Spring Break
The Daily OrangeFB | Playing at Notre Dame 'dream' for Syracuse
By Jared Diamond
Posted: 11/20/08, 9:31 PM EST Section: Sports
Vincenzo Giruzzi is tired of hearing Syracuse has no reason to stay motivated the rest of the season. True, all five Division I programs that fired their head coaches midseason lost their first games after announcing the change. But this week is different.
Just look at the opponent. That's all the motivation the Orange needs.
"If this doesn't motivate you, playing Notre Dame … you're probably in the wrong sport," said Giruzzi, SU's senior defensive end.
That's one of the messages SU head coach Greg Robinson has preached this week. The Orange (2-8 overall, 1-5 Big East) is traveling to South Bend, Ind., to take on the Fighting Irish Saturday (2:30 p.m., NBC). Notre Dame Stadium is one of the most hallowed grounds in college football, a place young players dream about playing at their entire lives.
More people will see this game than any other Syracuse game since 2005 - the last time the Orange played the Fighting Irish (6-4). It will be shown for a national television audience on NBC. "Anyone in America with a TV set will get the chance to see Syracuse University," SU co-defensive coordinator Derrick Jackson said.
At a team meeting earlier this week, Robinson emphasized the game will be broadcast in 70 countries. More than 80,000 fans will likely pack Notre Dame Stadium, marking the largest crowd most of Syracuse's players have played in front of in their entire lives. So far this year, the largest crowd for any SU game has been 58,133, for the Orange's Oct. 11 contest at West
Virginia.
With all that in mind, Syracuse sees Saturday's game as an opportunity. A matchup against Notre Dame is the closest the Orange will come to the postseason this year.
"We look at this as our bowl game," SU offensive guard Ryan Durand said.
For quarterback Cameron Dantley, playing Notre Dame is especially meaningful. His father, Adrian, was a basketball star for the Fighting Irish from 1973-76 and is second on the school's all-time scoring list with 2,223 career points. Adrian Dantley went on to have a 15-year NBA career and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in September.
Just look at the opponent. That's all the motivation the Orange needs.
"If this doesn't motivate you, playing Notre Dame … you're probably in the wrong sport," said Giruzzi, SU's senior defensive end.
That's one of the messages SU head coach Greg Robinson has preached this week. The Orange (2-8 overall, 1-5 Big East) is traveling to South Bend, Ind., to take on the Fighting Irish Saturday (2:30 p.m., NBC). Notre Dame Stadium is one of the most hallowed grounds in college football, a place young players dream about playing at their entire lives.
More people will see this game than any other Syracuse game since 2005 - the last time the Orange played the Fighting Irish (6-4). It will be shown for a national television audience on NBC. "Anyone in America with a TV set will get the chance to see Syracuse University," SU co-defensive coordinator Derrick Jackson said.
At a team meeting earlier this week, Robinson emphasized the game will be broadcast in 70 countries. More than 80,000 fans will likely pack Notre Dame Stadium, marking the largest crowd most of Syracuse's players have played in front of in their entire lives. So far this year, the largest crowd for any SU game has been 58,133, for the Orange's Oct. 11 contest at West
Virginia.
With all that in mind, Syracuse sees Saturday's game as an opportunity. A matchup against Notre Dame is the closest the Orange will come to the postseason this year.
"We look at this as our bowl game," SU offensive guard Ryan Durand said.
For quarterback Cameron Dantley, playing Notre Dame is especially meaningful. His father, Adrian, was a basketball star for the Fighting Irish from 1973-76 and is second on the school's all-time scoring list with 2,223 career points. Adrian Dantley went on to have a 15-year NBA career and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in September.
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g33k101
posted 11/21/08 @ 4:13 PM EST
is it me or was this article poorly written???
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