redmen9194 wrote:Since the restructuring of 2013, for a few fan bases in the Big East (St. John's, Georgetown and to a somewhat lesser extent Nova and Providence), there are few things better than Syracuse playing and losing to a Big East team. When Dave Gavitt came up with the idea for the Big East Conference, his first two phone calls were to Jack Kaiser at St. John's and Frank Rienzo at Georgetown. Kaiser suggested the three bring in Jake Crouthamel at Syracuse - which they did - and those four then plotted out what became the Big East Conference. So Syracuse was not only a founding member of the Big East, it was one of the four Founding Fathers. So for many of the original members, Syracuse leaving was a cut that went deeper than Pitt or BC. Not one cared much if they left. Throw in that Cuse fans were always the most arrogant group and very easy not to like. So, when Syracuse plays any Big East team, for some of us it is and always will be a big game. And here's the other thing about Syracuse - once you start winning they run for the hills. For example. the first non-conference series Cuse scheduled with a Big East team was St. John's wh they had owed for more than a few years at that time. Initially it was a home and home for two years. The Johnnies lost the first year and then beat Cuse in the Dome in year two. The series was extended over the next two years (Mullin's first two as coach) and St. John's won at the Garden and once again at the Dome. Syracuse cancelled the series. They also played Villanova the first two seasons and split. But as the Cats moved into the National Championship realm, there has been no effort by Cuse to renew that series. And as heated as the series is with Georgetown, if the Hoays take today and next year, that game will likely fall away as well. So big game in DC today. I'm sure that whatever internal strife is going on with the Hoyas, Ewing will have his team up to beat the Orange and hopefully by a lot. Go Hoyas.
The Big East vs. Syracuse:
SJU 3-1
Hoyas 2-2
Nova 1-1
Total 6-4
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