During Game 2 of the NBA Finals, things briefly turned comedic when an ESPN staffer casually claimed Syracuse alumni status on air, saying, “Please look, as a Syracuse grad myself… I took a one-week course at the Syracuse School of Broadcasting.”
Veteran broadcaster Mike Breen wasn’t having it. With a dry laugh, he shut it down instantly: “They don’t consider you a grad. They don’t. They won’t even know.”
The joke hit especially well among fans familiar with Syracuse’s prestigious S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, often ranked among the top broadcast journalism schools in the country. While the staffer likely meant it lightheartedly, Breen’s clapback pointed to the real pride that comes with a full Syracuse degree, especially in media circles.
Syracuse’s one-week programs, like the Summer NYC Immersion, are no joke—they provide real exposure to the media world—but claiming graduate status is a stretch. It’s like saying you went to Harvard because you attended a weekend workshop.
Breen’s reference to “they won’t even know” likely includes Syracuse icons like Carmelo Anthony, who led the school to its 2003 NCAA title. In this case, the Orange alumni circle isn’t so easily cracked.
(This is a building story…)
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