Howard Washington

[HoustonCuse]

That makes me feel a little better, and a little less angry at FH.

Well, no matter who it is, when your heir apparent starting point guard is getting in fights with 5 star recruits when they visit campus, I'm sure word gets around, ya know? I'm sure there is not a universe out there where that doesn't hurt your recruiting.

 

[HoustonCuse]

Francis, what is your take on the paltry offer list for HW? It is a little unnerving, especially with the gaudy numbers he has been putting up of late. Every team in D1 is looking for good guards pretty all the time, aren't they? The crazy swings in our approach/options is the most frustrating thing. We are either competing head to head with Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, and Arizona or going after guys whose best other offer is Tulane??

 

[NineOneSeven]

Yikes

Stands out obviously, but we need bodies. Plain and simple. The list of schools interested is never the end all be all either.

 

[Toronto Cuse]

Having seen Howard play a few times I absoutely feel he will eventually be able to play at this level. Will it be as a freshman? I doubt that. But he's a good decision maker who has good feel for when to get which guys touches. That's a quality we haven't had since Tyler Ennis. I'm not comparing Howard to Tyler. He's nowhere near that calibre of point guard. But he plays smart, winning basketball. He's exactly what you'd like to have in a backup. Reliable, can run offense, cares about the name on the front more than the name on the back. Is this a homerun? Obviously not. But I think Howard can contribute in a positive manner. I also think continuing to build on the Athlete Institute/CIA Bounce pipeline is good for our long term recruiting. Look what that relationship has done for Oregon.

 

[cusefan88]

Having seen Howard play a few times I absoutely feel he will eventually be able to play at this level. Will it be as a freshman? I doubt that. But he's a good decision maker who has good feel for when to get which guys touches. That's a quality we haven't had since Tyler Ennis. I'm not comparing Howard to Tyler. He's nowhere near that calibre of point guard. But he plays smart, winning basketball. He's exactly what you'd like to have in a backup. Reliable, can run offense, cares about the name on the front more than the name on the back. Is this a homerun? Obviously not. But I think Howard can contribute in a positive manner. I also think continuing to build on the Athlete Institute/CIA Bounce pipeline is good for our long term recruiting. Look what that relationship has done for Oregon.

Yeah I think Hop would be wise to try and poach Mike Mennenga from Oregon

 

[RF2044]

Having seen Howard play a few times I absoutely feel he will eventually be able to play at this level. Will it be as a freshman? I doubt that. But he's a good decision maker who has good feel for when to get which guys touches. That's a quality we haven't had since Tyler Ennis. I'm not comparing Howard to Tyler. He's nowhere near that calibre of point guard. But he plays smart, winning basketball. He's exactly what you'd like to have in a backup. Reliable, can run offense, cares about the name on the front more than the name on the back. Is this a homerun? Obviously not. But I think Howard can contribute in a positive manner. I also think continuing to build on the Athlete Institute/CIA Bounce pipeline is good for our long term recruiting. Look what that relationship has done for Oregon.

Very important points you raise about HW. People probably should temper their expectations for Washington, especially initially. This is a backup caliber prospect, who shouldn't be expected to start / contribute at a high level early [except for providing backcourt depth]. Anyone expecting him to come in and seize the reins is setting themselves up for disappointment.

He has some upside, and might prove to be better than that down the road [a la unheralded recruits like Rautins, Triche, etc.]. But at least initially, this is a long game type of recruit who is probably being brought in to remediate a couple of roster issues that have plagued us in recent years--namely, poor backcourt depth and lack of backup point guard. If this guy ends up just being a bench contributor who provides steady play throughout his career, IMO that would still make him a valuable add.

 

[RF2044]

Stands out obviously, but we need bodies. Plain and simple. The list of schools interested is never the end all be all either.

Hearing that the reason HW finally got a Syracuse offer is that numerous P5 schools were beginning to kick the tires, and we didn't want to be in a position where we lose out if he decided to take the bird in the hand.

Will be interesting to see if those offers emerge, and who they'd be from.

Agree 100% that on the surface, the existing offer list isn't that impressive.

 

[Francis03]

Francis, what is your take on the paltry offer list for HW? It is a little unnerving, especially with the gaudy numbers he has been putting up of late. Every team in D1 is looking for good guards pretty all the time, aren't they? The crazy swings in our approach/options is the most frustrating thing. We are either competing head to head with Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, and Arizona or going after guys whose best other offer is Tulane??

It's simple with Washington. The hope is that he can develop into a rotational player that provides good guard depth. If he performs well then cool, if not then the staff will obviously recruit over him. Getting Tremont or some stud 5th year PG is still a must tho.

 

[sususpicious]

Forgive if already asked: Any murmuring

Heard some rumors but nothing really confirmed to make me think that he's a bad kid.

Just finished your latest, Francis03. As always, spot on, even if it wasn't the kind of news desperate Orange lovers are in need of Just wondering if there are any murmurings out there that the "Howard with the Christian name" was offered because the "Howard with the surname" is perhaps on his way out?

 

[Francis03]

Forgive if already asked: Any murmuring

Just finished your latest, Francis03. As always, spot on, even if it wasn't the kind of news desperate Orange lovers are in need of Just wondering if there are any murmurings out there that the "Howard with the Christian name" was offered because the "Howard with the surname" is perhaps on his way out?

I'll be very surprised if Franklin is on the team next season.

 

[Widget24]

I'll be very surprised if Franklin is on the team next season.

If the rumors about the various things FH did to hurt this program are true, good riddance.

 

[AZOrange]

I'll be very surprised if Franklin is on the team next season.

The only thing left at this point is for JB to grab the door

 

[CuseLegacy]

 

[jdubs30]

Sounds as good as a commit to me lol

 

[pearl31]

I hope beyond hope he's got the mindset and wherewithal to work his @ss off

 

[Cusefan0307]

According to his ESPN page he at one point held offers from VPI and Virginia. Is that accurate?

 

[RealMcNeil]

According to his ESPN page he at one point held offers from VPI and Virginia. Is that accurate?

Apparently WF was also heavily recruiting before the Butler commitment.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Apparently WF was also heavily recruiting before the Butler commitment.

You named yourself after Jeremy McNeil?

Pretty random player to pick IMO.

 

[Jeremy L.]

Yeah this kid is a lock.

 

[Francis03]

You named yourself after Jeremy McNeil?

Pretty random player to pick IMO.

"His teammates call him Perm." LOL I always remember the play by play guy mentioning that when he hit some clutch free throws to beat Pitt at the dome back in 03. Probably one of my favorite Cuse games of all time.

 

[RealMcNeil]

"His teammates call him Perm." LOL I always remember the play by play guy mentioning that when he hit some clutch free throws to beat Pitt at the dome back in 03. Probably one of my favorite Cuse games of all time.

There's the inspiration right there - that Pitt game was my first at the Dome.

 

[Trueblue25]

You named yourself after Jeremy McNeil?

Pretty random player to pick IMO.

One of my all time favs. Dude was strong as an ox.

 

[kmart128]

One of my all time favs. Dude was strong as an ox.

Kueth Duany was one of my first ever favorites of Syracse players. Something about him just made him stick out

 

[HOFCeluck]

Thread derailed...

BTW the mods won't let me type out my fav McNeil quote...After Brandon Knight nailed that long three after the click expired.

 

[orangefog]

One of my all time favs. Dude was strong as an ox.

Wasn't he kind of wandering by himself after the championship? While everyone else was piling on the floor in jubilation, McNeil looked lost and sad. If I remember correctly. Poor young guy had been through a lot that year.