From Where I Sit: Promise And Potential
2/8/2011 9:15:26 AM | Men's Basketball
FAN BLOG ARCHIVES
Jan. 25: Will The Real SU Basketball Team Stand Up? | Jan. 18: The Key Ingredient | Jan 4: The Fun Is Back |Dec 14: More Important Things | Nov.30: When Dissappointment Is a Sign of Improvement | Nov. 23: UConn Highs And Lows | Nov. 16: Bowl Bound | Nov. 9: Tradition | Oct 26: Revenge Tour | Oct. 19: Moving On | Oct. 12: Searching For Greatness | Oct. 5: Get Your SU Fix | Sept. 28: The Only Way to Pre-Game | Sept. 21: How Fans Are Made | Sept. 14: Emerald City Blues | Sept. 7: The End of Summer
Few things are as satisfying for a fan of college athletics as watching a young man steadily improve, work hard, and eventually realize his potential. There's a long list of examples within the Syracuse Basketball program of such an achievement.
Rony Seikaly, Damone Brown, Josh Pace, Demetris Nichols, Hakim Warrick. Guys who steadily improved every year they put on an Orange uniform.
When players like thisget into a game early in their career, you might catch a glimpse of what-might-be or a flash of things-to-come. They don't dominate early on. But they learn from their playing time and get better, so much so, that they are hardly recognizable by the time they are veteran seniors. Four years ago, most fans knew Rick Jackson as the kid that went to high school with Scoop Jardine. Few had him pegged as the double-double machine he has become.
Recruiting is an inexact science at best. Those who pay attention know that some super stars never live up to their potential while some diamonds-in-the-rough seize their opportunity. Rich Jackson was a solid recruit, but he's a great senior leader. He's become a tenacious rebounder and a strong scorer in the paint. He's lost weight, reshaped his body, added offensive moves and dedicated himself to be the best he possibly could… and it's paid off.
Pretty soon it will be Senior Day and Rick will get the standing O he deserves. And those that are cheering will be smiling with pride knowing that they've witnessed one young man's journey from a rookie with promise to a veteran that gave his all and made the most of his time here in Syracuse. Thanks for all of your hard work, Rick.
Go Orange!
