" I think they deserve some gimmes after three straight games against NCAA tournament teams -- Cal, UNC and Cornell. No other team has played this kind of schedule this early in the season. Plus, the way the Cuse played, they're already on the national radar. Smoking Cal and UNC -- who cares about the schedule. This squad can play with anyone in the country. That's what we take away from this week.

- Day "

" no cupcakes on the early schedule? what are colgate, columbia, st francis, and maine? whip up the frosting! "

" That Syracuse defense that I've been fawning over, well, it gets put to the test tomorrow night against Cal, a team that practically lives beyond the 3-point line. As we all know, the 3-pointer is a 2-3 zone's kryptonite. The Orange definitely have the inside advantage over the Golden Bears, but if Cal catches fire from downtown, it could be game over for the 'Cuse.
And another thing, where are all those weasels that used to slam Boeheim for scheduled cupcakes in the nonconference schedule. Where they at now? SU plays No. 13 Cal, then either North Carolina or Ohio State, then has a home game with Cornell, who just went on the road to beat Alabama.
Who has a tougher three-game stretch than that? What now, Gottlieb?

- Day "

" My column from Boeheim's 800th win didn't make it online, so here it is:

SYRACUSE -- Less then five minutes into Syracuse’s season opener, freshman Brandon Triche committed the first turnover of his college basketball career. In transition, Triche threw an alley oop to a streaking Wes Johnson, but the pass was two high and a fast-break opportunity was wasted.
Jim Boeheim didn’t like this at all.
The Syracuse head coach pivoted to his left, yelled in disbelief and did his best David Beckham impersonation, kicking a warm-up jacket into the scorer’s table.
The hall-of-famer still has that fire.
The Orange picked up their first win of the season, 75-43 over Albany Monday night, and Boeheim opened his 34th season with his 800th career win. He joins Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski and Connecticut’s Jim Calhoun as the only active Division I coaches to reach the milestone.
Coach K and former teammate Dave Bing each recorded messages for Boeheim that were played on the Carrier Dome video boards following the game.
“Keep doing your thing,” Krzyzewski said. “It’s what you do as well as anybody.”
At 64, Boeheim has shown no signs of slowing down. Longtime assistant Mike Hopkins is the de facto replacement, but doesn’t look to be taking over the program any time soon.
From the look of him Boeheim isn’t going anywhere.
He’s his same old self.
He’s still a screamer. He’s still got a short leash when it comes to mistakes. He’s still ornery with the media.
Yup, same old Boeheim.
And true to form, he didn’t seem comfortable when discussing the historic win. While addressing the crowd in a short postgame ceremony, Boeheim deferred much of the credit.
“I’d like to thank all the players over the years, all the coaches,” he said. “And a special thanks for the guy who’s sat next to me for 800 wins, Bernie Fine.
Boeheim better be up to the challenge this season because he’s got a team that has yet to be defined. Gone are Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris. That leaves the role of go-to scorer up for grabs.
Johnson looks like a prime candidate, though his jumper was off against he Great Danes. Andy Rautins could also be a big-time point producer, but he’s struggled from long range as well.
The strength of this team is also unknown.
I’d like to say defense -- with a back line of Johnson, Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson, you’ve got some big trees to navigate through.
But Syracuse’s defense was its main problem in an exhibition loss to Division II Le Moyne College. The 2-3 zone looked good Monday night, though I could argue that a bulk of Albany’s 32 turnovers were self-induced.
In his speech, Boeheim even acknowledged that this team needs a lot of work.
“I guarantee you one thing. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, but we’re going to give you all we’ve got, this year and every year,” he said.
This season is more of a puzzle than most. Boeheim has many talented pieces, though it may be a struggle at times trying to fit them together.
There was a certain simplicity last season. Give the ball to Flynn or Devendorf and let them create.
It’s not that simple now.
But let’s not kid ourselves -- with 800 wins now in his back pocket, Boeheim isn’t going to see anything this year he hasn’t seen before.
And that’s what’s so great about college athletics. Whether it be football or basketball, the coaches are the stars. From Joe Paterno to Bobby Bowden, from Coach K to Roy Williams, the coaches in Division I sports are the constants. Players come and go, but most coaches stick around for a decade or so. There’s more loyalty in college than in the pros. Coaches are given the opportunity to build a program.
Some do it from the ground up.
And though Syracuse already had a strong basketball tradition when Jimmy B took over, he has elevated the ’Cuse to a completely different level.
“I also want to thank (the fans) for making this the toughest place in the country to play,” he said in his postgame speech.
Syracuse is now known for two things -- snow and basketball.
The latter can be credited to a certain hall-of-fame coach who may or may not look like he’s enjoying himself.
But trust me, he is.

-Day "

" Yeah! Jimmy B. got his 800th. Let's celebrate, ORANGE JUICE and CUPCAKES for everyone. "

" once again the defense did a decent job and the offense was OFFENSIVE! guess it's wait until next year again. "

" The Syracuse pass defense is UGLY right now. Chew on this -- one of their starting defensive backs was a wide receiver...TWO WEEKS AGO. This is the state of SU's secondary. Things are not getting better.

- Day "

" i'll back off on the tight end, but can i trade that comment for several defensive backs with size and/or speed? "

" Completely agree about the fullback, but Syracuse has a great pass catching tight end right now -- Mike Owen. Unfortunately, the offensive line is so horrendous that Owen has to stay home blocking all game. He led the Orange in receiving yards last year, but only has a few catches this season because he's reduced to purely a blocker. Fullback, O-line and defensive secondary are the chinks in Syracuse's armor at the moment.

- Day "

" i'd offer my kingdom for a big blocking fullback and a pass catching/blocking tight end.when is the coaching staff going to land one? "

" What if Greg Paulus's struggles emanate from the basketball court. Hear me out.
Paulus spent the past four years playing Division I basketball at Duke. He wasn't the greatest athlete, so he got by on his smarts, his grit and his never-say-die attitude. Basketball is a sport where you rarely get yourself in trouble for trying to do too much. Well, the same can't be said for football.
I think this is what's hurting Greg. He's the type of player that prides himself on never taking plays off. That may work on the bball court, but not on the football field. Sometimes, the best play is throwing the ball away. Take your medicine, throw the ball out of bounds, and move on. It's not giving up. It's playing smart.
I believe Paulus is trying to do too much on the field. He's forcing passes when he doesn't need to, leading to more interceptions.
We saw this in the season opener, when he was picked in the end zone in overtime. If he had just thrown the ball out of the back of the end zone, Syracuse would have kicked a field goal and might very well have won the game.
The quicker that Paulus learns that less is more, the better he'll be.
Don't get me wrong, he's having a good season, especially for someone who hadn't played football for 4-plus years. But he's a few throws away from being great. And Syracuse is a few throws away from being 3-2, not 2-3.

- Day "

" By the way, I saw Arinze Onuaku recently, and he looked like he lost about 40 pounds. Seriously, I passed him in the Syracuse press box and didn't recognize him. I'm not sure how I feel about this. A.O. wasn't even remotely chubby -- the dude is cut. So if he lost 40 pounds, some, if not most of it, had to be muscle. His strength is ... well, his strength. A.O. is a beast inside. When he pivots and swings his arms, bodies go flying. But his weakness, besides free-throw shooting, is his stamina. Carrying around all that bulk, Arinze got tired easily. Sometimes it even looked like a struggle for him to get up and down the floor. Dropping that weight should make him lighter on his feet -- this could especially help the 'Cuse if they continue to run and gun. So I'm a bit torn -- I liked his physicality, but I don't know if I'd trade it for a bit more quickness. In fact, I'd trade both for 70 percent shooting from the foul line.

- Day "

" Carmelo Anthony christened the new Carmelo K Anthony Basketball Center on the Syracuse campus today. Off a bounce pass from former teammate Gerry McNamara, Anthony swished the first official shot taken in the building. G-Mac to Melo ... just like the good old days. Good to see.

- Day "

" 0-2.
New season, new coach, new quarterback ... same outcome.
But not really.
Yes, the Syracuse football team is off to ANOTHER 0-2 start, but this one is different. Syracuse lost to a BCS school -- Minnesota -- in overtime in the opener, then lost by 21 points in Happy Valley. Twenty-one points is probably considered a blowout, but figure this. The Orange held Penn State to one touchdown each quarter -- no more, no less. They covered the 29-point spread and their defense held Penn State to less than 100 yards rushing.
That's a victory my friends.
Now, it's not time to pop the champagne. But there has been much improvement. You get rid of a few dropped passes, and SU beats the Gophers and plays the Nittany Lions to within two touchdowns.
In my preseason column, I asked for just one thing -- keep the games close. So far, so good.
The Penn State game wasn't exactly close, but it was much better than last year's absolute drubbing at the hands of JoePa and company at the Dome.
So I'm pleasantly surprised. The Cuse is by no means a bowl team, but I have a feeling that they'll knock off someone big in the Big East.
I'm going with Pitt. Just a hunch.

- Day "

" 36 days until kickoff, but who's counting. "

" I think its a bad move to bring Paulus to play one year and leave, what about the QBs that have endured the past 4 or 5 years? Paulus hasn't proved to anyone he can play division 1 football, beside I thought he was suppose to be a big deal basketball player and what happen this past year, he sat the bench. Stick with what you've got and build on that, not some fly by night who didn't want to be a part of Syracuse before. He won't make it as a pro basketball player, nor will he make it as a pro football player. "

" go 'cuse lax team! a team that knows how to win in the final four. too bad paulus doesn't have 1 more year hoops eligibility remaining. he could've been a 1 year fix plus added some leadership to a team that needs it. as far as the football team goes, i was just starting to feel better about the upcoming season. now i just hope it doesn't slow down or kill the team chemistry that appeared to be developing. "

" The Golden Arm is here! Syracuse's savior has arrived! Greg Paulus will QB the Syracuse Orange next season. BCS here we come!
(Sarcasm, folks. It's a wonderful thing)
I have a problem with the Syracuse football team "leasing" Greg Paulus' services for a year.
Will it make them better? Probably.
Will it make them a top-tier team? No.
Paulus was a prize recruit out of CBA, and if the Orange snagged him then -- in 2004 -- then it would've been time to rejoice.
But now? He's been out of football for four years. The arm strength is probably still there. So are the instincts.
But when he takes the field this fall, he'll be a freshman. He's never played against Division I talent -- not on the football field anyways.
There will be a learning curve, heck, it make take most of the season for him to get comfortable.
And that's all well and good for most freshman. But not for a one-and-done guy. He'll probably gone before he fully grasps the offense.
I also don't like this move because it goes against everything Doug Marrone has preached since he was hired.
Marrone has said all the right things so far. He's all about loyalty to the Syracuse community, and he's all about loyalty to his players.
He practically bleeds orange, and that's what has made him so appealing.
But this move doesn't jive with what he's been saying.
Marrone will say that Paulus will have to compete for the starting job, but c'mon, he's not coming to SU to ride the bench. He'll be the starting QB.
This bumps current starter Ryan Nassib, who was named the Orange's starting QB by Marrone early in spring practice.
What does this say to guys like Nassib, or last year's starter Cam Dantley?
We appreciate your dedication and all the work you've put in, but you're getting benched for a past prodigy who hasn't taken a snap in four years. That's got to really boost your confidence. (Again, sarcasm people)
Let's be clear, Paulus may get Syracuse one or two more wins, but this isn't a football move. It's a PR move.
With Paulus behind center, Syracuse will have more games on ESPN and more cameras at media day. The Orange will move from the bottom line to the highlight reel.
If Greg Robinson is still in charge, I like this move. But not with Marrone.
This season should signify a new start for Syracuse football. Marrone should be building this program from the bottom up, and instilling a new passion among the players and fans.
Instead, SU pulled a New York Yankees and went out and got the big name free agent.
Will it work? I clearly have my doubts, but I hope it does. It would be an unbelievable story -- Paulus returns to his hometown and turns around a reeling program.
I'll admit, this move isn't a risk in terms of results. Syracuse isn't a worse team with Paulus as its QB.
But I think it's risky for Marrone, who will face all the backlash if this gamble fails. And that's not a risk I'd be willing to take in my first year on the job.

- Ryan Day "

" Lets see, to the NBA, Flynn, a big yes!! Harris, a big big maybe!! Devendorf, played the wrong sport, should have played hockey, nothing but a THUG and Goon, and if Mac. couldn't make it in the NBA, and he was way better than Devendoof, Devendoof doesn't have a chance, should have been suspended anyways. "

" This is the worst possible situation for Syracuse, losing three starters including a possible player of the year candidate in Flynn. The national title hopes are probably gone with them, but the NCAA tournament hopes are very much intact. Right now, it looks like the starting five will be Scoop Jardine, Andy Rautins, Wesley Johnson (who Boeheim loves), Rick Jackson and Arinze Onuaku. That leaves a bench consisting of freshman Brandon Triche (who will be an immediate impact player, trust me), Kris Joseph and Mookie Jones.
That's not a bad rotation. Don't forget, Scoop was a pretty good point guard two years ago. He's not much of a scorer but he's an above average ball-handler and distributor. Plus, I anticipate a big season from Jackson -- I think he'll eclipse A.O. as SU's premiere post player.
Long story short, Syracuse lost a heck of a lot of talent, but not all hope is lost. The Orange have a great recruiting class and will have the most formidable frontcourt in the Big East in Jackson and A.O. Plus, they'll have the conference's best shooter -- Rautins.
Somebody will have to become a leader though. Flynn and Devo filled that role this past season. I think Rautins is the logical choice, and I've heard a lot of good things about Johnson. So I remain optimistic.
Syracuse could have been the favorite to win a championship. Without Flynn, Devo and Paul Harris, the Orange might not be a top-five team like many SU fans envisioned, but they're still a top-25 squad. So don't expect a complete fall-off -- Syracuse will be one of the Big East's top teams next season, I guarantee it.

- Ryan Day "

" Flynn, Harris and Devo leaving early? does any body remember a guy named Pearl Washington? enough said! "

" Well, its really a shame what happened to da Cuse at the end of the year against OU but that's really not what bothers me right now...
What bothers me is that Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris, and Eric Devendorf are all leaving for the NBA draft. Quite frankly, Harris doesn't make sense at all. He's not an established shooter or passer. He doesn't really have any defined position and the NBA is really only a place for true centers, true point guards, etc. Plus even though Harris is a good rebounder, he's still not that tall and he really won't rebound against the NBA players so him leaving makes no sense to me at all. Devendorf also makes no sense at all! He's a good 3 point shooter, not great like Andy Rautins, but still pretty good. But that is not going to get him very far in the NBA, he will have to drive the hoop more often and when he does that already in the College game he often gets rejected because he makes bad decisions and lots of turnovers so I don't see him even getting into the NBA unless he stays in the Developmental League forever only to play like 10 minutes in his career. Flynn is the only one that kind of makes sense although I still think he's leaving a year too soon. He really is awesome at everything in basketball except his 3 point shooting could use a little more work but other than that I can see this kid being like a Nate Robinson, small but still a great talented player. Well, what looked like we could look forward to a possible national championship team next season looks now like it could be a .500 team without these 3 guys... What's your take Orange Slices? "

" the snow is almost gone, the rain is falling, spring football practice is upon us, the lacrosse team is winning and the basketball team is home watching television. must be spring time in upstate new york. wait 'til next year, again! "

" I have one question...
...Who the heck where's sleeves while playing basketball.
Really? Tony Crocker? The sleeve-wearing Sooner drilled six 3s and scored a career-high 28 points against Syracuse. Oh, and might I add that he went scoreless last game against Michigan.
That's about right.

Aside from Oklahoma's onslaught from 3 and it's man-child inside, Syracuse just never looked comfortable in this game. Rautins and Devendorf missed wide open looks early, and the 2-3 zone looked stagnant from the game's first possession.
They just looked dead. I mean, there's no excuse for that. If you can't get up for a Sweet 16 game, what can you get up for? This looked like the SU team that lost to Pitt and Nova midway through the season, not the team that beat UConn and West Virginia in the Big East tourney.
Syracuse shot poorly, sure, but this game was lost at the defensive end. The Orange's recent surge has be predicated by defense -- they somehow transformed from a medicore defensive team to a great defensive team in just a few weeks.
But that wasn't the case against Oklahoma.
Too many open looks, too many offensive rebounds and not enough hustle. It's a shame that such an extraordinary run ended in such a whimper.

On a side note, how about Jonny Flynn? That kid is in pain and still slices up the Sooners' defense. What a fighter. For the sake of Syracuse fans, and college basketball fans everywhere, I hope he comes back to school. The college game is better off because of guys like Flynn.

- Ryan Day "

" The Orange was about as impressive as my bowling game. Weak. Ineffective. And I want to describe it in inappropriate ways. "

" Take a deep breath OrangeFan, Syracuse is in the Sweet 16 and that's always a good thing.
Listen, the Orange played like crap against Stephen F. Austin, but that's typical Syracuse -- they play to the level of competition. It may not have looked pretty, but it resulted in a win.
As for the ASU game, I thought Syracuse looked great. A.O. and Rick got involved, Devo and Rautins found their shots and Flynn didn't have to do too much, other than distribute.
Hey, I hear your gripe about Paul Harris, but right now SU doesn't need him to score. And that's a good thing.
Jim Boeheim needs two things out of Harris at this point in the season -- rebounding and defense. If he throws down a fast break dunk or hits a mid-range jumper every now and then that's fine, but offensively I'd prefer it if the ball wasn't in his hands.
Offense has never been a problem this season, so I wouldn't go messing with it now.
Plus, Paul has ripped down 23 rebounds in two games, so lets not bury the guy just yet.
Against Oklahoma, the key won't be stopping Blake Griffin, mainly because it can't be done. Griffin is the BEST player in college basketball. So you spot him his 25 points and 15 rebounds and focus on stopping everybody else.
Willie Warren is my main concern. He's the most overlooked freshman in the country, and in my opinion, better than Memphis' Tyreke Evans. He's hit 63 3s and is a dangerous slasher. Tony "Sleeves" Crocker is also a lanky perimeter player with the ability to cut through the lane.
The zone should force Griffin to work a little harder, but he'll find a way to get his points. Stopping the guards is the key -- you've got to hope they don't go off from behind the arc.
Right now, Syracuse is peaking -- the Orange are playing their best basketball of the season, especially defensively. Offensively, Rick has never looked better and A.O. is finally healthy.
I do like Syracuse's chances against Oklahoma, mainly because the Orange have so many offensive weapons. As for North Carolina, I think Syracuse matches up fairly well, only because the Tar Heels play zero defense. With that said, UNC is the best offensive team in the country. Nobody wants to play them right now.
But Oklahoma is first up, and I like the matchup. Remember, don't worry about Blake, he's going to get his points and rebounds. The key is stopping everyone else. And if Syracuse plays the 2-3 zone like it has for the past eight games, the Orange might just live to see another day.

- Ryan Day "

" I have a few things to say about how the Syracuse Orange basketball team is doing right now...

Its great that we beat up on Stephen F. Austin (whoever the heck that is) and shut down James Harden and Arizona State but I still think we aren't playing as good basketball as we were at the Garden last week. Don't get me wrong, we're not terrible (although we did look pretty bad especially in the 2nd half against SFA) but we definitely could be better. Paul Harris has turned into a total ghost on the team. He's hardly involved anymore in our game plan. Any time he gets the ball, he always passes it up or takes a stupid long range jumper which rarely goes in. I miss him taking it to the basket for thunderous slam dunks but now he barely even scores anymore. He doesn't get assists and he just isn't the same Paul Harris that he used to be, at least he's rebounding right now but that's about it, because of a lack of Harris and with Kristof not feeling well, we only really have 5 guys who are playing well right now (Flynn, Devo, Jackson, AO, and Rautins). I still say that Paul Harris will be the X factor if he gets involved in the game against Oklahoma, they'll have too many people to guard and we will overpower them, but if Harris is quiet again we might have our season end in the Sweet 16 this year. I wish that Jackson and Onuaku would stop getting into foul trouble especially when they're gonna have to stop Blake Griffin on friday which is their toughest test of the year. Well I still think if we play our game we will beat Oklahoma, but what will we do against North Carolina??? HELP US ORANGE SLICES!!! "

" dare we dream? rematch SU & LOUISVILLE, or SU & MEMPHIS. YA GOTTA BELIEVE! "

" WOW.
I'm tired, and I didn't even play last night.
Whether you're a Syracuse fan, a UConn fan or just a college basketball fan, you have to appreciate what transpired last night at the Garden.
That was something special. And definitely the best basketball game I've ever seen.
It took the Orange six overtimes to trump the Huskies in what has to be the greatest Big East game of all time.
It had everything.
- A game-winner that wasn't.
- Clutch free throws and not-so-clutch free throws.
- Two point guards absolutely taking over the game.
- Key players fouling out
- Walk-ons playing critical minutes.

That was like two games in one, and it left everybody in disbelief.
Some of my favorite moments:
- A.O. knocking down those two free throws late in regulation. Those were huge.
- Jonny Flynn taking it right at Hasheem "The Dream" Thabeet in overtime, forcing him to pick up his fifth foul.
- Paul Harris missing two straight layups that would have put the game away, and Jim Boeheim's reaction on the sideline (I thought he was going to have a heart attack).
- The postgame press conference, which turned into a comedy routine between Jimmy B and Harris.

The only question now is how will Syracuse respond tonight against West Virginia. Luckily, A.O, Rick Jackson and Kristof Ongenaet got plenty of rest because each fouled out relatively early, but I've got to believe that Jonny and Paul will be running on fumes.
But either way, win or lose, this Big East Tournament will be a memorable one for the 'Cuse.

- Ryan Day "

" 30% shooting from the foul line last night. let's have less talk and more action in the future or we'll be exiting early from "the dance". "

" I know we're all supposed to shake our heads and frown upon the brouhaha that was Wednesday night's Big East Tournament game between Syracuse and Seton Hall. There were a few fights, a lot of yapping and multiple technicals.
- Arinze Onuaku instigating a brief spat by waving his hand in a defender's face.
- Kristof Ongenaet was intentionally fouled, which led to a "meeting of the minds" by both teams, during which Eric Devendorf and Eugene Harvey exchanged some words and some pushes.
- After all the fracas had calmed down, Devo continued to fan the flames by jawing at Seton Hall players and showboating after every made shot.

It was quite the scene at the Garden. And while some will have you think that this type of behavior is unacceptable on the basketball court, I say it was the perfect catalyst for Syracuse.
The Orange have dealt with motivational issues all season. They've seemed flat too many times, and I've chastised players like Onuaku and Paul Harris for being mentally weak.
Call me crazy, but I liked seeing A.O. fired up and getting in some dude's face. And when Devo came to Kristof's defense, I knew this was something that would fire up the entire team -- and it did. SU quickly went on a 17-3 run.
Syracuse is a team that needs a little more emotion, especially tonight against UConn. I don't condone fighting, but if a little smack talk fires them up, hey, I'm all for it. The Orange need as much confidence as they can get, especially with Hasheem Thabeet guarding the interior tonight. I'm not suggesting they pick any fights, but the Orange have to take it at "The Dream" full throttle.
And if someone on the Huskies mistakenly fires up Devendorf, well, Syracuse just may be primed for the upset.

- Ryan Day "

" Orangle Sizzle - I like your commentary. I was unable to watch the game on TV, since I didnt have ESPNU. But my brilliant 'viewing' of the Gamecast Online, gave me a glimpse of the 2nd half, which it didnt seem like Rutgers brought much to the table.

Rutgers probably played like that in the first half, but Cuse was setting the table for them by playing putrid offense and seemingly stinking up the dome...

I like your thoughts on the Marquette game...

What are your thoughts for the NCAA Tourney. Are we playing for seeding now? And how high do you think we can get pending certain performances in the NCAAs? Can you break down scenarios for us?

p.s. A reference to both the ShamWOW and the Snuggie in the 1st two stanzas of your last post... I thought I was watching cable television at 1AM... You are quickly becoming a Poor Man's Bill Simmons! ... WHat??? I said Bill Simmons.... "

" I agree with Aaron Pierce (who doesn't?), 'Cuse is definitely in for a softsational performance Saturday at Marquette. The only question is, will it be soft like Cetera (your hair may be feathered, but you're still getting it done) or soft like Cat Stevens (yeah, you've got talent but everybody knows you're kinda crazy). Syracuse has definitely played soft many times this season -- that's why it's important that Kristof keep getting minutes. The Gent from Ghent brings a toughness that is sorely needed by the Orange.


There's no doubting that the Golden Eagles will be fired up Saturday because it's senior day and they've lost three straight.
But Villanova's win over Providence Thursday night guaranteed the Wildcats that coveted fourth seed in the Big East, meaning Marquette has already locked up the fifth spot and has nothing to play for but pride against the Orange.
But Syracuse has a ton to play for.
Think about this, if the Big East Championship started today, Syracuse would get the sixth seed and play the winner of Seton Hall and South Florida on Wednesday. But if the Orange lose to Marquette, they'd fall to the seventh seed and potentially play Notre Dame.
I don't care about their record, I would want no part of the Fighting Irish. They can shoot lights out on any given night. That six seed would be crucial for SU.

So I think it's great that Syracuse has momentum and some added confidence, but it probably won't be enough against a hungry Marquette team.
Syracuse has put together three stellar defensive performances in a row -- for any avid SU observer, that seems about two too many.
And while I did enjoy "The Paul Harris Show" against Rutgers, I wouldn't bet on him just yet. In fact, I'm guessing he'll pull a Barbaro against Marquette. (Too soon?)

On a side note, I have a bad feeling about you this week Aaron. This better not be the last time we see you. Duck and cover bro.

- Ryan Day "

" Thoughts I was thinking while calling my bookie to place a bet on Paul Harris to win the 135th Kentucky Derby.....

• There's only one word to describe the first half against Rutgers: Shamwow. Why? Because the Orange really sucked up the Dome.
• I don't know what happened at halftime, but I'm sure glad it did. Devendorf was so cold I ordered him a Snuggy to warm him up in Marquette. But he's carried the Orange on the scoresheet the last couple games, so you can't blame him for an off day. The key is that someone needed step up – which didn't happen during Cuse's losing streak. This time, someone did. Thank you, Secretariat. Or was that Paul Harris? Tough to tell. Nice to see Rautins heat up too.
• Aside from Harris' antics, the "garbage" minutes at the end of the game were the most exciting part of the night. You can't help but feel great for guys like Thomas and Presutti. I'm a huge fan of Presutti simply because he drains the deep ball the same way I do – a little kiss off the window. You know all of CNY was smiling as that shot caught twine. I mean, even Jimmy B was showing off his pearly whites, and I haven't seen those since Craig Forth graduated.
• I'm really going to miss Ongenaet next year. He plays with such passion it'll be hard to replace that shot of energy when he's gone. You can tell he gives the entire team a huge lift. I get so fired up just sitting at my house that sometimes I go do karate in the garage just to let off some steam.

Now, to defer to the expert, what should we expect for the Marquette game? The Orange have clinched the coveted Tuesday bye at MSG, and can't climb higher than sixth. It's almost a must-win for Marquette, who's lost three in a row. Granted, they were all to top-10 teams, but they won't want to close the season on a four-game skid, especially at home. With the swagger back on the side of Syracuse, I fear they might be due for a softsational performance?? "

" INSIDE GAME + SHORT RANGE JUMP SHOTS = UNSTOPPABLE SU. what's with the eating popcorn thing? still too much mustard on these "hot dogs" to go far in the Big Dance. "

" The Nova game was a microcosm of the entire season -- defensive breakdowns, costly turnovers and too much one-on-one.
Syracuse, simply, cannot close out opponents. The Orange took a brief lead in the second half against Nova, and instead of taking control, gave up an immediate 10-0 run.
Are you serious? That is not what good teams do.
I give a ton of credit to Jay Wright. He recruits guys with high basketball IQs and it shows. Syracuse recruits spectacular athletes who don't always make smart decisions. I guess it's a trade-off, but right now it's not working in SU's favor.
I said it in my preseason column, Arinze Onuaku is this team's most important player. Flynn is the best, but AO is the most valuable. When he's healthy, he's an immovable force underneath. Nobody can stop that baby hook.
And I don't care who's guarding him -- GET HIM THE BALL. Find a way to get the rock to AO. I mean c'mon, he is leading the nation in field goal percentage. I don't care if he's operating at 10 percent or 99 percent, get him the ball on the post and he'll score. It's that simple.

Obviously, there are far too many problems to name right now. But I say a lot more AO, and a lot less dribbling sounds like a pretty good game plan down the stretch.
Remember, Syracuse is in the tournament right now. Sure, they can play their way out. But right now, if they just take care of business, they'll be fine. Get used to the term "must-win" because that applies to Syracuse's next three games.
Enjoy.

- Ryan Day "

" where has the inside game been lately or more correctly in the last 7 losses? this past game 39 3pt shots attempted out of 70 total. andy 6/15 and the rest of the team 6/24. box scores for the previous 6 losses read about the same and let's not even talk about foul shots. SU's RPI is really more of a Really Poor Indicator of how they're playing than anything else. let's hope for the best, but not be surprised when we don't get it. "

" Orange Slices - Any Musings on the Nova Game and what Cuse has to do to firmly plant itself in the NCAA Tournament field?

I think the last thing we want is to give the committee ANY reason to think twice or have to 'make a decision' on Syracuse. We have seen where that has gotten us... "

" I did enjoy that SI article that featured the Orange prominently, and I think it brings an issue to light that many of us in central New York have already noticed -- is Jim Boeheim too hard on Paul Harris? The burly junior clearly doesn't accept criticism well and he has admitted to quiting in games before.
I know Boeheim gets on his players, but getting in Harris' face or yanking him from a game in the first minute probably isn't the best way to handle him. You risk Harris checking out mentally for the rest of the game.
Boeheim has sort of zapped Paul's confidence, and that's not good for SU, a team that absolutely thrives when Harris is posting double-doubles.
Now, I don't want to make excuses for Harris. He needs to be mentally stronger and definitely needs to stop pouting, which he does often.
But I also think Boeheim needs to adapt his coaching with certain players. Some you can scream at, others you have to be calm with. There's clearly plenty of animosity between the two, and that must change down the home stretch if Syracuse is going to make any kind of run.

- Ryan Day "

" http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1151997/index.htm?eref=sixtra_newsletter021809

Nice story on SI about Cuse. Orange Sizzle - aka Ryan Day called this article when he told me that his father John Day was sitting next to an SI writer at the game (ironically on RD's normal seat)... Foreshadow Much...? "

" Well here are some of my most recent thoughts about the Cuse...

1. That Georgetown game at home was WAY too close! To only win that in overtime just shows how badly all these consecutive losses have crippled us mentally. I mean a win is a win and now win is better than when it comes to GTOWN whether their ranked or not, its still sweet. Maybe it will propel us into the Villanova game with some confidence. Lots of confidence = great success in College Basketball.

2. Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf have really stepped it up. But WHERE IS PAUL HARRIS??? You know for a former 5 star recruit, your really stinking up the Dome lately! GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!!! Even if everybody else is playing well, its still nice to have Harris playing well because when he's on, he really lights the place up and that makes the Cuse win big ballgames!

3. Devendorf, if your reading this, then I have something to tell you... STOP TRAVELING AND MAKING THOSE STUPID PASSES TO NOBODY WHEN YOUR UP IN THE AIR YOU DUMMY!!! Jeez I mean your talented and all and you get lots of big points but you just have way too many turnovers to the point that if you suddenly stop scoring then you become a liability rather than an asset on the team!

4. That "flagrant technical" on Kristof was total crap! They missed DaJuan Summers hacking Kristof before hand.

5. I feel good about the rest of our schedule. We can beat Nova on Sunday and then we got St. John's (WIN), Cincy (should be WIN), Rutgers (WIN), and Marquette may not even matter which means we could win and it would be great but losing won't damage us. Things are starting to look bright for the Pride of the Orange! "

" If only Syracuse could turn the frozen wheel and go back ... to say, the Providence game, play a little defense, and pick up a much-needed win over a team the Orange should have beat.
But there's no use sulking about it now. Like my man Danny Fara says, "what happened, happened."
Now, Georgetown is next on the list of "must-win" games. The Hoyas are only 4-7 in conference, but you can throw out the numbers when they play the 'Cuse.
Let's face facts, if Syracuse loses to Georgetown then you can bid adieu to the NCAA tournament. At 2-6 in their last eight games, the Orange need to turn the fail-safe key immediately.
Syracuse does have three marquee wins -- Memphis, Kansas, Florida -- but it hasn't beaten anyone of substance in the Big East. For the most part, Syracuse has beat who it's supposed to beat and lost to who it's supposed to lose to.
And that's not good enough.
It's tough not having a healthy Arinze Onuaku, but there's still enough talent to challenge the powers in the league. But for some reason or another, Syracuse just hasn't done it.
A loss today would be crippling. SU needs to stay above .500 in the league and it NEEDS to beat the Big East teams below them in the standings.
But maybe worse, a loss today would completely deplete Syracuse of any confidence it has left.
Let's not kid ourselves. If Syracuse loses to Georgetown, they'll be Christian Shephard. They may not look dead. They may not act dead.
But they're dead. Oh, they're dead.

- Ryan Day "

" Thoughts I was thinking while Eric Turoverdorf made me re-think his value

• There's no shame in falling to the No. 1 team on the road. But after a strong, energetic first half, it was tough to watch the Orange literally throw away opportunities. It would have been less painful to watch my DVD of Bonds on Bonds.
• Eric Devendorf travels on the court like Charlotte Lewis travels through time – way too often and your brain hurts after each trip.
• I know Arinze is going to miss his free throws, but et tu Jonny? You're better than that.
• What on earth was Boeheim thinking? Was his gameplan really to attack Hasheem Thebeast inside? How many times does he have to block you before you realize there's just no room? Am I the only one who noticed that the offense was clicking when the Orange moved the ball around and set up open looks instead of driving inside and getting manhandled? Let's bring in Cpt. "Sully" Sullenberger. At least we know he can make the best out of something that's crashing. (Too soon?)
• On a positive note Krystof looked AWESOME. He impressed me all night, with the exception of one or two miscues. But he showed more fire and energy than anyone on the floor. He was EVERYWHERE on defense and was a large reason for UConn's 20 turnovers.
• Losers in 5 of their last 6, I just hope the Orange can make like Jin (SPOILER ALERT) and come back from the dead. "

" I hate to throw out the term "must-win" in early February, but as Orange fans are freaking out across central New York, I think it's fair.
Riding a three-game losing streak, Syracuse needs a win tonight against West Virginia, for multiple reasons.
1. Confidence - a win over the Mountaineers would get the Orange back on track and might mentally propel them into road games at Villanova and UConn. A loss could cripple this team mentally, and a three-game skid could very easily turn into a six-game slide.
2. Respect - SU, once ranked as high as eighth in the country, is now a mid-level squad that isn't getting any dap even in its own building. The 20th-ranked Orange are underdogs against the unranked Mountaineers. You read that correctly, West Virginia is a one-point favorite IN THE CARRIER DOME. This never used to happen. Syracuse needs a win to garner more national attention and improve its stock come selection time.
3. Standings - it's assumed that SU will be in a battle with West Virginia, Notre Dame, Georgetown and possibly Providence for the eighth and ninth seeds in the
Big East Tournament. This is huge, considering the field has been expanded this year. The ninth seed will have to play an extra day down in New York City, and win five straight games (impossible) to win the whole shabang, while the eighth seed will get a first-round bye. The Orange currently sit at No. 7 in the Big East, while the Mountaineers at No. 8. This season, there's a world of difference between being the eighth and ninth seed in the Big East.

West Virginia is a great defensive team, but it's no Louisville. To me, the key is Paul Harris. Harris hasn't had a double-double in three games. Not coincidentally, Syracuse hasn't won in three games.
When Harris is on, meaning he's getting to the foul line, he's rebounding and he's knocking down the 15-footer, he's unstoppable. It also opens up driving lanes for Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf.
We're not sure how effective Rautins or Onuaku will be tonight, both are still fighting off the effects of injuries. This should be Paul Harris' game to shine. Things will get physical, and West Virginia will undoubtedly key in on stopping the 3-pointer. So Harris has to take this game over. He's clearly capable. And his team desperately needs him.

- Ryan Day "

" Yes I totally agree with you Orange Slices. Jonny Flynn really did bring his A game as did Eric Devendorf. But as I was saying before it only shows just how thin a team we really are when we can't even beat the Providence College Friars without Andy Rautins and Arinze Onuaku and a good game from Paul Harris! I still say that we need to be more of an outside-inside team rather than just pulling up for long-range jumpers, we just aren't as effective that way. We have the shooters to do that whenever they're hot but we just aren't hot right now except maybe Flynn and Devo are coming alive now. We need to have some defense. I think we should play Rick Pitino style D against the Mountaineers tomorrow night, full court press them all game long and force turnovers and slow down their offensive schemes. Pressing forces turnovers, turnovers create our great transition game, our great transition game creates easy points, and easy points creates great offensive success! We seem to usually struggle against West Virginia but seeing that it's in retrospect probably our easiest game in a while when you see what we've got coming up in the near future, we need to defend the Dome and get this losing streak snapped. We're on ESPN, we need to show the world that we don't belong in the NIT anymore! LETS GO ORANGE!!! "

" there was a typo error on my last post. the last line should've read: God must be an SU Fan too, 'cause the sun is orange and the sky is blue. "

" Maybe I was transported to an alternate reality and watched a different game than you, but Flynn was by far the best player on the court, Onuaku was severely limited by a knee injury and Devendorf kept Syracuse in the game with countless 3s.
You did get one thing right -- where was Paul Harris? Granted he didn't get the start, for reasons Boeheim is keeping to himself, but when he was in there he struggled. Harris did hit two 3s down the stretch, but his play in the first half was horrid. Harris hasn't been himself for three straight games, and that has to change quickly.
As for Boeheim, you can debate whether he should have tried to man-to-man earlier, but at some point you have to rely on the players to step up. Who's to say the man-to-man would have been any different?
Boeheim didn't blow this one people. He didn't coach his finest game, but the players didn't take it upon themselves to make a dang stop at the defensive end. How do you go from Louisville, possibly Syracuse's finest defensive game of the season, to Providence, by far their worst.
After a two-game offensive slump, it was promising to see Syracuse shoot the ball so well, especially without Rautins and a healthy A.O., but it was just as depressing to see the Friars just eat up the zone.
I do have to give some major props to Jonny, who I called out after Sunday's game. He played poorly for two straight games, and for Syracuse to get back on track, Flynn has to be the best player on the court.
Well, he was on Wednesday. And he did all he could to get SU the win.
It was a tremendous offensive performance, but you've got to play more than 50 percent of the game. That's why the Orange have been losing -- no offense against Pitt and Louisville, no defense against Providence.
And things won't get easier -- SU faces West Virginia, Villanova, Connecticut, Georgetown and Villanova -- in that order.
Where are the wins going to come from?

- Ryan Day "

" I can not believe what I just watched tonight. I think this game begs the question, is it time for the big Blow Him to go? What a display....no discipline, helter skelter play, no time outs to regroup,unreal. Rautins was obviously missed, but this should not be a one man team. Where was Flynn, and Harris, Onauku? Oh and do we need to talk about Defendoof? With his antics over the past few years, why is it that Blow Him doesn't sit his butt on the bench?

NIT's here we come for the 3rd year, it is unexcusable. "

" Ok I finally got an account on this thing so now I'm finally going to share my knowledge and complain about the Syracuse University Orange men's basketball team. First off, why is Jim Boeheim so stupid? He could easily use a 9 man rotation and instead he choses to have a 6 and sometimes 7 man rotation despite being in the Big East! That's just ridiculous! The only guy that comes in off the bench regularly is Eric Devendorf which is fine. But play Kris Joseph like 10 minutes a game, he's got talent on both ends of the floor. Also, Kristof Ongenat used to be a starter once upon a time on this team and now he doesn't play at all? Why? Play Kristof a little bit! He may not be the best offensive threat we have by any means but he's a scrappy defender and I'd like to see him in more games for more time. Also what's up with Mookie Jones? A former 4 star recruit, he hasn't hardly played at all in Big East Conference play. In fact the only time he has played in the conference season was the last few minutes of that Seton Hall rout! Why? He's an offensive specialist, put him in from time to time just to add more depth to the team. If he doesn't start to get adequate playing time, he will probably transfer. Imagine, we could even have a 11 man rotation if that good Iowa State transfer Wesley Johnson and Antonio "Scoop" Jardine were available! And play Brandon Reese and Jake Presutti more! I love watching them play especially Reese because he looks like he's 10! Another thing I want to point out, we are amazing offensively when we're clicking like the Seton Hall game or the Notre Dame game, we looked like we were clicking on all cylinders! We probably have the most capable offensive weapons of any team in America! But we need to run more plays instead of having Flynn settle one of his crazy pull up jumpers or Harris' 19 footers, we need to look for better shots more often instead of falling asleep for 3 minutes at a time during games, GET THE BALL TO ARINZE ONUAKU AND RICK JACKSON! They score almost every single time they get the ball down there, especially Onuaku so get them the ball more often! Lastly, where's our free throw shooting? I mean, I've seen some pretty bad Syracuse free throw shooting teams in the past probably most recently when we had Darryl Watkins and Terrence Roberts on the team but this is just ridiculous! I mean, Onuaku is like 30% now, Jackson's gotta be like 50% now for the season, even Harris isn't that good and I saw Flynn struggle mightily from the charity stripe in the Pitt game, and Devendorf seems to love making the first free throw and then missing the second one when he goes to the line, I don't know if anyone else has caught that or not... But bottom line is, we can be a great team if we rebound, shoot free throws, and use our whole entire bench. Until those thing start happening, the way I see it, Syracuse belongs right in the middle of the conference standings because they can easily beat up on the easy teams but struggle a lot against the top tier teams. GO CUSE TONIGHT AGAINST PROVIDENCE! "

" I will have to start off by giving you some props my friend. Although the Syracuse fan base (including myself) has fallen in love with jonny flynn the little guy has been struggling lately. Flynn is still averaging 16 points and 6 assits a game but is a combined 6-26 from the floor the last two games and has been outplayed by both opposing point guards (Levance Fields and Edgar Sosa!). It is time for Flynn to step up his game before this funk becomes a losing streak gets out of hand. Also my boy paul aka the horse harris needs to put the ball in the hoop. Harris' scoring is vital to the orange's success. You look at the games Harris scores 15+ and the result is almost always a W.


The last point I want to make is that this team is extremely talented. Although the orange has struggled against some stiff competion it is not time to panic... at least not yet. With Rautins maybe hurt, Flynn getting testy with the media, Harris sulking on the bench, and no easy games in the near future the cuse has got to get a win tomorrow against the friars. A loss to Providence and the Orange suddenly seem incredibly mediocre and on the verge of yet another dissapointing season.



So lets go baby...gotta treat tomorrows game like a cuse/gtown game. ONIONS! "

" Mr. Day,
First and foremost, let me say happy new year to you. Now let's start in on The Orange. So as much as I like the barrage of buckets from 20'9" our boy Andy "The Dew" Rautins has been hitting lately...I can not help but scream at my television each and every time he gets the ball anywhere other than from the arc. His passing ability can only be likened to D-Nice's public speaking abilities. Can you chime in on the status of Rautins as well as how Jimmy B should utilize his bench players like Joseph and Ongenaet [and Devendorf?] now that we're getting into the thick of conference play? Will Devendorf soon be starting now that his off-court issues are behind us...

-Philly "

" Put in your mouthguard ... tonight's game is going to get physical.
There's not a team in the country that plays better at home than Pittsburgh. Add to that the Panthers are coming off their first loss of the season, so you know Syracuse is in for a battle.
The Orange could not have played better in Saturday's 93-74 win over Notre Dame. Most notably, Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson were tremendous inside both offensively and defensively. That's going to have to happen again tonight, especially defensively against DeJuan Blair, who is a walking double-double.
Turnovers cost Syracuse a victory against Pitt last year, so the Orange must take care of the ball.
Sam Young is a guy to keep your eye on. He was my preseason pick for Big East player of the year, but his numbers have plummeted in conference play. I wouldn't be surprised if he snapped out of his funk tonight.
Frankly, I don't see Syracuse winning this game unless Eric Devendorf and Andy Rautins have huge games. The Panthers will dominate the glass and will probably double Syracuse up on second-chance points. The only way to cancel that out is from behind the arc. Pittsburgh is a staunch defensive team, so SU's shooters are going to see hands in their faces all night.
Syracuse is probably the best offensive team in the league, but Pitt is without a doubt the best defensive team in the league. We'll know early on who's dictating the pace of the game.
If there are constant fast breaks, the advantage goes to the 'Cuse.
If it's half-court basketball, the advantage goes to Pitt.
Syracuse just has to stay in this one. The Orange fell behind way too early against Georgetown, and had no chance of fighting back against a good defensive unit in a hostile environment. SU needs to keep it close for a half, and hope a few breaks go its way in the second.
Syracuse just doesn't match up well with Pitt. The Panthers rarely turn the ball over, they crush you on the boards and they have two of the 10 best players in the league -- Young and Blair.
Syracuse is a nine-point underdog for a reason. A win tonight would be the most improbable of the year.

- Ryan Day "

" Paul Harris was named to the Big East honor roll on Monday. He averaged 20 points in two games this week.
Also, Jonny's dunk in the Rutgers game not only was the No. 1 play on Sportscenter the next morning, it was the No. 2 play of the weekend on ESPN. It was only topped by an 82-foot buzzer-beater in a high school game.
Huh, buzzer-beaters. Sounds familiar.

- Ryan Day "

" I do like apples, and I do acknowledge that Syracuse's season may be defined by the next 10 games.
I think 5-5 should be the goal. Assuming they win tomorrow (which I'm not sure they will, SU never plays well at the RAC), Syracuse would be 21-6 if they make it through that stretch going .500.
It would also give them multiple wins over ranked teams. Plus, if SU picks up a road win here or there, those would be marquee wins come NCAA selection time.
Anything under .500 would be a failure in my mind, and anything over would be gravy.
But it is an unbelievably brutal stretch. I've never seen anything like it in my years watching college hoops.

- Ryan Day "

" Just an observation.... After the Rutgers game on Saturday, nine of Cuse's next 10 games are against ranked opponents. I don't like the sound of them apples. I defer to the expert, what would you consider a respectable record in those 10 games? "

" " After the Memphis game, a buddy of mine called me and asked me this exact question:
"Is Andy Rautins good?"
It was a fair question. Rautins is known as a 3-point specialist, but started the season shooting poorly from long range.
My answer was yes, Rautins is good. He's one of SU's best defenders and he's a tremendous passer -- people just get caught up in the missed shots.
And, I told my buddy the shots would eventually start falling. He was getting good looks, and it's not like he was forcing up bad shots.

Well, the shots have started falling in bunches, as Rautins has connected on 16 3s in his last two games.
But still, I'm more pleased with the rest of his play. Rautins continues to surprise me. I thought he'd just be a shooter at Syracuse, and now it turns out he's the team's best defender. He's great in man-to-man and at the top of the zone.
Seriously, he gambles a lot, but he's quick, lanky and picks up a few key steals a game. Andy Rautins is much more than just a shooter.
And with Rautins catching fire, Syracuse is a match-up nightmare. You can play them zone, but Rautins, Devo and Flynn will kill you on 3s.
You can play them man, but Flynn will be able to get to the basket or distribute to Rick Jackson and Arinze Onuaku for easy buckets.
The Orange aren't great defensively and they're terrible on the glass, but with Rautins playing at this level, there's few teams in the country that can match SU's offensive firepower. Actually, maybe only one -- North Carolina.

- Ryan Day " "