Questions from a SU newbie

[Boston Tiger]

Hi all,

I'm a long time LSU fan, who will be adopting Syracuse as his second favorite team this year, after dropping my daughter off on campus two weeks ago. She's a freshman, and a member of the SUMB, so we'll be making a few trips over to Syracuse to watch games this year. What are some of your favorite traditions from Syracuse football? You really can't pick those up by watching games on TV, although I'll try with the game next week. I know that LSU fans do some things that must seem crazy to anyone watching games in Death Valley, but they are a blast when you are there.

We got to hear a few of the band's stand songs at the Freshman convocation on Friday, and we got to see the last practice of the band's run on at the end of band camp the day before. I imagine my daughter will be a bit floored at an actual game, since college football can be so much more intense that high school football, especially up in the Boston area.

 

[raf4488]

Everyone's favorite tradition is when the students shake their keys on third down

Honestly though, we say "Let's Go Orange" a lot...

I wish Syracuse was more like LSU in many ways.

 

[BlackKnight76]

We're a bit light on traditions compared to the SEC stuff you're used to, but we have some cool stuff. I'm sure you know about the legend of 44, which is a huge thing all across the University. My favorite actual fan tradition which really picked up steam again last year as we were winning games was the flipping of the banners at The Varsity.

The Varsity is an awesome fast food/pizza joint on Marshall which hangs up banners for all of SU's football opponents that year. After a win, the band and/or the team will flood into the place and one player/coach/important person will get on a ladder and flip the banner and every sings the fight song and alma mater, it's really awesome to be there, especially when you follow Twitter feeds to try to figure out when the team will land and head over after an away game. I definitely shed a tear after watching the team flip the banner after we beat WVU last year.

 

[All4SU]

One of our favorite traditions is ogling the girls in the marching band.

 

[rrlbees]

One of our favorite traditions is ogling the girls in the marching band.

Is that the best you could do for your 1st post?

 

[texascpa]

Is that the best you could do for your 1st post?

Good first post, if you ask me.

 

[jekelish]

Are slices still just $1 (or was it $1.10) at the Varsity?

 

[rrlbees]

Good first post, if you ask me.

Agree. I was busting his chops.

 

[BlackKnight76]

Are slices still just $1 (or was it $1.10) at the Varsity?

I believe they're $2 but I haven't been since May so I could be wrong. That also might just be for the special slices (love the spinach/tomato/feta slice)

 

[JoeSU]

Hi all,

I'm a long time LSU fan, who will be adopting Syracuse as his second favorite team this year, after dropping my daughter off on campus two weeks ago. She's a freshman, and a member of the SUMB, so we'll be making a few trips over to Syracuse to watch games this year. What are some of your favorite traditions from Syracuse football? You really can't pick those up by watching games on TV, although I'll try with the game next week. I know that LSU fans do some things that must seem crazy to anyone watching games in Death Valley, but they are a blast when you are there.

We got to hear a few of the band's stand songs at the Freshman convocation on Friday, and we got to see the last practice of the band's run on at the end of band camp the day before. I imagine my daughter will be a bit floored at an actual game, since college football can be so much more intense that high school football, especially up in the Boston area.

From a 2-time band parent (unfortunately not SUMB), congrats. From a parent's perspective, it adds another whole dimension to the game day experience. And your daughter immediately has a slew of new friends. You'll find there are several regular posters who are band aficionados. What instrument does she play?

 

[sufan]

One of our favorite traditions is ogling the girls in the marching band.

I thought you said you were 87 years old?

 

[Cheriehoop]

I thought you said you were 87 years old?

He's a spry rascal for sure. Any female within 10 feet has to watch out for that cane.

 

[All4SU]

I didn't say I was dead.

 

[BlackKnight76]

From a 2-time band parent (unfortunately not SUMB), congrats. From a parent's perspective, it adds another whole dimension to the game day experience. And your daughter immediately has a slew of new friends. You'll find there are several regular posters who are band aficionados. What instrument does she play?

She'll have a great time in the SUMB. I have a slew of friends in the band, they're good people. There's 2 or so posters on here that are members as well.

 

[Boston Tiger]

All4SU may be 87, but he's not dead! It looks like one of the traditions shared between the LSU fans and the SU fans is appreciating the talent that is at the games. It's weird to have a college age daughter, but that just means I have to be a little more subtle in my ogling!

JoeSU - in my daughter's words, she "plays the flag" in the color guard. My wife and I met all of the guard last week, and they seem to be a very friendly group of kids. I have a feeling we'll be taking some of them along to dinner on some of our trips to see our daughter.

The Varsity sounds like a great place to visit. I definitely want to see a lot of those banners flipped upside down, especially that ugly green and blue one!

It's good to hear that the SU fans like the key shaking just as much as LSU fans. We saw that the first time when we played VT a few years back, and thought that was rather strange. But not nearly as strange as when they performed the Hokie Pokie and tried to get everyone to join in!

My plan when I go to the WVU and Cincinatti games will be to drink beer and make noise, since that's the main way the fans support the team. Hopefully, the team will play well enough that some other games get televised (or broadcast via the internet) so I can become familiar with the team.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Welcome, hope your daughter has a great time. Appreciate the work these kids put into it so we can enjoy a fun gameday atmosphere. Looking forward to seeing the band before and at the games.

One of the nice traditions is the band playing on the quad before games on the steps of Hendricks' Chapel and marching in the game together. During the game a small contingent of band members will go to high and far sections of the dome to play during the game too.

 

[sufan]

I didn't say I was dead.

Great! There's hope for all of us. Best wishes.

 

[jekelish]

Wait - is All4SU really 87? I would have guessed, like, 44. Mainly because it's really just a terrific number, but also because it seems about right.