Tar Heel Fan Here With A Question

[hobbit88]

Hello, 'Cuse fans.

I was happy when I found out you guys were joining the ACC. I think you'll enjoy being part of the conference; it's an old one (founded in 1953) with great traditions and tremendous sports success, basketball obviously being our greatest strength.

Had a question for you guys, and that is, what can you tell me about Syracuse's football program? How well has your football team done over the past, say, 20 years?

Carolina has tried many times over the years to achieve the status of being a Football Power but it has always eluded us due to one circumstance or another.

I know this may be a funny question to pose on the basketball board but I was just curious.

I know you guys have done well in basketball for decades, what with Boeheim being there so long.

I just scanned the wikipedia article on him and his achievements are impressive. I knew he'd been there a long time, but didn't know he'd been there since 1969 (as an assistant, moving up to head coach in 1976). Wikipedia says he is 2nd behind Ratface in wins amongst active Div I coaches which is most notable in itself.

I have a niece who lives in Syracuse and is finishing her residency in oncology there. My wife is from Buffalo originally, and my father got his doctorate in Education from Columbia years ago in the 50s.

So I have a lot of attachments to the state of New York.

Welcome to the conference, and any input you can give about your football program would be greatly appreciated!

Regards To All,

Mike

 

[chriscory101]

Syracuse is a team with a very rich history. Its a team that was a perennial top 25 team in football up to about ten years ago when r coach started to get a little complacent. He was fired 6 years ago and replaced by greg robinson who dropped r football team to become a laughing stock in college football for four years. He was fired and replaced by current coach explayer doug marrone who is in his third year. Last year out of now where we went to work and one the pinstripe bowl. We r a team that is young but getting better week by week.

Some players who went to syracuse who u may have heard off includes marvin harrison, dwight freeney, donovan mcnabb, rob moore, art monk,keith bullock donavan darious. Famous players from school history include jim brown, ernie davis( watch the movie the express), floyd little, larry conzacka(spelled wrong) and many others.

 

[bevosu]

It's painful for most of us to talk about our recent past. We have a great football tradition..top 20 all time wins. You may have heard of Jim Brown?

Unfortunately a recent head coach, now departed, drove us into the ground. We expect that with coach Marrone, we'll be back cracking the top 25 eventually.

 

[cto]

Actually, Jim Boeheim has been here since 1962 (when he was a freshman walk-on). As for our basketball connection with UNC and your coach, this is all I can remember:

1) We beat UNC in the NCAA regionals in 1975

2) We beat UNC in the NCAA Regionals in 1987

3) We beat Roy Williams (and KU) in the NCAA finals in 2003

4) We beat UNC in the Coaches vs Cancer tourney in 2009/10.

 

[hobbit88]

Didn't know Jim Brown was from Syracuse, very heavy name to drop and an all-time great on the gridiron.

I honestly didn't know about your football program, that's why I asked. Sorry you've had some disappointment.

Heels fans can definitely sing the blues about bad luck in football.

We got slammed by the NCAA for violations recently, had a tutor who did some incredibly stupid things, and an assistant coach who from all appearances did even stupider things. Long and short of it, after a full year of saying he stood behind our coach wholeheartedly, our chancellor then decided to give him the axe.

The timing of this was even stupider than our guilty tutor or assistant coach as the chancellor did this the very week when season ticket invoices went out, along with athletic foundation dues notices. Brilliant move, huh?

But even after losing a bunch of players to infractions, we stand to have at least a decent year, as our former coach loaded the roster with really talented players.

No way we have a chance to go to a BCS bowl though.

Whatever, we love Roy Williams and this looks like it could be another championship season, barring injuries to any key players. The operative phrase is could be. It takes not only a great team but a good string of luck to make it through the Dance unscathed. Single elimination is brutal, but obviously exciting.

So what's the buzz in terms of Boeheim and his eventual retirement?

Roy is 60, maybe good for another 6 to 8 years (10 at the outside?).

Boeheim's a bit older isn't he?

 

[M2MPrinciples]

Actually, Jim Boeheim has been here since 1962 (when he was a freshman walk-on). As for our basketball connection with UNC and your coach, this is all I can remember:

1) We beat UNC in the NCAA regionals in 1975

2) We beat UNC in the NCAA Regionals in 1987

3) We beat Roy Williams (and KU) in the NCAA finals in 2003

4) We beat UNC in the Coaches vs Cancer tourney in 2009/10.

Boeheim also beat a Roy-coached Kansas team in the 1996 Elite Eight and lost in the second round in 2001.

 

[hobbit88]

Boeheim also beat a Roy-coached Kansas team in the 1996 Elite Eight and lost in the second round in 2001.

Here's a quote from an article written before the 2009 game between UNC and Syracuse:

"Syracuse and North Carolina have met six times, with the Tar Heels holding a 4-2 advantage in the series."

Link to article:

http://blog.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/2009/11/syracuse_basketball_team_faces.html

Since you guys beat us that game, the overall series record is UNC 4, Syracuse 3.

 

[mantonio]

Here's a quote from an article written before the 2009 game between UNC and Syracuse:

"Syracuse and North Carolina have met six times, with the Tar Heels holding a 4-2 advantage in the series."

Link to article:

http://blog.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/2009/11/syracuse_basketball_team_faces.html

Since you guys beat us that game, the overall series record is UNC 4, Syracuse 3.

Looks like the beginning of a good rivalry!!!

We'll get 35,000 in the Dome for a game against your 'Heels...

 

[SkanSU]

Hey Hobbitt .. I know many SU fans, especially those in NYC and NJ, have mixed feelings re: joining the ACC. No offense, but after all we have been bashing them for so long. Of course we bash G'Town, and Rutgers, etc., too. Part of the game and the boards. Personally, Thank You for the welcome to the ACC and welcome to our board and I hope that the fans on the board can be warmer than, after a nice opponent opening, be hit with NC-SU comparisons. Leave that for the season. I think I can say we all look forward to the rivalry. Nice to have you vist us.

 

[OttoMets]

Here's a quote from an article written before the 2009 game between UNC and Syracuse:

"Syracuse and North Carolina have met six times, with the Tar Heels holding a 4-2 advantage in the series."

Link to article:

http://blog.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/2009/11/syracuse_basketball_team_faces.html

Since you guys beat us that game, the overall series record is UNC 4, Syracuse 3.

UNC beat us badly with two Michael Jordan teams in the early '80s, once down there, once at the Dome. I think the two games had identical scores (87-63 or something like that). They also beat us in the Tip-Off Classic in Springfield in 1987 when we were #1. We should have won in regulation, then choked it away in overtime.

 

[orangefog]

We lost to North Carolina in the Hall of Fame game or something when we were ranked preseason number one in 1989 or 1990 as well, I believe.

 

[jekelish]

Regarding our football record over the last 20 years, from 1990 to the present we are 138-114 and 8-3 in bowl games. 37 of those losses, however, came in a four year span under our now fired former head coach Greg Robinson. He was responsible for, if I'm not mistaken, the two worst seasons in school history. Prior to his hiring, we had only had one losing season since 1990. We were ranked in the top 25 pretty consistently through the 90's and as late as 2001, when we went 10-3 thanks largely to Dwight Freeney's dominance and finished the year ranked 15th. I believe that's the last time we've been ranked, unfortunately, which obviously wasn't helped by that abysmal four year stretch under Robinson. Basically, SU and UNC have had a virtually identical record since 1990.

We won the national title in 1959 and very nearly had another one in 1987, when we went undefeated but Auburn chose to play for the tie in the Sugar Bowl, leaving us at 11-0-1 and shutting us out of the title. It could also be argued that Don McPherson should have won the Heisman that year, since he won the O'Brien and Maxwell Awards, but it went to Tim Brown instead because everyone has such a hardon for Notre Dame. Brown had 39 catches for 846 yards and three touchdown catches and three punt return touchdowns that year and won the freaking Heisman (meanwhile McPherson threw for 2341 yards and 22 touchdowns and was on an undefeated team). Brown was a great player, but come on. Not that I'm bitter or anything...

 

[hobbit88]

Hey Hobbitt .. I know many SU fans, especially those in NYC and NJ, have mixed feelings re: joining the ACC. No offense, but after all we have been bashing them for so long. Of course we bash G'Town, and Rutgers, etc., too. Part of the game and the boards. Personally, Thank You for the welcome to the ACC and welcome to our board and I hope that the fans on the board can be warmer than, after a nice opponent opening, be hit with NC-SU comparisons. Leave that for the season. I think I can say we all look forward to the rivalry. Nice to have you vist us.

Well, thanks for the cordial welcome guy.

I was a little taken aback by having the Syracuse victories over NC presented for my immediate inspection but, whatever. UNC fans are used to having folks who beat us revel in the fact. Comes with having a great history in our program.

Trust me, we've taken our lumps, and not that long ago either. I was stunned by jekelish's comment about your football sufferings, to wit: "37 of those losses, however, came in a four year span under our now fired former head coach Greg Robinson." That is incredibly bad luck.

I suppose the worst fortune we've suffered that comes to mind is the humiliating 8-20 season under Matt Doherty. Horrible days for Carolina fans. But we stuck it out, Matt got shown the door, and Roy walked in. One thing about Doherty, he could definitely recruit. Roy came into a full pantry of goodies to eat and he made the best use of them in 2005.

Then after the 2009 title we had the satisfaction of shutting up people who said Roy only won the title in 2005 because he had Doherty's players.

I'm interested in seeing what change if any will take place in the conference's corporate culture with regards to officiating and style of play.

My only beef with ACC ball is that the refs are so finesse-friendly that they call zillions of ticky-tack fouls. It destroys the momentum of games and occasionally turns contests into interminable trudges to the foul line to shoot yet another coupla free throws.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like T*hug Ball a la Pat Riley's early 90s Knicks teams.

But I do like to see them let the guys play.

Keep the game under control yes, but calling a foul when someone barely grazes a non-shooting player's arm? Let it go and save it for a foul that really affects the outcome of the play.

I think Boeheim's zone is going to make Roy have to adjust his coaching a bit.

You'll soon find out that our weak spot this year (as it frequently is), if indeed we do have a weak spot, is outside shooting. We lost a kid with a torn ACL (Leslie McDonald) who will almost certainly miss the whole season. He was probably our most dependable outside shooter.

We have a freshman who's supposed to be capable of lights-out shooting, and sophomore Reggie Bullock who is coming off an injury that hampered his outside shooting last year.

Too bad we can't play each other this year. I like playing a tough out of conference schedule, prepares you so much better for the NCAA tournament.

Whatever, with you guys and Pitt coming in, our conference is getting tougher and we may get the preparation we need without having to schedule a lot of out-of-conference heavies to do so.

 

[hobbit88]

expect us to bring another national championship team under the acc brand shortly

Uhhh, in men's basketball? Women's basketball? What can you tell me about your roster that makes you think a title is on the way?

 

[Dcuse]

Uhhh, in men's basketball? Women's basketball? What can you tell me about your roster that makes you think a title is on the way?

Uhhh...in Men's basketball. What we can tell you is that we always think another title is on the way as I'm sure you do.
We're both that good

 

[HoustonCuse]

Hobbit, how do you think the Tobacco Road crowd feels (honestly) about Madison Square Garden as an ACC Tournament locale?

 

[jekelish]

Uhhh...in Men's basketball. What we can tell you is that we always think another title is on the way as I'm sure you do.
We're both that good

^ what he said.

 

[hobbit88]

Hobbit, how do you think the Tobacco Road crowd feels (honestly) about Madison Square Garden as an ACC Tournament locale?

Couln't honestly tell you as I'm a man of very modest means and can't afford to go to the tournament (or any of the regular season games for that matter).

There's been a lot of speculation on the Inside Carolina board about the issue of where the tournament should be held, and MSG is mentioned by many folks as a plausible and desirable place to hold the tournament, on an occasional basis anyway.

My personal feeling is that the powers that be should consider rotating it every 3 years. 1st year deep South. 2nd year mid-Atlantic Coast. 3rd year in Yankee land.

Maybe something like:

2012 - Atlanta
2013 - Greensboro
2014 - MSG

2015 - Miami
2016 - D.C.
2017 - Syracuse

2018 - Orlando
2019 - Charlotte
2020 - Pittsburgh

etcetera.

It'll probably never happen this way as it makes too much sense (at least to my thinking it does).

For now though the tournament sites are already scheduled through 2015 so nothing's going to change for several years yet.

 

[hobbit88]

^ what he said.

Well guys, with Roy at the helm we usually do very well. But I don't presume to think Every Year that we're going to win a title. Just doesn't work that way any more. UCLA in the 60s? Yes.

But since then, no.

We're pretty much loaded except in terms of proven 3-point shooters (but we do have some prospects there), so we figure to be very dangerous this year.

But we (and any other team in the country) are just one key injury away from having our title hopes dashed to the ground. Let's have this chat in February rather than September and then see how we feel about our respective teams' chances.

 

[jekelish]

As a fan of another historically great program, I'm sure you can understand why we try to be hopeful about our chances in any given year. We're realistic, yes, but always hopeful. Every great program is the same that way. Well, except Duke, who sees it as an affront to James Naismith when they get bounced from the tournament early.

 

[hobbit88]

As a fan of another historically great program, I'm sure you can understand why we try to be hopeful about our chances in any given year. We're realistic, yes, but always hopeful. Every great program is the same that way. Well, except Duke, who sees it as an affront to James Naismith when they get bounced from the tournament early.

IMO dook, in and of itself, IS an affront to James Naismith.

I don't think Naismith ever envisioned a scenario where a jump shooter could kick both legs out in front of him at the apex of his jump shot, kick his defender, and then have the DEFENDER called for the foul.

Just one of many reasons why Heels fans hold the Rat in very low esteem.

He teaches his players to cheat the spirit of the game, trying to find every possible way to fudge the rules in his favor, all the time ranting and raving at the zebras and using intimidation tactics to get them to call things His Way.

Check out the free throw differential between dook and all its opponents for the last 10 years and it'll tell the story.

And the media thinks he's such a "clean", great guy who plays by the rules.

What an absolute joke.

 

[jekelish]

Preacher, meet choir.

 

[hobbit88]

Preacher, meet choir.

Alright then.

As the good black brothers down South like to say, "Le'ss awlll say amen!"

 

[CUSEBB1]

LOL,do we have 3 more years of this kissing and liking each other.Can't wait until you guys and Duke play ur 1st game in the dome.GONNA BE EPIC!! think both games would be primetime

 

[NCState Troll]

Uhhh...in Men's basketball. What we can tell you is that we always think another title is on the way as I'm sure you do.
We're both that good

Great post! We look forward to showing you The Carolina Way, which is our unique combination of athletic excellence and academic integrity!