I'm going to Defend JB

[oldpinepoint]

Once again, you miss the point. First, Jb hasn't always been married while on the job at Syracuse. But besides that ridiculous point you made, he is the Head Coach of a major program. It is part of his job to know what is going on inside his program. Period. Period. On our first probation, there was a lot of stuff that we out and out got away with. Let's leave that be. He was very fortunate he wasn't fired then. You want to be loyal to the end. How about seeing someone beat us when we are actually #16? Or better. Been a while.

Great posts Dasher. Sometimes people just don’t know when it’s time to go. You see it in sports, you see it in careers etc. I’ll be honest whether JB goes or stays until he’s 85, I’m not really sure I care. I’ve completely lost interest in the basketball program. Is it due to the pandemic, our atrocious style of play, our lack of exiting players, the cold winters I don’t know? All I know is my interest in Cuse hoops is at an all Time low. I find out what happened in the game by coming to the board. Haven’t watched a game all year. Probably won’t either. People say he’s earned the right to leave when he wants too, maybe so, however you might witness the program going into the absolute abyss that will take a decade to get out of.

 

[ottodaorange]

The fault, dear Brutus , is not in the stars, but in ourselves.

 

[EnviroSciGuy]

The fault, dear Brutus , is not in the stars, but in ourselves.

And what is this thread, if not stardust?

 

[Halfmooncuse]

Thank god for term limits.

 

[syrBossHogg]

Outside of most of the 13/14 season and the 2016 tournament we've been a different program since we joined the ACC. Dasher's post is spot on, we haven't felt like Syracuse basketball in years. Most fans can live with a down season or two, but we've been a .500 ACC team for too long.

 

[pearl31]

Great posts Dasher. Sometimes people just don’t know when it’s time to go. You see it in sports, you see it in careers etc. I’ll be honest whether JB goes or stays until he’s 85, I’m not really sure I care. I’ve completely lost interest in the basketball program. Is it due to the pandemic, our atrocious style of play, our lack of exiting players, the cold winters I don’t know? All I know is my interest in Cuse hoops is at an all Time low. I find out what happened in the game by coming to the board. Haven’t watched a game all year. Probably won’t either. People say he’s earned the right to leave when he wants too, maybe so, however you might witness the program going into the absolute abyss that will take a decade to get out of.

Sentiments like this, esp on an SU basketball fan forum, will always baffle me.
(and actually this is generally a pretty fun team to watch, you should give it a try)

 

[bpo57]

One could probably point to several reasons as to why SU has performed well below its standards as of late. I would point to weak PG play over the last four years as one of the biggest issues. We've had a ton of highly capable PGs over the years but not lately. In college hoops you're cooked without a decent PG.

 

[djcon57]

Those are a badge of honor. Not letting the corrupt NCAA have their way to destroy the program for misdemeanor violations while the blue bloods get away with out right cheating the rules. Look at the FBI spreadsheets, all the big teams and many more, no Syracuse.

the money stuff means nothing to me, but as an alum, I was absolutely embarrassed by the Fab Melo cheating fiasco.

to call that a badge of honor really says where you are coming from

 

[djcon57]

One could probably point to several reasons as to why SU has performed well below its standards as of late. I would point to weak PG play over the last four years as one of the biggest issues. We've had a ton of highly capable PGs over the years but not lately. In college hoops you're cooked without a decent PG.

linked directly to top point guards in this era knowing that cant be stuck in a zone to get recognized by the nba.

 

[HoustonCuse]

I would hope Jb. Steinbrenner passed away like 10 years ago.

And he still grabs more rebounds than Buddy!

ba-du-dummm

 

[Newhouser]

The question is where does ADJW stand in this debate, with CousCuse and Cuse Runner or Dasher? He gets a lot of praise on this Board but he doesn't start earning his money until he transitions the hoop program.

 

[capeorange]

Early 90’s was all Bill Rapp and the local media (newspaper) exposed it, which is partly the reason why Boeheim is so contentious with them.

Exposed? More like searched for anything that could hurt the program. Wasn't it things like free meals and sneakers (maybe they were even used) that brought the program down that time?

 

[MSOrange]

Well said. JB stays as long as he wants. I will defend JB to the end. He will never lose my loyalty and appreciation.

You think George Steinbrenner would be happy and tolerate it if a really successful manager was no longer producing at the level he used to for several seasons in a row?

If you somehow took over managing your dealership and a guy who used to sell 200 cars a year was now just selling 10, you'd be ok with that?

 

[Cuse1055]

Exposed? More like searched for anything that could hurt the program. Wasn't it things like free meals and sneakers (maybe they were even used) that brought the program down that time?

IIRC it was holiday cards with money inside them from Bill Rapp. Can’t remember what else was involved.

 

[20plus]

Played 3 years as a player, assistant coach 7 years, 45 seasons Head coach, never was part of a losing season. Very foolish people would say that is a coincidence.

Nobody is denying it and everybody knows Jimknows basketball but that doesn’t mean one of his character weaknesses can’t cloud his decision making along with family influences!

 

[br801]

CousCuse & CuseRunner vs. tbone...

The trifecta we've dreamed about.

 

[CousCuse]

Nobody is denying it and everybody knows Gym knows basketball but that doesn’t mean one of his character weaknesses can cloud his decision making along with family influences

They have to reach their own conclusions, I believe he is doing what is best for the team.

 

[newmexicuse]

I agree that JBs best days are behind him. I agree with Dashers post. The program is in decline, perhaps soon to be steep decline. This has been going on for years.

All that being said, Jimmy should be given the opportunity to coach his kid. He has earned that much, but once Buddy uses up his eligibility then it will be a necessity that Jimmy retires, hopefully gracefully and of his own choosing.

 

[SU in Hershey]

JB is a lifelong Central New Yorker he is one of us. He has been on the SU campus since 1962. Our Hall of Fame, National Championship, 1000 plus win HC and 3 time Gold Metal Winner. Let alone what he has done on the court he is the face of Syracuse University and the community and greater Central New York for all he has done off the court to his contributions to the community and society. Even more even at his age and tenure he has always had his finger on the pulse of his players and the base the community and fan base. Just like he knows what he has to tell his players privately and what he needs to let out public in the media. He also knows what us the fan base needs to hear at any given point. This fickle fan base which I'm a part of routinely wants to out him after any given loss then kneels at the alter when we beat VA Tech at home and win two in a row. Then after a road loss at top 10 UV wants him out again. Incredible. JB has forgotten more basketball then we will ever know even at his age. Leave him alone sit back watch the games and let him do his job.

Do you realize how much you sound like Paterno's defenders and apologists in the PSU fanbase--prior to him stepping down? He had his detractors but it was heresy for most to say anything negative against him. And of course, the "He should leave on his own terms" was a familiar refrain. NOBODY in the coaching profession is above reproach or above scrutiny. You are welcome to believe his life and career border on sainthood (figuratively speaking of course). While I believe everyone on this forum would celebrate what he has done and what he has meant to SU Basketball, the University, and CNY, I don't think most of us will tolerate a slow slide into irrelevance. He has long ago earned our respect and admiration, but he has not earned the right to return us to mediocrity, or worse...irrelevance.

 

[CousCuse]

I agree that JBs best days are behind him. I agree with Dashers post. The program is in decline, perhaps soon to be steep decline. This has been going on for years.

All that being said, Jimmy should be given the opportunity to coach his kid. He has earned that much, but once Buddy uses up his eligibility then it will be a necessity that Jimmy retires, hopefully gracefully and of his own choosing.

Benny is coming next year. What decline.

 

[Bayside44]

IIRC it was holiday cards with money inside them from Bill Rapp. Can’t remember what else was involved.

$10 car leases and lots of free spaghetti.

 

[dasher]

IIRC it was holiday cards with money inside them from Bill Rapp. Can’t remember what else was involved.

Look up the name Rob Johnson.

 

[Bayside44]

Look up the name Rob Johnson.

The SHADOW

Even in person, and even with all of his 260 pounds taking up a good portion of a hotel lobby, there is rather less of Rob Johnson than there would appear to

vault.si.com

COLLEGE BASKETBALL; 'Street Agent' Part of Inquiry Into St. John's (Published 2000)

Rob Johnson, basketball enthusiast who was implicated in recruiting scandal at Syracuse decade ago that resulted in two-year probation for university's men's basketball team, says he has been contacted by investigator from National Collegiate Athletic Assn about St John's basketball team; says...

www.nytimes.com

Portrait of talent scout Rob Johnson, and details about his relationship with Syracuse basketball (from the archive)

Everybody who recruits high school basketball players in New York City knows Rob Johnson. But nobody wants to claim the 34-year-old talent scout.

www.syracuse.com

Todd Lighty spoke to one of my PoliSci classes, he was particularly proud of hitting Bill Rapp and Fred Grimaldi.

 

[kirbivore]

And that right there is the problem. No one person should be bigger than the program. That was what led to the downfall of Bobby Knight at Indiana.

and Bowden at FSU and Joe Pa. at pedo st.

 

[Sherman20]

the money stuff means nothing to me, but as an alum, I was absolutely embarrassed by the Fab Melo cheating fiasco.

to call that a badge of honor really says where you are coming from

People make way too big a deal of the Fab Melo imbroglio. Students have every right to contest their grades. Fab was given a legitimate opportunity to rewrite or resubmit a paper to improve his grade, but he didn’t put in any footnotes, so the stupid DOBO put them in for him. That was the cheating part. But it had nothing to do with JB. That was Stan Kissel’s misbehavior.