In these troubled times, there is no only one team that will get you through the next four years, just like they could have got you through your four years at Syracuse. From 1991 to 2004, Kenneth “Buzz” Shaw led the Syracuse University in a time of unheralded success and growth. His popularity among the students was very high; the respect from his peers was unquestionable. He is a man who knows leadership inside and out and has authored two books on the subject. He is also a 2008 Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois, the state's highest honor. Buzz Shaw knows leadership and how to have a good time. This man should be the next President of the United States. Not to mention, backed up by Jim Boeheim, and that is a winning ticket for any occasion. So two weeks from today, when you go and vote, be sure you write in Kenneth “Buzz” Shaw for President of the United States. Let’s face it, he’ll probably be better for America than either of the current candidates. And Jim Boeheim (and Juli) will clearly be great for everything.

Vote Shaw/Boeheim… for America. Fuck yeah.

Football genius or worst coach ever?

The State of the Orange has a much sunnier outlook as I write this. Syracuse is coming off a big time upset of #18 Louisville, and quite frankly has re-energized Orange Nation. There is excitement and talk after this major statement win. But one game does not define a coach, so I will write this assessment with the bitter disdain and cold hart I wrote Part 1 with.

In this installment of our special three part report we focus on the current coach of the Syracuse Orange Football club, one Greg Robinson. Robinson has been at the helm of this storied football program since 2005. Since then, the man, to date, as achieved a record of 6-21. For those of you keeping track at home, that is a .222 win percentage. Not something to write home about. For a coach with so much potential and hope for something different, most fans of the Orange would say we were not delivered what was promised. We will start by looking back at what Mr. Robinson had accomplished before arriving in the Salt City.

Robinson started his football playing career at the University of the Pacific. It is slightly ironic that they have since ended fielding a team in football. He played linebacker for the squad before beginning his coaching career at his alma mater. Making stops at Cal State Fullerton, NC State, and UCLA, he then entered the coaching ranks of the National Football League. He then spent four years with the New York Jets before moving on to the Denver Broncos for five years as Defensive Coordinator. He proceeded to win two Super Bowl rings there (f’ing awesome). Then he moved on to the KC Chiefs for two years, before jumping back to college coaching at Texas. From this illustrious resume he was selected to be a head coach for the first time by Daryl Gross to lead the Syracuse Orange football team.

The real question with this gentleman is can he recruit people to bring the glory and prestige back to Syracuse Football? So far the answer is… undecided. Do I think it is too early to decide if he can bring this program back from death’s doorstep? Most likely.

After seasons only containing one and four wins respectively, and then beginning this season dropping three games by a lot, I was ready for the man to be fired. I was like many people in Orange Nation. At the beginning of the season I was willing to give the man a break. After a season with four wins, a vast improvement from only one, I simply asked for improvement. If Robinson could not deliver five wins with his boys, I was just fine with him getting fired.

So, let’s address some of the rumors that are currently out there. Until the big Louisville win Saturday, there was much talk about us not winning one game this season. The prevalent talk and desire was that Robinson would be fired in the middle of the year, there would be an assistant taking over the balance of the season, and then getting a jump on hiring a new coach for next season. Now, frankly, after Saturday I’m not sure where the hot seat is on Coach Robinson. The Axeman seems to think he has gone from the hot seat to an uncomfortably warm seat.

So who would be the front runner for the job? Obviously, as an average member of society I am not privy to all the people that would apply. But here are some rumors that are floating around, as well as some I am creating which would be interesting to think about. First candidate: Lloyd Carr. Yes, the current coach of Michigan is probably out at the end of the year, especially after he loses to THE Ohio State again. He could come in, he’s obviously a good recruiter (hello, he stole Mike Hart from our back yard), and I just think it could be a nice fit. Candidate number two: Bill Cowher. This Super Bowl winning coach, who was with the Pittsburgh Steelers for 15 years. Some say he wouldn’t come to Syracuse. I say I am totally making this up and just think it would be the shit if Bill Cowher did come. Frankly, there is no pressure. He was a 15 year NFL coach with a Super Bowl ring and a team that could only go up. He has never coached in college so why not try to join the ranks of coaches that have won the BCS and a Super Bowl ring. Candidate number three: Paul Pasqualoni. After getting three seasons under his belt in an NFL system, why not come back. Who knows Syracuse better after all. He could come in, pick up all those recruiting pipelines that he had before (what the hell am I saying?!?). At this point, who knows who would want the Syracuse job, let alone succeed in? No one.

Now, that Greg has won, arguably the biggest upset this season, let alone ever (it is true if you go by point spread), what happens now? I think this win has bought Robinson some time. I am all about taking the wait and see attitude and taking a look at how the team does at Miami of Ohio, and then see how they fair against WVU and Rutgers on Homecoming. Then I can either get on the bandwagon and give Robinson another season to show some improvement and get to a Bowl Game, or call for his firing.

The State of the Orange at this very minute is not so bad. We have won a major victory in the conference placing us tied for first place with lowly UConn. We have a winnable game next week. Things are not so down for the Orange currently. This could all change after next week, but for now there is slightly renewed hope and content. I hope this feeling continues all the way to at least five victories, three of which come in the Big East.

Editor’s Note: This is part two in a three part special report on the State of the Orange. Part three will be released Thursday focusing on the other teams at Syracuse and recommendations for the future reguarding the entire Athletic Department. Part one can be found here. Part three can be found here.

DOCTOR or the Devil?

The State of the Orange is not something easily discussed these days. While Syracuse is one of the few schools that has enjoyed success in all three of the top three sports in the NCAA, Syracuse Football, and yes athletics as a whole at Syracuse, have taken a sharp and historic turn for the worse. Who is behind this, what does this mean, and what will happen now? These are the questions that many of the Orange faithful have been asking these days. This three part essay will attempt to discuss the major players in the fall of the Orange, address the current rumors regarding our football program and the athletic department, and give some insight as to what the hell happened.

In this special report, we start with the man behind the curtain presently at Manley Field House, Dr. Daryl Gross. Everything rests with the man at the top. The buck does stop somewhere, and in every case, it has to stop with the man upstairs. Since winter of 2004 my opinions of Gross have greatly changed. He was hired to replace grizzled veteran of the department, and a founding father of the Big East Conference, Jake Crouthamel.

Crouthamel had his problems and criticisms like every AD that comes through the door, but he was mostly liked and extremely well respected by his peers. After the university changed its logo and went from “Orangemen” to “Orange” many students and alumni thought that it was time for Jake to leave. This was only solidified when he again refused to fire Coach P. Gross was hired shortly after the Champs Sports Bowl blowout in 2004 and on December 29th, he proceeded to fire Coach P. While most saw this as the right move for the football team at the time, I am sure we all yearn for a six win season again. Crouthamel was not the most popular, but at least he was respected and helped the university weather some rough storms. A former football coach himself, I believe he probably knew exactly what was best for the university at the time.

Then the Gross era in Syracuse began. With a flashy start, he proceeded to shake up the Athletic Department. By shake up, I mean bring in people extremely unqualified to do their jobs. Let me explain. You see, it all starts back in USC. Gather around for story time kids.

At USC Daryl had a graduate assistant named Lael. She worked in the athletic department after graduation for three years, babysitting Daryl’s kids. Daryl then takes the job at Syracuse, and what do you know, she comes with him. She even gets the job of Assistant Director of Athletics for Marketing. Which, I think everyone thought was kind of funny for someone with only three years experience and no Masters Degree. Surprise surprise, Daryl gets a divorce. Not that this was not already the talk of the athletic department. Sure enough Lael now has the last name of Gross. Funny how things work out like that.

While the above is a funny aside, and while we at Orange::44 condemn adultery all the while finding it hilarious, this is merely meant to illustrate the simple fact that there are not enough competent people at the athletic department. A good university athletic program starts with the top and filters down. Competent people must be in place to provide a basis for success. I have always respected the Edson’s, and Pete Sala, and even Barbra Henderson, those people, coincidentally hired during the previous administration, are not the majority in the athletic department these days.

Since the start of the 2005-2006 school year, the football team has gone won only five games, and only one of which was a Big East victory. In the 2006-2007 school year the lacrosse team failed to make the postseason for the first time in about 25 years, and Syracuse Basketball became the first team in the history of the Big East to get 10 wins in league play and not make the NCAA Tournament. This is obviously grossly (no pun intended) underachieving as compared to the previous history of the programs.

Along with underachieving teams, there is the issue of disbanding the swimming and diving program. I have been privy to some documents which have chronicled some meetings within the closed doors of the athletic department regarding Daryl Gross, Assistant AD Henry Wildhack. In these meetings, which are most likely referenced in this article from Phil Whitten, Executive Director of the College Swimming Coaches Association of America, it is evident that Gross made this decision based on criteria in his own head, along with misinformation. By now you have surely heard the arguments based on this, therefore assuming you know the facts, you know Gross acted completely in haste and without fully analyzing the athletic department for the best possibility. That is if you believe Whitten, which I mostly do.

The NCAA determines championship participation in sending one or more swimmers to the NCAA finals in swimming. Syracuse has sent one or two members at least 75% of the time for the last 25 years. Therefore this argument of not being a championship caliber team is false. Also, many parents have offered to apply for grants and donate money totaling one million dollars to run the swimming and diving program. Gross has not commented on this. The only assumption to draw is that this decision was based on some notion of Title IX, which as we all know is supposed to provide equality, but really gets rid of men’s teams at Syracuse (see baseball, wrestling, gymnastics). In addition to this, the Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion was purposely built before the 2001 school year to be too small to support a Division 1 Ice Hockey team. Gross suggests that cost is the real reason, citing that to have the swimming team compete they would need a $25 million upgrade to the facility. Well, upgrading the ice hockey facilities will cost something as well.

The moral of the story is Gross is handling our (yes, as a student or alumni you have a stake in the AD, therefore it is yours) athletic department poorly. Therefore, we have to decide if it is the time to fire Gross at the end of the year, give him another year, or fire him after the football season. I have heard a completely unsubstantiated rumor that Gross’ contract is up at the end of this school year, and he has tried to renegotiate but the school has refused, thus basically giving him a no confidence vote. However, others have told me his contract goes two more years. I am still checking on this angle of the story.

So where does this leave the Orange? Continuing to operate status quo will no longer suffice for the fan base. Especially when the fans of the Orange (I love you but it is true) are so “fair weather” that the money and season tickets will continue to evaporate in the path of an apathetic or unresponsive athletic director.

It is pointless to predict what actions Gross would do in the future, and I will specifically address the football situation with Greg Robinson in Part II of this article, but there is one rumor which I have heard that could be interesting to throw out. Jim Boeheim retires as coach in two years, when Gross’ contract is up. Then he becomes AD for as long as he wants the job. He could be with his family, he knows the school better than most, and fans of the Orange everywhere would rejoice.

Most people are focused on the present however. With quotes like "You've just got to keep watching to see if this team shows some signs of progressing. I'll keep watching, keep listening, keep watching, keep listening . . . and see where we go" and "We're gonna get his thing fixed, and Greg (Robinson) wants to get it fixed, and he's telling me, 'I'm gonna get it fixed’”, I’m afraid that nothing will happen for the better. With losing and incompetency the hallmarks of the Gross Era in Syracuse Athletics something has to change. That needs to be a football coach, athletic director, chancellor, or all three.

Editor’s Note: This is part one in a three part special report on the State of the Orange. Part two will focus on Greg Robinson and the football team, found here.