Does anyone have the courage to come up with an argument on how next year is better?

[Idiocuse22&]

Back in the late 90s, I did a project at a site in NJ (near the Meadowlands). In a conversation with a guy who worked there for years, I mentioned that I'd graduated from Syracuse. He was all excited to talk about Syracuse football, how good they were, and he was hoping his kid could get a football scholarship offer there. By 2006, NOBODY thought highly of Syracuse football - it was a dead program. It took 6,7 years - at most - to completely destroy a good reputation in the northeast.

Basketball started from an even better spot from a brand perspective - but how long has it been since Syracuse basketball has been relevant nationally? Not "sneak in to the NCAA tournament" relevant - good enough to have legit Final Four aspirations. There's probably 20 teams in that category any given year.

The thing that worries me the most is I don't feel any sense of urgency from the University...its like they think the basketball brand can withstand numerous bad years in a row and recover. I'm not sure that's the case...and we're close to being DePaul levels of irrelevant already.

Im with you on everything you've said other than being close to DePaul in irrelevence.
OMG! I hope not! Maybe I am wrong but I think it would take another 15 straight losing records to get there with a few 3-25s and a couple seasons with 0 wins in ACC.
We for sure are in a rough patch but I think if you ask a casual college BBall fan not from Syracuse how good is Syracuse? ... not bad...pretty good & a couple they sucks.
I mean we have won 20+ games in a season something like 24 out of the last 30.
But yes, the University should have a sense of urgency to make some changes.

 

[Chip]

Absolutely.

So did my team in gym class.

Is there any additional context that you'd like to include?

Nope. Just trying to figure out if we're losing because we have bad players or because we have a bad coach. I assumed it was both, but when you say others are doing far more with far far less, that would imply it's not really a talent issue.

All is not completely lost then.

 

[djcon57]

Nope. Just trying to figure out if we're losing because we have bad players or because we have a bad coach. I assumed it was both, but when you say others are doing far more with far far less, that would imply it's not really a talent issue.

All is not completely lost then.

We have the talent to be better than 10-13.

We don't have the talent to be a tourney team.

What the confusion?

 

[Chip]

We have the talent to be better than 10-13.

We don't have the talent to be a tourney team.

What the confusion?

Assuming you guys are all on the same page, that's much clearer, so thank you.

 

[EnviroSciGuy]

Nope. Just trying to figure out if we're losing because we have bad players or because we have a bad coach. I assumed it was both, but when you say others are doing far more with far far less, that would imply it's not really a talent issue.

All is not completely lost then.

Unserious comment gets unserious response.

Just say what you want to say.

 

[djcon57]

Assuming you guys are all on the same page, that's much clearer, so thank you.

Is this the type pissing contest you were referring to?

 

[Chip]

Is this the type pissing contest you were referring to?

I was being serious. I wanted to know what you guys really thought. And you cleared it up.

 

[Cusefan95]

Im with you on everything you've said other than being close to DePaul in irrelevence.
OMG! I hope not! Maybe I am wrong but I think it would take another 15 straight losing records to get there with a few 3-25s and a couple seasons with 0 wins in ACC.
We for sure are in a rough patch but I think if you ask a casual college BBall fan not from Syracuse how good is Syracuse? ... not bad...pretty good & a couple they sucks.
I mean we have won 20+ games in a season something like 24 out of the last 30.
But yes, the University should have a sense of urgency to make some changes.

Indiana is probably the best comp for us right now…30 years ago they were a no-doubt blue blood. It’s arguable they’ve fallen off that list. I doubt Syracuse will drop so far folks can pencil us in to last place every year like DePaul - worst case we should still be able to stumble into a Sweet Sixteen once in a while

 

[IthacaMatt]

And not 20 wins NIT better...

There has to be a new assistant.
We have to keep Moore, Freeman, and Petar.

JJ is not good enough to be our "star", but he would be good as like a 2nd offensive option.

A lot of problems could be solved with a really elite PG from the portal, with the whole package.
And then we need a very good portal center who can protect the rim.

We need to institute a functional offense. I would like to see a high-low double post on offense with Portal Center on the low block, and Donnie Freeman at the high post.

I'd like to see back-door cuts, screens along the baseline, screens for cutters crossing the lane. Much more motion, much less standing around. Functional high-ball screen offense.

On defense - where's the tempo? Where are the changes? Play some press and fall back into a 2-3 zone like Pitino used to do at Louisville. Other times, pick them up 3/4 court man-to-man. Guys play hard or they come out, period.

Donnie Freeman has to get stronger, or forget about it.
I'll pay Chris Bell's gas to go wherever will take him.

There is so much to work on. Next year is do or die.