A little perspective here

[cto]

1) With very few exceptions, every high major D-1 school has a roster full of kids who are there to play basketball...rather than to go to class. Let's accept that. They have been idolized and catered to since they were in 7th grade....for their basketball skills.

2) Syracuse does as much as any school to try to make these kids take academics seriously. Team managers make sure they attend class. There are mandatory study halls throughout the semester. Tutors make sure they do their homework. However, none of that means anything if a kid decides to tune out. Totally coincidentally, I had dinner tonight with a current SU student who sits next to a prominent SU player in a class this semester. He says the player spends the entire class either sleeping or texting on his iPhone. This shows you can get a person to attend class... but not to pay attention to anything that is said in class.

3) Melo several months ago decided he was going to declare for the NBA at the end of this semester -- in part because he listens to people like those on this message board ... who have been touting him as going to the NBA this year. As a result, he totally tuned out on anything academic at SU. He was just marking time. In short, he didn't give a shxt. This, I remind you, is a kid who was strenuously recruited by a ton of schools three years ago -- all of whom wanted desperately to have him.

4) It is no secret here that I am friends with the entire Boeheim family. I have no friendships I value more. That being said, some of the stuff I have read here tonight ... directed at Jim... literally make me sick. A week ago, people here were touting Jim for national coach of the year. Tonight, some of the same people are calling for him to be fired. Which is it, folks? You have changed your mind 180 degrees because some delusional 20-year-old kid decided he didnt have to do his schoolwork any more because he's gonna get an NBA check next year????

5) No one here has been a bigger SU basketball fan than I have .... or for LONGER than I have. But guess what? It is a frigging game played by kids in their teens or barely out of their teens. It is not my friend Ray Matthieu, a genuine saint, who went into terminal hospice care today because he is about to die from final-stage Melanoma.

6) Get a grip, folks. Melo being suspended is not terminal cancer. It is not a homeless family with no money to feed their children. If you want to obsess about something important, volunteer at a soup kitchen. Or tutor inner-city kids so they will take academics seriously. But don't call for the head of the man who has done more for Syracuse University (and the entire Syracuse community) than anyone else in the school's history.

 

[PauliePeppas]

Preachhhhh...great post

 

[Dick_in_MI]

1) With very few exceptions, every high major D-1 school has a roster full of kids who are there to play basketball...rather than to go to class. Let's accept that. They have been idolized and catered to since they have been in 7th grade....for their basketball skills.

2) Syracuse does as much as any school to try to make these kids take academics seriously. Team managers make sure they attend class. There are mandatory study halls throughout the semester. Tutors make sure they do their homework. However, none of that means anything if a kid decides to tune out. Totally coincidentally, I had dinner tonight with a current SU student who sits next to a prominent SU player in a class this semester. He says the player spends the entire class either sleeping or texting on his iPhone. This shows you can get a person to attend class... but not to pay attention to anything that is said in class.

3) Melo several months ago decided he was going to declare for the NBA at the end of this semester -- in part because he listens to people like those on this message board ... who have been touting him as going to the NBA this year. As a result, he totally tuned out on anything academic at SU. He was just marking time. In short, he didn't give a shxt. This, I remind you, is a kid who was strenuously recruited by a ton of schools three years ago -- all of whom wanted desperately to have him.

4) It is no secret here that I am friends with the entire Boeheim family. I have no friendships I value more. That being said, some of the stuff I have read here tonight ... directed at Jim... literally make me sick. A week ago, people here were touting Jim for national coach of the year. Tonight, some of the same people are calling for him to be fired. Which is it, folks? You have changed your mind 180 degrees because some delusional 20-year-old kid decided he didnt have to do his schoolwork any more because he's gonna get an NBA check next year????

5) No one here has been a bigger SU basketball fan than I have .... or for LONGER than I have. But guess what? It is a frigging game played by kids in their teens or barely out of their teens. It is not my friend Ray Matthieu, a genuine saint, who went into terminal hospice care today because he is about to die from late-stage Melanoma.

6) Get a grip, folks. Melo being suspended is not terminal cancer. It is not a homeless family with no money to feed their children. If you want to obsess about something important, volunteer at a soup kitchen. Or tutor inner-city kids so they will take academics seriously. But don't call for the head of the man who has done more for Syracuse University (and the entire Syracuse community) than anyone else in the school's history.

Very well put Joyce

My prayers go out to your friend

 

[Orangezoo]

great post

 

[jekelish]

Thank you, Joyce. The voice of reason as always.

Regarding kids not going to class, I had a class my senior year, second semester with an extremely prominent SU basketball player. First day of class, he showed up, got the syllabus, asked me and my buddies if we were bothering to take notes, was on his phone the whole time he was there, and left after 10 minutes.

Now, I can't talk, because I left five minutes later and, admittedly, never went back to that lecture again (it was a 250 student lecture, so I just read the text and went to the individual group classes conducted by the TA's), but it shows that this is not at all uncommon. As you say, you can get a kid to show up for class, but what they do after is totally on them.

And the talk of JB needing to be let go is absurd. I think things need to be tightened a bit around the Hill, but no way, shape or form should that man ever leave Syracuse except on his own terms.

 

[AZOrange]

1) With very few exceptions, every high major D-1 school has a roster full of kids who are there to play basketball...rather than to go to class. Let's accept that. They have been idolized and catered to since they have been in 7th grade....for their basketball skills.

2) Syracuse does as much as any school to try to make these kids take academics seriously. Team managers make sure they attend class. There are mandatory study halls throughout the semester. Tutors make sure they do their homework. However, none of that means anything if a kid decides to tune out. Totally coincidentally, I had dinner tonight with a current SU student who sits next to a prominent SU player in a class this semester. He says the player spends the entire class either sleeping or texting on his iPhone. This shows you can get a person to attend class... but not to pay attention to anything that is said in class.

3) Melo several months ago decided he was going to declare for the NBA at the end of this semester -- in part because he listens to people like those on this message board ... who have been touting him as going to the NBA this year. As a result, he totally tuned out on anything academic at SU. He was just marking time. In short, he didn't give a shxt. This, I remind you, is a kid who was strenuously recruited by a ton of schools three years ago -- all of whom wanted desperately to have him.

4) It is no secret here that I am friends with the entire Boeheim family. I have no friendships I value more. That being said, some of the stuff I have read here tonight ... directed at Jim... literally make me sick. A week ago, people here were touting Jim for national coach of the year. Tonight, some of the same people are calling for him to be fired. Which is it, folks? You have changed your mind 180 degrees because some delusional 20-year-old kid decided he didnt have to do his schoolwork any more because he's gonna get an NBA check next year????

5) No one here has been a bigger SU basketball fan than I have .... or for LONGER than I have. But guess what? It is a frigging game played by kids in their teens or barely out of their teens. It is not my friend Ray Matthieu, a genuine saint, who went into terminal hospice care today because he is about to die from late-stage Melanoma.

6) Get a grip, folks. Melo being suspended is not terminal cancer. It is not a homeless family with no money to feed their children. If you want to obsess about something important, volunteer at a soup kitchen. Or tutor inner-city kids so they will take academics seriously. But don't call for the head of the man who has done more for Syracuse University (and the entire Syracuse community) than anyone else in the school's history.

agree completely. i can speak personally to No. 2. SU takes it very seriously. It aint on the program or the University.

 

[RF2044]

Great perspective, CTO.

 

[Henny & Coke]

Great points. Agree with everything...and offer my solution to the problem: Offer a degree in Professional Basketball. More details:

http://syracusefan.com/threads/the-...l-of-basketball-at-syracuse-university.21442/

 

[Scooch]

Excellent post, Joyce.

Just one thing though... SU is my beloved alma mater. It's is a huge part of my identity, as I believe it is for many of us. Seeing all the negative attention to the hoops program, without question the most publically recognizable part of the entire university...well, it's just really darn discouraging.

I for one really would like the volume of this stuff to lessen, if not stop.

*edit* Also, I'm not at all comfortable with the part about it just being a game played by kids. It's a huge business. The scrutiny and calls for accountability are justified on that front, IMHO.

 

[sabach]

1) With very few exceptions, every high major D-1 school has a roster full of kids who are there to play basketball...rather than to go to class. Let's accept that. They have been idolized and catered to since they have been in 7th grade....for their basketball skills.

2) Syracuse does as much as any school to try to make these kids take academics seriously. Team managers make sure they attend class. There are mandatory study halls throughout the semester. Tutors make sure they do their homework. However, none of that means anything if a kid decides to tune out. Totally coincidentally, I had dinner tonight with a current SU student who sits next to a prominent SU player in a class this semester. He says the player spends the entire class either sleeping or texting on his iPhone. This shows you can get a person to attend class... but not to pay attention to anything that is said in class.

3) Melo several months ago decided he was going to declare for the NBA at the end of this semester -- in part because he listens to people like those on this message board ... who have been touting him as going to the NBA this year. As a result, he totally tuned out on anything academic at SU. He was just marking time. In short, he didn't give a shxt. This, I remind you, is a kid who was strenuously recruited by a ton of schools three years ago -- all of whom wanted desperately to have him.

4) It is no secret here that I am friends with the entire Boeheim family. I have no friendships I value more. That being said, some of the stuff I have read here tonight ... directed at Jim... literally make me sick. A week ago, people here were touting Jim for national coach of the year. Tonight, some of the same people are calling for him to be fired. Which is it, folks? You have changed your mind 180 degrees because some delusional 20-year-old kid decided he didnt have to do his schoolwork any more because he's gonna get an NBA check next year????

5) No one here has been a bigger SU basketball fan than I have .... or for LONGER than I have. But guess what? It is a frigging game played by kids in their teens or barely out of their teens. It is not my friend Ray Matthieu, a genuine saint, who went into terminal hospice care today because he is about to die from late-stage Melanoma.

6) Get a grip, folks. Melo being suspended is not terminal cancer. It is not a homeless family with no money to feed their children. If you want to obsess about something important, volunteer at a soup kitchen. Or tutor inner-city kids so they will take academics seriously. But don't call for the head of the man who has done more for Syracuse University (and the entire Syracuse community) than anyone else in the school's history.

I've been waiting for your post all afternoon. It was worth the wait. My wife and I will pray tonight for your friend and his family.

 

[VirginiaOrange]

All fine and I respect your opinions and relationships - but that does not change the fact that this season has been an embarassment for SU. This board and others mocks UConn, KU and others and the fact is that SU has been no better than any of them this year. You have as hard a time putting your bias aside as the other side does - JB has been great for a lot of reasons but at some point the buck stops at his desk. I have a grip - sadly that means that I am old enough not to get wrapped up in the whole thing anymore - but that does not change being embarrassed by all that has happened this year.

 

[JohnCuse44]

Wow post of the week/month/year

 

[SarasotaPaul]

May God be with your friend Ray and his family. You will all be in my prayers.

 

[Dick_in_MI]

Excellent post, Joyce.

Just one thing though... SU is my beloved alma mater. It's is a huge part of my identity, as I believe it is for many of us. Seeing all the negative attention to the hoops program, without question the most publically recognizable part of the entire university...well, it's just really darn discouraging.

I for one really would like the volume of this stuff to lessen, if not stop.

*edit* Also, I'm not at all comfortable with the part about it just being a game played by kids. It's a huge business. The scrutiny and calls for accountability are justified on that front, IMHO.

The Bernie part and the drugs part bother me a lot as an alumnus. The Fab parts bothers me
merely as a fan...a player basically flunked out. I knew lots of non players who flunked out so from a program standpoint I don't hold that against anybody.

 

[wallacecuse]

I agree with most of what you say, but I never like the approach of chiding, or belittling people for being absurdly passionate about sports, in this case, SU. It isn't cancer, but for someone who has gone through cancer, the success of your sports teams - something totally trivial, can be the one of the few things that make you happy. Nothing wrong with being emotionally invested in sports to a ridiculous degree.

 

[subobby1]

I rarely post, but I read the boards several timesa day. I look forward to ctos'
messages more than any other poster. I, like all SU fans was disappointed
ln todays news. So fwiw, my sis-in-law,at a very young age, was just diagnosed with stage 4 liver disease,so losing a basketball game is not much of a concern for our family.SU will get through this, I'm not too sure about my sis.

 

[RF2044]

I rarely post, but I read the boards several timesa day. I look forward to ctos'
messages more than any other poster. I, like all SU fans was disappointed
ln todays news. So fwiw, my sis-in-law,at a very young age, was just diagnosed with stage 4 liver disease,so losing a basketball game is not much of a concern for our family.SU will get through this, I'm not too sure about my sis.

Sorry to hear about this, subobby. Hang in there.

 

[bpo57]

First off I am sorry about your friend and his cancer. I agree wholeheartedly that perspective is needed. I am also not clued in on anywhere near all of the facts to sit in judgment of JB and his program. I do have one minor disagreement and that is with #3. It seems like you are blaming fans here that might have speculated about Fab's pro prospects. Fans everywhere do that and there really is nothing wrong with it. If Fab based his future plans on speculation from fans on this board then it becomes easier for me to understand his academic struggles.

 

[CorduroyG]

its sports. nobody is saying its life or death. you can play the "at least its not cancer card" with anything. why are you so upset keith smart hit that shot? have some perspective, at least its not cancer.

reminds me of tom glavine's last game as a met. last game of the season he gives up 7 runs in 1st inning in a game the mets needed to win to make the playoffs. after the game he was asked if this was a devastating loss. he said some thing like "no its not devastating. devastating is for much more important things in life." no stuff tom, but sports is its own unique world, and for die hard met fans, that loss was devastating (believe me, i was there). for syracuse fans, in our own little syracuse sports world, today's news about melo is devastating. no its not cancer devastating, but its still devastating in its own way and we have every right to be angry and pissed and annoyed and any other emotions we want. maybe "fire boeheim!" isnt exactly the best thing to say, but its certainly valid to question some of the things going on with his program recently. and boeheim is not immune to criticism regardless of how much hes given to this university.

 

[sabach]

I rarely post, but I read the boards several timesa day. I look forward to ctos'
messages more than any other poster. I, like all SU fans was disappointed
ln todays news. So fwiw, my sis-in-law,at a very young age, was just diagnosed with stage 4 liver disease,so losing a basketball game is not much of a concern for our family.SU will get through this, I'm not too sure about my sis.

Looks like my wife and I have someone else to pray for tonight as well. Prayers for you as well subobby1.

 

[Alcuse01]

My issue, surprisingly, isn't that Melo decided not to go to class. And I certainly can't blame the kid for deciding to go for the NBA at the end of the year. Im a strong believer that trying to force certain players to be viewed in the same light as other students is ridiculous to me. I went to college to prepare for the rest of my life, and to be ready for a career. I believe most players do the same -- to prepare for a career in sports. They're basically interns in college -- helping out the business but not getting paid.

What I don't get is how he was cleared weeks ago to play, and then all of a sudden he's suspended again -- without final grades coming out. How can that be?

 

[joct]

I have watched as the BF thing totally unraveled as the media called for JB's resignation. SU self reporting on themselves seems to be institutional oversight working. SU suspending Fab prior to the tourney doesn't look like cover up nor hiding stuff either. If all this embarrasses you, I guess you would rather things got swept under the rug. Thats easier than stepping up and logically defending yourself. Doesn't take orange colored glasses to rightfully defend salacious reporting.

Very true. You can put in all the infrastructure you want in place -- follow them to class, make them run if they miss, send them to study tables, have tudors give guidance -- but ultimately there comes a point where the kid either follows through on his own or he doesn't. The last thing you can do is take away eligiblity here (obviously what they did). Kid messed up, kid is ineligible.

If the kid is at a point where he doesn't care if he misses games, then there really is very little leverage anyone has to make him follow through on academics. That's they last form of punishment they can do.

 

[Fjoinkay]

I like the post, and what you say about Fab phoning it in because he's already decided to go pro sounds right to me. I have no evidence to back that up, but it feels right. It's a shame not only right now, but if Fab was committed to another year he could really work on his skills with the ball on the low post. JB recently said Fab is only about 30% of the way to his potential, and with another year I have no doubt that he would improve on offense and make a lot more money in the draft. He might also have a chance to play a lot more minutes without trying to learn as many new skills at the next level.

But I don't fault him for going pro this year if that is what he wants. His problems in the classroom don't help him in the draft either though.

I think a lot of the hysteria about this situation is related to the other situations. The drama this season is beyond belief.

 

[AccuRater]

I agree with most of what you say, but I never like the approach of chiding, or belittling people for being absurdly passionate about sports, in this case, SU. It isn't cancer, but for someone who has gone through cancer, the success of your sports teams - something totally trivial, can be the one of the few things that make you happy. Nothing wrong with being emotionally invested in sports to a ridiculous degree.

I agree. SU hoops helped me and my family get through my daughter's cancer. Or at least push it out of our thoughts for a few minutes.

 

[VirginiaOrange]

SarasotaPaul: You are right - a sex scandal that has not totally gone away, a drug scandal that has not totally been addressed, and a player being suspended twice within two months including on the eve of the NCAA tourney should present no reason to question blind loyalty to the program. And again - had that sentence been about any other program you'd wear Orange glasses to blast UConn, Georgetown and others.