Where Are We From/Fan History. | Page 12 | Syracusefan.com

Where Are We From/Fan History.

VaBeachOrFan said:
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
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I'll be at the UVA game too. I live in Richmond and my son just took a job in Charlottesville so my wife and I and my son and his fiancé will be there.
 
victor said:
I live in Powhatan county which is about 25 miles south west of downtown Richmond.
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Crazy, so do I! I live right off of hugenaut Trail Road.
 
I was sure I had completed this already. I stand corrected. Here it goes:

  • Born in 1976 and raised in Westvale, a suburb of Syracuse.
  • Graduated from Westhill.
  • Attended Oswego for a semester, but I really wanted to attend SU, so I transferred. Attended August 1995-December 1998. Walked the stage in 1999. Sat next to Keith Bullock during the Arts and Sciences Commencement.
  • Returned to SU to earn my Masters--2001-2003. Defended my dossier project the Friday of the week we won the national title.
  • Teach English and Composition at a Syracuse-area college.
  • Coached basketball at a variety of levels--from recreational leagues to varsity summer leagues.
  • Deserve to be called a "basketball nerd" since I break down game film every chance I get.
  • Love both Syracuse football and basketball.
  • Trace my earliest memories of Syracuse basketball to the Rafael Addison/Wendell Alexis teams. I became a lifelong fan of both the team and the sport with the arrival of Pearl Washington.
  • Called Sherman Douglas my favorite player for years (I was a point guard as a kid). Carmelo tied "The General" in 2003, and though G-Mac earned his spot during that season, he solidified it throughout his entire career. However, Tyler Ennis is working his way into the conversation...
  • Remember the devastation of '87. In terms of my sports life, that low point has only been surpassed by the euphoria of 2003.
  • Became a fan of Syracuse football during the Scott Schwedes years.
  • Recall vividly the first play from scrimmage of the '87 Penn State game, despite never having seen a replay of it. Had a perfect view of it from my end-zone seat.
  • Had almost the exact same view of the McNabb to Brominski throwback play vs. VT.
  • Was one of the first to learn that Malcolm Thomas was voted a team captain as, at the time, he and I were working on a project together for our Biopsychology class. He was psyched to say the least.
  • Missed only one Syracuse football home game during my undergraduate years--the infamous Tennessee game. I was visiting my girlfriend's family in Massachusetts. I'm sure my absence caused the loss. Sorry.
  • Have football season tickets.
  • Plan to rectify my lack of basketball season tickets next season if possible. Still attend several games a year.
  • Have enjoyed the conversations with all of you here on Syracusefan. Thanks to all of the mods for the site, and the work you do for us.
 
jvbj01 said:
Beautiful area. I'm doing some work at Fort Pickett now.
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I was just in Richmond last week - end up down in that area a bit because of work. Although primarily in Chester/Fort Lee area - which I don't find all that beautiful. Stopped at a good donut shop - Sugar Shack in Richmond...that was the highlight of my last trip.
 
Born and raised in CT (near Waterbury) and attended Syracuse from 1991-1995. My parents and none of my friends were college basketball fans and Uconn sucked at that time so there was never any juice about the sport in my area. My very first memory of the game was the Indiana/Syracuse title game in 1997 so I was 14. I don't remember the Keith Smart jumper, I just remember free throws at the end and some misses. I wasn't rooting for either team and my memories are very cloudy.

My next memory was of the Michigan/Seton Hall title game 2 years later. This game is really what made me like college hoops. I became a fan of the game and the Big East specifically. I was a big fan of Villanova and St. John's.

2 years later I applied to and was accepted to Syracuse and immediately became a fan of the team. And just a couple of months after being accepted, watching my first Syracuse NCAA game as a fan of the team, they lost to Richmond.

Went to just about every football and basketball game from 91-95. I've been back for games many time, but the last 5 years I think I made it once due to having a few kids. Got back twice already this year and going to the Duke game as well now that the kids are a bit older and can handle overnight babysitting etc.

So anyway, the first two Syracuse basketball games I can remember watching were Indiana and Richmond, yet I'm still here!
On a happier note, the first football game I remember watching was at the Dome vs. Florida in 91 and I was at the game!
 
My dad was an SU grad after serving during WWII, he took me to a few football games in the 60's and 70's and listened to a lot more on the radio. We moved to Syracuse in '69 where I graduated from West Genesee in '73. I went to the last game in Archibold vs Navy while serving in the Navy and still rooted for SU. I had a piece of the orange 2x4 railing as a souvenir for many years.
After the service and some 'wayward' years, I graduated from SU in '88 with a BS in Finance.
Attended most basketball games and had football seasons tickets with my wife, my brother and his girlfriend while I still lived in Syracuse.
I live in SWFL now and haven't attended many games in the last 15 years but I still bleed Orange and always will.
 
Born in Syracuse in 1967 Fan from day one. Earliest memories are the Final Four run in 75 and Hurley for Heisman - Still have a bumper sticker somewhere in the attic
Lived on the West End until 3rd grade - Moved to Liverpool
Liverpool High School class of 86
US Naval Academy Class of 1991
Was at the 1995 Rainbow Classic while stationed in Hawaii - Remember saying to my wife that there is no way we can play worse in the second half of the UMass game - I was wrong
Didn't see another game live until 2003 - at Georgetown
Lived in Colorado for seven years -recently moved to Vegas (We are 9-4-1 against the spread if anyone is interested) so I don't get to see a lot of games in person.
My wife of 23 years still cannot watch games with me...
 
cocuse said:
Born in Syracuse in 1967 Fan from day one. Earliest memories are the Final Four run in 75 and Hurley for Heisman - Still have a bumper sticker somewhere in the attic
Lived on the West End until 3rd grade - Moved to Liverpool
Liverpool High School class of 86
US Naval Academy Class of 1991
Was at the 1995 Rainbow Classic while stationed in Hawaii - Remember saying to my wife that there is no way we can play worse in the second half of the UMass game - I was wrong
...
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That's funny; I thought the same thing. We were either up by one or down by one at halftime. Then we played worse.
 
Thought I had already contributed...

I was born a poor Polish child at Crouse-Irving back in '82. Went to Franklin and Lincoln in Syracuse, then West Genesee for highschool.

My dad took me to some games as a kid. I didn't really get it. We once ran in to DC at Record Theater. I thought he was really tall.

I got hooked watching Moten score 31 in a half against Tennessee. The high socks were the pinnacle of sports fashion. Hoops and football fandom went hand in hand from that point. I ended up interacting with various players and coaches of the teams thanks to my employment at Hoyts Cinemas at Carousel Mall while in highschool. The best was my senior year in highschool. There was some partnership with Got Milk that year, so 18 and under could get $2 tickets. For some crazy reason it didn't require purchase of an adult ticket, so me and my friends would meet at the Mormon church on Calvin (I'm Mormon) pile in to my truck so we'd only pay for parking once and head to Manley, park, take the shuttle, and pay two bucks each. Not every game was eligible for the special but I think I went to about a dozen home games that season. Closest to hoops seasons I ever had. This would have been Hart and Thomas' senior season.

Boardwise, I date back to the early days of syracuse.com and was there for our first internet scandal - it involved a wide receiver and the closing of practices to the public, if anyone recalls. I've been through several iterations of the board under different handles, but have been most active here and on the ex-gf board and have stuck with the OttointheGrotto name.
 
Hi Cape, I'll be in Ft Myers in Feb, any SU local spots for watching games?

capeorange said:
My dad was an SU grad after serving during WWII, he took me to a few football games in the 60's and 70's and listened to a lot more on the radio. We moved to Syracuse in '69 where I graduated from West Genesee in '73. I went to the last game in Archibold vs Navy while serving in the Navy and still rooted for SU. I had a piece of the orange 2x4 railing as a souvenir for many years.
After the service and some 'wayward' years, I graduated from SU in '88 with a BS in Finance.
Attended most basketball games and had football seasons tickets with my wife, my brother and his girlfriend while I still lived in Syracuse.
I live in SWFL now and haven't attended many games in the last 15 years but I still bleed Orange and always will.
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Freshman at SU in fall of '97.
Graduated in spring of '01.
When applying for college, had 2 main criteria - 1) a good/great communications program... 2) a FOOTBALL school.
Got both... at least while I was a student.
During the McNabb years, when basketball was a little lean, I love that we were a football school.
Now a rabid fan of football AND basketball.
Didn't go to basketball games my freshman/sophomore years.. had seasons by senior year.
Yes, I regret missing lots of games (and court stormings, worthy or not)
But I think I've made up for it and thensome by traveling from the NYC area a TON to see basketball games - both in the Dome and on the road.
And I watch EVERY game on TV.

In the past few years alone, been to:
Dome at least once a season
Every game SU has played at MSG (except for St. John's this year, was in Florida)
Rutgers every time
Seton Hall every time
Providence a few times
Hartford once
Gampel for the Gameday game a few years ago
Villanova for every chance
probably a few others I'm missing.

2 tournament games in Cleveland (when we lost to Marquette)
2 tournament games in Pittsburgh (won both)
Saw us cut down the nets in DC last year
Saw us cut down the nets in Albany in 2003

Favorite players: Gerry by far.. Arinze.. Jonny Flynn.

So incredibly happy I've gradually built up my SU basketball fandom (football was always there) over the past 13 years... and that it gives me an awesome reason to get together with friends near and far for 15-20 times each winter.
 
mark79 said:
I'll be at the UVA game too. I live in Richmond and my son just took a job in Charlottesville so my wife and I and my son and his fiancé will be there.
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Section 313-Y-25/26. Look me up if you get the chance.-VBOF
 
Grew up in North Syracuse (graduated from C-NS in 1987) and started going to Manley with my Dad during the Louie and Bouie show. Some of these memories may be out of chronological order, but the events are quite vivid. I was also one who hovered around a transistor radio listening to Joel M. calling the games. Many a crying moment as a kid during devastating tourney losses starting with Charlotte in 1977, then Western Kentucky in 1978, etc.

Earliest memory was seeing Syracuse in some tourney in Rochester and getting Rosie's autograph on my ticket stub, which I promptly dropped in some sketchy liquid stuff on the floor. That didn't keep me from putting the stub in my pocket and saving it for decades. I am not sure if I still have it, but I suspect that the disgusting, unidentified liquid is still wet.

My dad had season tickets at Manley and my sister and alternated going to several games with him. The Zoo was amazing and I got to say the word $h1t really loudly during the famed player line-ups. Because he and my mother were no longer married during these years, I have come to suspect that my dad frequently used his tickets to enhance his dating prospects. If so, props to him!

Random early memories include:
  • Attending the last game at Archbold Stadium and the first football game at the Carrier Dome.
  • Being behind the basket watching Pearl's half court shot and the ensuing chaos
  • Going to the Meadowlands for the 1984 NCAA tourney (VCU, I believe)
  • Attending the three overtime victory over Villanova
  • Watching the 87 loss to Indiana. I can't remember if I cried, but I do remember watching the final play over and over and over...
  • Watching the Sugar Bowl game with high school friends during a break from college and immediately hating Pat Dye.
There was somewhat of a gap in my fandom during my undergraduate and grad school years (1987-1993). I was a music major for both degrees, and I spent most of my time practicing, studying, and partying. I did grad work at SMU, and now find it amusing that they are in the AAC.

Once I started my career in 1993, I began to follow the basketball team more and more. I had a gig during the 1996 Final Four, but managed to listen to the games, or part of them on the radio to and from the gig.

In the past ten or fifteen years, I have become progressively more obsessed and I was thrilled to find this board a couple of years ago. Syracuse.com hurts my head and eats away at my soul.

As an aside, I moved to London from 2001-2004 and followed via the internet with a terrible dial-up connection and by reading updates throughout the seasons. Therefore I had to listen to the National Championship game on the internet. I was extremely loud at a random time by myself in my flat. My neighbors must have wondered What was going on. There was no 'football' game on at that hour! :)

Interestingly, I did watch the Texas semi-final game. I was in Warsaw, Poland for a music festival with students and happened across some international teachers from Upstate New York (Vestal/Binghamton, I believe) who were huge Cuse fans. The principal of the International School's husband was also originally from Lake Placid and had satellite television. They arranged to pick me up at my hotel, drove me to his house, and about six of us screamed until the wee hours of the morning as we beat Texas to a pulp! I often wonder if any of those guys from the Warsaw International School are on this board? Let me know if you are!

I now live in NYC (Queens) and go to the Garden for whatever Cuse game I can make. I also head up to the Dome at least once a year for a basketball game or a football game. I still love the Dome experience and I never pass up a Dome Dog.

Thanks to all who make this board such a great experience!
 
Oakland said:
Hi Cape, I'll be in Ft Myers in Feb, any SU local spots for watching games?
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I usually watch from my couch so my opinion may be a little dated. If you are in South Ft Myers there is Shoeless Joe's near the Bell Tower Mall http://www.shoeless-joes.com/. There are a couple of Stevie Tomato's Sports Page has a couple of locations http://stevietomatossportspage.com/
Potts Sports Cafe, 6900 Daniels Pkwy, Fort Myers, FL 33912 used to be a meeting place for Cuse fans, not sure if it still is.
What area are you staying in? Ft Myers is pretty spread out.
 
Born in 1947. Grew up on the "Nort" Side of Syracuse. Went to North High School, now gone. Watched Bing and Boeheim play. Saw Ernie Davis play football. I remember old Archibald, standing in the rain and snow beneath the scoreboard to watch football games in October and November. Manley field house for b'ball was a lot of fun.
 
Have lurked on here since I was a teenager back in the AOL days but didn't register until just recently. Grew up in Syracuse, favorite player as a child was none other than Mike Hopkins. Loved his hustle and loved that he bloodied himself and thought not much of it. Can remember staying up late with my father as a 12 year old to watch the 1996 championship game against UK. Neither of us said a word to each other the entire second half and for probably a good 20 minutes after the game ended, we were both completely devastated. Really became obsessed in high school watching the Hart/Blackwell/Etan teams with friends. We always said "watch when we go off to college SU will finally win a national championship" ... and that is exactly what happened. Friends went off to school, I chose to stay home and go to SU, freshman year was the 2003 season.

Had Matt Gorman in my freshman writing class. During the first week I was assigned a group project with him. I asked if he thought they'd be any good that year to which he responded "yeah I think we'll be alright." Oh the irony. He spent most classes asleep in the back of the room. I also once encountered a very puzzled looking Gmac and Matt Gorman walking through the parking lot at Manley South. Gerry came up to me and said "dude, have you seen my car." I responded "nope, sorry man" but in my head thought "dude you don't even know me, how do you expect me to know what the heck you drive?"

Moved to Houston for 2 years after graduation before coming back north to go to grad school in Connecticut (don't worry, not Uconn). Spent many a drunken night in Hartford bars shouting out "Uconn sucksssssss." Note that this was before was invented and was the best I could do. Landed in Boston after grad school, have been to most of the recent games in CT/Prov/MSG with the exception of this year due to a recent move to Los Angeles (move to the ACC and games @BC came a year too late for me, but glad Mike Hopkins is not out here in SoCal with me). Best game attended would have to be last year's BET against Georgetown. Friend and I were completely in the bag and were determined to remind Otto Porter Jr how ugly he is during every timeout. Close second would be the win @UConn where we shut down Kemba Walker and Baye came up HUGE on the glass/defensively as a freshman.

Also played baseball against Andy Rautins in "little league" (was actually the 14-15 age group I think). One time the umpires failed to show up for a game against Andy's team, so Leo Rautins volunteered to call balls and strikes. My father was the coach of our team (the opposition) and put me at catcher even though I had never played there in my entire life, just so I could have a chance to talk to Leo. Leo actually ended up getting booed pretty bad by my teams parents, to the point where he asked me if I thought he was calling a fair game, I assured him that he was and that our parents were just a bunch of jerks. He was a great guy, handled it really well.
 
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Originally from New Berlin, NY, but had to be born in Cooperstown, NY since New Berlin didn't have any hospitals. Moved to Johnson City, NY (near Binghamton) before my 2nd grade year.

Then graduated and went to Syracuse in the fall of '98 and graduated undergrad in '02 and grad in '04. Had seasons for football/basketball while I was there.

Moved to NYC after that and have lived there ever since. Now I reside on the UWS with my family.

Really got into sports overall because of my dad and Cuse around the mid 80s. I really became passionate during Sherm's tenure on the hill. I also have a soft spot for Autry - I remember his Scholastic Sports America segment when that show aired on ESPN and how excited I was for him to come here.

I can remember all the tourney losses. It was so heartbreaking as a kid (and obviously still is).

After we won in 2003, the first two people to call me were my mom and dad. I was in tears.
 
Sanibel and then Pine Island. Thx for the info.

capeorange said:
I usually watch from my couch so my opinion may be a little dated. If you are in South Ft Myers there is Shoeless Joe's near the Bell Tower Mall http://www.shoeless-joes.com/. There are a couple of Stevie Tomato's Sports Page has a couple of locations http://stevietomatossportspage.com/
Potts Sports Cafe, 6900 Daniels Pkwy, Fort Myers, FL 33912 used to be a meeting place for Cuse fans, not sure if it still is.
What area are you staying in? Ft Myers is pretty spread out.
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Born in 75'. Grew up in the suburbs of Syracuse, attending the Frank Albino school for deliquents in the basement of Jamesville-DeWitt HS. Spent one year at Tompkins-Corland Communitty College before moving to Oneida NY to be with my future wife who had graduated.

Thanks to a rich uncle and aunt, I went to every home game from the opening of the dome to 1991 in some of the best seats at the loud house. Sat in the last row of sections 212/213(center court) with a concession stand directly behind us. Back then there was no plexi glass between us, so we could never had to get in any lines. Bonus, was never having to hear someone ask us to sit down so they could see. Got to see all the great momments in dome history. I now attend 5-6 games a year in section 105 thanks to an old boss. Pretty good seats, but often get asked to sit down and dirty/weird looks for my non stop cheering.

Really did not become a rabid fan till the 1984 BE tourny when Michael Grahm took a swing at Lou Ferrigno, I mean Andre Hawkins and the Hawk/Hulk did not receive any free throws for being punched. Like Boeheim, I went nuts. Been a fanatic ever since. Later that summer, I was at McDonald's on Erie Blvd. and the beheamoth in front of my brother and I, that was ordering four big mac's and four large fries was no other than the Hawk. I was speechless but did manage to get his autograph. The following school year I met The Pearl at my middle school, where he would often to go to shoot jumpers on the playground by himself and allow a few of us kids who stayed after school to rebound for him. I would now not just be a fanatic, but bleed Orange after meeting my two favorite players at the time.

Favorite players-
DC
The Pearl
Andre Hawkins
Billy Edelin

Best Moments-
Winning it All
The elimination of Egnaro The Troll... Anyone have a photo? Engaro is harder to find than Where's Waldo.

GO CUSE!!!

collage.jpg
 
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Oakland said:
Sanibel and then Pine Island. Thx for the info.
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I know that you can get some good wings at Bert's Bar in Matlacha on the way to Pine Island, I had some last Saturday before the game. I didn't notice if they had tv's. You may want to check out Doc Fords on Sanibel, their restaurant at Ft Myers Beach has a lot of tv's and I would imagine that the one on Sanibel would too.
 
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