The Syracuse basketball team couldn’t hit water if they fell out of a boat against the UConn Huskies at Madison Square Garden a couple weeks ago. But that shooting slump didn’t affect SU super fan, Marc Lomasky.
Marc was just planning on attending the game, but was waiting in line with friends to buy food. When he noticed next to the food stand there was a table to sign up for a chance at a half court shot.
Hundreds of fans were signing up. But Lomasky decided why not and signed up, and as luck would have it he randomly got selected.
Next thing you know a man came to his seat and told him he had been picked and escorted Marc down to the court.
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Lomasky said he had no chance to warm up. All he did was request a ball to get a feel for it ahead of his shot at immortality.
Lomasky is an average fan who isn’t an athletic phenomena, but does play basketball regularly on a weekly basis. He was fairly confident that he had a decent chance at making the shot.
So much so that he was already planning out his celebration with Jay Bilas who was doing the play-by-play court-side.
After making the shot we spoke with Lomasky to get his thoughts…
"“The emotion was incredible. I grew up at MSG. Been a Knicks season ticket holder since I was born, so I’ve witnessed so much history at MSG. Never had the chance to step onto the MSG court, so to get this opportunity to walk out there, to take the moment in of looking at a packed garden around me, to look up at the rafters and see the jerseys retired, it was special.”"
Lomasky is a huge Syracuse football fan as well. So after he hit the shot he was looking for people
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to high-five, he didn’t expect to run into the head coach of the Orange, Dino Babers. As you can see in the video Lomasky points to Babers in shock.
So making a half-court shot at MSG, winning five grand, and all the stories that he’ll be able to tell would’ve been enough. But the story didn’t end there, a few days after his amazing shot he found a big orange and blue package sitting on his desk at work.
Lomasky by day is an attorney in New York City. By night he’s a sporting legend for the rest of his life, but back to the package on his desk.
He opened it up and it was a signed photo from Dino Babers. Here’s what Marc Lomasky had to say about Babers:
"“Such a class act. I’ve never “formally” met Dino, but was happy he was part of my moment at MSG. I have all of the confidence in him, and know that by games 3-5 of year 2, we will be a football team that opposing teams start circling on their schedule.”"
I don’t think the Syracuse fans needed any more reasons to love Babers. He’s a charming, witty, intelligent, face of the franchise kind of coach. He is a word-smith with a very likeable personality.
He made one man’s life with his candor, kindness, and his ability to relate with the common fan. We’ll keep you posted on all the latest with Babers’ recruiting efforts right here, Inside the Loud House.