What was it like in the Heyday

[bothsocksup]

Can the old timers give us new bucks a little insight as to what the vibe was like in the heyday of syracuse football. Specifically what it was like in the late 80's early 90's when we had this thing rolling. Did you ever think it would come to an end? Did you ever take it for granted? What was it like when every year we were spoken about like potential conference champs? We just seem so damn far removed from the last of our glory days, the Graves and Mcnabb years, when I first became a fan, that you start to forget what it was like to good

 

[NKR1978]

The YouTube video of the 87 WVU game ending gives me goosebumps.

I just want to experience that for football. I've been fortunate to be in the Dome for the 03 Pitt and Notre Dame wins and the first Duke game. I was at MSG for 6OT and that last Georgetown game in the BET semifinals. I've seen how amazing and passionate our fans are. I just hope to experience that for football once.

Its so depressing thinking that we're pathetic and a national punch line again.

 

[baggerbob]

Can the old timers give us new bucks a little insight as to what the vibe was like in the heyday of syracuse football. Specifically what it was like in the late 80's early 90's when we had this thing rolling. Did you ever think it would come to an end? Did you ever take it for granted? What was it like when every year we were spoken about like potential conference champs? We just seem so damn far removed from the last of our glory days, the Graves and Mcnabb years, when I first became a fan, that you start to forget what it was like to good

When you talk Old Timers, we also had a nice run in the 50's-60's. Both were good times, and eventually we will get back there.

 

[orangenauburn]

The businesses around campus made a lot more money, because more people showed, the energy was vibrant, a half day event, and you knew that Cuse had a great chance of winning no matter the opponent.

 

[djorange1989]

87-98 was a lot of fun to say the least. Always expected a bowl bid, always expected 8-9 win seasons. We did take the success for granted after the first 5-6 years, yes. Never thought it would sink like it did under Gerg and where it is going now. While we were basketball first back then, football really helped make us the hot Northeastern school. Eastern independents and the Big East did not get a ton of respect but our program was respected and deservedly so. Teams did not look forward to playing us, especially in the Dome. Hopefully someday soon again...

 

[Louie and Bouie]

There was no Internet and fan sites.

 

[AZOrange]

Honestly? At the time it was incredibly frustrating. We had SOOOO much talent but would inevitably run into an even more loaded Miami (or similar program) and then blow a game against an inferior team. Honestly i think the best "team" we had was prob 1992.

 

[AZOrange]

87-98 was a lot of fun to say the least. Always expected a bowl bid, always expected 8-9 win seasons. We did take the success for granted after the first 5-6 years, yes. Never thought it would sink like it did under Gerg and where it is going now. While we were basketball first back then, football really helped make us the hot Northeastern school. Eastern independents and the Big East did not get a ton of respect but our program was respected and deservedly so. Teams did not look forward to playing us, especially in the Dome. Hopefully someday soon again...

The tenn game was literally the worst experience of my life at the time. What's funny is that if these boards existed then we'd be having these football convos about the bball team and vice versa.

 

[OrangeinBoston]

The tenn game was literally the worst experience of my life at the time. What's funny is that if these boards existed then we'd be having these football convos about the bball team and vice versa.

But, it was also a great experience. A rocking, sold out dome, with noise like a 747 taking off, the whole town involved, the best of Eastern football. It was great.

 

[AZOrange]

But, it was also a great experience. A rocking, sold out dome, with noise like a 747 taking off, the whole town involved, the best of Eastern football. It was great.

Yeah for sure! We collapsed the damn stands!! The Dome Haze!!

 

[Moontan]

The Nebraska game was the bestest... ever. *

* wasn't at the wins over Florida (I lived in Amsterdam) & WfVU in '87 (I was in Minnesota)

 

[Scooch]

People were on Internet forums starting in the early/mid 90s. Where were you guys?

 

[bothsocksup]

What happened that changed it all? i know mac had a few tough years, then what happened, how did the switch go on? Was it building up for years beforehand? Did you guys think coach mac was gonna be the guy to turn it around?

 

[OrangeXtreme]

6 straight bowl games from 87-92. We beat LSU, Georgia, Arizona, Ohio State (w/Herbie) and Colorado (w/Kordell), and had regular season wins against Penn State, Florida, Texas, and came up 4 yards short against Miami.

The 4th qtr of the WV game was bonkers (5 TD's scored).

Spanking PSU in front of Brent Musberger.

The Moose.

The Missile.

Kirby Kirby Dar Dar.

At kickoff of the Miami game, the Dome was louder than it's ever been.

Now you kids get off my lawn.

 

[bothsocksup]

haha, thats exactly what i was lookin to hear

 

[AZOrange]

What happened that changed it all? i know mac had a few tough years, then what happened, how did the switch go on? Was it building up for years beforehand? Did you guys think coach mac was gonna be the guy to turn it around?

The end started IMO when Mike Vick passed us up. It literally was a back breaker.

 

[OrangeinBoston]

What happened that changed it all? i know mac had a few tough years, then what happened, how did the switch go on? Was it building up for years beforehand? Did you guys think coach mac was gonna be the guy to turn it around?

There was a minor bowl win or two, and then the Penn State game happened. Somehow, Mac had recruited guys who could really play. Who was it? Donnie Mac? Who passed to some freshman named Rob Moore who took it to the house and the rout was on. Mac never looked back.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

There was a minor bowl win or two, and then the Penn State game happened.

Mac's 1st bowl was a loss to Maryland in the Cherry Bowl in 1985, and injuries derailed the 1st half of the 1986 season.

Everything clicked in 1987.

 

[MadNY3]

Can the old timers give us new bucks a little insight as to what the vibe was like in the heyday of syracuse football. Specifically what it was like in the late 80's early 90's when we had this thing rolling. Did you ever think it would come to an end? Did you ever take it for granted? What was it like when every year we were spoken about like potential conference champs? We just seem so damn far removed from the last of our glory days, the Graves and Mcnabb years, when I first became a fan, that you start to forget what it was like to good

There were a helluva lot more great moments and we bitched about how the team underachieved back then.

 

[Scooch]

People complain about every team Sunday through Friday. But Saturday's used to be fun. Now they blow.

 

[Jake]

The night Troy Nunes trotted out to start against Toledo was the beginning of the end. I remember being so incredulous that Syracuse was sending out a guy that looked like The Great Kazoo to play QB. I was expecting Madei Williams and the continuation of out athletic QB dominating our opponents.

Yes, I had absolutely taken our success for granted. I think at some point we were one of only a handful of teams with greater than 10 consecutive winning seasons. I mean, we were a fixture in the preseason polls, even when we lost a lot of guys to graduation.

We weren't Miami or Florida state, but we were the equivalent to say a current day Michigan State. It's amazing how far we've fallen, for so long.

 

[Toga]

We could, and sometimes did, beat any team in the country. The Dome was incredible for big games. Some opponents said it was the loudest place they ever played. We were also likely to lose 2-3 games a season that we should have won.

 

[cuseguy]

We had great run of QBs from McPherson to Graves to Mason to McNabb.

Then Troy Nunes.

Had we landed Vick, the Robinson era would have never happened...and much of the last 10 years.

 

[orangeinjersey]

What happened that changed it all? i know mac had a few tough years, then what happened, how did the switch go on? Was it building up for years beforehand? Did you guys think coach mac was gonna be the guy to turn it around?

The Dome got stale, Coach P rested on his laurels, the rise of RU and UConn, Mike Vick spurning us for VTech, Grob was the nail. A bad hire really derails a program.

 

[sabach]

I was at SU from 88 to 92. Four bowl games and four wins. Went to the Hall of Fame Bowl as a Freshman. Back then you needed 8 wins to guarantee a bowl and even then it was not for sure. Getting to 6 wins was a joke. We could pick 6 games of guaranteed wins and 2 of them were Rutgers and V Tech.