The T-shirt factory cranks hard and fast in Syracuse, N.Y.
A week ago today, the Syracuse men’s basketball team rose to the top of the Associated Press and USA Today polls, following a thrilling victory in the Carrier Dome over Duke.
They held serve with a Monday win over Notre Dame.
So a Sunday visit to Destiny USA, the mega shopping, dining and entertainment complex, allowed the opportunity to see two different logos to trumpet the fact that the Orange is No. 1 hanging in a store window front, ready for fans to purchase and walk around Central New York bragging about how good their unbeaten squad really is.
Sunday night, the Orange won its third straight at home, beating Clemson.
So the No. 1 team in the country now has a 23-0 record, and a 10-0 mark in its first year in the Atlantic Coast Conference. As Syracuse Post-Standard/syracuse.com basketball writer Mike Waters, my co-writer of “The Syracuse Fan’s Survival Guide to the ACC” pointed out earlier this week, the Orange never had a 10-0 league start as a member of the Big East Conference.
Something in the stores had to replace the Beat Duke model that was front and center for several months now. Wait, you say? That one can come back out for Syracuse visit to Durham, N.C., for the second Orange-Blue Devils matchup on Feb. 22.
OK, then.
Maybe the No. 1 shirt will still be relevant that day in Cameron Indoor Stadium, too. Three more contests stand in the way, away games at Pittsburgh and Boston College sandwiched around a home contest vs. North Carolina State.
Always there will be worries. Letdown ahead, a lessening of that emotional rush that the Orange has been able to summon at the end of every game so far this season? Big man troubles? With Dajuan Coleman already sidelined for the season, reserve center Baye Moussa Keita sprained his knee in the first half Sunday, limped to the locker room, and did not return.
Nevertheless, the shirts will be available at the stores. Syracuse fans hope they will be replaced at the end of March Madness with yet another big-selling edition.
Party, party, party!!
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You betcha!
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Orange, white, and blue. I wave this flag. We’ve come a long way this season, which started out with some uncertainty. That’s how we like it, how we play: no one sees us coming.
Cheers to a wonderful season so far!
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Cheers! Now if my Terps could get something sustainable going, too …
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fantastic, mark. i’m so happy for you and your orange. hope the momentum keeps up and this is quite an amazing run. just so you know, the orange will no doubt be in my march madness brackets, i’m no fool! )
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I am beginning to think this is a season of fate, Beth. Knock on wood. That would be my Polish noggin’ this second.
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yes, sometimes the stars are just perfectly aligned for one of those rare and very special seasons. hope your head is okay. don’t knock too hard )
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