Photos: Rambling to the Garden and Back

At the beginning of the season I promised the occasional foray into Cuse hoops talk. There hasn't been much because the team is what I'd call lacking -- lacking talent, lacking personality, and worst of all lacking watchability. This was all in full effect on Sunday afternoon when we made a trip to the self-proclaimed World's Most Famous Arena for the nearly-annual Syracuse/St. John's tilt. Seen is a picture I took of the "action." I use that term loosely -- it was one of the most unentertaining college basketball games I've been to in a long while, so the picture sums it up pretty well. Needless to say, they beat us, and all signs point to a long season.

I will take this moment to mention the Orange hoops blog at Syracuse.com, which has become an essential stop for any fan of the team.

In all honesty, the best part of our trip to the Garden was seeing this sign which helps feed my foods-wrapped-in-other-foods fetish. The knish-wrapped hot dog is just what could lift my spirits.


Actually, the train ride into town wasn't a total loss because we had an amazing BBQ meal at Daisy May's which I rate as the best Cue in the 5 Boroughs... prove me wrong. The Oklahoma beef rib is like meat candy. In the interest of equal time, I did also catch up on my New Yorker reading with an interesting article on vegetarianism.

Made the train back home and watched the absolutely thrilling AFC East championship game. Which brings us back ever-so-gracefully to Syracuse. See, I don't really have a pro football team (or NBA team for that matter). I just have Syracuse to root for and I didn't even go to school there. The best sport at the school I did go to was sailing of all things, so I've been saddled with a strange rooting complex. Most Syracusans tie on to Buffalo or the Giants, and while I'll root for both, I feel no allegiance. In the spirit of contrarianism I actually spent a lot of my misguided youth rooting for the Cowboys which was fun until they actually got good. Spending school in Boston, I rooted for the hapless Pats and have a soft spot in my soul for poor Drew Bledsoe from being forced to watch his ineptitude for 4 straight years. So in the complicated calculus of my fandom, I end up following Syracuse alumni in the pros which makes for some strange conflicts. The two I enjoy the most are McNabb's Eagles and, as it so happens, the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts have like 5 or 6 former Orangemen playing significant roles on the team, including superstars Marvin Harrison and Dwight Freeney. Nice to remember a time when we actually had decent players on our team -- watching these guys is like a throwback to happier times in Cuse-following. So, long story short, I consider myself, of all things, and Indy fan (I can even get behind Peyton with little remorse), so Go Colts! I guess I'm going to need to hash this out before I pass on some demented rooting rules to my children and they grow up to be conflicted mass murderers who can't commit to a meaningful relationship... but hopefully death merchants with a proper admiration for foods wrapped in other foods.