December 05, 2005
to the end
Earlier tonight I found myself accepting the fact that this team just isn't "there" yet. They aren't the team I wanted them to be, and they may never even reach their potential. No one steps up when it counts, the offense is dead and the defense has holes. I had given in to the belief Sports Illustrated had been preaching to me for two weeks: SU Basketball just isn't going to be much for Syracusans to brag about - they've lost too much talent and experience. Oh well. Maybe it's time to look forward to next year...
Then again, I couldn't completely give up on the season - Luke Winn and his anti-Boeheim ideology wasn't objective enough to correctly assess the Orange's chances, right? There's no way that a Jimmy B. hater could have been right about anything, let alone a set of college basketball rankings. Sure, they had already blown three wins this year, but all three came from a lack of execution - not from a lack of ability. These Orange still had a chance because they had yet to show their true colors - they still had potential. The season was bound to get better by January - not like it could get any worse, anyway. Tomorrow they would finally put November behind them, and they would move on to Saturday and Texas Christian. Eventually the offense would keep it going for a full 40 each night instead of sprinting for 15 minutes and dropping out of the race, as they had today....
At about 8:50pm this evening, as I debated which of the above perspectives I would take this year, Syracuse was trailing the Manhattan Jaspers 75-65 with 1:42 to play, and they were going to finish November 2005 with 3 losses - the first time it would happen in Jim Boeheim's 30 years as head coach.
By 9:15pm, the Cuse had won.
Sometime around 7 o'clock Sunday night, my gal and I were crawling our way home on a crowded thruway after witnessing an especially frustrating Buffalo loss to Carolina when Mama Dukes called to invite us to dinner at her house sometime later in the week - any day was good, as she had no evening events scheduled. Though I've since repressed the memory, both my mother and my gal maintain that it was I who suggested we share the aforementioned meal Wednesday night, as we didn't have plans and it had been too long since we tasted her chili. Oops.
Fast forward to today, Wednesday. I woke up this morning to my father's voice at the other end of the phone, asking me if I would like to go to the Orange game with him instead of Fast Eddie tonight, as he had finagled a couple blue seats for us right behind the Manhattan bench. Great seats, possibly the last time we sit there this year.
"What day is today? Wednesday? Oh...Can't do it. My gal and I already made plans with mom to have some chili at her place. I guess I'll be listening to the game...hopefully it's a blowout."
Dad hung up the phone with a laugh, assuring me that I didn't have to feel bad about turning him down - he wouldn't have any problem filling the seat in my place. No kidding.
At first, it was a blowout. So much so, that I hardly paid attention to Matt Park and Gene Waldron calling the game on ESPN1260 while our quiet dinner progressed through coffee and dessert. By halftime we were finished, and so was Manhattan, down 38-18 to the Cuse. Normally I would have lamented missing a chance to watch such a dominating performance in person, but my stomach was full with good food and I didn't really mind skipping the traditional Varsity grease.
About 5 minutes into the second half, though, it was clear that SU was faltering. Apparently Watkins had gotten into some foul trouble on a few questionable calls in the first half, and now found himself on the bench with number four. Manhattan spent the next 12 minutes exploiting Syracuse's weakened interior defense and nailing everything from the perimeter to boot, creating a 31 point second half swing and leading 72-61. A couple possessions later, SU was down 10 with 1:42 to go and the game was over. Park and Waldron told us that many fans had vacated their seats, getting a headstart on making it to the Harrison Street traffic jam. Apparently, getting home to find out Kate's true past on "Lost" was way more important than sticking it out for the team.
Despite the lack of viewership, the game played on. It even started to get interesting. The Jaspers suddenly forgot about their huge lead and fouled McNamara while he was trying a desperation three. The automatic points that followed cut the lead to 8, and sparked the thought of a comeback. Gerry got hot, hitting two more threes and a couple foul shots before he was done, with Wright chipping in a three of his own and Manhattan giving extra help with an absurdly long stretch of poor foul shooting (at one point they bricked seven consecutively). Listening on the radio, you could tell that the remaining loyal fans were wreaking havoc on the nerves of the Jaspers. They couldn't make a lay-in at that point, let alone those necessary free throws. If it was that loud through a speaker at mom's, I can only imagine how loud it was in my forsaken blue seat. Ugh.
As I start to wonder what had made me forget about this epic game and make dinner plans instead (those Buffalo losers, perhaps the prospect of free food), Matt Park alertly gets me back to the action at hand - SU is down three with the ball and 22 seconds on the clock. Before I can really consider the options they have (Shoot the three? Drive and hope to get fouled? Put my dad in the game for Roberts?) Park tells me that the ball is inbounded to Wright under the Jasper basket, who quickly brings it up past midcourt and passes to the open freshman on his left who'd just subbed in for five-foul Nichols. Then, quite suddenly, and sounding as if the veteran play-by-play man was surprised by the speed at which the play was happening, "Devendorf puts it up from 25 feet!"
"YES! YES! YES! GIVE HIM THREE!!!"
Dome. Goes. Nuts.
79-79. It would be the only shot Devendorf made all night (he went 1 for 7). By the time the remaining 12 seconds tick off the clock and both teams miss their opportunities to win in regulation, we all know Manhattan won't be going home with smiles tonight. There was no way SU was going to lose in overtime - not after a 14-4 run in less than two minutes. The extra period wasn't nearly as exciting, but they managed to outscore the Jaspers 8-3 and close the deal.
The Cuse comeback was complete, and although I only had a radio to help me picture what had happened, I understood the significance of the final score. Regardless of what Boeheim says about the poor 2nd half defense (61 pts and 51% fg allowed) and the failure of the big men to produce tonight, this team finally showed some heart. They didn't hesitate to win this time, and they got the job done when it counted most. Most fans may have left at 1:42, but the team played it to 00:00.
Then again, I couldn't completely give up on the season - Luke Winn and his anti-Boeheim ideology wasn't objective enough to correctly assess the Orange's chances, right? There's no way that a Jimmy B. hater could have been right about anything, let alone a set of college basketball rankings. Sure, they had already blown three wins this year, but all three came from a lack of execution - not from a lack of ability. These Orange still had a chance because they had yet to show their true colors - they still had potential. The season was bound to get better by January - not like it could get any worse, anyway. Tomorrow they would finally put November behind them, and they would move on to Saturday and Texas Christian. Eventually the offense would keep it going for a full 40 each night instead of sprinting for 15 minutes and dropping out of the race, as they had today....
At about 8:50pm this evening, as I debated which of the above perspectives I would take this year, Syracuse was trailing the Manhattan Jaspers 75-65 with 1:42 to play, and they were going to finish November 2005 with 3 losses - the first time it would happen in Jim Boeheim's 30 years as head coach.
By 9:15pm, the Cuse had won.
Sometime around 7 o'clock Sunday night, my gal and I were crawling our way home on a crowded thruway after witnessing an especially frustrating Buffalo loss to Carolina when Mama Dukes called to invite us to dinner at her house sometime later in the week - any day was good, as she had no evening events scheduled. Though I've since repressed the memory, both my mother and my gal maintain that it was I who suggested we share the aforementioned meal Wednesday night, as we didn't have plans and it had been too long since we tasted her chili. Oops.
Fast forward to today, Wednesday. I woke up this morning to my father's voice at the other end of the phone, asking me if I would like to go to the Orange game with him instead of Fast Eddie tonight, as he had finagled a couple blue seats for us right behind the Manhattan bench. Great seats, possibly the last time we sit there this year.
"What day is today? Wednesday? Oh...Can't do it. My gal and I already made plans with mom to have some chili at her place. I guess I'll be listening to the game...hopefully it's a blowout."
Dad hung up the phone with a laugh, assuring me that I didn't have to feel bad about turning him down - he wouldn't have any problem filling the seat in my place. No kidding.
At first, it was a blowout. So much so, that I hardly paid attention to Matt Park and Gene Waldron calling the game on ESPN1260 while our quiet dinner progressed through coffee and dessert. By halftime we were finished, and so was Manhattan, down 38-18 to the Cuse. Normally I would have lamented missing a chance to watch such a dominating performance in person, but my stomach was full with good food and I didn't really mind skipping the traditional Varsity grease.
About 5 minutes into the second half, though, it was clear that SU was faltering. Apparently Watkins had gotten into some foul trouble on a few questionable calls in the first half, and now found himself on the bench with number four. Manhattan spent the next 12 minutes exploiting Syracuse's weakened interior defense and nailing everything from the perimeter to boot, creating a 31 point second half swing and leading 72-61. A couple possessions later, SU was down 10 with 1:42 to go and the game was over. Park and Waldron told us that many fans had vacated their seats, getting a headstart on making it to the Harrison Street traffic jam. Apparently, getting home to find out Kate's true past on "Lost" was way more important than sticking it out for the team.
Despite the lack of viewership, the game played on. It even started to get interesting. The Jaspers suddenly forgot about their huge lead and fouled McNamara while he was trying a desperation three. The automatic points that followed cut the lead to 8, and sparked the thought of a comeback. Gerry got hot, hitting two more threes and a couple foul shots before he was done, with Wright chipping in a three of his own and Manhattan giving extra help with an absurdly long stretch of poor foul shooting (at one point they bricked seven consecutively). Listening on the radio, you could tell that the remaining loyal fans were wreaking havoc on the nerves of the Jaspers. They couldn't make a lay-in at that point, let alone those necessary free throws. If it was that loud through a speaker at mom's, I can only imagine how loud it was in my forsaken blue seat. Ugh.
As I start to wonder what had made me forget about this epic game and make dinner plans instead (those Buffalo losers, perhaps the prospect of free food), Matt Park alertly gets me back to the action at hand - SU is down three with the ball and 22 seconds on the clock. Before I can really consider the options they have (Shoot the three? Drive and hope to get fouled? Put my dad in the game for Roberts?) Park tells me that the ball is inbounded to Wright under the Jasper basket, who quickly brings it up past midcourt and passes to the open freshman on his left who'd just subbed in for five-foul Nichols. Then, quite suddenly, and sounding as if the veteran play-by-play man was surprised by the speed at which the play was happening, "Devendorf puts it up from 25 feet!"
"YES! YES! YES! GIVE HIM THREE!!!"
Dome. Goes. Nuts.
79-79. It would be the only shot Devendorf made all night (he went 1 for 7). By the time the remaining 12 seconds tick off the clock and both teams miss their opportunities to win in regulation, we all know Manhattan won't be going home with smiles tonight. There was no way SU was going to lose in overtime - not after a 14-4 run in less than two minutes. The extra period wasn't nearly as exciting, but they managed to outscore the Jaspers 8-3 and close the deal.
The Cuse comeback was complete, and although I only had a radio to help me picture what had happened, I understood the significance of the final score. Regardless of what Boeheim says about the poor 2nd half defense (61 pts and 51% fg allowed) and the failure of the big men to produce tonight, this team finally showed some heart. They didn't hesitate to win this time, and they got the job done when it counted most. Most fans may have left at 1:42, but the team played it to 00:00.
