Jake's Take: Thanks for a Tremendous Effort
"I read all about Syracuse this and Syracuse that. I?d like to say to anybody that Syracuse is a great basketball atmosphere. I didn?t go to the bars, but my sons did in my place. They told me that in every place they were in, to the hotel, to the Dome, it was impeccably run. The people were incredible. I?d come back to any regional ever in Syracuse. It?s a great place to be where people care about the game of basketball."
--Head Coach Jim Calhoun, UConn Huskies, March 24, 2002
Having crowned the 2002 NCAA Men?s Basketball East Regional champion and the fourth Final Four participant, kudos are definitely in order.
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the many people who worked together in such a cooperative effort to represent Syracuse University, the City of Syracuse and Onondaga County for the NCAA East Regional Tournament this past weekend.
The community involvement in staging entertainment activities downtown for our visitors and guests was magnificent. The planning and execution of these activities by the Local Organizing Committee under the adept leadership of Peter Cappuccelli Jr. and Tim Kuhl couldn?t have been better.
The support of that effort by Onondaga County Executive Nick Pirro, Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll, Executive Director of the Syracuse Convention and Visitors Bureau Jan Quitzau, and State Senator John DeFrancisco, Chairman of the New York State Senate?s Tourism Committee, working together with SU Athletics and the Carrier Dome for a common purpose, made this a truly special weekend for local fans and the thousands of others who traveled to our city.
An event of this magnitude can become overwhelming, and we are extremely proud of everyone?s efforts, dedication and professionalism during the months leading up to this huge event, and especially, during the tournament weekend. Syracuse was on stage in front of nearly 30,000 fans on Friday and Sunday, in addition to the worldwide television audience. Like all major enterprises, there are multitudes of other behind-the-scenes people who are responsible for displaying such wonderful civic pride. To each of you, a heart-felt thank-you, and our gratitude for a collective superb job.
Sincerely,
Jake Crouthamel
Director of Athletics
Syracuse University
