I know its only one person's opinion, but its still nice to see that Syracuse is still well regarded as having some value. Even if we can't carry NYC on our own, the fact that we are the de-facto NYS team holds weight.
And you noticed how the writer didn't correct him. Perception is reality. BRAND NAME.
For the record, Uconn is a brand in college athletics also obviously with the bball success and success in some of the other olympic sports. Just not so much in football. Rutgers, not so much.