Where Are We From/Fan History. | Page 11 | Syracusefan.com

Where Are We From/Fan History.

Born and raised in York Pa.
Father was a 3 sport star at York High
Father earned FB scholarship to CUSE
Freshman team went to Cornell or Colgate (cannot remember which) to watch the varsity play
Stands in which my father was sitting collapsed and his knee was destroyed, no more FB for him
Usually school would yank schollie, but SU said based on circumstances and my fathers character they would allow him to continue on schollie...father graduated from SU in the 30's
My father was forever indebted to SU...and remained close to SU FB
Ben Schwarzwalter (sp?) used to come to our house in York for dinner
Father scouted local York talent and would invite the players to the house and provide them with info about SU
Fond memories rooting the Cuse on in the 75 FF ?
Went to SU in 76/77...JB's first year...the Louie/Bouie show (26-4 I believe w HUGE win at L-ville)
Got placed in the apartments out by Manley and remember trudging thru the snow to games with my buddy John O' Mahoney
Those were the days of the ECAC and huge games w St B and St Johns
Pretty awesome atmosphere at the Zoo
Had to drop out in spring 77 to care for dying father
Moved to Oregon in 81 and got geology degree...now run a geology consulting firm
I live and die for SU hoops...been rooting for SU teams since old enough to understand sports
Sure appreciate this forum which allows me to feel closer to the team I love
I played FB and baseball so I do not know alot of the finer points of BB so I do not post much but read alot
Never been to the Dome but someday I hope to come back and see a game and meet some of the wonderful people associated w this board

Lets Go Orange...kick some Pitt butt !!!!!

OO44
Great read… Go Orange.
 
OrOrange44 said:
Yeah my blood runs Orange
Been reflecting since I wrote that
I wanted to learn a trade and my father badly wanted me to go to college and get away from the junior mafia as he called my friends
He pretty much forced me and pulled strings to get me into SU

Some of the best times of my life from the opening David Bromberg concert on the quad
Had never seen so many handtrucks of kegs
Lucked out getting put into the apartments and not a dorm
Used to get cases of Molson Golden for like 7.50
And then to stand and scream w 15,000 drunken souls for SU hoops I was addicted for life
Often wonder what life would have been like had my father not gotten cancer and I had stayed at SU
Not the way the game works

Anyway I do not care for Jamie Dixon so I hope we kick some panther ass tomorrow

OO44

I've always wondered how many diehards have never seen a Cuse game live at the dome. I bet it's more than we think.
 
Great stories. Don't want to be a stick in the mud so here goes...

Born and raised on Long Island so college sports weren't really a thing. When I was a kid, we had the Yankees (OK they sucked at the time and Dad was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan so liking the Yankees was never going to happen anyway), Mets (Tom Seaver era so not sucking), Rangers, Islanders, Giants, Jets, Knicks (Walt Frazier, Willis Reed, Earl Monroe ) and Nets (Dr. J.) all about an hour's drive, so you might understand why I didn't know Jack about college anything.

In 1989 I moved to and started working in the Syracuse area. I recall being in the Sears store in Shoppingtown, walking through its TV dep't and thinking "Hmm.. I don't know these team playing basketball. Oh, how quaint, they are all watching college hoops."

MANY years later, I attended my first SU MBB game (against Providence, Jan '08) thanks to a pair of tickets I received as a Christmas gift from my wife (a Syracuse area native and one-time employee of SU). She was pregnant with our second child so I took our oldest to the game and had a blast. I realized that was a sort of test, because for my birthday later that year I received "the book" containing two seasons tickets. Halfway through that season I was hooked.

So, I'm a relative old timer but kinda new to the game.

This board has been a great resource. Kudos to all - admins, regular members.
 
Born in 89. Lived in Rochester until I was 12. Spent the next 12 years in Virginia, 2 in Abingdon, 10 in Virginia Beach. Just moved to Manassas, VA, outside D.C. Was in Cuse gear as soon as I got home from the hospital. Grandfather was my biggest influence into Cuse fandom. His brother Norm Mordue played football at Cuse with Floyd Little, and they both grew up in Elmira with Ernie Davis. Ernie actually helped recruit my great uncle to Cuse, and they were good friends who drove together between home and school. He was also roommates with Jim Nance his freshman year. He got shot in the ankle by a sniper in Vietnam, so when he came home, he decided to attend SU Law school. He's since become the chief justice of the supreme court for the northern district, and in the 80s actually taught law at SU. His son went to Cuse and also Cuse law, and is a D.A. somewhere around Syracuse. My mom went to cuse during the Mcnabb years for Law school and went to football games all the time. There is no such thing as not being a Cuse fan in my family. Unfortunately 1 cousin did attend gtown undergrad.

Favorite game attended: Pinstripe Bowl vs. WVU (also my first game)
Favorite bball player: Macnamera
Bball season: 03
Bball game: title, 6ot

I love all SU sports, but the football is what I'm addicted to. Let's go Orange!
 
Born in 89. Lived in Rochester until I was 12. Spent the next 12 years in Virginia, 2 in Abingdon, 10 in Virginia Beach. Just moved to Manassas, VA, outside D.C. Was in Cuse gear as soon as I got home from the hospital. Grandfather was my biggest influence into Cuse fandom. His brother Norm Mordue played football at Cuse with Floyd Little, and they both grew up in Elmira with Ernie Davis. Ernie actually helped recruit my great uncle to Cuse, and they were good friends who drove together between home and school. He was also roommates with Jim Nance his freshman year. He got shot in the ankle by a sniper in Vietnam, so when he came home, he decided to attend SU Law school. He's since become the chief justice of the supreme court for the northern district, and in the 80s actually taught law at SU. His son went to Cuse and also Cuse law, and is a D.A. somewhere around Syracuse. My mom went to cuse during the Mcnabb years for Law school and went to football games all the time. There is no such thing as not being a Cuse fan in my family. Unfortunately 1 cousin did attend gtown undergrad.

Favorite game attended: Pinstripe Bowl vs. WVU (also my first game)
Favorite bball player: Macnamera
Bball season: 03
Bball game: title, 6ot

I love all SU sports, but the football is what I'm addicted to. Let's go Orange!
I've heard that story about Norm before. From the esteemed gentleman himself! Hell of a nice guy. I loved the stories he told me about Ernie recruiting him . Awesome. Oh yeah, you might recognize the guy standing beside me in my avatar!;)
 
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Born and raised in York Pa.
Father was a 3 sport star at York High
Father earned FB scholarship to CUSE
Freshman team went to Cornell or Colgate (cannot remember which) to watch the varsity play
Stands in which my father was sitting collapsed and his knee was destroyed, no more FB for him
Usually school would yank schollie, but SU said based on circumstances and my fathers character they would allow him to continue on schollie...father graduated from SU in the 30's
My father was forever indebted to SU...and remained close to SU FB
Ben Schwarzwalter (sp?) used to come to our house in York for dinner
Father scouted local York talent and would invite the players to the house and provide them with info about SU
Fond memories rooting the Cuse on in the 75 FF ?
Went to SU in 76/77...JB's first year...the Louie/Bouie show (26-4 I believe w HUGE win at L-ville)
Got placed in the apartments out by Manley and remember trudging thru the snow to games with my buddy John O' Mahoney
Those were the days of the ECAC and huge games w St B and St Johns
Pretty awesome atmosphere at the Zoo
Had to drop out in spring 77 to care for dying father
Moved to Oregon in 81 and got geology degree...now run a geology consulting firm
I live and die for SU hoops...been rooting for SU teams since old enough to understand sports
Sure appreciate this forum which allows me to feel closer to the team I love
I played FB and baseball so I do not know alot of the finer points of BB so I do not post much but read alot
Never been to the Dome but someday I hope to come back and see a game and meet some of the wonderful people associated w this board

Lets Go Orange...kick some Pitt butt !!!!!

OO44

Wow. Amazing story.
 
grew up glued to the radio listening to Joel and his great commentary. "Tommy Brain Tree Stundis" " Up the invisible ladder" I will never forget Sweet D in warm ups in the center pulling a harlem Globtrotter act before each game! Magic moments like Calvin putting up 50 or DR. J paying a visit and who can ever forget the good father B being kicked out of Manley, Roys Runts... I could go on but as a young boy those times were really special
 
Born and raised in York Pa.
Father was a 3 sport star at York High
Father earned FB scholarship to CUSE
Freshman team went to Cornell or Colgate (cannot remember which) to watch the varsity play
Stands in which my father was sitting collapsed and his knee was destroyed, no more FB for him
Usually school would yank schollie, but SU said based on circumstances and my fathers character they would allow him to continue on schollie...father graduated from SU in the 30's
My father was forever indebted to SU...and remained close to SU FB
Ben Schwarzwalter (sp?) used to come to our house in York for dinner
Father scouted local York talent and would invite the players to the house and provide them with info about SU
Fond memories rooting the Cuse on in the 75 FF ?
Went to SU in 76/77...JB's first year...the Louie/Bouie show (26-4 I believe w HUGE win at L-ville)
Got placed in the apartments out by Manley and remember trudging thru the snow to games with my buddy John O' Mahoney
Those were the days of the ECAC and huge games w St B and St Johns
Pretty awesome atmosphere at the Zoo
Had to drop out in spring 77 to care for dying father
Moved to Oregon in 81 and got geology degree...now run a geology consulting firm
I live and die for SU hoops...been rooting for SU teams since old enough to understand sports
Sure appreciate this forum which allows me to feel closer to the team I love
I played FB and baseball so I do not know alot of the finer points of BB so I do not post much but read alot
Never been to the Dome but someday I hope to come back and see a game and meet some of the wonderful people associated w this board

Lets Go Orange...kick some Pitt butt !!!!!

OO44


Makes me want to take my story down. Good stuff there. You absolutely have to get back and check out the Dome. You will not be disappointed!
 
Mrs Fairfax and I graduated from SU in 1984. Started following the Orange in 1980. My greatest memory is sitting in my Fraternity house (on College Place, where the Science and Tech Building is now) when Pearl hit the half court shot. The explosion from the dome was incredible. You heard it clear across campus...
 
I absolutely love this thread. It should be pinned.

I agree. It was for a short while but then got untacked. I'll "bump" it every one in a while to make sure it stays active.

If you have any sway with the mods maybe you can advocate for it to be tacked permanently!
 
I figured I woulda already replied here but doesn't appear so.

-Born in Wilmington, DE in 75 (so Philly area)
-Was always a contrarian with sports team interests so couldn't like PSU and graviated towards Syracuse. I remember the Sugar Bowl, Keith Smart stuff, Peach Bowl, Billy Owens on SI, Marvin Graves breaking in against USC in the Meadowlands (weird one) and a bunch of others. Wore Syracuse stuff all the time at school.
-Was bigtime into pro wrestling and loved the bad guys. When Mike Rotundo was doing his Syracuse wrestler schtick, I was in heaven. Wore Cuse stuff every month and used to go to the airport marriott to meet them all. Have great pics of little me with Flair, Road Warriors, etc and have Syracuse on in every one.
-My sophomore year of high school, my dad and I drove up to Cooperstown and planned to be there three days. After one day, we realized we didn't have anything else to do there so took an impromptu trip down the road. I took my first official tour, got on the mailing list, etc.
-The summer after my junior year in high school, I did summer college at SU. My plan was to be Bob Costas so signed up for the intro Newhouse course. Had to sign up for a second so took Poli Sci. Ended up hating Comm and loving the other so my route changed fro Newhouse to Maxwell (which wasn't Maxwell undergrad back then but thankfully appears that way now)
-I applied early decision and was admitted. Soon after, my dad took me to my first game in person - the Conrad McRae game at the Spectrum vs. Nova.
-During school, I played snare drum in the marching band for 4 years and then stayed on as instructor while I got an MPA at Maxwell. Have a crazy story of how we got tickets to the '96 final four but no room for that here. Was also a drummer in Sitrus for a couple years (though marching was more my thing and I knew I'd never travel with Sitrus since they only took one drummer on the road).
-Highlight of school was during block party when I was playing in a band on a porch, another member motioned to me to look up front in the crowd. McNabb was dancing!
-My first job out of grad school was actually in Syracuse, so I was able to stay very connected and continue to teach the drumline (that was through Fiesta and Orange Bowls)
-My company asked me to move to Atlanta in '02 and have been here since.
-I've been many names on the board over the years. Believe I was mdh to start. Was Pitkanen most recently and now Timonen (for non witty Flyers fans, those are #44 for Philly).
-Married an LSU grad. We tell people it's a marriage of convenience where she gets my basketball and I get her football...though still tease that we won last time we played (not that she knows the difference). Was a lot of sports karma in '03, though. SU won bb and LSU won fb...both in New Orleans which is where she's from. How can that NOT work?
-Board highlight was deciding the night before the finals in '03 to drive to Nola in the morning and coordinating on here with somebody from Minnesota to hang out for the day. I wish it was the facebook era because I'd still be connected to him but have totally lost touch.
-Like most others in the south, ecstatic for the chance to see SU more...though could do without games like GTech this year.
 
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Damn--- This is partly so sad -- it severely ages me :(

I saw Dave Bing and JB play in Manley. The place was a floor on a field of dirt. By half-time the whole place was a cloud of dust. Bing was doing things I had never thought possible coming from Copenhagen New York like I did. JB was incredible too. He gave Bing the ball and got the heck out of the way. Very good BB IQ even then.

Watched the disastrous last game in Manley.

Then the good parts -

Lee brothers and other teams going farther than individual talent should have taken them.

Watching Pearl's two best moves. 1st-Half-court shot to win vs BC and sprinting out of the place. 2nd - groin shot to Patrick Ewing in front of the G'town bench and then walking away with arms extended like "what happened ". :rolling: Would have loved to see an Erckle imitation of "did I do that?"

Eating on Marshall street with each of my 3 kids before games.

And now going to games in the south when SU is around (see some of you on the 25th in Miami).

Tons of great memories in-between all of these.
 
I grew up in Newark, New York. I graduated High School in 1985. I joined the USAF and was stationed at Vandenberg AFB, California. Before I moved from New York, I was not a Syracuse fan. I don't know why, but I did not follow them. Being away from home, I clinged on to anything upstate New York. I became hardcore and couldn't get enough of the Orangemen.

I remember a trip to San Diego in 1987. Syracuse was playing against Providence College in the Final Four. We were in a cheap hotel, getting ready to go to Tijuana, Mexico. Syracuse won and I had a crazy night in TJ. One week later, a corner jump shot broke my heart, as Syracuse almost won their first National Championship in basketball.

My first game was against Morehead State on December 28, 1987 when I was home on leave. I was amazed by the Carrier Dome. We sat in the bleachers in front of the blue curtain. I took my VHS video camera and videotaped much of the game. I started out in my seat taping, but the camera was bulky, and I didn't want to interfere with anybody's sight of the game. I think at halftime, I snuck down near one of the baskets and creeped in by a guy filming the game for a television station. I filmed next to him for a short time and then somebody tapped me on the shoulder and removed me from that area. Somewhere, I have that tape.

In 1991 a friend and I went to a Santa Barbara Islanders CBA game. They were playing the San Jose Jammers. Syracuse beat Georgetown that day and I was wearing a Syracuse Sweatshirt. Before the game, I was down low in the stadium near the locker rooms. There was a player that saw my sweatshirt and we made eye contact. We approached each other and chatted for a few minutes. This player was the reason I went to the game, it was "The Pearl". Pearl Washington was standing in front of me talking about the Georgetown game. What a thrill for me!

At halftime of that game, the announcer told us to open our programs to a certain page. Whoever had an autograph of Don Ford, who was from Santa Barbara, was to report to the scoters table. It was me! I had the autograph and I didn't know what would happen next. I went to the scorer stable and they told me I would be shooting hoops for prizes at halftime. There were about 10 shots. They were from a layup to a 3 pointer. There were many gifts and I was sure I would be lighting up the night.

I was a wrestler growing up and had played in a league until I was about 8 years old. I made the all star team one year, but my team sucked and they needed someone to play. Anyhow, I was confident and ready to hit some shots. Halftime came and when I was walking to the court, Pearl saw me. He turned around and stood near the tunnel. Pearl Washington was watching me, in my Syracuse Orangemen sweatshirt, getting ready to represent Syracuse and win some wonderful prizes. That made me nervous. My palms began to sweat and I could barely breath as I walked on the court.

My first shot was a layup. I could do this in my sleep. I was going to warmup with this and win my first of many prizes. I bounced the ball a few times, ran up and clanked it against the rim. Pearl was still watching. I was so embarrassed. I shook it off and went to my next spot. It was a short jumper, maybe from 6-8 feet. I jumped, shot and missed. Oh no!! I missed a short jumper!! My sweatshirt had a thick elastic band that hugged my waist. As I shot, the sweatshirt crept up and it felt like I was wearing a tube top that girls used to wear. At that time, I had abs, but it felt strange. I could not get that off my mind. I looked over to see in Pearl was still watching and he had gone to the locker room. I was a mess. I embarrassed Pearl and he walked off. It was not getting any easier. I missed my few shots and worked my way to a 3 pointer. This shot was for a trip to Lake Tahoe. My palms were sweating and I was a complete mess. I chucked the shot up and air balled it. The crowd started chanting "airball" and I wanted to crawl under a rock. I still had a few more shorter shots for more prizes. I was sweating and my results did not change. I missed every shot. The announcer was kind enough to award me a 2 liter bottle of Pepsi for my participation. I was so embarrassed. I took my soda and walked back to my seat. The game went on and I sat in my chair thinking about the shame. I felt like I should turn my sweatshirt inside out. I shamed Syracuse and Pearl Washington. The game ended and as I was walking out, a kid noticed me and started the "airball" chant. I was wondering how he noticed me. I didn't realize I was the only person carrying a 2 liter bottle of Pepsi. I couldn't get out of the stadium quick enough. That night still haunts me. Lol....

Years passed and we had many awesome players and great teams. 2003 was a dream season and I will never forget being decked out in Orange gear with my daughter watching the Championship game. Finally, we did it.

I lived in California for 13 years and then moved to Pennsylvania. I introduced my 3 kids to the Orange and have had some great experiences going to games. When there is a game on, my family and friends know I will be watching.

Anyhow, that is my Syracuse story! There have been some great moments and hopefully, this team will create many more!

Syracusefan.com, thank you for having me! I love this place.
 
I was born in Niagara Falls back in 1982. My father is a huge Syracuse fan as well so he got me into them early. I was just a kid but I vaguely remember him putting a hole in our living room wall after the Keith Smart shot in 87'. I'm sure my mother was thrilled.
I started following them heavily around 96' and distinctly remember the great March run that Wallace led us on.
All throughout High School I idolized Etan Thomas' game. He was my favorite player until G Mac.

For me, the 2003 championship was the most meaningful championship that any team that I root for has ever won. I am a Bills/Sabres fan so those are self explanatory but I also am a Yankees fan. I cherish that 1 NC over the 5 WS that the Yankees have won in my life.

I remember watching Paul Harris and Johnny Flynn play high school basketball and being stoked when I found out they would be re-united at Syracuse.

I still think that we were the best team in the country in 09 before Onuaku got hurt.

Being in the Navy, I travel around the country and meet people/fans from all over. The debates can get quite intense. It is great to know that I have Syracuse to hang my hat on each and every year. It drives my Kentucky friends crazy. (Yes i have a few, unfortunately)

I cannot wait to see where this season takes us.
Go Orange! Go SU!
 
Born in Havana Cuba.
Moved to Solvay at the age of 12.
Became an Orange man watching Jimmy Brown scoring all the points against TCU in the cotton bowl
Dad became an Orange man when as a teenager when we went to watch Syracuse play Pitt at Archbold std.
Pitt. line up for a tying field goal on the last play of the game and instead threw a pass in the end zone which Syracuse intercepted.
We were sitting in the end zone and saw the play up close. Game over, Dad went wild and became a football fanatic since prior to that experience it was all baseball and boxing for him.
I had the privilege of watching the 1959 team win the national championship and saw Ernie Davis win the the Heisman in 1961 which should had also been won in 1956 by Jimmy Brown instead of Paul H.

Went to Syracuse U. as a townie in 1961.
Dad died in as I was starting my freshman year which was very hard for both my mom and I to deal with since he was the best dad in the world.
Those were the golden years of Syracuse football with Floyd Little and Jim Nance running wild along with John Mackey.
Watched basketball at Manley with coach B. and Dave Bing, but basketball was not a big deal back then.
Graduated in 1965 and went to work for Eastman Kodak and was drafted 6 months later into the army during the Viet Nam war.
Luckily for me I spent all my time in the military after basic training behind a desk in Yuma Arizona.
After my stint in the army, I went to work for DuPont in Virginia.
I retired after working for them for 40 yrs. and still live in Va.
I remember watching Syracuse beat N.C. on their way to their first final four at a bowling alley in Richmond with a bunch of ACC fans
Boy was that sweet.
The 1987 loss to Indiana broke my heart, and finally winning it in 2003 was great.
Can't wait to start playing VPI again since I have some friends who are Tech fans and we had some great games with them including the time we beat them at Lane std. which I happened to watch seated in a Tech. section.
Anyway I am life long die hard Syracuse fan and can't wait to see us return to football glory and get another national champioship in basketball.
 
Born in Havana Cuba.
Moved to Solvay at the age of 12.
Became an Orange man watching Jimmy Brown scoring all the points against TCU in the cotton bowl
Dad became an Orange man when as a teenager when we went to watch Syracuse play Pitt at Archbold std.
Pitt. line up for a tying field goal on the last play of the game and instead threw a pass in the end zone which Syracuse intercepted.
We were sitting in the end zone and saw the play up close. Game over, Dad went wild and became a football fanatic since prior to that experience it was all baseball and boxing for him.
I had the privilege of watching the 1959 team win the national championship and saw Ernie Davis win the the Heisman in 1961 which should had also been won in 1956 by Jimmy Brown instead of Paul H.

Went to Syracuse U. as a townie in 1961.
Dad died in as I was starting my freshman year which was very hard for both my mom and I to deal with since he was the best dad in the world.
Those were the golden years of Syracuse football with Floyd Little and Jim Nance running wild along with John Mackey.
Watched basketball at Manley with coach B. and Dave Bing, but basketball was not a big deal back then.
Graduated in 1965 and went to work for Eastman Kodak and was drafted 6 months later into the army during the Viet Nam war.
Luckily for me I spent all my time in the military after basic training behind a desk in Yuma Arizona.
After my stint in the army, I went to work for DuPont in Virginia.
I retired after working for them for 40 yrs. and still live in Va.
I remember watching Syracuse beat N.C. on their way to their first final four at a bowling alley in Richmond with a bunch of ACC fans
Boy was that sweet.
The 1987 loss to Indiana broke my heart, and finally winning it in 2003 was great.
Can't wait to start playing VPI again since I have some friends who are Tech fans and we had some great games with them including the time we beat them at Lane std. which I happened to watch seated in a Tech. section.
Anyway I am life long die hard Syracuse fan and can't wait to see us return to football glory and get another national champioship in basketball.


Thanks for posting this. Very interesting. Where in Va. do you live?
 
Born in Baltimore, raised in Kendall, NY ever since. I went to the same High School as Bouie and I can tell you the entire Kendall community is very proud of our favorite basketball player. I have had several conversations with him in town about Syracuse and he is truly a great man. He still watch our high school play as often as he can. I first watched Syracuse back in 2003 during an indoor soccer tournament. The Orange were on tv and everyone around were glued to the tv shouting and cheering etc. I understood at the time Syracuse was a team close to Rochester, but I never understood how special the program was at the time. I started to follow Syracuse very closely in the 2005 season and remember breaking my tv after the Vermont game. Grounded shorty after. I am pretty upset I have not followed the program prior to 2003, but I am very proud to bleed Orange today. I am looking to move out west this fall and I will expand the Orange empire out there as well. Great thread!
 
Where: Born in '91 in Rome, NY; grew up in Camden, NY; went to college at SUNY Oswego; currently live in B'ville and work in East Syracuse

Why: Never cared much for any pro sport; my dad was a huge Syracuse football fan and had season tickets during the McNabb years; I would always go to sporting events with him whenever we could and I just fell in love with Syracuse basketball (basketball was my third sport, but watching SU play bball was just awesome)

When: Started following SU basketball around 2001; Preston Shumpert was my favorite player and the first game I remember was the one where he hit 6 or 7 threes and the Dome was rocking; '03 season solidified my love of Syracuse and I haven't looked back; '09-10 was my favorite team to watch

Favorite Players (that weren't necessarily stars): Shumpert (too young to remember or be aware of how others felt about him), Kristof, McNeil, Nichols (loved him even as a Frosh), Rautins (again, liked him right away)
 
Born 1981 in Syracuse and grew up in West Monroe NY (couple exits north of Cicero).

My old man was a diehard SU fan so naturally I followed. Most of my buddies growing up were Cuse fans, except for the occasional badasses sporting different colors just because. They weren’t true fans anyhow. I was hooked during the McNabb and Moten/Wallace days. Those were probably my earliest memories. I wish I had a picture of my bedroom, I had so, so many cut outs on my wall of the Orange.

Favorite memory by far was the 2003 championship. I was broke, in college with the hand me down furniture, couple of posters, ratty apartment but a 55” projection TV purchased with student loans (genius, I know) but life was good. My best bud, friends & future wife were all there. We had beer, snacks, and killer sausage sandwiches w/ onions, peppers & pepper-jack cheese off my abused foreman grill (miss that grill, it was large dome shaped one, you don’t see them anymore). After the W, I couldn’t even tell you what went down, because I don’t remember. Great times! Second place goes to the 6 overtime game :)….

Still hanging around Central NY. Typically we hit one-3 games a year whether its football and/or bball. Once the kido(s), another one around the corner, are old enough, season tickets will be a must. I have a decent career and tried leaving the area a few times. But there is something about Syracuse, once you leave, that craving pumps through your veins and before you know it you’re back. Back bitch’n about the cold, snow, salt & secretly loving every moment of it :p…..4everBleedingOrange and that’s my Where Are We From/Fan History.
 
Born and raised in Auburn, NY... about 25 miles southwest of Syracuse. Still live in the area.

Met several of the people on this board and they are all great, great people. Just played golf with sutomcat, Orangeyes and DCCuse in September. Met TexanMark and Cuseregular randomly on the field of the Cuse/Rutgers football game in 2010 or 2011. Met others at the tailgates and during road trips. Syracusefan.com is the place to be if you are an SU fan.

Became an absolute addict fan during the Marvin Graves days, then McNabb, etc. The '96 "Cuse in da house OMG OMG" run is a very fond memory of mine. I still can't believe that Georgia game (thank you Cipolla and Wallace!!!).

My cool story goes like this...

My best friend's sister played bball for Syracuse during the McNabb/Konrad/Harrison days. When she graduated from Syracuse, her parents threw a quasi-graduation party in Auburn. Rob Konrad, McNabb, Phil Nash, Etan Thomas and Kirby Dar Dar were in town. A bunch of us kids were in the pool (I was like 14-15) and all these massive dudes immediately jumped in the pool to cool off (hot day). Pool volleyball ensued and these guys actually let us all play and get involved (shockingly). Etan Thomas was my catapult to be a blocker at the net haha. After awhile, me and my buddies left and went down to a playground not far away to play basketball as we always did (at this point, all these Cuse guys were chilling inside). We get down to the courts and this group of 20 year old dudes start talking smack and telling us were we going to get jumped (just a group of dickwads to be honest). We leave, go back up to the house and everyone asks why we came back. We told the story and Phil Nash overhears us telling what had just gone down. Next thing you know, Phil, McNabb and Etan are escorting us back down to the courts. The same group of punks were still there and Phil Nash simply says, "is there a problem with these boys?" The punks immediately get all scared and notice who these 3 guys were, especially McNabb and Thomas. Phil Nash then says, "us 3 plus 2 of our boys right here versus you guys"... The boys decline and start to leave, then we shoot hoops for a bit with the Cuse boys before returning to the party. They were all laughing amongst each other and we thought we were the coolest MFers around. That's my first crazy Cuse story.

Since then, I've been to many tourneys, away games, Dome games, practices, fundraisers, golf tourneys, etc.

I am a diehard football and basketball fan. You can clearly see my bias in my posts. I don't even try to hide it.

I have season football tickets in 301 and treat them religiously. I don't miss games. My wife goes to most of the games with me and we have a blast. I can hear the crazies up in 302 as if they were sitting in my ear lobe.

We went to the Pinstripe Bowl against WVU. Drinking beer in the sleet/snow while watching SU just wipe the field with Mountaineer rag was simply awesome.

My wife and I had our first daughter in 2012 and she is always rocking the Cuse gear. My family/friends are constantly getting her new sizes so she can continue to sport the Blue and Orange. Who says you can't look pretty in Orange? My daughter is adorable in Otto gear. :)
 
Gratified to see that there are a great number of passionate SUBB Fans out there who didn't go to SU. Thanks, I feel better.

Born in Brooklyn in 1942. Raised on Long Island and doted on the Boys of Summer. Watched them play in Ebbets Field. Jackie Robinson movie meant a lot to me.

Moved to high school in the SF Bay Area in 1956. Couldn't believe MY Dodgers moved to LA, so became an SF Giants fan with the debut of Willie McCovey, and have been one ever since. (I'm as passionate about the Giants as I am about the Cuse.)

As for basketball, I was drawn to the Wooden UCLA teams because of their consistency and the beauty of the game they played. Morphed that love to the Celtics my freshman year at M.I.T. when I watched many a game at The Garden with the Russell-Cousy-Sharman-Heinsohn-Luscatof team. Morphed that love to the Hoosier team of Branch McCracken (1964-65) with Tom and Dick VanArsdale and Jon McGlocklin while I was in graduate school at IU. Stayed an IU fan through the undefeated 1976 team, but lost it when Bobby Knight started throwing chairs and choking players (I'm tolerant of many things, but not bullies). So, finally, morphed my BB Love to the Cuse in the Mid-Seventies while I was a reporter and editorial page writer with the Rochester D&C. The common thread for all these teams was consistency of program, team identity, and basketball play at a high and beautiful level (that pointedly leaves out thug-ball teams). Crisp passing and creative assists give me goosebumps.

Did see a Cuse game live in Rochester, but haven't missed very many on TV. Have been an orphaned follower of the team ever since we moved to Virginia Beach, hence the moniker VaBeachOrFan.

P.S.: Did run into Dave Siock here a couple of years ago. Said he was (is still?) AD at a nearby high school. His son was with him, so I asked who his favorite player was. He answered Jonny Flynn. My favorite was Lawrence Moten, but it's hard to focus on one player anymore now that so many excellent ones have passed through the program, and they're getting better. CJ is as smooth as Poetry, and now Ennis is tugging at me like a second moon. Now that SU's in the ACC, I'll be seeing them in Charlottesville March 1. Can't wait!-VBOF
 
I was born 1962 in New Jersey. I attended SU 1981 through 1984.

Coming out of high school, I don't know how I ended up going to Syracuse. I think I just liked the picture of Crouse College on the brochure. I had no idea what I was getting into (kind of like my first wife). I didn't even own a good winter jacket or boots. I didn't even know it snowed in Syracuse. I was just a stupid kid. And most of all, I did not know I was joining Orange basketball cult! 2-3 what?

As a result of peer pressure I became a fan pretty quick. And because Orange basketball is all people talked about. I was at a few games where Leo Rautins was playing. One time I played a round of video games with Andre Hawkins at the back of one of the small restaurants on Marshall Street. He was a nice kid. I thought it was kind of cool that he would even talk with me. But there was one event that forever turned my blood Orange.

By my junior year I had season tickets in the student section for the 1983-84 season. I had a pretty good seat with the help of some friends who camped out for tickets. I was 7 rows back to the right side of one of the baskets. So I was able to see lots of fast break points. It was a lot fun to watch Dwayne 'the Pearl' Washington exercise his super powers. It was great watching Rafael Addison, Greg Monroe, Howard Triche, Wendell Alexis, and company.

So I was actually at the game when the Pearl made his famous last second half-court shot to beat BC. The shot came straight at me. I remember Dome deflating while the shot was in the air and then instantly reflating after he made it! As soon as it went in I remember leaping out of my seat over all the seats in front of me. There were knocked over chairs everywhere. I was jumping around the court and I got knocked over a chair. The foot of one of the chair legs gave me a pretty good scratch in the center of back which bled a little bit. At the time I just got back up and kept jumping around with everyone. It was awesome! THAT, was the first day I truly bled Orange.

Since then I've watch every Orange basketball game I was able to see on TV. Since I live in New Jersey, I've gone to a lot of games at Seton Hall, MSG (St Johns and BET), Rutgers, and Villanova.

So I have a funny story. The season after the Orange won the National Championship, I decided to take my seventy year old mother to see a basketball game. The Orange were away at Rutgers that year. Since this was a Christmas present I figured I get some good seats. We were about 10 rows back first section to the right of center court. About even with the basketball rim at one end of the court. Rutgers had a pretty good team that year and if they beat the Orange they had a good chance to go to the NCAA tournament. So I am at the game with my seventy year old mother and we are all decked out in Orange.

The Orange were up by 10 points at the half. The second half starts and Rutgers is on a good run. They are 4 points down and the crowd is really into the game. There's a foul and a Rutgers player comes to the foul line right in front of where we are sitting to shoot the front end of a 1-and-1. The crowd is really tense. The RAC is completely quiet. Just as the guy is about to make the shot, my mother yells at the top of her lungs, "MISS". It was insanely loud! It echoed off the roof of the RAC and probably caused several heart attacks in the stands. The shot goes up, lands on the rim, rolls forward, sits there for what like seems forever, and then rolls off to the left and misses. Syracuse then goes on a 10-2 run and wins the game. I thought I was not going to make it out of the building alive! It was just too funny!!
 
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Grew up all over including in Syracuse. Family still there. Became a fan as a young kid/teenager during the SU football/basketball "golden age" of the late 1980s and early 1990s. I consider myself a bigger football fan and take more pleasure in SU's football success because it's always been a harder climb. SU had to be an innovator to win back then. For all the crap he got on these boards, DeLeone was the Mike Leach of his times!

Lots of great memories of SU wins. We've all been blessed as fans during the Dome era. WVU and PSU in '87 were the wins that made me a fan for life. '89 SU-G'town in the Dome was the loudest place I've ever been.

Never went to SU (I had better options ;)!) but I still live and die with SU football and basketball.
 

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