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    Team Fizz Bios: Meet the Team Orange Feedback: Email the Fizz Fizz Archives: Browse the Fizz Files     |
#New Uniforms
#Regional Guide
#Zags Cry
#MookieThe Fizz's New Look! 4.5.10 Posted: D.A. - PERMALINK 
 In August '08, I launched The Fizz, because I needed an outlet to vent about Groobers, NIT appearances and the ever-nauseating football uniforms. But two years, a weekly podcast, iTunes feed, YouTube channel and a staff of truly talented writers later, we had to upgrade. The old digs were growing a little quaint (and crowded). If you haven't been reading us via our permanent home - orangefizz.net - for the last six months, CLICK THERE NOW AND BOOKMARK that bad boy. The Fizz. Same great taste. Cool new features. Archiving, searching, feeds, links and connecting with us just became a whole helluva lot easier. Plus, it's looks pretty damn sweet too. No worries. Every single story we posted here at the original site of The Fizz will be available at the new site as well. We're not dropping anything off at Goodwill. Thank you very sincerely to Fizz Nation from all of us here at the Death Star. Because the party kept growing, we had to move up the street to a bigger (and nicer) frat house. Now pass the tap. The Per'fesser Gets Tenure, but the Hurt Lives. 4.2.10 Posted: D.A. - PERMALINK 
There it is, finally in black and white for all the college basketball world to see: Jim Boeheim, Associated Press Coach of the Year. Boeheim received 38 votes from the 65-member national media panel, well ahead of Kansas State's Frank Martin, who had eight. The Orange, who lost their top three scorers from last season, finished 30-5 and were a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. They reached No. 1 in the AP media and ESPN/USA Today coaches' polls. The No. 1 ranking in the AP poll was Syracuse's first since 1990. It's hard to fathom that at no point in his 34-year career on The Hill, was he selected the season's top coach. This is a man with the D-I record for 20-win seasons with THIRTY-TWO. His 829 victories are sixth-best all-time. It's second among active coaches. He has a freaking Hall of Fame plaque. This was long overdue and there was no serious competition for this award in '09/'10. Self and Calipari were stacked. Painter, Huggins and Martin led good, not great regular seasons. This month has been filled with countless Izzo coaching gems. But none of these coaches took a pre-season unranked squad with zero expectations and squeezed a regular season crown in the country's best conference, a number-one ranking and a number-one seed out of it. Which will forever make the Sweet 16 exit to Butler even more haunting. It's Heath Ledger winning his first Oscar posthumously after "Dark Knight." The Per'fesser pushed all the right buttons for five months. He got an entire roster to commit to defense. He eliminated the selfishness that plagued recent SU squads. He goaded a nobody into a star (Wes) and youngsters into seasoned playmakers (Triche). He never let the hype overwhelm them (Nova'geddon), nor allow them to quit when trailing late. And yet on the doorstep of legacy, in the season's biggest game, just one step from an Elite 8 - this team ignored the traits that defined it all year. Who knows why the Orange played lethargic for most of the game against the Bulldogs or why Rick Jackson picked that night to have his worst effort or why the entire squad forgot how important defense was. Who knows why Wes didn't try harder to get his own shot and take over the game, or why with a four-point lead late SU collapsed and heaved up awful shot after awful shot. Unblinkingly, The Per'fesser deserves this award. He was impeccable throughout the season. Rarely does such an honor feel so empty. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as we analyze what went wrong against Butler, Wes' future, how we will remember this season and why it ended so soon: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. Fab Plays to Rave Reviews. 4.1.10 Posted: Mike Couzens - PERMALINK 
Just a few months away from getting to the Hill for good, Fab Melo hit the court last night in the McDonald's All American game. The next Orange big man dropped only two points, but he also picked up seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks playing just 19 minutes. There were plenty of eyes watching from all over Value City Arena in Columbus Ohio, and just about all of them were raving about Melo: "Don't F with Fab. he dominated a sequence on defense. nice shot and handle for 7-footer and hes only been playing bball for 3 years." ESPN: "He is ready to be an impact college center, and that fact has a lot to do with his commitment to conditioning. Melo is running the court better, and he's more bouncy." NBADraft.net: "Fab Melo will be perfect for the middle of the Syracuse zone and could lead the Big East in blocked shots." A.O. gone - so what? Just kidding, but this guy looks like he is going to be legit. Height? Check. Moves? Check. Named after NCAA champ? Check. As for the one Jim Boeheim is still chasing, he didn't have a great game, but he did get some pub. Brandon Knight hit the game winning shot (even though he was definitely not being guarded - this is the high school equivalent of the NBA all star game). "I saw an opening and shot it with confidence. I just had to follow through and do what I normally do, keep shooting. It's just the work I put in. I work hard every day for opportunities like that so I can have the confidence in those situations." Knight still hasn't made a decision on where heÕll be headed next year, but he's expected to choose between Syracuse, Kentucky, Kansas, Florida and UConn within a month. We're keeping our fingers crossed he doesn't get sucked into the Coach Cal vortex. Keep your eyes on The Fizz for the latest with the Brandon Knight sweepstakes. We won't sleep until he decides. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as we analyze what went wrong against Butler, Wes' future, how we will remember this season and why it ended so soon: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. Lavin and His Wife Assume NYC Throne. 3.31.10 Posted: Ted Conroy - PERMALINK 
Steve Lavin will be hired as the head coach at St. John's, and most likely lead to this first impression: "Thank goodness it's not Paul Hewitt. He would have killed the recruiting trail there."Lavin's a West Coast guy; what would he know about hitting the Empire State trail? Actually, the ex-ESPN analyst should scare Big East recruiters. Especially after his opening press conference. "I want assistants who are strong in the Northeast with recruiting ties and I want to look for people who have had experience as a head coach." Lavin knows what he needs to do. But how about his recruiting history? Per Wikipedia, it doesn't get much better for guys scouring the five boroughs. At UCLA, Lavin and his staff recruited and signed the No. 1 rated recruiting class in the country in 1998 and 2001. Lavin signed seven McDonaldÕs High School All-Americans. Seven of LavinÕs former Bruin recruits are currently roster members of NBA teams. As a result, the Bruins have the longest collegiate streak in the country of consecutive years having a player drafted to the NBA. Crap. He recruited Baron Davis and Trevor Ariza. Well at least he's not a high-profile guy who looks flashy and attracts recruits. Oh wait, he worked at ESPN... and he has a smoking hot actress wife (pictured). I mean really... She was an Entourage girl. Is Juli's title in jeopardy? Does the Orange have to put it's guard up? Lavin has the recruiting tools, the star power, and the slicked-back hair to turn MSG into a college arena. The Johnnies are back in play. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as we analyze what went wrong against Butler, Wes' future, how we will remember this season and why it ended so soon: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. The Combustible Mookie Jones. 3.30.10 Posted: Mike Couzens - PERMALINK
Trying to figure out what's going through someone else's head isn't easy - unless it's on Twitter for the entire world to see. Thank you Mookie Jones. "Thinking that I need to move on" "honestly I don't, coach don't give a s*** about me and evreybody no it" "thank you for your support, I will think it thru, I love the cuse, but I juss don't think I'm loved back on this team, so we will see" "Pray for me, I'm about to meet with the boss man" "Lol, f*** leaving the cuse, ima juss go hard, harder then I was going, harder then they go, at the end of the day, I'm juss trying to get payed mo" Let's look back to November after the headband tossing/bench leaving incident against Cornell. After that went down, Mookie had some pretty strong things to say: "When I got out there, I was more mad. I'm like, 'I belong out here. Let me show everybody. Let everybody feel my pain and anger out here.' It was pressure. I'm here. I'm working every day. I'm gonna be at practice early working on my game. Trying to work on everything Coach says I need to improve on. Whatever it is he told me to do, I'm gonna do it. That's why I'm here. I'm here to play. I'm not here to sit on the bench. I just gotta prove myself." So where was the disconnect? Why all the talk about leaving the team again if he knew what his role was going to be back in November? It feels like Paul Harris all over again. Need proof? Here's what Harris said about Coach Boeheim last year in a Sports Illustrated article: "It doesn't do any good debating with him, because you can't win. He gets me thinking too much about mistakes. But I'm going to keep going because that's what you gotta do." Player feuds with Boeheim. Player gets angry. Boeheim finds a nice seat for player on bench. Player (theoretically) figures out what coach wants. Player shuts up and gets back on the court. It worked well for Harris for the most part, and Mookie can learn from that situation. It's actually very simple - get better on defense and improve the three point shooting that helped him get onto the floor this past season. Next year isn't getting any easier. He'll be competing against James Southerland, Dion Waiters, Kris Joseph and C.J. Fair for playing time. Mookie was the go to guy on his high school team in Peekskill, N.Y. for four years. I know because I watched him play back then. His high school coach Lou Panzanaro - who coached both Elton Brand and Hilton Armstrong - said great things about him back when he was a sophomore: "He could be a major impact at the Division I level. Beyond that, it's hard to project. He has a tremendous desire to improve and learn. I think he could be a first-round NBA draft pick even before his class graduates." But now things have changed and he's being consistently challenged in order to prove himself at a higher level - something that it seems he learned from his meeting with Boeheim today. Mookie, if there's anything I learned in my childhood spent watching "Seinfeld" reruns at the dinner table, when what you're doing isn't working, try the exact opposite. This upcoming summer will be huge in the progression of Mookie Jones and his role on this team. How he responds to the challenge should greatly impact how much time he sees on the court next season. He can look to his own words back in 2006 for motivation: "I have to keep improving, always work to get better. Somewhere out there is somebody, he'll look to come at me and try to embarrass me on the court. I've got to be ready." (Photo credit: Dennis Nett, Syracuse.com) * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as we analyze what went wrong against Butler, Wes' future, how we will remember this season and why it ended so soon: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. Bad Turns to Worse. 3.29.10 Posted: Ted Conroy. - PERMALINK 
All of Orange Nation has mourned since Thursday night when Syracuse fell to Butler. If you were rooting for swift justice for the Bulldogs, forget it. Butler validated its Orange upset by doing the exact same thing to Kansas State in the Elite Eight. Even worse? This magical season - which carried buckets of good mojo - advanced exactly as far as the unlikeable (outside of Jonny Ice) '08-'09 squad. But what happened next was also rather strange. Of all the bitching and moaning fans made (including us) about Duke not deserving the third overall top seed, the Blue Devils end up being the only one-seed dancing to the Final Four. Kansas? Didn't even make it to the Sweet 16. Kentucky? Couldn't get a shot to drop in the Carrier Dome. Syracuse? Didn't wake up for Brad Stevens. Of the three other one seeds, would any team have pissed you off more than Duke making it? This doesn't seem right. These guys were supposed to be unathletic! Sure, they didn't get defense like Butler, and they didn't have an Ali Farokhmanesh making it rain. But they did beat a Baylor team who many had advancing to the Final Four (and who one Fizzster lost a lot of money off). And apparently, nobody is telling Coach K to retire anytime soon. (Mariotti's a joke; Viva el Per'fesser.) This was supposed to be a bridge year to the class of 2010. But right now it's hard to take any solace in that. The Orange got beat by a mid-major, advanced just as far as last year's club, and we have one more week of Duke hype. Ugh. (Photo credit: Richard Carson, Rueters) * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as we analyze what went wrong against Butler, Wes' future, how we will remember this season and why it ended so soon: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. Bob Ryan talks to the Fizz after SU's Loss. 3.26.10 Posted: D.A. - PERMALINK 
One of our favorite sportswriters, Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe, is covering the Midwest Regional in St. Louis. He loves college basketball, calls this perhaps the greatest tournament ever (despite Orange Nation's thought otherwise) and spoke to the Fizz immediately after the SU loss. Was he shocked by the Butler win? "Butler was basically waiting around for Syracuse to throw the ball away. I was waiting for Syracuse to pull itself together. When big plays were needed to be made, they basically were all made by Butler." Did the lack of competitive games for SU on the first weekend hurt the Orange in the dogfight against Butler? "Maybe they didn't buy it, but I'm sure Boeheim and co. preached them (Butler was the real deal). But God they were awful. They were down ten with Butler not even playing well. Butler made all the key plays." How Should We Feel? 3.26.10 Posted: Mike Couzens. - PERMALINK 
As an Orange fan, today might be even more difficult than last night. Shortly after the game, the emotions started to hit like a baseball bat to the face. However, today you'll have to go into work or class (or the kitchen where you're mom is asking why you still don't have a job) and face the generic conversation pieces: "Wow, tough one for the Orangemen huh?" (Thanks Grandpa, but they changed the name five years ago) "Hey man, I feel for you. My brackets busted too!" (This person deserves a swift punch to the teeth) "I really felt like they were gonna make a comeback there." (Yeah, uh, me too.) Today you'll have no idea what to do with yourself. There are so many questions and relatively few answers. Why did Rick played such an off game? Why was the defense was so tuned out? Why did the team turn the ball over so many times? There's still the debate whether this team is better than last year's Sweet 16 squad. It's a very bright future for Wes Johnson no matter what happened; once the clock hit zeroes, he became a millionaire. And probably the most contentious point of the entire season: Was this year a success? The responses via Facebook and Twitter range from reasonable to outrageous. "It didn't end how it should have - but thanks Syracuse basketball for the season of a lifetime. Don't forget how far they've come. We'll be back." "There should be no argument on this: the ending was a complete gutshot. Anyone happy with a Sweet Sixteen appearance can go transfer to Cornell." (I do hear their linguistic skills are top notch.) "THANKS FOR NOTHING SYRACUSE BASKETBALL. What an utter disappointment of a season." (Did this person watch any of the other 36 games?) Today we've just gotta roll with the punches. Read All About It. 3.26.10 Posted: D.A. - PERMALINK 
What does it say, just ten days removed from Opening Day and the Mets and Yankees in the middle of yet another soap operatic Spring Training (Jose Reyes' thyroid much?), SU lands the back page of the New York Daily News. We have a feeling that image of Andy Rautin's head-in-hands will become one of the defining images in SU hoops history. New Yorkers will step onto the subway platform, open up the paper and see this. Grrrrreat. Syracuse: Truly New York's College Team (when it's upset by the five-seed in the Sweet 16). The End. 3.26.10 Posted: D.A. - PERMALINK 
Hard to write. The end? It can't be the end. Not with this collection of teammates - a sum which was greater than its parts.The unknown transfer from Iowa State turning into a Big East superstar. The rookie point guard who played like a senior. The coach who squeezed everything he could out of a team picked to be NIT bound. That was it? An awful first-half against a five-seed? A lucky carom for Butler on a back-breaking three? An ill-advised hoist by Rautins? And that's it? The whole, magical carpet ride is over? This team gave us so many incredible moments - the thrashing of Georgetown (twice), Nova'geddon, the number-one ranking - it would be unfair to focus solely on the negative. But boy, negative is where we should probably start and end. How could this team come out so flat in the Sweet 16? It was like the Orange had no idea what was at stake - that somehow, this was just a tune-up to the actual game - the first 20 minutes were layup lines. But those minutes counted. And let's count the mistakes by the 'Cuse: The Bulldogs were far more active defensively - sticking their paws inside for every SU pass. The Orange was sloppy - committing 10 turnovers before Butler had given away one. Syracuse was lazy - the normal energy brought to the zone turned into jogging and half-speed commitment to defense. There was little emphasis on getting Wes his shots - which was as paramount as any offensive gameplan. Wes, himself, was apathetic. He waited - and waited - for the game to come to him, instead of demanding the ball and his shots. Maybe that nice guy demeanor - that mega-watt smile which lit up the 315 - was too nice for the moment that demanded a taste of S.O.B. By the time Syracuse found its way, a four-point lead late - it was simply a mirage. Lackadaisical defense. A lucky Butler bounce on the three. An awful decision to toss up a bad-looking three-point attempt by Rautins. Sloppy ball-handling. And that was it. The Per'fesser pushed all the right buttons all season long. But on Thursday night, those buttons were simply broken. And now so is the season. Photo credit: Dennis Nett/ Post-Standard Lazarus Sims Just Went There. 3.25.10 Posted: D.A. - PERMALINK 
Lazarus Sims (pictured with John Wallace - right) was part of the glorious '96 Final Four - a run for Syracuse no one saw coming. John Wallace put the team on his shoulders, Jason Cipollo knocked down miraculous shots and the late Al Maguire danced with the Orange all the way to East Rutherford. But Sims did this year's SU team no favors when he dropped this in comparison to other great teams in program history on Stewart Mandel from Sports Illustrated: "The way they play defense, they're on that level. If they fall short of the Final Four, you really can't justify the season, because they're a Final Four team." Uh, great. Thanks Laz. Look, if SU loses in dramatic fashion, in some instant classic against Kansas State - The Fizz thinks even an Elite 8 appearance "justifies" this season. We'd all love a Final Four. Even better - a second national championship for The Per'fesser. But saying this season is a failure if there's no Final Four is a little much, especially now that we know there's no A.O. for at least tonight's game. Which makes the Butler Bulldogs all that much scarier. The Horizon League Big Dawgs have no problem hoisting the three - and have played Giant Killer to a tee in Madness past. If Wes and Andy are hitting their shots tonight - maybe they'll make Laz's proclamation ring true. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as we analyze the first weekend for the Orange in the tourney. Is this the best team left in the bracket? Can they be even better if A.O. returns?: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. Butler Game Has Cometh with Free T-Shirts. 3.25.10 Posted: D.A. - PERMALINK  Holy Shirt has once again stepped up and asked to adorn Fizz loyals with cool Syracuse t-shirts. You bleed Orange, right? Wanna win? Well, let's go. Once again, Arinze is out tonight. That means the post falls to Rick Jackson and the lithe shoulders of a certain young man from Detroit. Email The Fizz (thedashow@yahoo.com or by simply clicking here) how many minutes DeShonte Riley will play tonight. If you nail it, Holy Shirt will send you one of these really cool "I Bleed Orange" t-shirts. IMPORTANT: YOU MUST SEND YOUR SIZE, MAILING ADDRESS AND COLOR PREFERENCE (ORANGE/BLUE) WITH THE ENTRY. Entries must be received by 7:00p (tipoff). If the 'Cuse is playing next weekend, winners will receive their shirts for the Final Four. The 'Cuse is in the house... oh my God, oh my God. Fizz First: More Awards for the Chosen One. 3.24.10 Posted: Ted Conroy. - PERMALINK 
Brandon Knight's praise has come from everywhere, including the energy drink industry. He won last year's Gatorade National Player of the Year, and yesterday, he did it again.The best part about this story is how he found out. Per ESPN: "I thought we were taking a test during second period [modern American history], but suddenly we had a guest lecturer, and cameras were taping it. I thought the cameras were taping a promotional piece for the school and Alonzo [Mourning] was a guest lecturer." Right. A test. You know how The Fizz has documented his 4.2 grade average? Well, we would like to announce it was a fact error. "When he enters college, Knight says, he'll have earned 21 credit hours, thanks to a demanding college-preparatory schedule at Pine Crest, where he maintains an eye-popping 4.3 weighted grade point average (on a 4.0 scale)." For the substantive basketball stuff as player of the year, he's just the third male baller to do it. The other company? Lebron James and Greg Oden (pre-camera phone we assume). What can't this kid do? He won two state titles in four years at his school, the county's all-time leading scorer, and he's playing in just about every all-star game the country has to offer. He's still got the 'Cuse on his list, and for what it's worth, it offers the most competitive academics of his final choices. In fact, Florida is probably the only school that compares in terms of books. It all comes down to him, and it doesn't seem like he's letting anyone in on his plans. For now, he can just sit back and swig an Orange Gatorade. No subliminal messages there. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as we analyze the first weekend for the Orange in the tourney. Is this the best team left in the bracket? Can they be even better if A.O. returns?: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. Wildlife Guide for Syracuse Regional. 3.23.10 Posted: Mike Couzens. - PERMALINK 
This weekend's Syracuse regional has a lot of hype because of the four programs rolling into town. Cornell (local YEAH!), Kentucky (future NBA stars ooohhh!), Washington (uh, they have a guy named Isaiah Thomas?) and West Virginia (hey, we play them right?). However, for the legions of us not fortunate enough to get a ticket to the Thursday-Saturday games, we will be forced to watch from places up and down Marshall Street, Armory Square and the rest of the city. So here is your guide to spotting the fans of the four teams that will be in town this weekend: Cornell: Sperrys a must. Will most likely be rocking some variation of the Conan O'Brien hairstyle and may very well resemble him too. Flannel shirts and courdoroys are highly likely, however not a necessity. Standard issue button down will do as well. Will reek of elitism and authority. Will actually possess neither trait. Most likely to be seen: Ordering beers you've never heard of, not on tap anywhere, ever. Kentucky: WATCH OUT FOR THIS MAN. If anyone can find Kige Ramsey of YouTube sports, please take a picture and send it to us. At least three pieces of blue clothing in every outfit. Fanny pack and sunglasses from 1994 are highly probable and tell tale signs of Southern residence. Jorts a must. Most likely to be seen: Ordering a John Wall shot at the bar. West Virginia: May appear to be happily married couples - they are merely brothers and sisters - do not be fooled. Canadian Tuxedo is considered appropriate attire for Mountaineer fans as it does include blue... and yellow depending on when it was last washed. Most likely to be seen: Pitching a lean-to in the Carrier Dome parking lots. We don't need no hotels! Washington: Will be bundled up in a North Face expecting snow. "It doesn't always snow in Syracuse?" They will also rock massive amounts of purple so they'll be easy to spot. Occasionally will throw words like "hyphy" and "dank" into conversation. Most likely to be seen: Getting angry last call is 2. "Dude it's only like 11 o'clock where I'm from!" Syracuse will be taken over for the weekend by fans from across the country, but hey, Salt Lake City has no idea what it's in for either. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as we analyze the first weekend for the Orange in the tourney. Is this the best team left in the bracket? Can they be even better if A.O. returns?: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. The Per'fesser's Best Lesson. 3.22.10 Posted: Ted Conroy. - PERMALINK 
As we recount Brandon Triche's great performance against Gonzaga it's important to remember the road he's been on since coming to the Hill.Mid-summer, the Per'fesser anointed the freshman as his starter at point for the upcoming season. Nobody had seen Scoop Jardine's metamorphosis and thus, figured things with Scoop would continue down the same disappointing path. Then the season happened. Scoop was in damn good shape, and the offense seemed to click when he was in the lineup. The numbers indicated the same: Scoop had a better assist to turnover ratio, and averaged slightly more than Triche in the points department as well. Even I mentioned how the lack of play from the point hurt the Orange. So everyone began to ask, "should we be starting Scoop?" The Fizz vehemently argued against it. Not because Scoop didn't deserve it, but because of the effect it would have on a serviceable rotation. Essentially, they wouldn't have one. Why? Most talented freshmen can hoop at this level. But many run into problems when things don't go the way they used to. In Triche's case, he didn't have turnover problems in high school, and his coach never had the quick trigger. If he was pulled from SU's starting lineup, he very well could have been lost as even a bench player. With only seven players getting legitimate minutes, this could have killed the team (especially with AO's injury). By leaving him in the starters zip code, Boeheim gave Triche a chance to prove that he deserved the position every night. If he didn't perform, he was yanked, but he always had that chance. In the end, the term "starter" ended up being thrown away with this team because of the "seven-starter mentality." And to Scoop's credit, he downplayed the role all season long. But if Triche comes off the bench, does he score 13 points in a round-two tournament game? Debatable. Photo credit: James McCoy, Buffalo News * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as we analyze the first weekend for the Orange in the tourney. Is this the best team left in the bracket? Can they be even better if A.O. returns?: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. The Crying Game. 3.20.10 Posted: D.A. - PERMALINK
Look, I don't wanna gloat too much over the dead carcasses of Georgetown, Villanova and Kansas. Lord knows, the way this tournament is going - no power team can feel safe. Sat inside Dunkin' Donuts Center this afternoon and watched Saint Mary's own the Wildcats. Hell, Robert Morris - the 15-seed - led 'Nova for nearly the entire game. Northern Iowa took the lead from the opening minute over the Jayhawks. And the Hoyas acted like they'd rather be shoveling D.C. snow. But with the way the brackets have shaken, Syracuse's potential road to the Final Four and beyond is clearing up. No Vanderbilt. No Kansas. And next, the program whose most famous for openly weeping like a child. Honestly, for all the success Mark Few has brought to Spokane over the last decade, isn't the most indelible image Adam Morrison crying after that incredible UCLA comeback? All we need to mention is how dominant SU looked at times last night. Vermont was a bit plucky, certainly scary after '05. But the Orange raced to an early lead and never really took its foot off the gas (save for the final minutes of the 1st Half when the Catamounts when zone). Zags are next. Bring it. And let the upset bug keep biting everyone else. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as we deliver the official Fizz Selection Special. Did SU get screwed, what the AO injury means and what the Big East tourney told us about the Orange: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. The Day Has Cometh with Free T-Shirts. 3.19.10 Posted: D.A. - PERMALINK Wait, did Georgetown just get beat by a MAC team? Ha! That's awesome. I'm pinching myself (although, we'll wait to gloat too much until after this weekend). The tourney. And... away... we... go. The day of reckoning has finally arrived for this plucky band of Orange misfits. Even early in the season, when we started to realize how special this group could be, all eyes were fixated on the NCAA Tournament. Because at Syracuse, just getting there is never good enough. It's taken for granted. We're spoiled, really. The Per'fesser has had tournament-worthy teams since many of us were born. We take filling out a bracket with Syracuse in the Big Dance as a rite of spring. When the Orange doesn't show up once in a decade, we blame the selection committee for botching it (which it has - repeatedly). Big East tournament wins are nice. Smacking Georgetown is extra warming. Top-25 rankings and national pub is enjoyable. But a Syracuse season is defined by March success. And as a number-one seed... with a still-painful Catamounts logo staring up at them from underneath the bracket... just two hours down the road in Buffalo - the season truly begins now. Holy Shirt has once again stepped up and asked to adorn Fizz loyals with cool Syracuse t-shirts. Wanna win? Well, let's go. Kris Joseph will get the start with Arinze out tonight. Email The Fizz (thedashow@yahoo.com or by simply clicking here) how many points K-Jo will have against the Catamounts tonight. If you nail it, Holy Shirt will send you one of these really cool "I Bleed Orange" t-shirts. IMPORTANT: YOU MUST SEND YOUR SIZE AND MAILING ADDRESS WITH THE ENTRY. Winners will receive their shirts by next weekend's action. The 'Cuse is in the house... oh my God, oh my God. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as we deliver the official Fizz Selection Special. Did SU get screwed, what the AO injury means and what the Big East tourney told us about the Orange: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. This Guy is Gonna Beat Us? 3.18.10 Posted: Mike Couzens. - PERMALINK 
Who's ready for the game to just be played already? There is so much speculation as to whether Vermont can take down Syracuse and so much time to talk about it that some people are starting to actually believe it. Take for example Catamounts forward Evan Fjeld, who says this could be the year for a first time tournament upset: "A 16th seed is going to beat a one seed some day," Fjeld said. "Maybe it will happen Friday." It's never happened, and it's not going to happen this year either. One-seeds versus 16's are 100-0 since the tournament field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. Look at these guys. This is a picture of the Catamounts' Nick Vier - celebrating after beating Boston University to advance to the dance. You know where BU is currently playing? The CBI. Yeah, the tourney under the NIT. Didn't know it exists? Well it does. And this guy is partying like they just knocked off '96 Kentucky. Even the AP has started to jump on the second-guessing bandwagon: "Because if there was ever a bracket where the 1-16 matchup might merit a little more study, perhaps it's this one: Syracuse vs. Vermont. After all, this upset has happened before, only five tournaments ago." Five tournaments ago when Rick Jackson was 15, Brandon Triche was 14 and Griffin Hoffman was still losing his baby fat (but showing off his SU pride). Hearing the talk of '05 just makes me feel a little bit like walk-on Matt Lyde-Cajuste on the team's bus trip to Buffalo. I'm not sure how many times I can hear the names Sorrentine or Coppenrath without wanting to go crazy at this point. Saying Vermont could pull a possible upset because it happened five years ago is like saying Gonzaga could make a deep run because Adam Morrison is still growing the same crustache from his college days. Ain't happenin'. And as a topper, T.J. Sorrentine might even be at the rematch: "If I can get out of work, if my boss lets me go, I might go. It's a long trip. but I'm stil up in the air. I would like to be there. I hope I can make it beacuse it would be great to be there. It will bring back a lot of memories." Somebody tell him he's got a seat waiting for him... in the parking lot. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as we deliver the official Fizz Selection Special. Did SU get screwed, what the AO injury means and what the Big East tourney told us about the Orange: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. Knight Moves. 3.17.10 Posted: Ted Conroy. - PERMALINK
Is he? Isn't he? Brandon Knight and Syracuse have had an on again, off again relationship. I myself rushed into judgment and declared him "done" with the Orange months ago. Luckily, Adam Schwartz from Northstar Sports knocked some sense back into me after Christmas. "Brandon Knight has supposedly 'cut' his list numerous times, and I don't know that Syracuse is specifically out of it. I would say they're well behind." I was still skeptical, and since Knight hasn't visited CNY and hasn't made any waves about the 'Cuse, I put it down again and let it breathe. Then came the Sun-Sentinel report last week that had Syracuse sneaking back into the fray. In fact, he is quoted as having Jimmy B's squadron on his short list, ahead of the U (props to Nunesmagician for digging that out of god knows where). This is obviously a good thing. However, people may be feeling a little jerked around. At the end of the day, Orange fans should feel honored just to be considered. Why, you ask? Well, he can score from anywhere, he's a big-bodied point guard with unbelievable speed, and he has a 4.2 GPA. Oh, and there's this. He won the Gatorade National player of the year award last season over a certain Kentucky guard. Yeah, John Wall, was still in secondary school when Knight won it. Yeah. He's that good. With the late signing period fast approaching, fans can sit back and watch the courtship take place. Enjoy the flirting. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as we deliver the official Fizz Selection Special. Did SU get screwed, what the AO injury means and what the Big East tourney told us about the Orange: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. Arinze's Quad Tracker. 3.16.10 Posted: Mike Couzens. - PERMALINK 
Arinze Onuaku has an injured right quadriceps. Arinze Onuaku's injured right quadriceps has a Twitter account. And someone is in desperate need of a reason to get off their computer. Welcome to March Madness. Three days out from the game, we're still a little hazy on Arinze's health - and so is Google News. So we know at about 99.9% percent he'll be out Friday against Vermont, but The Fizz has come to live with that after taking a look at Vermont's roster. As a former high school and AAU scrub, it would appear the post players on the Catamount roster are not exactly Olojuwon and Sampson... and you don't really need any stats to back up that assertion. "How can you be so sure, Couzens?", you might find yourself asking. Here are the names of some of the forwards on the Vermont Roster: Luke Apfeld, Evan Fjeld, Matt Glass, Ben Crenca, and Garrett Kissel. Sounds more like a weekly meeting of the Burlington Polo Club than it does a basketball team. Their hobbies: Watching Arrested Development, Going to Ugly Sweater Parties (sometimes those are unintentional in Vermont), and talking about their New England prep school days. Intimidating? Not really. Rick Jackson will be taking care of business on Friday. And after UVM star Marqus Blakely, the Catamounts really don't have much of a threat inside. Only Fjeld averages double figures and the rest of the bigs don't get much burn - and that's in the America East. It's fair to worry about AO's health, but only after business gets taken care of Friday. That gives him and the team another day to rest. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as we deliver the official Fizz Selection Special. Did SU get screwed, what the AO injury means and what the Big East tourney told us about the Orange: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. Pure Dookie. 3.15.10 Posted: Ted Conroy. - PERMALINK 
I like to consider myself a rational person. So before I completely rip the NCAA selection committee for shipping the 'Cuse out west over Duke, I will use the TOOL method (first revealed by The Fizz in January) to see what's cooking.Head to head we go: DUKE UNIVERSITY (29-5) RPI:3 Why they got a number one seed: The Blue Devils overcame early issues with depth and consistency at big man and won the ACC tournament. Their only questionable loss was against NC State. Why they may not deserve to be seeded where they are: Duke split the regular season conference title with Maryland, and all five of it's losses came on the road. The ACC sucked this year and coach K's team couldn't establish itself against the only conference team that was legit (the Terps). SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY (28-4) RPI:5 Why they got a number one seed: Body of work. The Orange went undefeated in the nonconference, won the Big East, and only dropped one true road game. The 'Cuse took out multiple top-10 teams and oftentimes made the opposing squads a mockery in doing so. Why they may not deserve to be seeded where they are: The 'Cuse dropped it's last two games, and lost it's starting center to an injury. The Orange's defense had some issues sealing the backdoor lobs and passes towards the end of the season. After all that, I find this to be the most incriminating evidence of the 'Cuse being screwed. Selection chairman Dan Guerrero: "Once again, we're talking about the entire season. We place value on that. Obviously, the big center for Syracuse got banged up. That's an issue to some degree." Oh, the entire season? The entire season of losing one game on the road? The entire season of being an outright winner of it's conference? The entire season of playing in a far superior Big East? The Orange deserved the third number one seed. Insert chip on shoulder. Go. * * * Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. We're Taking on Water, Boys. 3.12.10 Posted: D.A. - PERMALINK 
Ok, that's not how we drew it up. Look, is there any reason to panic? Not necessarily. More than likely, along with Kansas, Kentucky and Duke - Syracuse will end up being the fourth one-seed. Obviously, coming into a season unranked, Orange Nation will take that. Was the Georgetown loss deflating? Yes. The Hoyas seemed to stay confident against the zone - and when a team is not rattled (see Louisville, twice) the vaunted SU defense seems pretty pedestrian. But the 'Cuse committed to the press far to early in the second half, allowing a push of easy baskets that kept the Hoyas at a two possession lead. Two extra days off (instead of playing blood bath Big East tourney basketball until Saturday) is not the worst thing in the world. Wes can get his hand right. K-Jo can get his legs right. And the team can focus on the real prize - a Final Four in three weeks. But the Onuaku injury is scary. He is the beef inside on the 2-3. He provides experience, rebounding and a defensive presence in the paint. Obviously, the Orange you could least afford to lose for the tourney is Wes. But A.O. might not be far down on that list. Yes, the Orange boat is taking on some water. But the ship isn't sinking - yet. The Fizz needs to breathe. We now shelled out $100 to go watch freaking Georgetown vs. Marquette. Screw the Hoyas. Everyone take a few days. Recoup. We'll talk again on Monday. Photo credit: Frank Frankling, AP * * * Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. Life and Basketball. 3.11.10 Posted: Mike Couzens - PERMALINK 
The last time Syracuse went 3-0 against Georgetown in a season was 2003. The last time you played hooky from work was probably much more recent. The fantastic scheduling of the postseason play along with the onset of spring weather here in Central New York makes for perfect timing to get out of the office and into the action. Heck, even the University is encouraging students to watch the game - in their own auditorium! How can you turn an offer like that down? All of these games in the coming days are about becoming a number-one seed. In the coming weeks, you will be challenged by whether you should go to work or just lay in bed - there is little question as to what you should do. Last year the Orange played Stephen F. Austin and Arizona State in the early afternoon, and I vividly remember where I was: my couch in my South Campus apartment. Over this small factor we can all unite as college basketball fans - work comes second to basketball in March. And if you are stuck at work - fear not, you're not the only one who is suffering in a suit and tie. Last year, CBS's "Boss Button" got nearly 3 million more clicks than the year before. Hopefully they come up with something better than what NBC threw together for their version of the button. Sure to get you fired. But let's face it, we've all played this game before. Call in to work and find a new relative who died last night, invent a new disease, or just keep hitting that snooze button so you don't get stuck in this kind of a scenario trying to get out of work. And as always, BEAT GEORGETOWN! * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as Team Fizz discusses if the Louisville loss is a harbinger for the tourney, whether Paulus' pro day is a waste of time and the Mike Williams embarrassment: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. Fizz First: Pieces of the Puzzle. 3.10.10 Posted: Ted Conroy - PERMALINK 
Jim Calhoun's team got blasted last night by St. John's 73-51. It's the kind of ass-whoopin' that would make Hasheem Thabeet notice in between D-league games. The next few weeks of UConn basketball could be huge for SU's recruiting dominance in the Northeast from here on out. We've all heard the buzz: Jim Calhoun is getting old, and although he lives inside Gampel Pavilion (and as The Fizz has noted is a cyborg) health does matters. Kemba Walker says right now that he is staying at school, but how many times have we heard this lip service? Not to mention the fact that Calhoun-bot 3000 already would prefer the game against the Johnnies to be last of '09-'10. "It was definitely embarrassing, especially how much we lost by. If we do go in the NIT and we're going to play like that, I'd rather not." Right now at best, the Huskies lose Jerome Dyson, Gavin Edwards, and Stanley Robinson. Add in Walker, and the team is completely stripped. The Fizz has mentioned that UConn owns the 15th best recruiting class in the land, but all of that is short term (Josh Selby and Brandon Knight's recruitment is not over). If Calhoun goes, the market could open up on a crapload of talented guys, especially bigs, who usually funneled to Storrs. With the way the Orange has been gaining market share, it couldn't come at a better time. Right now, let's savor in the Huskies' early exit: long live Norm Roberts! A week where UConn goes home on Tuesday and SU may have a shot at beating Georgetown at third time: bliss. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as Team Fizz discusses if the Louisville loss is a harbinger for the tourney, whether Paulus' pro day is a waste of time and the Mike Williams embarrassment: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. To Lose or Not to Lose. 3.9.10 Posted: Mike Couzens - PERMALINK 
Saturday's loss to Louisville has led to plenty of debate going into the Big East Tournament and where the Orange could end up playing in the NCAA's. All of these predictions are based on different models of "If we beat Georgetown" or "If we beat Georgetown but then lose to Villanova" or "If we lose to DePaul." Ok, no one has even thought of that last one, but hey, it was a close game earlier this season in Chicago. Amid the flood of sports radio, blog and newspaper opinions makes it hard to figure out: What is the best case scenario for Syracuse in the Big East Tournament? A tournament championship is obviously the most desirable thing, but what's best for SU may be a different story. You've got a nicked up Wes Johnson who says he's starting to feel his hand get better, on a team that doesn't need to win the BET to likely earn a one-seed. One "best case" scenario heard yesterday was a win over Georgetown to start things off (always a great way to begin any weekend) and then a "Cleveland State type loss" to Villanova in a game that goes back and forth, but the Wildcats winning at the buzzer. Under that scenario Orange fans can say, "At least the team didn't get outplayed." But do you want to win out at all costs and risk fatigue to start of the NCAA tournament? Or go easy in the Big East Tournament to insure firing on all (healthy and well rested) cylinders for the NCAA tournament? It's all about mentality, but it's a healthy debate to have. Keep in mind, last year the team had to play four days in a row and advanced to the Sweet 16. Is that the best thing to do before the madness begins? Let us know what you think on Twitter @orangefizz. We'll be looking out for your responses and D.A. will be tweeting from the Garden when the Orange arrives in Manhattan. Photo credit: AP * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as Team Fizz discusses if the Louisville loss is a harbinger for the tourney, whether Paulus' pro day is a waste of time and the Mike Williams embarrassment: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. Fizz First: See Ya, Selby. 3.8.10 Posted: Ted Conroy. - PERMALINK 
The writing has been on the wall for a while, but it seems all but certain: Josh Selby's (alleged) courtship with SU is over. Check the boards. Rivals has him listed with no interest for the Orange. Scout also says the list is down to four, with Syracuse not on it. It shouldn't come as too surprising, considering the fact that he didn't have a visit planned to the 315 before the late signing period. But still, would you like some salt with that wound? Selby de-committed from Tennessee to begin this process. Those same Vols who, as as The Fizz extensively covered, plucked Tobias Harris from SU's grip. Jerry Meyer from Rivals kicks the 'Cuse fans in the side with this one. "Josh Selby has publicly stated that Arizona, Connecticut, Kansas and Kentucky are potential destinations for him. However, there may be another school in the mix that hasn't been mentioned recently. Selby previously committed to an SEC school, and it turns out that team might be back in the running." This seems to finalize Syracuse's (still incredible) 2010 recruiting class, barring a crazy turn of events with Brandon Knight. Besides; Scoop scored just 18 on Saturday. We're down. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as Team Fizz discusses if the Louisville loss is a harbinger for the tourney, whether Paulus' pro day is a waste of time and the Mike Williams embarrassment: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. Thanks Rick. 3.7.10 Posted: D.A. - PERMALINK 
Throughout Saturday's game, I continually was flooded with texts reading some version of this sentiment: "I'm not even a Syracuse fan, but I'm rooting for the Orange. Pitino is just so slimy."And so it went. Slick Rick and the Cardinals handed the Orange two of its three losses on the season, while continually bringing the historic moment back to him. On an afternoon which was supposed to be about the closing of a venerable basketball barn (even if it did resemble Shoppingtown Mall), Pitino did what he always does (as The Fizz has documented in the past). Point the spotlight heavy on Rick Pitino. What was his favorite Freedom Hall moment? How about bringing the '87 Friars there for the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. His thoughts after the game? "I've been very fortunate to coach in four Final Fours and two championships..." Thanks Rick. When asked about the closing of the building, Rick immediately mentioned Louisville's resume for tournament consideration. Honestly, this loss is not the worst thing in the world for SU. A healthy dose of humility is valuable right now. It's a team which has played above its head all season - avoided the letdowns and ego dangers that usually accompany an inexperienced squad. While being #1 in the country was pretty cool, it probably wasn't the healthiest thing for Syracuse to have next to it's name come tourney time. The 'Cuse will still be a one-seed (barring a meltdown in Manhattan) and The Per'fesser will undoubtedly use this as motivation to refocus the troops. The irony (and lone bright spot) of Saturday was finding this guy at the SU watch party @ Pour House in Boston. Yep, that's an original Rony Seikaly jersey from 1986. Funny, authenticity never was a Pitino strong suit. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as Team Fizz explains why SU is more dangerous than the other potential #1 seeds: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. UL's History Looks like Captain Kangaroo's Set. 3.6.10 Posted: D.A. - PERMALINK 
By now, Orange Nation knows the deal. Today at 2:00p, Louisville will shut down... (ahem)... historic Freedom Hall against Syracuse. Despite the arena looking more like Shoppingtown Mall than a sports facility anyone would grieve its loss, Cardinals Faithful will salute its basketball lineage. Denny Crum's glory years, from the mid-70s through the late-80s. "Nervous" Pervis Ellison and the '86 team. Hopefully, Rick Pitino will have three or four of his mistresses wearing Denny Crum hairpieces to commemorate the event. However, one look at the accompanying picture makes you realize just how classy Louisville once was. While now it's known as a hot spot for Hollywood celebs to feign interest in a horse race while sipping $1,000 mint juleps, at one time the town was known for garish red clothing. Look at Denny Crum, seated, greeting fans, wearing a red blazer - so red, it makes Captain Kangaroo blush. Check out the woman behind him. Some type of wonderful denim outfit with red in-seams, red buttons and red collar/scarf/explosion near the neck. Finally, give that old man speaking with Crum a second glance. The over-the-top high-riding red Louisville trucker hat is a beautiful compliment to his jacket. Which is one-side light blue - one-side red. We'll meet in the middle at the button. That's amazing. Craig Sager and Don Cherry are both whimpering in the corner right now. See ya on the floor Cards. With hopes of shutting down your ugly red party. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as Team Fizz explains why SU is more dangerous than the other potential #1 seeds: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. We're Closing Down This Dump? 3.5.10 Posted: Ted Conroy - PERMALINK 
Tomorrow in Louisville is technically, a moot game. Syracuse has wrapped up the regular season Big East title, a double-bye at the Garden, and an all but assured number-one seed in the dance. So how seriously should the 'Cuse take this road matchup with the Cards? There are two strategies. Thoery One: Louisville beat us. It's payback time. Reasoning. Wouldn't Jim Boeheim love to say "Freedom Hall is officially closed?" The last game at the Cards home court would make a perfect "eff you" story for fans who already hate the Orange (the Fizz-anointed "bullies of the Big East"). By the way, this is Freedom Hall? This is what Cardinals Fans are weeping about this week? It looks like the entrance to Shoppingtown Mall. How did Pitino pull any tail bringing chicks there? Not to mention, The Fizz just spent a week analyzing the satisfaction of the number-one ranking. Why give up that vaunted top spot when you can look down on everyone else? Theory two: It doesn't matter, rest your starters. Reasoning: The Orange has been banged up this season. An Andy Rautins ankle, some Kris Joseph tendinitis, and Wes Johnson's obvious shooting struggles since taking "the fall," reinforce the reality that a game off wouldn't be awful. There is also the potential freak injury out there. (See Robbie Hummel - Shaun Livingston in the worst possible form.) And in this context, we wouldn't be talking a Reese-Resavy-Southerland-Riley-Cajuste lineup here. Just maybe some more time for the freshman/bench guys after the first half. The fans will want to kick the crap out of Louisville in Kentucky. The team could obviously use a little rest. The Per'fesser? He's would-be Coach of the Year, so The Fizz has faith in his decision. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as Team Fizz explains why SU is more dangerous than the other potential #1 seeds: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. The Case for 65. 3.4.10 Posted: Mike Couzens - PERMALINK 
In the words of Lou Gehrig, "Today, we consider ourselves the most ignorant culture on the face of the Earth." Wait? What? Oh that's not what he said. But it is darn near what Jim Boeheim said about brackets with an expanded NCAA tournament. The Per'fesser did an interview with CNN yesterday advocating for a bigger NCAA tournament for the (millionth - billionth - fill in the blank) time and the last question he got was this: "CNN: What about the millions of fans who would have to learn how to fill out the bigger brackets in their pools?" Boeheim: "If we're going to do something based on the sheet, we're the most ignorant culture on the face of the Earth." With all due respect to the greatest human being ever to walk said Earth, are you serious? That's half the reason the tournament is so much fun. The amount of joy derived from carrying around a crumpled up piece of paper in my back left pocket for weeks is incomparable. It makes me feel like a genius to beat out the nerds who study numbers for hours on end when I've mindlessly picked between an 8 and a 9 seed. It's a traveling conversation starter for men and women everywhere from the train headed to work, the office, the classroom, and if you're daring - the dinner table. VIVA THE SHEET! The Fizz takes a stand today. If we are going to do something based on the sheet, then so be it. Doesn't the rest of the world already consider America the most ignorant culture on the face of the Earth? The numbers in this case are staggering: The FBI estimates that over $2.5 billion is gambled on the NCAA tournament, with only $80 million bet legally through sports books in Nevada. That leaves over $2.4 billion in funds gambled illegally. That means that the amount of money illegally bet on the tournament is higher than the GDP of all but five countries (maybe). We're getting closer every day to living in an idiocracy - there is no way we as a people could expand the bracket now. It fits so perfectly on to one sheet of 8" by 11" paper and is the perfect symbol of my demonstration of sports knowledge (at least when I pick all the one seeds for the Final Four like I did last year) that it cannot change. An expanded tournament may be better off for some, but for the majority of us - the sheet cannot be disrupted. Today my friends, let us stand together as the most ignorant (but basketball, betting, and cheap college beer loving) culture on the face of the Earth. VIVA EL SHEET! * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as Team Fizz explains why SU is more dangerous than the other potential #1 seeds: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. Superstitions of a Cuse Fan. 3.4.10 Posted: Scott Rappaport - PERMALINK 
The winner of our "Fizz for a Day" contest was Scott Rappaport of Delaware. Wearing the "Beat Nova" t-shirt he won from us and the good guys over at Holy Shirt, he sent in this pic from last weekend's game.Yeah, the guy met Kris Joseph strolling down Marshall Street middle of the afternoon, just hours before tipoff of Nova-geddon. Now, that's being blessed from above. Great "FizzCast" icon photo-shopped in the corner. The Fizz loves this promotion so much, if you send us a picture of you holding a hand-made Fizz sign somewhere in Manhattan for the Big East tournament - we'll post it. This is too much fun. I present to you, Scott Rappoport: Fizzer for a Day. "The game was amazing, I wore the Beat Nova Shirt proudly, thank you!!!! Here is a picture of me with Kris Joseph about 6 hours before game time. Again, thank for the shirt! GO CUSE!" - - - I made as much noise as I could make this past Saturday in the Dome, with my "Beat Nova" shirt on. Thank you Fizz! I no longer live in Syracuse: so it is the only meaningful game I went to all season. However, I am not sure that collectively as fans, we don't all make a difference in other ways. I have rooted for The Orange, for as long as I can remember. Over the years I have done some crazy things to will my team to win. Things that any rational person would say make no difference, but I can't get my self to stop doing them. Earlier, in this truly amazing season, I was sitting in my car, in the middle of a blizzard of Syracuse proportions listening to the Syracuse UConn game on satellite radio because I had no power in my house in Delaware. I believed that listening helped them squeak out a W. While I was in high school, I would wear my Lawrence Moten knee high socks every game day. The socks only got washed after a Syracuse loss. The Cuse was 85 and 36 during his career - my feet did not smell too good, but I believed it made a difference. When Syracuse played for the National Championship in 2003, I started watching the game with my legs crossed. As we all know, Syracuse got out to a huge lead, and I told myself, I am not uncrossing my legs until either the game is over, or Kansas catches up. I could hardly walk when the game was over, but it felt oh so sweet! So in 2010, I find myself doing strange things again. Every time I wash my hands at work, I wad up the paper towel, and take a shot at the garbage can. I have been doing this all season, and have only missed twice. Maybe this all does make a difference. I promise not to miss again! GO ORANGE! * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as Team Fizz explains why SU is more dangerous than the other potential #1 seeds: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. The Per'fesser of the Year. 3.3.10 Posted: D.A. - PERMALINK 
As Boeheim's Number Ones continue to impress, lots of talk for The Per'fesser for Coach of the Year. One of the best college hoops writers in the country, Jason King of Yahoo! Sports, has Jim Boeheim topping his All-Coaches Team."Despite losing their top three players (Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf) from last year's team, the Orange seem like a lock for a No. 1 seed after winning the Big East title outright for the first time since 1991. Boeheim has molded this squad into fine fashion and capitalized on its chemistry. Don't be surprised if the National Coach of the Year caps a magnificent season with his second NCAA title." Also on King's list; Calipari, Self and Frank Martin. Look, if you want to give some love to K-State's Martin I'm fine with that. The Wildcats as a one-seed? That's crazy. Michael Beasley's gone, right? Bill Walker's gone, right? So who the hell is playing in the Little Apple these days? Most years K-State is the THIRD BEST TEAM IN KANSAS (what up, Wichita State). But forget Coach Cal. All he did was import his Memphis 2009 recruiting class to the Kentucky athletic department like it was NCAA Basketball on PS3. He's doing it with the best player in the country (John Wall) and one of the best big men in the country (DeMarcus Cousins). He's got TWO Top-5 NBA picks on his team. And the 2010 Final Four will be vacated soon anyway, so whatever. Self? I mean, come on. Just because a team is good, doesn't mean its coach has done a great job. KU is littered with McDonald's All-Americans. I swear, the Jayhawks water girl would start for De Paul. It's a joke. They SHOULD win. They're starting lineup is just five Top-25 recruits. The Big 12 is the Mountain West with a better TV deal. Boeheim? Unranked team to start the season. No expectations whatsoever. Lost the three most important players from last year's team. Hasn't lost on the road in the Big East. Took down Cal, North Carolina (when everyone thought the Heels were contenders), Cornell and Florida out of conference. Smashed Georgetown twice. Crushed UConn. Demolished Villanova in the most-hyped game in 20 years at SU. Regular season Big East crown for the first time since British Knights. Lock for a number-one seed. Top-ranked team in the country. OVER. Is there even a debate? Boeheim has never won Coach of the Year, which is a farce. He's got three Final Fours, a national championship, a floor named after him, a Hall of Fame plaque, more wins than almost anyone else in history - but no one's ever thought he was the best coach of that season? Lock. It. Up. The Per'fesser is finally gettin' his. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as Team Fizz explains why SU is more dangerous than the other potential #1 seeds: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. The Case for the Number-One Seed Overall. 3.3.10 Posted: Ted Conroy - PERMALINK 
The win over St. John's makes Syracuse the Big East regular season champs. Let that sink in. (How great is this photo?)
But The Fizz goes deeper.Where does the 'Cuse rank among the potential number one seeds? Right now Joey Brackets has the Orange as the second number one seed, behind Kansas. His reasoning? "We're moving the Orange up to No. 2 on the S-Curve after their impressive performance against Villanova. Kansas still has an edge in terms of overall profile." Legit or media hype? Let's fact check. Syracuse: 28-2. Kansas: 27-2. 'Cuse's two losses are against Pittsburgh and Louisville at home. College RPI has the Panthers and Cardinals at 9 and 32, respectively. Average RPI loss? 20.5 Jayhawks have dropped two on the road against Tennessee and Oklahoma State. College RPI has the Vols at 15 and 26. Average RPI loss? 20.5. Lunardi is most likely taking the team's individual RPI (Orange #3, KU #1) as the deciding factor, but should that be it? The Big East has been stronger then the Big 12, plus the 'Cuse is undefeated on the road. This should make up for the difference. So how about deciding the number-one overall seed by best nonconference wins. Syracuse throttled both Cal (95-73) on a neutral court and Cornell (88-73) at home. Kansas has those same exact wins, but check the numbers: home against Cal (84-69) and most importantly, Cornell 71-66 at the Phog in one of the biggest nailbiters this season. The Big Red came within a Ryan Wittman three of sending that game to overtime. Boeheim's Number-Ones are equal if not better on paper than Kansas. The numbers say it. Photo credit: A.P./ Kevin Rivoli * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as Team Fizz explains why SU is more dangerous than the other potential #1 seeds: Become one with The Fizz: Be a friend of The Fizz on Facebook. Follow The Fizz on Twitter for constant updates. Listen to the FizzCasts at our podcast page. Wait, You Want... Rutgers? 3.2.10 Posted: D.A. - PERMALINK 
Intriguing story posted by the Chicago Trib on the ongoing discussions for Big 11 expansion. We all know the backdrop: The Big 10 needs a 12th member to facilitate the much sought-after football championship game. But from the crowd of contenders (which by the way includes Syracuse), could Rutgers actually be the favorite? "The consensus among Big Ten sources, officials from other conferences and TV executives is that Rutgers offers the best package. Missouri is second and Pittsburgh third." The attraction of the eternal (until recently) doormat of the Big East? The market and the Meadowlands. "The New York market has 7.5 million TV homes, and the Big Ten Network would love to get them on expanded basic cable rather than forcing subscribers to pay extra via a sports tier. Rutgers will play the first ever major-college football game (vs. Army) at the new Meadowlands Stadium, a $1.4 billion facility that will open for the Jets and Giants this fall. Think there's be any trouble selling out the 82,500-seat stadium for a Penn State-Rutgers game? Or when Ohio State or Michigan visits?" There's no doubt, this hurts Syracuse. For an already tight SU-RU recruiting war, how many kids will opt to play in the Big 10 on ESPN and ABC every week vs. the Big East? Remember the days when the NY market was undoubtedly colored Orange? When Rutgers went 1-10 every year? When SU sold out East Ruthrford in the Kickoff Classic? Who will the Big East try to poach to stay alive as an already shaky football conference? East Carolina? UCF? Marshall? Will the New York market become more Rutgers-saturated because of its Big 10 affiliation (a place the doctor has tried tirelessly to brand as SU's)? Whatever. Go enjoy Snookie, J-Woww and the rest of the Jersey Shore fist-pumping at the Iowa tailgate. Have fun at the dilapidated RAC when Northwestern comes to town. And let us know how two basketball bids annually tastes in the NCAA tournament. What the HELL is going on? The Big 10 wants Rutgers? I need to lie down. Doug Gottlieb is My Hero. 3.2.10 Posted: D.A. - PERMALINK 
As we finally sweep up the pieces to Nova-geddon and watch the Orange play St. John's tonight, it's interesting to go back over the predictions of the "experts" one last time.While most of Orange Nation respected the Wildcats, the vast majority of college hoops fans that had watched even five minutes of Syracuse recently felt this would be an SU win. A thrashing of a Top-10 team? Maybe not. But having lost of three of its last six games entering the Dome Saturday, most felt Villanova was staggering into the 315. Which leaves us with Hubert Davis and a nine-year-old named Jason (zoom to the final :30). On the Gameday set, Davis picked the Wildcats because "I love their guards. I think they're gonna do a good job attacking that 2-3 zone. I think they're gonna show up tonight offensively, defensively and finish around the basket." Whoops. That brilliance elicited a "You're really serious?" from Digger. As for young Jason? Well, the Earth shifted a little with his pick. "It's gonna be a bit of a surprise, because I think it's the first time I've picked the road team. I like Villanova in this game. I think they're gonna do well." Wow, never saw that one coming. Anyone who's been following Jason's career knows he always bets home team. At least since he was eight. Why wouldn't he? You don't tug on Superman's cape. You don't let mom give you baths anymore. And you always roll the home team. When asked about his selection, Jason answered in his usual brash manner. "Look, I had some inside information. My friend Jeff at school was scratched by a stray cat outside the bus garage. So, I thought, 'Wow, cats are fiesty right now. Something's in the air. I'm gonna go with the Wildcats.' Plus, I really look up to Doug Gottlieb and he said Syracuse wasn't even a Top-25 team. Although, he also picked Siena to win the National Championship." * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as Team Fizz explains why SU is more dangerous than the other potential #1 seeds: Who's #1? Oh, Right. 3.2.10 Posted: Mike Couzens - PERMALINK
The first stop on the No. 1 train brings Syracuse back to the Dome for a second straight home game and the final regular season game in Syracuse. Jim Boeheim's Number Ones face St. John's who, to put it nicely, has at least been paying their rent in the basement of the Big East this season (along with Rutgers, Providence and DePaul). The Johnnies have only a few wins that catch the eye this season - back to back victories over Louisville and Notre Dame. Now it's time to play number-one and Head Coach Norm Roberts, who may be on the chopping block after this season, is actually pretty excited. "It's a great opportunity... Not many people get to play the number-one team in America. There's no pressure on us.". No pressure because nobody expects St. John's to win any game, let alone this one. This no pressure isn't necessarily the best thing in the world, just a nice spin job. And forget about not looking ahead, taking it one game at a time. Freshman Malik Stithe has had this game marked on his calendar since November. "I've been looking forward to this game the whole year", he said. You're probably the only one who feels that way Malik, but hey, we'll send a postcard from the NCAA tourney to let you know what it's like. And for nervous SU fans? SJU has only toppled six ranked opponents in the Norm Roberts era (which started in '04). It may be hard to focus on this game in the aftermath of Nova-geddon, including some nonsense with the polls, but hopefully there are no banana peels on the road for the Orange. Closing out the home season on a high note is important primarily because it's Senior Day for Andy and Arinze (and maybe the last game for Wes at the Dome). Somehow The Fizz doesn't think this incredible mug shot of Andy will be making the photo celebration montage. These next two games are just the final stepping stones to Selection Sunday. * * * Listen to a fresh FizzCast as Team Fizz explains why SU is more dangerous than the other potential #1 seeds: Nova-Geddon: Redux. 3.1.10 Posted: D.A. - PERMALINK 
Since nothing can quite match using the biggest national platform in college basketball to strangle a Top-10 rival and biggest threat in the Big East, why don't we relive some of the magic?Team Fizz is at it again, breaking down the momentous victory and what it will mean in the big picture for the Orange. D.A.: "They really owned the biggest stage of the season. Not only does this team play well at home, but also on the road and neutral sites. And in the tournament it'll be all road and neutral sites." Conroy: "They did everything right. Early in the game, 'Nova tried to stop the dribble-drive. So they went down low to Rick Jackson. There's no facet of this offense, Syracuse doesn't have down. Six players in double-figures for the Orange." Couzens: "Everything just seems to be working so well. There's been so few things that have gone wrong for this team. This domination of Villanova just piles on that glory for the Orange." Listen to a fresh FizzCast: D.A.: "They stack up great (against Kentucky, Kansas, etc). They're more than a team than some of these other top squads. Kentucky is so dependent on John Wall. For Kansas, the Big 12 is a joke. Frankly, Syracuse is much more dangerous than these other teams. They're not reliant on one guy. They're so committed on defense." Couzens: "To know this game was not even close at the end. At the loud house, on home turf is amazing." D.A.: "It's in front of the country, it's on a day when other potential one-seeds had lost. What Syracuse did was a statement. What college basketball fan is gonna look at this game against Villanova and say, 'this is not one of the top-four teams in the country.' It just rings so clearly." BTW How great did Erin Andrews look in front of 34,000 screaming fans wearing Orange? Is this the season from heaven or what? Sgt. Curmudgeon Bobby Knight calling Syracuse a national championship favorite? You couldn't script this stuff. I smell more Nova-geddon analysis brewing here at The Fizz. Read The Fizz from February. It's like Punxatawny Phil waking up and seeing an oversized Boehiem head. 
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