Will ESPN Gameday Be At The Final Syracuse-Georgetown Game Ever?
D.A. | Aug 09, 2012 | Comments 11
Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
ESPN unveiled its “College Gameday” schedule for hoops, and Syracuse-Georgetown predictably makes the cut. ESPN.com’s Eamonn Brennan writes:
“And in the final scheduled weekend of the season, GameDay takes things to a whole ‘nother level. On March 9, the crew will begin their day in Washington, D.C., where Georgetown will host hated rival Syracuse in what could be the series’ final game, depending on Syracuse’s willingness to schedule the Hoyas after the Orange complete their move to the ACC next season.”
Just reading that in print makes me start questioning my mortality. Could that really be the final SU-G’town game ever? SU will host the Hoyas at the Dome earlier in the season, and the two schools could of course battle in the Big East Tournament (could you imagine how epic it could be for these two enemies to play in the BET title game?).
But it’s going to start sinking in for the next eight months every time the Orange play a team and the words “final time ever” pop up. Look, if this is a Syracuse call Darryl Gross should schedule an annual series with G’Town, no questions asked. SU has ramped up its non-conference schedule in recent years. Do three-year series where you play at the Dome, the Verizon Center and the Garden. There’s no excuse besides ego why this shouldn’t continue past this season.
For that matter, Gross should make it a point to try and get Georgetown, Villanova and UConn on the non-con slate as much as possible. You don’t have to play all three every year, but there’s no reason why those three legendary rivals shouldn’t be on rotation. You lose the Rutgers, St. John’s and Seton Hall matchups? Fine. But keep the ones that count.
The Hoyas, Wildcats and Huskies are tough games to play outside your league. But they’re always going to be. That’s what makes them special. For every Duke and UNC clash, the Orange will have mundane games against Clemson and Miami hoops. Make sure the SU basketball campaign doesn’t lose its sizzle. With recruiting ties and major talent coming from DC and Philly, making sure you play games in those cities against G’Town and ‘Nova makes sense. Games against Maryland could supplement around the nation’s capital, but nothing brings the heat like Orange-Hoyas.
If ESPN College Gameday is present in February at the final SU-G’Town game, it’ll be a disastrous mistake. And not just because we’ll have to endure that much Jalen Rose.
Do you think SU should keep the G’Town rivalry alive once it leaves for the ACC?
Posted: D.A.
i would like to see gtown still on schedule but as for villanova and uconn who cares. uconn is not a major program anymore, due to sanctions and having an over the hill coach who constantly misses games every year because of his health. the luster of a villanova matchup has lost its luster, not the same as say 5 years ago.
I would like to see Syracuse University pay respect to the “FOUNDING FATHERS of the Big EAST( John Thompson,Rollie Massimino,Jim Boeheim and Little Louie Carnesecca)by keeping the schools they represented together on a yearly basis and add UCONN to the non-conference schedule to keep things interesting.
The shows that the above coaches put on for the fans(John Thompson walking the sidelines with a towel draped over his shoulder,Rollie Massimino running up and down rubbing his bald head in disbelief when he didn’t get a call,Jim Boeheim arms extended asking the refs to please explain a call that didn’t go his way and Little Louie Carnesecca half the size of the other three always looking like he was praying to the heavens for help against the other teams.
Those were the days and yes I totally agree that Syracuse should keep those 4 schools on their schedule.
GO CUSE
I thought training camp opened this week?..(football)thats two hoop leads in 16hrs?I hope they keep StJohns and….oh well I prefer WBB to mens anyway…how about a WBB story…the girls are detting very good!@Ron,thanks for exposing that troll..he got under my skin!!
sorry for misspelling…”getting”…I should take a second to proofread..
Moderation?….apologizing for a misspelling??
@Russell yes we need another football story so u can harp on the fact the ‘cuse need to win nj/ny. oh we sure do. How about a story about tyler ennis? Hes gonna pick this month. Any truth behide ppl sayin j-grant is now 6-10? An how about the kid from ’14 who is the #3 overall player that called the ‘cuse his dream school. Story on him be nice to.
@Carlton,are you now stalking my post’s?I just responded to you on last football post and come here and you seem to have an obsession w/anti NY/NJ football…think before you put things on line..don’t you realize the athlete’s read these posts?..
You had me until, “You lose the Rutgers, St. John’s and Seton Hall matchups? Fine.”
I’d venture to guess that, St. Johns is the most important game of all.
Yes, Georgetown is a bigger rival – but as you said, we remain in the Baltimore/DC area with Maryland.
UCONN is clearly a big rival, but the state of Connecticut does NOTHING to enhance Orange recruiting and it’s not like the alumni base in and around Storrs is anything close to what Cuse has, in terms of alumni, in NYC. (Plus we’re still in New England with BC)
So for my money, St. Johns is just as, if not more, important than G’Town, UCONN, and Nova – in the big picture.
Ad something tells me, they’re turning it around. Maybe not to 1985 glory, but definitely to the point where it’ll be a good game.
Ron is on. Maybe some history to the rivalry wil help. To my memory and experience, if one ever was brewing it went scalding in 1980 when the Dawgs ended SU’s national at home win streak at a game that was the last ever to be played at the rollickin Manley Fieldhouse. I remember we got five inches of snow on May 10 that year too. Hell froze over indeed! Semper Fi Orangina (P.S> Who’s he?!)
Don’t think it’s a question of if, it’s a question of how long the contract will be. 2 things you can bank on to be a yearly occurrence: SU v G’town and SU in The Garden.
No matter what, go Orange!