et al.: Sports Journal Sports journal An up-close look at SU athletics rumor, get excited, and call me in must be one reason. Since Jim Orangemania July, when the season is still months Boeheim began coaching the squad On the second Sunday of Septem­ away. This kind of thing didn't hap­ in the lfJ76-77 season, he has com­ ber, at a Roman Catholic Mass in pen 10 years ago." piled a 204-71 record for a .742 win­ SU's Alibrandi Center, the Mon­ According to Snyder, the SU bas­ ning percentage. Under Boeheim, signor Charles Borgognoni is ketball community calls its town SU has gone to seven National Col­ delivering a homily directed at SU's hall the Carrier Dome. "Attendance legiate Athletic Association new freshmen. Hespeaksofthead­ at the Dome has been outrageous. (NCAA) tournaments and two Na­ justments they must make to college Drawing 20,000 for a game against tional Invitational Tournaments. life, the homesick feelings, the ex­ Colgate is unheard of. I think for The Orangemen have made con­ perience of meeting new people, some of those big games against secutive appearances in the NCAA and, of course, the infamous Syra­ Georgetown or St. John's, they tournament the past three years. cuse weather. After praising a cen­ could've sold 50,000 tickets if they Syracuse has appeared in the tral New York autumn, Borgognoni wanted to." NCAA tournament 13 times and talks about the inevitable-a Syra­ During the 1984-85 season, Syr­ has made 15 straight post-season cuse winter. acuse became the national atten­ appearances, dating back to the "A Syracuse winter is even worse dance champion. Syracuse at­ lfJ?l-72 season. than you've heard it is," he says. tracted a total of 388,049 spectators An impressive record, of course. "But winter means basketball, and to its home games last year, an all­ But other collegiate teams have basketball makes the winter go by time record. Average attendance done just as well, if not better. faster. Basketball is always was 25,870 per home game, another There must be other reasons for something to look forward to. You'll new record, ousting previous Orangemania. hear everybody saying, 'Next record-holder Kentucky. Last "The impact ofplaying in the Big Wednesday, we've got those season SU had four crowds of East Conference has a lot to do with Georgetowners. We've got to beat 30,000-plus, topped by one of it," Boeheim says. "The caliber of Basketball coach Jim Boeheim them, and then on Saturday, we've 32,520 for the Villanova game, teams is incredible. Just last year (right) starts his tenth season got to beat that Villanova team, and which was the largest ever for an on­ three Big East teams made the Final this November, anticipating next week . .' campus basketball game and the Four (Georgetown, St. John's, and record crowds in the Dome, "Before you know it," Borgog­ seventh largest college basketball Villanova). And another thing is enthusiastic support from the noni concludes, "winter is over." crowd anywhere, anytime. that we've been able to schedule the Orange mascot (above), and a Borgognoni, who, incidentally, "One of the reasons I decided to powerhouses to play in the Dome. team that looks like a contender serves as team chaplain, is not ex­ come to Syracuse," says charismat­ We've played LSU, Houston, North for the Final Four. aggerating. SU basketball has that ic point guard Dwayne " Pearl" Carolina, and this year we have big ofan impact on campus-an im­ Washington, " is that I knew there Notre Dame in the Dome. It creates to play in,'' says Boeheim. "Virtual­ pact that goes beyond helping would be 30,000 people in the a big-game situation that people ly everybody who wants to see a students cope with the weather and stands every night." want to see." game can go. It's not like at Manley touches the entire community. Orangemaniacs can be found "Syracuse's main attraction to the Field House, where we could Just stand outside the Carrier outside the walls of the Dome, too. television audience is, first of all, squeeze in only 9,500." Dome before a Georgetown or St. In recent years, SU fans have been the team," says Len DeLuca, direc­ "We had a really good situation John's game. It feels like Yankee treated to an increasing number of tor of program planning for CBS for college basketball at Manley," Stadium before a World Series television appearances by the Sports. "They have the 'Pearl,' and says Jake Crouthamel, SU's direc­ game. There's electricity in the air. Orangemen. This year, for exam­ their fast-breaking style is very tor of athletics. "But we literally Bob Snyder knows more about ple, 12 of Syracuse's Tl games can entertaining. couldn't sell any more tickets. that electricity than most. He now be seen on either cable or network "The second attraction to Syra­ Every game was sold out at Manley covers Syracuse basketball as a television-onESPN, USA, CBS, cuse basketball is the Carrier and more people wanted tickets. So writer for the Syracuse Herald­ and NBC. CBS has put Syracuse on Dome,'' DeLuca adds. "You'vegot in 1980, we did the obvious thing Journal, but his association with three nationally televised games. six or seven mascots running and moved to the Dome." Orange basketball goes back 20 On Saturday, Jan. 18, SU plays at around the place, the fans are ab­ At first, attracting an average of years, to the time when he was an Louisville at 4 p.m.; on Saturday, solutely rabid, and the noise level 15,000 people was a lofty goal, ac­ SU student. He has seen the Feb. 8, Notre Dame will visit the is tremendous. The Dome is unri­ cording to Crouthamel. But as the Syracuse basketball craze grow Carrier Dome for a 4 p.m. game, valed for excitement and intensity." Big East and Syracuse developed from its infancy. and on Sunday, Feb. 23, the SO­ The Carrier Dome celebrated its together, Syracuse easily passed "Syracuse basketball has always Georgetown game will be telecast fifth anniversary this fall, recalling that goal. been big," Snyder says, "but it nationally from the Dome starting memories of the first-e ver football "People were skeptical and said started becoming berserk just in the at 2:30p.m. game there in September 1980. If moving to the Dome was foolish,'' last four years .. .. I've got people What is the reason for this in­ any sport has made a monumental says Joe Szombathy, director of calling me 12 months a year, ask­ fatuation with SU basketball? transition to the Dome, though, it's SU's Orange Pack, a club for SU ing about recruiting: 'Is SU getting The success of the Syracuse men's basketball . sports donors and fans. "We were this guy or that guy?' They hear a program-the wins- certainly "There is no place like the Dome tinkering with something sue- 30 SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE Published by SURFACE, 1985 1 Syracuse University Magazine, Vol. 2, Iss. 1 [1985], Art. 11 aged 8.1 ppg and was named to the Big East All-Rookie team. "Rony has to be more consistent also," Boeheim says. "There were times last year when he was horri­ ble and times when he was ab­ solutely great." Sophomore Michael Brown, a 6'3" shooting guard from Washington, D.C., also started last season and demonstrated a lot of offensive ability. He averaged 8.4 ppg as he shot 52 percent from the field and 87 percent from the free throw line. He scored in double figures 14 times. Junior Greg Monroe, a 6'0" guard from Rochester, N.Y. (4.1 ppg, 33 assists); junior Howard Triche, a 6'5" forward from Syracuse (1.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg); and sophomore Derek Brower, a 6'8" center-forward from Babylon, N.Y. (2.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg), came off the bench last season. Sophomore Her­ man Harried, a 6'7" forward from Washington, D.C., played in 23 games last season, but he will not '"Pearl' may not be the best play­ play this season due to an off-season er in the country," Boeheim says, knee injury. " but he is the most fun to watch. Boeheim has two blue-chip People come just to see him play." recruits. Sherman Douglas, a 6'0" While "Pearl" grabs most ofthe guard from Baltimore, was The attention, 6'7" senior forward ~shington Post Player of the Year. Rafael Addison, from Jersey City, Rodney Walker, a 6'9" center, also N.J. , is quietly establishing himself from Baltimore, was an All-Metro as one of the best pure shooters in Baltimore selection. Both are cer­ the country. Last season, as SU tain to see playing time during the went 22-9, Addison scored more upcoming season. than 500 points for the second "There's no fooling anybody," straight year (18.4 ppg). He is 486 Addison says. "We know we have points away from Dave Bing's the experience and talent to get to school record of 1,883 points. the Final Four. It's just up to us to Addison was a first team all-Big go out there and do it." East selection and chosen as an Eddie Moss, who played point honorable mention All-American guard for SU from 1977-81, has cessful, but by doing so we've made Eastern Regional and play at home by the AP and United Press been an SU graduate assistant it more successful." The Hardwood in the Dome.