"Will to Win" online beginning Saturday April 1 ...

[cto]

Here are links

Coming Saturday: Watch ‘Will to Win,’ syracuse.com’s film on Orange’s 2003 NCAA championship

The film includes new interviews from Carmelo Anthony, Jim Boeheim, Gerry McNamara and Hakim Warrick as they recount how the team became champions.

www.syracuse.com

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[bballbeadle]

Oh boy! But I may not be able to watch it today. I assume it will be available for a while? (I read the article but didn’t see if there were time constraints. I also subscribe to Syracuse.com.)

 

[rrlbees]

Watched it at 8am with my coffee. Such a great great job by Mike Waters and the whole Syracuse.com staff. Kudos. I’m so happy I was fortunate enough, along with my brothers and several friends, to attend all 6 games. Such a wild ride.

While the documentary showed highlights from many great games, which I’ve watched replays of many times, I absolutely loved the behind the scenes and human interest stories. So glad Jeremy was able to be highlighted in this and his story told.

Those shots of the SU crowd outside of the hotel awaiting the teams return were no joke. Crazy scene. The Kansas hotel was right across the street from us and they all stood outside too with long faces and having to listen to our celebration. Good times.

I encourage everyone to watch it. It’s much more than just the games. Lots of funny stories too.

Thank you to all for a job well done.

 

[DonLightfoot]

That was absolutely "INCREDIBLE". I enjoyed every minute of it

All the people involved in putting this together should be congratulated for such an excellent production. Thank you very much.

 

[orangetom]

Also watched with my morning coffee. Incredible job.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Watched it at 8am with my coffee. Such a great great job by Mike Waters and the whole Syracuse.com staff. Kudos. I’m so happy I was fortunate enough, along with my brothers and several friends, to attend all 6 games. Such a wild ride.

While the documentary showed highlights from many great games, which I’ve watched replays of many times, I absolutely loved the behind the scenes and human interest stories. So glad Jeremy was able to be highlighted in this and his story told.

Those shots of the SU crowd outside of the hotel awaiting the teams return were no joke. Crazy scene. The Kansas hotel was right across the street from us and they all stood outside too with long faces and having to listen to our celebration. Good times.

I encourage everyone to watch it. It’s much more than just the games. Lots of funny stories too.

Thank you to all for a job well done.

You forgot to mention that SU fans drank the Marriott out of beer that weekend.

 

[Orangezoo]

Just finished it. So well done. Great way to get energized for the weekend. Emotional watch as well.

 

[SU98PHL]

I probably cried more than I should have watching that. Well done!

 

[Ragman2000]

Absolutely wonderful job Mike Waters, and company...that was fantastic.

Agree on the McNeil parts, so sad for him in those moments. What a great documentary.

Shout out to Bill Orange for the photo credits!

 

[Shenexon]

Watched it twice this morning. My favorite thing ever from syracuse.com. I've been ticked off at them for decades and may forgive them soon. Well done...

 

[Bill Orange]

You forgot to mention that SU fans drank the Marriott out of beer that weekend.

I recall a conversation with the GM of the Marriott, who told me that in all his many years there, he’d never seen a group of fans drink as much as we did.

 

[djorange1989]

Just finished watching it. Trying to regain my composure. What a season that was

 

[bballbeadle]

My son and I just finished it. He was playing a game and disinterested at first; next thing I know he put the game down and was watching intently. He was a freshman in college and remembers watching the game with people. After we won, people started trickling out of the TV room and he was like, “Hey, where you guys going? You have to watch One Shining Moment!” He watched it by himself.

So many great personal stories. What touched me the most was how badly Carmelo wanted to stay. And how he said that winning the championship was his all time best sports moment. #1,

 

[Ozone!]

Well done!​

 

[IthacaMatt]

I watched it today using the Syracuse.com link. It was great fun, very touching. Lots of tears from both the participants and the viewers. I really liked how they shared interview segments that were new for the show with other interviewees, to get their reactions to stuff that their former teammates and coaches said about them. Very nicely done.

I wish they hadn't cut the game footage so short, especially with respect to the NCAA run, and even talking more about beating Michigan State on the road after building it up as a season milestone. I'll bet they ran out of budget for the NCAA footage.

If you put this documentary with the two that came out shortly after the Championship, then you've got a lot of memories to work with.

 

[PoppyHart]

I wonder how many people on this board were staying at the Marriot that weekend?

 

[rrlbees]

I wonder how many people on this board were staying at the Marriot that weekend?

1 here

 

[PoppyHart]

1 here

1 here

 

[stuckinbig11]

I finally got a chance to watch it, and the memories kept flooding back. It was a great production for some great events. I went to the game at Michigan State; it did not look good for while, but the will to win was there.
I caught a younger Rob S. in the video, and he made the credits also.

 

[Dick_in_MI]

I finally got a chance to watch it, and the memories kept flooding back. It was a great production for some great events. I went to the game at Michigan State; it did not look good for while, but the will to win was there.
I caught a younger Rob S. in the video, and he made the credits also.

I was there as well. Sat up in the cheap seats behind GMac's family. The Spartans had a kid named Hill that lit us up for about a hundred 3's but in the end, the good guys prevailed. That was the only time we saw the 2003 team in person.

I did notice that Bill Orange made the credits.

On the night of the NC game, my wife and I were staying on the Gulf Coast. After we won, I went outside and sprinted around the hotel parking lot for about 20 minutes. Sheer joy.

 

[GoSU96]

I’m not crying, you’re crying.

 

[BillSU]

It is THE PERFECT STORY, THE PERFECT SEASON, THE PERFECT FILM TO CAPTURE ALL OF IT.

 

[GoSU96]

Three great post game moments

1. The parade

2. The dome event, sitting on the rail in the second deck with Jake and his lovely bride

3. Post spring football game the board going to Change of Pace and watching the game. Singing one special moment with everyone. That might have been peak OG Syracusefan. That was so special.

 

[OrangeDW]

I watched it today using the Syracuse.com link. It was great fun, very touching. Lots of tears from both the participants and the viewers. I really liked how they shared interview segments that were new for the show with other interviewees, to get their reactions to stuff that their former teammates and coaches said about them. Very nicely done.

I wish they hadn't cut the game footage so short, especially with respect to the NCAA run, and even talking more about beating Michigan State on the road after building it up as a season milestone. I'll bet they ran out of budget for the NCAA footage.

If you put this documentary with the two that came out shortly after the Championship, then you've got a lot of memories to work with.

My only complaint is I wanted Pitt footage/discussion, ND footage/discussion (particularly the comeback and GMac game winner), and some Rutgers final game/Melo “one more year” chants discussion.(I know they got into the Dome celebration, which was amazing). That’s around the time the “hey! You suck!” chant really got going too. I remember it was loud at the Rutgers game, and cracking up at all the old people happily getting into it.

I remember details about that season better than I do last week. That team was already my favorite sports team ever by February, regardless of if they won it all or not.

Great stuff! Gonna make me go back and watch my Orange Odyssey DVD!