I AM THE DIEHARD OF DIEHARDS

[oTTo113445]

This is the keystone! Agree with other factors regarding players not as committed to playing the zone as much now days but without the big anchoring the zone, all else is held together with rubber bands.

Although Center is the stump of the zone, if the 4 pieces around it extend and slide well then a guy like Dolezaj can be ok. Think back to Lydon at zone next to a freshmen 6'6 Malachi. 6'9 lydon and Roberson. They won't win a title but they can beat almost anyone. I still remember Lydon looking longer than Dolezaj for around 208 pounds. Centers got to create some skip pass denial though. Maybe if Edwards can start to do that, then we can run 30 minutes with Dolezaj at the 4, and go Braswell and Guerrier next to Ajax to keep Dolez fouls down a bit. Dolez, Guerrier/Brass, Ajax is our best defensive backline for 15-20 a game. That's the lineups we should be running by this point, and aren't. It's painfully obvious.

 

[Killdozer]

In Boeheim I trust. However, it’s really time diversified through defense. Coach was an innovator. Those of you old enough to remember know the experts all said you can’t win with the zone. He proved them all wrong. Unfortunately now teams are fine tuning the attack. It was never about the zone. It was about the adjustments. College kids couldn’t adapt to the variables of what was taken away. They would give up the foul line then take it away. They would give up the baseline then shut it down. They punished with traps in the corner and in the block. The novelty is gone. Everyone sees it now. Plus we have kids who aren’t committed. The key to a zone is moving with the ball in the air ( never mind the zip passes which are perforating us). We hesitate. The close outs appear half hearted. The angles are wrong. I still believe in the zone, but we need to pull something else out of the bag of tricks. Imagine the shock it would create? I am late to the party but I still believe JAB goes out on his terms. He has earned that. I just wish he would let go of that stubborn streak and diversify and adapt. Ok. Play some man.

I totally disagree with this quote "I am late to the party but I still believe JAB goes out on his terms. He has earned that." JAB is hired to win games. If the team is not winning, which has been apparent for the last 5 years, his employment needs to be evaluated. He works for Syracuse University not the other way around. We are all aware that JAB will not adapt to ANY other defense other then applying a press. Players are better skilled today which is a product of AAU ball. I do think you make a great point about the lack of effort in playing the 2-3 by the players. However, that again is on the coaches. If JAB would just change to a match up zone or man-to-man just to change the flow of a game could go a long way. For me, I am looking forward to the day when there are no more Boeheim's on the hardwood at SU.

 

[721Comstock]

I totally disagree with this quote "I am late to the party but I still believe JAB goes out on his terms. He has earned that." JAB is hired to win games. If the team is not winning, which has been apparent for the last 5 years, his employment needs to be evaluated. He works for Syracuse University not the other way around. We are all aware that JAB will not adapt to ANY other defense other then applying a press. Players are better skilled today which is a product of AAU ball. I do think you make a great point about the lack of effort in playing the 2-3 by the players. However, that again is on the coaches. If JAB would just change to a match up zone or man-to-man just to change the flow of a game could go a long way. For me, I am looking forward to the day when there are no more Boeheim's on the hardwood at SU.

So - a team that wins more games than it loses, is “not winning”?

Since when?

We’re clearly not winning as many games as we used to, and many fans are spoiled by that incredible record of consistent success JB has achieved.

But that’s NOT the same as “not winning”.

 

[br801]

So - a team that wins more games than it loses, is “not winning”?

Since when?

We’re clearly not winning as many games as we used to, and many fans are spoiled by that incredible record of consistent success JB has achieved.

But that’s NOT the same as “not winning”.

Take out all the games against cupcakes and the dregs of the ACC and look at his record. And do you realize how bad his winning percentage is in games he loses?

 

[Killdozer]

So - a team that wins more games than it loses, is “not winning”?

Since when?

We’re clearly not winning as many games as we used to, and many fans are spoiled by that incredible record of consistent success JB has achieved.

But that’s NOT the same as “not winning”.

Ok, so what is your "idea" of how many wins should make fans happy? To me 20+ win seasons are winning. We older fans always remember that SU was consistently a 20+ win season program.

 

[orangecuse]

So - a team that wins more games than it loses, is “not winning”?

Since when?

We’re clearly not winning as many games as we used to, and many fans are spoiled by that incredible record of consistent success JB has achieved.

But that’s NOT the same as “not winning”.

Of course, you are correct, as the consecutive above .500 overall record is still in tact and it appears this will hold true again this season. Perhaps, fans are "spoiled" as you imply, however, the consistent success has been the standard. So, that's the measuring stick IMO. SU is the 6th winningest hoops program in college basketball history.

Some here like to make snide remarks or throw shade whenever somebody points out our P5 (peer) record over this 7 consecutive seasons of apparent mediocrity, that's fine, but I don't see a problem with breaking down such things...we compartmentalize in our day to day lives all the time.

As Alsacs has mentioned on a few occasions, if the fan base is good with our new normal of being nothing more than a middling team in our own conference, then it'll be acceptable. If we aspire to be chasing conference titles, high conference seeds in our tournament (double bye type) and high NCAA tourney seeds, etc. that we had been accustomed to, then it won't be.

We have not been ranked in the regular season Top 25 come January now since 2014.

 

[Dave]

if you look closer and decode it actually reads like a hostage plea.

In Boeheim I trust. However, it’s really time diversified through defense. Coach was an innovator. Those of you old enough to remember know the experts all said you can’t win with the zone. He proved them all wrong. Unfortunately now teams are fine tuning the attack. It was never about the zone. It was about the adjustments. College kids couldn’t adapt to the variables of what was taken away. They would give up the foul line then take it away. They would give up the baseline then shut it down. They punished with traps in the corner and in the block. The novelty is gone. Everyone sees it now. Plus we have kids who aren’t committed. The key to a zone is moving with the ball in the air ( never mind the zip passes which are perforating us). We hesitate. The close outs appear half hearted. The angles are wrong. I still believe in the zone, but we need to pull something else out of the bag of tricks. Imagine the shock it would create? I am late to the party but I still believe JAB goes out on his terms. He has earned that. I just wish he would let go of that stubborn streak and diversify and adapt. Ok. Play some man.

You “get” me.

 

[NorSyr66]

Although Center is the stump of the zone, if the 4 pieces around it extend and slide well then a guy like Dolezaj can be ok. Think back to Lydon at zone next to a freshmen 6'6 Malachi. 6'9 lydon and Roberson. They won't win a title but they can beat almost anyone. I still remember Lydon looking longer than Dolezaj for around 208 pounds. Centers got to create some skip pass denial though. Maybe if Edwards can start to do that, then we can run 30 minutes with Dolezaj at the 4, and go Braswell and Guerrier next to Ajax to keep Dolez fouls down a bit. Dolez, Guerrier/Brass, Ajax is our best defensive backline for 15-20 a game. That's the lineups we should be running by this point, and aren't. It's painfully obvious.

Just a bit hard for me to agree on Ajax as our best defensive backline player. He sure is active and aggressive but just have not seen enough to know if he is in the right place at the right time or not?

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Do you realize how bad his winning percentage is in games he loses?

Yogi must be alive and well and posting as br801.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Yogi must be alive and well and posting as br801.

Yup, and it’s getting late early in JB’s career.

 

[br801]

Yogi must be alive and well and posting as br801.

Not quite, but I will say Jon Pessah's 2020 Yogi biography is well worth the time.

 

[GardenOrange]

Of course, you are correct, as the consecutive above .500 overall record is still in tact and it appears this will hold true again this season. Perhaps, fans are "spoiled" as you imply, however, the consistent success has been the standard. So, that's the measuring stick IMO. SU is the 6th winningest hoops program in college basketball history.

Some here like to make snide remarks or throw shade whenever somebody points out our P5 (peer) record over this 7 consecutive seasons of apparent mediocrity, that's fine, but I don't see a problem with breaking down such things...we compartmentalize in our day to day lives all the time.

As Alsacs has mentioned on a few occasions, if the fan base is good with our new normal of being nothing more than a middling team in our own conference, then it'll be acceptable. If we aspire to be chasing conference titles, high conference seeds in our tournament (double bye type) and high NCAA tourney seeds, etc. that we had been accustomed to, then it won't be.

We have not been ranked in the regular season Top 25 come January now since 2014.

Has it really been that long? God we have already compromised our expectations by quite a bit.

 

[Bball44]

Has it really been that long? God we have already compromised our expectations by quite a bit.

Can't see the AD retaining the football coach with one winning season forcing out the basketball coach with 45 straight.