Villanova has taken our rightful spot as..

[sufandu]

Malachi was a top 25 player when he came in. I didn't see him as a four year guy; three at the most plus he was older than the rest of his class. Ennis and Grant were definitely 3-4 year guys. Ennis got bad advice and left early following the 25-0 start. Grant's people felt his ceiling had been reached here. At least he's been a serviceable NBA player.

Malachi wasn't expected to be one and done when he first came to campus. Ennis and Grant both prove my point. Guys that are supposedly 3-4 year guys still leave early and it's hard to predict who that guy will be. Ennis didn't get bad advice. His ceiling had been reached too, at least as far as draft stock was concerned.

Lydon is the next one if he goes. Ranked right around 75 in high school and potential first round pick because of his potential with his size and shooting. We used to develop those guys. Now we showcase them so they can then develop in the NBA. I can't blame them, but it's one of the primary current challenges of the program.

 

[Edfromsodus]

Villanova has benefited greatly from the changes to the BE with the top teams departure to the ACC. They have assumed our rightful spot as the premier northeastern program with their recent success and the NCAA title last year. I had many a friend that hoped Nova won the title game last year and I told them they were insane. Let the UNCs, Dukes, UK and the like win as they are already killing it with recruiting and exposure. They absolute worst thing that could have happened was for another non blue blood school in the northeast to win. If you're a kid now picking between Nova and SU where you going ? This is further detrimental when you consider how important Philly has been to SU. The rise of Nova is directly contributing to the decline of SU. If Nova somehow wins the title again as a repeat we might never recover. Truthfully, we might not recover as it is. that remains to be seen. Im hopeful but not overly optimistic. I think as it stands today, other than monetarily, the ACC has not benefited us. Man do I miss the OBE

Rightful spot? Villanova has won 2 national championships. Icon has 4 in 20 years. We are hardly the rightful owners on the northeast.

 

[Col. Bleep]

Jay Wright hasn't been swept up in a scandal.
Jay Wright emphasizes "team" play.
Jay Wright actually encourages sportsmanship instead of chest thumping attitude.
And somehow he built a strong program, won a national championship and is this year's top seed.

Maybe he's an anomaly these days.
But for the few people who care about more than just winning and losing...he's one of the few to admire.

And he's not too bad at winning, either.

 

[Townie72]

Josh Hart, arguably Villinova's best player, went to Sidwell Friends in DC.

Sidwell Friends, until recently, has produced zero DI athletes in any sport ever.

He was recruited by Villanova, Rutgers and Penn State.

If Boeheim had signed him you would have heard the whining from some of our fans in Binghamton.

High school players, except for LeBron James and the 5-Stars are a huge gamble.

Recruiting is a crapshoot. Criticizing coaches for recruiting mistakes is stupid. They are unavoidable.

 

[Zepharus]

If Boeheim had signed him you would have heard the whining from some of our fans in Binghamton.

There is also a little matter of developing players also. Maybe not destroying them either..

 

[br801]

There is also a little matter of developing players also. Maybe not destroying them either..

Well this staff is apparently doing a good job developing all these players who are supposedly jumping to the NBA before they are ready. Or doesn't that count as development?

 

[jr4750]

Other than preventing SU's highest-profile athletic programs as we've known them from dying a slow death.

They are a heck of a program. But they will have ups and downs.

We still have the ACC. I think the allure of playing in the ACC and playing Duke, North Carolina, Louisville, Boston College, far outweighs playing in the Big East for a recruit.

At the same time we just need to get better with our recruiting -- get better 4 year players.

and a rumored $40 million a year by 2025. That helps.

 

[Eric15]

I wouldn't say they've had two good seasons. They've been a very solid program for the last decade plus. The problem with them, until last season, was that they'd always implode in the tournament.

They went to the Final Four in 2009 and were a game away from another Final Four in 2006 with that awesome Ray/Foye/Lowry group. In 2005 they lost on a very controversial call in the Sweet 16 vs UNC.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I wouldn't say they've had two good seasons. They've been a very solid program for the last decade plus. The problem with them, until last season, was that they'd always implode in the tournament.

They were 54-45 from 2010 to 2013.

How is that any different from our 59-41 the last 3?

 

[NKR1978]

Villanova recruits guys that will be program guys for all four years and more importantly they haven't had any recruiting busts; everyone contributes. They don't put any pros in the league. The last guy that Nova brought in that had pro "potential" left early, didn't get drafted and may be somewhere overseas. That's when Nova was mediocre and people wanted Wright's head on a platter. Syracuse needs to get back to that with a sprinkle of one and done guys. The busts the last few years have really hurt this program's short-term and long-term health.

Four years? I swear that Arcidiacono was there for at least 8. Nardi before him was there when Wallace played for us. Now they have that Italian ginger kid as next in their long line of "short Italian kids who spend 8 years at Villanova."

 

[cuse10]

They were 54-45 from 2010 to 2013.

How is that any different from our 59-41 the last 3?

I mentioned the few years of mediocrity, if not in this thread in another. The point remains. Nova has been a contender in the Northeast for over a decade now.

 

[jr4750]

They were 54-45 from 2010 to 2013.

How is that any different from our 59-41 the last 3?

exactly. They have been great for two years, (solid for many others), and won an amazing game in the Final last year. Jay Wright is a great dude, who let his kid wear a GMAC jersey to the cuse/nova game in Philly, Gerry's senior year. That said, I don't think they are the dominant eastern power and we are screwed. They are playing at a higher level then us. Remember, they couldn't get Lonny Walker either, and aren't pulling in top 20 talent over us.

 

[TheCusian]

Villanova has benefited greatly from the changes to the BE with the top teams departure to the ACC. They have assumed our rightful spot as the premier northeastern program with their recent success and the NCAA title last year. I had many a friend that hoped Nova won the title game last year and I told them they were insane. Let the UNCs, Dukes, UK and the like win as they are already killing it with recruiting and exposure. They absolute worst thing that could have happened was for another non blue blood school in the northeast to win. If you're a kid now picking between Nova and SU where you going ? This is further detrimental when you consider how important Philly has been to SU. The rise of Nova is directly contributing to the decline of SU. If Nova somehow wins the title again as a repeat we might never recover. Truthfully, we might not recover as it is. that remains to be seen. Im hopeful but not overly optimistic. I think as it stands today, other than monetarily, the ACC has not benefited us. Man do I miss the OBE

Naw. They've been good while we've been down before. I don't see one being up hurting the other.

 

[jr4750]

NO but the BE just got 7 teams in... comparatively that is respect vs the ACCs 9. The reshuffling of the BE and the title, left Nova to be the Alpha dog in the East. That is bad for any northeast program any way you slice it

No doubt, Nova is gonna win 25 a year in that conference and a ton of ships for years to come. However, no one thinks the Big East is a better or tougher conference than the ACC, and it doesn't get the exposure, nor the $40 million a year in conference fees. So...

 

[Townie72]

There is also a little matter of developing players also. Maybe not destroying them either..

You're the kind on non-fan this program would be better off without.

I'll deal with you as the spirit moves me.

 

[HOFCeluck]

You're the kind on non-fan this program would be better off without.

Ooh ooh. Do me next!

 

[OrangeDW]

Villanova has benefited greatly from the changes to the BE with the top teams departure to the ACC. They have assumed our rightful spot as the premier northeastern program with their recent success and the NCAA title last year. I had many a friend that hoped Nova won the title game last year and I told them they were insane. Let the UNCs, Dukes, UK and the like win as they are already killing it with recruiting and exposure. They absolute worst thing that could have happened was for another non blue blood school in the northeast to win. If you're a kid now picking between Nova and SU where you going ? This is further detrimental when you consider how important Philly has been to SU. The rise of Nova is directly contributing to the decline of SU. If Nova somehow wins the title again as a repeat we might never recover. Truthfully, we might not recover as it is. that remains to be seen. Im hopeful but not overly optimistic. I think as it stands today, other than monetarily, the ACC has not benefited us. Man do I miss the OBE

UNC and Duke coexist in the same state. Throw in Kentucky and Louisville in the next state over.

There's enough talent out there for there to be two good programs in the entire northeast.

I'd say Nova took Connecticut's place if anything. We've still got our place but we've fumbled the ball a few times. It's still there for us to pick it back up and run with it.

 

[HOFCeluck]

UNC and Duke coexist in the same state. Throw in Kentucky and Louisville in the next state over.

There's enough talent out there for there to be two good programs in the entire northeast.

I'd say Nova took Connecticut's place if anything. We've still got our place but we've fumbled the ball a few times. It's still there for us to pick it back up and run with it.

Agreed. This isn't football.

We existed in a league full of string northeast programs (Us, Pitt, Nova, and Connecticut)

 

[OrangeDW]

Jay Wright hasn't been swept up in a scandal.
Jay Wright emphasizes "team" play.
Jay Wright actually encourages sportsmanship instead of chest thumping attitude.
And somehow he built a strong program, won a national championship and is this year's top seed.

Maybe he's an anomaly these days.
But for the few people who care about more than just winning and losing...he's one of the few to admire.

And he's not too bad at winning, either.

He's probably the only rival school coach that has never ticked me off. I can't take issue with anything he says or does.

 

[Townie72]

Ooh ooh. Do me next!

The guy accused the SU coaching staff of "destroying" players.

 

[OrangePA]

Villanova has benefited greatly from the changes to the BE with the top teams departure to the ACC. They have assumed our rightful spot as the premier northeastern program with their recent success and the NCAA title last year. I had many a friend that hoped Nova won the title game last year and I told them they were insane. Let the UNCs, Dukes, UK and the like win as they are already killing it with recruiting and exposure. They absolute worst thing that could have happened was for another non blue blood school in the northeast to win. If you're a kid now picking between Nova and SU where you going ? This is further detrimental when you consider how important Philly has been to SU. The rise of Nova is directly contributing to the decline of SU. If Nova somehow wins the title again as a repeat we might never recover. Truthfully, we might not recover as it is. that remains to be seen. Im hopeful but not overly optimistic. I think as it stands today, other than monetarily, the ACC has not benefited us. Man do I miss the OBE

The move to the ACC was the right move. And it's not even close.

The Conference has not impacted the SU BB program negatively at all e.g. two FF appearances in the last four years.

There have been other problems/issues that can be corrected.

Any kid who picks Villanova over SU is not doing it based upon our ACC affiliation, but upon other factors including the coach and his style of play/administration.

 

[Townie72]

The move to the ACC was the right move. And it's not even close.

The Conference has not impacted the SU BB program negatively at all e.g. two FF appearances in the last four years.

There have been other problems/issues that can be corrected.

Any kid who picks Villanova over SU is not doing it based upon our ACC affiliation, but upon other factors including the coach and his style of play/administration.

And the school and the location. While primarily a pro-sports town, Philly is college basketball friendly and the newspaper and TV coverage are pretty good. And the Philly isn't NYC, bit neither is it Syracuse in terms of entertainment, weather, etc.

 

[orangenirvana]

Villanova has benefited greatly from the changes to the BE with the top teams departure to the ACC. They have assumed our rightful spot as the premier northeastern program with their recent success and the NCAA title last year. I had many a friend that hoped Nova won the title game last year and I told them they were insane. Let the UNCs, Dukes, UK and the like win as they are already killing it with recruiting and exposure. They absolute worst thing that could have happened was for another non blue blood school in the northeast to win. If you're a kid now picking between Nova and SU where you going ? This is further detrimental when you consider how important Philly has been to SU. The rise of Nova is directly contributing to the decline of SU. If Nova somehow wins the title again as a repeat we might never recover. Truthfully, we might not recover as it is. that remains to be seen. Im hopeful but not overly optimistic. I think as it stands today, other than monetarily, the ACC has not benefited us. Man do I miss the OBE

Villanova has always been good and always will be good as long as Jay Wright is their coach. They're recruiting the same players they have for the last 15 years. The current group just happens to not only be great but contains a few players that fall in that incredibly rare great-college-player-but-poor-NBA-prospect-who-actually-wants-to-stay-in-school category.

This is not the new norm for Villanova. It's a perfect storm that they very likely will never see again.

Our recent struggles have nothing to do with Villanova's recent achievements. And vice versa - Villanova's recent achievements have nothing to do with SU's recent struggles.

 

[Briancuse]

Jay Wright and staff have done a better job identifying talent. And, once they get them, they coach them up. Can't hate that.

It helps that their guys say 3 or 4 years. Their guys won a national title and decided to come back.

 

[two3zone]

and a rumored $40 million a year by 2025. That helps.

Who? Our endowment? Who cares...