What a Syracuse fan has to be thankful for on Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! Whether you’re celebrating from home or on the road to a relative’s place, I’m sure we all share the following things to be thankful for as Syracuse fans:

  1. I’m thankful that this football season is mercifully almost over. We all should’ve known we were in for a long season when FCS Villanova took the football team into overtime, at home. Since then, we’ve discovered that the football team has a really good punter, several serviceable quarterbacks, and not a ton of depth at any position other than running back. Which coincides with the next thing I’m thankful for…
  2. The start of the basketball season. Yes, Syracuse probably won’t crack the top 25 again this season (thanks for nothing, Cal!), but this young, dare I say scrappy, group of players will probably improve immensely as the season goes along, and might even throw in and upset here and there. Never doubt the ability of a Jim Boeheim team to get better throughout the year. As as Tim Welsh told me on a podcast last month, Syracuse “could develop” into a Final Four team. So be thankful for that.
  3. And even if the team doesn’t make the NCAA Tournament this year? You know what else I’m thankful for? Optimism. Because Syracuse has one of the best recruiting classes ever coming through the doors next year. It may even get better based on what Thomas Bryant’s mom told Syracuse.com just the other day. Never has the saying “there’s always next year” taken more meaning (this is, by the way, not to say that we should give up on this year).
  4. Here’s another one: How about the field hockey, men’s soccer and cross country teams, who have enjoyed unprecedented success this year? The field hockey team lost to UConn in the NCAA title game. The men’s soccer team is headed to the Sweet 16 for a matchup against Georgetown. And the cross country team won the ACC championship. Hats off to you guys!
  5. The last thing I’m thankful for: The great community of Syracuse fans. We are at times a fickle, demanding bunch, but I believe we are the best fan base in the country. That may be a little orange bias on my part…

» Related: It’s too early to write Syracuse basketball off

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About Wes Cheng 2907 Articles
Wes has worked for Rivals.com covering the New York Knicks, as well as for Scout.com covering Syracuse athletics. Wes has also been a contributing writer for the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), for SportsNet New York (SNY) as a news desk writer covering all of New York professional sports, and reported on the NBA and MLB for the New York Sportscene. A native of Long Island, New York, Wes graduated from Syracuse University in 2005 with a degree in journalism. Contact him at wes[at]sujuiceonline.com.