Talking about Syracuse, Duke and the notion of a rivalry

Syracuse will greet Duke on the Carrier Dome basketball court tonight, and at 31,000 fans will be screaming about it. And so talk in Central New York this week has often included the R word. Is Duke now Syracuse’s rival? Has this Atlantic Coast Conference matchup reached the level of a rivalry? You know, the…

Root for the home team

Our neighborhood goes for the home squad. A recent walk with my dear wife Karen and cherished rescue mutt Ellie B aka Dogamous Pyle spotted a Syracuse Orange flag standing out in the wind. And then, a flag accompanied by team color porch lights. The Syracuse squad went on to victory later that afternoon, I…

I wonder how I came to rooting for the Clemson Tigers

I expect it to be one heck of a national college football championship game when the Tigers take the field in New Orleans Monday night. Yes, in one heck of a turn, both of these talented teams that were able to reach this title contest with identical records of 14-0 also have the same nickname.…

A pre-game moment

One reason I like to get to our seats early enough for Syracuse football games is the unfurling of the American flag by service veterans and playing of the National Anthem by the Pride of the Orange marching band. Many thoughts go through my head. I have been known to sing as I hold my…

Tailgating works even for a night game

The last Syracuse football game took place on a Friday night. Before I forget, yes, the tailgating parking lot my dear wife Karen and I bought into this season was still into it. On a Friday after work, we pulled in about less than two hours prior to the 7 p.m. kickoff, to temperatures under…

Can the Orange get another crowd that looks kind of big?

When the college football folks announced that the Syracuse football team’s home game against North Carolina State would be a 7 p.m. start two Saturdays ago, my thought was, at last. Finally, we were away from that noon kickoff. Maybe now more fannies would find the Carrier Dome seats. When my dear wife Karen and…

Night games look different

The march up the Syracuse University hill took a different aura for the 7 p.m. start for the Orange’s game against North Carolina State two weeks ago. The lighting looked cool going up. And the fans looked ambitious on the way to it all.

Let’s go Orange sunset

As Syracuse prepares to take on formidable Clemson at noon today, I take you back to the walk down the hill from the Carrier Dome for my dear wife Karen and I one week ago. Syracuse beat Connecticut 51-21 inside. The sun agreed that Orange was the color of the moment. The moment spread gloriously…

Here’s to Joe Morris and the 4-0 Orange

The Saturday afternoon in the Carrier Dome started with a nice tribute to a Syracuse running back from the past. Joe Morris was back for a special moment. The running back who made the Orange go four decades ago had his family and friends and former teammates gathered at midfield for a big ceremony. His…