Great victory for Syracuse hoops last night with a 70-68 triumph at the University of Virginia. Apparently the ACC can’t keep up with the Big East play. ESPN’s Mike Patrick said the game was like an episode of ER. It was more of an episode of the ACC team not being able to handle the physical and fast play of a Big East squad like Syracuse. Leg cramps, pulled hamstrings, and strep throat? Come on...
But at least that wasn’t all the ESPN team talked about. The studio guys, some scrub and Hubert Davis, couldn’t stop explaining how this was the first time Syracuse has been out of the state of NY before Big East play in this Millenium. Enough already. Florida doesn’t play on the road till the 22nd of December. Leave the ‘Cuse alone.
All this, combined with the announcing, took away from what should have been the main story: a great road non-conference win for Syracuse, led by two stud freshman in Jonny Flynn and Donte Greene. UVA was previously 20-1 at John Paul Jones Arena.
But, the first thing Patrick said after the victory was, “UVA star Sean Singletary (who apparently may have had strep throat) gave it his all, but just couldn’t pull it out.” They wouldn’t stop talking about his illness during the game. Sure, it was influential for the game. You should talk about it, but to a certain extent. Syracuse deserved some attention for going into a very tough building and coming out with a win despite the Orange's tremendous youth. But ESPN just couldn’t stop focusing its cameras on Singletary or chirping about him, despite a close finish. At one point, color analyst Len Elmore even left the broadcast table for a few minutes to go check on Singletary. When has any announcer ever done this? Isn’t that Craig Sager’s job? Give me a break.
But at least that wasn’t all the ESPN team talked about. The studio guys, some scrub and Hubert Davis, couldn’t stop explaining how this was the first time Syracuse has been out of the state of NY before Big East play in this Millenium. Enough already. Florida doesn’t play on the road till the 22nd of December. Leave the ‘Cuse alone.
All this, combined with the announcing, took away from what should have been the main story: a great road non-conference win for Syracuse, led by two stud freshman in Jonny Flynn and Donte Greene. UVA was previously 20-1 at John Paul Jones Arena.
But, the first thing Patrick said after the victory was, “UVA star Sean Singletary (who apparently may have had strep throat) gave it his all, but just couldn’t pull it out.” They wouldn’t stop talking about his illness during the game. Sure, it was influential for the game. You should talk about it, but to a certain extent. Syracuse deserved some attention for going into a very tough building and coming out with a win despite the Orange's tremendous youth. But ESPN just couldn’t stop focusing its cameras on Singletary or chirping about him, despite a close finish. At one point, color analyst Len Elmore even left the broadcast table for a few minutes to go check on Singletary. When has any announcer ever done this? Isn’t that Craig Sager’s job? Give me a break.
Analyst Len Elmore....yea....
So now, despite a good win in a hostile non conference environment, we’re likely going to have to hear “experts” like Doug Gottlieb hate on Syracuse and harp about how the team beat UVA because Singletary was sick. Although it’s absurdly early, I’m hoping that come selection time, if SU has done enough to be considered, that the committee will see UVA as the good non-conference road win Syracuse was lacking last season. They asked Syracuse to play a marquee road game in December. The Orange did. And it won. Hopefully that’s the storyline that’s remembered.
But most of this will be for naught if SU doesn't bring it on Saturday at the Carrier Dome against a very good 9-1 Rhode Island team. Let's just hope Singletary didn't infect any Syracuse players.
-Pat
Photos: dailyorange.com, viewimages.com
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