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Gerry McNamara said Friday that vacated wins won't change his memory of the 2006 Big East Tournament.

(Dennis Nett | Syracuse.com)

Syracuse, N.Y. — The NCAA recently vacated the four wins associated with Gerry McNamara's legendary 2006 Big East Tournament run, striking them from the record books, along with 97 other Syracuse victories over the course of five seasons.

While the victories have been the source have significant angst, McNamara, whose legacy is partially tied to those wins, said Friday that the NCAA decision isn't worth losing sleep over.

The tournament performance, which McNamara delivered on a badly injured groin, was a testament to his guts and toughness, his stubbornness and will. His response to the NCAA included a heavy dose of all that as well.

"It's a decade ago," McNamara said. "It's a decade ago. It was special to me. Whether a book says it happened or not has zero relevance to the memory I have, the memory of my family and friends, the special people I was around that experienced it and the fans. No book is going to tell me otherwise. It happened."

The NCAA vacated those wins nearly a year ago, although public knowledge came this week, when the NCAA announced which seasons the Orange vacated games. Every win from 2006 was removed.

That 2006 tournament run, which was cemented in Syracuse history by both the Big East title and Jim Boeheim's passionate "Not 10 Games" defense of McNamara, was likely the greatest of the memories that the NCAA wiped from the record books.

McNamara, though, says it lives on everywhere that really matters.

"I got the trophy," McNamara said. "It's at the house. Don't care."

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