Can We Finally Put To Bed...

[JDubbin]

The ridiculous “Syracuse coaches don’t develop players” shenanigans, finally?! From the get go, it’s really an impossible measurement and it’s never black and white, we could have gotten 0 wins this season and I still would have thought it silly...

But, seeing the significant increase of paint points, watching Buddy put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, Marek posting up and getting buckets, Sidibe with some nice footwork and assertive moves, I just don’t see how that narrative can continue. Syracuse players have improved and developed this season!

If coaches are going to be blamed for lack of development when the players play poorly and we lose, they should be credited for it when we play well and win. It’s fun watching this team grow!

 

[SUGIANT]

Not we‘ll wait for the next loss and the coaches will suck again...

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Not we‘ll wait for the next loss and the coaches will suck again...

Live em up. Hop. Jay Wright. Shaka Smart. Any of the Millers. It's LOL funny when fans don't give a HOF coach credit.

 

[bballbeadle]

We have gone from hopeless to hopeful in two weeks!

 

[NKR1978]

This is all I want as a fan. A fun team where I think we can have a chance to win and that gets better as the year goes on. This is an incredibly flawed team, but they’re easy to cheer for and basketball is fun again.

 

[SU94]

The ridiculous “Syracuse coaches don’t develop players” shenanigans, finally?! From the get go, it’s really an impossible measurement and it’s never black and white, we could have gotten 0 wins this season and I still would have thought it silly...

But, seeing the significant increase of paint points, watching Buddy put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, Marek posting up and getting buckets, Sidibe with some nice footwork and assertive moves, I just don’t see how that narrative can continue. Syracuse players have improved and developed this season!

If coaches are going to be blamed for lack of development when the players play poorly and we lose, they should be credited for it when we play well and win. It’s fun watching this team grow!

I know “development” is a program thing, as in assistant coaches have a heavy hand in it, but aren’t JAB’s two sons among his finest examples of his ability to develop players?

 

[Maxsumm]

The ridiculous “Syracuse coaches don’t develop players” shenanigans, finally?! From the get go, it’s really an impossible measurement and it’s never black and white, we could have gotten 0 wins this season and I still would have thought it silly...

But, seeing the significant increase of paint points, watching Buddy put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, Marek posting up and getting buckets, Sidibe with some nice footwork and assertive moves, I just don’t see how that narrative can continue. Syracuse players have improved and developed this season!

If coaches are going to be blamed for lack of development when the players play poorly and we lose, they should be credited for it when we play well and win. It’s fun watching this team grow!

I’ll admit I was/am a skeptic. However, the team just beat two teams on the road that they had lost to at home less than two weeks before. That points to making adjustments. That points to coaching. The isolation at the foul line by ‘ the coach’s son’ and Hughes was an example of an adjustment

 

[Jake]

The ridiculous “Syracuse coaches don’t develop players” shenanigans, finally?! From the get go, it’s really an impossible measurement and it’s never black and white, we could have gotten 0 wins this season and I still would have thought it silly...

But, seeing the significant increase of paint points, watching Buddy put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, Marek posting up and getting buckets, Sidibe with some nice footwork and assertive moves, I just don’t see how that narrative can continue. Syracuse players have improved and developed this season!

If coaches are going to be blamed for lack of development when the players play poorly and we lose, they should be credited for it when we play well and win. It’s fun watching this team grow!

Player development needs two sides, player and coaches putting in the work.

 

[JDubbin]

Player development needs two sides, player and coaches putting in the work.

It's funny, I almost put that as a P.S. in my post... I work with in the world of sports ministry and am around multiple college basketball teams, practices, etc. every week. Players commitment is an essential ingredient, getting in the gym on their own, commitment to drills in practice and so forth. The coaches being solely responsible one way or the other is a misnomer as well. Glad you pointed it out

 

[JLine]

Great post. Couldn’t agree more.

 

[OrangeDW]

I would say Marek, Joe, Hughes, Buddy, and Quincy are all significantly better players now than they were in November. Not bad at all.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

I would say Marek, Joe, Hughes, Buddy, and Quincy are all significantly better players now than they were in November. Not bad at all.

Yup. And don’t blame anyone for being frustrated that in November it appeared everyone was no better/worse than the year before and the freshmen were lost because that was the case. Glad we have figured it out. Great showing from Goodine as well. Can we still shirt him and get 2 years of him after Buddy leaves? Idk the rules for hoops if they are like basketball with games played and minutes. Feel bad for Washington not getting in.

 

[kirbivore]

This is all I want as a fan. A fun team where I think we can have a chance to win and that gets better as the year goes on. This is an incredibly flawed team, but they’re easy to cheer for and basketball is fun again.

So much enjoyable to watch, win or lose, than the rock fight/iso ball/pound the ball into the floor for 20 seconds offense we've seen for a few years before this one.

 

[OrangeDW]

Yup. And don’t blame anyone for being frustrated that in November it appeared everyone was no better/worse than the year before and the freshmen were lost because that was the case. Glad we have figured it out. Great showing from Goodine as well. Can we still shirt him and get 2 years of him after Buddy leaves? Idk the rules for hoops if they are like basketball with games played and minutes. Feel bad for Washington not getting in.

Others have posted that Washington sprained his ankle in practice.

Goodine looked good in there. Keep him available, IMO. He could yet carve out a role. Still remember when Josh Pace was getting DNPs this time of year in 03 after Edelin came back. We don’t win it all if Josh doesn’t get back in the mix with a new role and play it to a T starting with the Rutgers season finale and continuing in the tournament.

 

[NorSyr66]

This is all I want as a fan. A fun team where I think we can have a chance to win and that gets better as the year goes on. This is an incredibly flawed team, but they’re easy to cheer for and basketball is fun again.

Ouch!!!! I agree this is a flawed team but "incredibly" ?? I would say more, at the least, slightly flawed. Plus we are inching ahead to cover up these flaws. LGO!!!

 

[Zelda Zonk]

The ridiculous “Syracuse coaches don’t develop players” shenanigans, finally?! From the get go, it’s really an impossible measurement and it’s never black and white, we could have gotten 0 wins this season and I still would have thought it silly...

But, seeing the significant increase of paint points, watching Buddy put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, Marek posting up and getting buckets, Sidibe with some nice footwork and assertive moves, I just don’t see how that narrative can continue. Syracuse players have improved and developed this season!

If coaches are going to be blamed for lack of development when the players play poorly and we lose, they should be credited for it when we play well and win. It’s fun watching this team grow!

You're right if you take that comment as an absolute of some sort. It's impossible to measure. A more reasonable and realistic criticism is that we don't develop them as well/as quickly as we should. If you want to argue that, you kinda have to come at it with more objectivity than you're showing here.

Yes, Buddy is doing more than he used to. Marek has paint moves he didn't show (well) before. But, when were these things 'supposed' to happen? If you're saying that them happening now is proof the coaches are good at "development," the counter is that maybe these things should have been shown earlier. After all, it was only two games ago that we looked like gradeschoolers, fumbling and stumbling.

Here's the thing: we beat Notre Dame and Virginia Tech. Two not very good teams. Yes, we look a lot better than we did earlier in the season, but the entire league kinda sucks. I never thought i'd see a forum so giddy with chests puffed out after beating Virginia Tech and still not being ranked. But, that's where we are.

It is fun watching the team grow.

Yikes. Zion just had like 16 straight points or somesuch...

 

[AlpharettaCuse]

You're right if you take that comment as an absolute of some sort. It's impossible to measure. A more reasonable and realistic criticism is that we don't develop them as well/as quickly as we should. If you want to argue that, you kinda have to come at it with more objectivity than you're showing here.

Yes, Buddy is doing more than he used to. Marek has paint moves he didn't show (well) before. But, when were these things 'supposed' to happen? If you're saying that them happening now is proof the coaches are good at "development," the counter is that maybe these things should have been shown earlier. After all, it was only two games ago that we looked like gradeschoolers, fumbling and stumbling.

Here's the thing: we beat Notre Dame and Virginia Tech. Two not very good teams. Yes, we look a lot better than we did earlier in the season, but the entire league kinda sucks. I never thought i'd see a forum so giddy with chests puffed out after beating Virginia Tech and still not being ranked. But, that's where we are.

It is fun watching the team grow.

Yikes. Zion just had like 16 straight points or somesuch...

Yeah, not really. Buddy is a sophomore. Did anyone expect him to be this good this early? Hughes is one of the best players in the ACC as a Jr. His improvement has been stunning since he’s been at Syracuse. Marek has become a really good all around player. When did you expect this to happen? Even Sidibe is improving. He was injured last year. It’s a silly narrative that our players don’t improve. Seems like the team is improving too. Cheer up. These are 3 star kids out there,

 

[Gotothehole]

Can we just enjoy the win?

 

[billsin01]

You're right if you take that comment as an absolute of some sort. It's impossible to measure. A more reasonable and realistic criticism is that we don't develop them as well/as quickly as we should. If you want to argue that, you kinda have to come at it with more objectivity than you're showing here.

Yes, Buddy is doing more than he used to. Marek has paint moves he didn't show (well) before. But, when were these things 'supposed' to happen? If you're saying that them happening now is proof the coaches are good at "development," the counter is that maybe these things should have been shown earlier. After all, it was only two games ago that we looked like gradeschoolers, fumbling and stumbling.

Here's the thing: we beat Notre Dame and Virginia Tech. Two not very good teams. Yes, we look a lot better than we did earlier in the season, but the entire league kinda sucks. I never thought i'd see a forum so giddy with chests puffed out after beating Virginia Tech and still not being ranked. But, that's where we are.

It is fun watching the team grow.

Yikes. Zion just had like 16 straight points or somesuch...

I think people are giddy primarily b/c what felt like a lost season feels like maybe there's a chance to be an OK one. That's not to say we're headed for the top 25 or the tournament just yet but I was wondering if this was a 12-13 win team at one point. So I don't think there's anything wrong with feeling some pretty good vibes after avenging losses on the road in sort of must win spots.

Having said that, I agree that it's tough to point to a stretch of four or five games and say 'See, we're developing talent just fine!' I'm absolutely on board with Buddy's expanding his game a bit and Marek's post play has been huge the past three games. Thought it was a great night for Sidibe -- points were a huge plus but a ton of nice hustle plays and he logged 30+ minutes without fouling out.

I would say that we haven't had a great track record of sustained year-over-year improvement the past several seasons. Lydon/Roberson/Chuckwu/Frank to name a few have had some odd, uneven developmental paths. I think it's still a concern to some degree though, as some have insinuated, maybe some of it has to do with the players.

Whatever the case may be, however, it's been fun the past couple weeks and here's hoping we can continue our improved play and make some more noise the next couple months. Definitely fun to watch.

 

[NorSyr66]

I think people are giddy primarily b/c what felt like a lost season feels like maybe there's a chance to be an OK one. That's not to say we're headed for the top 25 or the tournament just yet but I was wondering if this was a 12-13 win team at one point. So I don't think there's anything wrong with feeling some pretty good vibes after avenging losses on the road in sort of must win spots.

Having said that, I agree that it's tough to point to a stretch of four or five games and say 'See, we're developing talent just fine!' I'm absolutely on board with Buddy's expanding his game a bit and Marek's post play has been huge the past three games. Thought it was a great night for Sidibe -- points were a huge plus but a ton of nice hustle plays and he logged 30+ minutes without fouling out.

I would say that we haven't had a great track record of sustained year-over-year improvement the past several seasons. Lydon/Roberson/Chuckwu/Frank to name a few have had some odd, uneven developmental paths. I think it's still a concern to some degree though, as some have insinuated, maybe some of it has to do with the players.

Whatever the case may be, however, it's been fun the past couple weeks and here's hoping we can continue our improved play and make some more noise the next couple months. Definitely fun to watch.

Have to agree with your over all summary but need to add we have all this coming back next year if Eli decides to stay. If he leaves, we still have one hell of a returning base to build on. This year still can become a "win" in the long run but next year is pure gold.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I would say Marek, Joe, Hughes, Buddy, and Quincy are all significantly better players now than they were in November. Not bad at all.

Sidibe too.

 

[SWC75]

I would say Marek, Joe, Hughes, Buddy, and Quincy are all significantly better players now than they were in November. Not bad at all.

Brycen, too.

 

[SWC75]

I think people are giddy primarily b/c what felt like a lost season feels like maybe there's a chance to be an OK one. That's not to say we're headed for the top 25 or the tournament just yet but I was wondering if this was a 12-13 win team at one point. So I don't think there's anything wrong with feeling some pretty good vibes after avenging losses on the road in sort of must win spots.

Having said that, I agree that it's tough to point to a stretch of four or five games and say 'See, we're developing talent just fine!' I'm absolutely on board with Buddy's expanding his game a bit and Marek's post play has been huge the past three games. Thought it was a great night for Sidibe -- points were a huge plus but a ton of nice hustle plays and he logged 30+ minutes without fouling out.

I would say that we haven't had a great track record of sustained year-over-year improvement the past several seasons. Lydon/Roberson/Chuckwu/Frank to name a few have had some odd, uneven developmental paths. I think it's still a concern to some degree though, as some have insinuated, maybe some of it has to do with the players.

Whatever the case may be, however, it's been fun the past couple weeks and here's hoping we can continue our improved play and make some more noise the next couple months. Definitely fun to watch.

We are, at this point.