Alex Klein

[OrangePA]

"Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities, transfer portal management."

That's exactly what every other college GM does.

And that is the engine that drives college programs.

 

[Trueblue25]

no issue with Kline. Its our assistants and the rest of the staff I wont miss. Fun watching them all staring blankly in their seats while we lose every second half.

 

[tbonezone]

When you know his job roles and don’t make up facts - there’s no way to adequately judge performance.

so he can hide himself behind the cloak of job nebulosity . no accountability ?

if we aint winning he shares some of the blame. i mean that's why we pay him. to win games.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

We aren’t getting a better GM. He got a lot of bang for our buck last year in the portal.

I have no frame of reference to determine in Kline is good or not. He didn’t assemble a team that’s capable of overcoming Red’s coaching deficiencies. Maybe his analytics didn’t factor in those variables.

 

[Millhouse]

I think there’s a huge problem with how his position has been titled which ends up leading to some really bad takes here. Take a look at his responsibilities as listed on the Syracuse website:

“The primary responsibilities include scouting and recruiting, former student-athlete engagement, Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities, transfer portal management, and institutional fundraising in collaboration with University Advancement.”

Does that really look anything at all like what a General Manager is in sports? No it does not. It’s part Sales & Marketing Manager, part Scouting Director. The actual “General Manager” is the Athletic Director. Additionally this position reports to the head coach according to his bio - that seems dumb also. The Sales & Marketing Manager and Scouting Director report to the GM in formally professional sports - why Klein doesn’t report to Wildhack makes zero sense.

Guys thinking Klein needs to go are looking at a screwed up job title and screwed up org chart, and not recognizing those are just signs of how dysfunctional Syracuse is and not representative of reality. Very rarely is the scouting director fired when the head coach is fired in pro sports - that’s basically what folks who think Klein should be gone are advocating for. And when scouting directors are fired, it’s not national news. He could be gone at the end of this year, and he might be terrible - but I have no idea how anyone could honestly judge that. I think the ship had sailed on the job title, renaming it to something appropriate to the actual responsibilities is going to look like a demotion. But if Klein is still here next year, hopefully they at least change the org chart so he’s reporting to Wildhack.

As long as we have a new head coach next year, I’m fine. I would have preferred a new coach after last season and would still prefer a new coach on Monday…but I’ve accepted that I need to temper my expectations with Syracuse over the last 30 years.

They really played up the analytics. We have the wrong players taking the worst shots

 

[powdersmack]

I have no frame of reference to determine in Kline is good or not. He didn’t assemble a team that’s capable of overcoming Red’s coaching deficiencies. Maybe his analytics didn’t factor in those variables.

There is no one in the entire world that could.

 

[cusefan88]

They really played up the analytics. We have the wrong players taking the worst shots

The guy they hired left after one season. Almost certainly for the reason you shared. Also got hired by an NBA team so clearly not a complete fool.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

I think there’s a huge problem with how his position has been titled which ends up leading to some really bad takes here. Take a look at his responsibilities as listed on the Syracuse website:

“The primary responsibilities include scouting and recruiting, former student-athlete engagement, Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities, transfer portal management, and institutional fundraising in collaboration with University Advancement.”

Does that really look anything at all like what a General Manager is in sports? No it does not. It’s part Sales & Marketing Manager, part Scouting Director. The actual “General Manager” is the Athletic Director. Additionally this position reports to the head coach according to his bio - that seems dumb also. The Sales & Marketing Manager and Scouting Director report to the GM in formally professional sports - why Klein doesn’t report to Wildhack makes zero sense.

Guys thinking Klein needs to go are looking at a screwed up job title and screwed up org chart, and not recognizing those are just signs of how dysfunctional Syracuse is and not representative of reality. Very rarely is the scouting director fired when the head coach is fired in pro sports - that’s basically what folks who think Klein should be gone are advocating for. And when scouting directors are fired, it’s not national news. He could be gone at the end of this year, and he might be terrible - but I have no idea how anyone could honestly judge that. I think the ship had sailed on the job title, renaming it to something appropriate to the actual responsibilities is going to look like a demotion. But if Klein is still here next year, hopefully they at least change the org chart so he’s reporting to Wildhack.

As long as we have a new head coach next year, I’m fine. I would have preferred a new coach after last season and would still prefer a new coach on Monday…but I’ve accepted that I need to temper my expectations with Syracuse over the last 30 years.

@Cussfun92 –
The difference between a college AD and a pro team’s GM is that the college AD presides over all the school’s teams, not just one. So, expecting the same singe-focus and dedication to the basketball program is not reasonable. It is very reasonable to expect a hybrid position.

The difficulties become those of hierarchy. Who makes the calls, who has final decisionmaking authority. Kline has to work with the HC, and decisions, objectives, targets have to be aligned.

Since we have reason to question Red’s practice and game floor acumen, we should be wondering how Red may have compromised Kline’s work. But I think it’s more realistic to believe:
• Kline is good
• The roster is much better than the game/record/standings results
• Scouting vs acquisition is always a compromise based on a) resources [NIL], b) program status, 3) recent results [tourny and NBA draft picks in recent years, 4) relationships and trust established in the ‘recruiting of transfers, potential/eventual transfers.

 

[Cusefan95]

so he can hide himself behind the cloak of job nebulosity . no accountability ?

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if we aint winning he shares some of the blame. i mean that's why we pay him. to win games.

We pay the coach to win games.

You guys are really baffled by this “General Manager” title. Look at his job description and point out exactly where you know with certainty he failed. You can’t. Because it’s like a marketing or scouting director job, NOT a general manager in pro sports.

 

[Jake]

We aren’t getting a better GM. He got a lot of bang for our buck last year in the portal.

This issue this year hasn’t been $ or roster.

Let’s hope the money that was pumped into the program last off season continues.

The “where do we sit with NIL $” discussion is somewhat complex. You need to clarify parameters. Last off season, my belief is we were upper half of ACC. Maybe top 5-7.

Am I confident that will be the case going forward? Not really, I hope so, but as I’ve consistently posted, my understanding is we relied on what may have been a one time infusion last year.

 

[Cusefan95]

They really played up the analytics. We have the wrong players taking the worst shots

If only there was a job with responsibility and control over who takes shots. Oh, wait…there is. It’s called “Head Coach”.

Red doesn’t listen. The end. He should have been fired last year.

 

[CardiacCuse]

Gotta be honest the S&C benefits have not really been noticeable to me yet.

the roster changes every year so...kinda hard to tell

 

[CardiacCuse]

no issue with Kline. Its our assistants and the rest of the staff I wont miss. Fun watching them all staring blankly in their seats while we lose every second half.

just the mere fact that almost every single game folllows the exact same script...play close or win 1st half...and lose 2nd half...letting game slip away in last 10 minutes or so...tells you it is all coaching, imo

this roster is very good, imo...tourney team with replacement level head coach. easily.

 

[tbonezone]

the roster changes every year so...kinda hard to tell

losing so many second halves doesn't sound like good conditioning IMO. our guys look soft.

 

[CardiacCuse]

losing so many second halves doesn't sound like good conditioning IMO. our guys look soft.

could be part of it

i think its that opposing coaches tighten the noose as the game goes on...red doesnt know how to play the chess match

hes playing checkers

going iso 1 on 1 end of games hasnt worked

 

[Trueblue25]

just the mere fact that almost every single game folllows the exact same script...play close or win 1st half...and lose 2nd half...letting game slip away in last 10 minutes or so...tells you it is all coaching, imo

this roster is very good, imo...tourney team with replacement level head coach. easily.

The narrative on the board that we lack talent is one of the least coherent arguments in forum history.

The Houston games a prime example. The game was close based on talent alone. Red does not get these guys amped up to play, he does not make adjustments that benefit us. We lost that game because of inexplicable subbing and some of the most boneheaded designed plays ever ran.

The team has talent. Its all on coaching. You see it in the discipline.

 

[tbonezone]

The team has talent. Its all on coaching. You see it in the discipline.

ok say it's draft day 2026 who's going first round ? donnie i hope. the rest no chance.

 

[Briancuse]

Kline had nothing to do with last years roster, put an ncaa tournament team together this year. Not his fault he inherited the worst coach in.college bball.

 

[phil77]

This issue this year hasn’t been $ or roster.

Let’s hope the money that was pumped into the program last off season continues.

The “where do we sit with NIL $” discussion is somewhat complex. You need to clarify parameters. Last off season, my belief is we were upper half of ACC. Maybe top 5-7.

Am I confident that will be the case going forward? Not really, I hope so, but as I’ve consistently posted, my understanding is we relied on what may have been a one time infusion last year.

I remember posting last year that this one time big push of funding for Red wouldn’t be there the next year for the new coach after Red fails this year and those new donors don’t see the fruit of the money per say. Hope that isn’t the case but my fear it is so the new coach is going to have to have some sort of engaging personality to get that money back again

 

[Trueblue25]

ok say it's draft day 2026 who's going first round ? donnie i hope. the rest no chance.

Donnie for sure. Kingz maybe would get a sniff at the 2nd. Kyle will probably get an UDFA look.

That said - there’s been great final four teams with no more than 1 first rounders

 

[orangepassion]

ok say it's draft day 2026 who's going first round ? donnie i hope. the rest no chance.

Does anyone feel that Red's squeezing the most out of guys like Donnie? He has a ton of talent.

 

[CuseMan4]

I’m half joking when I say this but we could have Brad Steven’s as our GM putting together the team. Wouldn’t matter much when Red is the coach and that’s the truth. Red is that bad.

Talent doesn’t matter when you have a coach who doesn’t know how to coach, adjust in game, can’t develop players and substitution patterns are outrageous. Look at Kenny Payne at Louisville…dude was a stud recruiter and can’t coach a lick. Red simply cannot coach at the head coach level. He’s not a D1 coach. Nice guy, really bad head coach.