Another in a line of Syracuse T-shirts, worn by my league bowling competitor Jeff Williams.
Yes, Syracuse basketball fans still love making T-shirt statements.
At my bowling league last night, orange shirts were aplenty. After all, the hometown team won yesterday afternoon in the NCAA Tournament, easily topping Western Michigan.
I spotted a new slogan on the shirt worn by a great bowler on the squad against us.
Jeff Williams’ T was aimed at the second intense matchup between Syracuse and Duke this season, the game in Durham, N.C., the one that Syracuse lost, the contest that featured a late charging call against Orange senior C.J. Fair taking away his basket that would have tied the game.
Yes, the very call that caused veteran Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim to confront the whistle-blowing official with a swear that was beamed across America by ESPN, right out there for any graduate of Lip Reading 101.
The passionate word in a tirade that led to Boeheim’s technical foul and sealed the win for Duke adorns the top of the shirt, with one asterisk to clean it up a tad.
Game day and location are included.
And at the bottom is the declaration: “The Worst Call of the Year.”
By the way, Syracuse fans, local morning TV just announced that Syracuse’s gametime vs. Dayton from Buffalo on Saturday will be 7:10 p.m.
Duke, meanwhile, faces its first game of the tournament at 12:15 p.m. today, vs. the Mercer Bears. The Blue Devils will be favored.
Will there be a chance for these two new Atlantic Coast Conference rivals to break this season’s 1-1 deadlock? Game three would have to occur in the title game, thanks to the NCAA bracket makers.
Speaking of brackets, the Today show crew says after Thursday’s 16 games, 95 percent of the players in the online contest in which Warren Buffett pledges a billion bucks for a perfect bracket are now out of the running.
Good luck in today’s 16 games, remaining five percent. And only five more rounds to go after today …
How’s your bracket doing? What team is No. 1 on your “I wish I had a shirt telling them where to go” list?
Mark Bialczak 
great shirt mark and he looks like a tough competitor. michigan and michigan state both won yesterday and my top pick, az is still in the running. ps – i think it was a bad call too )
LikeLike
You are so !$&$%&# smart, Beth!
LikeLike
hahhaha, no, just lucky )
LikeLike
I actually listened in the car to some of the Syracuse game yesterday. Glad they won. Nervous that the old UVA choke will take control tonight at 9:25. There is so much more of a history of that rather than winning! I love March Madness…..Suny Albany did a great job against Florida, didn’t they ?
LikeLike
Albany stood tall, indeed, Anne. I think UVA should roll tonight vs. the No. 16 seed. Just saying. I hope I have not jinxed your ‘Hoos.
LikeLike
Well, having watch UVA since Barry Parkhill days, I was really impressed at the team play during the games I just saw. Coach seems terrific. It is a very hard job with the layers of politics, tradition etc at UVA. Maybe it is the same at most schools, I don’t know. But he seems to be doing a good job! Thanks for your support. I know that Syracuse is a cauldron of serious bball fans in the frozen tundra of central New York! You are the best Mark! Happy watching this weekend…. Don’t eat too much junk !
LikeLike
Love the shirt!!!
LikeLike
It is emphatic, isn’t it, Colleen?!
LikeLike
Pretty clear and loud. 😉
LikeLike
This morning on Gomez and Dave, the guys played a string of consecutive clips of the commentators bashing Syracuse (which was quite a bit) during the game. I believe in freedom of speech, but the commentators to team up and bash on one team is almost uncalled for. At least we shut them up with a great win.
LikeLike
I have one word when that happens. But I like to repeat it three times, like a chant. Scoreboard, scoreboard, scoreboard. You like it, Chris?
LikeLike
Love it.
LikeLike
Darn! Shoot, too bad, Mark! I have not been watching but was happy about the Dayton/OSU game’s outcome! Smiles, Robin
LikeLike
I like that your swear words are darn and shoot, Robin.
LikeLike
I like that shirt!
LikeLike
It is proud, isn’t it, PJ? I just have the simpler one that says “Beat Duke” on it.
LikeLike