Benny suspended. Maliq still hurt.

[Zelda Zonk]

Benny Williams will not play in tonight’s Syracuse basketball season opener

Williams was suspended for the Orange men's last exhibition game against The College of St. Rose.

www.syracuse.com

Welp... i hope this is just stern punishment, and not an indication that Benny hasn't done what he needed to do to get back to/with the team.

Considering the last game wasn't a 'real' game, so this is the first one of consequence.

 

[IthacaMatt]

3 of his last 4 games Benny put up
18 points and 11 boards 5 steals
11 points 8 boards 3 assists
24 points 9 boards.
And hes a step faster so far this year imo. Sad to see him miss one.

(1) just because you're talented doesn't make effort optional

(2) you don't ever walk out of practice and expect things to remain the same

(3) your track record of mixed effort and unfulfilled potential goes against the whole "we're going to be a hard working team" vibe.

Either you buy in, or you ship out. We already got a guy for your spot next year.

 

[RyanCuse44]

Welp... i hope this is just stern punishment, and not an indication that Benny hasn't done what he needed to do to get back to/with the team.

Considering the last game wasn't a 'real' game, so this is the first one of consequence.

Maybe it's something along the line of him not going to class and once Red and staff found out, Red put the hammer down to get his attention.

 

[two3zone]

Welp... i hope this is just stern punishment, and not an indication that Benny hasn't done what he needed to do to get back to/with the team.

Considering the last game wasn't a 'real' game, so this is the first one of consequence.

This was my biggest concern.

 

[Sbucketball]

Benny’s really pissing me off

 

[Cuse2023]

As much as I love Maliq, this team really needs Benny's ability to space the floor and shoot the ball.

 

[Mr. M]

As much a I love Maliq, this team really needs Benny's ability to space the floor and shoot the ball.

we need him for defending and rebounding against bigger forwards we face. besides Maliq, Benny is the only one on the roster to do that. and sometimes Maliq will be the 5 anyway. even with Benny I've felt this team's downfall will be at forward, defense and rebounding against good teams won't be there

 

[Bulldog04]

Benny’s really pissing me off

Yeah this is quite a surprise. At no point did I think he was going to do something dumb with this staff. Let alone before the season even starts

 

[orange79]

Yeah this is quite a surprise. At no point did I think he was going to do something dumb with this staff. Let alone before the season even starts

Let's hope he has learned the lesson and gets his head on straight. We need him. Red needs him. The team needs him.

 

[Nicknack]

We really need Benny this year. I see him as a VERY important piece of a team that could be pretty good. If he can shoot the 3 well (as he was doing last year), that would be huge to this team. That all said, if he brings any more distraction and negativity to the team, I'd rather he leave sooner rather than later. Really hoping he can come back distraction free and positive about things. However, I won't be surprised if this doesn't go well with this not being the only time he has pulled this crap (if what I'm reading is accurate).

 

[atlanticuse]

I think this goes one of two directions, and fast.
1. He’s back
2. He’s gone

 

[two3zone]

I think this goes one of two directions, and fast.
1. He’s back
2. He’s gone

I thinks so too.

 

[hoopsupstate]

If Benny is going to be another roller coaster all season, cut bait and move on. He needs to grow up and start being a man. He’s supposed to be the elder statesman in this team and he acts like a middle schooler. His act is wearing thin. He needs to show he can be coached. He still hasn’t shown he can play hard through adversity. He only wants to play hard if he’s scoring. There’s a lot more than that if you are a good player and teammate.

 

[dollarbill44]

If Benny is going to be another roller coaster all season, cut bait and move on. He needs to grow up and start being a man. He’s supposed to be the elder statesman in this team and he acts like a middle schooler. His act is wearing thin. He needs to show he can be coached. He still hasn’t shown he can play hard through adversity. He only wants to play hard if he’s scoring. There’s a lot more than that if you are a good player and teammate.

I'm not sure it's a simple as that. I don't have any info, but he might be going through some things privately that led to this predicament. We only see things from our perspective as fans and not as pseudo-family members (i.e. teammates and coaches). Presumably, the coaching staff cares about his well-being on and off the court. I'm confident they will handle this the way that's best. I don't want a coaching staff that is only interested in Ws and Ls with no regard for the players lives.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I’m so tired of dancing around these issues. Wish we could just say what we’ve heard.

 

[two3zone]

I'm not sure it's a simple as that. I don't have any info, but he might be going through some things privately that led to this predicament. We only see things from our perspective as fans and not as pseudo-family members (i.e. teammates and coaches). Presumably, the coaching staff cares about his well-being on and off the court. I'm confident they will handle this the way that's best. I don't want a coaching staff that is only interested in Ws and Ls with no regard for the players lives.

He’s a bad teammate and an ahole imo. He needs to work on his emotions big time.

 

[OmahaCuse]

I think this goes one of two directions, and fast.
1. He’s back
2. He’s gone

So 50/50 just like a weatherman

 

[baggerbob]

(1) just because you're talented doesn't make effort optional

(2) you don't ever walk out of practice and expect things to remain the same

(3) your track record of mixed effort and unfulfilled potential goes against the whole "we're going to be a hard working team" vibe.

Either you buy in, or you ship out. We already got a guy for your spot next year.

Do you really believe he would have walked out of practice with DC, Rony, Sherm, or Stevie? He might have been carried out on a stretcher, but wouldn't have walked out.
It might be time for him to move on, or take the year off to get himself straight.

 

[jdubs30]

I’m so tired of dancing around these issues. Wish we could just say what we’ve heard.

He’s a bad teammate and an ahole imo. He needs to work on his emotions big time.

I haven’t heard what it is, so the above 2 posts are concerning. Especially considering he could be leaving.

This is not a good start to the year

 

[IthacaMatt]

Do you really believe he would have walked out of practice with DC, Rony, Sherm, or Stevie? He might have been carried out on a stretcher, but wouldn't have walked out.
It might be time for him to move on, or take the year off to get himself straight.

This is one of the ways that I realize I am an old(er) man - back when I played sports, we didn't quit the team mid-season, we didn't mouth off to the coaches and if we lost our starting position, we worked like hell to win it back. We didn't just quit.

 

[TexanMark]

Welp... i hope this is just stern punishment, and not an indication that Benny hasn't done what he needed to do to get back to/with the team.

Considering the last game wasn't a 'real' game, so this is the first one of consequence.

New coach: setting an example.

It wasn't anything horrendous, but a suspension was deserved.

 

[Ryand877]

New coach: setting an example.

It wasn't anything horrendous, but a suspension was deserved.

Still confident he'll return?

 

[rrlbees]

Still confident he'll return?

Yes. He’s been back to practice.

 

[rhcuse]

Phew...we can all back away from DEFCON 1 now.

 

[DoctahLexus]

Phew...we can all back away from DEFCON 1 now.

Nah lets keep making character judgements on someone we have never met.