The Crunch closed out the 2014-15 season with a whimper. They lost nine of their last ten games, saw the Northeast Division title slip away into the paws of the Hartford Wolf Pack, and home ice advantage disappear before their eyes. However, the playoffs offer a clean slate and the chance to fight for the legendary Calder Cup. In the first round of the playoffs, the Crunch, the fifth seed in Eastern Conference, will take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the fourth seed in the same conference. What chance to the Crunch have? Will they rise to the test or continue their slide to elimination? Time to break it down.
Why the Crunch will win: The Crunch Won the Regular Season Series: In the regular season, the Crunch and the Baby Pens played four games. The Crunch won three of them while the Penguins won once. That one win for WBS came in overtime. This bodes well for the Crunch. This is an opponent they know well and can beat. However, each game was decided by only one goal. If the trend continues, expect every game in this series to be close. Hopefully the Crunch can get that one extra goal that beats the Pens. Healthy Returns: In the last games of the regular season, the Crunch were without players due to injuries and call-ups. Though some players, like Vladdy and Vlasy, are probably staying in Tampa for the NHL playoffs, there are others who are going to return and provide a huge boost. Captain Mike Angelidis and Assistant Captain Joey Mormina are on track to return from injury and bring their gritty leadership to the team. It is also good to see Luke Witkowski back with the team and boosting the defense. Now, if Tampa Bay is eliminated by Detroit before the series is over (I can only pray,) the Crunch may get some help sent down to them and propel them to victories. However, I do feel with the talent the Crunch has right now, with guys like Gourde, Marchessault, Ikonen, and Richard, the Crunch can go on a deep playoff run. Why the Crunch will Fall: The Slump: The Crunch fell apart at the end of the season. It was embarrassing. Losing to teams like the Flames, Sound Tigers, and Devils is bad. Losing to them with epic collapses in the third period in each game, even more humiliating. This Crunch team has problems holding on late in the game. They start fast then fall flat on their butt by the end of the first period. The penalty kill has been doing better, but not by much. Our power play is horrendous. We play better when we are a man down. This slump is overbearing and something that won't be broken easily. Unless something big happens to the Crunch or the Penguins catch the slump bug, I don't think the Crunch will break from this. Pens Have Power Between the Pipes: The Penguins defense give up an average of only 2.11 goals per game. That's crazy good. Why is that so good? Really good goalies. Matt Murray was named the AHL Goalie of the Year award, with 25 wins in 39 games and a 1.51 goals against average. Talk about trying to beat a brick wall. Then, there is his partner in crime Jeff Zatkoff. Another force to be reckoned with. Together, they won the AHL's Best Goalie Duo Award by only letting in 163 goals the entire 2013-14 season. Here's what I'm seeing right now. I'm looking at a Crunch team who is not very good on offense going up against two goalies who don't let opponents score many goals. Bottom line, the Crunch aren't going to being lighting up the goal in this series. Questionable Goalies: Gudlevskis is a strong goalie with little defensive support. However, there are plenty of times recently where he has been a major part in the Crunch's collapse. Also, he is not strong enough to start every night. This wasn't a big problem when the Crunch had Vlasy in the wings. However, Adam Wilcox is not Vlasy. Wilcox is a good college goalie who is yet to make a statement in professional hockey. Maybe the playoffs will bring out his full potential and I'll be surprised. However, the inexperience between our pipes is not a good thing. If I'm Zettler, I'm telling the defense to do whatever they can to keep the Pens away from the goalie. Two Different Crunch Teams: When the Crunch faced the Penguins in the regular season, they were stacked with our original starters and stars. However, the team we have now is very, very different. Like I've stated, they don't have Vladdy or Vlasy on Syracuse is home to some great teams and franchises. There are the Chiefs, who have been a staple of summer in the Salt City for over half a century. The Crunch have been rocking the War Memorial for 21 years and have proven Syracuse is not a "hockey graveyard" as it was in the past. Most recently, the Silver Knights have brought professional indoor soccer to Syracuse and have seen growing success going into their fifth year of existence.
On the contrary, Syracuse has also seen several teams in various sports come and go over the years. In this article, I'm going to jog your memory about these lost teams, share my thoughts on why they failed, and ponder if there's a chance the teams could return to the Cuse and actually stay for extended tenure. Let's begin. The "Hockey Graveyard" Teams (Syracuse Stars, Syracuse Firebirds, Syracuse Eagles, Syracuse Hornets, Syracuse Warriors/Indians, Syracuse Blazers)- Believe it or not, Syracuse has been the home to several hockey teams that have played in the American Hockey League and various other minor hockey leagues. For the Syracuse Stars, they were part of the original IAHL and AHL. In fact, the Stars won the first AHL championship in 1936-37, but it was before the Calder Cup Trophy was created. They also remain the last Syracuse hockey franchise to win an AHL championship. The Blazers were a force in the sixties and seventies, winning one Eastern Hockey League Championship and two North American Hockey League Championships. Unfortunately, the Blazers folded when the NAHL closed it's doors. Otherwise, hockey teams that came to Syracuse did not have long lives. The Firebirds died in Syracuse after being moved from Philadelphia while the Indians/Warriors had short stops in Syracuse before being moved to Springfield, Massachusetts. The Eagles got in one season before disappearing while the Hornets lasted only ten games before folding...very sad. I actually own two game worn Syracuse Hornets jerseys. Talk about a rare find. Why such failure? To start, Syracuse was used a lot as a transition city for teams moving from city to city. Compare it to today's Adirondack teams. The Phantoms moved to Glens Falls from Philly until Leigh Valley was ready to host the team. Now, the Flames are only playing until Stockton becomes Calgary's affiliate next season. You also have to look at the records of all the teams. Most of the teams did not have great winning percentages needed to stay around in any professional hockey league. I hate to pick on the Hornets, but in the ten games they played before folding, they never won a game. They lost nine games and managed one tie while giving up 99 goals. Once again, ouch. Thankfully, the Syracuse Crunch have proven that Syracuse is not a town that hockey teams go to die. They have seen action in the AHL playoffs on a constant basis, including reaching the Calder Cup finals in 2012-13. Most recently, the Crunch set the hockey indoor attendance record this season at the Toyota Frozen Dome (30,716,) proving that the Salt City is filled with hockey lovers. Overall, being a "hockey graveyard" is a thing of the past. Syracuse Bullies/Raging Bullz/Shockwave- Syracuse loves basketball. Well, college basketball. However, from 1949-1963, Syracuse had a NBA team called the Nationals. They even won a NBA Championship for the 1954-55 season. However, they were purchased in 1963 and moved to Philly where they continue to play as the 76ers. Since then, professional basketball has been absent in the Salt City. But don't believe there hasn't been attempts to bring it back to Central New York. In 2006, the American Basketball Association announced that Syracuse would be getting a team. That would be the best news to ever come out concerning the team. Owner Nicholas Fitts wanted to pay tribute to the Chicago Bulls by naming the name Bullies. That went over like driving a Lamborghini on the pothole filled streets of Downtown Syracuse. Outrage rose from the Syracuse community and the team was forced to drop the nickname. In order to bring the team more publicity and allow fans to have their voices heard, a name the team contest was held throughout the city. I don't know if that many people voted because the name chosen was Raging Bullz. Real big change there. Not only that, what do Bulls have to do with Syracuse? We have farms but they don't really reflect our city's image. Storm, Snowballers, Freeze, Whiteout maybe, just maybe. Anyways, the Raging Bullz played two games in the War Memorial in 2007 before the team announced game cancellations in order to better boost attendance and establish the team. In other words, they knew it would not be long before the inevitable. Not long after, the team folded, leaving the city without a pro team once again. Time passed without anyone giving real though about the Raging Bullz or ABA basketball in Syracuse. Then, in 2009, it was announced Syracuse would once again have a ABA team under owner Chuck Ivanrone. This time, the nickname would be the Shockwave, less controversial, but still lacking real connection to the city. Before the team could even get going, Ivanrone, a soldier in the US military, was called into duty over in Iraq, thus delaying the team's formation and start in the ABA. No one can really complain about that, serving your country is always more honorable than trying to run a little basketball team. Once again, time passed. No one heard anything from the team. At one point, I posted a comment about the Shockwave being a failure on their Facebook page, which was their idea of a website. I even tried to contact Ivanrone for a school project and get updates on if the team was still a reality or completely folded. No answer. Finally, in the fall of 2014, the Shockwave reappeared, promising to start play later that year. We've have heard that before right? Broken record keeps on playing. And what do you know, not long later, the team announced suspending operations because lack of practices and not being able to find an arena to play in. Sigh, another fail. If you ask me, Ivanrone has two options: 1.) Get more investors with funds to actually make this team off the ground 2.) Give up. Let's face it, that college on the hill fills the need and desire for basketball in Syracuse. Any other team who tries to gain a following around here is going to struggle. Another thing you have to really look at is the availability and cost of a arena. With the Crunch and Silver Knights already splitting time in the War Memorial, that kinda makes it hard to get another team of any sport into the facility. The SRC Arena is spectacular, but it comes with a price and a schedule filled with OCC sports and other community events. If it was my decision, I'd look to LeMoyne or a local high school to start. Otherwise, forget having a basketball team in Syracuse ever again. Syracuse Soldiers- Let me start by saying I find indoor football exciting. However, I don't think too many people in Syracuse would agree with me. In 2006, the AIFL announced the Syracuse Soldiers would enter the league and be coached by Syracuse Orange great Kirby Dar-Dar. However, they only managed to play eleven games and compile a 1-10 record before moving to Binghamton and becoming the Brigade/Brigadiers. Shortly after moving to Binghamton, they folded and were never heard from again. Let's face the facts here, football in Syracuse is not great. The team on the hill, well, they have been on a low for a very long time. The Soldiers came and went in a blink of an eye. Arena Football overall has struggled in the past few years. I don't think we'll be seeing any pro football, indoor or outdoor, anytime in Syracuse. Syracuse Scorpions/Suns/Salty Dogs- Believe it or not, Syracuse is quickly becoming a soccer rich area. The Silver Knights have grown into a winning machine in the MASL while the teams on the hill are improving greatly. On the contrary, the Salt City has had a couple soccer teams that saw success in the past but were cut off before they could fully bloom. In the late sixties/early seventies, the Syracuse Scorpions called Old Mac and Griffin Field their home and played in the American Soccer League. In their first season, the Scorpions went to finals after knocking off the Rochester Lancers (note: The Rochester Lancers were an outdoor soccer team that played in the ASL and NASL before they were revived in the MISL in 2011.) However, the Scorpions lost to the Washington Darts in the finals. Then, they folded halfway through the 1970 season. Sad. But, the Salt City would get another team in the Suns, who would try to pick up where the Scorpions left off in 1971. However, the Suns would fade in and out of existence until completely closing shop in 1974. Professional soccer would not appear again in Syracuse until 2003 when the Salty Dogs came into the USL A-League. In two seasons, the Salty Dogs saw the playoffs once in 2004, making it to the league semi-finals. However, there is one thing that can be blamed for sinking the team to their demise in 2004. One, they did not have true home. The team played most of their games at P&C/Alliance Bank/NBT Stadium but were also forced to play several matches at local high schools. Why? The Syracuse Chiefs. The Chiefs management did not like sharing the stadium and the price for the soccer club to use the stadium came with huge financial burden. The team did try to get the city to build a soccer stadium downtown, but that fell though when the team went under. I never did make it to a Salty Dogs' game. I regret that fully, I heard they were a fun time. Thankfully, former Salty Dog Tommy Tanner brought Syracuse professional soccer back to Syracuse back in the form of the Silver Knights in 2011. However, I fully believe outdoor soccer can make a return to CNY. Jason Smorol, the Chiefs' owner, has a good relationship with the Knights, unlike the old Chiefs' regime. Hey Jason, if you're reading this, talk to Tommy and discuss forming a team to play at the stadium! The Silver Knights' players would have a team for the summer and fall that would keep them in a town that already loves them. Syracuse Smash- Let me start by saying lacrosse at any level should be able to prosper in Syracuse. We are a home base for lacrosse with some of the best players coming out of the area. In the late 90's, the Syracuse Smash joined the National Lacrosse League, playing out of the War Memorial. They had similar colors to the Crunch at the time, but not the success. In three seasons, the Smash won only 6 games, none of them came on the road. They were moved to Ottawa after that. I am really surprised by that. Syracuse and the Onondaga Nation have great success in lacrosse. Obviously, you need to win. I think that's what sunk the team. Recently, there has been a team, the Syracuse Stingers, that have played some exhibition games in the Old Barn that have gotten a ton of attention. Why not get them into the NLL? If not them, why not another team? Maybe we can get a team for the Major Lacrosse League? No matter what, I think a lacrosse team today would be successful. Heck, Syracuse/Onondaga Nation is hosting the 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships this fall. I think it's a sign that pro-lacrosse cannot be far from coming to Syracuse. Conclusion: Like many cities, Syracuse has had some teams that last and some that have barely even come to exist. Right now, we have some great franchises that fans should never fear to cheer for. Is there room for another one, of course. Will more come and go? Probably. At the end of the day, to be successful in Syracuse, you have to have three things: 1.) A well funded plan 2.) The ability to get a consistent and loyal fan base 3.) Success in the form of winning. If someone is able to do that, Syracuse will remain a great sports town and be open for more teams. Thanks/Credits: http://www.hockeydb.com/stte/syracuse-eagles-8363.html http://www.hockeydb.com/stte/syracuse-blazers-8360.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse_Stars http://www.hockeydb.com/stte/syracuse-firebirds-8364.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield_Indians http://www.hockeydb.com/stte/syracuse-hornets-8365.html http://www.funwhileitlasted.net/2014/10/04/1980-syracuse-hornets/ http://www.nba.com/sixers/history/syracuse_nationals_index.html http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2007/06/bullies_to_change_name.html http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2905399 http://www.cnycentral.com/news/content.aspx?id=69139 http://roc.democratandchronicle.com/article/20071207/SPORTS/712070371/Syracuse-ABA-team-moving-Rochester http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/syracuse_in_line_for_another_t.html http://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/index.ssf/2014/09/former_syracuse_university_player_ryan_blackwell_will_coach_abas_syracuse_shockw.html http://www.syracuse.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/10/the_abas_syracuse_shockwave_will_not_play_in_2014-15_season.html http://www.syracuse.com/poliquin/index.ssf/2006/05/the_syracuse_soldiers_have_mar.html http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3262031 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse_Soldiers http://www.funwhileitlasted.net/2013/02/17/1969-1970-syracuse-scorpions/ http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1970.html#ASL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse_Suns http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochester_Lancers http://www.espnfc.com/story/314643/a-leagues-syracuse-salty-dogs-fold http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse_Salty_Dogs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse_Smash http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/01/onondaga_nation_man_wants_to_b.html http://wilc2015.com/schedule/ http://blog.syracuse.com/sports/2013/02/syracuse_stingers_exhibition_g.html Photo Credits: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2b/SyracuseSmash.png http://content.sportslogos.net/logos/2/570/thumbs/fq3f8c1cg62sec8vjoicxrj9o.gif http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/15/SyracuseSaltyDogs.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/bc/SyracuseBullies.PNG/220px-SyracuseBullies.PNG http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5e/SyracuseRagingBullzLogo.jpg/200px-SyracuseRagingBullzLogo.jpg http://imgick.syracuse.com/home/syr-media/width620/img/axeman/photo/15432985-large.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d7/Soldiers.PNG A Conversation with Jim Tucker: A Championship Basketball Player and Outstanding Human Being4/10/2015 Yesterday evening, I had to honor to talk to Jim Tucker. For those of you who do not know, Tucker was one of the first African American basketball players to win an NBA Championship. That championship came exactly 60 years ago today. The team Tucker was on...the Syracuse Nationals. Tonight, the Syracuse Crunch are honoring the 1954-55 Syracuse Nationals team that won the franchises' only NBA Championship. In case you are still lost, the Syracuse Nationals existed from 1949 until 1963 before they were purchased, moved to Philadelphia, and named the 76ers. During their time in Syracuse, the Nationals played in the War Memorial, the exact building where they will be honored tonight before the Crunch take on the Sound Tigers. The moment I first walked up to Tucker, I knew this man personified class. He had a smile and a glimmer in his eyes that I knew was only strengthened from the joy of he and his teammates being honored for their historic accomplishment. Now, I assumed a lot of people have probably asked him "What is it like to win an NBA Championship?" or other generic basketball questions time and time again. Instead, I wanted to pick his brain on his time in Syracuse and the state of basketball in the city. For the next ten minutes, I was treated to a thoughtful and honest conversation with Tucker. Every answer he had for me was pure, meaningful, and delivered in a cheerful tone. I asked him about playing in the War Memorial and how it stacked up to other arenas. Laughing, he called it the "Old Barn" or "The Barn" a lot, a name that still sticks with the arena to this day. He brought up playing in places like Madison Square Garden and the Boston Garden, but he still stood by that playing in the "Old Barn" was something all its own. I then asked him if he thinks the War Memorial has changed much since his time playing in there. He assured me that it probably has. Hopefully, he and his teammates will be proud of the state of the Barn and feel a warmth of being able to return to where the magic happen. A topic I then brought up with him was the lack of professional basketball presence in Syracuse today. Being only 22 years old, I told him I have only read and heard about the Nationals and how wonderful it was when the NBA had a team in Syracuse. Honestly, I wish I was alive when the Nationals were still around. I explained that the city has nearly had some ABA teams come play here, but they disappeared as quick as they surfaced (my next article actually discusses this topic in-depth.) I asked him what it would take to get a team of any level to come and have success in Syracuse. His answer was straight forward, businessmen interested in a team and investors willing to back it. It makes complete sense. Why have the Chiefs and Crunch been main stays for so long here? Why have the Silver Knights come in and done so well? They have people backing them up not just in the stands and on the field, but in the front offices. If you think about it, the basketball teams that have tried to come here have had little to no support to even get them off the ground. He also agreed with me that using Syracuse University players from the past and tapping into the city's love for the Orange would not be a bad move either. If you can get some players from the school to come play after graduation, people who cheered them on up at the Dome may be more likely to come cheer them on if they play for a professional Syracuse team. He also said getting fans like the Crunch have would be beneficial as well. The 24 second shot clock was also a talking point with Tucker. He told me it was a huge change for the game. Another memory jogger, the 24 second shot clock was created by National's owner Danny Biasone and was first used in the 1954-55 season. He told me that games become a lot faster with the new shot clock. No longer could teams hold the ball for long periods of time and keep the pace of play at a very slow. I compared the game before the shot clock to present day women's' lacrosse, a sport that is in desperate need of a shot clock. As I wrapped up my conversation with Tucker, I explained that his teammate, Larry Costello, was born in my hometown of Minoa and the town has signs that honor him for being a championship basketball player. I could see Tucker's eyes light up and he smiled at this. I then thanked Tucker for not only talking to me, but for giving Syracuse something historic, something that it can always celebrate and take pride in. I congratulated him on the anniversary of the win, in which came with a firm handshake and another huge smile. Jim Tucker is man that represents what athletes should be and a person that anyone can look up to. Tucker is truly one of a kind and is a great representation of the Syracuse Nationals team. I don't think I've met someone so polite, well-spoken, and genuine as Jim Tucker. He fully deserves the ceremony that he and his 1954-55 Syracuse Nationals teammates are receiving tonight at the Crunch game. With that, I also can whole heartily say that Howard Dolgan and the Syracuse Crunch organization have once again given someone the proper attention and recognition they deserve in the grandest of ways. Much applause! Thanks/Credit: Jim Tucker- Thanks for letting me pick your brain and giving me a memory I will cherish forever. The conversation ranks in top of my best career moments. http://www.nba.com/history/24secondclock.html http://syracusecrunch.com/news/2015/4/9/Crunch_0409154625.aspx http://syracusecrunch.com/news/2015/3/23/Crunch_0323153303.aspx Picture Credit: http://radiotimeline.com/wndr1955-Syracuse_Nationals.jpg This just in! The Syracuse Media Group has broke that the Syracuse Chiefs have released their new uniforms for this year in which the organization promised would bring a positive change. In the article, pictures of the team's new away and alternate threads were displayed and bring a fresh look to the Chiefs. The away jersey, which has "Syracuse" in a red cursive text on the chest, red lettering on the back, and the Chiefs' primary logo on the left sleeve is very similar to the Washington Nationals' jersey design. Their alternate jersey is very eye catching. The jersey is blue with red trim and red down the sides. The primary logo is on the upper left chest and the lettering on the back of the jersey is white.
With the new jerseys, a black patch reading "TEX" will be worn on the right sleeve of the uniforms to honor the late Anthony "Tex" Simone. Simone passed away earlier this year and will be remembered for his long and successful tenure in the Chiefs' front office. My overall reaction...wow! I like the new uniforms very much. They are simple yet refreshing to the old jerseys of white, black, and blue. In my opinion, those jerseys should have died when the Chiefs left the Toronto Blue Jays affiliation. These new uniforms will brighten up the players on the field and bring a total new look to the organization. Another step in the right direction for the Chiefs' under Jason Smorol! You can see the jerseys here: http://www.syracuse.com/chiefs/index.ssf/2015/04/first_look_at_syracuse_chiefs_new_uniforms_for_2015.html Thanks/Credits: http://www.syracuse.com/chiefs/index.ssf/2015/04/first_look_at_syracuse_chiefs_new_uniforms_for_2015.html http://www.syracuse.com/chiefs/index.ssf/2015/03/syracuse_chiefs_will_wear_new_jerseys_in_2015_season.html#incart_related_stories http://www.syracuse.com/chiefs/index.ssf/2015/04/syracuse_chiefs_will_wear_shoulder_patch_to_honor_tex_simone.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter |
Nicholas Episcopo
Broadcasting Graduate Archives
November 2018
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