#1 and still disrespected...

[Alcuse01]

I feel as if every single article that has come out this week has been negative towards the cuse and the #1 ranking. And even the ones that kind of have some positive, still end up slapping the Cuse (they're good, they're deep, they're #1 in steals... but clearly are behind osu, uk, etc).

And UNC getting votes for #1 is ridiculous.

I don't care if polls mean anything or not -- I'm talking about the perception of the team. The inability for the press to write anything positive about the cuse. When other teams are #1, there's not this fixation of their schedule, where they played, how they aren't playing a tough conference game for 3 whole games (OMG! the unfairness), not a true clutch player, etc etc. I just don't get the negative obsession with cuse.

And then most finish their terrible write up by saying the Cuse may be one of the teams that can cut down the nets... well doesn't that then discredit their entire article?

 

[armory]

I think much of it stems from the zone defense. Think of the media as offspring of Igor who were brought up by a narrow mind. They percieve it like the wildcat in football; they think its cute, different, and fun to talk about ... but they generally don't like anything but M2M and wish the zone weren't as successful as it is.

 

[Knicks411]

Didn't Gasaway write a positive article?

 

[Marsh01]

That will change with a solid performance tomorrow night.

 

[EastCoast2]

That will change with a solid performance tomorrow night.

I hope SU wins by 20+

 

[arbitragegls]

Didn't Gasaway write a positive article?

yup...posted yesterday

 

[iommi]

That will change with a solid performance tomorrow night.

Not sure perception will change too much. I know it's a road game but how much juice will we get with the media for beating an unranked team? I realize that they are pretty good but I just don't think it will give us much quarter with our detractors.

 

[newmexicuse]

I feel as if every single article that has come out this week has been negative towards the cuse and the #1 ranking. And even the ones that kind of have some positive, still end up slapping the Cuse (they're good, they're deep, they're #1 in steals... but clearly are behind osu, uk, etc).

And UNC getting votes for #1 is ridiculous.

I don't care if polls mean anything or not -- I'm talking about the perception of the team. The inability for the press to write anything positive about the cuse. When other teams are #1, there's not this fixation of their schedule, where they played, how they aren't playing a tough conference game for 3 whole games (OMG! the unfairness), not a true clutch player, etc etc. I just don't get the negative obsession with cuse.

And then most finish their terrible write up by saying the Cuse may be one of the teams that can cut down the nets... well doesn't that then discredit their entire article?

It should be clear that based upon season to date performance that we deserve to be numero uno right now.

That does not necessarily mean that we are the best built team to win a championship or that other teams can't improve more than we can by March & pass us by.

However, it is one thing to say that we will not be the best by March against the field, and quite another thing to pick any single team that might be better than us at that point in time. It is easy to bash us if somebody is taking all of the other 200+ teams.

 

[Alcuse01]

a lot of talking heads seem to think we're only #1 b/c we haven't played a 'road' game yet... and feel we'll lose tomorrow.

This is the same NC State team that got crushed by a very average Indiana team... and I don't care that IU beat UK. The IU game at NC state wasn't impressive.

I predict a lot of turnovers and a large margin of victory. We'll see if they change their tune yet.

Would be interested to see if our players feel disrespected

 

[Knicks411]

Not saying anything about NC State, but Indiana is a better than average team.

Pomeroy has them 14, Sagarin has them 10. They're very good.

 

[StopCoolio]

I’ll put it this way… With our first road game coming, I’d rather the media take a few shots at the legitimacy of us as #1 as opposed to everyone fawning all over us and saying how great we are. I’m not saying we’d get complacent in that second scenario, but there’s a chance the players read this stuff and get motivated by it. I like the idea of this team in ‘us-against-the-world’ mode all season and I think even small remarks questioning our legitimacy fuel that.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

Syracuse fans look for slights. Its just in our DNA. I think its because we are all a little defensive about some of our post season short comings and being disrespected through the years, in comparison to other top programs like Duke, UCONN, UNC, etc.

 

[Upstate]

yup...posted yesterday

Mark Titus' piece was a big boost for SU.

 

[EastCoast2]

We got almost no respect for beating #8/9 UF... Yeah we "only" won by 4 at home but that game was not that close at the end. Walker hit a meaningless buzzer beater to cut the lead from 7, and we were up by 9-10 with a minute to go before we took the jets off... Why would SU get any respect for beating an unranked team?

 

[Cusefan95]

We got almost no respect for beating #8/9 UF... Yeah we "only" won by 4 at home but that game was not that close at the end. Walker hit a meaningless buzzer beater to cut the lead from 7, and we were up by 9-10 with a minute to go before we took the jets off... Why would SU get any respect for beating an unranked team?

I'm not sure how many people actually know we beat Florida...based on the AP article the next day, the only thing that occurred was JB held a press conference. I'd say it was the worst write-up of a game I've ever seen...But it wasn't really a write up of a game.

I think that any "tough" team we play that people pick to upset Cuse, will immediately become a bad team upon the sounding of the final buzzer with Cuse in the lead. So it'll be really hard to earn respect in the short term.

 

[Madbiker]

The lack of respect has a lot do with the absence of a lottery pick on SU. UNC has Barnes and may have another in Henson. OSU has Sullinger. UK has Davis and maybe Gilchrist too. We don't have a lottery pick...maybe not a 1st rounder either (though I think Fab will eventually be one if he stays another year). The media is always attracted to the teams with the big name players. It doesn't mean SU can't be a FF team this year or better. Look at Duke's history with the absence of lottery picks.

 

[EastCoast2]

The lack of respect has a lot do with the absence of a lottery pick on SU. UNC has Barnes and may have another in Henson. OSU has Sullinger. UK has Davis and maybe Gilchrist too. We don't have a lottery pick...maybe not a 1st rounder either (though I think Fab will eventually be one if he stays another year). The media is always attracted to the teams with the big name players. It doesn't mean SU can't be a FF team this year or better. Look at Duke's history with the absence of lottery picks.

To build on what you said...
UNC sure-fire future 1st rounders = Barnes, Henson, Zeller, Marshall, McAdoo
UK sure-fire future 1st rounders = Davis, Jones, Lamb, Gilchrist, Teague
OSU sure-fire future 1st rounders = Sullinger, Buford, (haven't watched OSU enough so fill in if I'm missing any)
Cuse sure-fire future 1st rounders = ??? Probably Fab at some point, maybe Dion at some point, Kris has a small chance this season, Rak maybe down the road

 

[PoppyHart]

a lot of talking heads seem to think we're only #1 b/c we haven't played a 'road' game yet... and feel we'll lose tomorrow.

This is the same NC State team that got crushed by a very average Indiana team... and I don't care that IU beat UK. The IU game at NC state wasn't impressive.

I predict a lot of turnovers and a large margin of victory. We'll see if they change their tune yet.

Would be interested to see if our players feel disrespected

I don't know if NCSU is any good, and I'd lean toward them sucking. But the game against Indiana was a 1 point game with 2 minutes remaining, so I don't think it's accurate to describe it as a crushing.

Winning convincingly would help matters, but not as much, imo, as if we played a top shelf team in their building, even if we lost. In other words, losing at Duke, Kansas, UK in a closely contested game would convince people that the team is for real more than crushing a middling BCS school would.

 

[Smithers-Jones]

To build on what you said...
UNC sure-fire future 1st rounders = Barnes, Henson, Zeller, Marshall, McAdoo
UK sure-fire future 1st rounders = Davis, Jones, Lamb, Gilchrist, Teague
OSU sure-fire future 1st rounders = Sullinger, Buford, (haven't watched OSU enough so fill in if I'm missing any)
Cuse sure-fire future 1st rounders = ??? Probably Fab at some point, maybe Dion at some point, Kris has a small chance this season, Rak maybe down the road

According to nbadraft.net, all 4 of these are 1st rounders and Rak is 2013 lottery pick. FWIW.

 

[EastCoast2]

According to nbadraft.net, all 4 of these are 1st rounders and Rak is 2013 lottery pick. FWIW.

True, but UNC and UK both have potentially 5 lottery picks THIS season, and that is sexy for the media... Cuse has zero this season

 

[VaBeachOrFan]

Syracuse fans look for slights. Its just in our DNA. I think its because we are all a little defensive about some of our post season short comings and being disrespected through the years, in comparison to other top programs like Duke, UCONN, UNC, etc.

Well, here's another one. This morning's ESPN Sports Center hyped their upcoming BB coverage for Saturday by listing #2 OSU vs South Carolina, not bothering to mention that they'd also be broadcasting the nations #1 team later that day! Jzeesh!-VBOF

 

[VaBeachOrFan]

The lack of respect has a lot do with the absence of a lottery pick on SU. UNC has Barnes and may have another in Henson. OSU has Sullinger. UK has Davis and maybe Gilchrist too. We don't have a lottery pick...maybe not a 1st rounder either (though I think Fab will eventually be one if he stays another year). The media is always attracted to the teams with the big name players. It doesn't mean SU can't be a FF team this year or better. Look at Duke's history with the absence of lottery picks.

Yeah, give 'em an All American player and the media goes gaga. SU, on the other hand, merely has a beautiful blend of youth and experience, due in part to getting good players who still need a bit of further development or weight-room work to be NBA-ready. That formula gives them time to master the complexities of the Zone and play cohesively and unselfishly. I'll take that approach any day over UK's one-and-doners. It's much more enjoyable to watch a team that knows what it's doing than a bunch of talented individuals go one-on-one.-VBOF

 

[Knicks411]

I think that is more conventional wisdom than anything else. Calipari always seems to get his kids to buy in, and they play some of the best defense in the country year in and year out.

I don't really think Kentucky is that selfish, though it is fair to say that Calipari has a system that does encourage more one on one play, but I don't think that has anything to do with the youth of his team, really. He had more upperclassmen with Memphis and they played pretty much the same way as far as I remember. I suppose it is a fine line, but Kentucky usually has players who can take guys off the dribble; I am not sure the fact that they have more guys like that than we do means they are selfish.

Which isn't a knock on us either, as you point out we do a good job identifying players who fit our system and we do a great job of developing them. I've been trying to think, in the last 3-4 years have we had any freshmen make real significant contributions? Brandon in 2010, of course was a starter. But other than that, since the Jonny and Donte class (which also was probably our worst team in the last decade) I can't remember a lot of freshmen who were contributing significantly (I'm talking say a starter, not a guy like CJ or Dion last year. And no, Rak doesn't count this year, and I wouldn't say Fab counted last year). I think that is a great thing, my feeling is that unless you are recruiting the best of the best freshmen (like Kentucky does) you really don't want to be relying on them too much.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Yeah, give 'em an All American player and the media goes gaga. SU, on the other hand, merely has a beautiful blend of youth and experience, due in part to getting good players who still need a bit of further development or weight-room work to be NBA-ready. That formula gives them time to master the complexities of the Zone and play cohesively and unselfishly. I'll take that approach any day over UK's one-and-doners. It's much more enjoyable to watch a team that knows what it's doing than a bunch of talented individuals go one-on-one.-VBOF

I'll take that approach any day over UK's one-and-doners. It's much more enjoyable to watch a team that knows what it's doing than a bunch of talented individuals go one-on-one

It's much more enjoyable to watch a team that knows what it's doing than a bunch of talented individuals go one-on-one

Calipari:

2011 Final Four
2010 Elite 8
2009 Sweet 16
2008 National runner up
2007 Elite 8

Boeheim
2011 2nd round
2010 Sweet 16
2009 Sweet 16
2008 NIT
2007 NIT

I would probably enjoy a couple final fours in five years more than being swept by Umass and blowing a late lead to Butler.

 

[VaBeachOrFan]

Calipari:

2011 Final Four
2010 Elite 8
2009 Sweet 16
2008 National runner up
2007 Elite 8

Boeheim
2011 2nd round
2010 Sweet 16
2009 Sweet 16
2008 NIT
2007 NIT

I would probably enjoy a couple final fours in five years more than being swept by Umass and blowing a late lead to Butler.

Point well taken, but then there was the unsurpassed 6OT game; an "overrated" GMAC carrying the Cuse on his back through a BET sweep; and the 2009-10 team rampaging its way through Cal and UNC to a national audience and Bobby Knight's accolades...ah, that brought tears to my eyes.-VBOF