Throw a Bowden in There for Good Measure

Tommy Bowden was releived of his coaching duties this morning by Clemson.




Clemson, who was supposed to compete for an ACC title in Bowden's tenth season, was 3-3 and coming off a loss to Wake Forest.

Most surprising to me about this story, however, is Clemson QB Cullen Harper's (and his father's) comments concerning the firing.

"It's what he deserved."

"I'd call it karma," (Cullen's Father said) "I thought it needed to be done. I think anytime a head coach or someone in a leadership position starts to place blame on his coaches and players, it weakens their respect on the team. His past experiences have shown he's done that."

Wouldn't you know it, Harper was benched after the loss to Wake this past week in favor of Freshman QB Willy Korn. So, you know, he, nor his father, sound like a couple of bitter biscuits.

There are a couple of reasons this story is relevant to Syracuse football. First, the obvious one is that Bowden will no doubt be speculated as a candidate for the head coaching job that is going to open up at Syracuse sometime between now and the end of the season. It's inevitable, he's going to be mentioned quite a bit around Syracuse for at least the next few weeks, and probably the next few months.

Second, this helps us all further push the question: HOW COME GREG ROBINSON HASN'T BEEN FIRED YET?

Clemson is 3-3. One of their losses is to 2nd ranked Alabama, another to 21st ranked Wake Forest on the road. My, my, how I would like to tell Clemson fans how good they have it right now. In fact, their program is very comparable to Syracuse's at the end of the Coach P era. Probably not at this point, but if you look at the two programs on the surface they are both in inferior conferences where their success is often overlooked in the scramble for everyone to "succeed" by going 10-1 and going to a BCS bowl game.

Bowden led Clemson to 8 bowl games in 9 (full) seasons. Greg Robinson has won 8 TOTAL GAMES in 3 and a half seasons at Syracuse!

How in the WORLD does Greg Robinson still have his job? Justification was that firing Robinson would show "panic" in the program. Well Bowden is gone... and as far as I know there isn't any out-of-hand rioting on the Clemson campus. Death Valley hasn't imploded under a wave of civil unrest because the head coach is being removed. So if that's not happening at a place where it was questionable whether or not to fire the coach... why would it happen at Syracuse? Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE wants to see Greg Robinson gone ASAP.

If Bowden had to go... Greggers certainly MUST.

Orange in the NFL

Here's how our Orange Alums fared in the NFL this weekend:



Marvin Harrison (Colts): 3 catches for 83 yards and 2 TDs (W)





Josh Thomas (Colts): 1 tackle (W)





Morlon Greenwood (Texans): 8 tackles (6 solo) (L)





Tanard Jackson (Bucs): 3 tackles (2 solo), 1 INT (W)





Olindo Mare (Seahawks): 1 50 yd. FG, 2 PATs (L)





Donny McNabb (Eagles): 23/36 for 280 yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 4 yds rushing (W)




Players featured are those who made statistical contributions in game box scores

8-33: West Virginia Reaction

No, the West Virginia game wasn't quite the onslaught many SU fans thought it would be since the beginning of the season. But, in some ways the loss was even more depressing than if they had been blown out.


For some reason, the football gods really HATE our shade of orange this year. Week to week, especially lately, not only do they lose, but they do us the great horror of giving us a faint flicker of hope that deep down reminds us of better times. In the end, and even deeper down, we know that this team can't turn the hope into a W.

The good news in all of this is, for the second game in a row, the 11 players on the field actually looked like a football team. The first drive was a great example of what the offense could be. However, it also represented how frustrating watching this team is. The offense came out after the defense forced a three and out on West Virginia's first drive and methodically moved down the field after starting at their own ten. The drive was a wonderful mix of run and pass, and Cam Dantley looked as comfortable in the offense as ever. But, penalties and miscues cut short a drive and resulted in only 3 points instead of 7. Unfortunately, that was Syracuse's best drive of the day.

The Defense looked MUCH improved. It was clear West Virginia was more conservative than usual with Pat White on the sidelines, but the defense played its best game all year. The tackling was a thousand times better than in any game this season, and though Noel Devine had a day of days, the Orange only allowed 17 points. They're still not as quick as other teams, and their schemes are lacking, but it was very refreshing to see good tackling, good coverage, and strong fundamentals. They even put some pressure on the quarterback in this one. At one point in the second quarter I had to text my brother, "Who the hell are these guys and where is Syracuse."

Pat Shadle's 53 yard field goal was awesome. That thing would have been good from 65.


Syracuse out-gained WVU in total yards by nearly 80, 346-268. NO ONE thought that would ever happen on the road in West Virginia, even if the Mountaineers were missing Pat White.

Noel Devine did have 188 yards on the ground. He's good. We're not. I'll actually take holding him to under 200 yards when Pat White is on the sidelines and Devine is seeing the bulk of the offensive action. It was clear from the very beginning of the game that Devine was the only threat to Syracuse's defense... which is pretty sad for West Virginia if you ask me.

Curtis Freakin' Brinkley. 28 carries. 144 yards. He's plays with enough effort for the whole team. Perhaps someone can explain to me, then, why Greg Robinson, for the second game in a row, decided to sit him down for a series and give freshman Antwon Bailey 1st and 2nd down carries during a 3 and out. Really, Greg? REALLY?

The harsh reality of this one was that Greg Robinson fell to 8-33 as Syracuse's head coach. Syracuse fans have to deal with the circus that is the Greg Robinson "situation," so there's really no reason to go into more detail other than... How is this guy still coaching? It's pretty clear at this point he'll finish out the season. We're going to have to try and ignore him like an annoying younger sibling and hope he just tires himself out and goes away.

For the first time in a long time, though, I have some optimism about whether or not this team can win some more games this year. For a little while I actually thought the Orange might pull this one out. Games like this one also give me a lot of hope for the future. I think games like this show the Orange can win and that there is some talent on the team. The motor is fine, the frame looks strong, it's just the man behind the wheel doesn't have a clue how to drive.

Correction: Not Completely Screwed?... Not so Fast...

Pat White isn't playing today against Syracuse. Let me be the first to say...

...that doesn't mean a damn thing. We'll lose by 20... I have insider information...







.....enough said?

THE EXPRESS: BEST MOVIE EVER!

I'm probably a bit bias... but I'm officially giving The Express an 8 out of 10. And, that's probably a bit lower than I would score it if I wasn't an SU fan, because I'm deducting one point for some minor historical inaccuracies, and another point for... well, you'll see at the end.

All joking aside, it really is a pretty good flick. It's heartwarming, it's action-packed, and it's about my favorite thing in the world (outside the fam and friends, of course); Syracuse University athletics.

I thought Dennis Quaid did a pretty good job portraying a 1950-1960s head football coach and the intensity they usually had. I have no idea what the real Ben Schwartzwalder was like, but the character seemed believable and his relationship with Ernie Davis seemed believable as well. Also, I don't agree with the claims I've heard that the part portrays Schwartzwalder as a racist. Instead, I think the character is displayed as a product of the harsh, segregated times people lived in during the late 50s and early 60s, who was trying to avoid potentially racial driven problems that existed around every corner. I don't think that makes you a racist... a little prejudice, yes, but that's really not the same thing.

Rob Brown was an okay fit for the part of Ernie Davis. He's on the quiet and shy side and remains pretty soft-spoken throughout the film, except for at a few key moments. He wasn't physically big enough for the part, though. I understand players back then weren't as giant as they are now, but Rob Brown looked like the smallest player on the field, when in actuality Davis was probably one of the biggest (6'2", 215). But, I digress as I'm splitting hairs here.

By far the best part about the movie was the football scenes. I have no qualms about saying this was the best "football" movie I've ever seen. The football was extremely believable. It wasn't like "Remember the Titans" where every single play was the quarterback ducking below a high-jumping linebacker and then scrambling away from a small army to throw a 99 yard touchdown pass to the back-up wide-out who leaps over 6 defenders and after catching the ball is hit in mid-air, causing him to do a back flip while still holding onto the ball when he drops back down from 30 feet in the air and breaks both legs when he hits the ground. There are some exaggerations about Davis fumbling and then on the very next play making a leaping interception in the end-zone, but the action is still realistic. Rob Brown does a nice job running the ball as well. His style and his moves are quick, and he makes it look like he may have played some football back in his day.

The wardrobe is AWESOME! I hope the varsity jackets and throwback polo shirts are available on ebay or something soon. The film did a good job of portraying what players and coaches wore before, during, after and between games. Old pennants and banners were pretty cool to look at as well. Syracuse merchandise today is a little too fancy for my liking (though I still buy it all). I wish I could find some of the vintage things they used in the film.

The Saltine Warrior made an appearance, which made it difficult for me not to immediately give the movie a 10. It's funny... it's a movie with undertones about racial insensitivity... but they have no problem throwing a fully wardrobed Native American all ready for battle in the background with no mention of why... I still think its the best mascot ever (sorry, Otto, you're a wuss)... and I'm part Native, so I can think so all I want without it being insensitive... I think.

The ending is sad, very sad, for a number of reasons. I have personal experiences with leukemia, so it pulled at me a little harder than it will at others, maybe. It's just sad on many levels, but also uplifting at the same time. The emotion of the film is balanced very well, and I didn't leave the theater completely depressed (except for when I thought about the point I make in the last paragraph).

So, 8 out of 10.

One point deducted for the minor historical inaccuracies like the team traveling to West Virginia instead of playing them at home.

The other point is being deducted for how sad I was during the movie because a lot of the time all I could think about was how far Syracuse football has fallen. A once proud program has turned into the laughing stock of the Big East, and for the most part the laughing stock of College Football (thanks, G-Rob, you partially ruined a MOVIE about the college team I live and breathe with). It's sad to think that if a dramatic turn isn't made, the only time I'll get to see Syracuse win a football championship is in a movie, on a fake field with fake actors playing mostly fake rolls. That's an underlying, harsh reality of the movie that devoted Orange fans will have to endure.

Bitter Sweet Weekend

Short and Sweet:



1) (Bitter) West Virginia Preview: We're completely Fucked









2) Review of THE EXPRESS (Sweet) Pending... seeing it tonight @ 9:30 EST

Lane of Opportunity?

As we all know by now, there is a lot of speculation (not as much as about Lloyd Carr it seems, though) about this handsome fellow becoming the next head coach of our beloved Syracuse Orange Football squad.

So far, a lot of fans have cited a lot of reasons for and against the idea of bringing in Lane Kiffin mid-season. There are a MILLION reasons for it. However, just like everything else, Greg Robinson has to go ruin it all and give us a ton of reasons NOT to do it... at mid-season, or even at all.

Reason to: He's not Greg Robinson. That's probably the reason causing the Orange faithful to drool over such a candidate. Our salivating is probably currently caused by either: The awful taste of an 8-32 record, or the bloody wounds of an injured jack(ass)rabbit that is Gregory Robinson. And lets face it, most of us at this point would rather have a week-to-week raffle to decide the head coach.

Reason NOT to: Lane is a "west-coast" guy, just like Greg Robinson. Greg Robinson, who at one point openly told reporters he'd be out-recruiting Greg Sciano at Rutgers in no time, had no ties to the East coast and therefore found it hard to recruit... or he didn't find out at all since the FOUR commits we have for next season make it seem like he didn't even try. Greg Robinson's recruiting may be the only thing almost as bad as his coaching. Judging Lane is from a similar area with limited, if any, ties to the area... not good

Reason to: Lane Kiffin is young. He's only 32 years old. He can relate to young players and coach with an attitude that better suits a young, inexperience team.

Reason NOT to: Lane Kiffin is TOO young. He's only 32 years old and has limited head coaching experience. Which leads us to another....

Reason to: He has SOME head coaching experience. Greg Robinson had NONE.

Another Reason to: Great recruiter. He oversaw many great recruiting classes at USC.

Reason NOT to: USC is NOT Syracuse. USC pretty much recruits itself, especially lately. The Trojans have restored themselves as the best college football program currently running, and their success does not go unnoticed... neither does G-Rob's non-success.

Reason NOT to: He's the only real candidate out there right now. Rushing to hire a guy just because he's available is not a very good reason. He has no ties to the university, to the area, or to any of the players on the current team. People might expect immediate success, and at this point that's just not possible.

Reason to: He may be the best candidate out there, even at the end of the season. A lot can happen between now and then, but Lane's resume is almost too good to pass up. It's too good to pass up, especially when we could have a leg up on everyone else.

Reason NOT to: Greg Robinson is still the head coach. Wait... no, that's a good reason to hire Lane Kiffin. or anyone for that matter. We all know it. Greg Robinson needs to be fired, and he needs to be fired now. When you have ESPN doing countless (2) pieces about the "steep fall of the program," it really can't get any worse (cross your fingers because G-Rob has a way of proving that wrong ALL THE TIME).

Honestly, it's probably safe to say most Syracuse fans are on the fence about this matter. On one hand, its a great idea. On the other, waiting until more candidates with stronger ties to the area may be a better option to take, even if it means forfeiting to the inevitable fact of 1 win on the season.

Still, this whole situation has presented itself as the "quick fix" Orange fans have been looking for. it's almost like the football gods are teasing us... waiting for us to A) Redeem ourselves by letting go of the antichrist of college coaching, or B) Screw up completely, hire another west-coast guy highly recommended by Pete Carrol, and subject ourselves to an eternity in college football hell. No matter what happens, I don't think we can wait much longer to make some sort of significant change.

But, First thing's first.

Scoop to Redshirt

It appears as if Syracuse guard and cheese-steak lover Scoop Jardine might be red-shirting this season after playing most of last year with a stress fracture in his lower left leg, the Post-Standard reports.

Right on cue after another devastating loss by the football team at home, some bad news rubs off onto the basketball program.

No, Scoop is not a devastating loss. But, eventually he could be. If we learned anything last year it was it never hurts to have experienced guards on the floor in tight games that have seen some real pressure and can handle it accordingly. So, it won't be like missing Devo or Andy, but this definitely takes a body away, and after last year it's always good to have as many bodies available to play as possible.

Props to Scoop's heart and dedication to the team, though. He fought pretty hard through what is probably a pretty painful injury all season long. He played pretty well considering that fact, as well as the fact he was a freshman that wasn't originally supposed to see much PT anyways.

"I had to play," Jardine said. "We had six guys. I thought it'd be all right if I could just get through the season."

Scoop averaged just over 9 points a game in the last 10 games of the season. (Too bad his team-first attitude never rubbed off on Onte Greene... No D... get it?.... Lame?.... I know).

Scoop never really wowed anyone last year, but he was a solid guard who provided solid play for most of the minutes he was in action. The Orange look to be a pretty deep team to begin with. But, with the depth of the Big East this year it is critical to have a deep bench full of players that can play productive minutes. So, though the removal of Scoop doesn't help, it's not quite what the team and Orange fans had to go through last year with the losses of Andy Rautins and Eric Devendorf.

Bottom line: The team is still pretty talented and pretty deep. Also, it appears as if they have every "position" filled:

Smart/Athletic/Do-it-all Point-Guard: Jonny Flynn
Inside/Outside Slashing Off-Guard: Devo
Sniper: Andy Rautins
Strong/Athletic swingman: Paul Harris
Inside Bruiser: Arinze Onuaku
Hustler: KRISTOF!
Long, Lean, athletic 4 man off the Bench: Rick Jackson

All of that plus a couple pretty good recruits in Mookie Jones and Kris Joseph. While I'll miss Scoop and the energy he brought to the team off the bench, it's a far cry from losing the starting backcourt again. BUT, this would probably hurt the Orange most when Jonny or Eric are in foul trouble, or late in games when the team needs an extra ball-handler on the floor. We'll just have to wait and see how things go.

He's Trying Really Hard....

Greg Robinson, in a piece done by ESPN concerning the absolute free-fall of Syracuse football, said that we should all know he's working as hard as he can.

That may have been the first absolutely brilliant move G-Rob has made in his head-coaching career. Why? Because we apparently are not supposed to know exactly what he's working so hard for.

But it all makes sense now... he's TRYING to get fired. There's no other explanation.

First, he punted after having a 4th and 1 with a 14-3 lead at home against a 2 touchdown favorite. The man has won just 8 of his first 40 games as a head coach and he's worried about
not seeming desperate.

"We had the lead," he said. "We had the lead right there. It was sitting there. It was more than just a fourth-and-one. It was almost two. It was two, really, if you were down where I was. And it was out on the 45-yard line or whatever. Uh uh. That's desperate. That's desperate, in my mind."

Oh, well, thank you so much for clearing that up, Mr. Robinson. You're absolutely right. There's no reason whatsoever for you to act desperate at this point. Especially since you've now clarified that it was 4th and "almost 2" instead of 4th and 1. Is this guy serious? Would ANYONE have questioned whether or not he should have gone for it if they didn't get a first down? Would ANYONE have said to themselves, "That move seems a little too desperate to me."

Then, later in the game, after Pitt tied the score at 24, Robinson sat Curtis Brinkley, who had gained 107 yards on 14 carries (a 7.6 avg.).

"Curtis needed a blow," Robinson said.

How did Brinkley feel about the move, you might ask?

"I wanted to be in the game," he said, "I wasn't hurt or nothing. I wasn't tired. I mean, my momentum carried me throughout the whole game. My adrenaline was rushing from the first play. I ain't get tired throughout any minute of the game."

Kudos to Curtis Brinkley. That's the attitude I like to hear coming from true competitors. G-Rob on the other hand should just hand the headset over to... Otto at this point. But he won't, because he's working his tail off to turn this thing around, so long as "working his tail off" doesn't involve taking risks or jeopardizing his oh-so-valuable head-coaching reputation.

Such is the culture Greg Robinson has created for the football program at Syracuse University, and now we, the fans, have to swallow hard and ride it out.

Everyday. It. Gets. Worse.

Panthers Win

22 Big East Games. 20 Losses. Thats the real story of the Syracuse-Pitt game Saturday at the Dome. Other key points however, include 2 real positives Citrus Nation can take from the loss, and, as usual, Greg Robinson's.... strategery.

First, the team, and the defense for 3 quarters, apparently showed some real fight that I haven't seen in this team in a couple years. The player's effort has never matched G-Rob's (horrible) attempt to look fired up and enthusiastic on the sidelines. Today, the guys out there actually somewhat resembled a football team... (at least that's what Dick MacPherson said on the post-game show... I unfortunately had to work until the end of the 3rd, so I only saw what I've come to expect from the product on the field... a blown 11 point lead that turned into a 10 point loss).

Anyways, the fight was there, but the tackling was apparently pretty poor and the defense still lacks the ability to make stops when it absolutely HAS to.

Second strong point to hang our hat on: G-Rob is one day closer to his inevitable walk out the door.

(Example:

MY FIRST THOUGHT WHEN I LEARNED SU WAS UP BY 11 IN THE 3RD: Still a statistical chance to win the Big East.

MY SECOND THOUGHT: S#!+, that means there's no way Gregory loses his job this week, or at any point mid-year.)

So, though it's pretty sad, that is a plus (harsh, but true) that we can all focus on in the next few days. I don't normally wish for anyone to lose their job, but I think G-Rob will be ok with the 4.4 million dollars he's stolen from ...errr... been paid by the University. I also don't root for Syracuse to lose, but theres no harm in finding the positives in a negative.

This would be the best time to fire Robinson (other than last year, in hindsight). As the Axeman wrote, it makes almost too much sense at this point to let him go. But, in a stunning (not really) move, G-Rob, thinking strategically (or not at all) benched Curtis Brinkley (his best offensive player so far this year) for a critical 4th quarter drive after Pitt tied the score at 24 (and for the seemingly 1, 085th time in 5 games sealed his fate as the worst coach in BCS history).

With Syracuse's offense desperate to answer, Robinson inserted true freshman tailback Antwon Bailey into the game. Bailey had yet to play this season through the first four games. Now, he was being asked to generate some ground game at a pivotal point in the game. Bailey rushed for 2 yards on his first carries and 3 on his second. On third down, there was confusion just getting the play called from the sidelines. Cameron Dantley barely got the snap in time to beat the play clock and was thrown for a 4-yard loss on what may or may not have been some type of quarterback draw. The end result - three and out. Pitt scored on the next possession with what proved to be the winning points on another Lee field goal.

So how did the Orange get themselves in such a mess at that stage of the game?

Robinson said tailback Doug Hogue had sprained his ankle and that starting tailback Curtis Brinkley needed a chance to catch his breath. Of course, why did Brinkley need to catch his breath after the Pitt offense ripped off an 89-yard drive that took 4 minutes and 41 seconds? (Donnie Webb & Bud Poliquin of the Post-Standard)

I know if my job were on the line, or completely shot for that matter, I'd sit my starting halfback who had gained approx. 100 yards on the day in the most important drive of the young, but seemingly long and endless, season.

What is so upsetting about that point is not how dumb Greg Robinson is, but how much of a coward he looks like by making that call. A day after the Washington Post.com reports how coaches who's jobs are hanging in the breeze face the challenge of stepping up, fighting, and leading their teams through everything, G-Rob sits his best chance of fighting back.

What does that say to the players he's supposed to be leading? I'll tell you. It doesn't say "I believe in all of you... and that all of you can be successful out there." No, what a move like that really says is: "Kids, when the chips are down and the odds are against you, there are still risks that are too great to take in life... walk away from those battles, and save yourself for the next one. Oh, and punt on 3rd down... or when you're down by 20 on the road at the opposing teams 45..."

I'm not sure Jim Brown, as G-Rob put it, "knows I'm doing all I can and working my tail off." I certainly don't believe it.

Soooo... You're telling me there's a chance?

At the beginning of the College Football season, everyone thought it was possible for OSU to beat USC. Everyone just thought it would be Ohio St.... Not Oregon St.

Why is this important to College Football? Some are citing the help it gives to the now wide open National Title Race. I, on the other hand, see one more reason this helps the world of college football.

What color was Oregon St. wearing last night? That's right... ORANGE! Its the power of the best color in the spectrum of refracted light and if there is one team that has more orange power than any other its THE Orange.

We may be able to look upon this win by Oregon St. and think, "Man, thats when everything turned around." Maybe the current Orange will be so inspired that they'll come out this weekend and fight their tails off for a win. Probably not, but it's nice to think it could happen. It's nice to think that maybe, a couple of years down the road, when we have a new coach and a new system and a new culture, that we'll be able to celebrate defeating a ranked team at home again.... wouldn't that be grand?

OrangeNews

+ Orange(women) land big recruit

+ Damone Brown is doing pretty well for himself in the NBDL

+ US Women's Lacrosse team to play at/against SU

...and since I'm too lazy to write about any of that, I certainly don't want to do the work of previewing the rushing clinic that will be put on us by Pitt this weekend




....We're in trouble....