Reflections on Week 1

[Shenexon]

This is a special year for me and Friday was a superb start, except for Terrell Hunt's injury.

To start my Syracuse day, I got to hike around Green Lake with bballbeadle, a great SU fan, especially for basketball. She's such a positive force and offered me a pair of tickets that allowed me to invite friends to the football game. That enhanced my day more than I thought it would. Kudos to you, Beadle. I ended up inviting more friends than I had tickets for and had to get some more. Thanks to all of you that helped me with seats for guests.

I've been anxious to tailgate for months and wasn't disappointed. Jeremy and Consigliere started the year in great form putting on a feast for a great showing by the Syracusefan community. It was a great honor to be able to participate. I'll see you again on Saturday.

The game was as good as I could have hoped for. The tragedy of Terrell Hunt' s injury is painful but for me but that's a separate element to the day from the performance we witnessed. The defense started the day that included good play from the offense, defense, & special teams. I've watched a lot of replays since the game and love the punt return, our amazing array of running backs, and the poise of Dungey. 47-0 made a great start to the season and I sat with tomcat, the greatest fan on the planet. I especially loved the advice he gave the opposing coaches. In the years since the dome was built, the panels surrounding the visitors' coaches' booth have shifted slightly leaving a small gap that an ardent fan might make use of to give opposing coaches some good advice. Tomcat brought his "A" game.

I expect a great effort next week as well and know the team will give me the birthday present I asked for. Lastly, a shout out to Ottomets who is getting married today. This has been a good weekend for weddings, too.

 

[bballbeadle]

Don, I'm so glad you wrote, because I wondered what your experience had been. I couldn't go to the game because of a party/information session for my upcoming dive adventure in Indonesia, but I will be at all the other September games with my great friend, "Basketball Gary." And we are sitting in the same area as Don and Tomcat, so that will be fun.

I loved your description of Tomcat giving cogent "advice" through the panel gap to the coaches. I can't help but think that was one of the reasons for our lopsided victory!

The Hunt injury was nauseating and heartbreaking. When things like that happen (things that seem like a disaster and a huge knock up the side of the head) I like to imagine that a different reality opens up and another kind of life "un-spools" for the individual. I have seen this happen, and my fervent wish is that a fantastic road will open up before Terrell. Anyone who works that hard deserves success.

I hope the fans can get behind our talented freshmen. Perhaps if we keep winning, more people will trickle into the Dome. It was very hard to see how empty it was, and then watch other games yesterday and see the pageantry and support big school football gets. I remember going to the University of Wisconsin football games late sixties and 75,000 people showed up to see the games every single week, even though we had seasons with NO victories! The tradition of football is extremely strong in the Big 10 schools, and victory was just gravy on the turkey back then. I remember (vaguely) that we had a parade permit filed in the eventuality that we win a home game, and it happened my sophomore year. The students marched all the way to the capitol and my strongest memory was riding on some stranger's shoulders. Mass hysteria!

By the way, did anyone see the concussed Wisconsin player lining up with the Alabama players after he got hit? They hustled him off the field, pronto!

Okay, enough nostalgia. See everyone this Saturday!