Author: Damon Amendolara
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Situation Couldn’t Shape Up Better for a Syracuse Upset
Could Syracuse be getting Notre Dame at exactly the right time? A few weeks ago this looked like another brutal matchup for the Orange against a superior team that would overwhelm SU in this rebuilding season. But somehow after a month, both teams are sitting with identical records and it’s the Irish who are in…
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Boeheim Keeps Finding Ways to Drag Melo into the News
Sometimes, even when Carmelo Anthony doesn’t put himself in the news, he becomes it. Jim Boeheim made waves during the Olympics when he essentially tossed overboard the notion Melo will ever hoist the Larry O’Brien. “He’s unlikely to win an NBA title,” Boeheim said. “He’s never been on a team that even had a remote…
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Dino Babers Has the Right Idea in Building Back Syracuse
There’s no guarantee Dino Babers is the cure to what ails the football program. But he sure believes a lot of the things I believe about Syracuse. I had him on my radio show this week (evenings on the Score 1260 in CNY). And for one, he’s not thrilled with the Notre Dame/MetLife series he…
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Will Syracuse’s Fast-Paced Offense Slow Down Its Own Defense?
When a football team picks up a first down, the color commentator will sometimes say that the happiest guys on the field are actually on the sideline ‚Äî the defensive players getting an extended rest while their offense maintains a long drive and chews up clock. It‚Äôs a common announcer trope, but it does hold…
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Dino Babers Bringing Passion Back to Syracuse Football
It has been one of the most talked about topics of the summer. Dino Babers is leading Syracuse football into a new era and has brought some much needed optimism to Orange fans. He has been able to do this without winning a game. He is doing it with his words and his attitude. It…
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Can the ACC/B1G Challenge Help Stir Early College Hoops Interest?
There’s been an emphasis in recent years to create big matchups and stir interest in regular season college basketball. What NCAA and television execs are worried about is the growing reliance on March as the power point for the entire season. The term “one-month sport” has been used derisively at times to describe the dynamic…
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The Painful ($) Truth on Why Mark Coyle Left Syracuse
Syracuse was blindsided by the news Wednesday that AD Mark Coyle would be leaving for Minnesota. Jim Boeheim called it “shocking” (and you have to imagine he has a pretty good grasp of what’s going on in that athletic department). While Syracuse’s official statement said it was for family reasons, one has to wonder if…
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DA: Pearl May Be Gone, But His Syracuse Impact Lives Forever
We knew it was coming, but it doesn’t make it any easier. Pearl Washington has passed away at just 52 years old. But instead of lamenting the shame of losing him so soon, or the gut-wrenching illness that took him late, why not remember the good times? Because Pearl lived, in some ways, one of…
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ESPN Projects Syracuse as #17 in “Way Too Early Top 25”
ESPN.com likes to put out an annual preseason rankings before the body is cold on the existing season. Villanova is the champion, a cool nod to the old Big East. ESPN slotted Duke as the best team going into next year, and put the Orange at #17. 17. Syracuse Orange Syracuse lost 14 games this…
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What Would a Win by the Syracuse Women Over UConn Mean?
While the Syracuse men’s team will always have top billing on the Hill (like almost any school in America), the impact of¬†what the women’s team has accomplished this year shouldn’t be ignored. SU has made its first Final Four ever, and now is one game away from a national championship. Unfortunately, that one game is…
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How Will the ’16 Orange Be Remembered in Syracuse History?
Painfully, the Cinderella run came to an end Saturday night, but not before this team did what so few have in program history: Overachieve. Unfortunately, there’s been so many examples of all-too-early exits for SU over the years. The 1989 loss to Illinois in the Elite 8. The ’91 shocking upset at the hands of…
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This Week at the Final Four: The Bristling Ballad of Jim Boeheim
Syracuse fans have a unique relationship with their head coach. Jim Boeheim¬†is Syracuse basketball. He‚Äôs an upstate New York native. He played hoops at SU. He was an assistant there for almost a decade. He inherited the program at just 32 years old, and has steered it to 5 Final Fours and a National Championship…
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College Hoops Writer: Syracuse Had “One of Toughest Roads” to Houston
Last night I had USA Today’s Scott Gleeson on the show. While some have scoffed at Syracuse’s easy road to Houston, he felt differently. “When you‚Äôre examining how these teams got there, I would argue that they have one of the toughest roads to get there.‚Äù Gleeson told me he feels like not only the…
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This is Karmic Payback for All The Painful Syracuse Exits
This Syracuse team was left for dead by almost all of us. They looked outgunned in its slog through the end of the regular season. It seemed over its head in the ACC Tournament. It seemed the clock was already ticking the moment the brackets came out (even though Syracuse was in the field of…
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Jim Boeheim is Laughing All the Way to the Sweet 16
You know it burned Jim Boeheim, because we know him for forty years. When the critics, including Doug Gottlieb, suggested Syracuse didn’t belong in the tournament, The Per’fesser steamed. He’s a fighter, and he’s a defender of his program. So for the Orange to still be dancing, to still be playing into the Sweet 16,…
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The Fizz is Live at ACC Tourney: Follow The Game With Us!
The Fizz is at the ACC Tournament. Follow along! Staff writer Logan Grossman is in D.C. courtside, while the rest of Team Fizz adds their thoughts. Use the #OrangeFizz to join in the convo. Tweets from https://twitter.com/OrangeFizz/lists/fizz-2016
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Remembering the Marrone Era via “Teach Me How To Dougie” Shirts
When we are all a bit older, long after Dino Babers has led Syracuse football to three ACC Titles, two appearances in the College Football Playoffs, and helped make the ‘Cuse “Quarterback U” (before taking¬†the USC job in ’22 – I mean, let’s not go crazy), we will fondly recall a man named Douglas. Douglas…
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Big Ass Offense: Dino Babers BBQ Can Win at Syracuse
The official reports have surfaced, Bowling Green’s Dino Babers will become the next head coach at Syracuse. This has to be seen as a victory, even if there’s no guarantee it works. Syracuse has been lowered over the past decade to one of the toughest jobs in the Power 5. The last three coaches were…
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Did Tom Herman’s Extension Just Seal Dino Babers to Syracuse?
Dino Babers statement today doesn’t seem to change much in Syracuse Football Land, where he’s expected to be named the head coach sometime soon after the MAC title game (tonight). He didn’t deny the connection to the Orange, didn’t deny taking another job following the game, and by all accounts is expected to go somewhere…
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Pros & Cons of Dino Babers as the Next Head Coach at Syracuse
Once reports started to surface Wednesday that Chris Ash had taken himself out of the running for the Syracuse job, Orange social media was aflutter. When these things are worded like this it’s usually for all parties to save face. Ash, an Ohio State assistant, would get to keep his rep in tact instead of…
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Sun Burn: Syracuse Loses Scott Frost to UCF, So Who’s Next?
The news is jarring. Scott Frost will take the UCF job instead of Syracuse’s (assuming Mark Coyle offered it to him). I believe Coyle did, since he interviewed Frost for the coaching opening at Boise State. Frost had fans excited, was popular among the coaching industry, and could run a fun offense. But the fact…
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The Scott Frost-to-Syracuse Reports are Exciting, Here’s Pros & Cons
I have advocated for an up-tempo, spread offense in the controlled conditions of the Carrier Dome for years. This is the perfect time to make the switch. You’ve fired a “smash-mouth,” old-school coach who ran a traditional, plodding offense, and can hire a young guy who wants to throw the ball and excite the fans.…
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“Torture” Comments By Scott Shafer’s Wife Are Ridiculous
Editor’s Note: A few readers have suggested Missy Shafer’s comments were merely a light-hearted joke. I was not present when she said them. I am reacting to reading them in print. I have searched for the video of them, I have not found it. If you have a link, please email me: damon.amendolara@cbsradio.com. If she…
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Syracuse Coaching Search: Cross Off Edsall, Dave Warner is Intriguing
When I wrote yesterday about Syracuse’s potential coaching candidates, I didn’t include Randy Edsall. But we should address him here. I don’t think there’s any chance Mark Coyle goes with him. Edsall is not an easy guy to get along with. He’s a hard ass, and unless you have a hugely successful track record, a…
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Will Syracuse Hoops Be A Holiday Gift or Straight to the Return Bin?
Syracuse basketball is off and running, and it’s still far too early to say how dangerous the Orange will be in March. Wins like the effort against St. Bonaventure and Elon prove just how wide the spectrum is on what the eventual destiny could be on this season. There’s no doubt SU has far superior…
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Breaking Down the Syracuse Football Coaching Candidates
Syracuse made the right move in firing Scott Shafer, as I wrote Monday. So how do we break down the now emerging list of candidates? Ed Orgeron: When a guy with that name recognition says he’s highly interested, it raises eyebrows. He’s a master recruiter, and will always have a job in college football because…
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Syracuse Makes Right Move in Firing Scott Shafer
Syracuse made the right decision in¬†firing Scott Shafer. He¬†was in over his head as a coach at the power 5 level, but I have no problem allowing him to coach the final game vs. BC. Some think it’s too awkward to have a lame duck coach on the sideline with the guillotine already fallen. But…
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Shafer’s Clock Management Comments Make Little Sense
When Scott Shafer defended his decision to not allow Pitt to score in the waning minutes of Saturday’s loss I had a familiar feeling. He’s in over his head leading this program. By now you know the situation: Syracuse and Pitt tied at 20, Panthers first down at the 18, with 1:39 remaining. Had SU…
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After Pats/Colts is the Integrity of the NFL Truly Damaged?
While we’re all college football fans here, the NFL is obviously king. And some wondered whether college pigskin might actually start eating into the popularity of the pros because of nonsense like DeflateGate. When the Patriots allegedly deflated footballs for their AFC Championship game against the Colts, the league witnessed yet another shakeup. First, the…
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Notre Dame vs. Clemson Should’ve Been a Huge ACC Tilt
There’s plenty of people upset that Notre Dame plays by its own rules. While the Irish aren’t in a conference, they’re playing a hyrbrid ACC schedule. And maybe ND’s toughest test of the season happened on Saturday night in Death Valley. Notre Dame took it’s top-ten ranking and battled Clemson, but ultimately came up…
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Looking Back: Syracuse Lost the Game, But Earned Respect
As LSU prepared to visit the Carrier Dome, most Syracuse fans feared the worst. The Tigers were huge favorites on the road against an Orange squad that was down to a walk-on quarterback. But something interesting happened. That huge blowout most expected never materialized. Yes, LSU walked away with a win. But SU walked away…
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Reader Doug in Chicago Rocking His “Teach Me How to Dougie” Shirt
We put up the Bat Signal to our readers a few weeks ago, and Doug in Chicago responded! We just found a ton of backorder Doug Marrone t-shirts from a few seasons ago. I wanted to give our readers and Cuse fans the opportunity to grab one before I donate them to charity. Doug and…
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The Fizz Needs Your Help! What Do We Do With The Marrone Shirts?
A few years ago, at the height of the Marrone Optimism on the Hill, we at the Fizz decided to help fly the flag. With a local graphic designer, we developed the “Teach Me How to Dougie” tee. They were extremely popular, and even were the subject of a few local new stories. With each…
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Syracuse “Hot Head” Eric Devendorf Is Still A Handful
We all remember Eric Devendorf as the fiery, controversial, combative player who always seemed on the edge of self-combusting. He hasn’t seemed to change. Devo may be six years removed from his playing days at Syracuse (where we named him part of The Fizz’s All-Sanctions Team), but he can still get thrown out of a…
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Syracuse Gets Verbal From Penn State Target Isaiah McDuffie
Syracuse has added a second member to its football class of 2017 – the first being Daewood Davis¬†- as Buffalo, New York LB Isaiah McDuffie commits to the Orange. The report initially came from Mike McAllister of Scout.com and has since been confirmed on McDuffie’s twitter. McDuffie tweeted: “Thanks to all the Syracuse family #CuseFamily…
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Like It Or Not Zaire Franklin Is Syracuse’s Leader on Defense in 2015
The Syracuse coaching staff chose two players to represent the program at Sunday–Tuesday‚Äôs ACC Media Days. There were no surprises when it was announced that senior quarterback Terrel Hunt would be one player present at the festivities in North Carolina. Many fans did not expect to see the staff‚Äôs defensive selection get the nod however,…
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