The state of Syracuse basketball was a leading topic on Tuesday's edition of ESPN's wildly popular show, "Pardon the Interruption," which stars two of my favorite media personalities of all time, Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon.
On Tuesday's program, Kornheiser and Wilbon discussed various college basketball games and themes, including the Orange suffering an embarrassing 101-64 road defeat at the hands of No. 3 Duke, which has now beaten the 'Cuse on 11 straight occasions.
Monday evening's disaster was the Orange's largest setback since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference in the 2013-14 campaign and the latest indication of the massive decline that the 'Cuse has endured over the past 12 years.
"That game was brutal," Kornheiser said. "That was not competitive."
As Syracuse basketball prepares to host No. 16 North Carolina on Saturday afternoon at the JMA Wireless Dome, the Orange resides at 15-12 overall and 6-8 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. Barring a miracle, the 'Cuse will miss the annual NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season, which is almost unheard of for one of college basketball's most storied programs.
Tony Kornheiser shredded Syracuse basketball.
Kornheiser and Wilbon are two of my idols. I grew up reading their reports and columns in The Washington Post, and I've enjoyed "PTI" since its inception in 2001. The ESPN commentators both admire former long-time Syracuse basketball head coach and Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim, who appeared on "PTI" numerous times.
Given that context, it's tough to hear Kornheiser and Wilbon rip into the Orange, especially because they have often spoken highly of Syracuse basketball, Boeheim and the old Big East Conference, which the 'Cuse bolted from for the ACC in 2013-14 - a move that Kornheiser said on Tuesday he doesn't like.
Adrian Autry is in his third term at Syracuse basketball's helm, and he's got a combined 49-43 overall record, which, simply put, isn't good enough.
To that end, Kornheiser said: "There’s something really wrong at Syracuse. They’ve got to go to a reset. ... It’s just not working."
During Monday's game, the ESPN broadcast showed Syracuse basketball legend Carmelo Anthony a couple of times, as he was in attendance to watch his son, freshman shooting guard Kiyan Anthony, play.
Kornheiser said of Melo, "I felt bad for him." Me too, Tony. Wilbon didn't have a lot to add, though he did mention that way back when, the Orange and the Blue Devils did play in some competitive battles. Wilbon cited Duke squeaking past Syracuse basketball on February 22, 2014, by a final score of 66-60, in a conference clash at Cameron Indoor Stadium, where Boeheim was ejected toward the game's conclusion for arguing an offensive foul called on All-American C.J. Fair.
Those were the good old days.