My Road to the Final Four

Syracuse’s NCAA Tournament run through the eyes of a pep band trumpeter

By Jeremy Philipson, Syracuse University Class of 2014

9,000 miles. 30 days. 20 missed classes. Six cities. Five beds. Four hotels. One incredible month.

For the past four weeks, I had the opportunity to see each of the Syracuse Men’s Basketball team’s last nine games in person. From the Big East Tournament to the Final Four, I was there every step of the way.

As part of Sour Sitrus Society - the basketball pep band - I was one of a handful of students chosen to travel with the men’s team to every postseason game this year. When I first saw I was traveling with the men’s team, I was ecstatic, as this was one of the main reasons I joined Sitrus as a freshman. Having paid my dues last year by playing at the Women’s Big East Tournament in Hartford, CT, I was ready for the Big Dance.

At first, I was more excited to play at the Big East Tournament than at the NCAA Tournament (until I found out we were playing in San Jose. Who would turn down a week of California with 65 degrees and sunny weather? Peace out, ‘Cuse.). I had not been to Madison Square Garden in seven years, and could not wait to play trumpet in the mecca of basketball. The atmosphere in the building was amazing, especially with over half the building wearing orange. Big-time performances by James Southerland and Michael Carter-Williams carried us past Seton Hall, Pittsburgh, and Georgetown. Even though we lost to Big East and eventual National Champion Louisville, Syracuse played great and carried a ton of momentum into the NCAA Tournament.

After getting back to campus on Sunday afternoon from the Big East Tournament, I found out that we would be flying charter with the basketball team, coaching staff, and spirit squad to the West Coast. That meant leaving Monday night. So, after a quick 24 hours in Syracuse, I was off to San Jose for a week. I cheered the team to victories over Montana and California, 3,000 miles away from the Carrier Dome. I also had the opportunity to meet up with one of my best friends from high school on Wednesday in San Francisco. It was great to see him again and catch up on the “best coast” (according to him).

When got back to Syracuse on Sunday night after 12 hours of traveling, I received an email telling us the flight for the Sweet 16 left on Tuesday morning. That left me with an interesting dilemma: go to class on Monday, or do laundry? Considering I was out of clean socks, laundry seemed like the clear winner. We flew out on Tuesday, which gave me time on Wednesday and Thursday to sleep in and meet up with some family and friends. Watching the team celebrate and cut down the nets after wins over Indiana and Marquette was a truly awesome experience. Armed with an iPhone and a courtside seat, I was able to capture some great videos and pictures from the celebration. Barely 12 hours after the win, I was back on a plane headed for Syracuse with one thing on my mind: Atlanta.

The band left for the Final Four on Friday morning, which meant I had to go to class for a full week (first time in three weeks!). Professors and friends greeted me with “I saw you on TV!,” “Who are you again?,” and “So when do you leave for Atlanta?” The week flew by, as I was busy meeting with professors, catching up on assignments, and dreaming of the ATL. Friday in Atlanta was an exhausting day filled with performances and obligations, and we had two more pep rallies scheduled before the game on Saturday. Although the game didn’t end up how Syracuse fans would have wanted (thanks to some questionable calls), playing trumpet in the Georgia Dome is something I can safely say I will never do again.

Regardless of the outcome of our last game, I would not trade my past four weeks for anything. I was able to fly on charter planes, stay in four-star hotels, appear on national television, and sit courtside for the incredible Big East and NCAA Tournament runs by the Orange. It was truly a dream month.

Not bad for someone who is (barely) average at trumpet, huh?