SOBs 2008: Biggest Villain/Nemesis

For every protagonist, there must be an antagonist.  In Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield was swarmed in a sea of bastards and his own delusional perception of reality.  Normative social behavior has its antithesis in Pennsylvania State University’s football program.

Syracuse University, similarly, is constantly engaged in the thwarting of Orange-targeted terrorism.  Syracuse’s 2007-2008 hardwood campaign frequently epitomized the tension between Jesus Boeheim’s quest for enlightenment and renaissance and its opposing forces of wickedness and immorality.

Unsurprisingly, the voting for the Orange’s most vile nemisis for this past season yielded a great array of responses.  In case you are wondering, “Everyone < Syracuse” did not appear on a single ballot.  This is somewhat disappointing, yet also encouraging as focused disdain — much like a laser beam — is a potent weapon.

Fifth Place: Thomas J. O’Connor’s Felonious Selection Committee

Number of Votes – 1

Despite the fact that Syracuse clearly chose to participate in the National Invitational Tournament this past spring, some members of Orange Nation still believed that Jonny and the Ongeneat’s should have received and accepted an invitation to the NCAA tournament.

Howie Mansfield is the man that now has Thomas J. O’Connor on his “People That May Have Attended Georgetown” list.  His reasoning for support:

NCAA Selection Committee: They clearly have it out for Syracuse and have gone out of their way to rub it into us when they can. I even heard a quote from one member of the committee saying that if Georgia hadn’t won the SEC Tournament, Syracuse would have been in. That’s a bunch of crap if you ask me. And the committee will continue to be a concern.

Like the insurgents in Iraq, Orange Nation must keep a vigilent eye on the NCAA Selection Committee lest it continue to work its witchcraft upon Syracuse University.

Fourth Place: The Heathens of the Atlantic-10

Number of Votes – 1

As any good Syracuse fan knows, the forces of evil are not solely contained on large college and university campuses.  Rather, the roots of anti-Orangeness is well formed throughout the country, even at colleges and universities that should probably maintain extensive heating and air conditioning programs.  This was none more evident than during the 2007-2008 season as the valor and glory of Syracuse was tarnished numerous times by various members of the unrefined and physically unattractive Atlantic-10 Conference.

Jameson Fleming of CuseAdelphia cast his vote for the Atlantic-10 this year and supported his ballot with the following:

The Atlantic 10’s NIT teams.

I have a passion for hating all things UMASS and Rhode Island. Without them, SU is in the NCAA tournament or at least still dancing in the NIT.

Third Place: The Anterior Cruciate Ligament

Number of Votes – 1

It may have only garnered a single tally, but it was the most important vote of them all: mine.  The excerpt:

The anterior cruciate ligament.  It’s treachery ruined the seasons of Eric Devendorf and Andy Rautins.  Had Syracuse had each guard in 2007-2008, my life would not have been filled with alternating feelings of unfathomable sadness and cautious optimism.

Runner-Up: 40% of the Great Satans

Number of Votes – 2 Each

If this is your first time visiting this site of literary genius and general contemptuousness, you’ll see on the right side of this blog a list of five colleges and universities.  I have appropriately labeled them “The Great Satans.”  These institutions of lower education serve a dual purpose: they churn out activities of great Syracuse discord and giggle when children contract incurable diseases.

Georgetown University — unabashed supporters of world hunger — received a vote each from Brian Harrison of Orange::44 and Ray Young of OrangeHoops:

The Hoyas are back, and filling that role very well.

 

Clearly, Georgetown is the biggest nemesis again.  With the schedule only allowing UConn to be played once, the eyes of Syracuse fans looked to the old enemy of Georgetown once again.  With the resurgence of Georgetown it is again a great game to watch.

Tying with Georgetown is the patriarch of the University of Connecticut men’s basketball program: Jim Calhoun.  Not only has Calhoun valiantly allowed his roster of players to gain first-hand experience with the State of Connecticut judicial system, he has also drawn enough ire from Orange Nation to castigate his rampant use of run-on sentences and indefensible postulating.

The voters going with Calhoun were Nick Loucks and the fine fellows from Three Idiots on Sports:

Well he’s still alive, so Jim Calhoun defends his crown.

 

Jim Calhoun

Calhoun’s motto: If you don’t hate me, I’m not trying hard enough.

Winner: Scottie (Fuckin’) Reynolds and The Bay State Bastards

Number of Votes – 3 Each

No introduction is necessary; such evildoing does not necessitate further elaboration.  Those going with Reynolds were Harrison, Syracusan from Cuse Country, and Sean Keeley from Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician:

For player, I’ll say Scottie Reynolds of Villanova.  He dropped 25 points on Syracuse in the first game, 12 in the second, and 22 in the Big East Tournament.  This guy will continue to be a thorn in the side of Syracuse until he graduates or leaves the team.

 

I have far too much pride to go with the obvious answer, which is UMass.  I refuse to stoop the SU program to the level of treating insignificant mid-majors as nemeses, so lets just go with Scottie Reynolds.  He beat us twice in New York State as well, dropping 25 and 22 points along the way.  Without him, we’re in the show.

 

Honestly, can’t consider UMASS a villain this season just because the schedule worked out the way it did.  They beat us fair and square twice.  We love to harp on the two losses to UMASS but what about the two losses to Villanova?  And who else can be project our disdain on from that team but Scottie Reynolds?  Scottie Reynolds scored 25 points in their first win against us and then 22 in the soul-crushing Big East Tournament game that effectively eliminated SU from the NCAA Tournament.  And plus he’s one of those “hasn’t he been in college for like 7 years” kind of guys. He’s never going away…

Those that found significance in insignificant mid-majors were Brent Axe of about a zillion different media outlets, A.E.M. from The Orange Squeeze, and Josh from Cuse Country:

Again, if anyone votes for anyone other than UMass, revoke their blogging rights.

 

Two games at the Dome, two losses, do not pass go do not cross state lines, it is all about the Minutemen this year!

 

Never thought I’d be saying this, but UMASS!!! Killed our season twice, those Amherstian bastards. I say schedule them every year until we finally beat them.

 Well, that is it for me.  Sports Night With Howie Mansfield is up next with this year’s Best Freshman, which is kind of like being named “Skinniest Girl” at the Obesity Festival.