The Fizz never wishes any ill will toward current and former Orange.
It would be hypocritical to salute, cheer and high-five Syracuse’s student-athletes while they ply their trade inside the Bubble Dome, only to ridicule or root against them once departed from The Hill.
But there is an undoubted pinch of “told ya so” in the¬†stories of Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf.
Jonny Ice led two seasons of joyous point-guard play at the Dome, ending in a Sweet 16 last March, while never losing the effervescent smile. (Plus, he put the dagger in UConn after six-overtimes on one of the greatest nights in school history.)
Flynn was a lottery-pick lock and thus Orange Nation had to tearfully wave goodbye, like the eldest child heading off to college.
But for Harris and Devo, it didn’t have to be this way.
Had these two returned for their senior seasons, SU would likely be a preseason Top-10 team with designs on a Final Four.
Instead, they both chased (assumedly) dollars and entourages and groupies at the next level and bounced.
While The Per’fesser never seemed to lament the choice of Jonny, the decisions of the other two clearly rubbed him raw¬†[see¬†The Fizz’scoverage – 4.11.09 & 4.9.09].
You could read between the lines when Boeheim crowed optimistically about the unproven ’09-’10 team – that this squad might even be better than last year’s edition.
Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf: welcome to your lives.
Both were obviously skipped over in June’s NBA Draft (Jonny, of course, was a top-10 pick to the Wolves). Yesterday,¬†Harris was selected by the Maine Red Claws of the Developmental League. Devo was not chosen in the eight-round NBDL draft.
Let us know how the groupies are in Bangor, Paul.
