Bryant's mother

[Jake]

Big time recruiting miss... Looks like Syracuse had totally the wrong strategy and went after mom instead of TB.

It was the only strategy that was going to work for us. Mom wanted him home, player desperately wanted away from home (mom). Player won out.

Not a situation where anyone should be blamed.

Player didn't want to hurt moms feelings, but wanted to leave home.

It's why you're getting two stories.

If mom asked the player why he didn't want to go to Syracuse, he told her "I haven't heard from Coach"...or some other story.

We knew if the choice was up to the player, we were dead. So we worked the only angle we had - mom.

Kid chooses IU.

Now mom throws Syracuse's program under the bus and the player, knowing that wasn't the reason why he choose Indiana, comes to our defense and backs offs mom's story.

Welcome to the world of recruiting. Now back track on all those stories you've read about this recruitment and all the pieces start to make sense.

 

[hungrychuck]

Don't tell hungrychuck...

I was fine with both stories.

I find it highly unlikely that Carlson made no attempt to reach Bryant himself before interviewing his mom. Wouldn't be the first time an athlete who doesn't return phone calls complained his side of the story wasn't told. Mike Waters was in the same room with him. That helps.

Somewhere in between Thomas' account and his mother's likely lies the truth.

 

[longtimefan]

I was fine with both stories.

I find it highly unlikely that Carlson made no attempt to reach Bryant himself before interviewing his mom. Wouldn't be the first time an athlete who doesn't return phone calls complained his side of the story wasn't told. Mike Waters was in the same room with him. That helps.

Somewhere in between Thomas' account and his mother's likely lies the truth.

I don't think "made no attempt" is what was said (or at least implied). Just that perhaps attempts to contact the original source were not followed through on as assiduously as they should have been.

 

[hungrychuck]

I don't think "made no attempt" is what was said (or at least implied). Just that perhaps attempts to contact the original source were not followed through on as assiduously as they should have been.

Well, that's pure speculation either way. None of us knows that.

 

[longtimefan]

Well, that's pure speculation either way. None of us knows that.

What I do know is that nowadays the emphasis and pressure is on being first, not necessarily being right.

 

[hungrychuck]

What I do know is that nowadays the emphasis and pressure is on being first, not necessarily being right.

There has always been an emphasis on being first. What has changed is the advent of the 24-hour news cycle and a climate in which journalists are not only competing against other journalists, but against a small army of bloggers. That doesn't excuse getting things wrong. But can a news outlet sit on a story for days as perhaps it could have 30 years ago? No, absolutely not.

 

[Dave85]

If you compare the two schools on paper, IU did slightly better statistically this season. IU has a little more stability in Williams, Blackmon, and Johnson coming back. Losing CMac was probably the difference. Plus Johnson is shooting better than TC from 3-point range. But we have a slightly better recruiting class. With our recruiting class and good improvement from Kaleb we will probably be a better team next year. IU is ranked 16 in pre-season rankings. SU is not on the map. That's the difference. Our greatness is a hope and a promise. IU is probably the more logical choice at least on paper. And then, you compare the two coaches. I think JB is the better coach but I am biased by my orange colored glasses.

SU:http://www.verbalcommits.com/schools/syracuse
SU:http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/stats/_/id/183/syracuse-orange

IU:http://www.verbalcommits.com/schools/indiana
IU:http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/stats/_/id/84/indiana-hoosiers

 

[Brooky03]

And then, you compare the two coaches. I think JB is the better coach but I am biased by my orange colored glasses.

I know you're trying to be fair, but it's okay to admit that Crean isn't a good coach. Even if we don't go so far as to say he's not good, unbiased observers still put Boeheim considerably ahead of Creanhole.

 

[Dave85]

I know you're trying to be fair, but it's okay to admit that Crean isn't a good coach. Even if we don't go so far as to say he's not good, unbiased observers still put Boeheim considerably ahead of Creanhole.

I'm not going to argue here at all!

 

[HoustonCuse]

It was the only strategy that was going to work for us. Mom wanted him home, player desperately wanted away from home (mom). Player won out.

Not a situation where anyone should be blamed.

Player didn't want to hurt moms feelings, but wanted to leave home.

It's why you're getting two stories.

If mom asked the player why he didn't want to go to Syracuse, he told her "I haven't heard from Coach"...or some other story.

We knew if the choice was up to the player, we were dead. So we worked the only angle we had - mom.

Kid chooses IU.

Now mom throws Syracuse's program under the bus and the player, knowing that wasn't the reason why he choose Indiana, comes to our defense and backs offs mom's story.

Welcome to the world of recruiting. Now back track on all those stories you've read about this recruitment and all the pieces start to make sense.

Jake, thanks for the insight, but how do we explain Boeheim's bizarre "announcement" that another great player was a done deal for this class? He had to mean Bryant, but the idea that we were a lock for TB doesn't jive at all with the outline you've provided. So what the heck was the ole ball coach talking about?

 

[realorange]

If you compare the two schools on paper, IU did slightly better statistically this season. IU has a little more stability in Williams, Blackmon, and Johnson coming back. Losing CMac was probably the difference. Plus Johnson is shooting better than TC from 3-point range. But we have a slightly better recruiting class. With our recruiting class and good improvement from Kaleb we will probably be a better team next year. IU is ranked 16 in pre-season rankings. SU is not on the map. That's the difference. Our greatness is a hope and a promise. IU is probably the more logical choice at least on paper. And then, you compare the two coaches. I think JB is the better coach but I am biased by my orange colored glasses.

SU:http://www.verbalcommits.com/schools/syracuse
SU:http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/stats/_/id/183/syracuse-orange

IU:http://www.verbalcommits.com/schools/indiana
IU:http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/stats/_/id/84/indiana-hoosiers

But then, he may have had the promise of kisses.

 

[Jake]

Jake, thanks for the insight, but how do we explain Boeheim's bizarre "announcement" that another great player was a done deal for this class? He had to mean Bryant, but the idea that we were a lock for TB doesn't jive at all with the outline you've provided. So what the heck was the ole ball coach talking about?

He jumped the gun. When momma tells you, "don't worry, my son is going to Syracuse" ...

 

[two3zone]

He jumped the gun. When momma tells you, "don't worry, my son is going to Syracuse" ...

 

[ORANGE OATH]

With all due respect to the Board, enough of TB and his Mom.

 

[DoctorBombay]

With all due respect to the Board, enough of TB and his Mom.

Exactly.
This ain't exactly Olajuwon we're dealing w/ here.
Again, his loss...let's move on!

 

[orangejunkie]

I am of the football philosophy, "next man up". We are a top 20 recruiting school, when we need another big man recruit, we will get one.

 

[Nicknack]

I would take a healthy DC2 over TB (no disrespect intended) any day of the week. I felt that way before the news. Of course, I wanted both if I could have only one, my money is absolutely on DC2. In the meantime, we will recruit another big man to come in and take over after Coleman leaves. Provided that we get a healthy DC2, we should be just fine.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Anybody know for sure if he was a regular guest at big games at the Dome over the years? Have heard that but I'm wondering if it's really true. Seems that he liked us enough for the comps at least.

All I know is he was at the Long Beach St. game. I wouldn't exactly call that a big game. I can't imagine him being there much more often though with his travel schedule for his HS/Prep team.

 

[Hoov50]

I still don't understand why people think this is some sort of mis-recruiting on our part. Sounds to me like he wasn't that interested in coming to SU, despite what his mom wanted and was saying. It seems like it would be tough for a kid who has tasted the independence of being far from home wanting to come back close to home. I think SU kind of got the message from Bryant that we weren't a run away leader (as many on this board assumed) and put a last ditch effort into hoping his mother would sway him.

Interesting thing is after reading his mother "speak" for him, I really didn't like the kid and hoped he had a terrible career at Indiana. After reading what he actually said, I have no ill-will toward him at all. His mother seems like she could cause all sorts of trouble for him if he can't get her to keep her mouth shut. That may be one of the main reasons he didn't want to be back around her.

 

[Nicknack]

I still don't understand why people think this is some sort of mis-recruiting on our part. Sounds to me like he wasn't that interested in coming to SU, despite what his mom wanted and was saying. It seems like it would be tough for a kid who has tasted the independence of being far from home wanting to come back close to home. I think SU kind of got the message from Bryant that we weren't a run away leader (as many on this board assumed) and put a last ditch effort into hoping his mother would sway him.

Interesting thing is after reading his mother "speak" for him, I really didn't like the kid and hoped he had a terrible career at Indiana. After reading what he actually said, I have no ill-will toward him at all. His mother seems like she could cause all sorts of trouble for him if he can't get her to keep her mouth shut. That may be one of the main reasons he didn't want to be back around her.

Wow, holy assumptions. You could very well be right but you could also be very wrong. The simple fact of the matter is that we just don't know the dynamics of the family situation. I don't like some of these recent posts lately sort of blasting his mom (without factual information) just like what some were doing to TB before he spoke about his decision. Time to let this thing die.

 

[HoustonCuse]

I still don't understand why people think this is some sort of mis-recruiting on our part.

For one, Coach Boeheim publicly stated that he was going to come to SU. He did it without the names of course. But to my knowledge that is the first time in recorded history that JB spoke of a recruit being in the bag before they signed an LOI. So clearly he thought we were recruiting him and recruiting him pretty well. To then clear the decks to make room for him and he snubs us saying he's had no contact and no real recruiting effort was made, looks a lot like a screw up to me. But that is just me. And I officially don't care anymore - he gone.

 

[sufandu]

I love how many people state we used poor recruiting strategy when they have no idea what strategy was used or what the kid was thinking all along. He went where he wanted. Can't it just be that simple?

 

[two3zone]

I love how many people state we used poor recruiting strategy when they have no idea what strategy was used or what the kid was thinking all along. He went where he wanted. Can't it just be that simple?

We go from our HOF coach saying we have a surprise guy coming in and then after that the only thing we ever hear about is mom, mom, mom, mom, TB talking about how great IU and UK are, then mom, mom mom mom when it comes to us. If there wasn't wrong strategy being used I don't know how one goes from being locked up coming here to not even on his radar.

 

[sufandu]

We go from our HOF coach saying we have a surprise guy coming in and then after that the only thing we ever hear about is mom, mom, mom, mom, TB talking about how great IU and UK are, then mom, mom mom mom when it comes to us. If there wasn't wrong strategy being used I don't know how one goes from being locked up coming here to not even on his radar.

There's a difference between wrong strategy and inaccurate assumptions. From the sound of things, this is a case of the latter. What strategy were we supposed to use, move campus a few hundred miles farther from Rochester?

 

[CuseFaninVT]

OH dear GOD. Will someone please shut this thread down?!!! Lock it up. The kid didn't really want to come here and no matter how big the guilt trip was from mama, he wasn't giving in. So that's done. Time to move on and figure out what we do have on the hill.