Legends of the Pen: The BIG EAST Rivalry
2/10/2011 10:35:32 AM | Men's Basketball
Bob Snyder's Legends of the Pen Archive
January 20: Opportunity Lost Or Gained? | December 30: What A December! | December 9: Jax Heads Up Garden Party | Nov. 18: A Bowl? | Oct. 28: | Oct. 7: Running of the Bulls | Sept. 16:
No matter the venue, it has always been THE defining rivalry in the Big East.
From whence it all began, February 12, 1980: “Manley Field House is officially closed!” said John Thompson. Not JT III; Big John, towel-draped/milk carton-in-hand.
That was the match that lit a fire yet to be extinguished. Likely, it never will.
Even when James Arthur Boeheim is coach emeritus.
Oh, there have been moments here and there leading up to a Syracuse-Georgetown match-up when the flame was more flicker than raging inferno. Mostly during the Craig Esherick era.
But as sure as Syracuse's outdoor winter wonderland of huge snow drifts and bitter cold, nearly 27,000 were inside awaiting yet another drama under the Dome.
Yes, the one 31 years ago – when SU's tops-in-the-nation 57-game home win streak ended 52-50 – emboldened respective fan bases here and in D.C. Hoya Saxa would become HOYA SUXA on placards carried by SU students. You embraced Hoya Paranoia or detested it, depending on your rooting interest.
Was John Thompson really Darth Vader?
Why should one so intimidating on the sideline have the greatest physical specimen in the game on the court? And weren't some of Patrick Ewing's blocked shots goaltending?
Ah, but that was then, the 1980s, halcyon days of a Big East boasting Patrick and The Pearl (not to mention Chris Mullin), a conference like no other with three teams in a Final Four … game-winning jumpers by Marty Headd and Dwayne Washington … stupidity of a patron tossing an orange which splattered on the backboard as Ewing prepared to attempt a free throw, causing JT to pull his Hoyas off the floor for awhile … Michelle Munn's cries of pain – and eerie silence of the Dome crowd – after she fell to the floor as SU cheerleaders performed a “human pyramid” … and who could forget the '84 Big East Tournament title bout – ummmmm, game – when Hoya thug Michael Graham popped Andre Hawkins, avoided ejection, G'town winning in overtime and an irate Boeheim declaring, “… 19,000 people saw Michael Graham punch my player,” then doing his best Bobby Knight chair-tossing impersonation.
There was “Reggie (Williams) & The Miracles,” who thrice beat SU during the '86-87 season, but the Orange wound up almost copping a national championship each school has won once … Sherman Douglas seemingly hitting a game winner with :09 left, only to be one-upped by Charles Smith's buzzer-beating lane drag …and what was Sam Jefferson thinking in the final second, 35-40 feet from the hoop and fouling Billy Owens, G'town up 2 but about to blow it in OT? This after Big John drew first-half technicals from each of three zebras, and walked off smiling, waving his towel to the orange-clad fans.
Some great teams, great players. In five of the 10 meetings between the teams from '86-87 through '89-90, both squads were in the Top 10 – and in three more, one team was ranked 11th.
Those were the days, my friend. We thought they'd never end. Well, they're back; they just took a brief siesta.
From year to year, it may be Pittsburgh, Villanova or Connecticut that is the team to beat. And nearly every game in the Big East demands one's strict attention.
But obviously, ESPN's knowledgeable Pat Forde suffered a severe brain cramp when ignoring Syracuse-Georgetown among his great college basketball rivalries. Not in the Top 5; really? Not in the Top 10; are you kidding?
Not even an honorable mention. Rutgers-Seton Hall, yes; SU-Georgetown, no? Poor Pat's head was connected to part of the anatomy other than his neck when he came up with that.
More than 27,000 on hand Wednesday night for an 85th Syracuse-Georgetown game would like to take exception.
More a matter of urgency for the Orange faithful is the fact SU's offense was in deep freeze the last nine minutes of a 64-56 loss, the first here to the Hoyas since February, 2002 -- when 'Cuse last dropped three in a row in the Dome.
And next? Saturday in Louisville. Beware the '3.'
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