So if Sean Tucker

[SUskibum]

For those who like to beat the ‘kids don’t even know about 44 anymore, it doesn’t matter’ then you’ll have to explain why 25 year old Zaire Franklin is wearing it in the pros and why 32 year old Eric Devendorf chose it for his last game(s)

We have the perfect coach to bring it back, how many times has DFB mentioned he knew Syracuse because Jim Brown was his dad’s favorite player (even tho DFB prefers Zonk)

 

[Jeremy L.]

How would it be a recruiting tool?

"Hi 4 or 5 star recruit, we feel you meet the criteria to wear the same uniform that 3 of the best running backs in CFB history wore and nobody has worn in like 25 years."

The problem is you have to see if kids in 2021 care about players from the 1950s

 

[tep624]

"Hi 4 or 5 star recruit, we feel you meet the criteria to wear the same uniform that 3 of the best running backs in CFB history wore and nobody has worn in like 25 years."

The problem is you have to see if kids in 2021 care about players from the 1950s

We had a golden opportunity with the Express movie - it resonated with kids, it created buzz in the two recruiting cycles following it, you had Dontae Strickland lobbying to wear it, Robert Washington (although his recruitment didn't work out) publicly stating a desire to wear it based on the history, and we completely wasted all that free marketing and revitalization of the number.

 

[Jeremy L.]

We had a golden opportunity with the Express movie - it resonated with kids, it created buzz in the two recruiting cycles following it, you had Dontae Strickland lobbying to wear it, Robert Washington (although his recruitment didn't work out) publicly stating a desire to wear it based on the history, and we completely wasted all that free marketing and revitalization of the number.

That would have been perfect because kids during that time would understand what the number means to Syracuse.

 

[tep624]

My only problem with that article is the suggestion that the #44 is somehow linked with past wearers overcoming racism. Of course they did. All black players of that era did. It was not uniquely linked to #44, and we should make sure it isn’t. Ernie Davis winning the Heisman, and juxtaposing his success in that area with Jim Brown is another matter. Fair game to teach people what these players experienced - things that most of us could never understand.

But let’s be sure to leave #44 and that tradition out of it. 44 is about greatness on the athletic field, not about racism.

Yeah I only posted that article to dispel the myth that the reinstatement wasn't a real thing and almost happened. And then there was some snafu with Jim Brown's position and it got shelved. Floyd was consistently in favor of it.

More myth dispelling:

Floyd Little wants the No. 44 back on the field for Syracuse in the near future

Syracuse legend Floyd Little is part of a committee that will decide when an Orange player will be allowed to wear 44, and he wants it to happen soon.

www.syracuse.com

 

[IthacaMatt]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Rob Konrad was Syracuse's last #44, right?

His last season was 3 years before Tucker was born.

Pretty sure. Recent generation 44s were Konrad and Michael Owens, who both did the number proud.

 

[Scooch]

Don’t get me started…. I’m still pissed they stopped the “Who’s He! So What…” cheer at basketball games. That was great!

That stopped? Last I knew Sitrus still did that.

Of course, the crowd stopped chanting it long ago. Which just gets me launched into my usual rant about how SU fans utterly suck at doing anything participatory.

We don't have traditions because our fanbase hates traditions. We're dumb.

 

[All4SU]

That stopped? Last I knew Sitrus still did that.

Of course, the crowd stopped chanting it long ago. Which just gets me launched into my usual rant about how SU fans utterly suck at doing anything participatory.

We don't have traditions because our fanbase hates traditions. We're dumb.

I blame the Dome.

 

[Nahson]

"Hi 4 or 5 star recruit, we feel you meet the criteria to wear the same uniform that 3 of the best running backs in CFB history wore and nobody has worn in like 25 years."

The problem is you have to see if kids in 2021 care about players from the 1950s

They don't.

 

[Chip]

They don't.

You asked all of them?

 

[All4SU]

They don't.

You’re missing the point. Most kids won’t care. Yet. A few might. We have published evidence that some recent players have indicated a desire to wear the number. Eventually, hopefully, you hit on one. And you use it. If that player has great success, it snowballs. It could be a real asset if used. On the shelf it does nothing.

 

[Nahson]

You asked all of them?

Finding people that care about our football program (outside of CNY) in general, is tough truckin. I'm sorry your bias has made you blind to that.

 

[Nahson]

Finding people that care about our football program (outside of CNY) in general, is tough truckin. I'm sorry your bias has made you blind to that.

Hell, we struggle to get community interest, yet alone 18 year olds that are some how vested in our history.

 

[Scooch]

I blame the Dome.

I blame our "fans".

 

[Chip]

Finding people that care about our football program (outside of CNY) in general, is tough truckin. I'm sorry your bias has made you blind to that.

So we should stop trying.

Do you give ted talks?

 

[bnoro]

It shouldn’t have been retired in the first place, one.

Two, it is one of the few things that the football program has/had to tell its story. If you went to school at SU and started following after the fact, your opinion doesn’t really matter to me personally because it wasn’t part of the story you heard about growing up an SU fan.

I’ll also add it means a lot more to local fans who are going to be the ones at games 9 times out of 10 than the alum from Massachusetts who knows all.

Ah yes, because I didn't grow up in Syracuse I can't share the same passion about our football program. If anything it gives me more perspective on the number and it's importance to SU fans. I didn't watch college football growing up because I had no connection to it. If anything, you become more passionate about things you gain interests in later in life.

Also, this "alum from Massachusetts" had STs a few years back and without my schedule conflicts due to work would still have them.

We're both posting on a message board about the team, I don't need some townie telling me I'm not as big of a fan when I have more of a connection to the university than you do.

 

[tep624]

So we should stop trying.

Do you give ted talks?

Well he did receive his PHD From Know-it-all University so he's probably qualified for that.

 

[Nahson]

So we should stop trying.

Do you give ted talks?

Lol thats not what I'm saying. So sensitive.

 

[Nahson]

Ah yes, because I didn't grow up in Syracuse I can't share the same passion about our football program. If anything it gives me more perspective on the number and it's importance to SU fans. I didn't watch college football growing up because I had no connection to it. If anything, you become more passionate about things you gain interests in later in life.

Also, this "alum from Massachusetts" had STs a few years back and without my schedule conflicts due to work would still have them.

We're both posting on a message board about the team, I don't need some townie telling me I'm not as big of a fan when I have more of a connection to the university than you do.

I'm struggling to understand how him being born here and 44 being important to him, equates to being a home run recruiting tool for players who... wait for it... weren't born here.

Honestly, an outside prospective is more impactful then one who that has been conditioned to love the history... and it IS a great history. Problem is we are all putting way more value on it than most other do.

 

[All4SU]

I'm struggling to understand how him being born here and 44 being important to him, equates to being a home run recruiting tool for players who... wait for it... weren't born here.

Honestly, an outside prospective is more impactful then one who that has been conditioned to love the history... and it IS a great history. Problem is we are all putting way more value on it than most other do.

Curious… did you watch the ACC Roadshow segment they did on SU? It was an hour long. A good portion of that time was spent discussing the tradition of 44 at Syracuse, the players, the significance to the community, the history, and showing the statues. So someone - likely SU - is promoting it. Anyone who watched that segment knows about it. My guess is every piece of recruitment mail that SU sends out contains the 44 somewhere on it. No one is going to care if you don’t tell them about it. And it looks to me like a lot of people are working very hard to talk about it. So why Pooh-Pooh it as being insignificant. Things do change, yes?

 

[DuxburyO]

Ah yes, because I didn't grow up in Syracuse I can't share the same passion about our football program. If anything it gives me more perspective on the number and it's importance to SU fans. I didn't watch college football growing up because I had no connection to it. If anything, you become more passionate about things you gain interests in later in life.

Also, this "alum from Massachusetts" had STs a few years back and without my schedule conflicts due to work would still have them.

We're both posting on a message board about the team, I don't need some townie telling me I'm not as big of a fan when I have more of a connection to the university than you do.

bnoro, its not our fault that those of us who are lucky enough to get to live in MA and be Orange fans. Orange nation has no borders.

 

[UnknownOrange]

Do whatever you want with the jersey. Bring it back, keep it retired, whatever.

However - I think instead of the "C" the captains should get a 44 patch on their jersey. That's a cool way to honor the past and not put an outrageous amount of pressure on a kid

 

[TheCusian]

Ah yes, because I didn't grow up in Syracuse I can't share the same passion about our football program. If anything it gives me more perspective on the number and it's importance to SU fans. I didn't watch college football growing up because I had no connection to it. If anything, you become more passionate about things you gain interests in later in life.

Also, this "alum from Massachusetts" had STs a few years back and without my schedule conflicts due to work would still have them.

We're both posting on a message board about the team, I don't need some townie telling me I'm not as big of a fan when I have more of a connection to the university than you do.

Yeah, any conditions on fandom suck. That’s not how this works.

 

[orangefog]

A few ideas have been shared, I have one. Since it is Floyd Little appreciation day against Clemson...forgive me if this was suggested, I haven't had a chance to read everything...anyway, how about ALL the players come out with 44 on with "LITTLE" on the back, maybe even Clemson players. Dabo is a class act, I could see him possibly being up for it. Maybe tear away jerseys. But, Tucker rips his off and it is 44 with "TUCKER" on the back. We could even misspell "LITTLE" or "TUCKER" if they want to stick to traditions.

 

[Louie and Bouie]

It's interesting how our history isn't passed down to younger people the way it is at other schools.

My children are 14 and 18 respectively and know all about 44, its importance and those who have worn it. If there are fans, no matter their age that don't know/care about 44 I question who issued their fan card. Its basically our only recognizable historical story on the national scene.