Amazing Facts the Media Ignores

[Cheriehoop]

and unfortunately some fans also.

We're hearing so much negative lately, there are some amazing facts about this team that stands at 26-2 in a new conference playing at new venues with 3 new starters from our 30-10 Final 4 team last year. With 3 games remaining in 2012-2013 we were 22-6. Last year we ended the regular season at 23-8.


This year we had to replace 3 starters and a key reserve, DC2. Our two seniors and 1st round NBA bound sophomore starter were replaced with a freshman and two sophomores this year. We also suffered key injuries this year with both Baye and Jerami not being able to play in games and Dajuan losing the entire season. Yet we stand 26-2.


Team stats below


Steals TO Ast Reb Pts For Pts Against

2012-2013 9.0 12.4 14.0 38.4 70.4 58.7

2013-2014 8.3 9.1 12.3 35.1 68.8 58.5


With MCW, Triche, Southerland and DC2 we lost:


46% of our rebounds, 84% of our assists, 61% of our turnovers and 62% of our scoring.


The media's theme should be the amazing job this program, its' coaches and players have done to keep a standard of excellence despite graduations, NBA early entries, injuries...


Sure would be nice to hear the media talk actual facts and really analyze performances, consistencies and aberrations. This team is filled with good kids who work their butts off and have only made us proud for their demeanor and actions both on and off the court. As Arbs has said “it's a great time to be Orange”.

 

[TOL22]

You're not even wearing orange colored spin goggles. You're wearing goggles with sharp focus. applause

 

[UnderHisOwnPower]

and unfortunately some fans also.

We're hearing so much negative lately, there are some amazing facts about this team that stands at 26-2 in a new conference playing at new venues with 3 new starters from our 30-10 Final 4 team last year. With 3 games remaining in 2012-2013 we were 22-6. Last year we ended the regular season at 23-8.


This year we had to replace 3 starters and a key reserve, DC2. Our two senior and sophomore starters were replaced with a freshman and two sophomores this year. We also suffered key injuries this year with both Baye and Jerami not being able to play in games and Dajuan losing the entire season. Yet we stand 26-2.


Team stats below


Steals TO Ast Reb Pts For Pts Against

2012-2013 9.0 12.4 14.0 38.4 70.4 58.7

2013-2014 8.3 9.1 12.3 35.1 68.8 58.5


With MCW, Triche, Southerland and DC2 we lost:


46% of our rebounds, 84% of our assists, 61% of our turnovers and 62% of our scoring.


The media's theme should be the amazing job this program, its' coaches and players have done to keep a standard of excellence despite graduations, NBA early entries, injuries...


Sure would be nice to hear the media talk actual facts and really analyze performances, consistencies and aberrations. This team is filled with good kids who work their butts off and have only made us proud for their demeanor and actions both on and off the court. As Arbs has said “it's a great time to be Orange”.

Agreed. I read a quote from Billy Donovan this morning that he made after last nights tough win @ Vandy. He said his team was not the most talented, not even close. What they have done with what they have is amazing. When you are #1, you have a bigger target on your back and people expect you to blow out all of your opponents, but that is not who we (UF) are.

Of course the media eats that up from a spoon when it comes from him. Same could be applied to SU, but coming from JB it would be taken as so much excuse making. Stats don't matter when it is about personalities, and make no mistake the media is all about promoting or criticizing personalities. Just win baby and enjoy the critics stew. An ACC championship, #1 seed and run to the Final 4 will be all the validation that is needed to demonstrate the staying power of JBs program, he has set the bar pretty high now. No one can deny the most important of stats, and that is Wins.

 

[HoustonCuse]

It will be really interesting to see what this same type of post will look like next year. We'll have a new PG and a new go-to guy. Can McCullough and Roberson replace Fair and Grant's production? I would say they have a chance, but the steady leadership is the question. CJ has made clutch shots that carried us to wins several times this year.

I have a very positive outlook for Roberson - him matching Grant, I think is very doable.

There is almost no chance that Joseph will be able to do what Ennis did this year, but not because he is bad, but it has been a pretty amazing year for TE.

Cooney, I think will be an absolute stud next year and Mike G will be very steady so we won't have to rely on Joseph quite as intensely as we do on Ennis.

Xmas, I also expect to be a very reliable player with several games where he can dominate. Can DC stay healthy for a whole year of backup duty? If not, we'll have a big hole there. Chino is a complete unknown.

If Grant and TE were to come back, I think we'll maybe have our best team of the modern era. I'd expect Ennis to have a better 3-point shot next year and to improve his court vision (he misses an open TC several times a game).

 

[chlywtr]

It will be really interesting to see what this same type of post will look like next year. We'll have a new PG and a new go-to guy. Can McCullough and Roberson replace Fair and Grant's production? I would say they have a chance, but the steady leadership is the question. CJ has made clutch shots that carried us to wins several times this year.

I have a very positive outlook for Roberson - him matching Grant, I think is very doable.

There is almost no chance that Joseph will be able to do what Ennis did this year, but not because he is bad, but it has been a pretty amazing year for TE.

Cooney, I think will be an absolute stud next year and Mike G will be very steady so we won't have to rely on Joseph quite as intensely as we do on Ennis.

Xmas, I also expect to be a very reliable player with several games where he can dominate. Can DC stay healthy for a whole year of backup duty? If not, we'll have a big hole there. Chino is a complete unknown.

If Grant and TE were to come back, I think we'll maybe have our best team of the modern era. I'd expect Ennis to have a better 3-point shot next year and to improve his court vision (he misses an open TC several times a game).

I don't think we'll have a new PG next year

 

[br801]

Good stuff.

It certainly isn't easy to sustain the level of excellence we've seen from this program, but it is easy for fans and observers to become spoiled and take it for granted.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

It will be really interesting to see what this same type of post will look like next year. We'll have a new PG and a new go-to guy. Can McCullough and Roberson replace Fair and Grant's production? I would say they have a chance, but the steady leadership is the question. CJ has made clutch shots that carried us to wins several times this year.

I have a very positive outlook for Roberson - him matching Grant, I think is very doable.

There is almost no chance that Joseph will be able to do what Ennis did this year, but not because he is bad, but it has been a pretty amazing year for TE.

Cooney, I think will be an absolute stud next year and Mike G will be very steady so we won't have to rely on Joseph quite as intensely as we do on Ennis.

Xmas, I also expect to be a very reliable player with several games where he can dominate. Can DC stay healthy for a whole year of backup duty? If not, we'll have a big hole there. Chino is a complete unknown.

If Grant and TE were to come back, I think we'll maybe have our best team of the modern era. I'd expect Ennis to have a better 3-point shot next year and to improve his court vision (he misses an open TC several times a game).

I'm bullish on BJ Johnson providing some scoring next season, either as a starter to space the floor right at the beginning of the game, or as a microwave off the bench. We're going to need a few guys to step up as threats to put it in the hoop, and I think he's got the right mix of skills to make an impact.

From his dad's reports he's working hard, so I look forward to seeing him ready when his number's called.

 

[realorange]

I'm bullish on BJ Johnson providing some scoring next season, either as a starter to space the floor right at the beginning of the game, or as a microwave off the bench. We're going to need a few guys to step up as threats to put it in the hoop, and I think he's got the right mix of skills to make an impact.

From his dad's reports he's working hard, so I look forward to seeing him ready when his number's called.

I'd love to see BJ get meaningful minutes next year, but his chance of starting is very small. He could be the next 6th man if things break right and he works for it.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I'd love to see BJ get meaningful minutes next year, but his chance of starting is very small. He could be the next 6th man if things break right and he works for it.

I agree it's small, but that said, it's not like Roberson's set the world on fire in his limited minutes, and a potential starting lineup of Joseph, McCullough, Roberson and Rak surrounding Cooney really, really lacks in balance and perimeter threats. BJ potentially solves that.

I don't know. Maybe Roberson is way ahead of BJ on the developmental curve, but I think BJ is a really good candidate for a sophomore leap. There are minutes to be had, and he has skills the other forwards don't.

 

[Col. Bleep]

and unfortunately some fans also.

We're hearing so much negative lately, there are some amazing facts about this team that stands at 26-2 in a new conference playing at new venues with 3 new starters from our 30-10 Final 4 team last year. With 3 games remaining in 2012-2013 we were 22-6. Last year we ended the regular season at 23-8.


This year we had to replace 3 starters and a key reserve, DC2. Our two seniors and 1st round NBA bound sophomore starter were replaced with a freshman and two sophomores this year. We also suffered key injuries this year with both Baye and Jerami not being able to play in games and Dajuan losing the entire season. Yet we stand 26-2.


Team stats below


Steals TO Ast Reb Pts For Pts Against

2012-2013 9.0 12.4 14.0 38.4 70.4 58.7

2013-2014 8.3 9.1 12.3 35.1 68.8 58.5


With MCW, Triche, Southerland and DC2 we lost:


46% of our rebounds, 84% of our assists, 61% of our turnovers and 62% of our scoring.


The media's theme should be the amazing job this program, its' coaches and players have done to keep a standard of excellence despite graduations, NBA early entries, injuries...


Sure would be nice to hear the media talk actual facts and really analyze performances, consistencies and aberrations. This team is filled with good kids who work their butts off and have only made us proud for their demeanor and actions both on and off the court. As Arbs has said “it's a great time to be Orange”.

You and I and probably most people here follow just one basketball team so closely.
Sports media types have to cover them all.
Very few have the time (or the inclination) to do deep analysis of all the top programs.
Perhaps they should.
But they don't.

So the focus is always on the stars...that's also how games are hyped and tickets are sold.
It's also on the bad news...the stuff that shouldn't happen but does.

Any school that wants an atypical story covered pretty much has to beat the drum for it.
And as good as the Orange are on the court - and have been for a long time - the university's PR and marketing has basically been dreadful.
Silly t-shirts marking every purported milestone won't cut it in 2014.

 

[sendithome]

SU has won 7 games by less than 6 points and 2 by 6 points. We lost 2 close games by 6 and under while dealing with a missing player and/or injured player.

Florida has won 6 games by less than 6 points and 2 by 6 points. They lost 2 close games by 6 and under while dealing with a missing player and/or injured player.

SU is lucky and nicknamed the Cardiac Cuse. Where are the concerns about Florida?

 

[Lil Rick]

I'd love to see BJ get meaningful minutes next year, but his chance of starting is very small. He could be the next 6th man if things break right and he works for it.

Since JB goes 7 deep at most, I doubt BJ or Buss will see any court action come conference play next year... they'll get mop up minutes in non-conf just like this year. BJ easily needs to put on about 15-20 lbs and get off a quicker release. He played fairly well in the Canada exhibition games, but in our non-conf his shot was horrid... he's 2-15 from downtown. Hope he can make the shaky potatoes improvement to year 2, ala TC.

2014-15 rotation: KJ, TC, MG, TR, CM, Xmas, DC... 8th man BJ or Buss

and if either Ennis or Grant somehow return, almost guaranteed 0 chance BJ/Buss play.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Since JB goes 7 deep at most, I doubt BJ or Buss will see any court action come conference play next year... they'll get mop up minutes in non-conf just like this year. BJ easily needs to put on about 15-20 lbs and get off a quicker release. He played fairly well in the Canada exhibition games, but in our non-conf his shot was horrid... he's 2-15 from downtown. Hope he can make the shaky potatoes improvement to year 2, ala TC.

2014-15 rotation: KJ, TC, MG, TR, CM, Xmas, DC... 8th man BJ or Buss

and if either Ennis or Grant somehow return, almost guaranteed 0 chance BJ/Buss play.

Uggh.

 

[domestu]

Nice post Cheriehoop.

This may not be the most talented team Syracuse has ever had but with three games remaining in the regular season this team could end up with the best regular season record of Jim Boeheim's career. We have set a new record for the most consecutive wins in school history, been ranked first or second in the polls for most of the year, played in the best college basketball game of the season on February 1 against Duke, and pulled out a number of exciting last-second victories. That buzzer beater at Pitt is one of the most memorable endings this year and Ennis' shot ranks up there with any finish I've seen at a SU game.

And talk about exciting games that go down to the wire. It seems to me that we have been involved in more close conference games this season than any I can recall. Remember when people used to complain about fans leaving a Big East game with six minutes remaining? It has really been a great year for Syracuse basketball fans.

Much of the media criticism of this team revolves around our perceived weaknesses and the fact that we are not as impressive as the great college teams of the past. Well, in this era of constant player turnover through early departures to the NBA and transfers, we are just not seeing college basketball teams that are as talented as the ones that once dominated the game. Since we no longer have two or three teams that stand out above everyone else, much of the media focus heads into analyzing the top schools and it is easy to find more weaknesses in the top programs than there used to be.

There is no question that the level of play in college hoops has been greatly affected by these non-stop player changes and it is most notable when you look at the strength of the nation's best teams. The days when you could predict that two or three elite teams would make it to the Final Four are over. Two 4 seeds and an 8 seed made it to Atlanta last year and mid-majors have been advancing to the final weekend of the tournament on a regular basis.

The media looks at today's top teams and it is easy to find things to criticize because they all have weaknesses. The steady turnover of personnel has really changed the makeup of the elite college programs. We had BE Sixth Man of the Year award winners Kris Joseph and Dion Waiters coming off the bench in recent years and this year Boeheim has a bench that may not score any points. We also don't have many good perimeter shooters and are going to make fewer 3-pointers than any SU squad since the 2007-2008 NIT team.

All of the elite college programs are having to deal with these sort of problems now and Syracuse fans should appreciate the job that our players and coaches have done overcoming their liabilities this season. Look how long it took Carolina to get into synch as a team and the up-and-downs that teams in the Big Ten have struggled through.

You mentioned all of the players that we lost from last year. A lot of the top-ranked schools like Duke, Kentucky, Arizona and Carolina have had to rebuild from similar turnovers. As far as injuries go, we have been fortunate not to lose any key players for an extended period of time like Michigan State, Michigan and Arizona.

When you factor in everything that is happening in college hoops, it is great to be a Syracuse fan. How sweet it is!

Go Cuse!

 

[longtimefan]

Nice post Cheriehoop.

This may not be the most talented team Syracuse has ever had but with three games remaining in the regular season this team could end up with the best regular season record of Jim Boeheim's career.

How quickly they forget!

Two years ago: SU 30-1 regular season.

 

[two3zone]

How quickly they forget! Two years ago: SU 30-1 regular season.

Against a stacked Big East as well. That team was probably the best Cuse team I've ever seen.

 

[domestu]

How quickly they forget!

Two years ago: SU 30-1 regular season.

If had reread it before posting, I would have caught that and changed it to second best regular season. But thanks for pointing out that glaring mistake longtimefan.

 

[domestu]

Against a stacked Big East as well. That team was probably the best Cuse team I've ever seen.

What a fantastic year. The Cuse had its best regular season record ever, was undefeated at home and our 17-1 record in the BE tied the 1996 Ray Allen-led UConn team for the best mark in conference history.

The Big East was a little down as far as high quality teams at the top that season and had a lot clubs bunched in the middle with five or six schools at the bottom that everybody else beat up on. SU only had three conference games against top 25 teams in 2012 and only five schools got NCAA bids that were six or higher. The Big East was stacked with much better clubs at the top in 2011 and 2013 in my opinion.

Kris Joseph (14.3) and Dion Waiters (12.6) were our only players who averaged over ten points a game and Fab Melo led the team in rebounds at 5.8. Scoop had an excellent year at point guard and we had a very deep bench but I think both the 2010 and 2003 clubs had much more talent.

Go Cuse! Crush the Cavaliers!