I feel bad...

[A Clockwork Orange]

We are all lousy fans. I am sitting here thinking the same thing everyone on the board is saying right now about Cooney. And I feel really bad for that. It's easy to sit and blame him for not making those shots, not being the player we all think he should be.

I feel bad because NONE OF US have any idea the amount of pain and struggle that dude has gone through in his career here. How dedicated he has been to working overtime every practice to get better. How much he has bled for this program both on and off the court. The type of leader he has been on the practice court and in the locker room.

Yet, we the fans sit in judgment. We crush him for the missed shots and the horrible turnovers. We piss and moan about how happy we are he's gone. And I'm in on it, I feel the SAME feelings. Yet, have any of us thought about how he feels in this moment?

That dude has dedicated his life and his body to a sport and to a team for four years, and for probably 14 years before that. He has worked hard, played hurt, and done everything he could do for this program. And instead of looking at it and saying "good effort kid, you're the type of player we want representing our team," we absolutely eviscerate him on an anonymous internet forum. And I'm right there with you, I've done the same thing.

I just keep thinking that as bad as we all feel about this loss, how bad do you think he feels about it? About his role in it? There's a young man who never quit on his team, never gave up on the season. The sad truth is he just didn't have that "clutch" gene. Even more bluntly, he just wasn't quite good enough.

And instead of rooting for him, through his warts -- we hate him. Fandom is sometimes a horrible and ugly thing.

 

[Briancuse]

It is, but that goes along with the territory of playing at a big school.

 

[NineOneSeven]

I "blame" Jim much more than any player out there today.

 

[tee1222]

Still a fan of SU and Cooney. That will never change. Thank you for putting it so eloquently, Clockwork.

 

[JayCuse]

I'm sure nobody really hates the kid. But let's be honest, Cooney was not a very good player. I love his attitude and work ethic, but his game was very lacking. Nothing wrong or mean about that. Just the truth.

 

[br801]

We are all lousy fans. I am sitting here thinking the same thing everyone on the board is saying right now about Cooney. And I feel really bad for that. It's easy to sit and blame him for not making those shots, not being the player we all think he should be.

I feel bad because NONE OF US have any idea the amount of pain and struggle that dude has gone through in his career here. How dedicated he has been to working overtime every practice to get better. How much he has bled for this program both on and off the court. The type of leader he has been on the practice court and in the locker room.

Yet, we the fans sit in judgment. We crush him for the missed shots and the horrible turnovers. We piss and moan about how happy we are he's gone. And I'm in on it, I feel the SAME feelings. Yet, have any of us thought about how he feels in this moment?

That dude has dedicated his life and his body to a sport and to a team for four years, and for probably 14 years before that. He has worked hard, played hurt, and done everything he could do for this program. And instead of looking at it and saying "good effort kid, you're the type of player we want representing our team," we absolutely eviscerate him on an anonymous internet forum. And I'm right there with you, I've done the same thing.

I just keep thinking that as bad as we all feel about this loss, how bad do you think he feels about it? About his role in it? There's a young man who never quit on his team, never gave up on the season. The sad truth is he just didn't have that "clutch" gene. Even more bluntly, he just wasn't quite good enough.

And instead of rooting for him, through his warts -- we hate him. Fandom is sometimes a horrible and ugly thing.

You had that post written before the game, didn't you?

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

It is, but that goes along with the territory of playing at a big school.

That's a weak response. As a matter of fact, looking through the posts, a lot of your remarks haven't followed through with the promise you once had in posting on this forum. What I hoped for you Briancuse four years ago was to be better than you were then. To up your game on this board, and make some clutch posts. Instead you just recycle the "he's at a big time school hurdedur hurdedur."

You had so many opportunities to be great and you blew it. Typical of your career up to this point.

If only we all had online goons looking over our shoulder commenting on everything we did. Maybe we'd think twice before we slobbered on the keyboard and felt entitled to being a$$holes.

 

[CorduroyG]

he could have passed the ball. it started with the final 4 game. he gets the ball in those situations and NEVER PASSES. why is he always the guy taking the last shot? HE HASNT MADE 1. its selfish hero ball bs

 

[supp]

I "blame" Jim much more than any player out there today.

Yep, Boeheim's responsible and not Cooney. This program has gone stale. He should have hung it up and saved us a few more scholarships in the process. I'll take my chances with a new guy. If he fails, we'll bring in someone else. But it's time for a different kind of ball.

 

[JayCuse]

That's a weak response. As a matter of fact, looking through the posts, a lot of your remarks haven't followed through with the promise you once had in posting on this forum. What I hoped for you Briancuse four years ago was to be better than you were then. To up your game on this board, and make some clutch posts. Instead you just recycle the "he's at a big time school hurdedur hurdedur."

You had so many opportunities to be great and you blew it. Typical of your career up to this point.

If only we all had online goons looking over our shoulder commenting on everything we did. Maybe we'd think twice before we slobbered on the keyboard and felt entitled to being a$$holes.

Honestly, if you are worried about what a few upset fans on a message board think, then you shouldnt be playing for Syracuse to begin with.

 

[Cuse House]

Don't think anyone is actually mad at Cooney. We all appreciate his effort. At the same time, we are a premier basketball program. When you underperform here... well you are seeing the results of it. He is still Orange and always will be, his time here was rather lacking though.

 

[Millhouse]

he could have passed the ball. it started with the final 4 game. he gets the ball in those situations and NEVER PASSES. why is he always the guy taking the last shot? HE HASNT MADE 1. its selfish hero ball bs

Yes!

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

he could have passed the ball. it started with the final 4 game. he gets the ball in those situations and NEVER PASSES. why is he always the guy taking the last shot? HE HASNT MADE 1. its selfish hero ball bs

That's not the point of the post. I'm not saying he didn't have his faults, and didn't do stupid things. I'm saying I wish some of us would think before saying " 'em glad he's gone!" Those type of posts are what rile me up. Not posts that are truthful and logical. I also am a big proponent of trying to put yourself into someone else's shoes on occasion before acting like a 7th grade girl with boy drama.

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

Don't think anyone is actually mad at Cooney. We all appreciate his effort. At the same time, we are a premier basketball program. When you underperform here... well you are seeing the results of it. He is still Orange and always will be, his time here was rather lacking though.

Really? Read the board right now.

 

[Ajflood12]

I'm sure nobody really hates the kid. But let's be honest, Cooney was not a very good player. I love his attitude and work ethic, but his game was very lacking. Nothing wrong or mean about that. Just the truth.

I don't hate any of the players personally but just very infuriating to see the same thing for the past 3 years with no change. There has been no mental growth and change to the situation. It is increasingly frustrating seeing it season after season.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

You had that post written before the game, didn't you?

Ooooh!!!! I shouldn't be laughing.

 

[Killdozer]

I don't feel bad for him one bit. Got a free education. Lets make him the victim for being bad. gezzzzz, typical PC America

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

I don't hate any of the players personally but just very infuriating to see the same thing for the past 3 years with no change. There has been no mental growth and change to the situation. It is increasingly frustrating seeing it season after season.

Maybe you're at fault for watching him through 120 games and expecting something to change? Or maybe we're all at fault for watching Coach B. for 40 years and expecting something to change. It's like bitching about the fact the sky is blue. It is what it is, what's the use in complaining about it.

 

[Cuse House]

Really? Read the board right now.

That is what you call "H0T Takes." There is a time to be critical and upset and there is a time for reflection. We haven't got to part 2 yet.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Lol this is getting good, but It never should of came down to the last shot.

We completely blew 3 out of the last four possessions.

 

[cuseguy]

Robinson also traveled on his basket in OT.

Missed call.

 

[cuseinseattle]

I don't have a problem with Cooney. I think he seems like a great kid and he is as good as he could be. He works really hard and has done everything he can do. It's frustrating that he is put in the position to fail over and over again.

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

I don't feel bad for him one bit. Got a free education. Lets make him the victim for being bad. gezzzzz, typical PC America

Who's making him the victim? Trying to add a little bit of thought into us acting like a$$ holes is letting him off the hook for not playing well? It's one thing to say "he should not be taking that shot there." It's another thing to say "good riddance to the piece of garbage..."

Do you see what I'm saying douchebag? Or is that being too PC for you?

 

[SU2NASA]

He received a free education, valued at well over $125,000 at a premier, highly-visible Division-I basketball school. He signed up for it. You get the acclaim and the accolades for what you do well, and you get the opposite when you don't. That's what comes with the territory for playing for a Syracuse level program.

He could have played for Siena instead.

 

[djcon57]

I'll just say this...and I agree the Cooney rhetoric has gotten over the top...

If our last shot was a missed Howard 3 pointer, what do you think the reaction from the "good" fans would be.