Some orange flavored history
by Andrew Porter on Feb 9, 2010 12:09 PM EST
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You'd think that a giant dopey orange would be the stupidest mascot a school could use, no? It is the only natural assumption, but luckily, Syracuse has been at this athletics thing since 1873, so they have had plenty of time to prove that theory wrong.
As I mentioned yesterday, the Syracuse mascot has not always been the squishable Orange we all know and hate. In fact, up until 1890, the school's colors were pink and green, not the deplorable orange of today. However, I have barely scratched the surface of Syracuse's long and shameful mascot history.
Find out what the picture on the top of this post is about after the jump.
As you may know, Syracuse has only been called the Orange since 2004, prior to which they were the Orangemen or Orangewomen (sexism!). Sexism not your thing? Don't worry, because Syracuse has you covered with plenty of racism as well. You see, that impotent little orange known as Otto is only about three decades old. Prior to that, Syracuse was represented by a lovely little stereotype known as the "Saltine Warrior:"
Classy, I know. Per wikipedia, here is the story of his creation:
In 1931, a Native American warrior known as Nathan March aka: "Saltine Warrior"photo became the athletic mascot. The name derived from an article describing an archaeological dig on campus allegedly uncovering the artifacts of a Native American warrior.[9] The warrior was called the "Saltine Warrior" because of the abundant salt deposits in the Syracuse, New York area. The article was later revealed to be a hoax, but the mascot remained for next four decades.
So let's see here:
- Racist? Check.
- Stupid name? Check.
-
Created because a hoax fooled gullible Syracuse students? Check.
It's not all bad with the Saltine Warrior though, I hear he goes great with tomatoes and mayonnaise. Hate on.
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They are leading me to Syracuse apparel online.
BOOOOOOOOOO
jealous much????
Hmmmmm…
-A better school academically. SYRACUSE check
-Students earn a higher wage overall upon graduating SYRACUSE check (see Petersons)
-The ONLY private school with BOTH a national Championship in Hoops and Football SYRACUSE check
-Not in Storrs, the most boring town around SYRACUSE check
-Two times the overall sports national Championships than the other SYRACUSE check
-Doesn’t have a mascot (although admittedly lame) that many other schools have SYRACUSE check
Syracuse has twice as many national champions than UConn?
Not sure where you’re getting your figures.
I count 13 for Cuse and 12 for UConn: (6WBB, 2 MBB, 2 Soccer, 2 Field Hockey).
And that 12 doesn’t even count the 7 National Titles the polo team won between 1996-2008, natch.
What? You didn’t think we’d take polo seriously? We are from Connecticut after all.
by Andrew Porter on Feb 9, 2010 3:43 PM EST up reply actions
Addendum
Apparently you had to give up your 1990 Lacrosse title for cheating, so make that 12-12.
by Andrew Porter on Feb 9, 2010 3:44 PM EST up reply actions
National Titles
You forgot SU Lacrosse. I think we have a dozen alone there.
I was counting them
1959: Syracuse University Orange: NCAA Division I-A Football National Champions
1983: Syracuse University Orange: NCAA Division I Lacrosse National Champions
1988: Syracuse University Orange: NCAA Division I Lacrosse National Champions
1989: Syracuse University Orange: NCAA Division I Lacrosse National Champions
1990: Syracuse University Orange: NCAA Division I Lacrosse National Champions1993: Syracuse University Orange: NCAA Division I Lacrosse National Champions
1995: Syracuse University Orange: NCAA Division I Lacrosse National Champions
2000: Syracuse University Orange: NCAA Division I Lacrosse National Champions
2002: Syracuse University Orange: NCAA Division I Lacrosse National Champions
2003: Syracuse University Orange: NCAA Division I Basketball National Champions
2004: Syracuse University Orange: NCAA Division I Lacrosse National Champions
2008: Syracuse University Orange: NCAA Division I Lacrosse National Champions
2009: Syracuse University Orange: NCAA Division I Lacrosse National Champions
by Andrew Porter on Feb 9, 2010 4:01 PM EST up reply actions
SU has 25
SU has 25 national Championships not counting the 1990 title
Wrong
908 – Rowing
1913 – Rowing
1916 – Rowing
1918 – Men’s Basketball
1920 – Rowing
1920 – Men’s Lacrosse
1922 – Men’s Lacrosse
1924 – Men’s Lacrosse
1925 – Men’s Lacrosse
1926 – Men’s Basketball
1951 – Men’s Cross Country
1959 – Rowing (World Championship)
1959 – Football
1978 – Rowing
1983 – Men’s Lacrosse
1988 – Men’s Lacrosse
1989 – Men’s Lacrosse
1990 – Men’s Lacrosse*
1993 – Men’s Lacrosse
1995 – Men’s Lacrosse
2000 – Men’s Lacrosse
2002 – Men’s Lacrosse
2003 – Men’s Basketball
2004 – Men’s Lacrosse
2008 – Men’s Lacrosse
2009 – Men’s Lacrosse
Touche
Well someone needs to update Syracuse’s wikipedia page then.
And I suppose if I count polo as a sport, you can count rowing.
by Andrew Porter on Feb 9, 2010 4:07 PM EST up reply actions
Polo?
It isn’t an NCAA sport. Water Polo is of course but not horse Polo. There are too few teams competing to even make it relevant.
The real measure of a man...
Years ago, I went to a Cuse/UConn game in Syracuse. Our host, a former radio pbp guy for the Orange, took us on a special guided tour of the campus, entitled “The Places Derrick Coleman Hit A Woman Tour.” We barely had time to make the game.
That...
is slander. Actually illegal, did you know that? Look it up. Maybe you won’t understand it as you got to UCONN.
Actually
if it was anything (which it is not) it would be libel, which is written. Slander is spoken.
How much did that private-school education cost again?
by Andrew Porter on Feb 9, 2010 5:27 PM EST up reply actions
You are correct...
It is libel. And make no mistake. It can be considered libelous. Yes, it may be a joke but how would you like someone making a joke about you hitting women?
Well, if I hit a woman
I’d probably have other things on my mind. Like, “Where’s my switch?”
… too soon?
by UConnBlog Justin on Feb 9, 2010 7:05 PM EST up reply actions
If I hit a woman
and had a resultant protective order, first thing I would do is try and buy a gun at cabellas.
it's not my fault
The tour was hosted by a Syracuse alum. If he hadn’t have shown us, I just would have had to imagine where Coleman showed his pimp hand to his wimmin.
BTW: For a UConn hater, “UCONNislame” is the most wussified nickname I’ve ever seen. Something like “Marcus Williams works for Geek Squad” would have been better. Shocking that they don’t have irony up in the snowy seventh level of hell.
ESPN
do you think they have ESPN in prison so Devendorf can watch tomorrow’s game?
btw, just like Derrick Coleman, Devendorf is a woman beater
pot calling the kettle black.....
Neither were convicted of any of anything. UNLIKE players on your team!!!!
So you call your women "Huskies"
and you rag on us for having a bad mascot… Ouch
Also, according to wikipedia, your team name is homosexual… or homophonic… whatever… Either way our mascot intends to do no such thing.
by Rocket Ship Science on Feb 9, 2010 7:09 PM EST reply actions
The only way to truly decide this
Is to have a team name rhyming contest. Most rhymes wins.
We’ll start with Russkies.
Your move, Syracuse fans.
Orange Bowl/dual Final Fours or bust in 2011. We're going all-in.
by Kevin Meacham on Feb 9, 2010 8:50 PM EST up reply actions
We prefer...
to fight our battles on the basketball court. The whole rhyming thing is a little elementary school for us.
OK then...
Most national championships wins!
Orange Bowl/dual Final Fours or bust in 2011. We're going all-in.
by Kevin Meacham on Feb 9, 2010 9:27 PM EST up reply actions
Check your facts...
Syracuse also has the most National Championships. Granted, 2 of them were long ago but, still, SU wins that battle, 3-2. We have a higher probability of adding one this year too.
The early years
Syracuse first fielded a basketball team in 1899 and enjoyed early success, being recognized as national champions in 1918 and 1926. The 1926 squad was coached by legendary coach Lew Andreas and featured Basketball Hall of Famer Vic Hanson.
There is only one semi-important thing where UCONN leads Syracuse when it comes to basketball. We will see if any of you UCONN fans know what that is. In fact, UCONN is at the very top of this particular stat/fact.
So before there was an NCAA Tournament
Sorry, this isn’t college football. You actually have to win a tournament in this sport.
Orange Bowl/dual Final Fours or bust in 2011. We're going all-in.
by Kevin Meacham on Feb 9, 2010 10:19 PM EST up reply actions
Still...
A national Championship is a national Championship. The fact is Syracuse is national Champion for those years, like it or not. Back then, you DIDN’T have to win the tournament. You are simply incorrect. What…are you going to have to have some sort of tournament to decide the Heisman too. Oh, that’s right, UCONN has never had a Heismann winner.
it was no different than football in those years. So, are you saying the annointed national Champions in football aren’t National Champions? Hmmmmmm. Flawed logic. Now I can’t say I agree with the annointing of a champion w/o a tourney but that is just the way it was.
Look it up. SU is the national Champ those years. Bitch all you want.
College football has what we call "mythical national champions"
The NCAA has never recognized a national champion in what we know as Division I(-A).
Much like unicorns, they exist in popular consciousness and the media, but in actuality they’re for the benefit of alumni and athletic directors looking to pad the media guides. Pre-NCAA Tournament basketball is the same way, as far as I’m concerned.
And what kind of tournament would decide the Heisman? I vote a joust. Horsemanship is among the most important qualities of a Heisman finalist.
Orange Bowl/dual Final Fours or bust in 2011. We're going all-in.
by Kevin Meacham on Feb 9, 2010 10:58 PM EST up reply actions
A joust?
I concede on that one given your ridiculous Polo championships. It is too cold in Syracuse for horses.
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