

[bnoro]

Saltine Warrior Orangemen
44 Gone.

The first three words in your post aren't affiliated with the university anymore for a reason.

 

[Millhouse]

Konrad wore it in 1998. Daryl Gross retired it in 2005.

But yeah, at this point it's been 25 years since it was worn. We allowed an outsider AD who immediately crumbled the program to retire it during halftime of a game against a team we've never played before, in a 1 win season.

If you're going to kill a tradition, might as well go all out.

We probably don't even tell the incoming kids about it anymore. Nor the natty in 1959, nor the Heisman. Who cares, it was so long before they were born.

They did it to convince a dead abuser of women to show up, who the cares if they say never mind that was stupid

The assistant ad at uc-chico might get mad?