Do we have clouded judgement?

[SWC75]

People still poo poo the seasons we win 25 plus games and lose in the first or second round.

I don't think people remember great regular seasons as much as they say they do unless you deal when unfortunate circumstances in 2010 and 2012 due to injury and suspension.

Virtually nobody remembers the or says how good we were when we won BET in 2005 because we lost to Vermont. The same could be said for 2014 when we lost to Dayton.

Any way I think JB knows what he is doing when it comes to winning in the tournament the past 5 or 6 years. It's not luck as much as some people want to claim. Teams struggle significantly against our zone OOC.

I remember every team and every season. Maybe not every detail but I note and appreciate the achievements of every team, even if it's winning a big mid-season game or the excellence of a particular player. I look at continuing the winning season streak, winning a conference regular season or tournament title, even winning a regular season tournament as a worthy goal and enjoy it when we do these things. I like looking at rankings with Syracuse in the Top 10, Top 5 or even #1. Believe me, it's a heck of a lot more fun to have multiple goals than to have success in a single elimination tournament as your only goal. Each team should be appreciated for their successes, not remembered or ignored because of their failures.

 

[cuseincincy]

This is why I am not 100% sold on the 5 returning starters being this years starting 5. I won't be disappointed if they are but I firmly believe that Hughes will start. Which unfortunately probably means Marek to the 6th man role. I see 6 starters with Sidibe and Carey getting lots of time part of the 8 man rotation. Simply put the starting 5 last year was not good enough until the tournament.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

This is why I am not 100% sold on the 5 returning starters being this years starting 5. I won't be disappointed if they are but I firmly believe that Hughes will start. Which unfortunately probably means Marek to the 6th man role. I see 6 starters with Sidibe and Carey getting lots of time part of the 8 man rotation. Simply put the starting 5 last year was not good enough until the tournament.

iDK. I thought the team got better when Marek's confidence got better. I still think he is the wild card.

 

[bozophobe]

This is why I am not 100% sold on the 5 returning starters being this years starting 5. I won't be disappointed if they are but I firmly believe that Hughes will start. Which unfortunately probably means Marek to the 6th man role. I see 6 starters with Sidibe and Carey getting lots of time part of the 8 man rotation. Simply put the starting 5 last year was not good enough until the tournament.

Yeah, there's a few examples of that in the past where somebody got demoted but it helped the team.

 

[Townie72]

J.B. is 100% correct. Yes we should be better offensively, but one must also remember when the new guys are on the floor there will be a slip in defense as well. And the bench is not going to get significant enough playing time to quickly improve, it will be a season long process. We are going to struggle in some game that we shouldn't simply because of this. Overall there is more of a definitive upside, but this board WILL melt down a time or two this season. Book it.

This post should get an A+ for quality of thought and clarity of.argument and for it’s likely accuracy.

These guys are going to have to learn to play together including at crunch time in hostile environments against high quality competition. The good news is we have a nucleus of players with experience. But no one has experience playing with this group yet.

 

[moqui]

But no one has experience playing with this group yet.

nobody but the first 7 guys in a rotation that, if history is a guide, will be 8

 

[bballbeadle]

I remember every team and every season. Maybe not every detail but I note and appreciate the achievements of every team, even if it's winning a big mid-season game or the excellence of a particular player. I look at continuing the winning season streak, winning a conference regular season or tournament title, even winning a regular season tournament as a worthy goal and enjoy it when we do these things. I like looking at rankings with Syracuse in the Top 10, Top 5 or even #1. Believe me, it's a heck of a lot more fun to have multiple goals than to have success in a single elimination tournament as your only goal. Each team should be appreciated for their successes, not remembered or ignored because of their failures.

Admit it: you just like it all.

 

[SWC75]

Admit it: you just like it all.

We all root for SU from the first game to the last. Why forget about games we cared about?

 

[bballbeadle]

We all root for SU from the first game to the last. Why forget about games we cared about?

I not only like all the games - helped along by my ability to attend all the games - but I even like days like today when I get MY TICKETS IN THE MAIL!! I clutch them to my bosom and smell them. I’m not too proud to admit it!

 

[albanycuse]

I not only like all the games - helped along by my ability to attend all the games - but I even like days like today when I get MY TICKETS IN THE MAIL!! I clutch them to my bosom and smell them. I’m not too proud to admit it!

What do you prefer the smell of?

 

[bballbeadle]

What do you prefer the smell of?

Not sure I understand your question. I love the clean new smell of the tickets but would prefer if they smelled like them balsams.

 

[albanycuse]

Not sure I understand your question. I love the clean new smell of the tickets but would prefer if they smelled like them balsams.

You said bosoms, I have no idea why you mentioned that lol

 

[IthacaMatt]

I will reserve judgement until at least the start of ACC play. Two years ago I was convinced the team was unbelievably stacked.

On paper, we were. Even JB thought so.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I'm in the same boat. I'm cautiously optimistic. It's been five calendar years since we were a Top 25-level basketball team. I think we absolutely could be that this year, but I want to see it.

To me, it's all about health. If Sidibe is healthy all year long, and if Frank recovers promptly from his ankle trouble, then we'll be very good.

 

[bballbeadle]

You said bosoms, I have no idea why you mentioned that lol

It’s something women of my age do! We are always clutching things to our bosoms, especially pearls.

 

[Cusefan69]

On paper we should be better but it depends on how the new players acclimate to the defensive concepts, find their roles on the team and more important how they may need to adjust based on what HCJB is looking for. Marek scares me a little because the guy doesn’t have a go to move or jump shot. His points come ugly...put backs, a little fast break and some baseline cuts. Players like that can get 5 points one night and 15 the next. Lots of unknowns except maybe on defense end. I am going to temper my excitement a bit until we see some ACC play. This team has really nice potential, hopefully it manifests.

 

[bballbeadle]

On paper we should be better but it depends on how the new players acclimate to the defensive concepts, find their roles on the team and more important how they may need to adjust based on what HCJB is looking for. Marek scares me a little because the guy doesn’t have a go to move or jump shot. His points come ugly...put backs, a little fast break and some baseline cuts. Players like that can get 5 points one night and 15 the next. Lots of unknowns except maybe on defense end. I am going to temper my excitement a bit until we see some ACC play. This team has really nice potential, hopefully it manifests.

WHAAAA?? You are going to wait until January to get excited? My good man, a third of the season is over by then. Don’t be an excitement hoarder! Allow the excitement to burst forth from you, like a veritable Vesuvius!

At least, that’s what I’m going to do.

 

[mark79]

After watching 20 years of college basketball, multiple things about this team stick out to me.


Dynamic upperclassmen guard duo - Check.

Experienced, provenly effective defensive approach - Check.

Hungry contributors coming off the bench - we’ve heard this is the case, need to see it first. But I’d say we have the next one.

Depth - Check.

Rebounding and low post presence - Check.

Charismatic star who’s done it before and will do it again (kemba effect) - check.

I agree with all of the above and would add superlative shot-blocking. I think we are going to see a marked improvement in our 7’2” center. I think he is finally going to get his legs under him and that we are going to see lots of blocks, rebounds and dunks. Combine that with a hopefully healthy backup center and we may have a two-headed monster in the middle the likes of which we haven’t seen in awhile.

 

[supgs]

Cloudy judgements are fuel for all fans... after living thru so many disappoints, we grab at every sign of positivity & hope.

That said, personally I am very hopeful. I believe in experience, especially within the JAB zone. The problem last year was scoring, so Im hopeful OB will FINISH in the lane, Chewy can catch all the lobs, FH & Jalen Carey will PUSH the ball yet limit dumb turnovers, Hughes is as good as advertised, Buddy will make 3's and Tyus stays healthy!

I think Tyus is a prime time baller. He's made so many clutch baskets at the end of the game or shot clock. Because of our experience and Tyus' extraordinary clutch & motivation I believe that we will be better than preseason computer projections. Depth should allow us to press & run; not just slow tempo. 3 or possibly 4 players average double figures. Methinks that if Hughes is as good as rumored, this team can win 30 games this year. Run, dunk, rebound like volleyball practice at both rims! Thats my weather report for the season.

 

[Ceerqqq]

If anything, I think people are setting the bar too low based on last year's performance.

If you want to glean anything from Boeheim's soundbites, you have to think like a coach.

He doesnt think or talk like a fan. His job is to get the most out of his team, so he is looking at and talking about untapped potentoal, most of the time.

He usually compliments the players and teams who perform closest to their ceiling and is hardest on the players and teams with the most room for improvement.

If he thought least years record was the ceiling this year, he would never say they had a bad year. He'd be talking about what's great run they had.

The fact that he classified last season as a bad season means he thinks this team can do much better.

I think General20 here provides the proper way for us to understand Jim Boeheim's comments.

JB wasn't telling us that he thinks his team isn't all that good. On the contrary, he was sending a message to his team, telling them that they aren't close to being as good as they might think they are at this point.

Such messaging may actually be an indication that Jim believes his team has the potential to scale the highest mountains of college basketball this year...so much so that he is now paying close attention to the kinds of 'mental disorders' that can cause talented teams to under-perform when all of the money is on the line, like over-confidence. See: Virginia...

What is not clear is if the over-confidence he's concerned about is something he's already seen signs of in practice, or if the team's been looking so good that he's starting to worry about those things that are not obvious, but which could eventually surface to ruin an otherwise promising season.

I suspect that Jim is simply leaning against the wind at this point. This would make sense if he's observed that his players are starting to notice that they really are that good. But that, of course, is precisely the time when the head coach needs to tell you that "you ain't as good as you think you are...until I say that you are."

 

[Cusefan69]

WHAAAA?? You are going to wait until January to get excited? My good man, a third of the season is over by then. Don’t be an excitement hoarder! Allow the excitement to burst forth from you, like a veritable Vesuvius!

At least, that’s what I’m going to do.

Hey BB. Oh gosh no. I will be at the games and rooting. I am just not ready to appoint Cuse a Final 4 team yet. I think we should see the real team come ACC play. I am hoping the team has grown and is meshing well!!

 

[bballbeadle]

I think General20 here provides the proper way for us to understand Jim Boeheim's comments.

JB wasn't telling us that he thinks his team isn't all that good. On the contrary, he was sending a message to his team, telling them that they aren't close to being as good as they might think they are at this point.

Such messaging may actually be an indication that Jim believes his team has the potential to scale the highest mountains of college basketball this year...so much so that he is now paying close attention to the kinds of 'mental disorders' that can cause talented teams to under-perform when all of the money is on the line, like over-confidence. See: Virginia...

What is not clear is if the over-confidence he's concerned about is something he's already seen signs of in practice, or if the team's been looking so good that he's starting to worry about those things that are not obvious, but which could eventually surface to ruin an otherwise promising season.

I suspect that Jim is simply leaning against the wind at this point. This would make sense if he's observed that his players are starting to notice that they really are that good. But that, of course, is precisely the time when the head coach needs to tell you that "you ain't as good as you think you are...until I say that you are."

Ceerqqq, where in the world have you come from? Your posts are insightful and detailed and I always seem to “like” every one of them. (But then, I am a slutty liker.) You are new to this board but you are already becoming quite popular, if your “like” counts are any indication. And I think they are!

Pray, dear sir, continue.

 

[bballbeadle]

Hey BB. Oh gosh no. I will be at the games and rooting. I am just not ready to appoint Cuse a Final 4 team yet. I think we should see the real team come ACC play. I am hoping the team has grown and is meshing well!!

Ehhhh, you know I was joshing you! I just wanted to be sure you were enjoying yourself while you reserve judgment. I will expect an update in mid January. We should have played 3 ACC games by then. Surely that will be enuf!

Do you have season tickets? Where do you sit?

 

[Ceerqqq]

Ceerqqq, where in the world have you come from? Your posts are insightful and detailed and I always seem to “like” every one of them. (But then, I am a slutty liker.) You are new to this board but you are already becoming quite popular, if your “like” counts are any indication. And I think they are!

Pray, dear sir, continue.

Been around, B-girl bballbbeadle, been around. Glad you find my comments worth your time...

(I googled B-girl and discovered it could be taken as an insult, though none was intended )

 

[SWC75]

Ceerqqq, where in the world have you come from? Your posts are insightful and detailed and I always seem to “like” every one of them. (But then, I am a slutty liker.) You are new to this board but you are already becoming quite popular, if your “like” counts are any indication. And I think they are!

Pray, dear sir, continue.

Praising the general is always insightful!