Ten years after he led Syracuse University to a NCAA title as a freshman in 2003. Carmelo Anthony returned to the Carrier Dome to have his #15 jersey retired. A scenario that almost didn’t happen until Jim Boeheim showed up in Baltimore.
“He (Syracuse scout Troy Weaver) came to Baltimore and said ‘You need to be wearing orange’,’’ Anthony recalled. “I thought he was crazy at first. It was too cold. The next day, I came home from school and Jim Boeheim was sitting on my front step.
“Once I saw Jim Boeheim on my front step something just clicked in my mind,’’ Anthony said. “Real men wear orange.’’
I guess it probably helped that Syracuse is nicknamed the Orangemen too. Syracuse has also retired the numbers of Dave Bing, Vic Hanson, Pearl Washington, Sherman Douglas, Wilmeth Sidat-Singh, Derrick Coleman, Rony Seikaly, Billy Owens and Billy Gabor.
