IF the season really tanks...

[Jasoncuse]

I mean, if nobody was canned when the allegations hit and the sanctions were handed down, why would they be let go as the program feels it's way through them?

If anything, I'd beg JB to hand around for 5 years.

 

[We Are Syracuse]

No--I've been consistent on this since he was announced as CIW. I wanted him to leave the fold to get experience when he had opportunities, so that he could get his on-the-job training elsewhere and be ready when he came back. And if he flopped elsewhere, then we would have dodged a bullet.

Look at the track records that schools replacing coaching icons have gone through:

• UNC with Gut [winning with Dean Smith's players], then retiring after 2 years and giving way to Matt Doherty who stunk
• Georgetown with Craig Escherick
• Indiana with Mike Davis, that announcer, Kelvin Smith, and even their current goofball who is in danger of being fired

Replacing an icon isn't easy. And it can really set the program back if you get the hire wrong.

Look, I love Hopkins. And I'm very appreciative for everything he's done for the program. There is NO DOUBT that he has done the heavy lifting in the program as JB has gotten older. Coach is the closer with recruiting and shows up on game day, but has handed over a LOT of day-to-day responsibility to Hopkins that most ACs don't have. And I think that Hopkins is such a dynamic personality, that he's been a huge boon on the recruiting trail. I also think he's been incredibly loyal to the University, and has waited his turn--and has probably waited a lot longer than he should have.

But regardless of how this season is unfolding, this is an elite caliber job. We need to land the best coaching candidate we can, period. And if that candiate comes from outside of the program, so be it.

I feel like we place too much emphasis on keeping it in the "family" as opposed to getting the best guy we can. I also wouldn't mind seeing things switch up a bit with our style of play. Landing [and these are just purely hypothetical names] a Jay Wright, a Sean Miller, a Shaka Smart, are proven commodities who have won at a high level, and would make us better offensively than we've been the last few years.

Now, maybe Hopkins will pan out and sustain JB's success, even though numerous historical examples suggest that probably won't happen. But at the end of the day, I don't think it can be argued that Hopkins--at his current experience level--is the "best" candidate for the big shoes he has to fill. You don't make a middle executive the CEO--you go out and hire another executive.

And just to be clear again, I love Hopkins. I think he "deserves" a shot. I would just prefer a Shaka Smart or a Brad Stevens or a Gregg Marshall to Hop.

Great post. Exactly how I feel. I would even love Archie Miller. I think Archie lands the Wisconsin job this summer though.

 

[AlaskaSU]

I really am usually optimistic about the program, but I am as down as I have been about the program. Just boring basketball. No offense in the half court. No exciting plays made in transition. Same defense, nothing ever changes according to the personnel. Engraving this team to play 2-3 when Diagne didn't make it to the hill was just a dumb mistake. You coach on a yearly basis. Adjust your teams defense and offense. Nothing here strategically has changed and I think that's a mistake. I watched VT completely SHUT DOWN UVAs post play yesterday by blitzing the post hard. They haven't done that at all prior to their last game verse UVA... You have to adjust. We've made none. It's so frustrating to me.

When you are paper thin, zone is the only way to go. However, at the last play vs Clemson we needed to be in man.

 

[Knicks411]

Fully admitting I don't know the answer to this, but I assume people here will be much better equipped to answer:

Let's say we open up the coaching search (which I am 100% in favor of). Where are we financially? RF mentioned Brad Stevens and Sean Miller; those guys are awesome coaches, I'd be all in on them, no question. But Boeheim according to some quick googling makes a little under $2 million a year, which is right around #25 among college coaches. Miller and Stevens (and i get those are just names, they don't have to be those guys, but theoretically we're talking elite names here so I don't think the finances change much at all) aren't coming here for a paycut. With the move to the ACC, do we have the financial ability to pay a coach $3-4 million a year?

 

[RF2044]

Fully admitting I don't know the answer to this, but I assume people here will be much better equipped to answer:

Let's say we open up the coaching search (which I am 100% in favor of). Where are we financially? RF mentioned Brad Stevens and Sean Miller; those guys are awesome coaches, I'd be all in on them, no question. But Boeheim according to some quick googling makes a little under $2 million a year, which is right around #25 among college coaches. Miller and Stevens (and i get those are just names, they don't have to be those guys, but theoretically we're talking elite names here so I don't think the finances change much at all) aren't coming here for a paycut. With the move to the ACC, do we have the financial ability to pay a coach $3-4 million a year?

I think the short answer is: yes, absolutely, yes.

We've had the luxury of a HC who was willing to accept a hometown discount, and wasn't necessarily interested in maxing out his salary / market value. But you get what you pay for, and we are fortunate now to have ACC revenues that are exponetially higher than BE revenues. Will have to break out the coffers, but at least now we can afford it.

 

[Knicks411]

I think the short answer is: yes, absolutely, yes.

We've had the luxury of a HC who was willing to accept a hometown discount, and wasn't necessarily interested in maxing out his salary / market value. But you get what you pay for, and we are fortunate now to have ACC revenues that are exponetially higher than BE revenues. Will have to break out the coffers, but at least now we can afford it.

Yeah I'm sure we benefited from JB not wanting to go anywhere else.
I just honestly have no idea how we'd financially. I'd think the move to the ACC would help us out here.

 

[FrancoPizza]

When you are paper thin, zone is the only way to go. However, at the last play vs Clemson we needed to be in man.

Another mistruth. We are not thin across the board... just primarily at center. Plenty of teams have successfully demonstrated that you can play a healthy dose of m2m with a 4-guard lineup. The reasons we don't play m2m have nothing to do with player ability. I think this team's ceiling could have been maximized if they played maybe a 60/40 split of m2m/zone.

The lack of a point guard, on the other hand, well there's not much we can scheme to hide that reality. Conventional wisdom would be to emphasize tempo and transition to minimize halfcourt situations, but no chance when the guards prefer to vigorously hump and waltz the 3-point arc on a breakaway.

 

[Jasoncuse]

Yeah I'm sure we benefited from JB not wanting to go anywhere else.
I just honestly have no idea how we'd financially. I'd think the move to the ACC would help us out here.

Aren't we one of the top 5 most profitable hoops programs? I think we were #3 this past year, though NCAA fines from the sanctions and probably lawyer fees, etc probably will hurt on the next count. We are hurt by having one of the most expensive scholarships in the ACC and P5 conferences (Duke is the only more expensive school in the ACC). If SU were a public school that cost 1/3 the price, we would REALLY rake in the dough.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Aren't we one of the top 5 most profitable hoops programs? I think we were #3 this past year, though NCAA fines from the sanctions and probably lawyer fees, etc probably will hurt on the next count. We are hurt by having one of the most expensive scholarships in the ACC and P5 conferences (Duke is the only more expensive school in the ACC). If SU were a public school that cost 1/3 the price, we would REALLY rake in the dough.

Second I believe. Only Louisville made more money. UNC is in the top five as well. NCAA really going after the big boys this time around.

 

[SoBeCuse]

#6 according to Forbes

1. Louisville
2. Kansas
3. Kentucky
4. Arizona
5. UNC
6. Syracuse

http://www.forbes.com/pictures/emdm45eleeg/1-louisville-cardinals/

 

[Jasoncuse]

Second I believe. Only Louisville made more money. UNC is in the top five as well. NCAA really going after the big boys this time around.

Who else is the NCAA going after? Sure isn't UNC and Louisville, as we've seen.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Who else is the NCAA going after? Sure isn't UNC and Louisville, as we've seen.

I think they are, I think we are just frustrated that we were just hit, and it's only a matter of time. We just need to have some patience and I hope UNC does not win the title this year.

 

[AlpharettaCuse]

Our hope is Hopkins is our Kevin Ollie to Uconns Jim Calhoun.

I don't think Ollie is doing such a great job. I think they will have a hard time making the NCAA tournament this year, and they missed it last year as well.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I don't think we should worry about Lydon going pro. It's clear he's not even remotely ready.

Malachi would benefit from at least another year, Lydon probably two more years.

Pretty much everyone but Lebron would 'benefit from at least another year' but that just isn't the way the NBA works. Why does no one ever seem to realize that?

 

[Knicks411]

Pretty much everyone but Lebron would 'benefit from at least another year' but that just isn't the way the NBA works. Why does no one ever seem to realize that?

Because it's easier to hypothetically turn down millions of dollars than to actually do it. (this may not really apply to our guys, just in general)

 

[HOFCeluck]

I don't think we should worry about Lydon going pro. It's clear he's not even remotely ready.

Malachi would benefit from at least another year, Lydon probably two more years.

The fact that they don't appear on anyones mock drafts is far more reassuring. You don't need to be "ready" to be drafted. It hasn't worked that way for a long time.

 

[Ghost]

I mean, if nobody was canned when the allegations hit and the sanctions were handed down, why would they be let go as the program feels it's way through them?

If anything, I'd beg JB to hand around for 5 years.

The longer the better for me!

 

[Ghost]

No--I've been consistent on this since he was announced as CIW. I wanted him to leave the fold to get experience when he had opportunities, so that he could get his on-the-job training elsewhere and be ready when he came back. And if he flopped elsewhere, then we would have dodged a bullet.

Look at the track records that schools replacing coaching icons have gone through:

• UNC with Gut [winning with Dean Smith's players], then retiring after 2 years and giving way to Matt Doherty who stunk
• Georgetown with Craig Escherick
• Indiana with Mike Davis, that announcer, Kelvin Smith, and even their current goofball who is in danger of being fired

Replacing an icon isn't easy. And it can really set the program back if you get the hire wrong.

Look, I love Hopkins. And I'm very appreciative for everything he's done for the program. There is NO DOUBT that he has done the heavy lifting in the program as JB has gotten older. Coach is the closer with recruiting and shows up on game day, but has handed over a LOT of day-to-day responsibility to Hopkins that most ACs don't have. And I think that Hopkins is such a dynamic personality, that he's been a huge boon on the recruiting trail. I also think he's been incredibly loyal to the University, and has waited his turn--and has probably waited a lot longer than he should have.

But regardless of how this season is unfolding, this is an elite caliber job. We need to land the best coaching candidate we can, period. And if that candiate comes from outside of the program, so be it.

I feel like we place too much emphasis on keeping it in the "family" as opposed to getting the best guy we can. I also wouldn't mind seeing things switch up a bit with our style of play. Landing [and these are just purely hypothetical names] a Jay Wright, a Sean Miller, a Shaka Smart, are proven commodities who have won at a high level, and would make us better offensively than we've been the last few years.

Now, maybe Hopkins will pan out and sustain JB's success, even though numerous historical examples suggest that probably won't happen. But at the end of the day, I don't think it can be argued that Hopkins--at his current experience level--is the "best" candidate for the big shoes he has to fill. You don't make a middle executive the CEO--you go out and hire another executive.

And just to be clear again, I love Hopkins. I think he "deserves" a shot. I would just prefer a Shaka Smart or a Brad Stevens or a Gregg Marshall to Hop.

Agree from start to finish. Huge Hopkins fan, but really wish he would have taken another job as well - and in the process learned the ropes, whilst doing an absolutely fantastic job turning whomever into a winner...who would then lose to us at some point in a tourney prior to his return.