Are We Seeing The (Steady) Decline Of Syracuse Basketball?
By Neil Adler
The Syracuse basketball team is in the midst of one of their worst seasons in recent memory. Is this a sign of things to come?
Full disclosure: I dread writing this piece.
I’m a proud alum, and a die-hard Syracuse fan to boot, particularly when it pertains to SU basketball. Even in down years, I never stray from fervently – sometimes maniacally – cheering for the Orange.
As a contributor to Inside The Loud House, however, I have to remain objective. Or, at least, partially objective.
Unfortunately, given what’s transpired with the ‘Cuse hoops squad in recent weeks, and also in recent years, I believe this narrative has to get told.
Okay. Deep breath. Here goes.
First, let’s head back in time, to March 2009.
Syracuse caps off a solid 28-win campaign with an appearance in the Sweet 16, falling in respectable fashion to the No. 2 seed in its region, Oklahoma, led by its National Player of the Year, Blake Griffin.
What would follow over the next few seasons – really until the home-stretch portion of the 2014 stanza, and save for last year’s magical Final Four run – is one of the finest spans of success, if not the finest, in SU basketball history.