SB Nation New York: All Posts by Jared Smith

TNIAAM Round Table: Thoughts On The Possibility Of A New Syracuse Arena

2013-06-18T20:12:58Z

Once in awhile a column or story comes along and the TNIAAM contributors e-mail thread explodes. When this happens we think of doing just one thing -- a round table discussion using this handy thing called the Internet.

The topic today? The possibility of a new arena is Syracuse, which was brought up by Syracuse.com columnist Sean Kirst, who wrote about the need for one on Tuesday. Here's a bit of what Kirst had to say about the Carrier Dome:

It's about time we start talking about our plans for the next major Syracuse arena.

It's closing in on 33 years since the opening of Syracuse University's Carrier Dome, built in a Spartan and efficient fashion with the help of millions in state money. The dome has been a spectacular success. It accomplished its primary mission - allowing Syracuse University to maintain a competitive Division I football team - and it had an especially powerful unintended consequence:

Through the combination of tens of thousands of seats, civic passion and the birth of the Big East Conference, SU basketball blossomed into one of the great programs in the nation.

Kirst also mentioned the 62-year-old War Memorial, which is set to host Game 6 of the Calder Cup, and its limitations. The solution to both problems: a brand spanking new arena that can hold both hockey and basketball events.

Now, speculation of brand new things excites people, especially rabid fans like the ones who follow Syracuse basketball. So, we decided to put some level headedness into this discussion and get the thoughts of the TNIAAM contributors.

First topic: Is this a good or bad idea?

Sean Keeley: I'm intrigued enough to want to see further exploration so I'll say good idea, though I'm still not 100% sure Syracuse University needs to "partner" with Syracuse, NY on an arena. The Dome's day are probably more numbered than people think (33 years old is very old for arenas these days) and I bet DOC Gross would love to get out of that in-perpituity naming deal with Carrier and get a big fat check for a new one (Hi Key Bank!).

The big issue facing a Dome replacement is that you're probably going to have to build two seperate buildings, one state-of-the-art football stadium and one top-notch basketball arena. Partnering with the city to build a great basketball/hockey arena probably relieves some of the financial problems and headaches that come along with it. And it frees SU up to knock down the Carrier Dome and build an outdoor stadium (yeah I said it) out of the ashes.

An arena that's capable of hosting basketball, lacrosse & hockey would also open up opportunities for SU, namely make a huge push to growing our women's hockey program and starting a men's one. So long as it can seat upwards of 25-28K, at least. We've got attendance numbers to hit.

Plus, since it would be an off-campus arena, we could still serve beer during games. That would be a deal-breaker.

Jared Smith: I am sure the blue hairs of the Syracuse fan base will not be happy about the possibility of this (it maybe just enough for Jim Boeheim to retire #sarcasm), as there has been a lot of tradition made in the Carrier Dome and the War Memorial but the Dome's days are nearly numbered.

Sure, it is great to pack 30,000-plus in there for basketball games once, maybe two to three, times per year, but lets not fool ourselves. There are not many good seats in the Dome after 25,000-plus and for the smaller games the place looks like a ghost town (sounds like one too).

Personally, I prefer small, PACKED arenas with a passionate fan base. Go around the NBA and NHL, those arena may not have that college look, but sure feel like it when one is packed and everyone is into it.

Plus, don't get me started on how terrible the media set up is at the Carrier Dome for basketball. It is by far the worst in the country and is something that will need to be addressed as the program gets better and the coverage gets bigger.

Dan Lyons: I see both sides of this, and would lean towards 'good idea' depending on where this building would be located and how much ownership SU would have over it. The Carrier Dome has seen better days (although Dr. Gross and company have done a great job or revitalizing it a bit in recent years), and I expect that we'll at least know what the future holds for Syracuse athletics in terms of a stadium within the next ten years, if not sooner.

One of the great things about the Dome is it's location on campus, and how it has become such a huge asset for the university for things like graduation, Relay for Life, the MLK Dinner, and everything else that's held there.

Also, being able to roll out of bed and walk right to the Dome for a noon game is really nice. I new arena downtown would be inherently disconnected from the university, which would be a tough sell for me. If we can keep it on the hill, and it leads to a hockey team for Syracuse, that would be ideal.

Chris Daughtrey: It's hard to call any plans to upgrade from the 30+ year old Carrier Dome, and the even older War Memorial, a bad idea. Despite what people like StrawHatGuy might think, nostalgia and intrinsic value do not directly correlate to actual value. Syracuse basketball is poised to cement its place among the college elite. An arena fitted more to the dimensions of the game might help push the program over the edge.

Such an arena would be great for the downtown area and the Crunch, but also as a potential home for an NBDL franchise. I don't know about anyone else, but I could see the old Syracuse Nationals coming back as a Philadelphia 76ers D-League affiliate. Who in Syracuse wouldn't support that?

Andrew Pregler: Although I think it's a great idea for the city of Syracuse. I think it's a bad idea for Syracuse University.

A combined arena would allow for more up to date facilitates for all sports but the accessibility of the Carrier Dome is why the building still stands. With all of the events that the University holds there, from HS championships to campus visitations to convocations and graduations, moving to a probable off campus location would suddenly change the entire way the University and Athletic Department operate.

For that reason alone, I don't think any new facility combined with the city will be built unless it is on Syracuse's campus and the University loans out the new area to the Crunch.

John Cassillo: Personally think that most arenas designed for professional sports (outside of probably MSG) lack the intimacy of a college venue, so right off the bat, you're operating at a loss compared to the current situation for basketball. Plus, anywhere off-campus automatically makes things more difficult. SU's student fan base is fickle (sorry, guys!) and can become easily disinterested.

An on-campus arena is what keeps them showing up to games. At the same time, the Dome does have a shelf life, and it is decidedly not "forever." Improvements would cost too much to make it worth it, and there's no way you can hold three consecutive sports seasons there, while also maintaining an operating quad while doing renovations (or at least I'd think that's the case)

Topic two: If built, what should the new arena have?

Sean Keeley: Jumbotrons! Everything else is just filler.

Jared Smith: A good press box. It doesn't even to need to be great just good. I am telling you, that would go a long way in helping Syracuse University athletics build up there PR with the national media. Nobody wants to cover a SU game unless its the last home game against Georgetown or against Louisville. (And we know how many more of those games there will be.)

Chris Daughtrey: Since the main gripe about the Dome is that there's no AC, I suppose a new arena should have that. And real seats. Aluminum and concrete benches are so '80's.

What I will say is that they should avoid going full-on corporate if they can manage it. No McDonald's, no Macaroni Grill, no Nathan's. Give whatever restaurant space there will be to locally and regionally based eateries. Get a Tully's in there, a Dinosaur BBQ, Hoffman's sausages. CNYers have a tremendous amount of pride and will respond very well so seeing local brands represented. Also, there needs to be some sort of sports museum, covering not just SU, but the entire sports history of the City of Syracuse from the Nationals to the Orange(men) to the Crunch to the Skychiefs.

Dan Lyons: Ideally, if we have separate buildings for football/basketball, we can still find a way to keep control of the giant crowds that the Dome allows for. I'm not sure how this would work out in a 'basketball only' or basketball/hockey arena, but I think the 30-thousand plus fans are a huge selling point, and I'd hate to lose that.

Andrew Pregler: A 3x larger than life anamatronic Otto. Just because.

John Cassillo: If we're going that route, obviously it all starts with direct, student-only transportation from campus to the arena. Can't lose student support for SU athletics or else they're toast (see: football during the Gerg era).

How much would you miss the Carrier Dome?

Sean Keeley: I remember walking into the Carrier Dome on my first visit to SU and being awed by it and I have countless memories of watching football, basketball and lacrosse games there, so there is a lot of sentimental value. That said, I've always had a romantic idea about an outdoor football stadium and I'm willing to bet brand new facilities would go a long way in the recruiting game for every sport.

Jared Smith: From my perspective, not one bit. I can say this because: 1) I don't live in Syracuse or attended Syracuse University, so my attachment to it isn't in my blood; and 2) I think the city of Syracuse has gotten all it can get from it.

Honestly ask yourself this question: How many more NCAA record breaking games can you have before you've reached the tipping point to where it is no longer a thing? (I think the Dome actually might be there after last year's Georgetown game.)

Once you've gotten all you can get out of something that's as old as the Carrier Dome, it is time to move on.

Dan Lyons: A lot. A ton of my favorite memories from school took place in the Dome. It will probably be similar to how I feel when I go to Citi Field now as a Mets fan. It's an amazing facility and it was entirely necessary, but it doesn't have the same charm or nostalgia as Shea did, even though Shea was incredibly outdated by the time it saw it's last game.

Chris Daughtrey: How much would I miss the Dome? Let me ruminate. I have family that lives on Syracuse's south side. Garfield Avenue, for those familiar with the area. You can see their house as you drive down 81, just after you pass by the Carrier Dome. When I was eight or so, I spent a couple weeks with them and, in between playing video games and watching the police activity down the street, my cousin took me to the Carrier Dome. I was hooked.

From that point on, I was a die hard. When I was looking at colleges, Syracuse was the only place I applied. All of my best college memories involve the Dome in some way; waiting outside in the cold before games, rushing the court three times during the Pitt game in 2003, watching the title game with 10,000 of my closest friends in orange. I'm all for upgrading but, for me, there will never be a place like the Dome.

Andrew Pregler: I would miss the Carrier Dome. From the dumb Dome Stomps that no one really does to the Orange glow, the Carrier Dome is as much associated with Syracuse as Jim Boeheim. Yeah, I hated sweating my balls off during the Georgetown game, but no other arena will have all of those crazy memories that make playing at the Dome so difficult for opponents and special for the Orange.

John Cassillo: Like anyone else who's attended SU since the Dome was built, I'd miss it a lot. Too many great moments in that building not to miss it. It's become synonymous with the basketball team, and that notion would be tough to shake, regardless of how nice any new venue is. Knowing the university though, they'd capitalize on that nostalgia by selling us all pieces of the concrete and individual seats for a "low, low price" of hundreds of dollars each.

Final thoughts...

Sean Keeley: If the only reasons you want to keep the Carrier Dome is because that's all you've ever known about Syracuse football & basketball, remember, that's how people felt about Archbold Stadium and Manley Field House one time. I'm willing to bet they got over it.

Jared Smith: I am pretty sure I came out of this round table sounding like a dick. I guess, somebody had to. But the fact is, there needs to be serious talks about replacing the Carrier Dome, and I think there has been; which is fantastic.

Dan Lyons: I know location is a huge debate every time a new stadium comes up, and I've probably said it before, but finding a way to put it on Skytop is clearly the best option to me. We already struggle to draw student attendance for football, think about how much worse it would be if they had to trek over to the fairgrounds or somewhere similar. Skytop has a ton of room for parking, it could help rejuvenate the tailgating scene, and still be close enough to campus (technically on campus, I guess) for people to feel like they're still at SU. It won't have the quad or Marshall Street right down the hill, but I don't see any way that a new arena is put up where the Dome is and where Archbold was.

Also, if we do a dual-sport set-up again, a retractable roof would be pretty sweet. And find a way to make the sightlines good for basketball, magical Syracuse architects.

Chris Daughtrey: Whatever they do, those on charge of this project need to make sure that the stadium is still easily accessible to students, at least for SU games. One of the best parts of the Dome was being able to get to it within 5 minutes from anywhere on campus. Even if physical proximity to the campus isn't possible, the powers that be need to make sure that whatever shuttle system they set up to get the butts to the seats puts priority on students. Along the same lines, put the student section where it belongs; lower level along the sideline. I get that donors and sponsors pay big bucks for good seats. But SU is a school. The students should be put first in all aspects.

Andrew Pregler: People know Dr. Gross doesn't like the Carrier Dome. It's not new enough, it's not modern enough, hell it can't even support wifi during a basketball game for the media. But that doesn't mean it needs to go.

John Cassillo: Yes, the Dome should be replaced, but not by something off-campus. I know CNY residents consider SU "their" team, while students consider it "theirs," but the only way people can have it both ways is on campus. Moving them elsewhere makes them the city of Syracuse's team, which is not an ideal scenario for a freezing cold, slightly downtrodden metro area whose lifeblood is basically the university, Crouse hospital and Wegmans. Don't replace the Dome unless you have to, but do move the football team outside. We'd be much better-served by a 40,000-seat outdoor stadium on South Campus that was consistently filled to capacity. Plus, better tailgate culture.

Now, your thoughts? Share them below in the comments section.

Syracuse Football: Drew Allen Visiting Town; Orange Face Long Odds To Win ACC Title

2013-06-18T15:00:06Z

A few Syracuse football related topics scrolled through late last night and early Tuesday morning, but none were big enough for its own post. But because they're relevant here's a quick notebook.

Transfer quarterback Drew Allen will be in town

The Norman, OK native shared this instagram photo on Twitter this morning. I guess, if you hurry you might be able to greet him at Hancock Airport.

Headed up to #Cuse for a couple of days. Love me some #Orange! http://t.co/kdhBSfvvlo
— Drew Allen (@DrewAllen1) June 18, 2013

Scott Shafer on XM Radio

The Syracuse head coach was on XM Radio with Jack Arute and Gino Torretta on Monday. Sadly, there was no hard nosed references or threats to kill an opposing coach or player, but it at least is another Shafer interview, which is always worth a listen.

Speaking of coach Shafer, CBS Sports' Chip Patterson broke down the hard nosed hiring on Monday. The biggest compliment about Shafer was his ability to hire a solid coaching staff quickly and convince Allen to transfer to Syracuse.

There are no four or five-star players in the 2013 class, but Shafer was able to solve some depth issues at linebacker and attract Oklahoma transfer quarterback Drew Allen in the offseason. Allen, while not technically a member of the recruiting class, is arguably the most important newcomer for the Orange in 2013.

Patterson also mentioned the long Las Vegas odds SU faces to the win the ACC crown, which reminded me that 5Dimes released is money lines on Monday. If you're a big Orange optimist, you're gut feelings could pay off in a big way.

Clemson +230
Florida State +230
Miami +550
North Carolina +590
Georgia Tech +850
Virginia Tech +975
Pittsburgh +2500
Maryland +5000
Virginia +5500
NC State +7000
Boston College +7000
Syracuse +7000
Duke +12000
Wake Forest +12500

Finally, former Syracuse safety Shamarko Thomas, now a rookie for the Pittsburgh Steelers, found his way on ProFootballTalk.com Tuesday morning. Thomas was asked how veteran safeties, Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu, are treating him.

“It all started the same day I got drafted,” Thomas said, via Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “Troy and Ryan called me and left a message and told me they were going to teach me everything they’ve learned. I came in here ready to learn. They’ve made me comfortable.”

Awe. That's nice.

Jerami Grant Survives Team USA U19's Final Cut; Tyler Ennis On Team Canada

2013-06-18T14:01:35Z

Soon-to-be Syracuse Orange sophomore forward Jerami Grant and freshman Tyler Ennis could meet on a world stage this summer. Grant will be a member of Team USA's under-19 squad that will participate in this year's World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, June 24-July 6, while Ennis, a native of Brampton, Ont., will be wearing a uniform that features a red maple leaf. (I am assuming that's what Canada jerseys look like.)

Grant, 6-foot-8, 203 pounds, was a key reserve on last year's Final Four squad (3.9 points and 3.0 rebounds per game) and should have a great experiance as a member of the 12-player roster which was announced Monday evening.

Florida head coach Billy Donovan will lead the team, which also includes: Florida's Michael Frazie; incoming Arizona freshman Aaron Gordon; Louisville's Montrezl Harrell; top high school recruit Jahlil Okafor; Louisiana at Laffayette's Elfrid Payton; Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart; Tennessee's Jarnell Stokes; Duke's Rasheed Sulaimon; Virginia's Mike Tobey; incoming Washington freshman Nigel Williams-Goss and Saint John's High School's (Houston) Justise Winslow.

"Getting down to 12 is the real hard part because in a lot of respects we easy could have kept 14-15," said USA head coach Billy Donovan in a press release.

"There were some tough decisions, difficult decisions, but I think we feel overall that we have selected an athletic and versatile team. Our style of play will be an aggressive, up-tempo, running, pressing style. From an execution standpoint we've got to get better there, a lot of the other teams over there have been together for quite some time and that's probably a strength of their teams, so we felt that we have to rely on some athleticism," Donovan continued.

The team will continue training through June 19th at Team USA's facilities in Colorado Springs, CO. From there, they will depart to Washington D.C., where they will train until June 22. They depart for Prague on June 23.

Meanwhile, Ennis is listed as one of two point guards on the Canadian National Team. The other point guard is Illinois State's Kaza Keane, who started 10 of 31 games for the Redbirds.

What Channel Is The Game On? Honestly, We Don't Know Anymore

2013-06-17T22:16:02Z

It does not matter how many years I've lived away from my parents' house every time I go over I know exactly what channel ESPN, ESPN2, SNY, YES or TWCS is. However, it seems like that could all change very soon, according to Syracuse.com's Geoff Herbert.

TWC has warned of the upcoming changes over the past few weeks through letters, email and phone calls to customers. Basic cable subscribers won't be affected as channels 1 through 99 will not change, but everything above 100 is "being reorganized to be more intuitive."

So, what does that mean to all you non-basic cablers that live your boob tube lives above the 100s? It means the ESPNs and the TWCS will be found in the 300s.

Though it may sound confusing, there's no difference between HD and SD channels anymore as high-definition televisions will automatically display shows broadcast in HD on any channel as high-definition. On the downside, as one reader pointed out, automatically seeing all channels in high-definition means your DVR can fill up much faster.

Whoa. We now live in a world where SD and HD are one? Oh, how times have changed.

Anyway, what this all means now is, when there's a Syracuse basketball or football game and you don't know what channel it is on, and to solve this trouble you decided to ask Sean on Twitter, "what channel is the game on?" He actually can respond, "I have no f***ing idea."

Hey, at least we warned you.

Jerome Smith, Jay Bromley, Dyshawn Davis Named To Athlon Sports' Preseason Teams

2013-06-17T17:51:38Z

Syracuse Orange running back Jerome Smith, defensive tackle Jay Bromley and linebacker Dyshawn Davis each were named to Athlon Sports' Preaseason All-ACC Teams on Monday.

Smith, the Orange's leading rusher from last season, was named to the first-team offense, while Bromely and Davis were slotted as third-team defenders. All three were also a part of Phil Steele's Preseason ACC teams.

Despite the accolades, Syracuse was tied with N.C. State for the second fewest players named to the list. Only Maryland and Pittsburgh had a worse total -- two.

As expected, Florida State led the way with 11 players, six were named to the First Team. Clemson had nine players make the list with four being named to the First Team. The complete list can be found here.

To end on a positive note, Syracuse.com's Michael Cohen is reporting that after offseason shoulder surgery Davis seems to recovering well and should be ready to go for Fall camp. According to Syracuse linebackers coach Clark Lea:

"I think he was hang cleaning the other day in the weight room, which puts a lot of stress on that shoulder," Lea said. "So I feel like he's good to go."

Davis missed Spring camp because of the injury.

Does Eric Devendorf Finally 'Get It'?

2013-06-17T14:00:03Z

Believe it or not, it has been over four years since Eric Devendorf declared for the NBA Draft and ended his tumultuous tenure as a Syracuse Orange basketball player.

Since then, Devo has been all around the world chasing his professional basketball dreams trying to change his image as a cocky, immature punk who made bad decisions in college and seemingly just "didn't get it". Well, according to an outstanding piece by Syracuse.com's Donna Ditota, believe it or not, that may actually be happening.

"It's made me a stronger person to go through the stuff that I went through," Devendorf said. "Not getting picked up by the NBA. Having to go overseas. Traveling. Being away from my family. It's frustrating being away from your family and not knowing the atmosphere you're in. Everybody speaks a different language. Especially this past year for me in Ukraine. It was pretty tough. It was mentally draining. But I got through it and I felt like I was the better person for it."

Devo is currently looking for work, but says his game, body and mental state are in good shape and he's ready to do whatever he needs to do to provide for his family -- his has two little girls -- and continue to play basketball.

"He's matured drastically in his thought process and how he deals with adversity," his agent, Chris Luchey, said. "It's all a level of maturity. He's in a really, really good place. Everything with him is really positive."

"Right now, with Eric Devendorf, everything is very positive, very smooth," Luchey said. "It's a pleasure working with him. He deals with the reality of things very easily."

As you probably know, Devendorf is a co-host on the weekly radio show Syracuse Legends with Mike Bristol, every Friday at 6 p.m. It is there Syracuse fans can hear the familiar swagger -- something you either loved or hated when he was a SU player -- but overall it sounds like those cocky days are over.

"I don't know if I regret it. But maybe I would have made better decisions. I think I matured a lot since the time I was in school. Maybe if I thought about it now, yeah, I would have come back. But that's all done with," he said. "I'm just trying to put into perspective the things that matter most. The long-term things make more sense to me. Just focusing on the long term, whatever that may be. I mean, I made a lot of dumb decisions back in school. But I learned from that."

If you haven't check out Donna's piece on Devendorf at Syracuse.com.

Syracuse Football Recruiting: Orange Add Another LB, Colton Moskal, To Class Of 2014

2013-06-17T13:00:09Z

The Syracuse Orange football team landed a commitment from Colton Moskal, a middle linebacker from Lake Zurich High School in Illinois, over the weekend.

Moskal, a three-star recruit according to Rivals' and 247 Sports, is the fourth recruit to be added to the Class of 2014. He will join Zaire Franklin as an incoming linebacker. According to Syracuse.com's Michael Cohen, Franklin had been reaching out to Moskal over the past few weeks to try and persuade the 6-foot-1, 215-pound recruit to come to SU.

A job well done.

Moskal chose SU over scholarship offers from Cincinnati, Minnesota, Western Michigan, Northern Illinois and Central Michigan. Four-star quarterback A.J. Long and running back Naesean Howard are the other two recruits that have made a verbal commitment to play football at Syracuse.

In another recruiting news, it seems like the Orange missed out on three-star tight end Trey Klock, who chose soon-to-be ACC foe Georgia Tech.

Trey Klock chooses Georgia Tech over Syracuse, Rutgers, BC and Temple
— Mike McAllister (@McAllisterOnFox) June 16, 2013

Jerami Grant Makes First Cut For Under-19 Team USA Basketball

2013-06-17T12:00:10Z

Soon-to-be Syracuse Orange sophomore forward Jerami Grant made the first cut of the under-19 Team USA basketball team over the weekend. Grant will find out if he made the 12-player roster this Wednesday, June 19, when the USA Basketball Men’s Developmental National Team Committee makes its final decisions.

Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim is a part of the selection committee, while Florida's head coach Billy Donovan is the head coach.

To make the team Grant must beat out four other players which include: Ryan Arcidiacono (Villanova/Langhorne, Pa.); Damyean Dotson (Oregon/Houston, Texas); Michael Frazier (Florida/Tampa, Fla.); Marcus Georges-Hunt (Georgia Tech/College Park, Ga.); Aaron Gordon (Archbishop Mitty H.S./San Jose, Calif.); Montrezl Harrell (Louisville/Tarboro, N.C.); Jahlil Okafor (Whitney Young H.S./Chicago, Ill.); Elfrid Payton (Louisiana at Lafayette/Gretna, La.); James Robinson (Pittsburgh/Mitchellville, Md.); Marcus Smart (Oklahoma State /Flower Mound, Texas); Jarnell Stokes (Tennessee/Memphis, Tenn.); Rasheed Sulaimon (Duke /Houston, Texas); Mike Tobey (Virginia/Monroe,N.Y.); Nigel Williams-Goss (Findlay Prep/Happy Valley, Ore.); and Justise Winslow (St. Johns H.S./Houston, Texas), according to the press release.

The final roster will compete in the 2013 FIBA World Championships, which will take place in Prague, Czech Republic, from June 24-July 6.