Goodbye Benny?

[Cuse'91]

So they didn't make him feel good?

Well, James Brown was telling about interacting with Boeheim as a young newcomer, Jimmy was very condescending and bullyish. Think it goes to show JB's treatment to student reporters, and inexperience media types.

 

[OrangeDW]

Nobody knows what’s going on so why speculate. If he does leave who would blame him. All JB does is crap on him and Bell.

All JB did was start them both over more productive players and give them every chance in the world.

 

[orangefog]

Well, James Brown was telling about interacting with Boeheim as a young newcomer, Jimmy was very condescending and bullyish. Think it goes to show JB's treatment to student reporters, and inexperience media types.

I see.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

So they didn't make him feel good?

Sounds Super Bad

 

[orangepassion]

At least JB was snarky about it.

I hate to say it, but JB sounded like Jack Nicolson as Col. Jessup in A Few Good Men after he was asked for the transfer papers for Santiago.

 

[Sbucketball]

Why do we watch the post game interview anyway? It is not like Boeheim provides any real insight.

When it is a loss, it is always because the team is not executing, rebounding or scoring enough to win and the other team is a real good team. Once in awhile he adds that the team played hard.

When it is a win, his commentary is that the other team is a real good team, our team play hard, the team rebounded well and we were able to take advantage of the other team’s mistakes.

in either situation, he will throw in a line about how well one player played or how another player is not doing what they need to do.

So, what is so enlightening about his post game interview?

Yet, I have been waiting for or watching them for almost 56 years. Man, you think I would learn a long time ago.

Time to update your username.

 

[Oakland]

Ok, that's valid. In watching some of his high school games, I thought he was rated pretty well, a borderline 5 star. But, his shot went to hell. I think it was flat because he was stressing so much. Maybe it was just the stress of playing D1 basketball. Benny needs to get some confidence. But, JB certainly didn't help in building his confidence.

He is making 37% of his 3pt attempts this season.

 

[Nicknack]

Boeheim showed his a$$ once again in a presser. Could the kid have waiting with the question? Maybe. But Jim has to do better than that. It's a question on the mind of every cuse fan and is a pretty big deal. Boeheim wants to downplay it, which is fine, but that doesn't mean fans and/or media have to do so as well.

As for Benny... really disappointing. To Boeheim's credit, it seems that he has given Benny a ton of chances to perform at a level worthy of starting. While I don't know what happens in practice or behind closed doors, it looks like this is squarely on Benny. I hope the young man comes back to practice and decides to fight rather than quit. He seems like a good kid with a really high ceiling, so hopefully we don't lose him.

 

[Col. Bleep]

So...two points.

First, Don't see how bringing most of these celebs to Syracuse games is going to boost SU's stature for recruits, fans, players, coaches, the media or anyone else.
(The exception is flying a recruit up with a couple of big rappers. And then having him get great reception in Dome and seeing an exciting game despite the result.).

Want to boost the program's stature?
Win some games.

Second...Boeheim being nasty to student reporters is nothing new.
Two lines of thought here.

1-The students are paying his salary. He's a coach...but still in a sense considered faculty. Students are the LAST people with whom he should display that behavior.

2- That kind of response isn't appreciated by any reporter. BUT it's also a good learning experience...how to deal with unpleasant people at interviews.

Having had that experience numerous times, I'd say it's best to be polite but persistent. The reporter's response was ok. But it may have been better to respond to Boeheim questioning whether Benny's absence is the most important question by saying in a low key manner, "Perhaps not. But it's one that all of us are wondering about." Now you've disarmed him and made him think that the question is really from everyone in the room.

One more point. Why am I writing this in a thread that's supposed to be about Benny Williams?

 

[gmoney44]

Obviously Benny's fragility is on him, but JB really pounded on him last year. I imagine it was to toughen him up, but it made him a wreck.

He just can’t motivate players of this generation the way he was able to with past generations. In the past when he played bad cop more often than not the player would do everything in their power to prove JB wrong. Now the players more often than not turtle up and go into the coach, school, town, fans are unfair mode and jump ship. The new transfer rules have exacerbated the problem. We have made it even easier for a generation of quitters to quit.

 

[Consigliere]

If your response to a post game question about an absent player is to sarcastically answer about how it's such an unimportant question, what does that say about Boeheim's opinion of the absent player's contributions? He might think he was protecting Benny but it might've been nice to say we look forward to him coming back and helping us win a close one like this even if you didn't believe it

Had nothing to do with the question. It was the questioner. Kid could have asked the most intelligent, relevant question in history and, after his week of crowing on social media how the mean old coach treated him, Boeheim would have gone into full attack mode.

 

[tptcuse]

You forgot this one lol

And he is….

 

[BBQuse]

Benny seems like a great kid.

But he came in with a lofty ranking [5-star] and vastly underachieved during his freshman year, not coming close to living up to expectations.

Then, he was given every chance to start and play his way into a consistent level of productivity this season, but failed to do so.

Beyond the hit to depth, is there really a significant impact here if he departs?

No disrespect to Benny. He wouldn't be the first player to be driven out by JB turning him into the whipping boy.

I agree with this. But I really hope he stays. I don't really think he's been treated unfairly so far -- he truly has underperformed and made a lot of mental mistakes, despite being given a much longer rope this year. And in the few interviews he has done, he has really seemed to have the right attitude and acknowledges that he just isn't playing well enough. Things may or may not click at some point going forward, but I'm willing to have him if he wants it. If he feels he needs a change of scenery, that's fine too and I agree the (short term) impact will be minimal.

 

[Hopkins16]

Is there a practice session today? Anyone can find out if Benny attended?

 

[chugg21]

 

[Fat tire 13]

This entire situation brings up some bigger picture problems

-A coach that acts like a jerk to the media better be winning some games. It's funny when Belechick or Popovich act that way. However, they both have perennial success including 5+ titles
-Recruiting. Part of it is landing highly ranked guys. Part of it is finding guys that are undervalued relative to rankings. We seem to be failing in both areas. For every Jesse Edwards, there are many more Jalen Carey's
-Development/retainment - less clear what is able to be achieved in the NIL era. However, we want this to be a net positive instead of a net negative. I think this is where Hopkins had a huge impact. I keep going back to Devo's podcast. Several big names were close to transferring and Hopkins helped convince them to stay.

 

[chugg21]

Is there a practice session today? Anyone can find out if Benny attended?

JB said he is supposed to be back on Wed.

 

[tptcuse]

Had nothing to do with the question. It was the questioner. Kid could have asked the most intelligent, relevant question in history and, after his week of crowing on social media how the mean old coach treated him, Boeheim would have gone into full attack mode.

Seems thin skinned.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Had nothing to do with the question. It was the questioner. Kid could have asked the most intelligent, relevant question in history and, after his week of crowing on social media how the mean old coach treated him, Boeheim would have gone into full attack mode.

Crowing all week? I’ve not seen that, not saying he hasn’t.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Seems thin skinned.

Didn’t seem that way. It was.

 

[Consigliere]

Seems thin skinned.

No question! Thin skinned and very defensive. Same as he has been for 60 years from his time as a walk on.

Not defending the response at all. Just pointing out what likely drove the attack

 

[TheCusian]

All JB did was start them both over more productive players and give them every chance in the world.

ie - he see's something in there that makes them great but needs to push and pull it out of them. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

Player A: High, high ceiling, weakness is attitude or mental mistakes
Player B: Low floor, does all the little things or helps team win but doesn't have the ceiling of player A

You start player A and coach them hard. You sub in player B and eventually start them if player A doesn't get better at their shortcomings.

 

[Brooky03]

First, Don't see how bringing most of these celebs to Syracuse games is going to boost SU's stature for recruits, fans, players, coaches, the media or anyone else.
(The exception is flying a recruit up with a couple of big rappers. And then having him get great reception in Dome and seeing an exciting game despite the result.).

Want to boost the program's stature?
Win some games.

Second...Boeheim being nasty to student reporters is nothing new.
Two lines of thought here.

1-The students are paying his salary. He's a coach...but still in a sense considered faculty. Students are the LAST people with whom he should display that behavior.

2- That kind of response isn't appreciated by any reporter. BUT it's also a good learning experience...how to deal with unpleasant people at interviews.

Having had that experience numerous times, I'd say it's best to be polite but persistent. The reporter's response was ok. But it may have been better to respond to Boeheim questioning whether Benny's absence is the most important question by saying in a low key manner, "Perhaps not. But it's one that all of us are wondering about." Now you've disarmed him and made him think that the question is really from everyone in the room.

One more point. Why am I writing this in a thread that's supposed to be about Benny Williams?

My only bone to pick is with the idea that the students pay his salary. Syracuse is one of the few profitable basketball programs. It makes money for the school, in amounts that far exceed Boeheim’s salary. For that reason, and others, I don’t think he should hold students in any kind of high esteem. I don’t think he’s beholden to them any more than he’s beholden to fans.

His reaction in this case was ridiculous and he honestly should apologize for reacting that way to a reasonable question, though.

 

[Orangezoo]

I've felt it was very bizarre all along, maybe not a big Sat game, but random Tuesday game in a half empty dome. Just comes across as odd. JMO.

To some degree it seems experimental in trying to make waves and for people to know there are always some big names in the house... especially given ESPN made clear note of it. Always happy to anger some Bama or Oklahoma fans as their former dude is chilling at SU for a game.

It would make a lot more sense with a good product being put on the floor every game.

 

[Col. Bleep]

My only bone to pick is with the idea that the students pay his salary. Syracuse is one of the few profitable basketball programs. It makes money for the school, in amounts that far exceed Boeheim’s salary. For that reason, and others, I don’t think he should hold students in any kind of high esteem. I don’t think he’s beholden to them any more than he’s beholden to fans.

His reaction in this case was ridiculous and he honestly should apologize for reacting that way to a reasonable question, though.

Yes...but no students, no school.
And the guys who play for him...the poor guys limited to NIL's while he socks away millions...are students.
Or suposed to be.

Which reminds me...there's a really good article in this past Sunday's NY Times magazine about NILS.
Focuses on UNC...but I read it anyway not withstanding remaining bitterness over the game.