So here's the deal to all the "I'm not watching the NIT" crew

[FortyFourCT]

Most years we are an NCAA team. This year we did not get snubbed so we deserve and belong in the NIT. I'll watch and I'm actually looking forward to it a bit. I think we can run the table at home and play a couple in MSG. I try to not get too caught up in titles because then every season would just be a disappointment, except for 2003. I consider last year to be a huge success the way I view basketball. This year isn't really a success but could end on a happy note, so I'll take it.

 

[br801]

Our NIT Final Title Game against Tulsa was just fantastic. As good a game as one could hope to have watched.

TULSA DEFEATS SYRACUSE BY 86-84 IN OVERTIME TO WIN N.I.T. FINAL

We had three starters foul out & still almost took it in OT.

I think a strong effort in the NIT would also prove the team has grit and heart and prove the NCAA committee made a mistake.

As somebody else above said, if it spells Syracuse on the front of the jersey I will watch.

I remember that Tulsa game well. Lots of fun.

But as far as this year's team goes, they've already proven they have grit and heart by finishing up 10-7 in conference after the BC debacle, and battling hard to the end in nearly all of the ACC losses.

 

[Trueblue25]

Watching the NIT and not the NCAA. Not because I'm salty, but because a genuinely do not care for anyone outside of Syracuse basketball.

 

[Briancuse]

I'll watch, but im about as excited as going to the dentist.

 

[Alsacs]

Without looking it up can anyone name the teams that played for the NIT title?

I am a sports junkie and have no clue. I mean maybe Marsh could tell us but I doubt many others could.

 

[Madbiker]

Without looking it up can anyone name the teams that played for the NIT title?

I am a sports junkie and have no clue. I mean maybe Marsh could tell us but I doubt many others could.

How many can tell you who Nova beat for the title last year or beat in the Elite 8 to get to the FF? And if it wasn't Nova (our old BE frenemy) how many would know who won the NCAAT last year. Does anyone remember the year before? But if SU wins the NIT and we hoist the trophy in MSG, we'll all remember it for years.

 

[Alsacs]

How many can tell you who Nova beat for the title last year or beat in the Elite 8 to get to the FF? And if it wasn't Nova (our old BE frenemy) how many would know who won the NCAAT last year. Does anyone remember the year before? But if SU wins the NIT and we hoist the trophy in MSG, we'll all remember it for years.

UNC-NC
Oklahoma-FF
Kansas-E8
Miami-S16
Iowa-2nd round

I can tell you all the teams that the Final Four teams beat after their tomato can first game
UNC-Providence 2nd round
Indiana-S16
Notre Dame-E8
SU-FF

Oklahoma
VCU-2nd round
Texas A&M-S16
Oregon-E8

I have no clue about the NIT if you offered me money.

I can tell you every championship game since 1984.

 

[Ragman2000]

How many can tell you who Nova beat for the title last year or beat in the Elite 8 to get to the FF? And if it wasn't Nova (our old BE frenemy) how many would know who won the NCAAT last year. Does anyone remember the year before? But if SU wins the NIT and we hoist the trophy in MSG, we'll all remember it for years.

I'd like to like this a thousand times. Yes.

 

[Briancuse]

Although this is a noreaster, watch how many times the announcers will say "Syracuse, where it snows like no where on the planet!". Wait, will there be any announcers?

I always laugh at that, especially all the crap that Rutgers fans give us, like Nj is a tropical paradise.

 

[Alsacs]

84-Gtown-Houston
85-Gtown-Villanova
86-Duke-Louisville
87-SU-Indiana
88-Kansas-Oklahoma
89- Michigan-Seton Hall
90-Duke-UNLV
91- Duke-Kansas
92- Duke-Michigan
93-UNC-Michigan
94-Duke-Arkansas
95 UCLA-Arkansas
96- Kentucky- SU
97- Zona-Kentucky
98-Utah-Kentucky
99- Duke-UConn
00- Mich State-Florida
01 Duke- Zona
02 Indiana-Maryland
03 Syracuse-Kansas
04- UConn-Ga. Texh
05 Illinois-UNC
06 Florida-UCLA
07 Ohio State-Florida
08 Memphis-Kansas
09 UNC-'Mich Statd
10 Duke-Butler
11 UConn-Butler
12 Kentucky-Kansas
13 Louisville-Michigan
14 UConn-Kentucky
15 Wisconsin-Duke
16 UNC-Nova

I can't name one NIT champ from this time.

 

[llandz]

I'll watch, but im about as excited as going to the dentist.

Try nitrous the next time. Then you will be excited. Just had a crown done. The 30 min. high was great, and the jokes I told the dentist were even better.

 

[llandz]

I am really starting to not like this board anymore. Either you are an Orange fan or you are not. I would never not root for my team or support them. Bleed Orange always NIT, NCAA or never win a game all season. I think my football fandom probably proves this. Orange always, and always stand behind my players and support them.

 

[Alsacs]

If the team wins great. I am not rooting against them. However to be enthusiastic about the NIT isn't going to happen.

I hope we win it. I don't care if we lose tomorrow like I would if it was a regular season game though.

 

[Jasonrob44]

One of the most exciting games I ever saw in the Dome was the 2002* NIT against Butler that went to Overtime. I still remember moments from that game 15 years later. I had amazing seats, and it was incredible to me how loud it got in the Dome with only 10k people or so. Why? The people who were there wanted to be there and were loud. It was an awesome game experience and a great basketball game.

If I can get up and excited for a basketball game of former Syracuse also-rans in "TBT" in July for a title that is honestly meaningless, I sure as hell can get up for an NIT game featuring some good teams and some great basketball...even if I don't care about the banner if we hang it.

Obviously everyone is disappointed that we didn't make it. But if JB and crew are patrolling the sidelines and the name on the uniform is still Syracuse, I'll still be watching and pulling for the guys in orange. Sometimes it's easy to get hung up on banners and titles and all that, but it's the journey that matters. If we play some good basketball like I know we are capable of, I'll still enjoy watching. But that's just me. That potential IU matchup next Wednesday is exciting to this guy if we manage to get that far for instance.


*Fixed, thanks Eric15

I was actually at that game too, great game!

However, we had no final four aspirations that season; this year we did. Much different pill to swallow.

 

[Jasonrob44]

If the team wins great. I am not rooting against them. However to be enthusiastic about the NIT isn't going to happen.

I hope we win it. I don't care if we lose tomorrow like I would if it was a regular season game though.

This...

 

[HoustonCuse]

84-Gtown-Houston
85-Gtown-Villanova
86-Duke-Louisville
87-SU-Indiana
88-Kansas-Oklahoma
89- Michigan-Seton Hall
90-Duke-UNLV
91- Duke-Kansas
92- Duke-Michigan
93-UNC-Michigan
94-Duke-Arkansas
95 UCLA-Arkansas
96- Kentucky- SU
97- Zona-Kentucky
98-Utah-Kentucky
99- Duke-UConn
00- Mich State-Florida
01 Duke- Zona
02 Indiana-Maryland
03 Syracuse-Kansas
04- UConn-Ga. Texh
05 Illinois-UNC
06 Florida-UCLA
07 Ohio State-Florida
08 Memphis-Kansas
09 UNC-'Mich Statd
10 Duke-Butler
11 UConn-Butler
12 Kentucky-Kansas
13 Louisville-Michigan
14 UConn-Kentucky
15 Wisconsin-Duke
16 UNC-Nova

I can't name one NIT champ from this time.

You would if it was Syracuse. I'm not comparing the NIT to anything else. It's just where Syracuse's next game is so I'll be watching it. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

[HOFCeluck]

I remember 2004 when Michigan beat Rutgers.

I mean any Rutgers postseason success is pretty noteworthy.

 

[Briancuse]

Try nitrous the next time. Then you will be excited. Just had a crown done. The 30 min. high was great, and the jokes I told the dentist were even better.

They never offer it to me lol, I need to get a crown done soon.

 

[SBU72]

Nice to see mostly positive replies. Can't understand why fans would not support their team, no matter where they play. Do they do it just because they want to be on a national stage and hope to get some residual good feelings for being associated with a "national" brand, i.e. groupies. And somebody's comment that the players don't care if they have fan support. OMG, doesn't every athlete get a lift from fans? What is home court advantage? Get 10-15,000 in the dome and maybe there will be 3 more games.

 

[Ghost]

I'm only watching the NIT. The NCAA tourney can [comment removed due to rampant inappropriateness].

I'm in this camp! I'm no longer going to be vacationing Thurs/Friday. The NIT gets mu full attention, I might check in on the B1G sham seeded tourney.

 

[thebigeast44]

The Butler game with about 7k almost all standing throughout and loud as hell is one of my favorite memories in the Dome. If 30k ever screamed as loud as those 7k did that night we'd blow the roof off the Dome!

 

[Forza Azzurri]

As somebody else above said, if it spells Syracuse on the front of the jersey I will watch.

What if it says "Syracuse" on the front but says. "Bowie" on the back.

Then what do you do?

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Exactly. If people were really all about Syracuse - it would be the NCAA they wouldn't be watching. Wouldn't it? It was the NCAA that rejected Syracuse. So as a result our fans are also going to reject Syracuse? I've been called a hypocrite for this logic, in a surprising turn of events.

Eh..I'm the guy who watches every minute of every game...which means I got to see the walk-ons vs St. John's...that was painful...

If 'Cuse is on, I'm watching (well, actually, I'm usually DVRing it and then watching it later - but you get the point)...

I'll still watch as much of the tourney as I can 'cause I love it...second favorite sporting event after the World Cup if we are not in it...# 1 when we are in it...

 

[longislandcuse]

I can't/won't watch the NIT game(s)

It's like a walk of shame that we're being forced to do while not playing in the real tournament.

 

[adk(roc)CUSE]

UNC-NC
Oklahoma-FF
Kansas-E8
Miami-S16
Iowa-2nd round

I can tell you all the teams that the Final Four teams beat after their tomato can first game
UNC-Providence 2nd round
Indiana-S16
Notre Dame-E8
SU-FF

Oklahoma
VCU-2nd round
Texas A&M-S16
Oregon-E8

I have no clue about the NIT if you offered me money.

I can tell you every championship game since 1984.

I can go back to the late 70s. one night at the bar someone challenged me to go back 10 years. as I kept going and going people began cheering me on...kinda a cool moment for being a college hoops nerd