Syracuse students agree: Demetris Nichols > The Bonnies.

Mike Jones: Welcome to the Doghouse.

Jones' freshman campaign has not gone as expected for the young South Carolinian. Averaging just 12.5% of Syracuse's available game minutes, Jones has found a seat deep in the Orange rotation. While many attribute Jones' residency in the infamous Boeheim Doghouse to his rumored practice demeanor, the simple fact remains that Jones is performing horribly on the court.

To wit, Jones has only generated a 37.0 effective field goal percentage. While not superficially concerning, the fact that Jones is attempting 25.7% of the Orange's offensive shots when he is on the floor is absolutely destroying Syracuse's efficiency. Not surprisingly, Jones ranks fourth on the team in possession percentage (the statistic measures the percentage of offensive possessions that end with a recordable activity (turnover, missed field goal, etc.)).

Moreover, at 6'8", 210 pounds, Jones is getting destroyed on the defensive glass. Corralling just 4.3% of the defensive rebounds available when he is on the floor, Jones is simply get outworked and outplayed. Thus, it is not surprising to see Boeheim having Jones on such a short leash.

Anyway, this essay is about Syracuse's tilt against St. Bonaventure, not an unfettered attack against Mike Jones. As always, for an exhaustive explanation of Pomeroy's methodology and statistical theory, this link may be a useful resource.

While St. Bonaventure may not be the worst offensive team on Syracuse's 2006-2007 schedule (that honor is earmarked for St. Francis (NY)), the Bonnies are not going to be scorching the nets anytime soon.

The St. Bonaventure attack pretty much turns on the fortunes of 6'10" senior forward Paul Williams. Williams is one of two Bonnies with an effective field goal percentage north of 50.0% and has developed into a pretty effective Windex Man (Williams is 28th in the nation in offensive rebound percentage and 245th in defensive rebound percentage).

Outside of Williams, however, St. Bonaventure does not pose a particularly intimidating individual player. Unless, of course, you consider a starting guard that shoots 28.6% from two-point territory and takes 28.7% of the team's offensive shots an offensive force.

Yikes.

From a team perspective, the Bonnies attack is nothing spectacular. Employing a tempered pace (68.0 possessions per game), the St. Bonaventure offensive strategy is structured to attempt shots from inside the arc. The only problem is that the Bonnies are a terrible shooting club, connecting on only 44.1% of attempted two-point baskets. What has resulted is an offensive efficiency value in the bottom 200 and just 65.4 points per game.

Given the above analysis, Syracuse's defensive success is going to turn more on St. Bonaventure's offensive ineptitude than the Orange's defensive might. Despite the fact that Syracuse is amongst the top 50 in defensive efficiency, the Bonnies are likely to engage in enough masonry that Syracuse's defensive strength will be rendered moot.

The one area of concern for Syracuse should be its ability to force turnovers and grab defensive rebounds. The Orange has struggled in both statistical areas this season. Saturday's contest should provide a simple remedy to these deficiencies and allow the Orange to prime itself for its first Big East Conference clash against Pittsburgh.

When Syracuse is on Offense

Unfortunately, the analysis here is similar to that above. The real key to the Syracuse Offense-St. Bonaventure Defense clash is the Bonnies' complete incompetence.

Going through an exhaustive analysis of St. Bonaventure's woes is an exercise in futility. The real point of emphasis is the Bonnies' adjusted defensive efficiency -- 114.8 (328th in the country). As this statistic pretty much accumulates and illustrates all of the Bonnies' woes, little is left to extrapolate.

In short, this may be the perfect game for Mike Jones and Andy Rautins to find a groove and contribute. And if these guys can't contribute against St. Bonaventure's pitiful defense, these two guys are going to have a long season.

Merry Christmas, [Matt Glaude]!

Below, Brian Harrison presented his Christmas list. As I have never been one to dismiss a good idea, here's my brief list of yuletide desires:

• This may constitute a true Christmas miracle, but I wholeheartedly wish that Internet-based authors would move away from using the nominative singular pronoun "we." Using "we" as a personal reference rather than as an effort to denote a collective is absolutely maddening, especially given the nature of blogs and its role as a source of information and analysis.
  
  I am unsure when and/or where the "we" movement finds foundation, but it has all but infected many a notebook over the last 12 months. My personal assumption is that many writers are fearful of using the personal pronouns "I" or "me" because many pre-secondary education English classes promote the use of non-first person prose.
  
  Whatever the cause, the solution is simple: do not use "we" unless it is necessary to use the nominative plural of "I."



• Speaking of using the word "we," I wish that the world would stop using the pronouns "we," "us," "them," and "they" when referencing either a team of preference or an opponent. The reason for this distinction is fairly straightforward: spectators are not participants.
  
  For example, I would not expect members of the Syracuse University football team to refer to Orange::44 as "our" blog. Connectedly, as a writer, to refer to the Orange football squad's performance as "our" performance is patently improper.
  
  Plus, in the end, using proper names provides readers with a more descriptive examination and inherently signals who the particular actors are.



• I wish that Demetris Nichols would get some national attention for his performance thus far this season. According to Ken Pomeroy, Nichols is currently ranked in the top 500 in the country in seven statistical categories (Pomeroy currently categorizes 12 different statistical measures). In two categories -- offensive efficiency rating and percentage of shots -- Nichols is within the top 100.
  
  If it was not for Nichols' ill-fated dunk-layup attempt against Wichita State, Nichols could have easily established himself as one of the most important players in the Big East Conference this season.



• I wish that Syracuse's fabulous 2007 basketball recruiting class stays healthy throughout its respective preparatory seasons.



• I wish that Syracuse offensive line coach Bob Wylie somehow manages to find functionality in the Orange offensive front. The Syracuse front was simply atrocious in 2006 and given the youth that is expected to contribute in 2007, Wylie has a tough job ahead of him.



• I wish that the faucet in my kitchen would dispense Dewar's scotch.



• Finally, I wish that someone would condemn Georgetown University.

...it's just like that other BCS except completely different. We'll be handing out Best Blog awards for each of the BCS conferences, plus one for mid-major coverage (including all independents other than Notre Dame), and one for more general, national coverage blogs. After long debate we decided to put Notre Dame blogs in with the Big East, as the "non-BCS" category is supposed to be an award for mid-majors, which Notre Dame is certainly not. Since ND shares bowl affiliations with the Big East and plays the rest of their sports there, it seemed the logical choice.

The I Wanna Talk About Me Free for All is designed primarily to spread the love in case it doesn't naturally happen some other way and to serve as the season's Round Up of Round Ups. Each blogger, no matter who they are, must identify their three best posts of the year. I'll round `em up, and compile the entire thing. If it kills me. And it might.

Is this the definition of insanity?

While less glamorous than an ultra-aggressive mentality, the "walk before you run" movement is picking up momentum in the Salt City.

As noted yesterday, Syracuse intends to add the University of Texas to its 2008 football schedule. Tentatively scheduled as a home affair, Texas will complete the Orange's already unyielding out-of-conference slate of Akron, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Northwestern.

Dave Rahme, staff writer for the Syracuse Post-Standard, notes today that Syracuse's decision to meet Texas on the gridiron smacks of poor judgment. In pertinent part, Rahme argues:

Syracuse students agree: "Flying Dutchmen" was a better moniker.

Syracuse's recent struggles have been well documented; there's no need to rehash such performances on this notebook. As the Orange's Big East Conference slate looms on the not-too-distant horizon, Syracuse must find a cure to what ills it or 2006-2007 could go down as one of the most disappointing seasons in Syracuse's illustrious basketball history.

The first step in such a remedy comes Friday night, when the Orange welcomes downstate foe Hofstra to the Carrier Dome. Syracuse is a decided favorite in this contest and should blow the doors off the Pride.

Of course, if things don't go according to plan, there's going to be big time trouble on The Hill.

As always, for an exhaustive explanation of Pomeroy's methodology and statistical theory, this link may be a useful resource.

When Syracuse is on Offense

The fact here is simple: Hofstra is a defensive mess. With an adjusted defensive efficiency value of 109.5 (good for 300th in the nation), Hofstra is inept when opponents have the basketball. What is really killing the Pride, however, is its inability to stop opponents from inside the arc (opponents are shooting 50.6% from two-point territory).

In other words, Friday could present a career game for the white-hot Demetris Nichols.

The other major point of emphasis is that Hofstra is one of the worst defensive teams in the country at allowing opponents to get to the foul line. Generating a free throw rate value of 45.5 (good for 296th best in the nation), opponents are killing the Pride from the charity stripe. As Syracuse has done a tremendous job at getting to the line (21st best in the country), the Orange can really make some hay if the choose to pound the ball inside and slash to the basket.

Of course, this necessarily requires Syracuse to knock down its free throw attempts. Everyone knows, however, how dicey that fact is.

Finally – and this point is fairly unimportant – Syracuse needs to push the tempo of this game. As noted above, Syracuse likes to play in transition. Hofstra, constrastingly, enjoys a slower pace, generating only 67.1 possessions per contest. If Syracuse can get out and run, the Orange offense may simply fatigue Hofstra to the point that offensive opportunities become more plentiful.

When Syracuse is on Defense

From a player perspective, Hofstra maintains two terrific offensive options: Loren Stokes and Antoine Agudio. With offensive efficiency ratings significantly north of 100.0 and, as a tandem, eating up 57.4% of Hofstra’s offensive shot attempts, Stokes and Aguido pose a serious threat to Syracuse’s ability to smother its opponents.

From a team perspective, Hofstra presents an attack indicative of many mid-majors in its class. The Pride is a somewhat perimeter-oriented team, attempting three-point shots on 38.4% of the team’s total field goal attempts. What is concerning, however, is that Hofstra is knocking down those behind-the-arc attempts at a 39.3% rate, good for 53rd best in the nation.

Given the fact that Syracuse is allowing opponents to knock down 31.4% of its three-point shots (an average rate, but nonetheless worrisome given the Orange’s desire to sit in a zone defense), Syracuse must do a good job at extending the defense and forcing Hofstra to attempt shots inside the arc. The residue of such a defensive strategy is twofold.

First, Syracuse is second in the nation in block percentage at 22.2%. As the Orange has at its disposal significantly larger bodies up front, the opportunity to force the Pride into empty possessions resulting from blocked attempts bodes well for a Syracuse attack that enjoys getting out in transition (Syracuse is averaging 72.1 possessions per game).

Secondly, Hofstra is only shooting 50.6% from two-point territory. Against a Syracuse defense that only allows its opponents to covert on 41.7% of its two-point tries, Hofstra is going to want to set-up outside and bomb the lights out. Taking Hofstra out of its comfort zone by forcing it to beat Syracuse inside may result in rushed shots and offensive confusion.

The final point of emphasis concerns Hofstra’s inability to hit the offensive glass and Syracuse’s recent struggles on the defensive glass. As a team that is generally perimeter-oriented, Hofstra has been absolutely horrific at creating offensive boards. With so many long attempts and an offensive strategy that inherently spreads the floor to get open three-point looks, Hofstra is ranked 251st in the nation in offensive rebounding percentage.

Syracuse, unsurprisingly, has been just as inept at getting defensive boards, allowing opponents to generate a 36.0% offensive rebounding percentage (232nd in the nation). With such a tension existing, whoever dominates this point of emphasis should have the upper hand in the success category. Consequently, Syracuse needs Daryl Watkins to have a huge game and Terrence Roberts, despite his day-to-day status, to actually start contributing on the defensive end.

Hello, Hollywood!

Ernie Davis, the indefatigable catalyst of Syracuse's historic 1959 National Championship squad, is set to have his far-too-brief life story told on the big screen.

As relayed by Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician, Variety reports that the film is tentatively titled "The Express" and will star Dennis Quaid ("Jaws 3-D") as late Orange head football coach Ben Schwartzwalder. Scott Williams originally drafted the screenplay and Charles Leavitt ("K-PAX") revised the script.

As Syracuse's 2006 football campaign has mercifully concluded, there is an important piece of business still remaining on the docket.

Recently, the Big East Conference named its "All-Big East" performers for the 2006 season. Connectedly, a handful of AOL NCAA FanHouse writers handed out their own hardware in response to such selections.

In this spirit, what follows represents the first edition of The Syracuse FanHouse Certificates of Achievement in the Fields of Frustration and Pseudo-Excellence. The awards are similar to the MacArthur Fellowships except with significantly less "genius" and a boatload more "whoopsie-daisy."

I add instant credibility to this outfit.

It has been a while since I wrote something for this notebook. I am embroiled in exams for my first year of law school. I know the loyal readers expect content that is both entertaining and informative. Therefore, with that mandate and the need to distract myself from exams I give you some ideas in the style of Larry King.

The basketball team needs to rebound more.

Syracuse Lacrosse will again make the Final Four.

For my money, there are no greater sporting events then Bowl Week, March Madness, and the Powder Puff Football Tournament at Syracuse.

Simply put: Chips and some sort of dip are the best appetizer.

Greg Robinson will get no less then 4 wins again next season.

Trivia Question: Who was the first person, other then Carrier Dome staff, to step on the new field turf? Answer: Me. True story.

A fake Christmas Tree is just as good as a real one with no needles falling constantly.

A movie about Ernie Davis is a great idea and a moving tribute. Now how about a statue on campus?

Am I wrong in wanting USC and The Ohio State to lose their bowl games?

UMass won’t upset #1 Appalachian State in the Championship Division (1-AA) Championship Game.

The BCS is very broken. Everyone knows it, but it won’t change.

If you can only go to one away basketball game, Gample Pavilion is nice but you have to go to MSG.

Jim Brown and Ernie Davis were the best backs to ever play together. Bottom line. It is a shame Davis never got to play in Cleveland.

Family Guy is the best animated series on television right now. South Park is number two.

Christmas Cards are overrated. Pick up your phone and call someone.

Maxwell Hall is the best looking building on campus at Syracuse (not counting Hendricks Chapel).

My favorite Syracuse Blog other then this one is Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician.

My favorite Big East Blog is Mountainlair.

Another shame is that College Gameday is not back at Syracuse again this year.

Students use catch phrases from Super Troopers more then any other movie.

There are about 12 teams that could reach the Final Four right this second.

For my money, Woody Paige is the best person on Around The Horn.

The best in state rivalry Syracuse has in basketball is Cornell.

Athletes at UConn commit more crimes than any other Big East school.

The best candy bar is the original Hershey Bar.

Vince Young will be Rookie of the Year in the NFL, but Devin Hester probably deserves it more.

Your mother may still in fact be a Hoya.

Syracuse Basketball is best enjoyed with a cold beer and a bitter heart.

That is all for now. I feel more free then ever. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

FOR: Cogent, interesting analysis.
CRITERIA: Emphasis placed on statistical manipulation, well researched pieces that reveal something new, and/or solid argumentative pieces that function as the authoritative last word on a subject.

FOR: comic relief; overall hilarity.
CRITERIA: The funniest college football blog.

FOR: The blog that has suffered through its chosen team's dismal season with the
most dignity.
CRITERIA: Continued engagement in the face of crippling, misery-inducing defeat. A stiff-upper lip and sane reaction to everything crumbling to dust.

FOR: The blog with the most consistently expressive and excellent writing.
CRITERIA: Mechanical competency, yes, but the ability to turn a devastatingly funny phrase or write something compelling is probably more important. This isn't an award for copy editing; it's an award for kickin' prose.

FOR: The prettiest blog, the best layout and design.
CRITERIA: An aesthetic appeal, whether from a stylish banner, a pleasing layout, or an eye-catching incorporation of blog technology.

FOR: The best new college football blog.
CRITERIA: Must have launched sometime after last year's national championship game. Transitioning to a new blog or affiliating with a network mid-stream doesn't count.

FOR: The blog best keeping tabs on the man and calling out all of the injustices
in the college football world.
CRITERIA: Consistently ahead-of-the-curve on controversial issues in college football.

FOR: The blog with the best community interaction.
CRITERIA: A regular solicitation of input from readers and utilization of reader-produced content.

Welcome to McNamaraTown.

This game probably deserves a significant preview, but I'm absolutely swamped at work. So, instead I'll just post links to Ken Pomeroy's terrific team scouting reports:

Syracuse
Not Syracuse

For what it's worth, Pomeroy is predicting a 75-70 triumph for the Orange (a 69% overall probability of victory). Me, well, I'm not quite as high on Syracuse. But, of course, I'm a dirty, dirty, pessimist.

Previews and other related blogging activities to hopefully resume later this week.