What game are you watching stripes?

The Big East Conference started for Syracuse both away from the Carrier Dome (and sadly into New Jersey) and at home. Syracuse was able to win another Big East opener, but failed to defend their home court. I, along with Orange::44 Correspondent John Brennan even managed to squeeze in some overtime women's basketball as well. To the recaps.

This was a game that was only won through the toughness of Syracuse. While the Orange led for the first ten minutes, Seton Hall took advantage of poor shooting and poor passing from Syracuse and earned a double digit lead. Some solid defense and good post play helped SU to tie it heading into the half though. Syracuse then fell behind for the first part of the second half, but came back through good shooting from Kris Joseph and Wes Johnson Syracuse manages to pull out this game and hold off Seton Hall for the last eight or so minutes. The end up winning over the Hall 80 to 73.

Johnson led Syracuse in scoring with 20 points on 8-16 shooting from the floor and 1-3 from downtown. He played well however he took a few questionable shots in this game that were clearly low percentage shots that dragged Syracuse down in the first half. However, what helped the most was the 19 rebounds he had that spurred us taking the lead in the second half and keep it. He also had five blocks. Overall he had a nice game.

The real hero of this game was Kris Joseph who had 16 points in this game. When no one else was hitting shots he was. He shot well, hitting 4-5 field goals and also making 8-9 free throws in the game. For a bench player, he played an ideal game.

The reason that Seton Hall was able to keep Syracuse down in this game was the 20 turnovers that the Orange committed. The Hall only committed 13. Similarly, Syracuse was outrebounded for most of the first half and part of the second. SU finished with 44, while Seton Hall had 43. Syracuse was sadly outhustled for a big portion of this game and luckily toughed it out with good shooting down the stretch to keep a decent Seton Hall team from regaining the lead late in the game.

Syracuse escaped New Jersey but would not remain undefeated for long.

Syracuse entered this game thinking that Pittsburgh was down and this would be an easy home win. That should have been the case had Syracuse actually shown up. Syracuse took themselves out of this game in the second half missing easy bucket after easy bucket and allowing Pittsburgh to easily penetrate the zone and get good looks close to the hoop. Sadly Syracuse had a shot to get back into it, but the referees made sure they couldn't. Syracuse lost at home 82 to 72.

Wes Johnson again led the scoring for the Orange with 19 points. He also had six rebounds and two steals. Once again when others were missing shots he consistently had the best play around the hoop. While he missed six shots from mid range and around the basket and one from behind the arc again he did play well most of the game and helped mount the attempted comeback.

Kris Joseph again had a great game off the bench with ten points and nine rebounds. In the last two games he has become the best player off the bench. Even better than Scoop. He did have 15 points off the bench as well, however he had two big turnovers in this game because of when they happened and was 6-13 from the floor.

Speaking of turnovers they honestly were not the issue in this game. Syracuse did have 14, but compared to the 20 they had in Jersey that isn't that bad. Pittsburgh even had 18 in this game, especially due to the mostly effective pressure defense SU used in the game. No, what really happened in this game was Syracuse's poor shooting from long range (1-13) and poor shooting overall. Well that and the next issue.

The referees in this game were atrocious. Karl Hess, Michael Stephens, and Bob Donato were the stripes for this affair. Bob Donato is a veteran official who you may remember from the 6 OT game in MSG. He was fair in this game and did a nice job overall. Michael Stephens was a little less unbiased in this game, as he called some questionable fouls on Syracuse, as well as some pretty blatant no-calls such as a backcourt violation. But the absolute worst was Karl Hess. It was absolutely the most biased game called I have ever seen in all of my college basketball viewing. We're talking hundreds of games. And as a former referee I am critical of terrible officiating, and this was easily the worst called game I have seen ever. Jimmy Burr had a couple terrible ones in the Florida game that were just wrong, but even he was not even close to being this terrible as Hess in this game. At least they weren't biased, just wrong. This game was full of clear bias to the point of sickening frustration. You hate to blame the referees, but literally any person that saw this game, SU fan or otherwise, could easily see that this game was horribly called. I thought you were supposed to protect the better team? I guess you have to be Duke for that kind of thing. Just the worst.

So with that SU's undefeated season comes to an end. Sadly it was not the only team's undefeated streak ending.

Yes, I still call them the Orangewomen. They were undefeated heading into their Big East slate. In case you don't know, but seeing as you are probably one of the regular readers perusing this article you probably do, Syracuse playing Georgetown in anything is big. Ant this game had a BET feel I have to say. This was my first time seeing the ladies in action and they played well. Syracuse trailed since the game was 5-4, but made a great comeback to attempt to tie the game in regulation. The big excitement came with less than two seconds left when Syracuse was fouled shooting a three. SU hit all three baskets to send the game to overtime. However, Syracuse just couldn't pull anything out with one final possession and 11 seconds to go. After a big upset win in past years, Georgetown comes away with the win over the ranked team, ending both team's undefeated streaks.

Juanita Ward was the leading starter with 17 points in the game, but clearly the best player in the game was freshman center Kayla Alexander who also had 17 points off the bench. She was 7-11 from the floor around the basket and was outstanding in the post. She also had two blocks on G'town. She to me was the best player in the game. Zero of the game was Tasha Harris who was the starting point guard and finished with 0 points and did nothing on SU's final possession but hold the ball while the time ticked down.

While the game was a nice game to see and was easily more exciting than the men's game earlier, the best part was seeing Coach Q's interactions with the referees. He was giving them an earfull, as some calls were certainly suspect in terms of charges or blocks. He was out there giving them the business one minute, and schmoozing them the next. It was easily one of the most entertaining parts of the game. And the guy can coach, which is good to see as well.

I had a chance to check out the now open Club Four-Four. Eh, it's OK. Nothing too special. Maybe it will be different when it's full and there is a game going on. Check out the photos here.

We'll be back with coverage of SU's last non-conference game of the semester when the fellas take on a reeling Memphis club in the Carrier Dome. I do feel bad for Memphis. They hire a guy who gets their Final Four vacated (another for him), then he leaves with recruits for more money and a bigger job at Kentucky. Just doesn't seem fair for Memphis. Either way we're playing them and we'll be there. Until you hear from me again enjoy some "quality" Bowl Games and stay tuned for the next Troy Nunes is an Absolute Podcast coming later this week.

Ahh justice. This is my wheelhouse.

The primary mission of this notebook has been stated many times, and rests at the bottom of any e-mail I issue from my blog address at the right. It is and will always be, as stated in the original construction of this blog by Matt “The Glaude” Glaude, “to chronicle the daily disaster that is Syracuse University Athletics”. There certainly is an awful lot to chronicle, just not over the summer months. That is usually when one of the many secondary missions, more of my own construction, take over. That would be to chronicle the legal issues facing current, future, and former opponents of Syracuse, as well as any rocking the sports world or have a substantial nexus to the Big East and Syracuse. In other words, we’ll dish some legal dirt on other schools and people that have been naughty in the eyes of the law, all for the delicious delight of Syracuse’s high moral fans, players, and students alike. And occasionally we look on ourselves if someone in orange does something stupid as well. But this has been quite a period of legal prevalence as of late.

You may have read, directly below this article, of former UConn star Diana Taurasi, now of the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, and her brush with the police after having a bit too much to drink on July 2nd of this year (and the subsequent debate over standards of decency at women’s basketball events). Subsequently, Phoenix Police have charged Taurasi with three charges including “Extreme DUI”. New York State refers to this crime as “Aggravated DUI” which is a DUI that is some statutory limit above and beyond the standard legal limit of a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of .08. In Taurasi’s case, she was found to have had a BAC of .17, over twice the legal limit. She was original pulled over for speeding and was pulled over after drifting across the center line on the road. She has since been suspended by the Phoenix Mercury two games without pay. All $125 of it (Editor’s Note: Actual sum may vary). The official reason for the suspension is “conduct detrimental to the team." She will return after this Wednesday’s game. She should have a suspension and I suppose this punishment is about right as her next scheduled court date is Wednesday and she is innocent until proven guilty. If she is found guilty either by admission or finding I would hope she would catch a couple more games, but I doubt that will happen. If you really want some strong feelings on the matter, check out ESPN’s Mechelle Voepel commentary here. Also, our friends at TheUConnBlog.com had an article about the DUI that easily has the worst video of any female athletes ever in the history of the medium. Check that out here.

As a secondary UConn story I’ll cut them a break and point out the legal troubles of a student, rather than another athlete. In a fitting bit of irony, a UConn Law student is in trouble with the law. This is right up my alley. John Belanger of Hartford, a third year law student, was arrested as part of a $1 billion marijuana ring, originating in, of course, Canada. According to the DEA press release, Belanger, along with the others, is being charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, conspiracy to import more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. “In addition to acting as a courier himself, Belanger was responsible for recruiting, employing, and coordinating couriers, who typically used rental vehicles and traveled in tandem with ‘blocking’ vehicles which scouted ahead for law enforcement, communicated potential problems to couriers, and intentionally violated traffic laws to protect couriers. The organization transported the marijuana in heat-sealed bags inside large duffle bags labeled with a number and customer identification or destination.” Most law school students are too busy reading and studying, or at least drinking, to get into this kind of trouble. Then again, law school is expensive. Either way a big tip o’ the cap to UConn Law’s admissions staff. Good work. Makes me feel reassured that I never wanted to apply there. The full blog article on him, including some inside tips on him that are entertaining if you are into that sort of thing, can ge found here.

Finally, we round out our legal coverage with news on an incoming Cincinnati Football player, Lance Stephenson. This upstanding citizen, along with a friend, were accused in October 2008 of groping a 17-year-old girl near their high school according to ESPN.com and was charged with sexual assault. According to reports to the New York Daily News, the 12th ranked recruit in the ESPN Top 100 will plead guilty to disorderly conduct and seek a sentence of counseling and disorderly conduct. A sweet deal to go from sexual assault and possible sex offender registry to a good old DisCon. Cincinnati gets a good freshman and a concern for public safety and the ladies of the campus. H/T to Orange::44 correspondent John Brennan for the news.

Now you don’t have to watch an hour of TruTV. You are sufficiently caught up on all the legal areas that touch you as a Syracuse/Big East fan. Also, if you dislike UConn, which I know you do. Sorry for all the flowery language, but if you couldn’t tell I miss writing. Back at the blog full time starting soon. Finally, some good news. Congratulations to Erin and Alex on their engagement this past weekend. They are fine Syracuse alumni, loyal blog readers, and most importantly good friends. Congratulations and best wishes to you both!

I was sitting in a bar in upstate New York with some college friends when, out of the corner of my eye, I notice on ESPN the bottom line that said “Diana Taurasi…” and I was intrigued. Generally I’m not intrigued by WNBA news of any kind, much like everyone else that is not a woman over the age of 65, but Diana and I have a history. It started my freshmen year. Even then I knew that I hated Connecticut.

Then #1 Connecticut traveled to Manley Field House to take on the then Syracuse Orangewomen basketball team. Well of course Syracuse was drubbed. Back then the team was atrocious save for Julie McBride. Meanwhile Connecticut had Sue Bird, who was as talented as she was lovely, and then Diana Taurasi. Seeing as Sue Bird was the senior leader on the team and the focus of most defensive efforts, she was also the focus of much heckling from my Sour Sitrus Society colleagues. If you are a loyal reader of the blog, you know what I mean by heckling. Now you have to understand, back then the team was horrible, we were playing #1 UConn, and we were getting trounced. We ended up losing this game by 30 points. There was not much to do at the women’s basketball games of this era other than heckle. With everyone else messing with Sue Bird, I focused my attention to the far lesser known Taurasi. I’m jawing at her the entire game, possibly calling her fat in some way, or maybe saying she looks like a dude. This was seven years ago after all. I definitely remember yelling at her, when it was quite as she shot a free throw, saying that I’d love to make up for the heckling by buying her Pita Pit. So we all have a grand old time, and we lose by 30. The buzzer goes and UConn is running back to the locker rooms, and just as I’m about to start playing the fight song, Diana looks right at me and gives me the middle finger across the court. I just stood there with my jaw dropped. And thus my real hatred of Connecticut women’s basketball was born. UConn went on to win the National Championship that year, by the by.

Thus the real news from this past weekend. So as I see Diana Taurasi on the bottom line I see it followed by “cited for D.U.I.”, and I immediately get excited. ESPN.com has the full low down. Basically she was speeding on July 3rd, got pulled over, the police smelled alcohol, transported her to a mobile D.U.I. center, then she gave blood and was issued a citation. Now, as a future lawyer, and at this point almost certain defense attorney, I don’t relish in people getting jacked up by police after having a few cocktails. But D.U.I. is a serious crime and if she had a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher, she will surely face a fine but probably not jail. Either way, as probably the biggest WNBA star right now, as well as the leading vote getter for the WNBA All Star Game, she should have known better. Looks like the curse of UConn and the Connvicts caught up to her finally. I, of course, will keep you posted to any further legal developments in this case.

Finally, I wonder where SU Athletics got this idea?

Both these teams have greatly improved on their previous campaign.

Syracuse Athletics is having the 2008 ‘Cuse Awards. Apparently this is the second go around for them. One can only assume this is a bright idea by DOCTOR Gross and his crack staff of marketing and advice wizards. But they pose an interesting question; what is the most improved team at Syracuse? The nominees were Women’s Basketball, Men’s Lacrosse, Field Hockey, and Volleyball. You can definitely tell that some of the teams for some of the categories were a stretch, but this one is actually an interesting question. Volleyball and Field Hockey may very well be the most improved, but this blog does not track these sports nor will I get in the habit of doing so unless they win a Big East or National Championship. Instead I focus on the real question. Between the Women’s Basketball team and the Lacrosse team, which team has improved more?

The basketball team had the best year in history by program standards. Last season they had a record of 9-20. They failed to qualify for the Big East Tournament, let alone the NCAA Tournament. They were a sad team, still reeling from the abrupt departure of a mostly terrible coach. However, there was an upside. Coach Quintin Hillsman was promoted from within, and proceeded to recruit top 25 ranked classes. The efforts finally paid off. In only his second year, Syracuse finished with a record of 22-9 and 10-6 in the Big East, the most successful season in the last 37 years. They earned only their third bid to the NCAA Tournament, got back to the BET, and made a strong showing in the conference, earning a rank for the first time in the history of the program. They had wins over ranked opponents, and only lost to #1 UConn by six, the smallest margin of victory for UConn for most of the season, and I can say first hand that it got a lot of press in the Connecticut viewing area. From last year to this year is a huge difference.

The lacrosse team also had a terrible 2007. The team failed to make the Final Four in 2006, but they were at least in the tournament. They finished the 2007 season with a record of 5-8. They failed to make the tournament for the first time since 1982. Interestingly enough, Syracuse was NCAA Champions in 1983. However, Syracuse was a team that averaged only 11.5 goals per game. This year, Syracuse is averaging 13.8 goals per game so far, and winning by an average margin of 6.2 goals a game. More dramatically, Syracuse allowed 11.4 goals a game against last season, while this year they are only allowing 7.8 on the average. Syracuse has drastically improved their defense, and their offense seems to be scoring at will this season. Syracuse has a current record of 10-1 and will more than likely finish out the regular season 13-1 and is almost guaranteed an NCAA Tournament bid.

So, who has improved more? Both teams have accomplished so much this season compared to last. Both had similarly terrible records at the end of the 2007 school year. Now each team has accomplished a lot in the Spring 2008 semester. The ladies earned an NCAA Bid and their season concluded having gotten to the dance for only the third time. The lacrosse team’s season is still in progress, but already they have assured post season plan, and achieved a #1 ranking again since they last saw it when the won the National Championship in 2004. Both teams have achieved a lot this year and have earned a lot of congratulations and praise, which is very good for the Athletic Department and university as a whole. Normally I would lean to the sport I like more, which would be the lacrosse team, however achieving something with that basketball team that has historically never been as good as they were this season is something special. Therefore, I leave it up to you the readers. While you can vote still for the ‘Cuse Awards here, I would like to hear your thoughts. Please leave a comment and let me know who you think has improved more. Most improved team… who ya got?

Once in a while adults like to drink (L to R: John Brennan, Brian Harrison).

Yes, the title is very accurate. This is the Orange::44 Podcast of Drunkenness. Why you may ask? Well because I just did a Power Hour (that is six beers in an hour) and I have my former roommate and radio co-host John Brennan with me. We debate such hot button topics as today’s lax game, how to get more people in the seats, Tom Crean, football, and the NCAA Tournament. It may be tough to get through, but it is definitely an entertaining ride. Enjoy the Orange::44 Podcast of Drunkenness. Why not? You have nothing better to do right? If you actually make it through the entire thing, please leave a comment. We need to know if two people is better than one. To download this podcast simply click here.

This is how Troy still fills out his brackets.

It is Tuesday, which means it is once again time to pierce the darkness of knowledge with Sean over at Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician. Lots ‘o basketball on the docket today so enjoy the latest collaboration between two Cinderellas in the world of SU blogs.

1. Orange::44: Syracuse is taking on Massachusetts today for a trip to New York. Are they going to the semifinals, or will UMass again beat Syracuse on their home court?

Nunes: I don't see how SU can lose this one. You've got the vengeance factor. Not only did UMass beat us the first time but they beat us at home and the dropped 107 on us. No way we let that slide now. We're a better team than we were back then and I think even the crowd is going to want this win badly as well. The word on the street is that ticket sales are strong so we should have a crowd not too far off from what it was when we first played them. Assuming the crowd is fairly large, it will be a nice lesson about SU fans and their resilience rooting for the team when needed.

I think it means something to this team to get back to NY at least and prove that they were worth the trouble of at least considering on Selection Sunday. An NIT championship would actually set a great tone for next year but whatever experience the teams gets in the NIT is going to be good in the long run.

2. Orange::44: Syracuse looked bad against Robert Morris, but good against Maryland. What does that say about the team, if anything?

Nunes: I don't know if it says more about them or more about the opponents? Both this year and last, the opening round was against a small school who wanted to prove something to the nation and to the major conferences. Both times they played well and almost pulled off the upsets. Robert Morris got what they needed out of that game, an impressive performance against a major program. Syracuse got what it needed, a punch in the mouth that they proved they could recover from.

That win proved to the team and to the fans that SU could do some damage and I think both were elevated for the Maryland game. In retrospect, it was the perfect opponent for them...a fellow major program that didn't have the motivation or advantages that the Orange were getting in the Dome.

3. Orange::44: Speaking of Maryland, how good was that game?

Nunes: I don't quite know if it's ready to go down as "Jonny's Game" or anything but that was definitely what we'll all remember about. Not quite Willis Reed returning in the Finals but Jonny put to bed any doubts about his tenacity and desire to win for sure.

It's always great to see the Orange stick with it in a close, back-and-forth game and come out on top. Not to mention the fact that the decisive 9-0 run was a full team effort. It was like the entire season finally clicked in those moments. The balance of this team in terms of contribution hasn't truly been appreciated, I don't think. I don't remember the last team that got such production from all five starters on a consistent basis.

Since it was in the NIT, we probably won't put it down in the annals, but it was certainly a game we can look back on when we look at this season and talk about the progress this team made.

4. Orange::44: The Syracuse ladies were a one and done. Disappointed, or is that just how it goes for a team trying to build a solid future?

Nunes: Certainly, anytime you lose in the tournament it's disappointing. Be it in the first round or in the Finals. But I think our faith in the future of the program numbed the pain slightly. Quentin Hillsman is the kind of guy you'd want to follow into battle and if he says we're going to be back, I believe him. Doesn't hurt that he's got a great recruit coming in and tons of returning talent. I don't know if we're ready to contend with UConn and Rutgers for the Big East crown yet but expect to see Syracuse back in the tourney picture very soon.

And expect to get that first NCAA Tourney win soon as well.

5. Orange::44: Are you buying your tickets for the Lacrosse Final Four yet?

Nunes: No but I should be. There's an interesting discussion hovering over this season about parity. I agree that the lacrosse world is opening up and new teams are cracking the rankings and giving the old stalwarts from trouble. But I just don't think we can honestly say there is parity in college lacrosse until we see it in the Final Four. I'm not talking about one new team or even two up against Virginia, Duke, Hopkins or Syracuse. I'm talking about a Final Four that consists of Notre Dame, Providence, Hobart and Denver.

That said, there's no reason to think this isn't going to be another great season, great tournament and great Final Four. I have full expectations that Syracuse will be there at this point. If for no other reason than that it's been too long...

6. Orange::44: Is the Big East as good of a basketball conference as we think it is, or when it comes down to it, are we all just conference homers?

Nunes: Well yes to both. Everyone's a conference homer and you can always use the stats to craft an argument as to why we're better than the next one.

I heard a commentator once say that the problem with the Big East was that it's lower half was dragging down it's top half. That if we could get rid of the lower half, the Big East would be unstoppable. I took a look at the standings that day and I remember seeing that all except for three teams in the conference had winning records. Futhermore, 3/4 of the teams in the conference were still alive for the NCAA Tournament and this was February.

It was then that I realize two things. #1, this radio commentator is a jackass. #2, what we're really talking about its three or four teams that hold us down. Out of sixteen. That's pretty f'in good. So really, imagine if the conference dropped South Florida, Rutgers and St. John's and how solid from top to bottom we would be? Even with them I'm still willing to say we're pretty good. 8 teams in the tourney. 3 teams in the Sweet 16. Fight it all you like, the Big East is damn good.

7. Orange::44: Finally, how's that bracket looking on your end?

Nunes: Well, I've got a bad case of the Long Term Looking. In the short term, it doesn't look too good. I also was a little too cocky with the Big East teams. I had Pittsburgh still alive, I had Marquette in the Elite 8, I had Notre Dame still cookin'. I also had Vanderbilt still dancing, so that didn't work out well. But I do have 6 of 8 Elite 8 teams still alive and all of my Final Four picks are still there (Louisville, Wisconsin, Memphis, UCLA), so I have hope. It just doesn't read like I do on the brackets right now...

Editor’s Note: This is another installment in the ongoing collaboration between Orange::44 and Nunes/Magician. Every other Tuesday Nunes::44 will appear here, while the following week Orange::44/Magician will appear on his site. Until then, enjoy Nunes/Magician articles and stay tuned to Orange::44 for complete postgame coverage from every Syracuse game.

Much like UConn, your bracket should be a one and done.

I know it has been a while but it is that time again. I know you missed it, but all the joy of the biggest thing in sports is back. Oh, and the NCAA Tournament got underway this past weekend. I’m kidding of course, I was talking about the NCAA Tourney and not this particular podcast adventure, but I’m back. After a relaxing and restful Spring Break, as well as some excellent games to watch recently, I had plenty to talk about. So I give you an hour long audio experience this time. The first 20 minutes alone relate to bracket talk, so you Big East Bloggers out there can enjoy something not exclusively Syracuse related. Hopefully you will enjoy the expanded podcast this week, but keep in mind that I do not plan a length for them, I simply talk until I feel I have said what I wanted to say. Similarly, I hope you continue to enjoy them, like you have the NCAA games so far. To download this podcast click here.

I hope you wanted another, because you got one.

Yearning for another Orange::44 Podcast? Probably not. However, we have another one for you today. I cover a wide range of topics from the Homecoming game, to lacrosse, and even some Women’s Big East Tournament talk. Enjoy the calming sounds of my voice, which promises to be a lot smoother this week than last. Also, no harm intended to Brent Axe for releasing this on the same day, it was simply the way my schedule worked out. May God forgive the man that crosses Brent Axe. Thanks for all the kind words in response to last weeks podcast, especially from my fellow Big East bloggers. Enjoy! You can download the podcast here.

Well, I figured it was time to pretend to be on the cutting edge again. My yearning to further enhance this blog, along with my nostalgia of my old radio show at Syracuse, has led me to record the first of what I hope will be many podcasts for Orange::44. Today we discuss Football, Basketball, Lacrosse, and some other small things that you will hopefully enjoy. My hope is that you will enjoy these audio experiences for the same reasons you like reading this site. Do not fret, I will continue to write articles in prose form, and that will remain the bulk of this endeavor. However, hopefully once a week, or possibly more, you will hear me relive my radio days and take to the microphone once again. Enjoy this first podcast, and try not to be too harsh. It has been a few years since my final radio show in the lowly WERW studios in the Schine Student Center. To download this podcast click here.

The ladies needed support, so they got these folks.

X = awesome or hilarious phrase and/or picture.

Happy Valentine's Day (or night). What better time to put out a women's basketball article. This Saturday, our #24/21 ranked Syracuse women’s team will take on #16/17 Notre Dame in the Carrier Dome. For those of you not a former member of the Sour Sitrus Society Pep Band, it also happens to be alumni weekend for us. What does that mean, you ask? Well, it means that a bunch of professional women’s basketball hecklers will come out of retirement to come down and see the newly “good” team take on a dreaded Big East rival, all the while heckling the junk out of the Irish. While we are professionals with hours of game experience, you may want to join in a little heckling of your own. It is important, especially at women’s games because everyone can hear everything you say, to know what you are doing. Therefore, this guide should help you achieve your desired level of jerkitude. As a wise friend once said, you have to be smart to be an a-hole.

Method: Calling Players Fat, AKA “Who Wants A Pork Chop?”
Morality Meter: You have to bracket a lot of your moral standards to use this one properly.
How To: Simply call a player fat. Be creative and come up with a way to call players fat where they do not realize you called them fat until they think about it for a few seconds. The optimal time to use this method is when they are about to take their first free throw. Also, when they are running down the court and appear slightly winded is another. Also, anytime a player is wearing a UConn jersey.
Results: They no doubt will have their free throws affected. Also, there will be a general drop in self esteem.
Conclusion: If you are willing to go all out, this is the method for you. You will no doubt be labeled a jerk, but if that is simply par for the course for you, do you really care? This one is tried and true, so if you want to be “that guy”, then have at it Hoss.

Method: The Fake Date
Morality Meter: This one is not very offensive, so you can keep your high ground.
How To: Simply have a dialogue with a player about how you will take them out after the game. I usually like to use Faegan’s.
Results: This generally does not do much but further get you into a player’s head. It is more fun for you being asinine that really trying to distract.
Conclusion: This one is just a lot of fun. You basically are just belligerent for no reason. You are going to go to Faegan’s most likely after the game anyway, so why not make a hilarious story about how you want Dianna Taurasi to come too.

Method: I Saw The Sign
Morality Meter: It depends on how creative or offensive you want to make it.
How To: Simply think of a funny and/or awesome sign and then create it. Try to make it team or player specific for extra emphasis.
Results: Not only will you get in the player’s or coach’s heads, but you could even find your way on TV if it is being broadcast.
Conclusion: This allows even the most passive fan to publicly heckle, usually without even saying a word. My best example of this was we played UConn during the 2003-2004 season. I made a poster with Pat Summit’s head saying “I’m better than you”. I flashed this at Geno Auriemma as he excited the locker room before the game and he just about died laughing. After the game, his assistant coach said that the entire UConn staff had a good chuckle. Of course, this is still my favorite sign. Not my most hilarious, but still very true.

Method: Dribble, Pass, Shot
Morality Meter: Very low, this should not offend anyone. Not even the super sensitive athletic department.
How To: Simply pick a possession where the arena is fairly quiet, usually coming out of a time out or a substitution, and the other team is in bounding at their end. Then just say dribble when they dribble, pass when they pass, or shot when they shoot.
Results: This can really mess with a player’s confidence and rhythm.
Conclusion: This one is easy to do, and is a lot of fun as you get a whole group to participate. Just hope they miss the shot because if they make it, the home fans look like a bunch of jackasses.

Method: The Target
Morality Meter: Moderate to high, depending on how far you want to take it. Generally singling out a player by name will cause you to be moderately offensive.
How To: Pick a player, usually the star or best player on a team, and keep on riding them the entire game. Chant their name when they have the ball. Talk to them on in bounds. Pretty much keep on them at any point, especially if they are shooting a free throw or they miss an easy basket.
Results: Good players are good players, so they may still blow up for 25 points, or they may have an off night and your team rocks it. Usually the players are a bit rattled though. A good suggestion to hedge your bet is to pick the sixth player, the first off the bench. In case she forgets why she is not starting it is good to remind her by reciting her career stats if you can. Nothing annoys someone at the line quite like being told from the back row that "your free throw percentage just dropped below 62%." This requires a little research and preparation, but it is usually worth the effort. Dianna Taurasi and I have had some fun with this one in the past.
Conclusion: Despite the outcome, which can really help rattle a star player, or make a less that great player be even worse, it is simply a blast to do. Remember, you usually get out what you put in.

Method: Calling Players Ugly, AKA "Hurry Up, Ugly"
Morality Meter: This is not at all offensive if you are deaf. However, if you can hear it, it is pretty darn offensive. It is safe to say your Grandmother would not approve.
How To: Simply call a player ugly. You will nearly be tossed out of the game. I strongly recommend that you pick the hottest girl on the team to target so you can defend your action as blatant sarcasm. If you actually pick someone you would not sleep with after five car bombs, you risk getting beaten outside the Dome by all the away team's fans (who, in my day, used to outnumber the home fans).
Results: The “hot girl” on ‘Nova a few years ago only earned four points. This one is tried and true.
Conclusion: If you are willing to go all out, then clearly you are ready to implement this one. Plus, if you do not care what other people think about you, boom goes the dynamite.

Method: Whasername?
Morality Meter: This will not hurt your street cred with anyone normally, but it could get you in trouble if you pick a foreign name.
How To: Pick a player whose last name offers the most potential pronunciations. Now, try all of them out loud. Insert phrases like "Did they botch your birth certificate?" or "Can I buy a vowel?" If you decide it is time to get kicked out of the Dome, inquire to said player if "ICE knows you're here." This tactic usually works best during the quietest parts of the game, since your jokes require a good five to seven seconds and impeccable diction.
Results: You are pretty much just getting in the players head, or at least giving the home crowd something to chuckle about. Because you know everyone's thinking "Shricalarkasi? Hey, Johnny... who the hell is that?"
Conclusion: This one is pretty much just about being ridiculous. It is a lot of fun to see how terribly you can mispronounce the ladies’ names.

So there you have it. Your starter guide to starting stuff at a women’s game. Just remember to be creative, because no one likes an unfunny jerk. If you are a loyal reader of this blog, and decide to come out this Saturday, be sure to stop over and say hello. Perhaps we can team up and heckle the daylights out of the ladies from Notre Dame. Hat Tip and thanks to my former Sitrus partner in crime Jayme for helping me compile some of these tried and true heckling methods. He was the Mac to my Hak in heckling for many years, and for that I am grateful. Look for a complete weekend wrap up on Sunday or Monday, including postgame coverage from both the men’s and women’s basketball games, and some season opening lacrosse coverage. Until then, enjoy your heckling and be responsible. Wait… scratch that… enjoy being irresponsible.

Sometimes you just end up on your ass, right Troy?

It is that time of the week again to go deep into analysis of the alma mater with our friend Sean over at Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician. I believe this week I asked exceptionally tough questions and Sean responded accordingly. Enjoy the awesomeness that is bloggers uniting. Sean just needs to get some Lax knowledge and he’ll be all set.

1. Orange::44: After seeing the recruiting class Syracuse has attracted and signed, are you convinced better days are ahead for the program, despite who may be at the helm?

Nunes: From where I'm sitting, this was a pretty impressive recruiting class. It wouldn't have been impressive if we went 10-2 but we're 2-10 and we somehow managed to get some pretty solid players. That said, the reason we all think this class is really good is based on the opinions of a couple people. It's all theory.

In speaking with out friend AEM, he made a really good point in that we got some quality recruits at some key positions but we really didn't diminish any holes in some very key areas. Not that you recruit and expect sudden impact (least not SU), but I'm not sure how many of these guys will be making an impact on the field in 2008.

So in that roundabout way, my answer is that I do feel good about the progress of SU football, but I'm not sold that we're suddenly a bowl team cause Tom Lemming thinks we did a decent job recruiting.

2. Orange::44: Syracuse dropped a close game to Connecticut at home last week. Looking past the South Florida game for a moment, how do you think Syracuse will do against Georgetown this coming weekend?

Nunes: Isn't looking past South Florida just the kind of thing that gets us into trouble? Assuming (and that's a tall order in the Big East), we beat South Florida Wednesday, I'm feeling so-so about the G'town game. The Hoyas are playing with some extremely bruised egos right now. They almost lost to SU, they did lose to Louisville and then they scammed a win over Villanova. The luster is off and Georgetown looks beatable. Enter a frisky Orange team that knows it can hang with them. As far as I can tell, all signs point to...Georgetown whupping us.

I don't know, I guess it just feels like a trap. I'll stop talking now.

3. Orange::44: The ladies bounced back against Marquette at home. How do you see them playing out the remainder of their schedule?

Nunes: Short of playing UConn and Rutgers, I expect them to win every game they play at this point. I'm not saying they will but I think this team has done enough to prove they are more than a cute little storyline. They're a legit team to be reckoned with in the Big East Tournament and they should be fairly dangerous in the NCAA Tournament. Right now, it's all about acting like they've been there before and not letting the new experiences get the better of them. They can't play like they've earned anything, they've got to keep playing with that chip on their shoulder. And I think future Big East Coach of the Year Quentin Hillsman knows what he's doing. Get that man an extension!

4. Orange::44: Bracketology currently has Syracuse in the tournament as a 12 seed. Does this sound about right, or if not what do you think it will be?

Nunes: Yeah, cause to be honest I don't really think they deserve to be in at this point. Subjectively, what have they done really from an NCAA resume standpoint? Sure we've played some great teams but our best wins are Washington (13-11) and free-falling Villanova (14-9). Virginia is in the dumps so that win is null and void.

That said, Syracuse has every opportunity to earn their way in. They seem to be getting the benefit of the doubt at the moment thanks to a strong RPI but they need a signature win. Georgetown game anyone? That's the first of four-straight games against ranked teams. Honestly, SU has to go 2-2 in that stretch and then win out against Seton Hall and Marquette in order to be in a position to make the tourney as far as I'm concerned. Even then, it's gonna take at least two BE wins to seal the deal.

5. Orange::44: The ladies are listed as a six seed. Same question.

Nunes: At first it sounded low but then I thought about it and it makes sense. I think it's perfect for them. It's not too high that they get full of themselves and its not too low that they're looking at a #1 or #2 in the second round. It's just right.

6. Orange::44: Lacrosse season starts this Sunday against Villanova. What do you see is the biggest strength and weakness of this squad?

Nunes: What a horrible, horrible question. I know NOTHING of the strengths and weaknesses of the Orange lax team. I'm so fair-weather.

What I do know is that their schedule, which is almost always tough, is downright brutal this year. It makes me chuckle when opponents of SU joining the Big East Conference for lax note how the Orange will lose some of their strength of schedule. Meanwhile, even if the Orange traded in 4 ranked teams for rivals, they'd still have a ridiculously tough season ahead.
What is it about Syracuse in any sport that when they need to rebuild they schedule hard? Always gotta do this the hard way.

7. Orange::44: Finally, it is admittedly early to ask this question, but what would be your highlight of this basketball season if you had to pick today?

Nunes: If I had to pick one moment that sticks out to me, it would have to be The Paul Harris Incident. Paul Harris' admission after the Villanova loss. Harris just came out and said he didn't bring it, and furthermore he insinuated that he lost his heart for the game. It was a gutsy and honest moment that really let us into the mind of this kid and the pressure he's under. Ever since, he's been a new player. A weight was lifted and he finally found hid place on the court and in the offense. Simply, he seemed to rediscover his love for the game and it showed. It's been a pleasure to watch him since. Now, for the rest of them...

Editor’s Note: This is another installment in the ongoing collaboration between Orange::44 and Nunes/Magician. Every other Tuesday Nunes::44 will appear here, while the following week Orange::44/Magician will appear on his site. Until then, enjoy Nunes/Magician articles and stay tuned to Orange::44 for complete postgame coverage from every Syracuse game.

Onuaku SMASH! For realz.

It was two years ago, March 2nd, 2006, in the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois. It was one of the most miserable games I have ever seen. Syracuse lost to the new kids on the league block 108 to 69. That team was DePaul, the same DePaul team that Syracuse had to face on Wednesday. The question was, if DePaul could do that to a team with Gerry McNamara on it, what were they going to do to a Syracuse team that only has seven players? Luckily, the answer was lose. Syracuse won a scrappy game on DePaul’s home court 60 to 55 to vault the Orange to the first page in the Big East standings.

The big story for this game was Arinze Onuaku. He had 22 points, nine rebounds, and two blocked shots to announce his presence with authority. There was a conscious effort to get Onuaku the ball early in the game. Then after Greene and Flynn couldn’t hit the ocean from a boat the plan shifted back to Onuaku who got some great passes as he made some strong moves to the hoop. Arinze easily can match up with any elite center in the let, let along the country. Every game I am more convinced of this. He continues to be the center that I always wish Syracuse had when I attended there. The game ball and my continued respect go to Onuaku.

Donte Greene was the second leading scorer for the team with 14 points, also adding five rebounds. Nothing to special to report here. He did not take over the game, just a solid performance.

Paul Harris had ten points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. All in all a solid day for Paul, that would no doubt look much better without seven turnovers.

Syracuse improved on their free throws as well. Syracuse made 79% of their free throws, earning 15 out of 19 shots. Most likely, this was part of the five point lead that Syracuse enjoyed at the end of the clock. Shooting free throws will continue to play a major role in the outcome of Syracuse’s games.

Even though this was a win, there was, again, much to be desired. The three point shooting percentage for this game was abysmal. It was only a mere 7.7%; one for 13. This could be the worst three point shooting by Syracuse in years.

Jonny Flynn was unusually unproductive on the offensive end, as he only made three out of 11 field goal attempts. He also missed all four of his three point attempts. For our starting point guard, this performance is underwhelming and unacceptable.

Rick Jackson might as well have stayed on the bench this game. He only made one basket and made two assists. Yes, that is it for 13 minutes of play. This just shows the inexperience of the young center.

Meanwhile, Scoop enjoyed a fine night of studying. Syracuse is a solid 2-0 when Scoop is on suspension. Nice.

Not only did the gentlemen beat DePaul, but the ladies, fresh on their upgrade from #24 to #22, decided to beat #24 DePaul in Chicago as well. In a slim and exciting victory with a final score of 69 to 66. Congratulations to the ladies, who just keep climbing the Big East and national rankings. The box score for that game is here.

The gentlemen next time at home take on the lawbreakers themselves, the Connecticut UConn Huskies, in the Carrier Dome this Wednesday at 7:00pm. Before that this Saturday at noon Syracuse will travel to Philadelphia to take on the descending Villanova Wildcats. Can the Orange avenger the home loss shorthanded and not let Scottie Reynolds have his way with Syracuse again? We will find out this weekend. Unlike most of my good friends, I will not be making the trip to Philly, however I will be in New York City this weekend to watch the game, as well as that little iconic football experience coming this Sunday. Expect your usual blogging business on Monday. I will then travel back to Syracuse (via a limo this time) to watch Syracuse try to beat Jim Calhoun and his Huskies. That is this Jim Calhoun, who apparently cannot get along with the Athletic Director in Storrs and dislikes drug testing. Nice Jim. Very interesting. As always, GO ORANGE!

One awesome basketball team at SU? Done.

It is that time once again, to collaborate with our good friend over at Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician. Sean has some witty and informative answers as always so let’s get down to it.

1. Orange::44: The team had a couple bad, bad losses. Your thoughts on what needs fixing?

Nunes: Unfortunately, there's a couple things that just can't be fixed. The lack of experience when the pressure is on or when a hostile crowd is in your face is huge. To be honest, I'm not so sure we ever even had that to begin with, considering Devendorf would have to be the "cool and calm" voice during those times. I'm also beginning to think we just don't have the bodies underneath to really match up in the Big East. We're going to get beat up down there more and more...sombody get Kristof! a protein shake.

What can be fixed? How bout patience? We've seen how these guys can play when the game is close or they're winning. The game comes to them for the most part. But once they get in a hole, they tend to freak. Someone (Jonny) just needs to make a decision that they are going to control the tempo of the game as a floor leader, which is a lot different than trying to make something happen as a floor leader.

Our buddy AEM over at Cuse Chronicles kept saying that freshmen always hit a wall and I think that may just be the case. It's understandable that their wall includes road games in the Big East and as much I expect the team to adjust, learn and grow, those kinds of games aren't going to get any easier.

2. Orange::44: So is there no shot at the tourney now or is it too early to panic?

Nunes: I wouldn't say there's no shot at the tourney for the simple reason that the Big East is proving to be an "any given night" kind of conference this year. It's certainly foreseeable that someone is going to make a run in the BET and play their way into the NCAA tournament. Unfortunately, that works both ways and on "any given night" someone else from the Big East can beat Syracuse as well.

Honestly, I don't think anything would shock me, short of this team suddenly going on a 10-game winning streak. My expectations are certainly tempered though. A week ago I would have told you I was pretty confident we were looking like a tourney team. Now? I'd say we're on the outside looking in and it's up to us to prove we belong. A great RPI doesn't mean much if you don't win the games.

So my answer is...we're nowhere near a lock for the tourney but I don't think panic is the right word for our situation. Concern, not just for this year but for next year, makes more sense.

3. Orange::44: Who at this point in the year is the best and worst team in the Big East Conference?

Nunes: Well, according to the standings its 8-8 Cincy and 7-8 DePaul, who are ahead of 9 teams with double-digit wins. WTF.

I would have said Georgetown before last night but right this minute I'll say Marquette. They have the best body of work overall this season, with wins over Wisconsin, Oklahoma State, Providence, Seton Hall and Notre Dame. That win over Seton Hall was one of those "no business" games where the team clearly wasn't supposed to win due to their own poor evening but grinded it out anyway, a good sign. They lost a close one to Duke and any SU fan will tell you that loss at West Virginia is understandable. Are they a great team? Could they beat Pittsburgh and Georgetown straight-up? Not sure yet but I think they're done the most so far.

Worst team? Gotta be Rutgers. I think it's fair to ask of each Big East team that, unless you share a state with another Big East team, you should be the best team in your geographic region. I'll let Providence slide cause Rhode Island is really, really good. Anyone who knows Jersey and Jersey colleges knows Rutgers has no excuse for not being the best team in the state year in and year out. Yet here they are, 8-9 with losses to NJ schools St. Peters and Rider. Fech. Already 0-4 in the conference, this is about to get even uglier for the Knights. Let's hope the Orange don't trap themselves against them on Wednesday.

4. Orange::44: What do you think of Gary Gait's Laxapalooza?

Nunes: What took everyone so long? Why hasn't Syracuse been positioning itself as a cradle of lacrosse for years with events like this? Why doesn't it host NCAA tournament games or try to host the Final Four (which may be a longshot but still...)? Even before Gait became a coach here SU should have been doing events with its alumni to keep the local fans excited, interested and proud of SU's rich lacrosse tradition.

Seriously, you shouldn't be able to pick up a lacrosse stick in Central New York without it coming with a SU-related coupon or news about an event like this. We love to kid the good DOCTOR but this is finally a good idea.

One question though...where's MiniKISS???

5. Orange::44: What is the team you want to see lose the most, especially when not playing Syracuse?

Nunes: Is it cliché to say Duke? I know everyone hated Duke growing up (especially when I grew up in the late 80's/early 90's) but for me it went even deeper. My best friend was a Duke fan and he was so ridiculously obnoxious about them in that way friends can be about their teams (see any current Boston fan). The fact that they were also so good only made me hate them even more.

I know people say that Yankee haters really want the Yankees to be good so they can hate them more but I don't believe that. As far as I'm concerned, I want them to go 0-162. But with Duke, I kinda do feel that way. It doesn't feel right unless Duke is a #2 seed losing in the Sweet 16 to a mid-major. That's become a new special treat for me and I'm looking forward to seeing that again soon.

If you're looking for a Big East team...UConn. Obviously.

6. Orange::44: Finally, how about that ladies? They lost against Pittsburgh, but bounced back. Do they have a shot against Connecticut or is it all just a sweet, sweet pipe dream?

Nunes: Here's how this season is gonna play out. They're going to lose to all the teams they're supposed to lose to (UConn, Rutgers, DePaul, Notre Dame) but they're going to beat all the teams they're supposed to at the same time. They're officially in that middle ground where a team is suddenly good but doesn't have the experience or the "it" to hang with the big girls just yet. I'm seeing a 20-9 regular season that gets them in the tourney, in which they make it to the second round before meeting an opponent they're just not on the same level with yet. It will be a great season and a huge sign for next year when we'll really be able to start setting the tone in the conference and winning some of those big games.

Of course, if they end up in the Final Four...disregard.

Editor’s Note: This is another installment in the ongoing collaboration between Orange::44 and Nunes/Magician. Every other Tuesday Nunes::44 will appear here, while the following week Orange::44/Magician will appear on his site. Until then, enjoy Nunes/Magician articles and stay tuned to Orange::44 for complete postgame coverage from every Syracuse game.