10- Other towns complaining about the snow when anyone who has spent a winter in Syracuse knows snow in Syracuse is like earthquakes in California or finding a pub in Ireland, it’s a way of life. Snow hits NYC and people panic and roads close for a week whereas when it snows in Syracuse, the plows have already been on the road for hours and everyone is ready to go. I grew up in the area and half the neighborhood had snowmobiles and part of a young person’s driving was dad taking you to the store parking lot that had not been plowed yet and grabbing your steering wheel to teach you how to handle a spin out. We got snow and we loved it.
#9- Anything Hoyas, Huskies or Scarlet Knights related unless it involves Syracuse beating them. If this needs to be explained further, I will post a tutorial on teams Syracuse fans dislike the most at a later date.
#8- Can we please end this preposterous myth that Dino’s BBQ is better than Tully’s? OK, this may not be a huge issue amongst SU fans and I know many enjoy both but I had to fit in a Tully’s mention somehow per my deal with the Tully the Turtle on a cold Syracuse winter night when beer was involved. It’s not like I was trying to debate Chuck’s verses whatever new bar is opening on the Hill this week.
#7- The Big East is the worst conference in the BCS. Really, is the ACC that much better? The Big 10 went 0-5 in bowl games on ONE DAY while the Big East only bowl loses were WVU and UConn (First EVER Pinstripe Bowl champions’ baby, heck yes).
#6- Any mentions of Greg Robinson. The best thing Syracuse football coach has done for this program is winning so that we can try to move past those horrible years. I didn’t shave my head; I pulled the hairs out individually watching those years he coached with the sole purpose of making Syracuse “the USC of the east coast.” Can we please not have to hear this every football game as though we the fans forgot about him and the bad football played during his time here?
#5- Mentions of Greg Paulus or legacy players every game. I understand Andy was Leo’s son and Brandon is Howard’s nephew and also understand there are casual fans who may not understand this fact as well as SU fans but do you truly think Rutgers or sports fans not of the Orange persuasion care about their blood lines. Though the Paulus conversation has calmed some and we no longer have to see his basketball clips (and we thank him for his year to help give Nassib time to learn the system), seeing Nassib have a great game in the Pinstripe hopefully solidified his position as the starting QB without meriting comparisons to his former teammate.
#4- I know some of you may tire of it but songs like Cotton Eyed Joe are part of the fun when you bring a family. I personally hate the Kiss Cam (as well as most forms of public displays of affection) but I do not go on a rampage every they do one at a game. Cotton Eyed Joe is a fun song that kids enjoy dancing to and I think it is a good idea to occasionally cater a song towards that demographic so that they enjoy their experience more. Ever take a kid to most sporting events and ask them to sit still the entire game? You will either upset them so that they throw a fit or just are so bored, they do not look forward to going back. Would you prefer the theme song to Hannah Montana or Barney? Admit it, if they played “Who Let The Dogs Out” knowing the kids liked it, you would be equally disappointed. And yes, I am not ashamed to admit I am probably defending this one because I actually think it’s an amusing song (oh please, I didn’t have any street credibility to lose anyway so admitting it won’t hurt me much).
#3- Do we really need to have the debate after each game about people leaving early? REALLY! Is the Dome traffic that bad? REALLY! Unless there is an emergency at home or the kids have just finally pushed your last button and you are taking them home to lay the smack down on them, stick around and enjoy the game (possibly the post game as well). You have no idea how terrible it looks when there is a mass exodus at the Carrier Dome when the clock is still running and occasionally the announcers even mention it and show those leaving questioning their motives. I have been to games with several thousand people in attendance at the old Charlotte Coliseum and I assure you, you have not seen awful parking situations until you had to leave that place and I never left a game early (and that was not even Syracuse whom we should support more). OK granted one of the exits from a WWE event during the “attitude era” allowed my, at the time, 11 year old nephew to witness two women taking turns displaying their nurturing devices for the whole parking lot to witness so that helped but still. I do understand that occasionally games end late on weekdays or there may be circumstances at home that require your attention but for the most part, you should stick around and show your support and love for these teams and plan accordingly when attending a game. Applaud the players or find out who is going to Chucks for post game drinks and make new friends.
#2- Restore 44. Do I really have to do my own top 10 reasons why retiring this number retired a Syracuse tradition? We all know Delone Carter is not Jim Brown or Ernie Davis or Floyd Little but it was about more than just three legends who I love and admire. I have nothing against when schools or teams retire jerseys as I find it a great tribute but 44 was more than a number, it represented Syracuse. It was our way of essentially naming an offensive captain to lead the charge. Watch The Express when Ernie discusses how it was Jim Brown’s number and is basically told that now it is his. It is about embracing a young running back and allowing him to grow in our hearts and minds. Look in the stands of the Carrier Dome and you will see a flock of 44’s that I assure you will outnumber Jeter jerseys in Yankees stadium because 44 IS Syracuse. Syracuse fans love this program and we loved seeing who would get the coveted jersey with anticipation. It was never about living up to those who wore it before them, it was a chance to recognize a special player and a recruiting tool for those who wanted to share in the honor or wearing that number. I promise you that as long as there is breath in my body, I will fight to have this tradition restored and see it on the field again. And if I die before it is done, I hope my tombstone contains the words “Live, Breathed and Loved His Orange. Restore 44.”
#1- SYRACUSE IS NOT A DISTANT BOROUGH OF NEW YORK CITY OR THE CAPITAL OF NEW JERSEY AND ACTUALLY INVOLVES A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL TRAVEL. THERE ARE NOT SUBWAY STOPS IN SYRACUSE SO FOR ALL THAT IS HOLY STOP MAKING IT SOUND AS THOUGH ALL GAMES IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK OR NEW JERSEY ARE “BASICALLY” HOME GAMES AND THIS TEAM DOES NOT TRAVEL. DOES THIS MEAN WHEN SU PLAYS ST. JOHNS OR RUTGERS THAT WE ARE STILL THE HOME TEAM? NO! SO STOP THIS FOOLISH BS ABOUT HOW THEY DO NOT TRAVEL. SYRACUSE USED TO BE LABELED AS THE TEAM WHO NEVER PLAYED ANYONE AND WHEN THE OUT OF CONFERENCE SCHEDULE GOT TOUGHER, THE “EXPERTS” FOUND SOMETHING ELSE TO BITCH ABOUT. SHAME ON YOU COACH B FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE COACHES VERSE CANCER TOURNAMENT, YOU SHOUL D HAVE GONE TO HAWAII FOR SELFISH REASONS ACCORDING TO SOME. SHAME ON COACH MARRONE AND THE UNIVERSITY FOR ACCEPTING A BOWL BID SOMEWHERE SENTIMENTAL AND NOT LEAVING THE STATE FOR A BOWL GAME JUST TO PLEASE SOME “JOURNALISTS” AND PARTICIPATE IN AN INAUGURAL BOWL GAME IN ONE OF THE MOST ENJOYABLE CITIES IN THE WORLD. I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET A PAYCHECK THAT EVEN IF SYRACUSE PLAYED 95% OF THEIR GAMES ON THE ROAD, THEY WOULD FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT. WHY NOT JUST LET THIS TEAM PLAY THEIR SCHEDULE AND WE WILL SEE WHEN THE TOURNAMENT ARRIVES IF THEY ARE THAT GOOD OR NOT (TO THOSE THAT POINT OUT LAST YEAR’S POST SEASON, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT FORGET THAT AO WAS INJURED DURING THE BIG EAST TOURNAMENT AND THE TEAM WAS NOT THE SAME WITHOUT HIM). I CAN TELL YOU THIS, IF THIS IS YORU COMPLAINT, I PROBABLY STOPPED READING YOUR COLUMN WHEN I SAW YOU NOTE IT.
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