JB absolutely killing Patterson and Kaleb in the PC

[FortyFourCT]

Nobody here is seen by recruits and parents. Nobody here has to decide how to motivate the players. And nothing said here impacts the players like something said in public by their coach.

It's not a valid comparison at all.

I wasn't really making a comparison, I was just stating that some of the same people who rip JB, do the same thing. Also, recruits, parents and players can and do read this board. Some even participate. It could be JB is just cranky, or it could be his way to motivate players, or he might just be honest and not care what impact it has.

Besides, our players are all big boys, playing big time basketball. If they can't handle a few press conferences, they are playing for the wrong team.

I happen to love every player who wears the Cuse uniform and enjoy watching them play, make mistakes, learn, grow and become better players. If we have a bad season now and then, so what? We are not entitled to top 25 teams every year. You can't enjoy winning without experiencing losing.

 

[Meatball56]

I get the fact that Boeheim doesn't want Ron to throw up those 3's and when he got as animated as he did explaining this, it was easy to tell how frustrated he is with Patterson's shot selection. Again, I get that. I also don't have a big problem with what he said about Kaleb because you can tell that Boeheim believes in the young man and just wants him to get better faster (like not missing those defensive assignments) because he wants him IN these kinds of games but doesn't feel he can if he is going to be a liability from a defensive standpoint. The difference between what he said with Kaleb and Ron was that basically that Kaleb needs to be in the game but isn't because of his D whereas Ron provides us with nothing and is ONLY in there because of Kaleb's deficiencies on D. There is a big difference psychologically in that message. I see Kaleb as getting hammered in the press conference while Ron getting trashed.

Say what you want about Ron's shot selection, but he did so some nice things tonight as well as in many other games. For Boeheim to say that the only reason he is in the game is because the other guy (Kaleb) can't play D is a load of crap. He has shown that he is steady with the ball, doesn't turn it over much, feeds the ball really well inside (usually to Rak), and plays good D.

Again, the argument isn't so much whether what Boeheim said was valid but instead how he delivered the message. Fine, be tough (or in Boeheim's case) really tough on a player, but don't trash a young man like he did last night.

Lighten up, Frances. The only difference between JB and any other coach is he is saying it both publicly and to their face.

 

[Millhouse]

ask VT how theirs were last night

Syracuse backups should be better than VT backups

actually syracuse backups should be better than VT starters

actually syracuse backups should be better than the 5 best players in VT history ok well that might be going a little too far dell curry was pretty good

 

[longislandcuse]

I played D3 tennis and had coaches say meaner s*** than that and it was something we all laughed about after practice or matches. Not every college kid clutches their pearls quite like those on this board.

I'd imagine Elite level D-1 Basketball players have more of an ego than a D-3 tennis player, also noone cares what a D-3 tennis coach says to whoever a D-3 tennis coach talks to, in the base of CMac he had a HOF coach at an elite level school in the elite basketball conference in the country smack talking his draft prospects to the press. I might be kind of put off by that too. In other words, say what you want to my face coach but the media doesn't need to know you think I suck at every aspect of basketball.

 

[NKR1978]

I'd imagine Elite level D-1 Basketball players have more of an ego than a D-3 tennis player, also noone cares what a D-3 tennis coach says to whoever a D-3 tennis coach talks to, in the base of CMac he had a HOF coach at an elite level school in the elite basketball conference in the country smack talking his draft prospects to the press. I might be kind of put off by that too. In other words, say what you want to my face coach but the media doesn't need to know you think I suck at every aspect of basketball.

Do you actually believe that JB thinks that CMac sucks at basketball?

Agree to disagree. It isn't a big deal. I just think these kids know what they're getting into. If Buss and Kaleb are that fragile then perhaps Syracuse isn't the right place for them. Fortunately, I don't believe for a second that they are that fragile. JB has never come off as a warm father figure type coach that you get from a Beilein or Crean or K. Even Calhoun played the tough love card.

It's funny, the two pretty heartbreaking losses he used kid gloves in his press conferences. He didn't want to break their spirit. A really hard fought win and now he's attacking. It seems there's a bit of a method to his alleged madness.

 

[dollarbill44]

Our history is replete with guys who play little as Fr.&So. but then contribute as Jrs and Srs.

It's also replete with Sophomores who are meaningful contributors.

 

[Bayside44]

Syracuse backups should be competent. Other teams' backups are

This is what it was supposed to be:

Ennis
Cooney
Rak
McC
Grant

Off the Bench
Roberson
Silent G
DeJaun

#9
Kaleb

That's a pretty competent bench.

happens.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Do you actually believe that JB thinks that CMac sucks at basketball?

Agree to disagree. It isn't a big deal. I just think these kids know what they're getting into. If Buss and Kaleb are that fragile then perhaps Syracuse isn't the right place for them. Fortunately, I don't believe for a second that they are that fragile. JB has never come off as a warm father figure type coach that you get from a Beilein or Crean or K. Even Calhoun played the tough love card.

It's funny, the two pretty heartbreaking losses he used kid gloves in his press conferences. He didn't want to break their spirit. A really hard fought win and now he's attacking. It seems there's a bit of a method to his alleged madness.

Yep. He definitely cranks it up in the pressers when we have those 'bad' wins. Always warning everyone of the potential fool's gold those are.

 

[longislandcuse]

Do you actually believe that JB thinks that CMac sucks at basketball?

Agree to disagree. It isn't a big deal. I just think these kids know what they're getting into. If Buss and Kaleb are that fragile then perhaps Syracuse isn't the right place for them. Fortunately, I don't believe for a second that they are that fragile. JB has never come off as a warm father figure type coach that you get from a Beilein or Crean or K. Even Calhoun played the tough love card.

It's funny, the two pretty heartbreaking losses he used kid gloves in his press conferences. He didn't want to break their spirit. A really hard fought win and now he's attacking. It seems there's a bit of a method to his alleged madness.

I agree and disagree. I think kids know what they are getting into with JB but I also think he goes too far sometimes. On the flip side I believe he would go to war for any of the kids in his program past or present so there's also that aspect. I thought the CMac stuff was a little much considering it's not Chris's fault some draft guy put him in a lottery mock.

 

[MSOrange]

I encourage everyone to read this article. I think JB does get carried away sometimes, but read in full context, some of the comments are not as harsh as they appear to be if you read them by themselves.

http://www.syracuse.com/orangebaske...ul_remarkable_comeback_win_virginia_tech.html

 

[TheCusian]

Another day and another thread about JAB being too something at a presser.

Been a lot of years of this. Not sure why it continues to be a thing.

 

[Millhouse]

This is what it was supposed to be:

Ennis
Cooney
Rak
McC
Grant

Off the Bench
Roberson
Silent G
DeJaun

#9
Kaleb

That's a pretty competent bench.

happens.

ennis leaving was a surprise but grant shouldn't have been that big a surprise. coleman has been hurt for years, how can you ever count on him

if you want to ignore patterson, ok, i'll go along with that for the sake of argument. joseph would still need to play and he should be better

 

[SoBeCuse]

Just curious. Did Coach talk about us not pressing because we're not very good at it?

Ha. I don't think he addressed it. Generally, it seems the press is deployed either to wake the team up or as a last means of defense before they throw up the white flag.

 

[two3zone]

ennis leaving was a surprise but grant shouldn't have been that big a surprise. coleman has been hurt for years, how can you ever count on him if you want to ignore patterson, ok, i'll go along with that for the sake of argument. joseph would still need to play and he should be better

I was going to post that Grant was on a lot of mock drafts before the season started.

When we went 25-0 it really looked like Ennis was a candidate to go as well.

It wasn't a shock that these guys left, I'm sure there is one guy out there that would have taken a scholarship to Syracuse between late February and the last day of the signing period.

 

[Bayside44]

ennis leaving was a surprise but grant shouldn't have been that big a surprise. coleman has been hurt for years, how can you ever count on him

if you want to ignore patterson, ok, i'll go along with that for the sake of argument. joseph would still need to play and he should be better

If you have Ennis, Cooney and G where does Joseph get meaningful minutes?

 

[Bayside44]

I was going to post that Grant was on a lot of mock drafts before the season started.

When we went 25-0 it really looked like Ennis was a candidate to go as well.

It wasn't a shock that these guys left, I'm sure there is one guy out there that would have taken a scholarship to Syracuse between late February and the last day of the signing period.

That's a pretty small window at best. Most of our guys are locked up to SU before they start their senior year.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Why's he going after Ron's neck? He provided a great spark today... Just completely disregard TCs 2-13 night from three?

JB is simply trying to get Buss to understand that he is a role player and needs to play that specific role to make the team successful. He's not Greg Monroe (the three point shooter) he is Josh Pace (the slasher, disher, drawing fouls). He is giving Buss the green light to drive to the basket, just not to shoot threes. Play defense and drive to the hole when the opportunity is there. Seems pretty clear.

 

[two3zone]

That's a pretty small window at best. Most of our guys are locked up to SU before they start their senior year.

Small window but a window nonetheless.

I understand where you're coming from and I don't disagree with it, but you need a contingency plan, we had none. I'm not even upset about that though, if we recruited and didn't miss on 3 guys from the same class we wouldn't be in this position. Buss, BJ, and Chinoso are the issue bigger than losing the 4 guys we did. If two of then were capable of putting in a good solid 20 minutes a game we wouldn't be talking about the NIT and would probably be ranked in the top 25.

I know we've had guys turn it around from BAD sophomore years, but when was the last time you had even two sophomores that had the offensive output that BJ and Buss have? It's bad.

 

[two3zone]

JB is simply trying to get Buss to understand that he is a role player and needs to play that specific role to make the team successful. He's not Greg Monroe (the three point shooter) he is Josh Pace (the slasher, disher, drawing fouls). He is giving Buss the green light to drive to the basket, just not to shoot threes. Play defense and drive to the hole when the opportunity is there. Seems pretty clear.

I sure hope Buss can finish them because I don't want to depend on him getting points from the stripe.

 

[SWC75]

This is what it was supposed to be:

Ennis
Cooney
Rak
McC
Grant

Off the Bench
Roberson
Silent G
DeJaun (I think it's DaJuan)

#9
Kaleb

That's a pretty competent bench.

happens.

That's it. We have a good bench. But they aren't sitting on it.

 

[SWC75]

JB never criticizes a player for failing to do something they can't do. He might criticize them for trying to do something they can't do. But mostly it's failing to do something he knows they can do.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

I was going to post that Grant was on a lot of mock drafts before the season started.

When we went 25-0 it really looked like Ennis was a candidate to go as well.

It wasn't a shock that these guys left, I'm sure there is one guy out there that would have taken a scholarship to Syracuse between late February and the last day of the signing period.

Some PG in late Feb that was better than KJ2?

We are caught this year in the risk that happens when you enter the arena of the big boys and get the 1 and done talent. It makes long term roster management more difficult. UK slipped to the NIT one year recently. Su's recent rise was having 2 and dones overlap the developed foundation.

SU got caught with Ennis leaving after 1 year. The staff hadn't completely look away - they tried for Rysheed Jordan, brought in Patterson, and KJ2 hasn't played as well as they had hoped.

 

[two3zone]

Some PG in late Feb that was better than KJ2? We are caught this year in the risk that happens when you enter the arena of the big boys and get the 1 and done talent. It makes long term roster management more difficult. UK slipped to the NIT one year recently. Su's recent rise was having 2 and dones overlap the developed foundation. SU got caught with Ennis leaving after 1 year. The staff hadn't completely look away - they tried for Rysheed Jordan, brought in Patterson, and KJ2 hasn't played as well as they had hoped.

Uk went to the nit after winning the title then going to the title game the next year. I'd sign up for that. Unfortunately second round loss followed by a NIT then who knows what next year brings us. It's not comparable.

 

[Jake]

Small window but a window nonetheless. I understand where you're coming from and I don't disagree with it, but you need a contingency plan, we had none. I'm not even upset about that though, if we recruited and didn't miss on 3 guys from the same class we wouldn't be in this position. Buss, BJ, and Chinoso are the issue bigger than losing the 4 guys we did. If two of then were capable of putting in a good solid 20 minutes a game we wouldn't be talking about the NIT and would probably be ranked in the top 25. I know we've had guys turn it around from BAD sophomore years, but when was the last time you had even two sophomores that had the offensive output that BJ and Buss have? It's bad.

Ron Patterson was recruited the year before as a backup after they thought MCW was going pro a year earlier than planned. If mcw doesn't leave we're breaking in Tyler ennis this year. Everyone points to last year, but it was really MCW that got the train off track.

Patterson was not in the plan until very late in the process. We didn't make contact until shortly before he committed.

Those kind of rushed situations often lead to mistakes. I like Ron, but his skill level doesn't scream "point guard".

 

[OrangeDW]

JB is an insecure guy!!?? What an unbelievable statement. :crazy:

Yup. He's always come off that way IMO. Insecure, overly defensive, sensitive. Many coaches are...and for very good reason. They get asked a lot of stupid questions, get constantly criticized and second-guessed by people who know far less about their job than they do, etc.

My other point was that Boeheim is so big at this point, that none of that should really matter. He's already a hall of famer, he's won an NC, he's won 900+ games...if people want to blame him, who cares? He can be as hard as he has to be on these guys and as blunt as he wants to be but I don't agree with doing it through the media. I don't see how that serves any purpose other than to spread the idea that "hey Boeheim just doesn't have much talent to work with this year". True or not, no need to bash on your players just so that people see the lack of talent you have to work with.