Student section "grandfather" lost in ACC transition

[Orangeyes]

During any SU basketball game dating back to the inception of the Dome there is one gentleman with an Orange jacket who sits adjacent to the visitors bench. No one quite knows his official duty(s) but his presence at games is a part of the game day atmosphere.

Such a gentleman on the football side of things for the past 21 years has been John Campagna. He is the 82 year old gentleman with the white bushy hair under a white cap, with a neat red shirt and pristine white pants. John is what is known as the Media Timeout Official or The Red Shirt Official. He is stationed at the 20 yard line in front of the student section. In fact over the years John has had a lot of friendly interaction with the students, you might say he's there adopted grandfather.

While the move to the ACC from the Big East has been a windfall for SU, it has left John by the wayside without as much as a thank you.

You see John has been frantically contacting Syracuse both by phone and email over the past several weeks trying to find out what the arrangements were for the Penn State game. Finally, just four days before the game he was notified that the ACC was going be bringing in their own Media Timeout Official.

I feel bad for John and think the ACC should look into the matter and restore Mr. Campagna to his old duties.

 

[Legendof44]

BASTARDS

 

[cuseinchina]

Gross needs to personally deal with this. You can't talk about tradition and ignore something like this. It may be relatively minor in the great scheme of things - but it sure feels like an important tradition - even if I never knew about it.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Could reaching out to Jason Poles, Floyd Little etc help?

 

[JJReddawg]

Could reaching out to Jason Poles, Floyd Little etc help?

I think the reaching out would have to be to the ACC front office. Maybe we could do some sort of petition.

 

[GoSU96]

Leaving him hanging sounds SOP for the crew in the AD and it's bad form, but times change. SU is going to lose control over a lot of things in the ACC.

Cost of doing business and going from cornerstone irreplaceble member to the new guy.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Just for the MetLife game, or for every SU home game?

 

[mountaincuse]

I can't stand the guy because he keeps my games from moving forward due to silly TV timeouts. That being said, this is terrible.

If someone its going to be doing the job, let him keep doing it and don't mess with tradition! I enjoyed the banter with him back in my student days

 

[dollarbill44]

I can't stand the guy because he keeps my games from moving forward due to silly TV timeouts. That being said, this is terrible.

Seriously, I always booed the guy and encouraged my kids to do the same. I kid. Seems like a waste of money for the ACC to send their own TO guy to every game. It's not a crucial job.

 

[Orangeyes]

Just for the MetLife game, or for every SU home game?

For every game.

 

[690West]

Leaving him hanging sounds SOP for the crew in the AD and it's bad form, but times change. SU is going to lose control over a lot of things in the ACC.

Cost of doing business and going from cornerstone irreplaceble member to the new guy.

Exactly. If its simply a change in business then those are the breaks. But, if he wasn't contacted and just left hanging? Thats horsesh**t operating procedure.

 

[rrlbees]

During any SU basketball game dating back to the inception of the Dome there is one gentleman with an Orange jacket who sits adjacent to the visitors bench. No one quite knows his official duty(s) but his presence at games is a part of the game day atmosphere.

That is Harry and he's been there since the middle 70's. He's only missed 1-2 home games since. He is a volunteer and his role is to be the court side "host" for the visiting team and to assure they get anything they may need. He also makes sure the cameramen on that end stay the proper distance behind the end line.

He also works home football games too but I think he is a host in the press box.


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[OrangeXtreme]

That is Harry and he's been there since the middle 70's. He's only missed 1-2 home games since. He is a volunteer and his role is to be the court side "host" for the visiting team and to assure they get anything they may need. He also makes sure the cameramen on that end stay the proper distance behind the end line.

He also works home football games too but I think he is a host in the press box.

And he's a heck of a musician at the annual Greek Fest.

 

[Bill Orange]

That is Harry and he's been there since the middle 70's. He's only missed 1-2 home games since. He is a volunteer and his role is to be the court side "host" for the visiting team and to assure they get anything they may need. He also makes sure the cameramen on that end stay the proper distance behind the end line.

He also works home football games too but I think he is a host in the press box.


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Harry Tzvani. Great guy. Known him well, forever.

 

[Bill Orange]

This is intersting. One of my best friends is the TOC (Timeout Coordinator) for hoop games. He is not paid by SU, but by whatever network is broadcasting the game, as he is deemed an independant contractor.