In 2005, the Syracuse athletic department decided to retire the number 44 and ignore a tradition many in the Syracuse football fanbase, like me, proudly enjoyed. The administration at that time seemed determined to change the culture around the program after firing Head Coach Paul Pasqualoni and wanting to make the Orange the “USC of the east coast.”
They tried to convince people that this was beyond overdue and had pomp and circumstances that surrounded it. The thing about trying to change is if you don’t know the culture, you’re setting yourself up to disappoint those who love it, and that includes me.