Bleacher Report - Articles by Kevin Cartini-Weinheimer

Podcast No. 2: Midnight Madness

Kevin Cartini-Weinheimer — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:43:02 -0400

It's been a long time coming for this second podcast, as the last one, completed with Max Koch , was done after last season's six-overtime game. For that matter, it's been a long time coming for me to actually post something on this site (yikes).

KShaw picked up the slack for me big time, and although I have a moderately busy schedule, I'm going to do my best to keep up my end of the ship along with him. Here's our latest podcast, as we go over Midnight Madness, discuss what's next for Greg Paulus against Akron, and end on a positive note with a big honor tonight for KShaw's family.

Hope you enjoy the podcast, to listen just click HERE

- Jake the Snake as written on thesaltinewarriors.blogspot.com

Ensue Chaos: The Greg Paulus Controversy

Kevin Cartini-Weinheimer — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:07:06 -0400

Syracuse was beaten up, beaten down, beaten left, and beaten right by the West Virginia Mountaineers. What appeared to be a better matchup from the week before apparently wasn't, and Syracuse was not competitive in a 34-13 beatdown.

But, of course, that isn't the story. The story is not the dropped passes from the receivers, not the blowout to West Virginia, not even the 0-2 start to the Big East season for Doug Marrone and the Orange. I was afraid of this happening, but the debate is on, both in the media and within the Syracuse fan base.

Should Greg Paulus be the starting quarterback next week?

As a comfort, this debate is not going on in the Syracuse locker room. Doug Marrone has already openly said that Greg Paulus is the starter. While a quarterback debate would definitely be normal with the play of the past two weeks with the starter, it is being magnified because of who our quarterback is.

Even more than the question of who should be the starter, there is now the question of "Did Syracuse bring on Paulus as a marketing tactic?" While this is completely ridiculous, it is being asked.

The focus being on Greg Paulus is not his fault, but it is there nonetheless. Many people insisted before seeing a down of football that Greg Paulus gives us a better chance than Ryan Nassib, and after this past week, those same people are abandoning ship a little bit.

Amidst the chaos, I bring a question of my own. If we play the rest of the season out like this, win a couple more games with Paulus at the helm, and finish not bowl eligible, was it worth it?

The main reason that I was against this experiment was because in the long run I don't think that this does anything to help the team. If he could get Syracuse bowl eligible, I would be all for it, but I did not think that would be the case.

This isn't a team that was in the verge of achieving something great but missing that last piece to the puzzle. This was a team that was and is rebuilding.

To answer the starting quarterback question, I say you have to start Paulus now. You can't sign him, make him your team captain after two weeks of practice, then bench him after two bad games. Like it or not, he is the face of Syracuse football this year, and we have to stick with him.

There have been games where he has exceeded expectations (mine anyway), and although the teams he had good games against are shaping out to be not as good as predicted, they are still division one football teams nonetheless.

Bottom line, Syracuse fans. Greg Paulus IS Syracuse Football this year. Love him or hate him, he is the captain of our team and is going to be the starter. I will be the first one to admit that I was not a fan of bringing him on to begin with, but he's wearing Orange so we have to rally behind him.

-KShaw as written http://thesaltinewarriors.blogspot.com

Syracuse-West Virginia: Orange Look to Retake Schwartzwalder Trophy

Kevin Cartini-Weinheimer — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:10:02 -0400

Next week is the biggest game of the season to this point for the Syracuse Orange.

After a dismal performance in a 34-20 loss to the South Florida Bulls last week, the Orange look to rebound in the Carrier Dome and win the Schwartzwalder Trophy against West Virginia.

A win would put the team at .500 in conference play, give them a winning record at home, and build momentum on a quest to become bowl eligible. This can all start for the Orange on Saturday.

Coming off of a 35-24 victory over Colorado, the 3-1 Mountaineers again look to cement themselves as a Big East contender.

The Mountaineers are led by running back Noel Devine. Rushing for 220 yards last week, the speedy junior from Florida has definitely inserted himself as an elite running back in the conference.

While Devine torched the Orange for a 92-yard run in last season's 17-6 loss to the Mountaineers, Syracuse returns a defensive line that should be able to hold its own against the offensive line of West Virginia.

Quarterback Jarrett Brown is in his first full season at quarterback and has seven touchdowns and five interceptions for a mediocre West Virginia offense so far.

The key matchup in this game is going to be Greg Paulus versus the West Virginia defense. The Mountaineers boast a top 25 defense in total yards this season, with their run defense ranked in the top 12. A tough defense in the red zone should create problems for Paulus, who has had a tendency to force plays in that area of the field.

Where West Virginia's run defense excels, their pass defense falters. Ranked out of the top 50 this season, a good matchup should be created for Paulus with the Mountaineer secondary. Paulus has been superb so far this season with the long ball to Mike Williams, and those routes should continue to be there on Saturday.

Syracuse will also look to throw screen passes to running backs Delone Carter, Mike Jones, and Antwon Bailey. The deceptive offense of Syracuse should be able to lure linebackers into a run blitz, leaving the screens open.

With a 1-3 record versus FBS teams, Syracuse needs to go 5-2 the rest of the way to become bowl eligible. In order to achieve this, Syracuse must hold on to the ball and limit turnovers. Coming off of a five-interception day, Paulus is going to have to make smarter decisions if Syracuse is going to get back on track.

If Syracuse limits the turnovers, keeps Devine in check, and creates the big play, they absolutely could come out a winner in this one.

—KShaw as written on http://thesaltinewarriors.blogspot.com

Syracuse Football Season Preview: Minnesota

Kevin Cartini-Weinheimer — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:36:56 -0400

This is part one of an ongoing season preview of Syracuse University's 2009-2010 Football Season.

Syracuse Head Coach Doug Marrone will have his first game in Orange on Sept. 5 against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Carrier Dome. The game will be the first of three straight for the Orange against Big Ten opponents.

Minnesota begins the campaign following a disappointing season, where the Gophers were 7-1 before losing their final five contests of the season. There should be a sense of optimism in Minneapolis with the Gopher's top offensive threats returning to the team this season.

All Big-Ten freshman DeLeon Eskeridge returns in the backfield, along with Sophomore Shady Salamon, which should create a great dual-back system.

Top receiving threat Eric Decker enters his senior season needing two more catches to break the school record for receptions. And if that were not enough, Junior quarterback Adam Weber returns as the number four all-time Minnesota passer with 5,656 yards through the air.

Not only do the Gophers return threats on offense, but they also have multiple weapons on defense as well. Senior linebacker and leading tackler Lee Campbell returns to the huddle, as well as Junior defensive back and Kyle Theret, who was second on the team in interceptions, to the secondary.

Syracuse enters the season with first year head coach Doug Marrone at the helm. This is a very different Syracuse team from the one who went just 3-9 a year ago. All Big East receiver Mike Williams returns to the team, following a year in community college because of some off the field issues.

Running backs Delone Carter, Antwon Bailey, and Averin Collier fill the shoes of the departed Curtis Brinkley, and junior tight end Cody Catalina will be blocking and receiving asset for the Orange. The biggest question for the Orange's offense is going to be at quarterback.

Deemed an All-American Redshirt Freshman Honorable Mention status, sophomore quarterback Ryan Nassib was set to be the starter for the Orange, moving former starter from last season Cameron Dantley to the backup role. Since the addition of Syracuse native and former Duke point guard Greg Paulus however, things have been up in the air.

While being considered the third string quarterback on the depth chart, Marrone seems very high on Paulus and it seems that there could possibly be a lot of changes at the quarterback position forthcoming.

On the defensive side of the ball, all Big East nose tackle Art Jones opted to not enter the NFL Draft to return for his senior season, where he should be a force on the defensive line for Syracuse. Look for Junior Max Suter to step up for the defense as a safety, along with Nico Scott in the secondary as a corner back.

Converted running back Doug Houge is now a linebacker, and punter Rob Long enters the season ranked sixth in Division I football with an average better than 42 yards a punt.

The key for Syracuse to win this game is going to be to slow down the passing game of Minnesota. Whether Art Jones was in the middle of the defensive line or not, Minnesota's game plan was going to be to pass the ball.

With their top quarterback and receiver returning this season, it is going to be huge for Suter and company to check the receivers and minimize their big plays. All in all, I think it is going to be too big of a task for the Orange to overcome.

PREDICTION

Syracuse- 14
Minnesota- 28

Predictions?

-KShaw
As written http://thesaltinewarriors.blogspot.com

Why The 2009-2010 Big East Schedule Makes Syracuse a Contender

Kevin Cartini-Weinheimer — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:18:42 -0400

As we sit here in July, amidst warm weather, fireworks, and the sun, it seems the perfect time to talk about...college basketball?

The 2009-2010 Big East schedule has been released today, and after reading it there really is no reason to not believe that Syracuse is a main contender for next season.

The loss of Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf, and Paul Harris definitely hurt. But look at the match ups:

Home Games

UConn
Georgetown
Louisville
Marquette
Pittsburgh
Providence
St. Johns
USF
Villanova

Away Games

Cincinatti
Depaul
Georgetown
Louisville
Notre Dame
Providence
Rutgers
Seton Hall
West Virginia

If you ask me, I would say that it really doesn't get much better than that for the Orange.

Outside of a trip to South Bend against Notre Dame, and a home-and-home with Georgetown, how could this schedule be set up any better?

Connecticut at home, Pittsburgh at home, Georgetown at home, Marquette at home, and most importantly, a showdown with the apparently loaded Villanova Wildcats at the Dome.

The Orange's home-and-home match ups consist of a depleted Louisville team without Terrence Williams and Earl Clark, a Georgetown team whom is coming off of an NIT year (but should be decent), and lowly Providence.

You seemingly have all of the big dogs in the Dome, where the Orange excel.

Is Syracuse still predicted as the Big East favorites, like said before the departure of Flynn, Devendorf, and Harris?

No.

But looking at that schedule I don't see how they can't be looked at as a possible No. 1 seed in New York City come Big East Tournament time.

-KShaw

As written http://thesaltinewarriors.blogspot.com

Former SU Coach Edmund Dollard To Enter the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame

Kevin Cartini-Weinheimer — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:17:52 -0400

“Eddie is a stickler for teamwork. His men understand it, and if a player attempts to star at the expense of the rest of the team, he is assailed immediately by the other members of the team as well as the coach. Syracuse teams play for points, not for press notices.” -Excerpt from Syracuse Basketball by Rod Macdonald

The legendary former Syracuse University basketball player and coach will finally get his due.

It has been announced today that Edmund Dollard, also known as “Eddie” to family, will be inducted in to the 2009 class of the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame.

It has been a long time coming for the Syracuse native, who had a tremendous career as a player for the Orange from 1904-1908 as well as an even greater career as a coach from 1911 until 1924. His thirteen-year tenure as head basketball coach saw the second-highest winning percentage in school history, an undefeated season, and Syracuse University’s first ever National Championship.

In Dollard’s 17 years of association with the program, Syracuse compiled a staggering 188-75 record. Also a catcher for the University’s baseball team, Dollard was a proven winner wherever he went, lettering for four years behind the plate for the Orange.

As a player, Dollard was known for his defensive game as a lock-down defender. As a coach, his unselfish demeanor transitioned beautifully.

Dollard’s philosophy was geared very heavily towards team basketball as well as having a great eye for the strengths and weaknesses of his opponents. His .724 winning percentage as a coach was the best in Syracuse University history until current head coach Jim Boeheim topped it following the 2008-2009 season.

As it stands, Dollard has been a tremendous part of a storied program that is one of the top-five winningest college basketball programs in history.

To see such a prominent figure in Syracuse Athletics history receive such an honor is truly gratifying.

A graduate from Christian Brothers Academy, Dollard loved the city of Syracuse, all the way until his death in 1964. He was a caring and compassionate man with a love for the game and a love for both his direct family as well as his extended family on the court.

Dollard can currently be seen on a picture at the Carrier Dome next to a video screen, where his 1918 National Championship team photo hangs.

The Hall of Fame Induction dinner will take place in October.

-KShaw

Three Reasons Why Greg Paulus Is Bad for Syracuse Football...

Kevin Cartini-Weinheimer — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:08:56 -0400

So we've heard the majority of Syracuse's opinions on Greg Paulus:

1. Nothing to lose.
2. They have an extra scholarship to give to him.
3. He was national player of the year in high school.

Cool.

While these are somewhat true arguments, there are also many things that should raise red flags for Doug Marrone and the Syracuse Orange. Maybe I am out of my mind. Maybe I am tired of Greg Paulus. Maybe I think that he is a tad bit overrated.

Nonetheless, I have compiled three key reasons why Greg Paulus coming (back) to town is bad for Syracuse University Football, NOT including the psychological effect of Ryan Nassib (really the only argument I have heard against Paulus).

1. Circus: Greg Paulus coming to Syracuse has been working out very well media wise for SU. They have been mentioned on ESPN for something other than how terrible they are. While this is good, the local media in Syracuse have been outrageous.

The perception of Paulus right now is completely overblown. Not Greg's fault, but after watching the "Greg Paulus Football/Basketball Marathon" on Timewarner Cable a few weeks back I realized something: Greg Paulus is being setup to fail completely.

Don't believe me? Watch the backlash of fans if Greg does not win more than four games. And before you read this and think, "Hey, he has to earn the starting spot first," stop kidding yourself.

Ryan Nassib is royally screwed for this season, and Paulus is going to be our starter. Good luck, Syracuse. You are now under the microscope for having one of the most known college athletes in sports. Media attention is great for a team, but not when it is solely focused on one player.

Whether Syracuse wins or loses this season now is irrelevant. Greg Paulus is now the story instead of that team.

2. Hype: The Greg Paulus hype is putting Syracuse Football on everybody's radar. While some people see this as a good thing, I personally do not. When you are a basement dweller trying to come back, you don't want attention. You want to be Utah in the preseason, or Hawaii a few years back.

You don't want one of the most hated college athletes in America as your quarterback for players to lick their chops at. Not only was Greg voted one of the most hated athletes, but he also was the national player of the year coming out of high school. Now don't get me wrong here, Greg Paulus was a very, very good quarterback.

However, Greg Paulus was playing High School Football in the Central New York Area, specifically Syracuse.

His numbers were fantastic, but would they be the same in Florida, California, or Alabama? He had greatly-hyped Bruce Williams and Llavar Lobdell as his High School teammates, and their transition to division one football has been mediocre at best.

With Lobdell turning down the option to at one point take a scholarship to USC, he has been a decent receiver for the Orange but nothing more. My point is that Paulus has a lot of hype being brought to this team (not to mention it was four years ago) that he might have a difficult time living up to.

The most talented player that he played against was Ray Rice, who had nothing to do with him because he was on the other side of the ball.

3. Size: If you ever watched Greg Paulus play for Christian Brother's Academy (again, see GregPaulusAthon on Timewarner), you would notice something very interesting. He never got touched in the backfield. Part of it was scrambling, sure.

But I think it is safe to say that Greg Paulus had one of if not the best offensive line in New York State. At Syracuse, he will not have that.

Marrone will have them improved from last year, sure. But he will get sacked. He is an undersized quarterback who realistically has not taken a hard hit in football since probably ninth grade. It is kind of a big gamble if you bench Nassib the original starter to go with Paulus and have him break in half after two games.

All in all every reason I just gave could be discredited and I could look like the biggest moron on the planet, or it could turn out to make me look brilliant. It all depends on what Paulus does in the offseason.

He SHOULD transition good to Marrone because of the coaching style of Coach K, but who knows if he can still play football. I'm not a fan of Marrone's decision to bring him on, but at the same time...Who am I? I think it is bad but, "Hey, we have nothing to lose right?"

-KShaw

As written on http://thesaltinewarriors.blogspot.com

Where Is Paul Harris?

Kevin Cartini-Weinheimer — Fri, 01 May 2009 03:44:37 -0400

Where in God's name is Paul Harris? The man affectionately known as "Dugga" has completely disappeared from the map, and has not been seen since issuing the bizarre statement about "not really" even declaring for the draft.

Paul has never been one to be completely understood in anything he does, but this is getting just a little bit creepy. We had an update that he had been playing basketball at Niagara University a few weeks ago, and we got the alert from Syracuse.com saying that he had no idea how the University got word he was entering the draft.

Paul continues to be an enigma while Syracuse fans continue to search for answers. Surely, he has to be declaring for the draft now, right? There's no way he comes back to school without Jonny?

Honestly, I would believe nearly anything at this point, and that includes a tryout with the Bills as a Tight End. Let's not forget, Dick Vitale told Syracuse fans at least 17 times how great of a football player Paully would make if basketball didn't work out.

Let's just hope Paul is safe and sound and we end up receiving some type of news in the near future.

- Jake the Snake

as seen on www.thesaltinewarriors.blogspot.com

Marty Blake's Take On Syracuse Departures

Kevin Cartini-Weinheimer — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:56:14 -0400

I just had the pleasure to sit in on a lecture, followed up by a question and answer session, with probably the NBA's most famous scout ever, Marty Blake. As you can tell from the picture on the right, Marty has been around for a while, as he is currently in his mid 80's.

In my mind, if I'm listening to an opinion on the NBA draft, I'm going with the guy who drafted Pete Maravich and discovered Scottie Pippen.

I spoke with Marty after the session about a few things, one of the topics of course being the future of our departed SU friends.

In Marty's paraphrased words, here's what he had to say about Jonny:

"He will eventually be a very good player in the NBA. Not so much right now, but he should come out. He can play."

What about America's favorite bad guy, Eric Devendorf?

"Who's the other guy there, the guard? Yeah, Devendorf. He can play too."

Now, Marty didn't specify the actual league Devo could play in, but it sounds to me that he thinks he's somewhat on the right track. We unfortunately did not get to discuss Paul, who at this point could be hiding out in a closet on the Maid of the Mist for all we know.

Regardless, it was a great chance to talk to one of the true legends of the NBA. Marty even inadvertently made a reference to a longtime joke that my Dad loves to pull, which is refer to Jimmy B as "Bo-heem." Just a spectacular night all around.

Let's hope "The Godfather of the NBA Draft" is spot on about Jonny and devo, eh?

- Jake the Snake

As written on http://thesaltinewarriors.blogspot.com

Enough Is Enough, SU Fans: Leave Jonny Alone

Kevin Cartini-Weinheimer — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:34:07 -0400

Like every single other Syracuse fan in the world, today was a very sad day for me. I learned of the news that Jonny Flynn was going to sign with an agent while eating lunch around one o'clock, after I received a text from KShaw—the other Saltine Warrior. My first reaction, before doing anything else at all: well, it was an expletive.

However, unlike many other of these "so-called" Orange fans, another reaction quickly developed: a big smile on my face.

Now, that might sound crazy to some of you reading, but let me explain myself. I was not smiling because I was happy with Jonny's departure (God no), but rather it was a smile followed by a shaking of the head, almost like I was saying, "Yeah, I knew him staying would be too good to be true."

Think about it for a second: Syracuse is listed in the Top 3 in the country for nearly every outlet's (very) early college basketball rankings. The one catch that entire time? That JONNY FLYNN comes back.

This goes beyond Paul and Eric, which we will cover in our season recap podcast later this week. For now, we are just focusing on Jonny and the unfair vilification that he has been quietly yet steadily receiving all day.

Now, I am as big an SU fan as they come. Next year had me already psyched out of my mind for the type of team that we might have had.

As long as we had our stud Jonny, we'd be fine, regardless of anyone else who came back. I had been holding out hope he would stick to his word and return for his Junior year, as he mentioned a few weeks ago.

This is the one move I can't fully defend Jonny on, because if he really did not know his future at the time, he should have avoided the question differently. I can understand his anxiety to get the question out of the way, however, as I would probably do the same thing if people bombarded me with it one hundred times every single day.

So you can imagine how tough it was for me to hear he had finally declared for good. You would be sorely mistaken to think I was surprised. I had been saying since the middle of the year that Jonny would declare for the draft, simply because of two things:

1. He had become a household name and seen his stock rise every week

2. The overall weakness of this year's draft compared to the previous couple of years

This isn't Donte Greene coming out in a loaded freshman class, this is Jonny Flynn coming out as one of the best point guard's in the country in a weaker draft. Yes, he may be out of the lottery, but this kid is a top 20 pick. That's saying something.

Look at the picture of Jonny I posted at the top of the page. Taken just about two years ago, he was simply a very good senior basketball player from Niagara Falls, New York, trying to accomplish his dream of playing basketball in college and beyond.

I know the feeling, because two years ago I was in the same exact position as a high school senior. I've loved basketball my entire life, and if I had been as talented as Jonny or some of these other guys my age, making the NBA still would have seemed like a dream to me.

Flash forward two years. Jonny still has the same aspirations and goals that he had when he was just an ordinary kid from Western New York, only now, he has accomplished a little more. A Sweet 16 run, countless highlights, countless records for freshmen and sophomores in the Syracuse record books, an amazing summer playing the likes of LeBron and Chris Paul. Jonny went from relative unknown, simply a "packaged deal" so Syracuse could sign "superstar" Paul Harris, to one of the best point guards in the entire country.

Take a step back and answer, what would you do? No, don't think like a selfish Syracuse fan for one second and put yourself in Jonny's shoes back as a senior in high school. This is your dream from the day you begin playing basketball. This is what you've worked for your entire life, a chance to get drafted in the National Basketball Association, in the top 15 no less!

Unless you are somewhat mentally challenged, you're declaring for the draft too.

When I read these posts on Jonny's facebook wall, I have to stop myself from getting legitimately angry at some of these people. The way they're berating Jonny, talking about "how good we could have been," or questioning "why go now when you could be number one next year," makes me absolutely sick.

Who are any of you people to tell Jonny Freaking Flynn what to do with his life? If someone offers you millions to take your wildest dream job, with the caveat of quitting your current job, are you going to do that? Absolutely!

Syracuse fans need to evaluate their priorities in life if spending their time questioning a 20-year-old kid is the only thing they have to do with their time.

Could Jonny have handled the entire "I'm coming back thing" a little differently? Sure.

Do we as fans have a right to be disappointed with how quickly our "2010 Championship Squad" fell apart in just a week? You bet.

Does anyone in their right mind have the privilege to question a college sophomore on a decision that not only sets up his family for life, but at the same time accomplishes one of his life long dreams? Not even close.

Good luck in the NBA Jonny, and thanks for all the memories these past few years. It's been a pleasure to watch you; I, along with any SU fan being true to themselves, respects your decision.

Tear up the NBA, we'll be watching.

- Jake the Snake

As written on http://thesaltinewarriors.blogspot.com

Why Jonny Flynn's Decision Is More Accepted than Donte Greene's

Kevin Cartini-Weinheimer — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:01:40 -0400

Jonny Flynn's departure from Syracuse to the NBA comes with a sense of déjà vu to Orange fans everywhere because for the second season in a row, Jim Boeheim is going to lose his leading scorer to the ranks of the NBA.

But why is the fan reaction so much different this season than last? The same people that wished nothing but the worst for Sacramento Kings rookie and former Syracuse guard Donte Greene are praising Flynn on his decision and wishing him nothing but the best of luck.

Donte Greene's legacy at Syracuse will be remembered as that of blowing a 20+ point lead to UMass at home in the NIT and saying that he was leaving Syracuse because he would lose shots with Rautins and Devendorf coming back for the following season.

Jonny Flynn? You think six overtimes, the Sweet Sixteen, and the best point guard in the best conference in the nation.

Greene will be remembered by Syracuse fans for his lazy defense, and Flynn his massive amount of minutes logged for the Orange.

Regardless of memories, points, hype, or rankings, there is one stat that will always stand out to Syracuse fans when thinking of the two.

And that number is zero.

Zero Big East Championships. Zero National Championships. Zero First Team all-Big East selections. Zero All-American selections (disregarding his honorable mention). While Flynn's legacy may end up being cemented into one six-overtime game, Greene's legacy is all but forgotten at Syracuse.

Rated the No. 2 recruiting class overall just a year ago, I think it is safe to say the "Dynasty" is officially over.

What do you think? Why is Flynn's decision more widely accepted overall than Donte Greene's? How will Jonny Flynn's legacy be seen in comparison to Donte Greene's? Leave your comments below!

-KShaw

As written on http://thesaltinewarriors.blogspot.com

Jonny Flynn Says He Will Sign with Agent

Kevin Cartini-Weinheimer — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:41:45 -0400

Standout Syracuse sophomore Jonny Flynn has said he will sign with an agent.

Only a week after declaring himself for the draft, Jonny Flynn has said he will sign with an agent, according to the Syracuse Post-Standard.

The news is crushing to Syracuse fans, who will most likely lose juniors Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris to the draft as well. Syracuse was predicted to be a top five team next season with five returning starters.

They will now, in all likelihood, return only two.

What does this mean for Syracuse fans? In all honesty, the preseason top five should be forgotten. Without Jonny Flynn at point guard, Syracuse will have to rely on the backs of red-shirt sophomore Scoop Jardine, who is coming off an injury, and incoming freshman Brandon Triche out of Jamesville-Dewitt High School in the Syracuse area.

Prior to Flynn, Devendorf, and Harris leaving, Syracuse was dealing with roster issues as it had issued one more scholarship than it was allowed. With the three starters leaving, Syracuse will now have two open scholarships.

Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim, Flynn, Devendorf, and Harris have not yet released any statements regarding the situation and have been unable to be reached for comment to the Post-Standard.

Flynn was most recently projected to be taken by the 15th pick to the Detroit Pistons according to www.draftexpress.com. Flynn will leave Syracuse ranked 38th all-time in points scored, and as an AP All-American honorable mention selection.

-KShaw

This articles originally appeared here.

Life for Syracuse Without Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris

Kevin Cartini-Weinheimer — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:53:35 -0400

WOW.

So Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf, and Paul Harris have all declared themselves eligible for the NBA draft. As a Syracuse fan, you are probably thinking two things (at least this is what I thought):

1. Jonny Flynn OK, but why would the other two leave college early to NOT play in the NBA?

2. Where do we go from here?

We sort of had a feeling that this was coming from Paul Harris, seeing as how he was back home in Niagara Falls playing pickup games at Niagara University the last week instead of going to class.

But I must say, Eric Devendorf threw a curve ball at me.

I actually had this discussion with a buddy of mine while driving back from New York following the Big East Tournament. The argument was brought up of "hey he has his degree, what does he have left to do at Syracuse now?", and I guess I see that point.

But at the same time, why would you give up your dream of playing in the NBA when you can still take a shot at it?

With one more year of eligibility left you would think he would return to Syracuse, be in the national spotlight every week as a top five team, and get some publicity and sharpen your image for next year's draft. Apparently Eric and myself are on a different wavelength.

But in Eric's defense, at least he is going to have a degree from Syracuse University. The same cannot be said for Harris.

Let me be the first person to say that I love Harris' hustle and ability to do the small things for this team. Having said that, Harris is not ready to play in the NBA. Not only is he not ready to play in the NBA, but he has no college degree to fall back on if is professional career does not work out.

Jonny Flynn will make millions playing basketball. Harris more than likely will not. And when his playing career is over, then what is he going to do?

Call me a guidance counselor, or an old man, but Harris' future could be potentially screwed if he does not get this degree. Playing in Europe can only be so fun for so long.

The player that I feel most comfortable about coming back next year is coincidentally the one with the highest NBA stock right now. Flynn could very easily be a lottery pick in this draft, but for some reason I still think he will be back next year to lead this team. Granted, I did say the same thing about Paul Harris, but I think I'm right about this one.

Now there still is the possibility of all three coming back. The Syracuse athletics press release yesterday stated that Flynn did not sign with an agent, but did not specify the intentions of the other two. This definitely hints that we are losing Harris and Devendorf, but it is not official since no players have said ANYTHING since all of this went down.

Now Syracuse basketball fans, where do we go from here?

The possibility of losing Harris sucks, but we can manage without him. Devendorf? That's kind of a punch in the gut considering he is 14th on the list of Syracuse all time scorers (also noting that if he averaged 17 points a game over a 35 game schedule he would pass Lawrence Moten as SU's all time leading scorer), especially since he is leaving to more than likely not make an NBA roster. Losing his shooting and scoring ability will definitely hurt the 'Cuse next year. But I think it is safe to say that all of Syracuse is awaiting the decision of Jonny Flynn.

To be blunt: Syracuse is a top 10 team with Flynn, and a No. 20-25 team without him.

No pressure, though, Jonny.

—KShaw

As written on http://thesaltinewarriors.blogspot.com

David Legree: What's Wrong With You?

Kevin Cartini-Weinheimer — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:52:27 -0400

Rumors have become reality today, as Donnie Webb from the Post-Standard has reported that sophomore quarterback David Legree has quit the football team.

Again.

As this deja vu hits Orange fans for the second year in a row, you have to think. What is wrong with this kid? In my opinion, Legree is lucky to be back in the first place. Marrone could have just as easily kept him out when he took over the team and made an example of him.

But, hey. Let's be fair here. Maybe there is a legitimate reason. A new coaching staff definitely could merit transfers from players and is completely understandable. I mean, Legree didn't sign up to play for Marrone, right?

He signed up to play for the Greg Robinson staff. Oh but wait. Legree has now quit for two different coaches at Syracuse: Once on Greg Robinson, and now on Doug Marrone.

It is pretty obvious that this kid thinks he is better than he is, as his decision to leave the team comes only a day after he is named the third-string quarterback on the depth chart.

Too bad this kid didn't have any desire to compete and win, because I've seen him throw and he has a good arm. Someone should have told him that a depth chart in April can change completely come season time.

Don't believe me? Look at Andrew Robinson. Last year at this time, he was our savior as our new starting quarterback replacing Perry Patterson. He is now a tight end. And then there was Doug Hogue. Last year at this time? Running back. Now? Linebacker.

But even looking beyond position changes, depth chart changes alone should have given the kid confidence. Cam Dantley has already been replaced as a starter. Point being, he could have earned his way to a starting position if he was as good as he thinks he is.

But now, he's done nothing but waste a free ride that he had to Syracuse University. Hate to say it, David... But you're not going to transfer to many exciting places if you are the third-string quarterback for the Syracuse Orange... especially given the current state of the football program.

FYI: The Orange are now down to two quarterbacks on the depth chart, but have incoming quarterback Charley Loeb from Lawrence Academy.

-KShaw

As written on http://thesaltinewarriors.blogspot.com

Photo Credit: The Post-Standard.

Why Syracuse University Should Get a Baseball Team...and Why It Won't Happen

Kevin Cartini-Weinheimer — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:44:33 -0400

With the basketball season ending, I looked at some accomplishments and noticed that Jim Boeheim became the winningest (in terms of percentage) basketball coach in Syracuse University history this season, passing Coach Edmund Dollard.

How do I know this you ask? Well Eddie Dollard was my great grandfather (More on this later-I am going to start posting some family tree things). But to the point, it made me think of my other family members that had associations with the University.

Then I thought of my Grandfather. G'Pa Dollard was a varsity letter winner as the starting catcher for the Syracuse University Baseball team way back when. Then I thought, SU with a baseball team would be awesome.

So, with my little head being started in motion, I've decided to list five reasons why Syracuse should restart their baseball team, and five reasons why I know that it will never happen:

Why Syracuse University should restart their baseball program.

1. Fan support. I bet if you polled the fans of Syracuse they would want a program back. Who wouldn't want a Big East baseball school in their backyard?

2. Recruiting for other sports. Sounds outrageous considering we have a beast of a Lacrosse program but I noticed when I attended the University of Tennessee for a semester that athletes care about other athletics at the school they attend.

UT's baseball team sucks, but the fact that they have a team is a plus for recruits from the other teams.

3. Lemoyne College is now a 1A independent. Before, Lemoyne was the city's team to follow, since they made the NCAA tournament almost every year.

Now they they have been kicked out of their conference, they will virtually NEVER get an at-large bid for the tournament, making it unexciting (see: Syracuse not making a bowl game for five years). Syracuse in a power conference can make a run.

4. Keep the local talent around. Now, granted there are some local ballplayers that stuck around to go to Lemoyne, the real talent leaves. Pat Macananey from Westhill High School left town for Virginia (recent 8th round draft pick to the Diamondbacks).

Philip Pohl from Cooperstown High left for Clemson. No offense, Dolphins. Syracuse University is more attractive than your school.

5. Stadium. With Alliance Bank Stadium already in Syracuse, there would be no necessity to build a stadium for the team. The city-run stadium just got grass and would be playable as long as it is scheduled properly in conjunction with the Syracuse Chiefs.

Five reasons why Syracuse Baseball is dead and gone forever.

1. Competition. Like stated above, the Orange would have to compete with two major baseball teams in the area. The Syracuse Chiefs, AAA semi-pro baseball affiliate of the Washington Nationals, and the Lemoyne College Dolphins are the two main dogs in this city.

Not only that, but they would have to compete with their own Lacrosse team. Could Syracuse gain more popularity than them? Sure. But the reason they won't is for my next reason.

2. Money. This is by far the most prominent reason. Giving out scholarships and paying for coaches are not cheap. With Syracuse being a Lacrosse town, popularity with Syracuse Baseball would always be second fiddle to something.

This program would lose money, and if there is one thing I have learned from Dr. Gross over these past years, Syracuse loves money.

3. Weather. The weather sucks in Syracuse. There are ways around this, sure. Build a training facility. Build batting cages indoors. While this is all good, it is all money as well. When I attended the University of Tennessee, they just had inter-squad scrimmages outside at their ballpark. In December. Can Syracuse do that?

4. Title IX. This is what killed the baseball program, and I'm afraid this is what is going to bury it as well. The program will never come back because of this.

If you bring back the baseball program, you need to bring in a women's program to counter the men's program. Because it has to be balanced, bringing back one program would be the cost of two. And I think we all know that is all about the Benjamins.

5. Lacrosse. Like stated above, when you have the most storied Lacrosse program in all the land, it would be difficult to have a successful baseball team on top of it. At other schools, baseball is IT.

Recruits like the spotlight. Playing second fiddle to the Lax team would not be something that a good recruit would want to do and they would definitely take that in to consideration when selecting a school to play for.

So, sorry Gramps. I'm afraid baseball is gone and isn't coming back anytime soon.

We can dream though, right?

-KShaw

As written on http://thesaltinewarriors.blogspot.com

Syracuse Orange Report: Football Practice, Paul Harris Going Pro?

Kevin Cartini-Weinheimer — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:06:00 -0400

All right, my hangover from losing in the tournament is over, and there is blogging to be done.

Since my last practice report, the only real development was that Doug Hogue was going to the defense. Now, as of about 3 p.m. today, we now know that RF Ryan Nassib is the starting quarterback for the Orange.

My father and I made the trip to Manley last Saturday (the first day of full pads), and here are some thoughts that both he and I noticed:

DO NOT go to Syracuse football practice if you have soft ears. We both personally loved it, but language gets quite colorful at practice. And frankly, it should be. This is football that we are talking about here.
We had no freaking clue who Ryan Nassib was. A comment that was thrown back and forth however was, "Hey that No. 16 kid can throw the ball pretty well". He was getting called "Golden Boy" in the crowd of about 50 people, so it seemed as if the regulars that go everyday knew this was coming.
This team will be the most disciplined Syracuse team this decade by far. Marrone doesn't take crap from anyone—if you drop a pass, you're doing pushups. Jump offsides? You're running.
Mike Williams is nasty.
Lavar Lobdell hurt himself during team offense. I'm not really sure if it was a groin or what, and for all I know he could have practiced the next day. I just noticed the injury and it took him out of the rest of practice.

All in all, I would have to say that I recommend going out to a practice before the season. I probably will be going here and there, depending on the weather throughout the spring.

I am very excited however, for the summer practices when it comes closer to game time.

Now, onto the topic of Orange basketball star Paul Harris.

Harris is not sure if he is coming back to Syracuse for his senior season. Let me repeat that for those who just did a double-take to that statement—Paul Harris is not sure if he is coming back to Syracuse for his senior season.

Wow! Who would have thought that would have came out of his mouth after the Oklahoma game.

Remember how Donte Greene claimed that everybody in 'Cuse hated him for going pro? Expect something similar if you make this decision, Paul.

Don't get me wrong, I love ya. You are a 1,000-point scorer at Syracuse and can play very physical. But the reason everybody jumped on Donte Greene when he left was not because they didn't like him. It was because he was not ready.

Plain and simple.

Jonny Flynn could declare for the draft tomorrow and nobody would have an issue with it. Flynn can play at the next level right now.

I think Harris will be back at Syracuse next year, while some people think it depends on what Jonny does.

I say Harris is back either way.

Paul isn't dumb. He knows he won't get drafted anywhere near anything of significance. So why would you waste your final year of eligibility so you can go to Europe?

Nobody can explain personal situations, and I would say that, unless he is having a very difficult time supporting his children (along with some other things that may be going on with him) he comes back.

There would have to be some extreme, extenuating circumstance I think that would take our dear Paul Harris away from us.