Fired Up

It's game week kids. We're a mere five days away from the season opener against Minnesota. More important, we're five days from the beginning of a new era in Syracuse football. Orange fans have suffered unspeakable pain the last four years. However that pain has been dulled as legitimate optimism lives again in Orange Nation. This work week is going to drag out like a bad hangover as I'm feeling like a 5 year old at Christmas time. Here are just a few reasons this Idiot is fired up for the upcoming season on the hill.

Doug Marrone: We've made no secret of how good the the Doug Marrone Kool Aid tastes. However, three simple words spoken at his first press conference, "I can't fail." spoke more to the fanbase than the previous regime did in four years. One thing that was lost in the darkness of the Greg Robinson era was the fact that Syracuse football has a rich history and tradition. We now have a head coach that lived, understands and is perpetuating that tradition. It won't be long until that tradition and history comes full circle.

Tailgating: We have two 7pm starts this year. Let me repeat that, we have two 7pm starts this year. For those of you of the "non-tailgater" demographic, I'll let you in on a little secret: noon kickoffs are terrible (insert Charles Barkley audio here) for those of us wishing to enjoy the company of our buddies while enjoying an adult beverage and munching on something in an animal casing. Our tailgating crew has been at it for a number of years now. We started out behind the old train station down in Armory Square and have moved our operation to Manley. Wherever we've called home we've managed to have a tremendous time, even when kickoff is at noon.

Greg Paulus: Can he or can't he? We'll soon find out. The Paulus news was the first remotely positive press coverage of the program in a long, long time. We'll take it.

DC: Delone Carter is back and he is ripped. I can't wait to see what he's going to do on the field this year. Former World Heavyweight Champion Clubber Lang offered up this prediction of what DC has in store for would be tacklers:




Subway Sub Race: I'm a sucker for this scoreboard race. Unlike recent outings in the Dome, this contests is always competitive.

8 Home Games: If nothing else, this means I only have to suffer through 4 possible ESPN Plus broadcasts. Dave Simms makes my ears bleed.

Halftime Debriefs: After our tailgates the Russianator and I usually part ways as he sits in a different section than I. At halftime we make it a point to meet up in the concourse and to disucss first half happenings and to rehydrate. A refreshing change awaits this year, as we'll probably actually want to make it back to our seats in time for the start of the 2nd half. That hasn't been the case in a long, long time.

Processed Cheese Sauce: Take one Dome soft pretzel. Add a side of cheese sauce, and you have gold my friends.

Mike Williams: Like Paulus, this is another intriguing story. How much rust will Mike have? Will he pick up where he left off? Stay tuned.

Art Jones: Art Jones is a bad man.

Saturday get here.