Before his ESPN debut today, Syracuse grad Anish Shroff shared some sports insight with The Daily Orange:
The Daily Orange: You grew up a huge Yankees fan. Do you support the Giants just as much?
Anish Shroff: I'm definitely rooting for the Giants. I don't know if I can root for the Patriots. I actually grew up a 49ers fan. A lot of people I knew were big Giants fans growing up. The Giants and Niners had a pretty big rivalry. Ever since Super Bowl XXIV, when the Niners beat the Broncos, and Montana threw the five touchdown passes, I became a 49er fan.
D.O.: What is your scouting report on the two Super Bowl teams, and who do you think will win the big game?
A.S: It's kind of been trendy to pick against the Patriots this postseason. As much as I'd like to see them lose, it's tough to pick against them. Tom Brady threw three interceptions last game, was allegedly hurt, did not play his best game, and they still handily beat the Chargers. The defense came up with big plays. The Giants do have a good pass rush, but they're banged up in the secondary. If the Giants can control the ball, put up points on touchdowns and not field goals, and hold on to the lead, then they can do it. But again, Bill Belichick has two weeks to prepare for the Giants. We've already seen them play once with two weeks of preparation. He's got a wealth of information. The Giants will give them a run for their money, and they're hot right now. As much as I think it'd be a great upset to see the Giants win, I'm not sure that it'll happen.
D.O.: Now that we are nearly halfway through the NBA season, who is your early pick to win it all?
A.S.: I still have a hard time picking against San Antonio in a seven-game series. New Orleans has come alive, but they're still a bit away. Phoenix is dangerous, but there is some internal conflict there. The Lakers have (Andrew) Bynum hurt, so that hurts them. Kobe's in his prime, so Bynum has to come through when he gets back. Boston is going to run over the East, but San Antonio is the best team. All those guys sacrifice for the greater good. San Antonio-Boston will make a great series. I have a bias toward Boston teams, so San Antonio.
D.O.: What needs to happen for Syracuse to take the next level in football?
A.S.: Offensive line needs to block. It's that simple. Mike Williams is one of the top returning wide-receivers in the Big East. They have some strong freshmen coming in. A lot of guys are coming back from injury. This could be a very fun thing to watch if everything can come together. Not to make excuses, but this team did have a lot of injuries. The key is still going to be their offensive line though. How many times did Andrew Robinson hit the ground? Too many.
D.O.: What is your take on the state of the Orange men's basketball team?
A.S.: The type of season they're having has to be expected. Eric Devendorf is your top returning scorer from last year, and he's out for the year. To be honest, I've been impressed with them. For a team with a starting line-up with three freshman and two other guys who haven't had much experience at the college level, they've done quite well. You can't say they've been a disappointment because there has not been much veteran leadership. I think they'll pull off a few upsets over the course of the season and maybe even steal one or two games in the Big East Tournament. .
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