Jan. 25, 2010

The Big East Conference’s all-time premier rivalry tips off at the Carrier Dome on Monday night:  Georgetown v. Syracuse!  Certainly, the Conference schedulers understand this (as well the NCAA ad men from Sheraton Hotels) as the Hoyas and Orange have hooked up twice during each year of the latest Big East scheduling regimen.  This is the 82d time that the Hoyas and the Orange have met overall and the 65th time in Big East play.  Syracuse is the only team in the Big East to hold an overall advantage against the Hoyas in both non-Big East and Conference play.  The Hoyas are 37-44 overall and 31-33 in Big East play against the Orange!  For a regular season contest, the stakes are high – both the Hoyas and the Orange probably will be ranked in the Top 10 together for the first time since 1990 (i.e., during the Mourning-Mutombo era).  (For what it’s worth, my guess is Syracuse at No. 4 and the Hoyas at No. 9 at game time!)  Moreover, the Hoyas will be attempting to keep up with the Hoya Women, who beat the then-No. 23 Orangina at Syracuse on January 2.  It doesn’t take much to get a Hoya fan up for a Syracuse game, but in case you need some inspiration, here are some tidbits to whet the competitive juices:

“Manley Field House is officially closed!”  Coach John Thompson, Jr. in 1980, after his Hoya squad came back from a 14-point halftime deficit behind to beat the No. 3 ranked Orange, breaking their 57-game home winning streak in the last game played at Manley Field House.

Jim Boeheim.  The Dome Ranger.  Looie and Bouie, Cohen and Head. Leo Rautins. Andre Hawkins. Pearl Washington. Derrick Coleman. Sherman Douglass. Rony Seikaly. Adrian Autry. Billy Owens. David Johnson. Laurence Moten. Etan Thomas. Stevie Thompson. John Wallace. Jason Hart. Preston Schumpert. Hakim Warrick. Billy Edelin. Gerry McNamara. Carmelo Anthony. Paul Harris. Johnny Flynn. And, of course, Eric Devendorf.  And, from the current Orange crop, Andy Rautins, Arinze Onuaku, and Wes Johnson, the latest Orange star! 

We have not beaten the Orange at the Dome during Coach John Thompson, III’s tenure on the Hilltop.     

“The Duke win was nice.  This was nicer.  This is Georgetown-Syracuse.  That’s what it’s all about.”  Coach John Thompson, III, following 2006 68-53 Hoya victory at the Verizon Center.

So Hoya fans, from the Fifties to the Oughts, go to your nearest game watch and cheer with your fellow Hoya fans as the Hoyas crush the Orange!  In D.C., that means going to BlackFinn, 1620 I Street, NW, where local alums Doug Herrema, Kyle Murphy, and Meredith Karam (Yes, she is my daughter.) have put together great game watches with upwards of 120-130 people for some previous games on behalf of the D.C. Alumni Club and the Hoya Hoop Club.  BE THERE!!  BE THERE!!

And remember, for the upcoming non-conference game this Saturday against Duke, WEAR GRAY as the Hoyas Gray Out the Phone Booth and avenge last year’s season-altering  Cameron loss to the Dookies!

WE ARE GEORGETOWN!!

Respectfully submitted,

Michael Karam, F’72, L’76, L’82
Proud Member of Generation Laughna