I feel bad...

[A Clockwork Orange]

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

Nope, I actually hope for our players to have success. Instead of hoping for failure so I can spout out my anger management issues on a sports forum.

 

[Briancuse]

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.

Most players improve over four years, or five years in some cases. Get over yourself, this is a message board, its not like we are sending him nasty emails, or harassing him on Facebook.

 

[dollarbill44]

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

To be fair to TC in that situation, no one was open or even tried to do anything. It looked like a clear out. No one set a screen. No one flashed. They all jogged down the middle of the court in a big uncoached mess.

 

[Ajflood12]

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.

I don't think I or we are at fault for any of it. I personally cant control what happens on the court. They make this board for fans who cannot control the situation to cheer the team on and complain when it doesn't go well. It is more if you don't want to read it...why are you on here at this moment?

 

[supp]

Nope, I actually hope for our players to have success. Instead of hoping for failure so I can spout out my anger management issues on a sports forum.

Who's the angry one here?

 

[HOFCeluck]

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.

The kids get the benefit of the doubt from me.

The coaches making six to seven figures. Not so much.

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

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.

So you're saying he should expect for the people who supposedly root for him and his school to excoriate him for three years straight on an internet message board because he didn't live up to their expectations? Okay got it. Like I said, fandom is a pretty sad thing sometimes.

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

Who's the angry one here?

How am I angry? Please explain.

 

[Czar]

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.

Well, yeah, I expect players to improve with 4 years of game experience. Silly me, right?

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

Most players improve over four years, or five years in some cases. Get over yourself, this is a message board, its not like we are sending him nasty emails, or harassing him on Facebook.

Get over myself? Sorry for trying to bring some rationality to an irrational group of people. Be entitled to your ANGER over a person who owes you NOTHING!

 

[jgeorge322]

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.

at least it wasn't cooney...

 

[NKR1978]

I've defended him for years, but this one is hard. He had no business, based off his history, of taking that shot in that situation. That was a complete fail from JB and him...but it is sad. He had the chance to either change or cement his legacy. He cemented it, and it's not a good one. The three teams where he's gotten major minutes have been major disappointments.

 

[SU2NASA]

So you're saying he should expect for the people who supposedly root for him and his school to excoriate him for three years straight on an internet message board because he didn't live up to their expectations? Okay got it. Like I said, fandom is a pretty sad thing sometimes.

Yep.

Can you name any SU-level program that does not do that? He signed up for playing for Syracuse. If he didn't want to deal with this level of pressure, fandom, etc. he could have played in the Patriot League.

Call it sad, call it whatever you want, but he should have known what he was signing up for.

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

Well, yeah, I expect players to improve with 4 years of game experience. Silly me, right?

Is that his problem, or maybe a problem of the coaches? How much time outside of your job do you spend on it? I can say for a fact that his lack of improvement wasn't because he didn't put in the hours and hours of practice required to be great at something. Maybe he's just not talented enough, and if that's the case... whose fault is it in the end?

 

[HOFCeluck]

Well, yeah, I expect players to improve with 4 years of game experience. Silly me, right?

Well if his work ethic is as strong as it is, what do you want him to do? He can only do so much to overcome his intrinsic limitations.

 

[supp]

How am I angry? Please explain.

I think the self-righteous anger over Cooney's "treatment" is a bit overwrought. People are frustrated about how the game ended, in part because it was predictable. Seeing anything else here is over-interpretation. Are you claiming that you can read tone in a messageboard post?

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

I've defended him for years, but this one is hard. He had no business, based off his history, of taking that shot in that situation. That was a complete fail from JB and him...but it is sad. He had the chance to either change or cement his legacy. He cemented it, and it's not a good one. The three teams where he's gotten major minutes have been major disappointments.

I'll agree with you, and I'll go further. He had NO BUSINESS being on the floor at that point.

 

[Killdozer]

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?

Don't group all fans as acting like a$$holes just because they KNOW Cooney is not a very good player. His best season what his RS season. He actually got worse every year and the stats prove it. He may be a good kid but that doesn't make him a basketball player. I do blame B just as much because he shouldn't even be on the floor. Of course no media will mention that to him because he will cry and say they don't know stuff. Apparently he doesn't either.

 

[JayCuse]

Get over myself? Sorry for trying to bring some rationality to an irrational group of people. Be entitled to your ANGER over a person who owes you NOTHING!

If you dont get angry, then you arent even a fan.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Yep.

Can you name any SU-level program that does not do that? He signed up for playing for Syracuse. If he didn't want to deal with this level of pressure, fandom, etc. he could have played in the Patriot League.

Call it sad, call it whatever you want, but he should have known what he was signing up for.

So we have a douchebag licence because we cheer for a big time program?

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

I think the self-righteous anger over Cooney's "treatment" is a bit overwrought. People are frustrated about how the game ended, in part because it was predictable. Seeing anything else here is over-interpretation. Are you claiming that you can read tone in a messageboard post?

I would never say that. The amount of times I've scratched my head over whether someone was saying something in jest or sarcasm is too many to count! What I will say is what I said above (somewhere). This kid put in more time than almost any player on our team in getting better at his craft. He didn't succeed. He didn't get noticeably better. And I feel bad for him, because working that hard at something you deserve to have it go your way on occasion.

I think the anger here by and large is misdirected. My question is: Why would he be in the game at all?

 

[SU2NASA]

So we have a douchebag licence because we cheer for a big time program?

The world is full of douchebags. When you take on certain roles, you take on knowing those douchebags are scrutinizing you.

 

[djcon57]

If you dont get angry, then you arent even a fan.

Nah. I'm a fan. I'm not angry. I got angry at the Ohio State and Butler losses cause I thought the games were called unfair.

This? Just disappointed and I'm really hoping next year we can turn it around because I fear the program is at a major crossroads

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

If you dont get angry, then you arent even a fan.

There's anger, and there's irrationality. Some on here use the team, and Cooney in particular as their bludgeon because of latent rage issues. I'm only partly joking there.

 

[JayCuse]

Nah. I'm a fan. I'm not angry. I got angry at the Ohio State and Butler losses cause I thought the games were called unfair.

This? Just disappointed and I'm really hoping next year we can turn it around because I fear the program is at a major crossroads

I just meant in general. If you have never gotten mad at a game or a player, I dont see how you could be a fan.