2003

[Orange4]

2003 we started, 2 freshman, 1 sophomore, 1 junior and 1 senior just like this year. We started 2-1 that year and we still have the same Hall-of-fame coach...just saying

 

[Etancuse]

I don't think this season is anything close to finished. That being said... Carmelo Anthony ain't walking through that door.

 

[Brooky03]

One of those freshman was the best player in college basketball and the other was a fearless shooter who made halfcourt 3's in his sleep.

I haven't given up on this team, far from it, but it's not comparible to the '03 team.

 

[stuckinbig11]

2003 we started, 2 freshman, 1 sophomore, 1 junior and 1 senior just like this year. We started 2-1 that year and we still have the same Hall-of-fame coach...just saying

that thought did cross my mind

 

[BomberOrange]

We also lost to a decent Memphis team by 7, hardly like getting smoked by an average at best Cal team.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Carmelo is good at the game of basketball, I hear.

 

[jordoo]

Yes Cal waxed us but a majority of the mistakes were self induced and then bad execution on both sides. Most of this is related to lack of experience and guys being gun shy IMO. Last night was not the end of the season by any stretch.

 

[TheCusian]

2003 we started, 2 freshman, 1 sophomore, 1 junior and 1 senior just like this year. We started 2-1 that year and we still have the same Hall-of-fame coach...just saying

I think this is kind of crazy - but there is one corollary:

I remember thinking Melo was just better than everyone on the court by a mile.

Chris had less of those moments - but it's in there. Kid is good.

 

[pearl31]

We also lost to a decent Memphis team by 7, hardly like getting smoked by an average at best Cal team.

this Cal team is better than that Memphis team

 

[BomberOrange]

this Cal team is better than that Memphis team

Maybe, maybe not. we'll never know but they didn't impress me at all. They reminded me of the Cal teams we've played the last few yrs.

 

[pearl31]

Maybe, maybe not. we'll never know but they didn't impress me at all. They reminded me of the Cal teams we've played the last few yrs.

We'll see, I think they're legit

 

[HOFCeluck]

I watched that game against Memphis and thought we were an NIT team. I realize at team had Carmelo Anthony, but three games into his college career I had no idea what he was going to do.

 

[Macky44]

I watched that game against Memphis and thought we were an NIT team. I realize at team had Carmelo Anthony, but three games into his college career I had no idea what he was going to do.

Anthony finished the first half with 21 points, the most any Syracuse freshman has ever scored in his first game. It broke the record of 17 set by John Wallace against Cornell in 1992... yet you had no idea what he was going to do?

 

[HOFCeluck]

Anthony finished the first half with 21 points, the most any Syracuse freshman has ever scored in his first game. It broke the record of 17 set by John Wallace against Cornell in 1992... yet you had no idea what he was going to do?

Lead Syracuse to its first and only national championship? No. Not even close.

I should make myself more clear. I meant from a team standpoint. I knew he'd put up numbers.

 

[Tony DeFranco]

One of those freshman was the best player in college basketball and the other was a fearless shooter who made halfcourt 3's in his sleep.

I haven't given up on this team, far from it, but it's not comparible to the '03 team.

and u left out Warrick - people r blind - we have a D2 shooting guard playing the entire game

 

[jordoo]

Anthony finished the first half with 21 points, the most any Syracuse freshman has ever scored in his first game. It broke the record of 17 set by John Wallace against Cornell in 1992... yet you had no idea what he was going to do?

The big take away I had from that game was that Melo was legit.

 

[jekelish]

No.

Just, no. This isn't even REMOTELY the same kind of situation, or the same kind of team. We have no Carmelo, we have no McNamara. Hell, we have no Kueth, or Warrick, or Pace, or Edelin. This team is not remotely near that level right now. Let's stop with the comparisons.

 

[SgtCuse]

Hate to be "correction guy" but it was actually 2 Freshman, 2 Sophs & a Senior:

Melo & GMAC - Frosh
Hak, Forth - Soph
Kueth- Sr

 

[HOFCeluck]

No.

Just, no. This isn't even REMOTELY the same kind of situation, or the same kind of team. We have no Carmelo, we have no McNamara. Hell, we have no Kueth, or Warrick, or Pace, or Edelin. This team is not remotely near that level right now. Let's stop with the comparisons.

Is it that crazy?

How many people, three games in, thought we were going to accomplish what we did that year? I sure as hell didn't.

We were 2-1, with a loss to a mediocre Memphis team in MSG and home wins vs Valparaiso and Colgate where we didn't look that great. Carmelo was obviously great and our best player. We don't have anyone like that, I agree.

I AM NOT SAYING we're goin to win it all, or even make a deep run. all I'm saying is that this team can grow and improve. I'm not penciling them into the NIT, or into a 9 seed YET.

 

[jekelish]

Is it that crazy?

How many people, three games in, thought we were going to accomplish what we did that year? I sure as hell didn't.

We were 2-1, with a loss to a mediocre Memphis team in MSG and home wins vs Valparaiso and Colgate where we didn't look that great. Carmelo was obviously great and our best player. We don't have anyone like that, I agree.

I AM NOT SAYING we're goin to win it all, or even make a deep run. all I'm saying is that this team can grow and improve. I'm not penciling them into the NIT, or into a 9 seed YET.

I didn't think we would win the title, but I knew we had a ton of talent and could actually score the ball. This year, we do have some talent, but we can't score. We don't have any Melo or GMac to make shot, at least not at this point. It's pretty night and day to me, to be honest.

 

[HOFCeluck]

I didn't think we would win the title, but I knew we had a ton of talent and could actually score the ball. This year, we do have some talent, but we can't score. We don't have any Melo or GMac to make shot, at least not at this point. It's pretty night and day to me, to be honest.

We could score for sure, but we had other problems. We were defensively mediocre at best, and production from the center position was a huge concern. Against Valparaiso, our two centers were somehow unable to score one point between them.

We mythicize that team, and rightfully so, but it was rough for those first few games. IIRC there were some questions from a few posters as to whether we'd even make the tournament that year.

 

[jekelish]

We could score for sure, but we had other problems. We were defensively mediocre at best, and production from the center position was a huge concern. Against Valparaiso, our two centers were somehow unable to score one point between them.

We mythicize that team, and rightfully so, but it was rough for those first few games. IIRC there were some questions from a few posters as to whether we'd even make the tournament that year.

I completely get where you're coming from - the one big difference is that while that team certainly had some deficiencies, the ceiling was so much higher simply because we had so many offensive weapons.

This may just be me, but I don't care what anyone says about a good defense being the best offense. A good offense is the best offense, and we had guys who could put the ball in the hole in 2002-03. This season, I'm not convinced we do.

 

[Orange4]

Hate to be "correction guy" but it was actually 2 Freshman, 2 Sophs & a Senior:

Melo & GMAC - Frosh
Hak, Forth - Soph
Kueth- Sr

Are you sure Forth wasn't a junior?

 

[SU2NASA]

One of those freshman was the best player in college basketball and the other was a fearless shooter who made halfcourt 3's in his sleep.

I haven't given up on this team, far from it, but it's not comparible to the '03 team.

But this year we have Trevor Cooney who can hit the back of the rim in this sleep.

 

[HOFCeluck]

I completely get where you're coming from - the one big difference is that while that team certainly had some deficiencies, the ceiling was so much higher simply because we had so many offensive weapons.

This may just be me, but I don't care what anyone says about a good defense being the best offense. A good offense is the best offense, and we had guys who could put the ball in the hole in 2002-03. This season, I'm not convinced we do.

On this I agree. If we lost, but shot reasonably well, I'd be less concerned.