Brian Oliver’s #jerseypride is apparently off the hook, meaning he’s heading to Seton Hall, and the search for a pure spot-up shooter continues for Syracuse. The Georgia Tech transfer chose the Pirates earlier this week, but the Orange had been one of many Big East teams courting the swingman. Two weeks ago Oliver’s mother told The Fizz her son was legitimately interested in SU. But the young man was not only looking for a fresh situation after the Jackets canned Paul Hewitt, he was also looking to be closer to home because of his dad, thus he went back to his home state of New Jersey.
Had the Orange known about just how crazy proud Oliver was in his Jersey roots, I’m not sure Team Hopkins/Autry would have even bothered. Oliver’s profile on Twitter reads, “Im a Seton Hall Pirate Basketball player and im a 100% #jerseyboy with tons of #jerseypride.”
Look, it’s admirable that Oliver held true to his word. He wanted to be closer to home, his dad has been dealing with some health issues. He chose to play for a middle-tier Big East team instead of one of the big dogs. But if even 10% of the players who come out of the Garden State had his type of nutty hometown loyalty, Seton Hall and Rutgers would be in the Final Four.
From Oliver’s Twitter feed this week:
“All I been listening to lately is some jersey club music….”
“Going to SETON HALL for the rest of my college days…just made it official…happy to be home! #jerseyboy #shbb“
“@T_Grant10 thanks…u already know…JERSEYY!! lol”
“Jersey is in my blood…why else would I have gotten the #devils logo tattooed on my body. I’m too excited to start school and put in work!”
Jersey club music on repeat? The Devils logo? Okay, you win. Brian, go get ’em big guy. DVR Jerseylicious, put up that poster of Ronnie from the Jersey Shore, and go pick up “Garden State” from Best Buy.
(Other Twitter feeds we love: Jaston George’s abs and Josh White’s vulgarity circus.)
Let’s face it, this whole modern “Jersey is cool factor” is so bizarre anyway, there’s almost no way to take it seriously when someone claims it. For all of us born in New York, Dirty Jersey has always been known as a source of ridicule, that backwards, smelly next door neighbor that was only good for Six Flags Great Adventure.
But Jersey’s spot on the pop culture map is wrought with ridiculousness and ironic style, so yeah if you want to claim fist-pumping, clubbing, gum-snapping idiocy, you go right ahead Jerseyites.
Honestly, with the amount of absurd basketball talent that comes out of the state, if the Pirates or Knights could capitalize on this they’d be annual contenders. But instead, they’re a pair of crappy commuter schools which haven’t been basketball relevant in twenty years. Maybe Oliver will begin a trend of Jersey basketball players staying home. Then again, maybe not.
Posted: D.A.
