How much did leaving the Big East really hurt the program?

[Trueblue25]

Thoughts?

Is Jim retiring tonight if we didnt leave?

How do we look different if the ACC didnt happen?

FS1 makes a good point. The league and MSG were a big unique draw for recruits.

Sad

 

[oldpinepoint]

The guy is 78, yes he should have retired before this. It’s why most places have mandatory retirement ages.

 

[PauliePeppas]

Thoughts?

Is Jim retiring tonight if we didnt leave?

How do we look different if the ACC didnt happen?

FS1 makes a good point. The league and MSG were a big unique draw for recruits.

Sad

Hurt big but it shouldnt have been this bad. But it had to be done . I miss going to msg more than anything, it sucks

 

[Cusefan95]

Thoughts?

Is Jim retiring tonight if we didnt leave?

How do we look different if the ACC didnt happen?

FS1 makes a good point. The league and MSG were a big unique draw for recruits.

Sad

Mike DeCourcy is a clown - I agree that MSG/Big East were a big deal, but the idea Syracuse can never reach the level they were at ten years ago is just stupid.

If we were still in the Big East with a 78 year old coach, we’d be in about the same position we are now, with about the same potential to get back to a regularly top 10 program making Final Fours.

 

[elimunelson]

Leaving the big east hurt the identity of the school for sure. We were part of a broader fabric of northeastern schools that created something special.

I’m going to the big east tomorrow for work. I’m excited and sad because I loved Syracuse in the tourney. It’s so weird we left for money and will end up being without a conference someday because others will leave for money

 

[Cuse181]

Hurt basketball, but football would be dead. We clearly still draw for football (see NC State). You want a school with athletics? You need both programs to be in existence.

 

[oldpinepoint]

Going from the big east to the acc is the day college sports died for me. It had to be done unfortunately but for hoops it was a travesty.

 

[OrangeDW]

The Big East talk doesn’t even make sense. We play football. They don’t. End of story, really.

Sucks that it had to happen, but it is what it is. If we weren’t in the ACC we’d be in that weird league that Cincinatti is in.

 

[phil77]

It hurt because us as a program didn't evolve with the change. We didn't adapt to what works in the ACC and in many ways we still haven't. For the longest time we still did everything as if we were in the Big East

 

[elimunelson]

The Big East talk doesn’t even make sense. We play football. They don’t. End of story, really.

Sucks that it had to happen, but it is what it is. If we weren’t in the ACC we’d be in that weird league that Cincinatti is in.

All true but stinks

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Would have killed the football program. Would have had to go Indy or drop to 1-AA.

No Dome renovations.

No Lally Center.

Maybe no Weitsman.

And UConn gets the ACC invite that we turn down.

 

[Cuseball]

Going from the big east to the acc is the day college sports died for me. It had to be done unfortunately but for hoops it was a travesty.

Yep the move had to happen but it changed everything for hoops . Playing in the ACC doesn’t generate the excitement for the fans . Football money means it had to happen but it was not good at all for hoops.

 

[OptimusOtto]

I don’t think it helped but I think it was a perfect storm of events. The issues that led to our downfall would still be in place but it might not have been as drastic since I personally think as a whole the Big East has worse programs.

Personally I don’t get the longing for the Big East. Yes maybe that era of college sports but how many of those teams would be that great to play? I admit I’m on the younger side but I have no memories of looking forward to playing Providence, Seton Hall or St. John’s.

The latter two was only good for an excuse for those of us in the NYC-metro area to not have to travel.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

It didn't hurt us at all.

The Big East isn't the Big East.

 

[syrBossHogg]

I think it changed recruiting a little bit but the times have changed.

The Big East tourney at MSG was a cool draw but it's only a few days of the year.

The rivalries were awesome but they do lose luster if one of the teams has down years.

Kids travel a lot more now so staying home might not be as appealing.

I don't think much changes.

 

[Otto'd]

It didn't hurt us at all.

The Big East isn't the Big East.

Would you rather be in the garden this week or Greensboro ?

 

[billsin01]

Leaving the big east hurt the identity of the school for sure. We were part of a broader fabric of northeastern schools that created something special.

I’m going to the big east tomorrow for work. I’m excited and sad because I loved Syracuse in the tourney. It’s so weird we left for money and will end up being without a conference someday because others will leave for money

Yup. We left for enough money to be at the bottom of the list for P5 football schools. Rejoined our hoops identity in the progress, which I said would happen at the time. I guess if you’re committed to trying to be relevant in football then we had to do it. But it sucked then and looks even worse now.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Would you rather be in the garden this week or Greensboro ?

Irrelevant.

 

[OrangeDW]

All true but stinks

Agreed. Pretty sure we all got a little emotional after that GTown BET game in 2013, and again when seeing “Requiem for the Big East.” That was an incredible time for both SU and Big East basketball, and it sucks it had to end.

 

[Cusefan69]

I am glad decisions were made when they were made. The landscape was not stable and the school made the right decision. That said, some of my happiest times in life were when my dad took my brother and I down to the Big East tourney every year. Remembering Cuse v Gtown when it was serious. Chris Mullen….John Pinone…..Ewing….Pinckney….Louie and Bouie….Coleman….Sherman…..Pearl. I grew up seeing all those games, wins and heart breakers. It was time for JB to go but damn back in the day he and Cuse and the Big East delivered some great great memories. The old school, was old school.

 

[OrangeDW]

Would you rather be in the garden this week or Greensboro ?

I’d rather be in the Garden than anywhere (other than the Dome).

The rotating ACC tourney has its perks though. There’s some fun trips to be made.

If we were ever really good like we used to be, taking on Duke in Brooklyn or Virginia in DC, or UNC in Charlotte for the ACC title would be a lot of fun.

 

[Hopkins16]

The guy is 78, yes he should have retired before this. It’s why most places have mandatory retirement ages.

Agreed - I'm in my mid 50s and I am already stubborn and set in my ways. Can't imagine what I'm gonna be like at 78.

 

[Cusefan0307]

JB got old and Increasingly predictable around 2017. We would be struggling in any league. The downfall was always going to happen as long as he stayed around past 70. The league change was a bit coincidental.

 

[billsin01]

The Big East talk doesn’t even make sense. We play football. They don’t. End of story, really.

Sucks that it had to happen, but it is what it is. If we weren’t in the ACC we’d be in that weird league that Cincinatti is in.

I don’t see it as a question of making the wrong decision. We were stuck at least if we were committed to football. But I don’t think there’s any question that even a watered down big east with some of the traditional programs struggling was a better fit for hoops than playing a bunch of schools we have no history with and BC/Pitt/Miami/Va Tech. Just a brutal hit to the hoops brand. Unavoidable perhaps but disastrous.

 

[Otto'd]

Ouch from the Athletic

What is Syracuse basketball without Boeheim?​

That might be the incorrect existential question. “What is Syracuse men’s hoops, period?” might be more on the nose.

Put just about anyone under oath, and they’ll have to admit the school’s move to the ACC has undercut an identity Boeheim so painstakingly built starting in the 1970s. A football decision becomes the corrosive agent eating away at the hull. Which is too bad. It’s very easy to analyze how UConncorrected course, see the benefits for the Huskies on all fronts and conclude that maybe Syracuse should consider a similar template. It won’t. Which is also too bad.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim announces retirement

Boeheim has been head coach of the Orange for 47 seasons, compiling a 1,116-440 record.

theathletic.com