At the risk of being ridiculed...

[OttoMets]

The 2003 team was only great at the 3 and that was only one guy. We have the potential to be better at two other positions than the 2003 team was. "Potential" of course merely means "it ain't happened yet" but I think our starting backcourt improves a notch and four, maybe five guys make major upside moves

And while I share IB's concern that we haven't got a great shooter (or that our two best shooters won't play a meaningful minute all year), we have two starters who have had better three-point shooting seasons than anyone on the 2003 team ever did.

Not saying it's preferable to build a championship team without lights-out shooters, but it can be done.

 

[EastCoast2]

well before we get to the starters...Cooney who just may red shirt because he wont crack the first 5-five-guards...but will become a starter in second year with team...now for the unvieling of the 3 pt shooter breakout: TRICHE

Second year with team? You mean his athletic soph. season if he gets redshirted right? No way he starts over a Sr. Triche or Jr. Waiters or Soph MCW

 

[kuethstheman]

No stars to point to going in. I guess every year we can hope that everyone on the roster is poised to develop into a star. To assume that puts one on shaky ground. Last year, many assumed that about KJ, Triche, and Fab but it didn't happen. Right now, it's all hopes and potential.

The first team Jim took to the final four in 1987 didn't have any stars, but had talent which blended together as a Team. Sherm hardly played behind Pearl,DC was talented freshman who rebounded and played defense. Rony didn't really come into his own until late in the year Triche and Monroe were solid players Stevie was a spark off the bench Brower was a big body Rodney Walker was the first big man off the bench thru 14 games until he decided to transfer.

 

[Garbs]

Deep but not GREAT anywhere, IMO, Rather have 7 with two stars than 12 really good guys... Depth is great but I don't see the star power or the speed in the backcourt, Like I said there are still going to be a very very good team, Pitt is a lot like this but it tends to **** them in the tournament... We shall see, I am not saying I am right and only time will tell and as I have said about college hoops, the only thing that people remember is the tournament, get a 1-3 seed and go from there, the season starts in March really.

Who is the best 3 point shooter?

we tried that in 2009-10

 

[OttoMets]

we tried that in 2009-10

2007-2008, too. (Insert Dynasty sign here)

 

[Garbs]

really this team is only deeper at guard than any normal Orangemen team

1) 2 headed ceneter - normal
2) 3 forwards for the 2 forward spots - normal
3) 4 guards for 3 guard rotation - not normal

so there is a 9 man rotation, and the only question is how he splits up those minutes at guard

 

[billsin01]

we tried that in 2009-10

Wait, what? We won 30 games in 09-10 and lost a tight game to a team that eventually wound up in the title game. Am I missing something or are you suggesting that that team wasn't as good as one could hope for? Or did you mean 08-09?

 

[billsin01]

really this team is only deeper at guard than any normal Orangemen team

1) 2 headed ceneter - normal
2) 3 forwards for the 2 forward spots - normal
3) 4 guards for 3 guard rotation - not normal

so there is a 9 man rotation, and the only question is how he splits up those minutes at guard

Not sure I buy this at all. I'm not sure how good all these guys will end up being but I don't think there's any doubt that there is an unusual amount of talent on the roster. a two-man center combo is one thing, but the difference in terms of ceiling between Baye/Melo and McForth is HUGE. Remember, people are knocking RJ's offense last year b/c he mostly made layups -- remember Forth? remember McNeil not catching passes?

And there are four legit candidates for playing time at forward -- Southerland, KJ, CJ and Xmas. And if the odd man out is Southerland, you're talking about an athletic 6-8 guy who can shoot.

I'm not sold on this team being quite as good as many writers are predicting and I think most on this board are even more optimistic, but I don't think there's any doubting the raw talent of basically everyone on this roster.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

Seth Davis had us pegged early last year and again this year. A team that has no stars.

Sweet 16 is likely the ceiling.

 

[RoysRunts]

So the Board dosen't think XMAS will be a Center (Short or long term)!

 

[cuseincincy]

So the Board dosen't think XMAS will be a Center (Short or long term)!

I believe he will see some time at the 5, regardless of how good Melo and Keita may be. Just think of all the times last year when Jackson played the 5. Hopefully we won't need near that many minutes with both C's on the bench but it will happen.

 

[CorduroyG]

Seth Davis had us pegged early last year and again this year. A team that has no stars.

Sweet 16 is likely the ceiling.

I hope KrisJo is reading all this "no stars" knock on the team and plays with a chip on his shoulder all season.

 

[Garbs]

Wait, what? We won 30 games in 09-10 and lost a tight game to a team that eventually wound up in the title game. Am I missing something or are you suggesting that that team wasn't as good as one could hope for? Or did you mean 08-09?

the goal is to win a national championship, we did not do that and our formula was 2 stars, 7 deep

 

[Garbs]

So the Board dosen't think XMAS will be a Center (Short or long term)!

he didn't play center last year in high school, I think that tells you everything you need to know

 

[Moontan]

the goal is to win a national championship, we did not do that and our formula was 2 stars, 7 deep

We'll never know what that team might've accomplished. Many expected a Final-Four run.

 

[SkanSU]

Hey, Freak ... aren't you sorry you started this thread? Do youhave enough informaton now?

 

[rstone7727]

What is the basis for some of these very high rankings?

Most of it is based on the mix of experience we have and the overall depth. Yes, incoming frosh are unproven but so are the frosh on every other team.

We have about 10-11 very good players of which 8 have experience so if someone goes down with an injury or is an academic casualty (one or the other seems to hit most teams at some point in the season)
we are covered.

I think a top five-ten ranking is about right.

 

[SWC75]

...I am an out of towner who really hasnt gotten my head into the current SU roster or 2011-12 projections, as I have not yet made the mental transition from football...

What is the basis for some of these very high rankings? Not that I am arguing against them...I hope this is all legit, the hype. But is it a product of veteran leadership? Young guys taking a next step? The incoming class? All of the above? Any one factor more dominant than the other?

I have a sense from what I have read, but figured you guys would know a lot more than some national sports writer...

Just wondering.

Upside: A national power with a Hall of Fame coach who's won a naitonal championship won 28 games last year and has 9 of 10 scholarship players returning and recruited a three man class that has two McDonald's All-Americans.

Downside: the one guy we lost was our best player, power forward Rick Jackson. He will be replaced either by a freshman, (Raheem Christimas, one of the Mickey Dees) and by one of the small forwards, probably C.J. Fair. The center positon last year was almost a void as two freshmen struggled with injuries and the level. Hopefully they are improved but how much?

Basically, we don't know how good this team will be until we see how the big men play.

 

[Garbs]

We'll never know what that team might've accomplished. Many expected a Final-Four run.

that was my point, if you only have 7 guys an injury can kill your chances

 

[Shermthegeneral]

In my opinion, Syracuse has had teams with 3 or 4 NBA players on it, some with 1 or 2 and others without any NBA talent on them. What I've noticed is, the teams that seem to do well are the teams that have 2 or 3 role players who know their role and play within their role and don't try to be "the man". If we look back at the 2003 or 1996 teams, we had 1 or 2 main go to guys and the rest of the guys filled in where they had to. I think this years team has some of the same characteristics as 2003 and 96! I think both Joseph and Triche will be the go to guys and the rest of the team will fill in the gaps. The key to success is to make sure people like Waiters and Scoop don't try to be "the man" and try to force things they can't do.

 

[dollarbill44]

Seth Davis had us pegged early last year and again this year. A team that has no stars.

Sweet 16 is likely the ceiling.

Here we go with this "ceiling" crap again. There is no way in Piscataway that we have a ceiling right now.