Yes this was an embarrassing display by SJU fans, but there are a few reasons for this as well.
1. Syracuse has been a well oiled machine for years, it is easy to become a cuse fan young because there always good. Syracuse traditions and identity has stayed intact (except there just called the Orange now) St. John's has been pretty medicore since the early 90s with only spurts of good years in between. How many coaches have we had since Louie retired? The name change, changed out identity (you will still here people scream let's go redmen), how many mascots have we gone through?
2. A lot of Syracuse students graduate and move to the city, so there is already a solid base.
3. Who can fans identify with? In one year your entire roster changed, and your new coach has coached since February. Dunlap is doing a great job but Lavin has a personality as big as the city and he is not getting that face time with the local media.
4. It would not suprise me if a lot of fans have the wait until next year approach because everyone knows that this year will be a struggle...For Cuse fan this is a good by tour, who knows when they will be back at the Garden after this year.
5. When your college team is your "professional" team, the fan base always has an edge (Go to a Texas A&M game, it really is a unique college experience).
These may be lame excuses but this program has been left to rot for 20yrs which in sports world is a few generations lost. Even the Yankees played to an empty stadium in the early 90s...St. John's is on the right track as long as Lavin is here, but it will take time to rebuild that fan base. Lavin will rebuild the pride in our fan base and just like last year St. John's will start being talked about in the local papers and the garden will be rocking again. Last years BE tournament was roughly 50/50 St. John's/ Cuse fans from what was reported, so there are fans out their.
My buddy who is a Syracuse fan tried to get me going and I responded that Syracuse is doing St. John's a huge favor between their the scandal, Coach B making fun of the victims, and leaving for the ACC, Syracuse is doing a tremendous job in helping St. John's grab NYC back from them. It will be frustrating but once we reestablish our winning ways again, get out of the habit of talking about "when Mullin was at SJU", and continue to get great recruits the fans will show up.