Pitarresi: Setting the record straight

After LeMoyne College defeated Syracuse University's basketball team in an exhibition game a couple of weeks ago, I wrote in this space that the Orange hadn't lost to a New York State team since 1957.

That's not true, of course, and at least a couple of readers took me to task for my clumsy attempt at hyperbole and my lack of precision.

What I wanted to convey was that it has been a long time since SU has lost to another team from the state, AT HOME. Obviously, I did a poor job. I picked 1957 out of the air because I mistakenly thought it was sufficiently remote that everyone would realize it was an exaggeration. I should have written "1906" or "since Jim Boeheim was in diapers," but those might not have worked, either, given the eagerness with which readers rush to be offended. Or correct dim-witted sportswriters. And I did not qualify the statement with "at home." No excuse there.

However, I am fully aware that SU has lost many games to New York teams since 1957. I have written many times, for example, that Colgate last beat the Orange in 1962. I'm pretty good at math, and I calculate that was at least five years after 1957. I also grew up a Niagara University basketball fan, and I know the Purple Eagles won four out of five from the Orange from 1968 through 1970, with Calvin Murphy contributing games 68 and 50 points. After the 68-pointer, Roy Danforth was asked what he thought of Murphy. Always good for a laugh, Danforth replied that, "He doesn't go to his left very well." In 1976, in Danforth's last season as head coach, SU lost to St. John's and Niagara in a span of four days. Since Boeheim took over the next season, however, losses to Niagara, Canisius and St. Bonaventure have been rare to nonexistent. St. John's is another matter. Boeheim has won 36 of 56 games against St. John's, so - and here's the math thing again - that's at least 20 in-state defeats. St. John's is located in Queens, which is part of New York City, which is still part of New York State, until further notice.

Some readers became very irritated by that blog. One wrote - you can check back below - that it was "another worthless article by a frivolous writer." I first thought he wrote "priceless" and "marvelous," but, no, that was just another error on my part. Worthless? Yeah, I guess. After all, it's on-line and it's free! And you're not required by law to read it. Frivolous? I hope that doesn't mean what I think it means, or there is going to be a fight.

To set the record straight, St. John's defeated SU 64-60 on Jan. 21, 2007 in New York. That's the last Orange loss to a New York State team. If you took my statement literally, I'd only be off by half a century. St. John's defeated the Orange 75-70 on Jan. 27, 1999 at the Carrier Dome. I've triple checked that, and it appears to be the last Syracuse loss to a New York State team at home. I still had a lot of dark hair back then.

I hope that makes everyone happy now, but I seriously doubt it.