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NEW YORK – Greetings from Madison Square Garden, home of the Big East's annual basketball pre-season media day. It was fitting that this year's event, due to construction, was held in MSG's theater. The same room also hosts the NBA Draft, where so many conference players hope to cap their college careers in June.

The Orange were well represented on the coaches' preseason polls, placing third with Kris Joseph, Rick Jackson and Fab Melo all earning individual recognition. Coach Jim Boeheim joked that the rankings were "an over-correction" for last year's picks that had SU sixth (they won the regular season conference championship by two games) and without a preseason all-league player (Wesley Johnson was Big East Player of the Year).

You can see our interviews with Boeheim, Joseph, Jackson and Scoop Jardine and a league overview from Bill Raftery of CBS and ESPN on Orange All Access.

John Marinatto opened the proceedings with the commissioner's annual address. He began with the conference's best wishes to Rutgers linebacker Eric LeGrand, who was seriously injured Saturday. We certainly echo that.

Next came welcomes to the league's four new coaches: Steve Lavin (St. John's from ESPN and UCLA), Oliver Purnell (DePaul from Clemson), Mike Rice (Rutgers from Robert Morris) and Kevin Willard (Seton Hall from Iona).

Football Midterm Report: With six regular season games down and six left, everyone is issuing midseason grades. There are numerous ways to document the improvement from last year to this year. The two-game swing in record, 2-4 to 4-2, is the most substantial evidence. Here's more.

NCAA Rankings Through Six Games

NCAA Ranks (of 120)	2010	2009	Difference
Rushing Offense	65^th	109^th	+43
Passing Offense	68^th	55^th	-13
Total Offense	73^rd	99^th	+26
Scoring Offense	72^nd	91^st	+19
Rushing Defense	35^th	17^th	-18
Passing Defense	23^rd	118^th	+95
Total Defense	18^th	84^th	+66
Scoring Defense	33^rd	98^th	+65

The most dramatic gain has been in pass defense, from nearly worst in the country to the top 25. In real numbers, this year's team is allowing just 178 yards per game, down 44.8 from this time last year. Scott Shafer's group has allowed more than 150 passing yards only twice so far this season, both losses. By last year's midway point, all six opponents had thrown for at least 200 yards.

Big Play Profile: When you size up the Mountaineers, you have to be fearful of their big play potential. West Virginia has four players that have at least one run of 20-plus yards and four with a reception of at least 30 yards.

Did You Know?: Syracuse has just as many players that meet the explosive play criteria above, more if you count WR Aaron Weaver, who had a 32-yard catch before his season ending injury.

This Week's Broadcasts:
Tonight/8:00p    TK99            AmeriCU Doug Marrone Show (guest: recruiting coordinator Greg Adkins)
Thu./8:45a          TK99            Win tickets on Free Parking with Gomez & Dave
Thu./7:00p          TWCS          Syracuse Sidelines
Sat./10:00a         TK99            FB at West Virginia
Saturday's TV: ESPN2 (Jets radio voice Bob Wischusen and former NFL quarterback Brian Griese).

I'd be happy to field your questions on anything regarding the Orange. Shoot me an email to the Radio Mailbox.