the zone

[AlaskaSU]

Players win games. The most important thing that a coach does is build the reputation of the program. Kids respect us and that is why they come to play here. It ain't the weather. The proof is in the pudding, our recruiting is on an awesome plateau. What JB has done is working. The argument that it would be even better if not for the zone is purely hypothetical. Given our current prospects, how can anyone not be satisfied? It is lunacy to say that JB should have done it differently. JB's stature is fed by consistency and that is why it is growing, just I predicted, even way back during the dark days when the local rag ran a four part series on dismal recruiting. The zone is a key factor in our consistency despite playing in the most brutal league compounded by the fact that the League scheduled so as to provide equality. We have been the most consistent winners despite not having the best talent and having to face one of the toughest schedules year after year.

 

[HoustonCuse]

we all know how easy it is to win championships every few years

According to Igor, it takes special effort for us NOT to win them in 75% of all seasons.

 

[Cowtown]

Why has zone D been outlawed in the NBA for so long?

Hint: it's not because it doesn't work ...

 

[HOFCeluck]

The best coach in history has four titles in roughly the same time. How many should JB have?

 

[two3zone]

the reason he's won once in 39 years is the lovable zone. I will continue to help anyone fit their personnel to its destruction.

Keith Smart, Arinze Onuaku, and Fab Melo are three names that make me think that bad luck and or crappy circumstances can be the difference in a title and going home. Why don't we also look at the overachieving teams that made it far, last year, Wallace's team who lost in the finals, etc. etc...

The zone works, our opponents offensive numbers show it works. Outside of you saying "one title in 39 years" what evidence do you have showing that it doesn't work? What evidence do you have that shows if we played man for 39 straight years we would have won more? Maybe we're a basketball powerhouse because of the zone, what if we played man and were just mediocre and ended up a pedestrian school like St Johns, Seton Hall, or Providence?

Personally, I'd rather have one title and enjoy a team that contends EVERY year than a team like Florida or UCONN who will win it then have to suck for a couple of years before they restock. Syracuse has without question along with Duke been the two most consistent winning teams for the past 20 years.

 

[Cowtown]

The best coach in history has four titles in roughly the same time. How many should JB have?

John Wooden?

 

[HOFCeluck]

John Wooden?

Obviously not.

 

[igor]

It's a given the defense will be good...I'm more concerned about offense.

u should be. we struggle late against man because we cannot replicate that in practice. how many more rebounds did the Canadian teams have. they were midgets. perhaps we should recruit five star big guys. stop smurf ball.

 

[ebucklewis]

u should be. we struggle late against man because we cannot replicate that in practice.

like most things you type, this statement is just not true. We didn't struggle against man last year - we struggled against zone's and we also struggled when the opposition could put a great defender on our point - but you could say that about every team in DIV 1.

 

[orangefan13]

I hate to break it to you igor...

 

[SmilinBob]

Sent a "2-3 Zone...drive at your own risk" shirt to my kid, she loved it and will wear it proudly in Big 10 country.

I think our guards are a little too short this year for it to be as effective as it was in the past. It'll be solid and if the 2 front guys can cover a lot of real estate and get to free balls that will help.

 

[igor]

like most things you type, this statement is just not true. We didn't struggle against man last year - we struggled against zone's and we also struggled when the opposition could put a great defender on our point - but you could say that about every team in DIV 1.

that's why u need to practice against pressure. good for him he limited the damage by going pro

 

[orangefan13]

that's why u need to practice against pressure. good for him he limited the damage by going pro

igor your argument hasn't been about practicing against man its been about playing it. Now your saying we are doomed because we don't practice against it also?

Whats next without a pg the caliber of MCW, or Tyler Ennis and without a center who can block shots like Melo or Etan thomas, and without a surefire nba forward we are doomed and our whole team would be stupid to not leave and play overseas or the nba after their freshmen season?

last year...
Syracuse 12.4 turnovers per game
Louisville 12.4 turnovers per game and thats with a sr in peyton siva ( Gee I guess turnovers is why we lost)
Indiana 13.2
Kansas 13.9
Michigan state 13.5
Arizona 13.0
Marquette 13.4
Witichita State 12.6 against the likes of bradley's drake's evansville's and loyola's

 

[realorange]

Amazing that after all this time Igor can still reel in the fish with the bait he throws out.

 

[RandygoCuse]

Here's my problem with the whole conspiracy thing. SU got a very fortunate call against UNC Asheville late in that game. Why not humiliate SU further by being the 1st #1 to lose to a #16 when you have the chance?

I agree that I don't think there was a conspiracy theory. However, one would probably argue that it would be easier to deliver a suspension than to tell the refs to favor a 16 seed on ambigous calls.

 

[RandygoCuse]

'Cuz it's the offseason, and it helps pay the bills?

Did I log onto the payside by mistake?

 

[igor]

Amazing that after all this time Igor can still reel in the fish with the bait he throws out.

do u think nationally there is more of me or boeheimians, especially among coaches. it's a freakin gimmick. now I will agree he has stocked his coffers with unbelieveabe talent. that too is abusive. kids don't know any better. get drafted and fail.

 

[jordoo]

do u think nationally there is more of me or boeheimians, especially among coaches. it's a freakin gimmick. now I will agree he has stocked his coffers with unbelieveabe talent. that too is abusive. kids don't know any better. get drafted and fail.

Or they aren't as talented as you say and JB does more with them than their NBA coaches are able to. You can;t have it every which way but you always try to to your detriment. Its what exposes you as a zone hater and makes it easy to see through your aruements. You might try to actually see and post the truth then make your opinion. Your a m2m guy I get it but that doesn't mean the zone is ineffective or a gimmic as the numbers clearly show how effective it is.

 

[Libero2]

u should be. we struggle late against man because we cannot replicate that in practice. how many more rebounds did the Canadian teams have. they were midgets. perhaps we should recruit five star big guys. stop smurf ball.

Um... What? Did you just call us short? It's of the few compliments we consistently get, we are tall, long and lengthy how exactly are we smurfs? Indiana's guards last year were smurfs, our team is not...

 

[igor]

Um... What? Did you just call us short? It's of the few compliments we consistently get, we are tall, long and lengthy how exactly are we smurfs? Indiana's guards last year were smurfs, our team is not...

no sheet Shakespeare. don't get involved.

 

[Libero2]

no sheet Shakespeare. don't get involved.

Oook then, I'll just leave you to argue with everyone else then.

I will say this, first and last time I'll ever be called Shakespeare though, so thanks for that

 

[igor]

I don't know why I bother since your are trolling, but you do know they didn't play 100% zone all of the 39 years, right? I see plenty of MTM on those TW sports channel flashback games from the 80's and early 90's.

jb man doesn't count. it isn't good enough to beat Lemoyne. I offered for years to clinic jb and the players. the offer no longer exists.

 

[dasher]

jb man doesn't count. it isn't good enough to beat Lemoyne. I offered for years to clinic jb and the players. the offer no longer exists.

Igor, for years I have begged you to get help. My friend, I'm sorry to say, you are insane. It isn't funny. In 2010 when we were the best team in the country, you never posted. In 2012, when we ran off a 34-3 record, you never posted. Last year, a beautiful run to the final four, you never posted. Mumbled something about no internet connection in Florida. You post now because we haven't started winning yet. You are not and have never been a syracuse basketball fan. You said we would never win playing zone. We did. JB had built an amazing winning program. You have built nothing. It's time to call the dogs in Igor, the hunt is over. In this battle in your mind with jb, he won. You lost.

 

[MCC]

Igor, for years I have begged you to get help. My friend, I'm sorry to say, you are insane. It isn't funny. In 2010 when we were the best team in the country, you never posted. In 2012, when we ran off a 34-3 record, you never posted. Last year, a beautiful run to the final four, you never posted. Mumbled something about no internet connection in Florida. You post now because we haven't started winning yet. You are not and have never been a syracuse basketball fan. You said we would never win playing zone. We did. JB had built an amazing winning program. You have built nothing. It's time to call the dogs in Igor, the hunt is over. In this battle in your mind with jb, he won. You lost.

That's... pretty much the best response to iggy I've ever read. Couldn't have done it better.

 

[realorange]

Igor, for years I have begged you to get help. My friend, I'm sorry to say, you are insane. It isn't funny. In 2010 when we were the best team in the country, you never posted. In 2012, when we ran off a 34-3 record, you never posted. Last year, a beautiful run to the final four, you never posted. Mumbled something about no internet connection in Florida. You post now because we haven't started winning yet. You are not and have never been a syracuse basketball fan. You said we would never win playing zone. We did. JB had built an amazing winning program. You have built nothing. It's time to call the dogs in Igor, the hunt is over. In this battle in your mind with jb, he won. You lost.

Igor can correct me if I'm wrong, but his stroke prevented him from posting for a long period of time.
To say he is not a Syracuse fan is to ignore the fact that there was probably nobody who went to the then open practices more than he.
I guess he needs to learn to use the appropriate icons to let some of you know that he is far more sarcastic than most of you can comprehend.
Besides, he is our Igor and not Rutgers Al or some UConn yo-yo.
Some of you can like a nose picking tee shirt but not a leg pulling Igor. :noidea: