Come hang Brent Axe / Live Q & A with Wildhack

[Cusefan95]

I think saying JW is “loved here” is an extreme overstatement. I created a thread last week questioning if he should be fired based on his lack of delivering results in key revenue sports.

Looking at the track record - “One horse town” Jake was a PR disaster at the end - but later we learned the accounting at the university was basically set up in a way that ensured the athletic department couldn’t succeed. In part because the BOT thought we could go cheap and still be competitive in the Big East in football.

Then we hire Gross who was a clown - but I don’t think fans really bought his schtick from the start. Dude couldn’t even be bothered to buy Syracuse luggage! Terrible hire.

Coyle is hated, but he was probably competent enough to realize the athletic department was a dumpster fire and didn’t think he could fix it quickly enough and bolted. Now JW is here, and we’re hearing whispers of more BOT meddling tying his hands regarding basketball.

I don’t think the athletic director has ever been the root cause problem at Syracuse - the root cause is a BOT that is some combination of clueless, indifferent, and cheap in regards to athletics. They say athletics is like the front porch of the university since it’s what everyone can see - Syracuse has a BOT who doesn’t care about curb appeal at all.

It’s getting hard to care about the sports teams when I realize the university is run by people who don’t.

 

[rrlbees]

"An ironclad plan. It's not my decision".

Just to confirm, you believe when Jim said "its not my decision" he's referring to his retirement?

It would also be helpful if that clip included the prior one minute or so. It’s obvious they are talking about his retirement.

 

[hoopsupstate]

It’s ironic that JB and JW think the tournament means everything. If that’s their thinking, then JB has been a total failure with one title in 47 years.

 

[djcon57]

It would also be helpful if that clip included the prior one minute or so. It’s obvious they are talking about his retirement.

Got it. Agreed more of a clip would be helpful.

So when he says "Its not my decision". What do you think he referring to? Or is that a separate conversation?

EDIT: NM...I didnt see your 1st response

 

[ORANGE OATH]

I always had, and still have the belief that Syracuse University understands one thing, and one thing only, EMPTY SEATS !
We are on a direct collision course for that very result !
So sad we have reached this point.
JAB would coach from the grave were it possible.

 

[djcon57]

It’s ironic that JB and JW think the tournament means everything. If that’s their thinking, then JB has been a total failure with one title in 47 years.

No, he said "a run in the tourney"

So just winning a couple of games in the tourney means the season in a success in their own words.

 

[Jasoncuse]

Some of the answers makes me wonder if Wildhack has been in a coma for 8 years.

Talking about agreeing w/JB that March is really all that matters is crazy. March means nothing when Nov-Feb is a disaster. The erosion of the program certainly made that the case.

Maybe I'm overthinking it, but him believing fans are upset and frustrated by the start to this season is crazy. If this was a blip after successful seasons, then a losing record right now would be a frustrating start. Fans aren't frustrated because we're 3-4. We're frustrated because this program currently sucks, the coaching is awful, recruiting is not happening and there is no hope. The 3-4 start is just further confirmation.

The advantages of staying in house include knowing our culture, recruiting teritory, previous success, etc. WHO CARES!!! I don't want continuity and worrying about where we recruited sucessfully before. That means nothing right now. We need someone that CHANGES the current situation, not continues it.

Finally, thinking JB's track record will help us turn this around is hilarious. Talking about the built up equity and respecting it, yada yada yada. I know he had to say something along those lines, but come on guy.

 

[Orangezoo]

Short of Wildhack telling JB to announce his retirement immediately effective year end I’m not sure what Wildhack can do to satisfy the masses. The fans are out of patience, but he’s in an unenvious situation. We need to let it play out until the end of the season.

Yeah. He had to say something I'm sure given all the calls and emails and social media and tough thing is his comments about this year just aren't going to age well.

 

[Cusesky8214]

Just wanted to make everyone feel a little better about the Bryant loss...the bulldogs are currently getting throttled by a 3-4 Brown team halfway through.

 

[NKR1978]

Some of the answers makes me wonder if Wildhack has been in a coma for 8 years.

Talking about agreeing w/JB that March is really all that matters is crazy. March means nothing when Nov-Feb is a disaster. The erosion of the program certainly made that the case.

Maybe I'm overthinking it, but him believing fans are upset and frustrated by the start to this season is crazy. If this was a blip after successful seasons, then a losing record right now would be a frustrating start. Fans aren't frustrated because we're 3-4. We're frustrated because this program currently sucks, the coaching is awful, recruiting is not happening and there is no hope. The 3-4 start is just further confirmation.

The advantages of staying in house include knowing our culture, recruiting teritory, previous success, etc. WHO CARES!!! I don't want continuity and worrying about where we recruited sucessfully before. That means nothing right now. We need someone that CHANGES the current situation, not continues it.

Finally, thinking JB's track record will help us turn this around is hilarious. Talking about the built up equity and respecting it, yada yada yada. I know he had to say something along those lines, but come on guy.

Built up equity was fine in 2019. If we bottomed out around then and stayed flat we would all be a little restless but probably ok with another year past this one. But we didn't bottom out 4 years ago. The built up equity has been spent.

 

[Dinkyspond]

That was awful. I know JW can't say much. I don't think the University understands or cares what's happening to the fan base.

I'd rather have exciting regular seasons where we're constantly talked about and covered. This school is so backward. I don't understand how that's possible.

It's true, 4 months of mediocre basketball followed by 1 fun weekend in the NCAAs is not a sustainable plan for success. Being on the bubble or out of the tourney for the last EIGHT years is just horrible

 

[Manleymen]

What did you want Brent to say?

What did you want Brent to say?

What did you want Brent to say?

Very VERY specific questions that required specific answers not a bs political deflection brush off. JW told us nothing. He gave us in a nutshell the simple status quo is fine. Nothing to see here. What a bunch of unadulterated tommyrot. How about you? What would you ask The press to ask?

 

[DilemaCuse]

Very true. A good way to think of JB is like Brad Wesley in Road House and the Melo Center is like JC Penney's.

 

[Dinkyspond]

Just wanted to make everyone feel a little better about the Bryant loss...the bulldogs are currently getting throttled by a 3-4 Brown team halfway through.

It'll be interesting to see what Colgate does vs. #15 Auburn tonight on the road. I wonder if Auburn stomps them.

 

[Orangezoo]

It'll be interesting to see what Colgate does vs. #15 Auburn tonight on the road. I wonder if Auburn stomps them.

Auburn has had several close calls with lesser teams so probably not a great measure.

 

[Dinkyspond]

Just wanted to make everyone feel a little better about the Bryant loss...the bulldogs are currently getting throttled by a 3-4 Brown team halfway through.

Brown 72, Bryant 60 Final

 

[Orangezoo]

Brown 72, Bryant 60 Final

Brown- FF dark horse this year.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

SU fans should boycott the regular season games: they don’t matter

 

[Cusefan69]

SU fans should boycott the regular season games: they don’t matter

Do you go to the games?

 

[rrlbees]

SU fans should boycott the regular season games: they don’t matter

He didn’t say they didn’t matter. He said they were the pathway to the ncaa tournament which is what everyone focuses on.

 

[atlanticuse]

I don’t think the athletic director has ever been the root cause problem at Syracuse - the root cause is a BOT that is some combination of clueless, indifferent, and cheap in regards to athletics. They say athletics is like the front porch of the university since it’s what everyone can see - Syracuse has a BOT who doesn’t care about curb appeal at all.

It’s getting hard to care about the sports teams when I realize the university is run by people who don’t.

as a former Alumni Board (not trustee) member, I agree.
We had one dude who was our liaison to athletics. It was a joke.

 

[miamicuse]

He did say the successor has not yet been designated whether internal or external. So that is something often speculated at least on the day and time he made that statement it is wide open. The way things are going it will probably trend towards a national search.

 

[Dinkyspond]

FWIW, #15 Auburn 93, Colgate 66. With Bryant losing to the Ivy Brown, not a good night for our vanquishers

 

[SUFan44]

The plan part is when he’s gonna retire. The rest is who’s replacing him. In a follow up interview he made that clear. He was responding to two different things.

Ok so if there’s an ironclad plan in place for when he is going to retire, what in the hell is the benefit of him not announcing it now? I understand that he doesn’t want the pomp and circumstance that comes with a retirement tour, but at this point the lack of transparency is hurting the program - from recruiting to fan engagement to eventually a lot more. It is also hurting his legacy and if people have a negative taste in their mouth about the last years, which many will, it is quite a shame.

 

[Noexcuse]

Brown- FF dark horse this year.

Watch out. Cornell is coming up soon.