Expectations in Year 1

[Orangezoo]

I agree about fit. I doubt anyone will be mad about any player we sign. Everyone is going to find ways to proclaim everyone potentially great. Which is fine, people are dying to be optimistic. I just don't expect much clear-eyed analysis here for the next few weeks.

It will be a roller coaster for sure. I’ll just say you aren’t going to be successful in this era without making the commitment to a full staff with real talent and a vision and mindset. That’s step 1. So far Gerry and the university have passed that for me pending the GM. Next is using the money and the staff assembled to put together the “right “ but highly talented and balanced roster. Using the staffs connections in that exercise as well. If that means you bring in a Mingo or two because you can or you add a player or two who is top end for what you need from VCU.. you make that push and get it done.

Part 2 starts Tuesday and off to the races we go.

 

[SUFan44]

It will be a roller coaster for sure. I’ll just say you aren’t going to be successful in this era without making the commitment to a full staff with real talent and a vision and mindset. That’s step 1. So far Gerry and the university have passed that for me pending the GM. Next is using the money and the staff assembled to put together the “right “ but highly talented and balanced roster. Using the staffs connections in that exercise as well. If that means you bring in a Mingo or two because you can or you add a player or two who is top end for what you need from VCU.. you make that push and get it done.

Part 2 starts Tuesday and off to the races we go.

Here's what I'm going to say about a General Manager...

At the end of the day, your head coach really should be your general manager in terms of yay or nay on player personnel choices. That has always been the case at the collegiate level, and won't change at 99% of schools.

The GM should be connected, not only to know who is who in terms of player evaluations but also on the agent side. And really, the way things are changing, I'd value the agent side of it maybe more than the player side of it. Because in reality, your assistant coaches and head coach should all have player evaluation ability and relationships on the player side, as they're the ones that are theoretically recruiting them.

 

[phil77]

I'll be honest, all this "work ethic" stuff is already driving me nuts. The biggest problem last season was that the HC was inept. The team could have practiced 18 hours a day and it wouldn't have mattered, because the HC didn't know how to teach them.

It'll be nice if Gerry makes them "accountable" and all that stuff. But the most important thing, by a country mile, is that he assembles elite talent and has the coaching chops to win.

Correct. Get elite talent it is on the coaching staff to get them to play hard and smart. Red couldn’t do that with the team he had last year. GMac need to upgrade the talent from last year with all the money then it’s his and the coaching staff job to get the to work hard and play hard.

 

[Orangezoo]

Correct. Get elite talent it is on the coaching staff to get them to play hard and smart. Red couldn’t do that with the team he had last year. GMac need to upgrade the talent from last year with all the money then it’s his and the coaching staff job to get the to work hard and play hard.

You still have to interview and do your homework. Talent comes with a reason for leaving and possible baggage. Things even a new staff may have no control over. This is why I’d love to see a player or two from the combo of VCU PSU that is high value and well known to the staff.

 

[sufan59]

No offense but priority 1 is using the massive influx of money to assemble a top-flight roster and win games.

You know what breeds good culture? Winning.

Everything else is the kind of thing people use as excuses when the team isn't winning. No one talked about "culture" from 2009 to 2014.

That is not the Syracuse path to success anymore. I’m talking real success, championships. Going down the rankings list and hoping the higher ranked player takes your bag.

I'll be honest, all this "work ethic" stuff is already driving me nuts. The biggest problem last season was that the HC was inept. The team could have practiced 18 hours a day and it wouldn't have mattered, because the HC didn't know how to teach them.

It'll be nice if Gerry makes them "accountable" and all that stuff. But the most important thing, by a country mile, is that he assembles elite talent and has the coaching chops to win.

and it’s not the 18 hours a day of practice, etc. Practice smart and hard, not longer. The purpose of my post is that the “elite” talent based on the rankings, a good portion is not going to be desirable by this staff. Syracuse has money, but will never have that much more funds than the peers to out talent the opponent to winning. I don’t even know if any programs has that much more funds to do it that way anymore. And the elite talent that is desirable to the staff you may not have access to it immediately. If we do great. I would rather get 3 and 4 stars with good work ethic and are about winning than 4 and 5 stars that aren’t about those things. If you show proof with the 3 and 4 stars that have good work ethic and are about winning that it’s a product that is desirable to the good version of elite talent. If you have the funding, in no time, you will get the 4 and 5 stars with good work ethic, that’s the difference in winning championships.

 

[baggerbob]

That is not the Syracuse path to success anymore. I’m talking real success, championships. Going down the rankings list and hoping the higher ranked player takes your bag.

and it’s not the 18 hours a day of practice, etc. Practice smart and hard, not longer. The purpose of my post is that the “elite” talent based on the rankings, a good portion is not going to be desirable by this staff. Syracuse has money, but will never have that much more funds than the peers to out talent the opponent to winning. I don’t even know if any programs has that much more funds to do it that way anymore. And the elite talent that is desirable to the staff you may not have access to it immediately. If we do great. I would rather get 3 and 4 stars with good work ethic and are about winning than 4 and 5 stars that aren’t about those things. If you show proof with the 3 and 4 stars that have good work ethic and are about winning that it’s a product that is desirable to the good version of elite talent. If you have the funding, in no time, you will get the 4 and 5 stars with good work ethic, that’s the difference in winning championships.

To me knowing the personality of the player is a very important part of selecting players. Because how they react to situations will impact their play on the court.

 

[FloridaCuse]

 

[Nicknack]

My expectation for year 1 is like many others on this board, safely make the ncaa tournament where our attention late season is improving our seed. We had a roster last year that at a minimum, should have been on the bubble. Therefore, I think it's a very fair expectation especially with more NIL and a better coach. If not, I'll be concerned.