Syracuse WBB Coach Responds To Allegations

((HT: WSYR-TV Syracuse))

Syracuse women's hoops coach Quentin Hillsman has responded publicly for the first time about allegations of sexual misconduct by one of his former players.

In a USA Today article, both Hillsman and the university address the issue in print- eventhough the university performed their own investigation over the summer months...

Here's the reaction, thanks to our friends at NewsCenter 9...

TWTW Bowling: "Excessive Celebration" Gives Syracuse Win

Adrian Hilburn caught a 30-yard touchdown with 1:13 remaining in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. After crossing the goal line, Hilburn saluted the crowd. He was flagged for excessive celebration. The penalty pushed Kansas State's two-point conversion attempt back 15 yards- from the 3 to the 18-yard line.

The attempt failed and the Wildcats lost to Syracuse 36-34.

The Orangemen had 498 yards of total offense- Delone Carter had 202 yards rushing with two scores of that total...

Here's the, um, penalty...
((HT: ESPN/Youtube))


"I didn't see it, I heard he just did a salute, which is kind of bogus," Kansas State quarterback Carson Coffman said. "It's something you can't do, we know that. Adrian is our guy, we're not mad at him for it, but I thought it was a little bit of a bogus call."

Yeah, that's one word to use...

TWTW: Marrone Gets Biggest Win At Syracuse, Upsets WBGV...

((HT: WSYR-TV Syracuse))

Doug Marrone has his "signature" win.

In his second season coaching his alma mater, Marrone gets arguably the program's biggest win in a decade- beating Number 20 West Virginia 19-14 in Morgantown. It's Syracuse's first win there since 2000, and snapped a 12-game home win streak.

Syracuse intercepted Geno Smith 3 times leading to nine points. Offensively, the Orange kept the ball on the ground- 188 yards among Delone Carter, Antwon Bailey and Prince-Tyson Gulley. Bailey carried the ball 19 times for 94 yards.

With the win, SU improves to 5-2 overall, 2-1 in the Big East. Syracuse is on the road next week when they visit Cincinnati, and they're only two wins away from being bowl eligible...

Enjoy another nebulous fan piece, thanks to our friends at WSYR-TV in Da 'Cuse...

It Wasn't Real...? Just Ask Lemoyne

((HT: ESPN))

It's always real when you beat the 25th-ranked team in the country...

The Le Moyne Dolphins, from Syracuse, New York beat the Syracuse Orangemen- also from Syracuse, New York at the Carrier Dome Tuesday...

Christopher Johnson scored 17 of his 22 points in the second half, including a 3-pointer with 8.3 seconds remaining, and Division II Le Moyne stunned Syracuse 82-79 in an exhibition game Tuesday night.

"We've got an experienced group," Le Moyne head coach Steve Evans said. "Did we ever think that a day like this would happen? Probably not. But we put together a game plan. We didn't want to play Syracuse's way. We wanted to play our way. It was just one of those days for Le Moyne basketball. The kids will remember this forever."

I would say so... and so will Jim Boeheim...
Here's your highlights...



Those of us at OSG HQ are pleased to note that, somehow, dolphins are indigenous to the Syracuse area...

Just ask Le Moyne...

TWTW: Bearcats Crush Syracuse 28-7

((HT: WSYR-TV/Syracuse))

Cincy QB Zach Collaros threw four touchdown passes, three off broken plays, the Cincinnati defense forced two critical turnovers and the No. 5 Bearcats remained perfect with a 28-7 victory over Syracuse on Saturday.

"We do a scrambling drill every day," Collaros said after just his second start in place of injured quarterback Tony Pike. "We have good chemistry with the receivers. "All I know is I like to improvise a little bit."

To the dismay of the Orange (3-5, 0-3 Big East), who registered eight tackles for loss but only one sack.

"It's hard to run around and get someone open to make a big play," first-year Syracuse coach Doug Marrone said. "You have to have great vision. You have to keep the play going. We didn't finish."

Collaros was 22/28 for 295 yards and no turnovers. Always a threat to run, he managed just 22 yards on nine carries. Collaros is 47/63 (75 percent) for 749 yards, nine touchdowns and one interception this season and has rushed for 213 yards and two more scores.

Here's the postgame from our friends at WSYR-TV...

Greg Paulus To Start At QB For Syracuse

Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone has named Greg Paulus the starting quarterback for the Orange.

Marrone made his decision after the teams afternoon workout and was made public late last night.

Yesterday Marrone was grilled by the local media about the quarterback situation and the coach was very tight lipped.

"I'm the one that's going to make the decision and the decision will be based on the quarterback we can win with now." Marrone said.

It looks like that would be Paulus.

Hey the kid comes from a winning men's basketball program at Duke after 4 years as a point guard. Syracuse football has been anything but a winning program the last few years.

Paulus beat out red-shirt freshman Ryan Nassib who was the #1 on the Syracuse QB depth chart during spring practice.

Photo Courtesy: Frank Ordoñez / The Post-Standard, Syracuse, NY

A New Broadcasting Gig For T.O. Plus Shaq Is In Training

Everyone wants to be a sportscaster. Now Terrell Owens took the chair in Buffalo at WKBW-TV.



Nothing like getting a egomaniac wide receiver to talk about himself on camera to the local Bills fans. No that won't go to his head. So much for being humble by the Cowboys.

On a related note, Shaquille O'Neal is working on his post playing career and Shaq wants to be a sportscaster to. Shaq is taking a sports broadcasting class at Syracuse University, who has produced Bob Costas, Marv Albert, Dick Stockton and many others who I can't think of right now.

Monday Shaq began classes in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. The class is taught by ESPN play - by - play broadcaster Dave Ryan who works in any event that's a time buy for the network, (Lacrosse, celebrity bowling, you know the drill.)

The Shaq'caster is taping mock stand ups, scripting and learning how do conduct interviews.

Any guess which network Shaq will be working for after he retires? I'll spot you 4 letters.

Greg Paulus Headed To Syracuse

((HT: CBSSports))

The former Duke point guard ((pictured, thanks WSYR-TV)) will enroll in graduate school at Syracuse and try to make a comeback in football for the Orange, he said Thursday.

"My gut and my heart were telling me that [Syracuse] was the best place for me," Paulus said from Durham, N.C., during a conference call.

The decision ends a month of speculation whether the one-time star high school quarterback from Syracuse would resume his football career.

He worked out for the Green Bay Packers in April, acknowledged meeting with Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez about playing for the Wolverines, also visited Nebraska and said he was contacted by about two dozen programs.

"It got me thinking, got me throwing again [and] once I got doing that, the itch and the desire came back," Paulus said. "To have this opportunity where I have two sports, and to be able to do them both at the college level, it's something that's pretty unique and special."

He said he called new Orange coach Doug Marrone on Thursday morning to notify him of his decision.

The three-year starting guard graduated from Duke earlier this month. He has one season of eligibility remaining and can play immediately if he receives a waiver from the NCAA.

Marrone was not available and could not comment on the announcement because the NCAA paperwork has not been completed, university officials said.

Paulus was a record-setting high school quarterback in high school at Christian Brothers Academy, located less than a mile from Marrone's office, and now has a legitimate chance at Syracuse, a proud program that's fallen on hard times.

"I've seen a lot of great years at Syracuse," Paulus said.

The Orange hired Marrone in December to resurrect the team he once played for -- Syracuse has gone 10-37 over the past four seasons. He already has moved former starting quarterback Andrew Robinson to tight end and demoted Cam Dantley, last year's starter, to backup behind redshirt freshman Ryan Nassib, who has never thrown a college pass.

Paulus said Marrone has made "no promises, no guarantees" about playing time.

At CBA, Paulus was one of the nation's top prep quarterbacks. As a senior running a potent spread offense, he threw for 3,700 yards and 43 touchdowns in a 13-0 season. He finished his prep career with 11,763 yards and 152 touchdowns passing.

Miami and Notre Dame offered him football scholarships, and he received a basketball offer from Syracuse before choosing to play basketball at Duke. For most of the past four years, his only flirtation with football came when he threw the ball around with his younger brother, Mike, a quarterback at North Carolina.

Having been away from the game for so long has raised doubts about whether Paulus, at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, can succeed at the Division I level, especially for a team like Syracuse, which has struggled to build a solid offensive line.

"There's going to be challenges along the way with getting into football shape, learning the system, getting back to speed," Paulus said. "It's a different challenge, and it's one that I'm looking forward to."

Since Paulus did not redshirt and will complete his degree at Duke in four years, he can go to graduate school elsewhere and compete right away if he is granted the waiver. Paulus said he plans to drive back to Syracuse in the coming days to deal with the necessary paperwork.

Paulus Trading Blue (Devil) For Orange

Greg Paulus has finally found a home to play football and it's well, home.

Paulus is from Syracuse, N.Y. where he was one of the top high school quarterbacks in the country in 2004 playing for Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse. Now Paulus says he's enrolling into graduate school at Syracuse University and try to make a comeback in football.

"My heart and my gut told me Syracuse was the best place for me," Paulus said.

Remember Paulus tried out for the Green Bay Packers before the NFL draft, acknowledged a meeting with Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez about playing for the Wolverines and took a visit to Nebraska.

It will take an NCAA waiver for Paulus to play for the 2009 season but that should be a mere formality. Paulus will have only one year of eligibility.

Paulus is a smart guy, he graduated from Duke earlier this month. Those of us at the OSG HQ wonder if Paulus knows what he's getting himself into. He's used to winning championships playing hoops for Duke. Syracuse hasn't done much lately. The last time the Orange were on the radar screen Donovan McNabb was under center.

Here's how rotten the Orange has been lately:

2005: 1-10
2006: 4-8
2007: 2-10
2008: 3-9

Good luck.

Photos Courtesy: The Syracuse Post-Standard

Syracuse Wins 6OT Classic

There really isn't a whole lot we can say about the game...
Just watch...
((HT: WSYR/ESPN))

Here's your postgame from WSYR-TV...


And here's the last overtime...McDonough, Raftery, and Bilas on the bark...
((HT: ESPN/Big East Conference))

Syracuse Loses On 60-Footer

I don't know what it is about the Syracuse basketball team, but there is always that moment during the basketball season where you can't help but laugh at them for something that happens to them on the court...

One time, it was Vermont's TJ Sorrentine hitting a shot "from the parking lot" in the NCAA tournament. This time, it's a home game against Cleveland State...

The Vikings go to the Carrier Dome and pull out a 60-57 upset of the 11th-ranked team in the country- thanks to Cedric Jackson...

"I have never been a part of one of those types of shots, I had my head down," CSU Head Coach Gary Waters said. "I told my coaches we were headed for overtime. I didn't expect that to happen. Nobody in the house expected that to happen."

We're happy for you that it did, anyway...
Going backwards... here's Boeheim at the podium...
((HT: the youtube))


And here's what's causing all this...
((HT: WIXT-TV))