Is anybody mad?

[Capt. Tuttle]

He already had a year and chose not to trim the fat. I don’t understand why he gets a pass for this year. Y’all acting like JB was fired in December and Red was just promoted from interim status.

You are assuming other portal guys would want to come play for an unproven coach. I think not.

 

[Col. Bleep]

And it’s really 3 schools that have Washington Generaled us in UVA, Duke, and UNC.

Excellent verb creation!

 

[sufandu]

Sadly, I'm not mad about losing to good teams like I once was. I just don't have the expectations that justify that kind of disappointment. I didn't expect us to be really good this year because I didn't think we had enough on the inside. I'm willing to give Red some time. I think we look better now than we did in Maui.

 

[sufandu]

2 words: Fran Brown

Nah. That's silly. Very few coaches are Fran Brown or Fran Brown wouldn't be anything special. It's dumb to place that recruiting expectation on every coach.

 

[Fat tire 13]

I was lucky enough to see the game live at Cameron last night. Been trying to go for many years and it finally happened.

When the wheels started coming off in the second half, my brain quickly switched to thinking - better enjoy the experience of being at such a cool/historic venue and soak in all the memories

10 years ago I would have been livid about losing. Now call it whatever - sadness, acceptance or just plan numbness to all the garbage losses

Back to the thread - I think it is a combination or expectations, reality, and trajectory. The first two are pretty dismal. However, the trajectory has some signs of life. The team and coaching are improving as the year progresses. We are a couple pieces away (center, shooter) from being a contender. We have two stud recruits coming in next year, Chance will be back, and only Judah will be gone.

 

[HakAttack]

How could anyone possibly be mad at the way this season has gone so far? This is the most watchable, enjoyable Cuse team in YEARS.

 

[CousCuse]

FWIW, I agreed with Bilas at the time that losing 3 schollies (what it was reduced to) would not be much of an impact, certainly not detrimental as JB only generally played 6-7 guys consistently, mostly 7 when someone was in foul trouble, etc.

When players are recruited, they are all potential, but many times that does not translate to them being capable players at this level, so you get a miss. So, when you don't have guys on the bench because of loss of 3 scholarships, that is going to weaken a team.

 

[Conrad13]

It's going to take a while to get back to where we were a decade a ago I believe we can do it under Red.

With all of the transferring, which I hate, I think that we are allowed to be a little more impatient. Arizona is a good example of a school that went through a far more tumultuous coaching change than ours and they bounced right back. It doesn't take time to build a program like it used to.

Bringing in Freeman should help, but I'm disappointed to see how few centers are on the front page of the recruiting forum. Hopefully we'll find a good transfer center, because that position is killing us this season.

 

[Cusefan0307]

With all of the transferring, which I hate, I think that we are allowed to be a little more impatient. Arizona is a good example of a school that went through a far more tumultuous coaching change than ours and they bounced right back. It doesn't take time to build a program like it used to.

Bringing in Freeman should help, but I'm disappointed to see how few centers are on the front page of the recruiting forum. Hopefully we'll find a good transfer center, because that position is killing this season.

Do we really need a true classic "center" though? I watched Miami and Clemson last night(both good teams) and they both start stretch 4's there. The same goes for most of the teams in the country.

Armando Bacot is really the only classic center in the ACC.

I think Brown and Freeman can be a great frontcourt. The idea of centers to me is a bit outdated.

 

[Conrad13]

Do we really need a true classic "center" though? I watched Miami and Clemson last night(both good teams) and they both start stretch 4's there. The same goes for most of the teams in the country.

Armando Bacot is really the only classic center in the ACC.

I think Brown and Freeman can be a great frontcourt. The idea of centers to me is a bit outdated.

That's fair. All I know is that we need someone bigger and stronger than Brown down low, and he's my favorite player on the team.

 

[Sbucketball]

Do we really need a true classic "center" though? I watched Miami and Clemson last night(both good teams) and they both start stretch 4's there. The same goes for most of the teams in the country.

Armando Bacot is really the only classic center in the ACC.

I think Brown and Freeman can be a great frontcourt. The idea of centers to me is a bit outdated.

I'd like a good center as a backup to Maliq next year -- one with more size than Maliq for matchups where it's needed, but also not so big and slow he gets put in a blender on defense.

If Maliq and Freeman can hit 3s next year well enough to have to be guarded on the perimeter, we could have a 5 out offense, and with rebounding by committee between those two, we could be potent if we also make the necessary change at the 3.

Going forward, PJ Hall is a pretty good model of what we should look for. We don't need lanky 7 footers anymore, unless obviously they're versatile like Flip or even a JP Estrella when looking at HS recruits.

 

[Cusefan95]

2 words: Fran Brown

It seems possible/probable that Red being a continuity hire worked against him in a way Fran Brown didn't have to deal with - players wanted to see that he wasn't going to run the same stale 2-3 Zone and whatever passed for an offensive strategy for the last decade before they would be interested in playing for Red. Its one of the reasons I wasn't thrilled with this hire, Syracuse hasn't been good enough for the last decade to take a "steady as she goes" approach to this hire.

But we're here anyway, hopefully Red has enough tape of his style and has enough personal charisma to be able to successfully recruit the guys we've missed on for years now.

 

[Fly Rodder]

Do we really need a true classic "center" though? I watched Miami and Clemson last night(both good teams) and they both start stretch 4's there. The same goes for most of the teams in the country.

Armando Bacot is really the only classic center in the ACC.

I think Brown and Freeman can be a great frontcourt. The idea of centers to me is a bit outdated.

Just need some beef though. PJ Hall and Ormier are stout dudes (again, S&C). As great as Brown is and he knows how to leverage his body, he doesn't have the ups nor does he have the strength/mass to blast through defenders.

And I'm OK if we don't have a true center, but we can also move some of the projects and get some 6'5" - 6"8" forward types, preferably ones who can shoot. All Miami's top 7 can shoot from three.

 

[Eric15]

The team has not received an NIT invitation the last two years.

 

[shandeezy7]

I'd like a good center as a backup to Maliq next year -- one with more size than Maliq for matchups where it's needed, but also not so big and slow he gets put in a blender on defense.

If Maliq and Freeman can hit 3s next year well enough to have to be guarded on the perimeter, we could have a 5 out offense, and with rebounding by committee between those two, we could be potent if we also make the necessary change at the 3.

Going forward, PJ Hall is a pretty good model of what we should look for. We don't need lanky 7 footers anymore, unless obviously they're versatile like Flip or even a JP Estrella when looking at HS recruits.

I love Maliq, but he should not play any position on the court but Power Forward, except in emergency situations (which I guess this season counts as, since McLeod is useless out there often and he has no viable backup). Teams that play small ball with a PF at the C position, that PF is usually super athletic and long. So they might be 6'8" but they have a better chance at defending a 6'11" guy than Maliq would.

IMO, Maliq isn't long and athletic enough and not a good enough post defender to be playing the center position more than absolutely necessary - which is a lot this year - but in an ideal lineup would be very rare. If Jesse was on this year's team, Malik would play the PF position 95% of the time on the court.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Just need some beef though. PJ Hall and Ormier are stout dudes (again, S&C). As great as Brown is and he knows how to leverage his body, he doesn't have the ups nor does he have the strength/mass to blast through defenders.

And I'm OK if we don't have a true center, but we can also move some of the projects and get some 6'5" - 6"8" forward types, preferably ones who can shoot. All Miami's top 7 can shoot from three.

Agreed. Hall and Omier are 240-250 pounds and around the same height as Maliq, but that's 20 plus pounds of muscle Maliq does not have.

 

[dasher]

Sobering thoughts: There was a period of time when we were elite but that time has passed (like it does for most schools). We unfortunately were not able to maintain our elite status due to a variety of factors (JB staying too long, moving to the ACC, loss of Mike Hopkins). Hopefully we can regain it again (like UConn) but there are no guarantees. I feel like we're facing an uphill battle for a variety of reasons. The bottom line is that if we can't recruit top talent (more than one player), there is no chance to be elite again. I honestly don't know. I would have never expected us to drop this far so fast. We're a middle of the road team and that's hard to accept given our past glories. But, as they say, hope springs eternal.

Of course we can. Take a look at what is going on with football and the recruiting that has suddenly happened. And that is a much tougher hill for us to climb.

 

[shandeezy7]

Agreed. Hall and Omier are 240-250 pounds and around the same height as Maliq, but that's 20 plus pounds of muscle Maliq does not have.

PJ Hall is listed on Clemson's website as 6'10.5" Bigger and taller than Maliq. Much closer to a traditional center size.

 

[Cuse181]

You are assuming other portal guys would want to come play for an unproven coach. I think not.

Seems like something the admin should've taken under consideration before hiring said first time head coach. Its a weak excuse honestly, Hubert didn't have any problems at UNC, didn't seem like Jerome Tang had any issues at K-state his first year either. Hell, even though Kenny Payne is garbage he still brought in a bunch of transfers his first year.

 

[kirbivore]

If we were dominated by a school (it’s by two schools now) over and over and over this fanbase would be livid, it’s like we’ve gotten used to this and there is no passion or am I seeing this differently?

Maybe life changes but I don’t think I’ve been really upset by a game in years, are we conditioned to this now?

My only anger was towards NYS not letting us bet NY college teams on the apps. Just like the first two Maui games the SU 1st half spread combined with the opponent full game spread was a lock.

 

[syrBossHogg]

I am more mad about the offseason than the actual product on the court. Last year it was clear to everyone that we needed a forward that could play at this level and Red did nothing to fix that or support that. Also McLeod was and is terrible and shouldn't have been added to the roster especially since his play was to move away from a zone defense.

I think if Westry was healthy he'd be getting a lot of minutes at forward.

 

[Col. Bleep]

We need to get back to the point where we expect to win every game.
Things are looking up.
This is an exciting team that plays hard.

But...a BIG BUT:
The Orange have lost 4 games...all to good teams (not withstanding Virginia's 3 lopsided losses).
The pattern of the games is the same.
It's close for about 3/4 or more of the game.
Then the Orange fall apart and get badly run over.

Why that pattern in all the losses?
Why is the team falling apart in the homestretch?
Yes, turnovers, missed shots and weak rebounding.
But why then?
Why down the stretch?
What's the problem(s)?

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Not mad. I don’t even take the time to watch the games anymore, unless I have absolutely nothing else to do. I’ve deleted every game that I’ve recorded without watching a minute. Doubt I’ll ever be ravenous for the team like I once was. Getting old, busy, and not letting my happiness be defined by a bunch of kids not related to me.

 

[tptcuse]

Not mad. I don’t even take the time to watch the games anymore, unless I have absolutely nothing else to do. I’ve deleted every game that I’ve recorded without watching a minute. Doubt I’ll ever be ravenous for the team like I once was. Getting old, busy, and not letting my happiness be defined by a bunch of kids not related to me.

See, that's where we differ.

 

[Sherman20]

How could anyone possibly be mad at the way this season has gone so far? This is the most watchable, enjoyable Cuse team in YEARS.

The end of 2021 was pretty good. They started figuring things out and we had some talent with Kadary, Buddy, Quincy G, Alan Griffin, Jesse and Joe. But I’m enjoying the fast pace and athleticism of this team. We just don’t have enough shooting or a real center. Jesse would have made a big difference, along with a player like Justin Moore from Nova, who was supposedly thinking about transferring.