Flacusian
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With the articles for media day chock full of information about the composition of the team and some of the things we might expect moving forward I find myself getting excited for the upcoming season. The new faces, the promise of a team which has more offensive potential, and the reappearance of Dajuan Coleman which we've all been waiting for all contribute to the air of expectation associated with the start of a new season.
In spite of the penalties which are for now, still in place to be enforced and include a 9 game ban for Coach Boeheim...there is still much to look forward to.
Certainly the penalties which have been levied against the program have made an impact on all of us as fans with respect to the expectations we have and the general atmosphere which surrounds the program at the start of a new season. But this season will unfold and the penalties will play out over the next several seasons and after Jimmy B serves the 9 game suspension it will be behind us.
For me, however, the thing that really makes this season different is that as we are about to begin another year of Syracuse Basketball we have one of the icons of our program who is in a very serious life and death struggle with brain cancer. All of the other facts and stories seem muted when considered against the backdrop of the story of Pearl and what he is up against. Information on how he is doing is scarce and the information which was put out by the Peter Vecsey tweet some 2 months ago indicated that the findings from the surgery were very serious.
I know that for me, any story about the Syracuse Basketball Program and how I became hopelessly addicted to following it can be told without mentioning how instrumental Pearl Washington was in igniting that passion for following the program. All the things which were coming into alignment back in the early days of the Big East and the Boeheim coaching era set the stage for the appearance of Pearl Washington and his meteoric rise to National prominence as the uber flashy point guard who could break both your ankles with his never before seen double crossover move. The half court game winning heave followed by an uninterrupted sprint into the locker room will be forever etched in my memory. He was and still is a winner, he was and still is a fierce competitor and until I hear news of him emerging from this battle with brain cancer I will be thinking of Pearl during every game Syracuse plays this season.
I was lucky enough to get close enough to Pearl to have him scribble his name on my game program when Syracuse played Uconn at the Hartford Civic Center. I'm not one much for seeking autographs or that type of thing but I knew that I was set on somehow getting close enough to Pearl to ask him for his. You see, to me Pearl Washington was like Babe Ruth of College basketball at the time. I thought that he would go on to be one of the greatest ever in the NBA.
As it turned out... greatness in the NBA was not in Pearls cards. But from stories and accounts I've heard over the years "Greatness" was most certainly in the cards for Pearl. For as much flash and brilliance he exhibited on the court by most accounts he has always been a soft spoken and humble person off the court. I've heard several stories about Pearl which chronicle just what a wonderful man he is.
So as I think about what the coming season holds in store...I'll also be thinking of Pearl Washington every time the Orange takes the court this season. As much as I'd like to see the Orange make the tournament and do well and vie for a National Championship... I'd trade every win for a full recovery by Pearl Washington.
In spite of the penalties which are for now, still in place to be enforced and include a 9 game ban for Coach Boeheim...there is still much to look forward to.
Certainly the penalties which have been levied against the program have made an impact on all of us as fans with respect to the expectations we have and the general atmosphere which surrounds the program at the start of a new season. But this season will unfold and the penalties will play out over the next several seasons and after Jimmy B serves the 9 game suspension it will be behind us.
For me, however, the thing that really makes this season different is that as we are about to begin another year of Syracuse Basketball we have one of the icons of our program who is in a very serious life and death struggle with brain cancer. All of the other facts and stories seem muted when considered against the backdrop of the story of Pearl and what he is up against. Information on how he is doing is scarce and the information which was put out by the Peter Vecsey tweet some 2 months ago indicated that the findings from the surgery were very serious.
I know that for me, any story about the Syracuse Basketball Program and how I became hopelessly addicted to following it can be told without mentioning how instrumental Pearl Washington was in igniting that passion for following the program. All the things which were coming into alignment back in the early days of the Big East and the Boeheim coaching era set the stage for the appearance of Pearl Washington and his meteoric rise to National prominence as the uber flashy point guard who could break both your ankles with his never before seen double crossover move. The half court game winning heave followed by an uninterrupted sprint into the locker room will be forever etched in my memory. He was and still is a winner, he was and still is a fierce competitor and until I hear news of him emerging from this battle with brain cancer I will be thinking of Pearl during every game Syracuse plays this season.
I was lucky enough to get close enough to Pearl to have him scribble his name on my game program when Syracuse played Uconn at the Hartford Civic Center. I'm not one much for seeking autographs or that type of thing but I knew that I was set on somehow getting close enough to Pearl to ask him for his. You see, to me Pearl Washington was like Babe Ruth of College basketball at the time. I thought that he would go on to be one of the greatest ever in the NBA.
As it turned out... greatness in the NBA was not in Pearls cards. But from stories and accounts I've heard over the years "Greatness" was most certainly in the cards for Pearl. For as much flash and brilliance he exhibited on the court by most accounts he has always been a soft spoken and humble person off the court. I've heard several stories about Pearl which chronicle just what a wonderful man he is.
So as I think about what the coming season holds in store...I'll also be thinking of Pearl Washington every time the Orange takes the court this season. As much as I'd like to see the Orange make the tournament and do well and vie for a National Championship... I'd trade every win for a full recovery by Pearl Washington.
