PSU, Syracuse near deal

[imgreat95]

Football rivalry might resume late this decade after long hiatus

Friday, May 31, 2002

By The Associated Press



SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Syracuse is close to completing a deal to resume a football series with its oldest rival, Penn State, according to a published report yesterday.

The two schools have been talking for more than a year and are nearing agreement on a two-game home-and-away series to be played near the end of this decade, possibly in 2008 and 2009, The Post-Standard of Syracuse reported.

Syracuse Athletic Director Jake Crouthamel said the contract was not signed, and he could not disclose any dates.

"We are certainly in discussion, sincere discussion. I fully expect this will happen," Crouthamel told the newspaper.

Penn State officials were not available for comment.

The two schools ended their 68-year rivalry after the 1990 season because Penn State wanted a 10-year contract that called for six games at Beaver Stadium and four at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse rejected the deal, saying it had equal status with the Nittany Lions.

No opponent has played Syracuse more often in football. The Nittany Lions lead the series, 40-23-5, and at one point, had won 16 consecutive games before the Orangemen defeated Penn State, 48-21, in their undefeated 1987 season.

Crouthamel said the series never officially ended, but was interrupted. He hoped the rivalry can be resumed because he believes the game is important to both schools.

"We should be playing them," Crouthamel said. "It was a shame we couldn't play them even up. It's a drive down there for our fans. It's a drive up here for their fans. It will be sold out, both places."

[imgreat95]

I think that Paterno needs to get over the "we are God's gift to college football and everyone should cater to us" attitude before he has no teams left to play. That is the same reason that Pitt and PSU no longer play each other. He insisted that Pitt come to State College 3 times for every one time that they came to pittsburgh.

[Baseball Guru]

Thanks Shawn for posting that...

I also agree totally about Joe Pa:angry:

Jerk:hmm:

[GiveHyzduashot]

Hey ... backoff JoePa, he's a coaching legend!

Shawn, you know how I feel on the PSU/Pitt subject, but I don't think it was 3 home games to 1 away game. I believe it was 3 home games to 2 away games, or 2 home games to 1 away game. Something along those lines. I don't think that's unrealistic considering PSU, for the most part, went to Pittsburgh more times than not. Over a 100 years, I believe it was something like 60-40.

I remember you saying something like the Pitt employees in charge of selling tickets put PSU fans in the Pitt section. How stupid is that? I don't think Joe would want to put his fans in danger.

And hey ... if the rivalry REALLY mattered to BOTH schools, something could have been worked out. Both teams are at fault a little bit.

Shawn, teams will play PSU for a very, very long time. Penn State will never be in danger of having to play 1-AA schools to fill out the schedule for years after JoePa leaves.

[imgreat95]

I don't care if he is a coaching legend or not. He is still being a jerk when it comes to these matters. As for the "people who sell tickets at Pitt putting them together." At Pitt Stadium, there was ONE student section. The PSU students chose to buy student tickets. That was their choice. There was an entire stadium there for them to choose from. They made the choice. The same thing can happen at Beaver Stadium. If you buy a ticket to sit in or near the student section, then you are responsible for how it happens. That is the way it goes.

Josh, I am not saying that PSU will not have anyone to play. What I am saying is that they will be left playing schools in their conference and then some junk schools. By getting rid of Pitt and SU off of their schedule, they have killed two of the biggest rivalries in college football. It's not about what is good/bad for the SCHOOLS.... It's about the FANS. The fans want to see the games played. But, because Paterno wants 9 home games per season apparently, we don't get to see it.

[GiveHyzduashot]

I don't think PSU/SU was one of the best rivalries of college football. PSU/Pitt definitely is, but PSU/SU just isn't there yet.

When you first told me about the PSU incident at Pitt Stadium, you made it sound like there was more than one student section.

PSU isn't in danger of losing good schools to play OOC. Nebraska comes in this year, then I think there is a deal with Notre Dame. The schedule, as of right now, is good for 5, 6 years. But you know as well as I do by 2008 Syracuse, PSU, Michigan, Nebraska, Florida, etc. could all be lousy while Akron may be on the rise. It's just tough to tell in college football.

JoePa wants 9 home games a year ... says who?? This year, the schedule IS lopsided with home games. But the number of home and away games has been very fair the past few years, and I can't see that changing now.

Here are the schedules for 2002 thru 2004.

2002
Central Florida
Nebraska
Louisiana Tech
Iowa
@ Wisconsin
@ Michigan
Northwestern
@ Ohio State
Illinois
Virginia
@ Indiana
Michigan State

Nebraska is coming to Happy Valley to repay a visit when PSU went to Nebraska I believe, and Virginia is coming here because PSU went to Virginia last year.

2003
Temple (BLAH)
Boston College
@ Nebraska
Kent State
Minnesota
Wisconsin
@ Purdue
@ Iowa
Ohio State
@ Northwestern
Indiana
@ Michigan State

7 home games and 5 away games. Temple sucks, BC is a decent team, Nebraska will be a tough game, and Kent State is on the upswing. Not a bad OOC schedule, I'd say it's a B.

2004
Akron
@ Boston College
Alabama
@ Wisconsin
@ Minnesota
Purdue
Iowa
@ Ohio State
Northwestern
@ Indiana
Michigan State

11 games, 5 away games.

2004 is a good OOC schedule also. More than likely, a preseason game will be added on. And traditionally, those games involve good opponents. That OOC schedule is probably a B+.

Granted, things will happen and some teams on the schedule who look good now will be lousy, and teams like Indiana will be better than expected. But for the most part, the schedules thru 2004 are very good schedules.

As shown here, your point "But, because Paterno wants 9 home games per season apparently, we don't get to see it." is really, really invalid. The only time the schedule is loaded with home games is this season. For the next two years after this season, the schedule is about as fair as it can get.

[imgreat95]

I didn't say that he was GETTING 9.. I said he apparently WANTS 9... If he had gotten what he wanted with Pitt and SU, he would have on some seasons an automatic 6 home games.... with 4 away dates in the conference. Do you think he is honestly going to schedule his "cake" OOC opponents on the road?? I don't..

so I guess the number was 8... not 9...


Josh, PSU and SU are no longer a big rivalry. They haven't played since 1990, when you were 6 years old. So, of course, you don't remember it as being a rivalry. But, trust me, it was. And I bet James could really back that up.

Again, I am not saying that PSU is in danger of losing good OOC schools to play. i am saying they are slowly turning away the games that the fans want to see.

[GiveHyzduashot]

Shawn, if every coach got what he wanted, we'd have 12 home games a year. So I don't see your point with what JoePa gets and what JoePa wants. The two really aren't related. Hell, I wish I had a million bucks so I didn't have to go to college, but is that gonna happen? I wish, but I don't plan on that happening.

I'm not doubting PSU and Syracuse was a big rivalry. I'm doubting that it was two of the biggest rivlaries in college football. That's what you said, and that's what I wouldn't believe is true. I may have been 6 then, but if it truly was one of the biggest in football, don't you think there would be a lot more documents on it? To be honest, I don't think I've ever read from a writer, columnist, whatever how big that rivalry was. It was just word of the mouth, and of course fans will say it's one of the best rivalries if the games are competitive. But I don't remember reading from someone who covers sports for a living that Syracuse/PSU was one of the better rivalries in football. Great games don't equate into some of the best rivalries in football. That distinction goes to Pitt/PSU ... Army/Navy ... Arkansas/Alabama ... etc ...

[imgreat95]

Josh, there are a lot of rivalries that were great and have died since then. Ones that no one talks about anymore because they are so far in the past. I would liken the rivalry that PSU and SU had to that of what the Pirates have with the Mets. They don't play each other much anymore, but Pirate fans used to LOVE to HATE the Mets and their fans. Not quite true anymore.

That being said, we have discussed this before, and nothing is changing.. so I am dropping it..



(oh.. and remember.... it was JAMES who called him a jerk... not me..;))

[GiveHyzduashot]

Fair enough. And yes, I will remember James called JoePa a jerk. ;)

[Baseball Guru]

Well for SU fans this was our biggest rivalry as we have played PSU 68 times, more than ANY other school in our history...
And when this proposal by PSU was made, SU was just as good in football as PSU was...They were both a National power.....Why ask for a 6-4 ratio and then decline to play if we want to only be fair at a 5-5 home and home series??

[GiveHyzduashot]

Well James, that's one thing that I can't rationalize. :biggrin: