Did JB take a bullet for the team?

[SBU72]

I was thinking about some of the comments about how the team has gone through a recent down turn. How the last few years have been way below the average (not counting FF). How SU has become an ACC also ran. Some of the rebuttals have talked about how the NCAA sanctions have hurt the team. As anybody thought that JB saw this coming and wanted to take the hit? He could have left when the sanctions were announced and many wanted that. But maybe he saw that if he left and a new unproven coach (even a proven one!) came in, he was going to have a very hard time maintaining what could be called SU standards. What would people be saying now, 3 years later if a new coach did not even perform as well as JB (i.e, that FF run)has because they were new and were hurt by the sanctions. How many would be screaming for a new coach. Heck, many are screaming for JB to be axed now! What chance would Hopkins have had. Or any new guy. Just maybe, JB saw this coming and wanted to give his protégé a hand by taking the hit. Let Hopkins come in with a full hand of scholarships and have a better chance to establish himself. JB said he would stay until the sanctions were over. And this may be why. Just some food for thought.

 

[NineOneSeven]

What a guy that Jim Bowheem

 

[FrancoPizza]

anybody thought that JB saw this coming and wanted to take the hit?

What does this even mean? The only thing that matters is wins, losses, and national relevance. To imply that it could be even worse is pure speculation and, honestly, to many fans there's no difference once you're out of the tournament.

 

[SBU72]

What does this even mean? The only thing that matters is wins, losses, and national relevance. To imply that it could be even worse is pure speculation and, honestly, to many fans there's no difference once you're out of the tournament.

Worse would have not only not being in the FF but not making the 2016 tourney which would have made it 3 years in a row. How would that have sat with the fans. How would they have treated a new coach?

 

[Fat tire 13]

Worse would have not only not being in the FF but not making the 2016 tourney which would have made it 3 years in a row. How would that have sat with the fans. How would they have treated a new coach?

I think it is easy to agree with your theory if you don't take it quite so far. Meaning Coach B has a ton of loyalty and pride. He didn't want to be seen as a quitter, and running away from the heat. You don't need to stretch it to something that he knew exactly how the NCAA would punish us. Everyone was aware of the investigation. It was a matter of facing it head on, or running away. He chose the former, and that is not at all a surprise.

 

[HoustonCuse]

He definitely wasn't going to cut and run during the investigation . Out of loyalty? Maybe. Out of pride? Probably. To not let the NCAA think they beat him? Almost certainly. There may be some truth that he didn't want to sandbag Hopkins by handing him a steaming turd, but I'm not sure JB is wired that way. I'm sure he is looking at the situation as "we're going to beat this and win games" not "this is going to be a disaster and I need to protect Mike from it."

 

[Col. Bleep]

Jim Boeheim is a basketball coach.
That's what he does.
That's who he is.
He's rolling with the punches.
That's what he has to do to keep coaching.

 

[Toga]

I don't see people screaming for him to be axed. Some folks wish he would move on at age 72 to let the Hopkins era begin. Two different things.

 

[FrancoPizza]

There may be some truth that he didn't want to sandbag Hopkins by handing him a steaming turd

So you think Mike is inheriting something palatable?

 

[kuethstheman]

You're right that it would have been tough for Hop, if he had been the coach the last few years. I hope what JB ends up turning over to him is positioned to do better (FF run, not withstanding).