![](http://www.syracusenewtimes.com/newyork/file-172-.jpg")
Forward March
Syracuse University men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim has said there are four phases to the Orange’s season. The first two—the non-conference schedule and the Big East Conference schedule—couldn’t have gone any better for the 30-1 and second-ranked Orange (well, the Big East phase could have been one game better, but let’s not get too picky).
The next phase—the Big East Tournament—starts for the Orange at noon Thursday, March 8. Because the first two phases went so well for Syracuse, this tournament has become less important because even if the Orangemen lose their first game in the quarterfinals, they will still receive a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Which, of course, is Phase Four. And ultimately, the way the Orange perform in the “Big Dance” will determine how we remember this season. In other words, the 2011-2012 Orange have officially entered New York Yankees territory, where a 100-win season means nothing if the Yanks don’t get to the World Series.
“The Big East Tournament is really important to us. We want to bring that title back to Syracuse,” SU senior forward Kris Joseph said. “But at the end of the day, March Madness is the Big Dance, and that’s what we’re preparing for. So we’re hoping to play well in the Big East Tournament and carry that momentum into the NCAA Tournament.”
The Orange seized momentum in November and never let go. The only blemish on SU’s record is a 67-58 loss at Notre Dame on Jan. 21, when starting center Fab Melo missed the first of three games because of a reported academic issue. But since that loss, the Orange have won 10 consecutive games to finish with the best regular-season record in school history and the best record in the Big East Conference since Connecticut also went 17-1 in 1995-1996. No team has ever gone undefeated in Big East play.
By defeating Louisville 58-49 on March 3 before 33,205 fans at the Carrier Dome—the fifth-largest crowd in Dome history—the Orange stretched their home winning streak to 22 and improved the best single-season home record in school history to 19-0. The only other Orange team that went undefeated at the Dome during an entire season was the 2002-2003 squad that was 17-0 at home and went on to win the national championship.
“To win 30 games {overall} in this league, to win 17 {in the Big East} is a tremendous accomplishment for these players,” Boeheim noted. “I told them there are really four phases to a basketball season you go through. Non-conference games is the first phase and they did what they needed to do. The conference season, they did everything you could ask them to do.
“Now we get ready to go to New York and try to play as well as we can play in New York and then the NCAA Tournament after that,” he continued. “These guys have done everything you can ask them to do. They just had a tremendous season.”
As a reward for their tremendous season, the Orange received a double bye for the Big East Tournament that includes all 16 conference teams and which began Tuesday, March 6. After Syracuse clinched the double bye late in the season, Boeheim said it wasn’t much of an advantage because the team that sits out the first two rounds will have to play a team that has won one or two games and has built momentum.
Boeheim has a point. In the three years since the Big East expanded its tournament to five rounds, the top four seeds—the teams with the double byes—are a combined 6-6. Those games include No. 6-seed Syracuse’s six-overtime win over No. 3 Connecticut in 2009, and No. 8 Georgetown’s win over No. 1 Syracuse in 2010.
“It’s kind of like having a week off between games. We’ve experienced that this year, and we’re pretty good at handling it,” Joseph said. “We’re just going to practice hard and pick up the intensity to get that game sweat going. Then we just need to prepare mentally for the games. We’ve done a great job of mentally preparing for games this season, so it shouldn’t be too much of an issue for us.”
Scoop Jardine, SU’s senior point guard, said the players worked all season for the double bye and they’re happy to have the extra practice time. But Jardine is also reminding his teammates that they need to keep their edge in the Big East Tournament and carry it into the NCAA Tournament.
“In New York, we know we’re going to get everyone’s best shot,” Jardine said. “But we just have to continue to play because when we play at a high level, it’s hard to beat us. You just want to get hot, and it’s time to get hot.”
If they go cold at the wrong time, the Orangemen know how they’re going to be judged. And that’s a reality they’ve fully embraced. “We’re trying to win it all,” sophomore guard Dion Waiters admitted. “We’ve got what it takes, we’re all on the same page and the sky’s the limit for us.”
—Matt Michael
Up Next
Syracuse (30-1, 17-1 Big East) is the No. 1 seed in the Big East Tournament, which started Tuesday, March 6, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Orange received a double bye and will play its first game at noon Thursday, March 8 (ESPN), most likely against No. 8-seed West Virginia (19-12, 9-9) or No. 9 Connecticut (18-12, 8-10).
The Orange defeated West Virginia 63-61 at the Carrier Dome Jan. 28 in SU’s third and final game without starting center Fab Melo. The Orange defeated UConn 85-67 Feb. 11 at the Dome and 71-69 Feb. 25 at Gampel Pavilion.
If SU keeps winning, it will play in the semifinals at 7 p.m. Friday (ESPN) and the championship game at 9 p.m. Saturday (ESPN). If the seeds hold (and they rarely do), the Orange would play No. 4 Cincinnati (22-9, 12-6) or No. 5 Georgetown (22-7, 12-6) in the semifinals and No. 2 Marquette (25-6, 14-4) or No. 3 Notre Dame (21-10, 13-5) in the finals.
Police Story
It was New Year’s Eve long ago and a group of working men, fresh from their labors boiling salt on the blocks near the Erie Canal, retired to Sigel’s Coffee House on South Warren Street. Soon they were confronted by a group of rival salt boilers from the neighboring village of Salina, and as the evening went on and 1845 gave way to 1846, the two groups engaged in what might be our town’s first recorded gang fight. So frightening were the bloodshed and damage that the local constabulary, consisting of four lightly armed men, felt the need to call in a militia to restore order.
Thus begins the story of the Syracuse Police Department, laid out in a new book of photos collected and edited by three current members of the department. Lt. Russell Gates, Detective Daniel Walsh, and Detective Sgt. Thomas Derby collaborated on the project, entitled Syracuse Police (Arcadia Press, Mount Pleasant, S.C.; 128 pages; $21.99/softcover).
The inability of local law enforcement to keep peace on that bloody New Year’s Eve eventually led to the unification of the villages of Syracuse and Salina—formerly separated by Division Street; get it?—and the formation of the SPD in 1848. The book, produced by the three officers, takes readers on a stroll via pictures and captions of the history of crime on our streets and the men (and later, the women) whose job it remains to keep order.
All three authors came to Barnes and Noble, 3454 Erie Blvd. E., DeWitt, on March 4 to discuss the book and sign copies of it. Business was brisk as colleagues, families and friends of the officers came by to congratulate them on their work and secure an autographed copy of the paperback, which is available at both local Barnes and Noble locations (the other bookstore is on 3956 Route 31 in Clay) or online via Amazon.com.
Among the guests were retired Capt. Richard Walsh, father of Dan Walsh. The captain contributed snapshots to the work and appears in several of them. I asked him about the 1976 image of him holding Ernie Davis’ Heisman trophy. Davis’ mother donated the trophy to Syracuse University after the young superstar died of leukemia in 1963. In March 1976, the trophy was stolen from its case at Manley Field House, only to be mysteriously turned in at the offices of The Post-Standard two weeks later.
“There’s a story behind that,” said Capt. Walsh. (You knew there had to be one.) “That didn’t just happen. I was talking to this guy in a room. I had him in for something else, but I brought up the topic. He asked to make a phone call, and I let him use the phone, and a little while later, we got word that the statue had showed up.”
“So did you give him a break?”
“I gave him a break.”
Other stories abound in the pages of Syracuse Police where you will meet characters as noble as Chief Charles Wright, who served from 1882 to 1905 and made his personal motto “Be All Ears and No Mouth” the hallmark of his department, and as shady as Harold Kelly, who ruled the department from 1955 to 1962, when he was ousted after a state crime commission found his ties to an international gambling racket too close for comfort.
You can learn the story of James Harvey, who served as chief for less than a year in the 1880s, but came back as a detective later in his career, only to fall victim to a pair of train-robbing brothers, Julius and Charles Wilson, who killed him, possibly with his own pistol, in 1893. Harvey was the first police officer in the SPD to be killed in action.
Gates, who serves the department as its in-house historian, looked into the Harvey killing. He learned that the Wilsons were on the run, wanted for robbing the famous and frequently ambushed Glendale, Mo., train. When word came that the bandits were in town, Harvey happened to be in the police station—located at the current site of City Hall—to collect his paycheck and volunteered to bring in the perps.
Police procedures being a bit more lax than they are today, the robbers were neither disarmed nor handcuffed when they jumped and then shot Harvey within sight of the station house. Stories like that make Gates yearn for the opportunity to do a larger, more comprehensive history of the department, which he hopes may be in the offing.
Looking through the pages of black-and-white or sepia-tone photos raises as many questions as answers. Most of the shots are from department archives, although a number came from retired and current officers, but all have an official quality. This is the Syracuse Police Department’s view of itself, without community input. Nonetheless, many of the images are priceless, such as a 1945 group photo of the first group of “meter maids” hired to police parking downtown, or a snapshot of Willie Gilbert, the first African-American to join the force, back in 1951.
There is a 1955 shot of a young patrolman named John Dillon, who quickly rose through the ranks to become a deputy chief and later sheriff of Onondaga County. Some of them are quaint or antiquated, such as the images of the call box used by foot patrol officers before public telephones were in wide use, or the 1960 shot of a cop whacking away at “illegal slot and pinball machines” with a sledgehammer.
Others could come out of today’s headlines. See if this has a familiar ring: In 1927 the police persuaded the city to spend the exorbitant sum of $2,000 on an airplane. The purpose and the effectiveness of this particular airborne crimefighting device are lost to history.
In the “must be seen to be believed” category is a posed 1938 photo of two detectives with a “marijuana dealer” in a suit and tie who is showing them a newspaper story which, he maintains, gave him the idea he could make a living selling weed to jazz and swing musicians. How much of a living we don’t know, but the caption does say that the dapper young entrepreneur was busted for selling two joints for $25.
Like Walsh, Derby is also the son of a retired SPD member, and the fathers helped the sons find many of the photos. The two friends began working on their own photo project independently before learning that Gates had begun the Arcadia project, and decided to join forces. (Dan Walsh himself makes an appearance in the book, dressed in full bagpipe regalia.)
The best way to learn about police work is to sit one barstool away from a good cop. Absent that possibility, this slender volume is a good place to start.
—Ed Griffin-Nolan
Syrathon Starts
You know road racing season is upon us when there is chatter of several thousands runners’ impending descent upon Tipperary Hill for the seventh annual four-mile race around the traditionally Irish neighborhood. Since its beginnings in 2006, the Shamrock Run, taking place Saturday, March 10, has unofficially kicked off the training run series for the longer and hillier Mountain Goat Run, scheduled for May 6. And so Syrathon goes through late October, with the Eastwood 5-mile race.
Four years ago, the brain trust at Syracuse City Parks and Fleet Feet approached the Syracuse New Times about joining forces for a race series that would encourage, and reward, participation in a number of races that run through, or adjacent to, city parks. And so the Syrathon race challenge was born. In the intervening years, Syrathoners have welcomed more and more runners, celebrated the wedding of a couple that has run every race every year, and witnessed the growth of the challenge to now include eight races.
Because Syrathon 2012 has added Valley Nature in the City, a four-mile run on Aug. 18, and A Run For Their Life, with 15-kilometer and 5K options, on Oct. 14, the challenge has changed. Runners who complete the longest distances of all eight races will have covered 42.5 miles and will earn the title UltraSyrathoner. Those less inclined, although still mighty motivated, can opt for the traditional Syrathon, accumulating 26.2 marathon miles throughout the March-to-October race series.
Either choice will give runners the chance to win prizes, earn a Syrathon T-shirt and receive a medal. UltraSyrathoners will have their names considered for a special, end-of-season raffle. If you want a Syrathon 2012 tech shirt, you must register for the challenge by June 2 and participate in every race. You can also enter for prizes at the Fleet Feet table at each race.
“We want everyone to feel welcome to participate,” said Chris Abbott, program director for the Syracuse Department of Parks, Recreation and Youth Programs. “Even if you do one or two of these neighborhood races, there’s still the race-day prize drawings and the atmosphere of running through a city park and a city neighborhood. If this is your first venture into road running, you’re still guaranteed to have a good time and improve your fitness.”
Here are the races in a nutshell. Since so many of them are later in the season, many details aren’t firmed up. We suggest you check back as race dates get closer.
Tipp Hill Shamrock Run. Four miles, with a kids’ fun run at 10 a.m., and the race at 11 a.m. Meet at the Coleridge Avenue entrance to Burnet Park. Saturday, March 10. Race day entry fee is $35; the fun run costs $5. Green attire is encouraged to help you get up those hellish hills; front-porch and street corner musicians make the trek even more enjoyable. tipphillrun.com.
Mountain Goat Run. The main event here (and the one that will help you become an UltraSyrathoner) is the legendary 10-mile run up and down some of the city’s fiercest hills as they lead into and out of Onondaga and Thornden parks. Goat race-day entry peaks at $50. If you’re not ready for that race, try the 3K through downtown; kids can enjoy a romp of their own. Festivities get under way Sunday, May 6, at 9:15 a.m. Prepare yourself for those hills during the training run series, March 24 to April 28. This year, a $5 fee will be charged to help offset the cost of police presence and traffic control. mountaingoatrun.com.
Paige’s Butterfly Run. A fun 5K run along portions of the Creekwalk and Leavenworth Park, for a terrific cause: the Center for Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders at Golisano Children’s Hospital. A 3K and children’s caterpillar crawl complete the lineup. June 2, 9 a.m. is when the main event starts at North Franklin Street near the Federal Building. Race-day registration is $40. paigesbutterflyrun.org.
Valley Nature in the City Run. Two years old, this 4-mile race includes a hilly mile through the old-growth forest Rand Tract, a little-known jewel off Valley Drive. The race begins and ends at Meachem Field, West Seneca Turnpike, Aug. 18, at a time to be announced. Race-day registration is $25. getentered.com.
Inner Harbor 5K. With a start/finish at the Inner Harbor, West Kirkpatrick Street, this 3.1-mile run also highlights Leavenworth Park and the Creekwalk. A 1-mile children’s run is part of the morning as well. Aug. 26, 9 a.m. Race-day entry costs $30. innerwealth.org.
Strathmore Parks Run. This scenic 4-mile run through Onondaga Park, in this Southwest Side neighborhood, includes a trip around Woodlawn Reservoir, with stunning views of the city below. Free Gannon’s ice cream served to all runners. Sept. 23, 2 p.m. Register on race day for $25. strathmoreparksrun.com.
A Run for Their Life. These races, run to benefit the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fun, premiered last year, and feature a 5K and tough 15K race. Both races start at Clarendon Street and Ostrom Avenue, near Thornden Park, and end at Manley Field House’s Comstock Avenue entrance. The website does not have registration information posted yet, although you can save Oct. 14 as the date. Be sure to check cmbarunfortheirlife.com as summer progresses.
Eastwood Park-to-Park Autumn Run. This 5-mile race through the city’s East Side neighborhood features fall foliage, friendly fans and a fantastic finish around Henninger High School’s track. More information to follow at eastwoodneighbor.com.
For more information on the entire Syrathon race series, visit fleetfeetsyracuse.com, syracuse.ny.us/parks or syracusenewtimes.com.
—Molly English-Bowers
