Lowered Expectations

[alibrat66]

There are many threads on this board about how Syracuse can beat Indiana: let Zeller have his and shut down their guards; throw 15 fouls at Zeller to harass him and wear him down so he has a subpar game (though he might score 25 from the foul line ); we should speed up play; slow down play; drive to the hoop; shoot a lot of threes, etc. etc.There are other threads about how we are the better team and have superior and bigger athletes, our zone defense is like the Maginot Line (oh, wait, that didn't work out too well) and, therefore, should win going away. I'm going at it from a different point of view: I figure Indiana is one of the three top teams in the country, and we ended up the season rated in the high teens. Therefore, we should have little or no chance. By some estimates, we shouldn't even be playing in the same game and on the same floor as Indiana and its seemingly meth-freak, gacked coach. Hell, we might even score a total of 20 points against their superior defense. So, I'm going accept that guaranteed failure hypothesis and enjoy the game. Watch loose. Have fun viewing the slaughter; not even scream and curse at the refs. I'll be the Ghandi (or like that guy from Nepal whose name I can't spell without doing a search, which I choose not to do right now because I'm so relaxed and mellow) of our fan base. I'll be like the nerdy guy with straight As, built like a willow-branch with Coke-bottle-thick glasses who lusts over the beautiful head cheerleader but knows that never in a million years will she go out with him, so he gets off just watching her walk around the halls, or do flips on the court at halftime; in short, he hangs loose (which might even attract her to him, since he's the only boy not running after her like a dog in heat). My hope is that our players will also play loose, figuring they have nothing to lose, since they are on the court with the legendary and almighty goliath of the Big 10, 12, 14 (pick your number). I think if our players can stay loose and have fun, and play like this is their final game due to them having no chance to beat the vaunted Hoosiers, who, though there are few hills in Indiana to stand on, consider themselves loftier than us. In short, enjoy the moment, take chances, and play (as opposed to work) hard. In short, I'll let Indiana believe their own press clippings, and we apple-knockers from upstate New York (where there are hills) just might sneak up on them and knock them off, sort of a reverse Hoosiers story. If so, I predict that Crean's head pops open, and his innards squeeze out of him like toothpaste on national television, thereby robbing Andy Katz of any post game interview (since JB has sentenced him to a life of omerta. I'll let you know how it works out...

 

[Bornorange]

A great post to wake up to. I also curse the gods for placing us in the same bracket as their golden children. I fully expect the Hoosiers to ride into Verizon Center on bright white stallions with vestal virgins by their side. We can only hope the Viking God Loki showers his mischief on the anointed ones.

 

[zhanjuzi]

I'm smiling so hard after reading this post my mouth hurts!

 

[sutomcat]

There are many threads on this board about how Syracuse can beat Indiana: let Zeller have his and shut down their guards; throw 15 fouls at Zeller to harass him and wear him down so he has a subpar game (though he might score 25 from the foul line ); we should speed up play; slow down play; drive to the hoop; shoot a lot of threes, etc. etc.There are other threads about how we are the better team and have superior and bigger athletes, our zone defense is like the Maginot Line (oh, wait, that didn't work out too well) and, therefore, should win going away. I'm going at it from a different point of view: I figure Indiana is one of the three top teams in the country, and we ended up the season rated in the high teens. Therefore, we should have little or no chance. By some estimates, we shouldn't even be playing in the same game and on the same floor as Indiana and its seemingly meth-freak, gacked coach. Hell, we might even score a total of 20 points against their superior defense. So, I'm going accept that guaranteed failure hypothesis and enjoy the game. Watch loose. Have fun viewing the slaughter; not even scream and curse at the refs. I'll be the Ghandi (or like that guy from Nepal whose name I can't spell without doing a search, which I choose not to do right now because I'm so relaxed and mellow) of our fan base. I'll be like the nerdy guy with straight As, built like a willow-branch with Coke-bottle-thick glasses who lusts over the beautiful head cheerleader but knows that never in a million years will she go out with him, so he gets off just watching her walk around the halls, or do flips on the court at halftime; in short, he hangs loose (which might even attract her to him, since he's the only boy not running after her like a dog in heat). My hope is that our players will also play loose, figuring they have nothing to lose, since they are on the court with the legendary and almighty goliath of the Big 10, 12, 14 (pick your number). I think if our players can stay loose and have fun, and play like this is their final game due to them having no chance to beat the vaunted Hoosiers, who, though there are few hills in Indiana to stand on, consider themselves loftier than us. In short, enjoy the moment, take chances, and play (as opposed to work) hard. In short, I'll let Indiana believe their own press clippings, and we apple-knockers from upstate New York (where there are hills) just might sneak up on them and knock them off, sort of a reverse Hoosiers story. If so, I predict that Crean's head pops open, and his innards squeeze out of him like toothpaste on national television, thereby robbing Andy Katz of any post game interview (since JB has sentenced him to a life of omerta. I'll let you know how it works out...

I like where your head is at Tom. Plus, any post that references omerta is a winner in my book.

I think in this game, all the pressure is on Indiana. Crean's manic style is unlikely to help his team here. Should be a really interesting game between 2 very different types of teams.

 

[TomCreanShow]

Yeah, you guys are such underdogs. Nobody in the media ever talks about Syracuse. Jim Boeheim is a saint, so are all of your players.
Get real guys. Indiana was preseason #1 and won the B1G outright because they are a very good team. It's been awhile since IU fans have had this type of team to root for. Are you upset because people actually think IU will win this game? It shouldn't come as a shock that a #1 seed is favored over a #4 seed. Syracuse is a very good team too, they just didn't get some of the results Indiana got this year.

 

[TheCusian]

Yeah, you guys are such underdogs. Nobody in the media ever talks about Syracuse. Jim Boeheim is a saint, so are all of your players.
Get real guys. Indiana was preseason #1 and won the B1G outright because they are a very good team. It's been awhile since IU fans have had this type of team to root for. Are you upset because people actually think IU will win this game? It shouldn't come as a shock that a #1 seed is favored over a #4 seed. Syracuse is a very good team too, they just didn't get some of the results Indiana got this year.

This is exactly why you guys are seen as s. Let me break this down for you slow, mid-west style:

1. You just bragged because you were a preseason #1.
2. You won the regular season B1G season outright. You got smoked in your conference tourney.
3. It has been a while since you've been any good. Good point.
4. Jim Boeheim is no saint. Our players, like every team everywhere - sometimes have issues. But we have the coach 2nd in NCAA wins all time and you've just now got a semi-competant coach (who couldn't beat us when he was at Marquette).
5. Of course we're underdogs and you guys deserve all of the preseason #1, #1 seed hype you can get. We've been there. Expectations suck. You played against them along with Temple last weekend and without the refs help you'd be sitting at home doing what people who live in Indiana do (I don't know what that is... churn butter? Sew buttons on clothes? Feed the mules?)
6. The "results" you speak of - You've won 1 more game than us and we've lost 3 more than you. That's it. You're favored because you're slightly better.
7. No one is talking about us winning this game. We like that. Weight of expectations + our zone = worried IU fan.

 

[No Hoyas]

Yeah, you guys are such underdogs. Nobody in the media ever talks about Syracuse. Jim Boeheim is a saint, so are all of your players.
Get real guys. Indiana was preseason #1 and won the B1G outright because they are a very good team. It's been awhile since IU fans have had this type of team to root for. Are you upset because people actually think IU will win this game? It shouldn't come as a shock that a #1 seed is favored over a #4 seed. Syracuse is a very good team too, they just didn't get some of the results Indiana got this year.

Take your paxcil and calm down.
All the man did was explain how he is going to try to view the game- didnt really insult the team(except for the meth-freal-gaked coach comment), and said that they were one of the top 3 teams. And from that you got JB and all our players are siants, and no one talks about us?
re read his post and then go back to your board and say how every post on this board says you suck and dont stand a chance against us

 

[TomCreanShow]

Take your paxcil and calm down.
All the man did was explain how he is going to try to view the game- didnt really insult the team(except for the meth-freal-gaked coach comment), and said that they were one of the top 3 teams. And from that you got JB and all our players are siants, and no one talks about us?
re read his post and then go back to your board and say how every post on this board says you suck and dont stand a chance against us

It's paroxetine now, Paxil went generic awhile ago. And the man laid the sarcasm on pretty thick. The overall tone of the thread so far was "whoa is me", "we get no respect", like the media portrays IU as some unbeatable juggernaut. It's not true. Many in the media don't think IU will get out of their bracket. So if we are being sarcastic, I thought I'd oblige.

 

[edowd26]

Didn't take long for you to wear out your welcome.

Yeah, you guys are such underdogs. Nobody in the media ever talks about Syracuse. Jim Boeheim is a saint, so are all of your players.
Get real guys. Indiana was preseason #1 and won the B1G outright because they are a very good team. It's been awhile since IU fans have had this type of team to root for. Are you upset because people actually think IU will win this game? It shouldn't come as a shock that a #1 seed is favored over a #4 seed. Syracuse is a very good team too, they just didn't get some of the results Indiana got this year.

 

[TomCreanShow]

This is exactly why you guys are seen as s. Let me break this down for you slow, mid-west style:

1. You just bragged because you were a preseason #1.
2. You won the regular season B1G season outright. You got smoked in your conference tourney.
3. It has been a while since you've been any good. Good point.
4. Jim Boeheim is no saint. Our players, like every team everywhere - sometimes have issues. But we have the coach 2nd in NCAA wins all time and you've just now got a semi-competant coach (who couldn't beat us when he was at Marquette).
5. Of course we're underdogs and you guys deserve all of the preseason #1, #1 seed hype you can get. We've been there. Expectations suck. You played against them along with Temple last weekend and without the refs help you'd be sitting at home doing what people who live in Indiana do (I don't know what that is... churn butter? Sew buttons on clothes? Feed the mules?)
6. The "results" you speak of - You've won 1 more game than us and we've lost 3 more than you. That's it. You're favored because you're slightly better.
7. No one is talking about us winning this game. We like that. Weight of expectations + our zone = worried IU fan.

1. If preseason #1 means anything it means you have a lot of talent returning. Talent plus experience usually equals good team.
2. Our struggles against Wisconsin are well documented. Most of us expected an L against Wisky in the tourney. Nothing new there, but regular season conference titles are really what matter.
3. Hence all the excitement for IU fans and subsequent media coverage.
4. Just saying
5. You say refs, I say 10-0 run down the stretch while shutting down Wyatt, with him not even touching the ball on a few possessions.
6. We are 5-1 vs. teams left in the tourney. Our SOS was slightly better than yours, we had more top 10 and top 25 wins, and we won our conference.
7. People here are talking about it, and bashing IU in the process, which is enough for me.

 

[sutomcat]

It's paroxetine now, Paxil went generic awhile ago. And the man laid the sarcasm on pretty thick. The overall tone of the thread so far was "whoa is me", "we get no respect", like the media portrays IU as some unbeatable juggernaut. It's not true. Many in the media don't think IU will get out of their bracket. So if we are being sarcastic, I thought I'd oblige.

I like the enthusiam and knowledge of antidepressant drugs, however, you might have the worst reading skills of anyone on the planet.

 

[edowd26]

1. If preseason #1 means anything it means you have a lot of talent returning. Talent plus experience usually equals good team.
2. Our struggles against Wisconsin are well documented. Most of us expected an L against Wisky in the tourney. Nothing new there, but regular season conference titles are really what matter.
3. Hence all the excitement for IU fans and subsequent media coverage.
4. Just saying
5. You say refs, I say 10-0 run down the stretch while shutting down Wyatt, with him not even touching the ball on a few possessions.
6. We are 5-1 vs. teams left in the tourney. Our SOS was slightly better than yours, we had more top 10 and top 25 wins, and we won our conference.
7. People here are talking about it, and bashing IU in the process, which is enough for me.

A little hypocrisy there chief. Your cohorts are equally as disrespectful, and the first of the mudslinging came from HSN. Thats your board so you're entitled to it, but don't come here telling us thatz enough for you. And Alibrat is one of our very best and gregarious with opponent fanbases, pick a more deserving poster to attack. I volunteer.

 

[MELOKEITH]

I like the enthusiam and knowledge of antidepressant drugs, however, you might have the worst reading skills of anyone on the planet.

Let's not be too harsh here fellas - I'd say second worst. (Unless of course Patrick Ewing is no longer on the planet, then, my apologies.)

 

[TomCreanShow]

A little hypocrisy there chief. Your cohorts are equally as disrespectful, and the first of the mudslinging came from HSN. Thats your board so you're entitled to it, but don't come here telling us thatz enough for you. And Alibrat is one of our very best and gregarious with opponent fanbases, pick a more deserving poster to attack. I volunteer.

I think boards talking about other team's fans are pretty lame. I, for one, didn't partake in any mudslinging. I came here to see what all the fuss was about, and now I see that you guys mostly like to rip on opponents. To each their own, but HSN is usually above that (except when it come to Purdue and Kentuck). Don't know why we decided to play that game over there.

 

[asj410]

If so, I predict that Crean's head pops open, and his innards squeeze out of him like toothpaste on national television, thereby robbing Andy Katz of any post game interview (since JB has sentenced him to a life of omerta. I'll let you know how it works out...

This ending was the best part Great post!

 

[TomCreanShow]

There are many threads on this board about how Syracuse can beat Indiana: let Zeller have his and shut down their guards; throw 15 fouls at Zeller to harass him and wear him down so he has a subpar game (though he might score 25 from the foul line ); we should speed up play; slow down play; drive to the hoop; shoot a lot of threes, etc. etc.There are other threads about how we are the better team and have superior and bigger athletes, our zone defense is like the Maginot Line (oh, wait, that didn't work out too well) and, therefore, should win going away. I'm going at it from a different point of view: I figure Indiana is one of the three top teams in the country, and we ended up the season rated in the high teens. Therefore, we should have little or no chance. By some estimates, we shouldn't even be playing in the same game and on the same floor as Indiana and its seemingly meth-freak, gacked coach. Hell, we might even score a total of 20 points against their superior defense. So, I'm going accept that guaranteed failure hypothesis and enjoy the game. Watch loose. Have fun viewing the slaughter; not even scream and curse at the refs. I'll be the Ghandi (or like that guy from Nepal whose name I can't spell without doing a search, which I choose not to do right now because I'm so relaxed and mellow) of our fan base. I'll be like the nerdy guy with straight As, built like a willow-branch with Coke-bottle-thick glasses who lusts over the beautiful head cheerleader but knows that never in a million years will she go out with him, so he gets off just watching her walk around the halls, or do flips on the court at halftime; in short, he hangs loose (which might even attract her to him, since he's the only boy not running after her like a dog in heat). My hope is that our players will also play loose, figuring they have nothing to lose, since they are on the court with the legendary and almighty goliath of the Big 10, 12, 14 (pick your number). I think if our players can stay loose and have fun, and play like this is their final game due to them having no chance to beat the vaunted Hoosiers, who, though there are few hills in Indiana to stand on, consider themselves loftier than us. In short, enjoy the moment, take chances, and play (as opposed to work) hard. In short, I'll let Indiana believe their own press clippings, and we apple-knockers from upstate New York (where there are hills) just might sneak up on them and knock them off, sort of a reverse Hoosiers story. If so, I predict that Crean's head pops open, and his innards squeeze out of him like toothpaste on national television, thereby robbing Andy Katz of any post game interview (since JB has sentenced him to a life of omerta. I'll let you know how it works out...

Lots of sarcasm here. I'm reading this as IU isn't as good as everyone thinks they are, so I'll use sarcasm to belittle them. But I didn't earn a journalism degree from Syracuse, so I'm probably wrong.

 

[cusetown1]

This is exactly why you guys are seen as s. Let me break this down for you slow, mid-west style:

1. You just bragged because you were a preseason #1.
2. You won the regular season B1G season outright. You got smoked in your conference tourney.
3. It has been a while since you've been any good. Good point.
4. Jim Boeheim is no saint. Our players, like every team everywhere - sometimes have issues. But we have the coach 2nd in NCAA wins all time and you've just now got a semi-competant coach (who couldn't beat us when he was at Marquette).
5. Of course we're underdogs and you guys deserve all of the preseason #1, #1 seed hype you can get. We've been there. Expectations suck. You played against them along with Temple last weekend and without the refs help you'd be sitting at home doing what people who live in Indiana do (I don't know what that is... churn butter? Sew buttons on clothes? Feed the mules?)
6. The "results" you speak of - You've won 1 more game than us and we've lost 3 more than you. That's it. You're favored because you're slightly better.
7. No one is talking about us winning this game. We like that. Weight of expectations + our zone = worried IU fan.

8. lost to Wisconsin 12 times in a row.

 

[alibrat66]

Someone sent me this today. Maybe it can help uplift us all. It is entitled Determination.

 

[edowd26]

I think boards talking about other team's fans are pretty lame. I, for one, didn't partake in any mudslinging. I came here to see what all the fuss was about, and now I see that you guys mostly like to rip on opponents. To each their own, but HSN is usually above that (except when it come to Purdue and Kentuck). Don't know why we decided to play that game over there.

Thats not true at all. You're not above it, I am over there... And I see it. But it's par for the course. Pretty standard stuff prior to a big game, don't pretend it's one sided because it isnt. And certainly don't come at alibrat like hes some pretentious dbag because he isn't he is one of our very best.

 

[TheCusian]

1. If preseason #1 means anything it means you have a lot of talent returning. Talent plus experience usually equals good team.
2. Our struggles against Wisconsin are well documented. Most of us expected an L against Wisky in the tourney. Nothing new there, but regular season conference titles are really what matter.
3. Hence all the excitement for IU fans and subsequent media coverage.
4. Just saying
5. You say refs, I say 10-0 run down the stretch while shutting down Wyatt, with him not even touching the ball on a few possessions.
6. We are 5-1 vs. teams left in the tourney. Our SOS was slightly better than yours, we had more top 10 and top 25 wins, and we won our conference.
7. People here are talking about it, and bashing IU in the process, which is enough for me.

Alright. So lets break it down again.

1. Preseason #1 means nothing. If you're going to brag, brag on the time you actually were #1. And even that means nothing. We've been ranked #1 and had one seeds - it's just a nice footnote if you lose. You will, BTW.
2. So you can't beat Wisky. With all of that talent? Preseason #1, 3 lottery picks, and regular season champs?! But you can't beat Wisky? We did last year in the tourney.
3. I'll totally grant you that you're overhyped because your'e finally good again. Our continued success does tend to bore the media.
4. Almost every game over the past 2 years we've had to deal with off-the-court rumors and special media packages about Boehiem's "troubles." And we've lost like 10 games. It's not cutting local kids loose because your recruiting coordinator can't count, but we can't all be as classy as IU.
5. Wyatt was mugged every time down the court over that last 5 minutes of that game. The refs let you get away with it. It's not that hard to do if the refs are going to call it like that. But, yeah - spin it how you want.
6. And you are rewarded with a #1 seed. Good job! My point wasn't that you didn't deserve it - but that the media spin is that you're going to crush us. It should be a good game because you're only a bit better than us to this point. We'll see on Thursday night who is better.
7. This is a Syracuse fan forum. Of course we're hoping for a victory and are fairly confident. I wouldn't say there has been this great lack of respect for your team around here. I can't speak for everyone - but I think we win on Thursday and am personally really excited for the smug smiles to turn to shock and disbelief. "How could we lose - we were preseason #1?!"

 

[4evaOrange]

!


There I said it.

 

[No Hoyas]

Someone sent me this today. Maybe it can help uplift us all. It is entitled Determination.

View attachment 2788

Let me see this through tomcreanshow's eyes: Cant beleive you want that little girl in the wheelchair to die, and that you think we arent going to win the national championship

 

[JoeCollege]

I like where your head is at Tom. Plus, any post that references omerta is a winner in my book.

I think in this game, all the pressure is on Indiana. Crean's manic style is unlikely to help his team here. Should be a really interesting game between 2 very different types of teams.

Agreed all around Tom and Tom. Like whiz-bang, this board cries out for more Omerta. Oh, wait, that's on the pay side.

 

[alibrat66]

Lots of sarcasm here. I'm reading this as IU isn't as good as everyone thinks they are, so I'll use sarcasm to belittle them. But I didn't earn a journalism degree from Syracuse, so I'm probably wrong.

Apparently, you don't grow parodies in Indiana.

 

[TomCreanShow]

Alright. So lets break it down again.

1. Preseason #1 means nothing. If you're going to brag, brag on the time you actually were #1. And even that means nothing. We've been ranked #1 and had one seeds - it's just a nice footnote if you lose. You will, BTW.
2. So you can't beat Wisky. With all of that talent? Preseason #1, 3 lottery picks, and regular season champs?! But you can't beat Wisky? We did last year in the tourney.
3. I'll totally grant you that you're overhyped because your'e finally good again. Our continued success does tend to bore the media.
4. Almost every game over the past 2 years we've had to deal with off-the-court rumors and special media packages about Boehiem's "troubles." And we've lost like 10 games. It's not cutting local kids loose because your recruiting coordinator can't count, but we can't all be as classy as IU.
5. Wyatt was mugged every time down the court over that last 5 minutes of that game. The refs let you get away with it. It's not that hard to do if the refs are going to call it like that. But, yeah - spin it how you want.
6. And you are rewarded with a #1 seed. Good job! My point wasn't that you didn't deserve it - but that the media spin is that you're going to crush us. It should be a good game because you're only a bit better than us to this point. We'll see on Thursday night who is better.
7. This is a Syracuse fan forum. Of course we're hoping for a victory and are fairly confident. I wouldn't say there has been this great lack of respect for your team around here. I can't speak for everyone - but I think we win on Thursday and am personally really excited for the smug smiles to turn to shock and disbelief. "How could we lose - we were preseason #1?!"

1. It meant getting a commit from a top 10 recruit. Again, all I said it means is we had a lot of returning talent.
2. Style of play and confidence, IU has no confidence vs Wisky
5. Wyatt was not mugged, he was frustrated and put on a pretty good acting performance when he was denied the ball. Oladipo is considered one of the top defenders in the country for a reason, and it's not because he's never called for fouls.

Side note, didn't you guys lose to Temple? They must not be that bad.