JB on First Take approx 11:30 AM today

[81South]

My god I hope he didn’t say that….if true then I am heartbroken that he could be that cold

 

[rrlbees]

Sounds like he did.

BUT let's keep in mind that JB has a sardonic wit. Context matters, and sometimes printed summaries of what's said doesn't capture the spirit that's intended, the banter back and forth between the interviewer and JB, etc.

Could have just been him putting down the team's performance as a put down toward himself, but then bragging about his kids -- instead of him throwing the other players under the bus as it might appear from looking at that one sentence in a vacuum.

He should have used the words “as a” when saying team. He also said the perimeter guys, meaning Cole and Joe were good and he talked about how good Jessie was. Nothing burger really. Just has to be more succinct with his words.

 

[kuethstheman]

My god I hope he didn’t say that….if true then I am heartbroken that he could be that cold

He didn't say it "like that". When asked about his kids he said they played good, better than he expected but that we didn't have a good team. Perimeter players were good, Jesse was playing great when he went out, but our defense wasn't good.

 

[MikeSU02]

Sounds like he did.

BUT let's keep in mind that JB has a sardonic wit. Context matters, and sometimes printed summaries of what's said doesn't capture the spirit that's intended, the banter back and forth between the interviewer and JB, etc.

Could have just been him putting down the team's performance as a put down toward himself, but then bragging about his kids -- instead of him throwing the other players under the bus as it might appear from looking at that one sentence in a vacuum.

I get ya, I really do.

But he said it. And, the question was "how was it coaching both your kids", so he took it in a direction and commented on the team's level of play for no reason at all. He started the answer totally fine and talked about the added concern about how your kids are doing versus just the team. Then pivoted to this statement.

He says it, then goes into Jesse getting injured.

He then goes into kenpom and how good the O was vs how bad the D was. Then said the league was much better than people are giving it credit for.

Listen, it's not the end of the world. But it's a dumb and clumsy statement AT BEST.

 

[rrlbees]

If you go to these big high school events, and talk to the recruiting guys who go to every event, they will tell you they never see JB.

Was that this year?

 

[texascpa]

You can have individually good players and still a bad team. Is he wrong that we were bad on defense? Is he wrong that Buddy was good this year? Nope.

 

[Cramz]

You have to be kidding me. Is there any context that doesn't make it as bad as it seems?

He was asked about the experience of coaching his sons. Essentially, he suggested there are two things you worry about as a coach and a father. 1. Are my kids going to do well? 2. Is my team going to do well? He said that his kids performed above expectations but that the team did poorly. I would agree with that, from an offensive perspective at any rate. He went on to blame the poor defensive play and the loss of Edwards for tanking the season. He said once Edwards went out we had "nothing" in the middle, which seemed inartful, given Frank's continued presence.

 

[dasher]

Was that this year?

yep. Your argument is that he was better this year. He was. During the summer. Just not good enough ( the results also tell you that). But once the fall came, he stayed in Syracuse. Other head coaches still hit the road. JB used to.

 

[Red Holzman]

Yes-At the very beginning at about 1:09-check it out if you don't believe.
https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1lPKqmZRmRZKb?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1503717995100659715|twgr^|twcon^s1_&ref_url=

1:09:30 confirmed-
Our team wasn't good and my kids were good. They both played better than I expected ever to play".
Followed that by mentioning "losing our center during a 4 game winning streak".
No added context.
No comment.

 

[rrlbees]

1:09:30 confirmed-
Our team wasn't good and my kids were good. They both played better than I expected ever to play".
Followed that by mentioning "losing our center during a 4 game winning streak".
No added context.
No comment.

He went on to say Jesse was good. The perimeter guys were good. So he said all the starters were good.

 

[rrlbees]

yep. Your argument is that he was better this year. He was. During the summer. Just not good enough ( the results also tell you that). But once the fall came, he stayed in Syracuse. Other head coaches still hit the road. JB used to.

Recruiting was pretty much wrapped up in the summer. We got a kid in sort and Oct but I’m not sure there were any events then. All I know is what I saw during the spring and summer.

 

[miamicuse]

I take it to mean that his kids were good because they played better than he expected.

The team wasn't good because the team didn't play to his expectation as a whole.

It's easy to take both and deduce that in order for his team to suck and his kids be good, the rest of the players must really suck. I doubt that's what he meant, but it's really clumsy and badly constructed. I wish he said the team isn't good as a whole because he didn't do what it takes for them to meet or exceed his expectation. He certainly did enough to make sure his kids can excel.

 

[dasher]

Recruiting was pretty much wrapped up in the summer. We got a kid in sort and Oct but I’m not sure there were any events then. All I know is what I saw during the spring and summer.

These other Head coaches go to events in the winter because 1. you still get guys for the upcoming season (i.e. MIntz) and you establish the relationships for the following year. The other Head coaches are going to these events for a reason.

 

[MSOrange]

 

[rrlbees]

These other Head coaches go to events in the winter because 1. you still get guys for the upcoming season (i.e. MIntz) and you establish the relationships for the following year. The other Head coaches are going to these events for a reason.

Well if some guy at some event last year was telling you he never sees JB then he’s FOS.

 

[Alsacs]

Stanford Cardinal.

 

[MSOrange]

Stanford Cardinal.

That tweet gives you an idea of the kind of people that follow and listen to Brent Axe.

 

[dasher]

Well if some guy at some event last year was telling you he never sees JB then he’s FOS.

SMH No one is saying that JB never goes to an event. What anyone without an agenda is saying is that our Head Coach is being outworked on the recruiting road. And quite frankly, that isn't just the thinking from outside the basketball team. You want to site that he made more of an effort last year. He did. But it wasn't what other Head coaches were doing. And once the season started, it's non existent. We are being outworked. And it shows. And not for nothing, I was at school when Jb wasn't ever outworked. When the season was over, he got in his car and he was on the road. I remember he even went to Sam Perkins presser to say he was going to North Carolina. He needs to be on the road during the season. That is big to kids. And our ass'ts are out gunned.

 

[Newhouser]

I get ya, I really do.

But he said it. And, the question was "how was it coaching both your kids", so he took it in a direction and commented on the team's level of play for no reason at all. He started the answer totally fine and talked about the added concern about how your kids are doing versus just the team. Then pivoted to this statement.

He says it, then goes into Jesse getting injured.

He then goes into kenpom and how good the O was vs how bad the D was. Then said the league was much better than people are giving it credit for.

Listen, it's not the end of the world. But it's a dumb and clumsy statement AT BEST.

Well he's new to the gig - let's get him a chance to get settled and get used to dealing with the media.

 

[phil77]

The strange thing to me is how he talks about his kids being good and playing really well. Then goes on to talk about how the offense was great and the defense was where we lost most of the games...

Does he not realize that his kids are two of the main reasons the defense was terrible? I think part of the frustration is that he is always open and honest about all the other players on the team's flaws are but never with his kids. Yes, his kids can play offense but they were invisible on the other end of the floor and a major part of the reason we were so bad on defense.

 

[007]

That tweet gives you an idea of the kind of people that follow and listen to Brent Axe.

You have to give Axe credit for going after the very heart of the issue in his reply to the tweet

 

[hoopsupstate]

SMH No one is saying that JB never goes to an event. What anyone without an agenda is saying is that our Head Coach is being outworked on the recruiting road. And quite frankly, that isn't just the thinking from outside the basketball team. You want to site that he made more of an effort last year. He did. But it wasn't what other Head coaches were doing. And once the season started, it's non existent. We are being outworked. And it shows. And not for nothing, I was at school when Jb wasn't ever outworked. When the season was over, he got in his car and he was on the road. I remember he even went to Sam Perkins presser to say he was going to North Carolina. He needs to be on the road during the season. That is big to kids. And our ass'ts are out gunned.

He drove to every Perkins games that he could.

 

[Otto'd]

JB was great. He looks like hes 60 and is as sharp as ever.
Ive mentioned my Dad many times on this board. Hes 88 and still climbs, sails, and rows his boat 2 to 4 miles 3-4 times a week in the summer. Hes as sharp as a tack. My point is age is a number. Physical and mental health are what matters and from what i see Jim really isnt slowing down.

No he's not, but he isn't a coach for 2023 either. Way too easy to recruit against him these days because players don't know what they are getting. He wants to coach next year? Fine. (but not really). If he does there has to be a succession plan because otherwise we are just extending limbo hell.

 

[007]

SMH No one is saying that JB never goes to an event. What anyone without an agenda is saying is that our Head Coach is being outworked on the recruiting road. And quite frankly, that isn't just the thinking from outside the basketball team. You want to site that he made more of an effort last year. He did. But it wasn't what other Head coaches were doing. And once the season started, it's non existent. We are being outworked. And it shows. And not for nothing, I was at school when Jb wasn't ever outworked. When the season was over, he got in his car and he was on the road. I remember he even went to Sam Perkins presser to say he was going to North Carolina. He needs to be on the road during the season. That is big to kids. And our ass'ts are out gunned.

One step further...As RF mentioned, JB made a concerted effort to be more involved this past recruiting season (there was a reason for that, as some have alluded to). Yet, he still missed on most (all?) of the high priority targets (Dior, Westry, Lands, Clingan, Filipowski, JJ, Cruz...Mintz). Age aside (and I agree that is a factor), JB already had little tolerance for the "nonsense" involved in chasing high profile recruits, tending to their egos, and, most recently, dealing with NIL. I'm guessing that the lack of success relative to his increased effort will not motivate him to be more involved this recruiting season.

 

[kuethstheman]

The strange thing to me is how he talks about his kids being good and playing really well. Then goes on to talk about how the offense was great and the defense was where we lost most of the games...

Does he not realize that his kids are two of the main reasons the defense was terrible? I think part of the frustration is that he is always open and honest about all the other players on the team's flaws are but never with his kids. Yes, his kids can play offense but they were invisible on the other end of the floor and a major part of the reason we were so bad on defense.

I think he does. Even so, Jimmy and Buddy played better than most people expected, including him, which was his point. People who expect him to go out of his way to say his kids are weak defensively in an interview like this are delusional.

I get that it's ridiculous for him to go to press conferences and call out every other player for their defense except his kids. This wasn't that kind of opportunity.