I have a difficult time understanding why some posters concern themselves with the ranking of players that we have coming in. Whether they move up or down really doesn't matter in what they bring to Syracuse. The coaches know what their talent level and future potential are and that's all that should really matter.
It's nice and exciting to get top ranked players. Melo, Flynn, dion, Fab, MCW, mccollough. Sign me up for a top player like them any day.
It's perception. If we are perceived to consistently bring in players that are ranked highly, the talented kids in future classes may be influenced to consider us more strongly than they already are. Look at Kentucky. Cal is perceived to have an NBA pipeline going, and kids flock to him.
Yeah I agree with all of the above and everyone else that posted.
Its great to get top ranked players and exciting players on the court, especially ones that can lead us to a good offense and score one on one against the teams that slow the ball down against our zone. And I love our zone but when the offense isn't running good it is sometimes feels like it lacks the killer intstinct yet the numbers often say different.
From my viewpoint, the Syracuse team as a whole is much more important then elite talent. I always favor the better team when its very noticable. And that comes from good luck from our recruits reaching their potential while they become Legendary Orange.
I love someone like Jerami Grant, or Fab Melo, Same with Tyler Ennis but part of me feels sad we never got to see them hit a higher max potential for a entire year here. Heck even as good as MCW was he lacked that midpost finish for three quarters of his sophmore season.
Anyway I lose alot of faith sometimes, really really want us to win a big one, I am probably not alone as a fan saying I feel cursed. Especially watching crapconn win (it makes me feel like higher powers are saying let's take a dump on college basketball and ruin it, lets bring a plague and ruin the sport alltogether). Can we fix this curse and win one?
College basketball used to mix swag with competition back in the 80's/90's, now adays it mixes drama and carnival with competition. I think in becoming more competitive it has evolved into that. Thankfully it will never become as carnival as the nba. It couldn't there's not enough games to(sterns biggest mistake).
I love me cuse basketball in nov/dec its like watching art, or listening to good asian music.
For me one of the best parts of next year is the rawness, and everyone being so far from their ceiling. It adds a suprise element factor. And suprises in sports are definetly a staple since the 2000's.