Between The Lines
2/4/2011 2:05:40 PM | Women's Basketball
Trivia Question (Snow and Wind Edition): When is the last time the Orange Women's Basketball Team was weather bound after a road game?
This week: “Storm of the Century 3: Snowpocalypse” aka “Stuck in South Bend”. The normal road trip routine for the women's basketball team involves a return to Syracuse reasonably immediately after the game. Tuesday's storm made that impossible after playing Notre Dame in the Joyce Center, so that meant another day in South Bend for the team.
Wednesday was initially planned as a day off from practice for the ladies replete with a full day of classes. Unfortunately the student part of the student athletes were stuck 600 miles away from the correct classrooms. Enter Coordinator of Player Development Lynn Dew and Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Support Services Judy Kopp.
“Life still goes on, classes still go on without the students,” said Dew. “So we have to make sure that we give them all the support we can here in South Bend or wherever we are so they can get done what they need to get done.”
Both Lynn and Judy were along for the trip and made sure the team got as much done academically as possible on an unexpected day of missing classes. They appropriated the Marriott's breakfast restaurant and filled it with players, laptops and text books. Problem solved on a bizarre day in South Bend.
Higgo's Heroes: Terry, Gus and Brian. Who are these fine lads you might ask? They are the flight crew of the charter that totes the men's and women's basketball teams around the Big East and wherever else they may need to go. As convenient as charter flights are, unfortunately they are at the mercy of the weather nearly as much as commercial flights.
The recent schedule of our flight crew began Monday with a Syracuse to South Bend trip to drop the ladies off for their Tuesday game with the Irish. They then returned to the Cuse to pick up Jim Boeheim's squad and deliver them to Hartford for Wednesday's tilt with the Huskies. An immediate escape south removed them from the storm Tuesday night before a Wednesday South Bend to Syracuse to Hartford to Syracuse journey returned both teams home.
About 30 seconds before landing at Hancock Wednesday evening the visibility out the window was limited enough that a polar bear would have reconsidered going out. Yet land we did without a hitch. Kudos to the crew for getting both teams to and fro safe and sound. Terry, Gus and Brian are this week's heroes.
Tales from the Road: December 2, 1972. Alabama leads the Iron Bowl against Auburn 16-10 late in the proceedings. The only previous Tiger TD came via a blocked punt and the Tide were lined up to kick away another.
February 1, 2010. South Bend, Indiana. Syracuse assistant Rick Moody, Roll Tide, leaves the hotel for a walk on a blustery winter day. Conveniently located across the street is the College Football Hall of Fame.
Speakers on the outside of the Hall alternate playing various fight songs with radio calls of classic college football moments. I'm betting you can guess what assaulted Rick's ears next. The voice of Auburn radio man Gary Sanders had this to say, “Greg Gantt standing on his own 30, Auburn will try to block it. Auburn going after it, here's the good snap...it is blocked!!! It is blocked!!! It's caught on the run!!! It's caught on the run and he's gonna score!!! David Langner!!! David Langner has scored and Auburn has tied the game!!!” In Auburn, Alabama the 17-16 Tigers win is still known as “Punt Bama Punt”.
Sadly for Rick the Hall is relocating to Atlanta in the summer of 2012, also known as the home of his son Ben. Rick may have to steer clear lest those terrible words cross his path again.
Tastes from the Road: The South Bend Chocolate Company. If you're a chocolate lover, you might never leave their gigantic store. They feature among many items 12 dollar pieces of cake that could have easily fed a dozen. But the item that most caught the eyes, and taste buds, of the Syracuse traveling party was their wide variety of hot chocolate. The Mexican hot chocolate came strong with a dash of chili powder amidst the cocoa and Coach Q swears by their white hot chocolate. I think assistant Matt Luneau may have bought stock in the company during our stay. If you're in South Bend, stop on by.
Trivia Answer: January 29, 2008. The women had just fended off a late DePaul rally to secure a much needed win en route to an NCAA Tournament appearance. Snow began falling heavily in Chicago prior to the tip, but it was the 45mph winds whipping across the runways at Midway Airport that kept the team grounded for the night.
Upcoming Schedule: A tough two-game three-day stretch. The Orange visit the RAC for the season's second meeting with Rutgers Sunday at noon. Then 9th ranked DePaul comes to the Dome Tuesday night at 7:00. As always ESPN 97.7 and Orange All Access are your places for women's basketball action if you can't join us in Piscataway or at the Dome.
Questions: Tweet your 140 characters my way @BrianHigginsSU. Answers could come straight back on twitter, in an upcoming broadcast or in next week's column, so keep your eyes and ears open.
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