If you don’t quite feel like you know this Syracuse basketball team yet – if you’re confused about it’s ability, attitude or outlook – don’t worry.

Syracuse players haven’t figured it out either.

With the start of practice just a few weeks away, Syracuse is suffering from a mild identity crisis. Are the 2003-04 Orangemen going to be boastful defending champions who feed off last year’s success? Or are they going to forget last season in an attempt to maintain their usual underdog persona?

‘We’re trying to kind of figure it out,’ SU forward Hakim Warrick said. ‘So far, I’m not really sure what’s working.’

They’ve tried both.

When Syracuse players returned to school, they seemed eager to leave last season in the past. They swore off the parades and celebrations that came after last year’s title. They took down pictures from the Final Four and, for the most part, stopped wearing national championship clothing.

After only a few weeks of wearing their national championship rings, Syracuse players vowed to take them off.

‘Last year was last year,’ SU guard Gerry McNamara said. ‘This is a whole new season, with a whole new set of goals. We can’t sit around thinking about what we did last year always.’

But, other times, that’s exactly what they’ve done.

In workouts, Syracuse players talk about the national championship incessantly. All four Syracuse freshmen know every detail of every post-championship minute, even though they weren’t around to experience it.

‘You almost get sick of hearing about it so much,’ said Terrence Roberts, a freshman forward. ‘They talk about that stuff to motivate us, to show us the championship tradition. It’s like, ‘OK, we got it already.’ ‘

So which path, which identity, will Syracuse choose? Remember or forget?

‘We’re going to be the defending national champions no matter what,’ said Josh Pace, a junior guard. ‘Things aren’t going to be the same in terms of motivation as (the beginning of last year) just cause we try to forget about it.

‘The best thing for us to do is come up with some sort of combination. Pretty soon, we’ll get it.’

Must-see TV

A season later, the national championship continues to increase Syracuse’s exposure.

The Orangemen will be on national TV 11 times this season before the Big East Tournament, the highest total in SU’s recent history. ESPN will broadcast eight games, while CBS plans to show three.

For the first time in its history, Syracuse will have a nationally televised exhibition game. On Nov. 11, the Harlem Globetrotters visit the Carrier Dome – and ESPN will be there.

CBS will take three weekend games: Saturday, Jan. 3 against Michigan State; Sunday, Feb. 29 at Pittsburgh; and Sunday, March 7 against Connecticut. Four Syracuse games will be part of ESPN’s Big Monday. Of the 11 televised games, six are at home.

‘In terms of attendance, you get hurt a little bit,’ said Jake Crouthamel, SU’s director of athletics. ‘It hurts more on TV on weeknight games than on weekend games, but it will all average out.’

Talkin’ Terrence

In just a few months at Syracuse, Roberts, the freshman forward, has made one thing clear to his Syracuse teammates.

‘He likes to talk,’ Warrick said. ‘And talk and talk and talk.’

So we let him. Here’s what Roberts had to say about five of his new SU teammates.

On Josh Pace: ‘He’s a confident shooter now. He shoots at least three 3-pointers in every scrimmage. He’s a lot better than I thought.’

On Gerry McNamara: ‘Nothing to say. He’s just a shooter. That boy’s always hot. I’ve seen him take it hard to the hoop, too. That kind of surprised me.’

On Hakim Warrick: ‘He’s just so good all-around that he could play (small forward). I love the way he dunks it. I got a lot of my dunking skills from just watching Hakim play last year.’

On Craig Forth: ‘He’s better than he looked on TV. Plus, he’s a big leader. Academically, he doesn’t even worry about grades because it comes easy to him now. That’s what I want.’

On Matt Gorman: ‘He’s got a lot of stuff you haven’t seen yet. He’s a sleeper, man. A big-time sleeper. He’s got a jump hook you wouldn’t believe.’

A lot of praise for his new teammates. But here’s his take on what would happen if SU’s four freshman scrimmaged McNamara, Billy Edelin, Pace and Warrick nine times: ‘Oh man, it would be real close. I think we’d kill them sometimes. They would probably win five times. We’d win four. And they’d only win because they have a little more experience.’

Published on October 7, 2003 at 12:00 pm