" my last post of the season




worst loss in cuse history "

" For all you hard-core fans, I erred in my previous post....it's Bill Champlin reminding me to Look Away, in the post-Cetera age. My mistake. "

" Dynasty -- I LOVE the optimism, I just wish I could share it. Aside from the Georgetown win, this team just seems to be missing "something." Every time they make it close, it slips away. Every time they go on a run, the defense collapses, or they foul a 3-point shooter...or both. Every time I think I'm falling back in love with this team, Peter Cetera reminds me to Look Away.

As you pointed out, the recent losses are nothing to hang your head about (heck, they made the Notre Dame game way closer than it should have been -- even with the phantom jump ball...maybe they should have just called a do-over?). And I agree, they're not dead. Yet. But they're on life support, and it looks like they're about to go the way of Paul Raines...

And believe me, no one wants to see some MSG magic more than this guy, cuz I'll be there. And I'll be drinking more than just the kool-aid. Because the Cuse is a Hard Habit to Break...... "

" Okay so things don't look good for the orange. Joe Lunardi, ESPN's bracketologist (get a life buddy) has the cuse the third to last team out despite losing four of it's last five. I know it's a stretch, but the cuse is not dead, despite fans and everyone else seeming to jump ship. All the cuse has to do to get in is take care of business...but that is something they have failed to do all year. Beat pitt at home, win at seton hall, beat or battle hard against marquette and the cuse finished 10-8 or 9-9 with a legit chance. Then they go into the big east tourny, where they historically play well and maybe sneak out a win or two. Not likely, but not all that improbable. Look at the last two games the cuse has played. At lousiville (won 7 in a row) and at Notre Dame (won a million in a row at home). The cuse is not as good as those teams period. They got beat period. They should have got beat period. Now they should win period. Whether this young team fades without a fight (i.e.donte greene), or they battle and make things interesting (i.e paul harris) is yet to be seen. Syracuse should finish 9-9 or 10-8. But since this team has not had a comeback win all year, and because donte is now the 4th best player on the team it would surprise even me (clearly a die hard still writing on a cuse bball blog page). However, i'm still keepin the faith and waitin til the cuse gets back into the national picture after a win over pitt (p.s. the zoo stinks come up with better chants). YES WE CAN "

" Some quick hits from the ND-SU game:
1. That's the first time I've ever seen a jump ball called on a made basket. I'm not good with physics, but I don't quite understand how Jonny Flynn can have enough control of the ball to make a tough layup, but the ref calls a tie-up. And the funny thing is, the whistle blew after the ball went through the net. That was a five-point swing right there.
2. How can Mike Brey sprint across the court and not get T'd up. Forget leaving the coaching box, Brey was 50 feet from the bench. Can you just overlook this? No punches were thrown. The refs had everything under control, and all of a sudden Brey comes sprinting in. Boeheim was 10 feet from the play and didn't even move. What, does Brey need to rescue Harangody from the 6-foot Jonny Flynn? Give me a break. I say give him the tech.
3. Whichever way you look at it, Arinze outplayed Harangody. Props to A.O. for taking the Big East player of the year to school.
4. I find it mystifying that Notre Dame, a jump-shooting team, can shoot 12 more free throws and commit eight less fouls than Syracuse, a pound-the-paint team. Granted, a lot of those fouls came in the game's final minutes when SU was fouling on purpose. But I don't see how Syracuse can have two players foul out and not one Irish player is in foul trouble. Really? You're telling me Harangody was getting hit a lot harder than Arinze. A.O. should have been at the line 8-9 more times. He was getting draped. He's a big guy, but contact is contact. You've got to reward the big man for his effort underneath.
5. McAlarney was just unconscious. Still, Boeheim stuck with the zone WAY too long. The degree of difficulty on those 3s would have been much higher if the 6-5 Harris was right in McAlarney's mug. You've got to switch to man sooner. Much sooner. It was clear from the get-go that Syracuse was playing better offensively, but none of that matters when you're trading 2s for 3s. The zone cost SU the game. Man-to-man should have been the choice.

Well, this isn't looking good. Pitt, at Seton Hall, Marquette -- that's the remaining slate. Two wins are a MUST. Two losses and you can start burning your DYNASTY shirts.

- Ryan Day "

" Keys to beating Notre Dame:
1. Get the ball to AO. The Orange brute is one of a handful of centers that can muscle up with Notre Dame's Luke Harangody. Arinze needs to back down the potential Big East player of the year and try to get him in foul trouble. And on defense, AO needs to stay physical. Harangody will probably get his 20 and 10, but he also gets frustrated easily. If a few calls don't go his way, Harangody can get a bit chippy. That's one way to get in his head.
2. Jonny Flynn and Paul Harris need to drive ... A LOT. Who on Notre Dame is going to guard these two. Kyle McAlarney? The Irish are weak defensively, especially out top. Flynn and Harris should have a field day if they utilize their speed and strength.
3. Foul Tory Jackson. The do-it-all 5-11 sophomore can score (8.4 points), rebound (5.3 rebounds) and dish (6.2 assists) but he can't shoot free throws (51.2 percent). Seriously, McAlarney is probably going to make 4 to 6 threes. If he's on, you can't stop him. But SU can take a huge step forward in holding down Jackson, who I feel does more damage. Send him to the stripe, or make him pull up from downtown where he's shooting just 26 percent. Stopping Jackson would be a major bonus for the 'Cuse.
4. Play man-to-man. Syracuse is awful in the man, but they have no choice. Notre Dame will kill the zone from long range, plus the Irish are big on the boards. SU was decimated on the glass by Louisville so a man defense will make it easier to find and box out your defender. Boeheim will start in the patented 2-3, but I think he'll be forced to switch rather quickly to the man-to-man.
5. Make free throws. Syracuse will probably need 85-plus points to win this game so the Orange needs all the points it can get. You can't afford to leave points at the line against Notre Dame, a team that's won 35 straight at home.

If you like defense, this won't be the game for you. Personally, I'm hoping for a shootout, not a blowout.

Until then, enjoy 1 vs. 2

- Ryan Day
"

" I was actually going to recant my previous blog after the g'town game but i knew better. The L'vill game tonight is why this team is out of the tournament. Too much talent and not enough substance. Louisville outrebounds the cuse by 20 tonight. Unacceptable for a team who outrebounded UCONN who is one of the best defensive/rebounding teams in the country. The team played lazy against USF, and they played lazy tonight. I will back off my statements about arinze he has stepped his game up the last couple of games. But donte has gotten worse as the season has gone along, and the team is just too inconsistent. It made me wanna puke every time jonny or paul were running back down the court cherry picking and lousiville was rebounding and playing good fundamental basketball. I dont think the cuse can afford another loss and tonight was the game to get. Louisville played awful in the first half and we couldnt capitalize. Just a real disappointed effort tonight. Hopefully the dynasty will start next year cuz this year is one loss away from being over. "

" Here's my column from today's paper, in case you missed it:

Who’s on the bandwagon now?
That wasn’t just a marquee win. That was a season-saver.
Syracuse wasn’t just sinking in the NCAA Tournament pool -- it was gasping for air.
And folks, this is the Big East.
There are no cupcakes, no pushovers, and there sure as heck ain’t no oxygen tanks in sight.
With a 6-6 record in the Big East, no quality wins and a brutal stretch looming ahead, the Orange came to play against their mortal rival, the Georgetown Hoyas.
The result -- a 77-70 win over the eighth-ranked team in the country.
Go figure. Eleven-point loss to South Florida. Seven-point win against Georgetown.
You can’t make this stuff up.
But the tone was different from the opening tip.
The defense was active -- no easy baskets for the Hoyas.
Arinze Onuaku was hurtling his 258-pound frame at the Georgetown big men -- not passing up easy shots on the block.
Donte Greene was firing away from downtown -- I guess that’s not breaking news, but this time he made a few.
Maybe it was the rivalry. Maybe it was the record crowd. Maybe it was the fact that the Orange could play themselves out of the Big Dance with a loss.
Whatever it was, the feet are kicking, the arms are paddling and their head is back above the water.
And that confidence -- the kind that only wide-eyed novices can exude -- is back.
“If we came out like this every game, we’d be tops in the Big East,” said Onuaku, who has been blasted lately by his coach and teammates for his soft play inside.
I guess we shouldn’t be surprised. Syracuse (17-9 overall, 7-6 in conference) has always played to the level of the competition. Every season, they lose to the South Floridas of the Big East, and beat the Georgetowns
Even the best teams.
In 2003, the year of G-Mac and Melo, Syracuse lost at lowly Rutgers.
What did they follow that up with?
A win at home to the No. 2 team in the nation -- Pittsburgh.
Saturday’s game was a big win, but I can’t say I’m surprised.
In January, Syracuse outplayed the Hoyas in their building. They were a non-call and an in-and-out 3 away from winning that game.
But they didn’t, and the losses have piled up since.
So with six games left, SU needed this win.
“People say we’ve got to win four of our last six games,” Paul Harris said. “Forget that, we’ve got to win them all.”
And bless Paul Harris -- you wanna talk about fuel efficiency, that kid’s got more miles to the gallon than a Prius. I’ve never seen a player give more on the court than he does. Harris never runs out of energy.
Even when he’s on the bench, he won’t sit still. He’s up, standing beside Jim Boeheim, hollering at his cohorts.
And when the Orange lose, nobody takes it harder.
He’s undersized at 6-5 (though he admits he’s more like 6-3.5 ), and his jumpers aren’t too easy on the eyes.
But he’s a beast. He goes after rebounds like a snake attacking its prey. I mean, come on -- Harris averages two more rebounds per game that Georgetown’s 7-footer Roy Hibbert. That’s just not right.
Harris is the motor on this team. And with 22 points and eight rebounds against the Hoyas, he proved he comes to play in the big games.
“He’s an animal,” SU freshman Jonny Flynn said of his best friend and former high school teammate. “In the hotel room last night, this is all he talked about. He talked about coming out and having a big game. I told him to shut up so we could get some sleep.”
One look at Harris and you would assume he passes up a good snooze for an intense session in the weight room.
But Harris’ hustle is just one refreshing aspect of this Syracuse team. The win-loss record isn’t going over well with the fans, but you can’t knock the effort.
Just look at Flynn -- he has played every minute of Syracuse’s last seven games.
Do you think he’s worn down?
Apparently not, as he mustered enough energy to pour in 17 points, nine assists and four boards against Georgetown.
Tell me these guys don’t want to win.
But figuring them out -- that’s a different story.
We’ll learn a lot about the Orange in these next five games. And so will the rest of the conference.
So for those of you back on the bandwagon, you better buckle up.
Harris is driving, and his foot isn’t coming off the gas peddle.

- Ryan Day "

" It was nice to see Onuaku come out of his coma. Tony Almeida showed more activity after his house blew up than Arinze had in the previous two games. Let's hope the momentum and confidence carry over to Louisville. They'll need it.

Until then, I'll be in Buffalo with my Crosbinator jersey.... "

" Burn your Clemens jersey all you want. He owes me $19.99 for the t-shirt I bought last season.
Go 'Cuse. "

" It's my fault. I should have seen this coming.
In a column earlier this year, I said Syracuse would beat Pittsburgh then turn around and lose to Seton Hall.
I had the games mixed up.
I should have said the Orange would lose to South Florida then beat Georgetown.
Wednesday's game had all the makings of a trap game -- Syracuse would undoubtedly be looking ahead to the rival Hoyas and, after a seven-day lay-off, would come out flat.
Oh well, I missed that one.
But what a game Saturday. SU held off not one, but two Georgetown rallies in the second half. AO, who has been trashed by teammates, coaches, and on this blog, came out and attacked Roy Hibbert inside. That's the aggressiveness that AO played with for most of the season. You better believe that his teammates are happy he's back.
In my eyes, that win nullifies Wednesday's bad loss to South Florida. For all intensive purposes, Syracuse is back where they were a week ago, squarely on the bubble.
Monday's game at Louisville will be a doozy. The Cardinals are probably the hottest team in the conference right now. A win at Freedom Hall would be a major accomplishment.

In other news, Donte Greene may be sticking around after all.
The freshman phenom was sporting a "Don'te Leave" T-shirt during pregame shootaround on Saturday and even went as far to say "I'm not going anywhere" when asked if he would turn pro after the season.
According to recent online draft projections, Greene remains a lock as an NBA Draft lottery pick. Although his current shooting slump can't be helping his stock.

I'm going on record right now, if Greene returns and SU is injury-free, they're a Top-5 team. Easily.
Could be fun.

Syracuse at Louisville, 7 p.m., ESPN, Big Monday. Until then, I'll be burning my Clemens jersey.

- Ryan Day
"

" This was an actual conversation that took place at my house after Syracuse had just gone up 13-12.
Me: They look awful. It's like they aren't even trying.
My roommate: They can't be tired, they had a week off!
Me: I'm callin' it right now, they lose this game by double-digits.

Boy, I hate being right. Especially at that very moment. Below are their ensuing possessions (I had to take out a pen and paper to keep track of all the mistakes:

missed layup
2 missed free throws
turnover
turnover
missed layup
turnover
turnover
turnover
2 missed free throws
missed layup
turnover (Flynn fell in the same spot for the third time)
turnover
scoop for 2
missed free throw--offensive rebound--foul--1-of-2 from the line
turnover
missed jumper
turnover (over and back? seriously?)
then a few baskets to close out the half (with another turnover in the mix during the final 30 seconds, too)....

This list doesn't even include the pair of missed dunks in the opening 6 minutes! I've seen better execution on a basketball court from third-grade girls.

But did I learn my lesson? Of course not. Like an Alzheimer's patient I came back for the second half, forgetting how this team is just a tease. And for about 2 minutes late in the game it looked like they were going to prove me wrong. Then they were same old Syracuse. No defense.

It's one thing to lose to the worst team in the Big East. It's another to get DOMINATED in every aspect of the game. With four ranked opponents in a row, I went from thinking NCAA bubble to Big East bubble. At this point I just hope we make it to MSG.

At least tonight there will be something worth watching.
"

" Are you kidding me? That was the sorriest performance i have ever seen. Arinze is a big girl. He sucks. Are u kidding me? He catches the ball 2 feet from the hoop and acts like a big girl. My girlfriend would go stronger to the hoop then him. And how about that dynast defense? 89 points to a team that hadn't one since before we beat them on Jan. 5th. PATHETIC. I'm off the bandwagon. How can you root for a team that can't get up and play solid after a week off. They must have been so fatigued studying for tests...wait they don't do school work. They stink and they have the toughest schedule in the country left. I might not even watch the georgetown game. Why should I? All i do is watch them choke game after game after game. They stink and reggie greenwoood made a nice call at the end of the game. He probably is still emotionally disturbed after i ripped on him and his family after the witchta st. game last year. This is ridiculous. Tell arinze to stop being a girl, tell this lazy team to play d, and tell boeheim that pressing is not necessary for 40 min when you have 7 players! Moronoic. I'm done and cuse fans around the area should be done. They are AWFUL "

" Goodbye season. Hello NIT

- Ryan Day "

" I can't say I enjoyed Monday's Georgetown-Villanova game -- too many fouls and not enough scoring.
But the final seconds did fire me up. And not because of the play on the court.
With one-tenth of a second left and the score tied, the Hoyas' Jonathan Wallace was dribbling 70 feet from the basket and was slightly brushed by Nova's Corey Stokes.
The contact didn't impede the play -- Wallace didn't lose the ball or get pushed out of bounds.
But the ref blew the whistle anyway.
Needless to say, Wallace drained both free throws and G'Town won the game.
Seriously, I had no rooting interest in this game. And I couldn't have been more ticked off after the final buzzer sounded.
That game should have gone to overtime. But the officials blew it -- they cost Villanova the game.
It was very likely that a more-talented G'Town team would have pulled it out in OT, but it never got that far. The refs handed the game to the Hoyas on a plater.
Would that play have been called a foul if it happened any other time during the game? Possibly. I can't say it was an obvious foul. Wallace was slightly bumped. I guarantee you can check him in the morning and there'll be no bruises.
LET THE PLAYERS PLAY. Let them decide the game's outcome. You play 39 minutes and 59 seconds and the game is decided by the refs. Are you kidding me.
The officiating, in my opinion, has been suspect all season. It's one thing to call a game tight or let the kids play, but it's another to be inconsistent. You can't let players be physical all game then call a ticky-tack foul in the final minutes. You can't let one player get killed going to the rim then call a "nudge" foul the next minute.
Ultimately, players decide games. I hate blaming the refs for anything, it feels like a cop-out. But in this case, the officials cost Nova. They should have swallowed the whistle and let the players duke it out in overtime. So many times this year I've seen players get murdered in the game's final seconds (Jonny Flynn on multiple occasions) but there have been no fouls called.
But Wallace barely gets breathed on, and he gets two free throws?
It's not right.
NCAA officials aren't always going to get the calls right. It's a fast game and we, as viewers, are at an advantage because we watch the plays 20 times on instant replay. We see things that officials miss the first time around.
But there's no excuse for not being consistent in your calls. A good official isn't noticed, he isn't remembered. That's why Tim Higgins is the worst official on the planet right now.
The Big East is tough, it's physical. Let the teams play, let them push and shove, and let THEM decide the outcomes.
Monday's game was a joke. I call for a do-over.

- Ryan Day
"

" OK, so I haven't posted my thoughts yet on the UConn game.
I've had a few days (and one long drive through freezing rain) to think about this game and I've come to the conclusion -- Syracuse shouldn't even have been in that game.
Don't get me wrong, Flynn and Harris were unbelievable. I feel bad for these guys because they played their guts out.
But nobody else did anything. Syracuse isn't going to win as a two-man show. Not against a team as good as Connecticut. If SU doesn't knock down those late desperation 3s, they lose by 10. It wasn't like the Georgetown game, where I believe the 'Cuse outplayed the Hoyas. UConn outplayed Syracuse and deserved to win.
And I've heard fans blaming Donte Greene for the loss. Give me a break.
He missed 13 of 15 shots, but he didn't stop shooting. He even started taking it to the basket and that didn't work.
He had an off night. Let's not crucify him.
As opposed to Arinze Onuaku, who completely gave up halfway through the game. The physical play should have been right up his alley. But he decided to check out early.
A clearly-spent Harris had some harsh words for AO in the postgame locker room and you know what, I completely agreed with him. Harris was completely wiped after that game, and he wasn't pleased that a teammate wasn't giving 100 percent.
If you get blocked a few times, suck it up and keep attacking.
That's what Harris did.
Arinze has to be a presence inside. He's had some tremendous games this year and SU needs his size and strength.
Syracuse is in a familiar position -- directly on the bubble. In the next few weeks, they'll either play their way into or out of the NCAA Tournament. Boeheim shouldn't need any extra pre-game motivation -- if these players can't get up for these games they should go home.
Next up: Wednesday at South Florida. Needless to say, a must-win.

Until then, I'll be trying to figure out who's Ben's man on the freighter.

- Ryan Day "

" Another good showing by the Niagara Falls connection.
Jonny Flynn and Paul Harris each scored 10 points as the Orange showed tremendous intensity and lead No. 19 Connecticut 34-31 at halftime.
Harris has scored a bulk of his points from the charity stripe, as the 6-4 sophomore continues to challenge the UConn big men.
Jeff Adrien has been the difference for UConn. He's a monster on the glass -- 10 points, 7 rebounds -- and has shown a nice touch from 5 to 10 feet.
SU's momentum seems to have spilled over from Saturday's Villanova game, as the players look like they have an extra giddy up in their step.
This one has all the makings of a Big East classic.

More after the game.

- Ryan Day "

" Well, we're about 45 minutes to tip time between Syracuse and 19th-ranked UConn. The Huskies have won five straight while the Orange are winners of three straight. The Huskies are leading the nation with 8.7 blocks per game, so points in the paint will be hard to come by for the Orange.
Syracuse is going to be blocked, probably multiple times, but they can't afford to abandon the inside game. If the Orange take their medicine and keep attacking the UConn bigs, they'll be in good shape. If they back off and resort to 3s, they'll be in trouble.
In other news, it's Jonny Flynn's 19th birthday today. What better way to celebrate than with an Orange win on ESPN.
I'll be back at the half with some updates.

- Ryan Day "

" In light of the fact that Syracuse used to have a football team (Wait. What? They still have one? Am I surprised by that? Absolutely.) But really, SU alum David Tyree should have been named Super Bowl MVP solely for making that catch. It's the reason they won the game. Not to mention he had the G-men's first TD. Eli Manning? Shenanigans. It's not like he has a laser, rocket arm.

In other football news, did you hear Paul Pasqualoni is the new defensive coordinator for the 1-15 Miami Dolphins? The same Dolphins who were 32nd in rushing defense this season, 31st in points allowed per game, 30th in yards per play, and 23rd in yards per game. Oh yea, their defense was last in third down percentage, too. All that with the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and now Man of the Year, Jason Taylor. At least Pasqulaoni doesn't have a tough act to follow.
Boy, what a terrible, awful, no good, very bad team. I bet Greg Robinson could call up Paul and set up a game against the Fins. It might hurt Syracuse's strength of schedule, though.... Did I mention the Dolphins are not good?

Finally, moving to the important stuff: '80s music. Did you catch VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s?? (Steve Perry clocks in at No. 8 with "The ultmate karaoke song." Worth a look --http://www.vh1classic.com/view/mostviewed/99043/Don_t_Stop_Believin/index.jhtml). I may or may not have also DVR'd the 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s too. Ten hours well spent. Where else can you transition from Hanson to Metallica to MC Hammer?

Houston, can you hear me? "

" I celebrated Steve Perry's birthday the only way I know how -- with a whole lotta '80s music.

Well played Chloe O'Brien, let's hope this writers' strike ends soon so we can get a little 24 back in our lives.

- Ryan Day "

" Outstanding observations, Ryan. You never mentioned though, how did Steve Perry's birthday celebration go?

Go Cuse! "

" Just crunching some Sunday numbers.
According to Ken Pomeroy's Rating Percentage Index (RPI), Syracuse is now 33rd in RPI and has the fifth best strength of schedule in the land.
On closer inspection, the numbers are even more impressive.
In the past, an easy target for the basketball pundits has been SU's nonconference strength of schedule.
Well not this year -- Syracuse is 12th in nonconference SOS. That's better than Duke (67), North Carolina (35) and the No. 1 team in the country, Memphis (13).
Syracuse has no bad losses -- the Orange is 12-0 against the RPI 101-200 -- and they haven't played any bad teams.
SU is the only team in the country, I repeat, the only team in the COUNTRY that hasn't even played a team with an RPI of 200 or higher. They haven't had the opportunity to beat up on lesser opponents because they haven't played any lesser opponents.
No easy wins, folks. The numbers don't lie.

Enjoy the big game.

- Ryan Day
"

" i dont mean to blow my own horn but... the dynasty is back baby! Like I said when this team was 3-4, there is too much talent on the floor for the orange not to be a threat in the big east. This three game win streak the cuse is on has given the team confidence and a much needed swagger (gotta love jonny flynn waving goodbye to the fans at the wachovia center). With a couple of huge home games coming up against UCONN and G'town the cuse has a chance to get back on the national radar. The way the team played on saturday, especially your boy paul harris aka the horse, there is no reason why the orange will not keep it rolling. Dynasty baby!


P.S. Jonny Flynn better than scottie reynolds, and better than any other guard in the big east "

" I got a call directly after today's game. It was my brother.
"Since when did Eric Devendorf switch places with Jonny Flynn?"
It was a good point.
In a dominating performance against Villanova, Flynn never stopped talking. He was yelling at teammates. He was yelling at defenders. He even had a few words for the fans.
Flynn was playing like a man with something to prove.
So was Paul Harris.
The former high school teammates simply were not going to let their team lose. They practically willed the Orange to victory.
That's the type of intensity that Syracuse has lacked since Devendorf's been out. The Orange needed some fire and they got it against the Wildcats.
Flynn and Harris, in addition to Donte Greene who, shockingly, showed some restraint on the offensive end, completely overwhelmed Villanova. The three combined for 69 points as SU won its third straight game and climbed right back up the Big East standings.
After two unwatchable performances against Providence and DePaul, Syracuse put on quite a show against Nova.
They out-hustled, out-muscled and out-shot the Wildcats to pick up a rare road victory.
And all of a sudden, these guys are good. The rest of the Big East better take note.
"