JB calling into Axe about recruiting now

[orangefog]

Accident. He's so bad defensively that he actually never popped in my head. He has to be better...even if just by default.

He is the one that scares me most. He strikes me as a guy that may not put in the effort to be an even average defender. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[dasher]

He is the one that scares me most. He strikes me as a guy that may not put in the effort to be an even average defender. I hope I'm wrong.

the difference this year is that we have guys that we can take him out and sit him for. That usually helps improve someones effort.

 

[iommi]

He is the one that scares me most. He strikes me as a guy that may not put in the effort to be an even average defender. I hope I'm wrong.

It's easy math here.

TT doesn't like playing zone+ doesn't like being barked at by his coach for not playing solid zone defense+ not putting much stock into playing defense+ not being on campus for a large chunk of our off-season= a strong chance TT will still be a crappy defender.

 

[orangefog]

the difference this year is that we have guys that we can take him out and sit him for. That usually helps improve someones effort.

I agree, it should spark a fire in him.

 

[orangefog]

It's easy math here.

TT doesn't like playing zone+ doesn't like being barked at by his coach for not playing solid zone defense+ not putting much stock into playing defense+ not being on campus for a large chunk of our off-season= a strong chance TT will still be a crappy defender.

Unfortunately your math checks out.

 

[SUbear]

Should I have said you can't show me a piece of silver and convince me it's gold? Does it matter?

Yes it matters.

 

[SUbear]

Oh, he will be here. Just this year, then gonzo. Hes not a happy camper but his mom will kick his arse if he bails now. Did he look like he liked playing zone last year?

Did he look like he liked defense at all, and has he ever liked to play defense? Seems to me one of his criticisms during recruiting was lazy on defense.

 

[RF2044]

If it results in the big man getting a lay-up, in my book it's just as effective as a 15 foot entry pass.

By that logic, Trevor Cooney was great at feeding the post -- what with all of those three point misses that led to offensive rebounding opportunities.

 

[SWC75]

Why do you think people are critical of our recruiting? We have been getting our rear ends handed to us by other programs. We have missed on our top targets. I can go on.

My basis for rating the recruits? Research. I read the ratings, follow guys on Twitter and elsewhere who watch them in person, I watch clips and highlights, all of that. More importantly, I've interviewed some of them and some of their coaches. I've seen some of them play in person, or on tv or on YouTube. Full games. Guys like Matt Moyer. I saw him play and interviewed him twice. Tyus Battle is someone I've followed very closely since he was about 15. Saw him play live a bunch of times. I did a play-by-play writeup that I posted in his recruiting thread of one of Tyus' high school games. I interviewed him before he got to campus. Sidibe I've watched live and on tv several times. I interviewed him. In fact, I interviewed him and his coach literally moments after he committed, then interviewed his coach again near the end of their season to get a progress report. I also interviewed Howard Washington before he came to campus. I also watched two of his games on YouTube. Watching those games, I was able to watch his teammate, Oshae Brissett.
I've also communicated with other people in the know. I'll leave it at that.

To know whether these guys are good, you have to watch them play. I have. The interviews help get an idea as to what they perceive to be strengths and weaknesses, why they chose Syracuse and how they think they will fit in.

I think these players are good players and will do well at Syracuse. When have I said otherwise? You must have me confused with someone else. We could have a good team this coming season, you're absolutely right but our recruiting has taken a downturn. Period.

I am suitably impressed and agree your knowledge of the recruits to this point is certainly in excess of mine, but probably still short of that of the coaches. All of us will have our knowledge greatly increased when the season actually begins. Even an accurate assessment of their abilities at this time is still just that.

If I erroneously detected a negative agenda in your posts, I apologize for it. If these are good players and will do well at Syracuse, Syracuse should do well, too.

 

[iommi]

I am suitably impressed and agree your knowledge of the recruits to this point is certainly in excess of mine, but probably still short of that of the coaches. All of us will have our knowledge greatly increased when the season actually begins. Even an accurate assessment of their abilities at this time is still just that.

If I erroneously detected a negative agenda in your posts, I apologize for it. If these are good players and will do well at Syracuse, Syracuse should do well, too.

Thanks. I almost deleted the part of my post where I listed the basis of my recruiting knowledge but I felt the need to list specifics. I did kind of cringe when reading it but it was the only way for me to answer your question. Believe me, I marvel at how you do your historical posts.

It's obvious no one here has more knowledge of these players than our coaching staff. I also agree that we have to see these players on the court before making any firm determinations about them on the college level. Recruiting is an inexact science.

No need to apologize. We both want Syracuse to do well. We share that same "agenda."

 

[jordoo]

Alright SWC75 and iommi, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! I'm ok with the arguing but making up and being cordial while doing it is where I draw the line.

 

[iommi]

Maybe JB was feeling good about landing Bazley and did this interview? Kind of like: who is saying we can't recruit? I'll plant the seeds here and when we land Bazley it'll just reinforce that we still can net the big fish.

Either way, landing Bazley was a tremendous get and a signal by the staff that things are getting back on track on the recruiting trail.

 

[SWC75]

Thanks. I almost deleted the part of my post where I listed the basis of my recruiting knowledge but I felt the need to list specifics. I did kind of cringe when reading it but it was the only way for me to answer your question. Believe me, I marvel at how you do your historical posts.

It's obvious no one here has more knowledge of these players than our coaching staff. I also agree that we have to see these players on the court before making any firm determinations about them on the college level. Recruiting is an inexact science.

No need to apologize. We both want Syracuse to do well. We share that same "agenda."

Thanks. I'll be reading your posts regularly in the future. Sounds like we got a big one today. We'll have plenty of 6-9 guys.

I need to get back to my NBA history anyway.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Maybe JB was feeling good about landing Bazley and did this interview? Kind of like: who is saying we can't recruit? I'll plant the seeds here and when we land Bazley it'll just reinforce that we still can net the big fish.

Either way, landing Bazley was a tremendous get and a signal by the staff that things are getting back on track on the recruiting trail.

Not a bad theory, actually.

 

[gmacfor3]

I've heard other things...but yeah, not a fan.

I've heard other things as well. TT situation at this point is not good and something to watch going forward.

 

[Newhouser]

I've heard other things as well. TT situation at this point is not good and something to watch going forward.

I'm eh on TT. If he's our 2nd best player we aren't going to the dance. I get it he can score (sometimes), but he impacts the game in no other way that we need a big to impact the game. Boards, Blocks,

 

[Cuse'91]

I'm eh on TT. If he's our 2nd best player we aren't going to the dance. I get it he can score (sometimes), but he impacts the game in no other way that we need a big to impact the game. Boards, Blocks,

The only time TT's eyes light up are when he's taking long 2s from top of the key, period...

 

[CuseLifer11]

It's easy math here.

TT doesn't like playing zone+ doesn't like being barked at by his coach for not playing solid zone defense+ not putting much stock into playing defense+ not being on campus for a large chunk of our off-season= a strong chance TT will still be a crappy defender.

Yes to this × 100. TT is the most certain of all players to not be here in 2018. Put it at 99.7%. He may be our 2nd best scores on volume, but he will be far from our 2nd best player. Marek and OB will fight for that accolade.

Team is going to be so so much better than so many think. I can't wait

 

[KevMonstah]

I'm eh on TT. If he's our 2nd best player we aren't going to the dance. I get it he can score (sometimes), but he impacts the game in no other way that we need a big to impact the game. Boards, Blocks,

I think players who can score are kind of needed for SU at this point. They just had 4 years of TR, who rebounded
and blocked, but when he wasn't doing that, you could ignore him on the court. Thompson's ability to score is great
and about time for an SU center. Now, maybe he shouldn't be shooting long Js, but if SU maybe decided once in
awhile to run post plays for some offense, he wouldn't have to. How many skilled post guys are you going to get if
your plan is "well, we don't run plays for you, you need to get the ball off the glass. and your rebounding stats are
going to suffer, cuz we play zone, and you can't get the stats you want"? You see guys like Mo Brown or Naz Reid,
two of the top ten players in the country, and numbers 2 and 3 as far as centers go, both from the NYC met area,
and SU can't get a sniff of interest from them. So now there is a scoring option down low, who is more than a
"hustle and reb guy", and that's a bad thing? No way.

Switching gears ... love the Bazley commit. Swider gone hurts, but if they can pull in a PG (Carey), and a big (I'd
take Nate Roberts, cuz a 6'11" kid is always a good thing to have), and if they lose another roster guy, and you can
fill it with King/Williams/Carrigan, great. And then Buddy, where I have a concern. I'd be happy with him as a
role player. I will be very disappointed if he is given the Trevor Cooney "you can do no wrong and can take no bad
shot" leash. One could at least argue that Cooney was a top 100 player, which to this point Buddy is not. If JB is
holding the 2G spot open for him, and not making attempts to recruit guys who have shown interest in SU and are
considerably more talented, he better not play simply because of his name, cuz the wrath will be great among this board.

Kev

 

[bevosu]

I think it was the 10-11 game of the season last year against Eastern Michigan and TT looked like Magic Johnson playing center. He had 5 assists in 20 minutes.

I remember that game well and thought ...woo this kid can pass out of the center position. Never saw it for the rest of the season.

 

[SWC75]

Fans always bemoan the guys we have lost, are fascinated by the new guys and forget that the returning guys can improve. This is college, not the pros. They aren't chess pieces. they are acorns.

 

[iommi]

Fans always bemoan the guys we have lost, are fascinated by the new guys and forget that the returning guys can improve. This is college, not the pros. They aren't chess pieces. they are acorns.

Yeah, everyone likes a shiny new car. The returning guys can also regress sometimes. We have seen examples of that too recently.

 

[Todoubled23]

I think players who can score are kind of needed for SU at this point. They just had 4 years of TR, who rebounded
and blocked, but when he wasn't doing that, you could ignore him on the court. Thompson's ability to score is great
and about time for an SU center. Now, maybe he shouldn't be shooting long Js, but if SU maybe decided once in
awhile to run post plays for some offense, he wouldn't have to. How many skilled post guys are you going to get if
your plan is "well, we don't run plays for you, you need to get the ball off the glass. and your rebounding stats are
going to suffer, cuz we play zone, and you can't get the stats you want"? You see guys like Mo Brown or Naz Reid,
two of the top ten players in the country, and numbers 2 and 3 as far as centers go, both from the NYC met area,
and SU can't get a sniff of interest from them. So now there is a scoring option down low, who is more than a
"hustle and reb guy", and that's a bad thing? No way.

Switching gears ... love the Bazley commit. Swider gone hurts, but if they can pull in a PG (Carey), and a big (I'd
take Nate Roberts, cuz a 6'11" kid is always a good thing to have), and if they lose another roster guy, and you can
fill it with King/Williams/Carrigan, great. And then Buddy, where I have a concern. I'd be happy with him as a
role player. I will be very disappointed if he is given the Trevor Cooney "you can do no wrong and can take no bad
shot" leash. One could at least argue that Cooney was a top 100 player, which to this point Buddy is not. If JB is
holding the 2G spot open for him, and not making attempts to recruit guys who have shown interest in SU and are
considerably more talented, he better not play simply because of his name, cuz the wrath will be great among this board.

Kev

Hughes.

 

[20Plus]

I'm pretty sure that a majority of posters here said starting white at the 2 with both Roberson and Coleman playing would not work. Slide Battle in and bring Roberson off the bench from game one and I don't think our OOC is such a disaster. Yes guys getting in late played a part but the rotation in the early going was bad coaching.

That's what I'm saying

 

[JayC20]

Boeheim begins. "You know, you can't be in this shape now, we've got another four or five years to coach here. ... We've got to get at least one more (championship), I've got to coach my son, (Buddy). He's not going to be here for another year, so I've got to coach for a while."

"Boeheim talks about returning from a Nike trip for coaches, which sharpens his focus on the coming season. He says next year's recruits are under-appreciated and good things are ahead."

Hours before death, a phone call from Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim

Recent article on Syracuse.com, some interesting quotes that aren't unexpected but gives some clarity to a few topics and I really hope good things are ahead!!! Hopefully time to get back to Syracuse Orange basketball and JB passes the torch after some better years then the past 2 seasons!!!