Gerry McNamara needs to be the next coach

[IthacaMatt]

Being critical of our NIL does not hurt the program. Here’s why:

Players: They get the offers they get. They don’t care if Syracuse as a whole has a lot of NIL or not.

Donors: It incentivizes more of them to donate and incentivizes current donors to donate more.

Fans and media: Already knew the objective truth that Syracuse was behind in NIL. It was never a secret, so they’re unfazed - or should be - by the comment.

Were we not told by people directly involved that we had plenty of money to get the players we wanted this year, and that we were ranked around 6th in the ACC in terms of NIL money for hoops?

Where did this nonsense that we were bottom three start? With Boeheim, just now on TV.
Thanks, Jim.

 

[kingtidge]

Being critical of our NIL does not hurt the program. Here’s why:

Players: They get the offers they get. They don’t care if Syracuse as a whole has a lot of NIL or not.

Donors: It incentivizes more of them to donate and incentivizes current donors to donate more.

Fans and media: Already knew the objective truth that Syracuse was behind in NIL. It was never a secret, so they’re unfazed - or should be - by the comment.

Take 1,789 of yours that is wrong.

The former HOF coach and special advisor to the AD going on national TV and throwing the school under the bus for not having enough NIL is just bad optics however you slice it.

He implied the school is not prepared to compete at an adequate NIL level for a P4 program.

That's kinda a big tell to just toss out there on national TV.

He didn't have to say that, it certainly wasn't helpful, yet he did it anyways.

If you don't think potential coaching candidates and their agents didn't take notice of that, you are mistaken.

The only saving grace is the hope that the coaching deal for our target candidate is already done in principle and whatever support is promised is rock solid (as some here have already intimated.)

 

[Brooky03]

Take 1,789 of yours that is wrong.

The former HOF coach and special advisor to the AD going on national TV and throwing the school under the bus for not having enough NIL is just bad optics however you slice it.

He implied the school is not prepared to compete at an adequate NIL level for a P4 program. That's kinda a big tell to toss out there on national TV.

He didn't have to say that, it certainly wasn't helpful, yet he did it anyways.

If you don't think potential coaching candidates and their agents didn't take notice of that, you are mistaken.

The only saving grace is the hope that the coaching deal for our target candidate is already done in principle and whatever support is promised is rock solid (as some here have already intimated.)

It was an open secret.

Get out of here with the self-righteous “take number blah blah” crap. Doosh

 

[IthacaMatt]

Take 1,789 of yours that is wrong.

The former HOF coach and special advisor to the AD going on national TV and throwing the school under the bus for not having enough NIL is just bad optics however you slice it.

He implied the school is not prepared to compete at an adequate NIL level for a P4 program. That's kinda a big tell to toss out there on national TV.

He didn't have to say that, it certainly wasn't helpful, yet he did it anyways.

If you don't think potential coaching candidates and their agents didn't take notice of that, you are mistaken.

The only saving grace is the hope that the coaching deal for our target candidate is already done in principle and whatever support is promised is rock solid (as some here have already intimated.)

Maybe he'll "get it" this time. Great post.

 

[BomberOrange]

Lol. People here were as adamant that we should hire Frost. The hodgeson fervor is just like the Frost fervor. In a month no one will care cuz he won’t be hired. People are getting lured in by a guy named Axe.

I and others were onto BH last year when Red should’ve been fired. Axe was lured in by us.

 

[Brooky03]

If coaches and agents don’t discuss NIL during the interview process or the process to schedule an interview, you guys have excellent points.

If they discuss NIL even a little at any point in the interview process, your points are not excellent.

I’m operating under the assumption potential coaches ask about NIL.

 

[IthacaMatt]

It was an open secret.

Get out of here with the self-righteous “take number blah blah” crap. Doosh

No, it was claimed by many people on this board that our NIL coming into this season was sufficient, that our GM did a good job identifying prospects, and they recruited them together as a team, with Donnie and JJ present at many player meetings.

Bees, Jake, Dasher, Consigliere - people intimately involved in the NIL efforts this fall - told us something that Saint Boeheim just contradicted big time, to our program's detriment.

Try to get over your cult-like worship. He's been a jerk for quite a few years now, thinking only of himself.

 

[Brooky03]

No, it was claimed by many people on this board that our NIL coming into this season was sufficient, that our GM did a good job identifying prospects, and they recruited them together as a team, with Donnie and JJ present at many player meetings.

Bees, Jake, Dasher, Consigliere - people intimately involved in the NIL efforts this fall - told us something that Saint Boeheim just contradicted big time, to our program's detriment.

Try to get over your cult-like worship. He's been a jerk for quite a few years now, thinking only of himself.

I know the number that was tossed around here and don’t have a reason not to believe the posters who said it. I believe we were in the top half of the ACC in NIL. I also recall some concern that we’d have that amount year-to-year. That’s the open secret, that our donor base isn’t particularly motivated and/or the pockets aren’t that deep. That was true every year up to this year - which might’ve been anomalous given the poor ROI - and what those same people who said we were competitive in NIL this year had said in prior years.

 

[Widget24]

I bet if Hodgson is really good , he leaves in 3-4 years and Gerry would be a top candidate.

If we land Hodgson and he crushes it here, is there much of a chance that we get him for longer than that? Genuinely curious given the reports of how badly he wants this job.

 

[albanycuse]

he gets it

 

[OrlandoCuse]

Those that are pro-GMac for next SU HC, please make the claim for how he’s a better candidate than Speedy Claxton at Hofstra

 

[Brooky03]

Those that are pro-GMac for next SU HC, please make the claim for how he’s a better candidate than Speedy Claxton at Hofstra

I’m not pro-anybody but he would boost season ticket sales more than Speedy. That’s all I got. Oh, and nostalgia.

 

[Cusefan69]

If coaches and agents don’t discuss NIL during the interview process or the process to schedule an interview, you guys have excellent points.

If they discuss NIL even a little at any point in the interview process, your points are not excellent.

I’m operating under the assumption potential coaches ask about NIL.

Yeah, in 2026 all coaches are asking about nil, hard stop.

 

[Brooky03]

Yeah, in 2026 all coaches are asking about nil, hard stop.

I figured

 

[RedtheGOB]

Those that are pro-GMac for next SU HC, please make the claim for how he’s a better candidate than Speedy Claxton at Hofstra

I think Gmac is great but if you do have the most NIL and best player in your conference shouldn't you win it?

The 4 win thing is cool and all but media doesn't want to report that the program didn't turn around magically just with a great coach, they went from the worst NIL to the most NIL in the conference. Funny how they always leave off that little anecdote when a team has a 20 million dollar roster playing a 5 million dollar roster at the P5 level too.

and for the record I think he'll be a great coach at Cuse some day but there are so many piles of crap the next coach has to dig us out of. And no offense to alot of the people pushing the family hires but alot of "the family" has blood on their hands and put us in this mess, not purposefully of course but they sure as hell didn't fix it.

Fran played the game perfectly to get the alums back in the mix. You get a foundation and then you bring them in to support the players. You don't have them building the foundation.

 

[Sherman20]

I bet if Hodgson is really good , he leaves in 3-4 years and Gerry would be a top candidate.

If Hodgson crushes it, where it he going to go? If we’re good again and the fanbase comes back in droves, there’s only a handful of blue bloods and other welll resourced programs that he would leave for, and most of them would probably go for even bigger fish. Honestly, if he does well here, it’s unlikely he goes anywhere else. Maybe like Ohio State if they pay him a fortune. But it would be a good problem to have because then it means we’re back.

 

[Irishsecra1]

If BH crushes it, I think he leaves in a few years for a bigger bag.
There are quite a few places that could pay a lot more than us, and don’t get me started on NIL.
I think that is true for anyone not named GMAC.

Now, that is no reason not to hire BH. Frankly, after what we have endured the last 5 years, it would be a nice problem to have.

 

[Irishsecra1]

I think Gmac is great but if you do have the most NIL and best player in your conference shouldn't you win it?

The 4 win thing is cool and all but media doesn't want to report that the program didn't turn around magically just with a great coach, they went from the worst NIL to the most NIL in the conference. Funny how they always leave off that little anecdote when a team has a 20 million dollar roster playing a 5 million dollar roster at the P5 level too.

and for the record I think he'll be a great coach at Cuse some day but there are so many piles of crap the next coach has to dig us out of. And no offense to alot of the people pushing the family hires but alot of "the family" has blood on their hands and put us in this mess, not purposefully of course but they sure as hell didn't fix it.

Fran played the game perfectly to get the alums back in the mix. You get a foundation and then you bring them in to support the players. You don't have them building the foundation.

First, it is still unproven that Siena had the number one NIL in the conference. No one has provided evidence of this. All we do know is that AW paid Dotys NIL.
And based on our experience with Red, more NIL is nice but it does not automatically translate into wins and good performance. You need good coaching.

Second, Siena is down to 7 scholarship players. They lost their best big man from Australia Tasmania Goodrick in late December to a knee injury while averaging 10 and 8.
Lost their starting forward Chandler to an NCAA eligibility issue 3 weeks ago.
Lost Ducharne for the whole season.
Even Mulvey was out for weeks due to a severe concussion.
To say GMAC was without several key players is an understatement
But he pivoted, assessed and made the most of what he had left.
He made lemonade out of lemons.

Listen, he won’t be hired here this year.
Unless TPTB mess it up, it will be BH.
That train I think has too much momentum to stop.

I think BH has the potential to be a great coach.
But so does GMAC
I think both will be doing a lot of dancing in the upcoming years.
I do think GMAC will be back in Siena next year,
With so many returning players and the number one recruiting class in the MAAC, he will want to improve on this year.

I assume AW will continue to support Doty.
Nice posts between them yesterday with Dotys heartfelt thanks

 

[FrancoPizza]

No, it was claimed by many people on this board that our NIL coming into this season was sufficient, that our GM did a good job identifying prospects, and they recruited them together as a team, with Donnie and JJ present at many player meetings.

Bees, Jake, Dasher, Consigliere - people intimately involved in the NIL efforts this fall - told us something that Saint Boeheim just contradicted big time, to our program's detriment.

Try to get over your cult-like worship. He's been a jerk for quite a few years now, thinking only of himself.

What course is he “teaching” anyway?

 

[Cusefan95]

Not sure why you think Boeheim should have no opinion on Gerry getting bigger offers.

He can have any opinion he wants. But claiming that’s what I’m objecting to is a Motte and Bailey fallacy. You’re intentionally conflating a controversial, hard-to-defend claim (Boeheim can express his opinion to anyone at any time and it’s always OK to do so). with a similar, easy-to-defend, or common-sense claim (Boeheim is entitled to an opinion).

He could have taken his opinion to the new incoming leadership and expressed it to them privately and behind closed doors. That would have been an acceptable and maybe even commendable approach. Instead he chose to express his opinion publicly in order to try to create pressure from fans in the new leadership. That is unprofessional and slimy, so I understand why you don’t want to defend the actual issue. Someone commented that he’s got strained relations with the administration at Syracuse - doing things this way a big part of why that is likely true.

What’s bizarre to me is it’s such a bad idea as well - if I’m just coming in, the last thing I’m going to do is give in to pressure from a former head coach because he’ll know he can just run to the media to get what he wants. Considering he left the program in turmoil after a decade of mediocrity - and still needed to be shoved out the door - I’d be very concerned he’s more interested in his own personal agenda to the detriment of the program. I’d absolutely listen to him if he came to my office, and it might carry some weight. This approach would carry weight - it’s just that I wouldn’t hire Gerry now under any circumstances.

 

[FrancoPizza]

If we land Hodgson and he crushes it here, is there much of a chance that we get him for longer than that? Genuinely curious given the reports of how badly he wants this job.

It will depend on the genuine support he gets behind the scenes. I have a suspicion that he may always be viewed as an outsider to the alums and the cronies no matter how much he wins. The fans will cheer him and adore his wife, but for the others? Call it jealousy, unwillingness to embrace change, whatever. The bigger bag by itself won’t lure him away. The university’s “good ole boy network” will. That kind of rot needs to ripped out from inside the drywall.

 

[sufan59]

If BH crushes it, I think he leaves in a few years for a bigger bag.
There are quite a few places that could pay a lot more than us, and don’t get me started on NIL.
I think that is true for anyone not named GMAC.

Now, that is no reason not to hire BH. Frankly, after what we have endured the last 5 years, it would be a nice problem to have.

If BH crushes it, Syracuse should be able to afford as bigger as a bag as anyone in the sport. Or you’re suggesting Syracuse does the same thing all over again where it doesn’t reinvest everything into basketball from its success and expects to give BH a hometown discount like Boeheim was given for several years. I would like to think Syracuse learned its lesson that they need to reinvest when they get success. I think it’s more likely Syracuse would get GMAC in the timeline you mentioned after BH if he does anything less than crushing it.

 

[qdawgg]

If BH crushes it, I think he leaves in a few years for a bigger bag.
There are quite a few places that could pay a lot more than us, and don’t get me started on NIL.
I think that is true for anyone not named GMAC.

Now, that is no reason not to hire BH. Frankly, after what we have endured the last 5 years, it would be a nice problem to have.

Never hire a guy who might do well and potentially leave. Might as well keep Red.

Hodgson is just as likely to stay long term as anyone. He has more connections to the area and grew up a ‘Cuse fan, compared to gmac.

 

[Marroniac]

Here’s the deal, kids.

Every time a coach doesn’t work out, the fan base wants the next hire to be different,
Didn’t have head coaching experience? Need someone with experience.
Last guy was a retread? We need a young up and comer.

If circumstances were different, orange nation would be all in on Gerry.
Bring in the best guy. Don’t let recency bias or public opinion get in the way.

 

[Cusefan95]

Here’s the deal, kids.

Every time a coach doesn’t work out, the fan base wants the next hire to be different,
Didn’t have head coaching experience? Need someone with experience.
Last guy was a retread? We need a young up and comer.

If circumstances were different, orange nation would be all in on Gerry.
Bring in the best guy. Don’t let recency bias or public opinion get in the way.

Hey kiddo - way to not address the issues people have with hiring McNamara.

Can we please drop the “people just want change for change’s sake” attempt at narrative spin? Because it’s a strawman and complete bullcrap. And the folks trying to sell it are doing so because the case for Gerry is weak and against is strong.