So recently I did a post about three living legends of Syracuse football that I’d love to sit down and talk with over a pizza. Cutting it down to three was difficult for sure but I had to ponder alive or deceased as well. So I decided to make two separate posts which still made it difficult to decide but at least this way I could still limit it somewhat.
There are legitimately many names I could include for various reasons but I think a list of 10-20 would be a bit long and not allow for much explanation but three makes it also interesting to see who you’d choose most.
As I stated in the previous post, I am a 49-year-old, lifelong fan so there are some who would be interesting to talk to about the history of the program, playing outdoors, coaching various players or even if I could go back to the 1800s, how did it feel playing in pea green and light pink jerseys versus changing to the Orange in 1890?
But without further ado, here are three Syracuse football legends who are sadly deceased that I’d like to talk with over pizza.
1- Floyd Little
Floyd Little might be the #1 name I’d choose overall to sit down with (though Don McPherson might be a VERY close second) because there is just something about him that I’ve always admired and respected along with the actual desire to talk to over drinks or a pizza.
Obviously, as one of the 44s and a tremendous NFL career, his on-the-field accomplishments compare to any name you want to bring up. But off the field, Mr. Little carried himself with dignity and class in a way that he also appeared approachable and down to earth.
I also think with Mr. Little, we could discuss more about the history and future of the number 44 and even ask about Ernie Davis and Jim Brown. I’d also absolutely love to talk to him about the current Syracuse product and what he thinks could help it and why he loved it and the community so much to come back and support it.
2- Coach Dick MacPherson
For the same reason in the first post I mentioned Don McPherson, Coach Mac was a pivotal figure in my fandom. I was 15 when they had that amazing season in 1987 and was a fan before it and after it but truly believe this season made me a bigger fan. Those two men (and Pearl Washington on the basketball side) definitely threw gasoline on the spark that already was lit in my fandom.
What would Coach Mac say about the ups and downs of Coach Babers’ tenure versus the struggles he saw as well? Does he think if he stayed at SU instead of going to the Patriots he would have built a bigger legacy here? What was it about that ’87 season that made them so special? I’d also love to sit down with him and watch the 1988 Sugar Bowl game with him to get his take on how it played out. There is also something about his personality that we’ve seen publicly that makes me believe he’d be an enjoyable and enlightening conversation.
3- Greg Robinson
This one has me conflicted. I think Ernie Davis would make an amazing conversation and Chris Gedney went to Liverpool HS while I was at rival CNS so that could be a fun conversation too. Those two I think would be fun conversations for sure but in the end, I went with former Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson.
Coach Robinson is a polarizing figure in the history of Syracuse football. Those who knew him in the community and personally remember him with reverence and love. Many in the fan base remember him for the struggle his teams faced during his tenure at Syracuse, though also remembering his upset win at Notre Dame on his way out.
I would honestly LOVE to sit down with the man to talk about his life in general and his opinions on what went wrong (and what went right) while he was at Syracuse. I’d also want to attempt to share the story of the man so that maybe more Syracuse fans could learn more about him as a person and not just a coach.
I also might feel a bit of personal attachment as well now that I know we lost him to the same disease (Alzheimer’s) that took my mother as well, whom I cared for in her last 5 years or so.