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Back to school?
Jalen Hurts is among the most popular figures in American sports and for good reason. The MVP finalist finds himself just one win away from football immortality after leading the Eagles to a 31-7 beatdown over the 49ers in the NFC Championship game on Sunday.
Just 24 years old, Hurts is younger than Georgia signal-caller Stetson Bennett, who just led the Bulldogs to another College Football Playoff championship. In fact, Hurts is younger than a great number of college students, so much so that if he were to sneak into a college sporting event, he wouldn’t look all that out of place.
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He put that theory to the test on Monday, pulling up to a Syracuse-Virginia men’s basketball game, of all places.
Check it out:
Fly Orange Fly 🍊@JalenHurts 🤝 @therealboeheim pic.twitter.com/2phT1okxkX
— Syracuse Men’s Basketball (@Cuse_MBB) January 31, 2023
The Texas native doesn’t appear to have all too many ties with the chilly campus — not the least because he didn’t actually go to school there. Still, game recognizes game. And it seems Hurts is something of a college basketball connoisseur.
So, why was Hurts at the ‘Cuse game? The Sporting News has you covered.
Why was Jalen Hurts at Syracuse basketball game?
‘Cuse isn’t quite the brand it once was, especially when compared to its star-laden teams of the early- to mid- 2000s. Still, it’s a program with a certain allure. And although the results on the court haven’t matched the ambition off of it, basketball certainly reigns supreme in the Carrier Dome stands.
That’s not just limited to the student population, either. In fact, Syracuse has a host of wealthy boosters, one of whom sent the Pro Bowler an invitation to attend the (other) big game.
Billionaire donor Adam Weitsman offered Hurts and teammate Brandon Graham a pair of courtside seats at the Orange’s Monday night clash with the No. 6 Cavaliers. It was an offer the duo simply couldn’t pass up.
Welcome to the ‘Cuse! 🍊🦅@JalenHurts @brandongraham55 pic.twitter.com/F3uDM2E3fv
— Syracuse Men’s Basketball (@Cuse_MBB) January 31, 2023
Who is Adam Weitsman?
Although not a household name, Weitsman is something of a living legend in upstate New York. He’s the owner and CEO of Upstate Shredding-Weitsman Recycling, a scrap metal processing company that reportedly earns $750 million per season.
Upstate Shredding provides energy for numerous buildings, including Carrier Dome. That business agreement spawned another one when Weitsman — a Long Island University alum — started putting dough into Syracuse athletics.
He now sits quite comfortably as the highest-profile of the Orange’s boosters, pouring millions into Syracuse’s NIL in recent years as it attempts to recapture the magic of its past.
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While the jury is still out on whether Weitsman’s investment has worked, he has certainly brought a certain allure to the program. That’s evidenced in the growing list of dignitaries that have accompanied him to games — from Tom Brady to Jimmy Fallon, Giannis Antetokounmpo to Allen Iverson.
Just this season, Weitsman and the Orange have hosted actor Cole Houser and rappers Fabolous and A Boogie wit da Hoodie.
He even had Bills stars Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis show up at a ‘Cuse game back in December.
Looks like Syracuse is getting its money worth out of Weitsman, who is hoping rekindle the spark that made the program such a vaunted institution for much of the past four decades.
Where did Jalen Hurts go to college?
Despite his pilgrimage to Salt City, Hurts is a southern boy at heart. He was born and raised in Texas and initially made the grade at Alabama, where he was a starter for two seasons. Hurts famously lost his starting gig to freshman Tua Tagovailoa in the 2018 national championship game. After plugging away for one more year as Tagovailoa’s backup, Hurts opted to transfer to Oklahoma.
He set the world alight in Norman, finishing as the Heisman runner-up in 2019. He was then selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft by Philly. The rest, as they say, is history.
Read the full article here
