I hate to burst everyone’s bubble (I really do), but the Syracuse Orange basketball schedule for the 2013-2014 season that everyone seems to be buzzing about is really no big deal. Yes, it’s new, interesting, and exciting to see ACC opponents on the schedule, especially the marquee ones, but if you look below the surface, it’s not as great as we’re making it out to be. It’s new and different, and people are confusing that with it being a good schedule, because from a competitive standpoint, it’s actually a step backwards from the schedule they’ve had in the Big East for the past half-dozen years.
That’s not to say Syracuse fans shouldn’t be excited about seeing Duke and North Carolina come to the Carrier Dome to play the Orange, but it’s not like they’re going to be the first major programs that Syracuse is going to play. Duke and North Carolina are two storied programs with both great history and recent success, but at the moment, are they more prestigious programs than Connecticut and Louisville? Shouldn’t Syracuse hosting a game against the defending national champions trump any other opponent, even Duke. Isn’t Connecticut, winners of three national championships over the past 15 years, a better program right now than North Carolina? Other than Syracuse not playing Duke and North Carolina on a regular basis, there’s nothing that makes playing them better than playing Louisville and Connecticut. The rivalry between between Jim Boeheim and Rick Pitino is far more intense and interesting than the rivalry that doesn’t exist between Boeheim and Mike Krzyzewski. Isn’t the geographic proximity and storied history between Syracuse and Connecticut more appealing than any connection Syracuse might have with North Carolina? Is replacing Connecticut and Louisville on the schedule with Duke and North Carolina really a step up for Syracuse?
Outside of Duke North Carolina, the ACC slate isn’t all that it’s talked up to be. Those two games do not make up for not having a slew of quality opponents that used to engulf the conference schedule when Syracuse was in the Big East. Syracuse will see Pittsburgh and Notre Dame at home next year, teams they would have played anyway, but instead of perennial NCAA Tournament teams like Georgetown, Marquette, and Cincinnati, Syracuse will play Boston College, Georgia Tech, and Clemson inside the Carrier Dome. Again, there might be some excitement at playing those teams because they’re new to the Orange’s schedule, but they are a clear step down from the competition Syracuse is accustomed to facing during the conference season. Even playing Miami isn’t that big of a deal, as their success in 2013 is more an aberration compared to the Big East schools that make regular appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Seeing these teams on the schedule may be exciting now, but once the names on the schedule aren’t so new, the step down in competition will become more obvious, and the ACC schedule won’t be so exciting anymore.
Overshadowed by the new ACC opponents is the presence of two old rivals, St. John’s and Villanova, on the Syracuse schedule next season. Fans may yawn at the presence of the same old opponents, but shouldn’t the prospect of playing games in New York City and Philadelphia, where Orange fans often out number home fans, be more exciting than games in Tallahassee or Blacksburg? Playing in ACC venues may be exciting the first time around, but playing established rivals in NBA arenas is exciting every time. Those games should still be considered the marquee games on Syracuse’s schedule, rather than the miscellaneous ACC schools that are interesting only because they are new to Syracuse’s schedule.
Once again, I don’t mean to crush everyone’s excitement, but the Syracuse basketball schedule for next season is not as great as it seems. The teams on it are not usually seen on the schedule, but outside of Duke and North Carolina, that’s the only reason they’re appealing, and even those teams are no better than the teams we’re accustomed to seeing on the Orange’s Big East slate. So enjoy it while it lasts, because the uniqueness of the schedule will wear off quickly, and the lack of marquee games and the step down from a competitive standpoint will become more obvious, making the yearly ACC schedule not so special anymore.
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