Greenburg... on Grant

[bevosu]

• ESPN's Seth Greenburg sees Syracuse taking a step back without Grant.
  
  
  "This could cause major problems for Jim Boeheim’s team. You can’t start the season with two new forwards in that zone. It puts a lot of pressure on the rest of the rotation. Grant is so good at distorting pass lanes, rebounding and getting the ball out. He's built to play that zone.
  By being there, he teaches the other wing how to play the zone. The best teachers in your practice are the guys who are doing it on the floor. They understand the whys and the hows. They become an extension of the coaching staff. When you lose that and have to teach it from day one and you really don’t have anyone to mimic within the drills, it becomes that much more difficult.
  
  You can't play Coleman and Christmas together, especially with Coleman's injury issues. You can play Christmas on the wing at times, but then you have two frontcourt players who really aren't putting any pressure on the defense.
  
  If Grant leaves, they will struggle and are a borderline upper-half ACC team."
  
  
• http://www.syracuse.com/axeman/inde...yers_react_to_jerami_gran.html#incart_m-rpt-2

 

[stuckinbig11]

hard to argue

 

[anomander]

I don't think our defense will be a problem. I liked what I saw from Roberson on that end this year, and McCollough was born to play in our zone. Scoring on the other hand may be an issue.

 

[RF2044]

Except that we won't have all "new" forwards. Roberson, BJ, and Gbinije are all experienced players who've practiced and played in our zone. McCullough will be new, but Greenburg is overstating the impacts defensively.

I'm actually confident that our younger team will be better offensively than this year's team. Hell if I know where the points are going to come from--and I do believe that we'll have games where we struggle collectively, but the potential is there for this to be a more multi-faceted crew.

"Borderline upper half ACC team" -- we seem to often perform way above expectations when JB has a young, unproven squad. I like our chances to surpass Seth's on-paper predictions.

 

[cuseguy]

I don't think our defense will be a problem. I liked what I saw from Roberson on that end this year, and McCollough was born to play in our zone. Scoring on the other hand may be an issue.

They're going to have to light a fire under McCullough on defense. He has the size and athleticism to play the zone...but does he have the desire?

 

[phil77]

I think we will be fine on defense and I think we will have a more up tempo offense and a better shooting team than last year. I think we will have a more successful season this upcoming year than last year.

 

[AZOrange]

They're going to have to light a fire under McCullough on defense. He has the size and athleticism to play the zone...but does he have the desire?

He will have the fire or he won't play. He gonna play.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Counter point -

Our zone defense has traditionally been best with an experienced 5.

Hard to get more experienced than Christmas.

That said, I do agree we probably won't be the defensive juggernaut we've grown accustomed to. And that's ok. Teams can be different year to year and still be successful. Hopefully we slant more towards scoring and getting out in transition so the games can be more fun.

 

[SoBeCuse]

We get it Seth. Not exactly rocket science to predict that at first.

 

[ORRange]

They're going to have to light a fire under McCullough on defense. He has the size and athleticism to play the zone...but does he have the desire?

Your jaw is going to get really tired by October. I'd think it would be worn out by now. I understand your point again.

 

[MSOrange]

This actually makes me nervous. I mean, who knows an NIT team when he sees it better than Seth Greenburg?

 

[cuseguy]

Your jaw is going to get really tired by October. I'd think it would be worn out by now. I understand your point again.

Sorry, forgot to put on my orange colored glasses. I understand it's required to post here.

 

[RF2044]

Sorry, forgot to put on my orange colored glasses. I understand it's required to post here.

No offense cuseguy, because I actually like you as a poster, but I'm really tired of seeing that dopey position being expressed.

Consider the alternative. Being negative does not necessarily equate to being an enlightened poster.

 

[cuseguy]

No offense cuseguy, because I actually like you as a poster, but I'm really tired of seeing that dopey position being expressed. Consider the alternative. Being negative does not necessarily equate to being an enlightened poster.

I've pointed out McCullough's upsides. He has many. But I know a complete player when I see one.

I do appreciate your back handed compliment, though.

Lol.

 

[RF2044]

I've pointed out McCullough's upsides. He has many. But I know a complete player when I see one.

I do appreciate your back handed compliment, though.

Lol.

It's not just you--I see that knee jerk reaction posted in a lot of threads.

FWIW, I agree that pollyannas are annoying. But to me, constant negativity is equally as annoying. That observation above wasn't so much about you as it is me expressing being tired with the insinuation that being excited about the future in any capacity is akin to wearing orange colored glasses, or that wearing them is a prerequisite for posting here.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

This actually makes me nervous. I mean, who knows an NIT team when he sees it better than Seth Greenburg?

That's a good post.

 

[cuseguy]

It's not just you--I see that knee jerk reaction posted in a lot of threads. I agree that pollyannas are annoying. But to me, constant negativity is equally as annoying. That observation above wasn't so much about you as it is me expressing being tired with the insinuation that being excited about the future in any capacity is akin to wearing orange colored glasses, or that wearing them is a prerequisite for posting here.

I get it. I'm a cautiously optimistic person. Just my nature.

I'm actually a lot more optimistic about Joseph replacing Ennis than most people. I thought Ennis would step in nicely for MCW, and I think Joseph will follow suit next year.

Our forwards are a big question mark. Much potential, but just a huge uncertainty.

 

[Briancuse]

It's not just you--I see that knee jerk reaction posted in a lot of threads.

FWIW, I agree that pollyannas are annoying. But to me, constant negativity is equally as annoying. That observation above wasn't so much about you as it is me expressing being tired with the insinuation that being excited about the future in any capacity is akin to wearing orange colored glasses, or that wearing them is a prerequisite for posting here.

People are frustrated today, we lost two of our best players.

 

[dasher]

ttt

Sorry, forgot to put on my orange colored glasses. I understand it's required to post here.

I think he was referring to the saying the same thing glasses.

 

[Trueblue25]

We recruit to the zone, our defense will be fine.

 

[Cowtown]

What Seth, you talk like no incoming players will ever be able to learn the system. Does he think the incoming freshmen were recruited because they're stupid? Is this a team full of room temperature IQ's? Does he think the coaches don't know how to teach kids? :bang:

 

[osullfam]

It will be fun to see jump shots go in the basket.

 

[OrangeCrush22]

6'3 Kaleb Joseph Fr.
6'4 Trevor Cooney Rs Jr.
6'8 Tyler Roberson So.
6'10 Chris McCullough Fr.
6'9 Rakeem Christmas Sr.

Two four year players and a two year player; I think there's enough experience, and length, there for the zone to be succesful.

 

[senorpalmer]

It'll be hard to be worse than the team was over its last 10 games of the season. And even with the addition of Louisville, the acc sucks too much for SU to fall out of the top half.

 

[wallacecuse]

The offense is a concern, but it truthfully cannot be worse than what we witnessed the last 9 games of the season. We were a half-court offense that relied entirely on athleticism to score. Tough way to make a living. Having said that, I welcome the roster churning.