John Minchillo | AP

Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim reacts during the second half of a First Four game of the NCAA men's college basketball tournament against Arizona State, Wednesday, March 14, 2018, in Dayton, Ohio.

Don't Edit

Syracuse basketball offends next NCAA Tournament city with 'flat and farms' comment

by Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com

If you're planning to travel to Omaha to see Syracuse basketball in the Sweet 16, you may expect some hostility.

After the Orange stunned Michigan State to advance in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, a reporter for The Athletic says she overheard someone in the SU locker room saying their next game would be in Nebraska, where it's "flat" and covered in farmland.

"Nebraska is like Missouri. Flat and farms," someone allegedly said, according to college sports writer Nicole Auerbach.

The comment is apparently rubbing many in Nebraska the wrong way.

"People who live in itty-bitty Syracuse (N.Y.) shouldn't throw shade on Nebraska," Chris Peters shot back in the Omaha World-Herald.

According to Peters, Nebraska is 19th flattest state in the U.S. and Missouri is 31st; New York is 39th. Nebraska also only has half as many farms as Missouri and just 11,900 more farms than the Empire State -- though Peters admits the Cornhusker state has larger farms that collectively take up 90 percent of the state's land mass.

"But here's the real hammer," Peters wrote. "New York, smaller than Nebraska by land area, actually has MORE farms per square mile than Nebraska does."

The comment went viral on social media, prompting criticism from residents in Nebraska and Missouri.

See more reactions on Twitter:

Don't Edit

Overheard in the Syracuse locker room: “Nebraska is like Missouri. Flat and farms.”



Syracuse is off to Omaha next weekend. — Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) March 18, 2018

Don't Edit

Some parts, but not like Nebraska — OU Boom!!! (@asbell_tony) March 18, 2018

Don't Edit

Nebraska isn’t flat either. Elevation of Omaha 1090’, highest elevation in Nebraska — over 5400’. — Jarrod Daake (@daake07) March 18, 2018

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

The only part of Missouri that's flat is the part that borders Nebraska and Iowa. https://t.co/bmnyS9Rw8E — Thai Burger (@Tye_KC) March 18, 2018

Don't Edit

Dear @therealboeheim,



Here’s your “flat and farms”. Enjoy your stay, I hope it’s brevity is only exceeded by our hospitality. #AnyoneButCuse#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/WzpSGfliYP — Brett Baker (@BrettSBaker) March 18, 2018

Don't Edit

Maybe he drove from Colorado to St. Louis once. Not Nebraska’s best representation. (The time I did it was after driving through Yellowstone so it was even more depressingly flat) — Caped Jackass (@CapedJA) March 18, 2018

Don't Edit

People who think Nebraska is flat have never traveled through the state on any road other than I-80. Take 275 to Norfolk and get stuck behind a semi going 50 and see how long you have to wait before you can pass.🚛🚗Take highway 2 thru the sandhills — Bruce Bartholow (@BBartho494) March 18, 2018

Don't Edit

The only flat areas in Nebraska are in the river valleys. This state is better described as rolling hills. — ❄️Scott Furrrost❄️ (@Ndamukat) March 19, 2018

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Dear Syracuse, there's more to Nebraska than flat and farm. World class cities like Lincoln and Omaha. Best zoo in the WORLD in Omaha. Some of the best food around. Oh and some of the nicest people anywhere. ... And Missouri is not flat either. Welcome to Omaha next week :) https://t.co/pS93WPUOrw — Ryan Kronberg (@RyanKronberg) March 18, 2018

Don't Edit

Nebraska is flat in MANY spots. And has MANY farms. Central NY is flat in SOME spots and has MANY farms (lots of Dairy). Just stop, folks. It’s not that big of a deal. Pretty light-hearted comment I’m sure. Both are wonderful places to live. Source: have lived In both places. — Nate Dee (@NDarmento) March 19, 2018

Don't Edit

1: Missouri and Nebraska have almost zero in common, even geographically.

2: Uh, Syracuse has fewer people than Omaha.

3: Isn't Syracuse flat with a lot of farms? https://t.co/wx3WZxnY6E — Nathaniel Walters (@nathanielhusker) March 19, 2018

Don't Edit

There’s more elevation change from one side of Nebraska to the other, than from Nebraska to the east coast. Plus the majestic Sandhills. Maybe we like people thinking it’s flat, so we can keep it to ourselves 😉 https://t.co/rUvRdTRk15 — Steve White (@NTVsSteveWhite) March 19, 2018

Don't Edit

Fun story. Actually, a lot of Nebraska is flat and farms. I don’t take the misimpression that it’s all that as an insult. If it weren’t for those farms, our beloved Omaha, the Paris of the Pigbelt, wouldn’t be half of what it is. — Christopher Burbach (@CHRISBURBACH) March 20, 2018

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Drove through Nebraska on my cross-country trip. Spent a night in Lincoln. It was charming. But also, it was all flat and farms. Like, the whole thing. pic.twitter.com/GtRPwndODH — Sean Keeley (@SeanKeeleyIsMe) March 20, 2018

Don't Edit

March Madness continues

Maybe it was just a joke that fell flat (pun intended), but Nebraska residents are insulted and offended that students (or staff) from Syracuse University aren't aware that Nebraska has a varied topography and more to offer than just corn and cows. So SU players and fans will have to face more than just traveling Duke fans when March Madness continues this weekend.

"When the Syracuse Orange come to Omaha, they'll arrive in a city three times the size of their own where people make nearly twice as much money a year on average," Peters continued in the Omaha World-Record.

Omaha's population, for reference, was over 446,000 in the 2016 census and the eight-county region has an estimated population of over 931,000, according to 2013 data. Syracuse has a population of over 143,000 and a metro population of over 660,000.

"And the zoo. Don't even get us started on the zoo," Peters added. (Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium was named the "world's best zoo" in 2014 by TripAdvisor, if you're looking for something to do in Omaha this weekend.)

Syracuse basketball tips off against Duke Friday, March 23 at 9:37 p.m. for a Midwest Regional semifinal game in Omaha. The winner will advance to the Elite Eight.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

“Flat & farms is not an insult, just explaining the difference from SYR which is “rolling hills & farms.” Give these student athletes some Omaha Nebraska worthy respect, they worked hard to get here. pic.twitter.com/BwHwXua910 — Dawn E Nevarez (@DawnNevarez) March 19, 2018

Don't Edit

More Syracuse basketball

Don't Edit

Don't Edit