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Message: [QUOTE="MarketCuse, post: 2117146, member: 5687"] We are about to lose the grandfather of SU basketball... Why would I have a rosey long term outlook? This is why I said you were spoiled and irrational. I don't see where we can agree or even meet on common ground. You believe Villanova has a better basketball program than Syracuse. I think that is crazy. You don't define a program on a 5 year stretch. Sure they have been gaining ground rapidly and they have a much better team & pipeline right now but college basketball is cyclical and recruiting is no different. Villanova is a college team in a pro city. Don't they play in an off campus arena 90% of the time? Anyway... I understand we are bringing in a class next year that isn't highly touted and that this year's team underperformed but I'm not as down on next year's talent as everyone else. Assuming Lydon stays! It has been a hallmark of JB to do more with less so he might surprise us on his farewell tour. Syracuse is atop the 2nd tier of major D1 programs, just outside the top 5 or so. Since playing its first official season in 1900-1901, [B]Syracuse ranks sixth in total victories among all [URL='https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Division_I']NCAA Division I[/URL] programs and seventh in all-time [URL='https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winning_percentage']win percentage[/URL] among programs with at least 50 years in Division I, with an all-time win-loss record of 1859–877 (.679) as of February 24, 2017.[URL="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse_Orange_men's_basketball#cite_note-2"][2][/URL] The Orange currently hold an active NCAA-record 46 consecutive winning seasons.[URL="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse_Orange_men's_basketball#cite_note-ncaa.org-3"][3][/URL][/B] But it wasn't long ago when we had a bad recruiting class every 2-3 years. We have just suffered through a decade long investigation as well as a horrific scandal and pr disaster. We are also in a new league that favors a different style of play. How many coaches and teams in the country would have gone to the final four twice while all that crap was going down? We were the best team in the country 6 years ago and we've been to the final 4 2 out of the last 4 years, the elite eight the year before that. The fact that people are calling for a new coach because we've had a couple of off years is comical. So as far as future prospects? I got no idea, I'm sure (hope) they'll find a serviceable point before next year. Thompson can score from anywhere, Lydon & Battle can score from anywhere other than that? I don't know, will they learn defense? We are about to lose our best asset in our HOF coach. No power teams transition well after that. Remember UNC after Dean Smith? TERRIBLE!!! So yeah as a fan it's clear we will be going for a slippery ride, post JB, can Hopkins put the brakes on and retake control? Will he be a phenom? Will he be a bust? I don't see lightning striking twice with Hopkins but I hope I'm wrong and if I'm not we better open the checkbook and bring in an all star coach rapidly. Either way we have all (most anyway) dreaded the moment we transition away from JB, with so many uncertainties. I think it's bad form to pile on during a disappointing year after all the adversity we have fought through for the last few years. More importantly it will be our HOF coach's last season and you owe him some thanks & respect regardless of how the team shakes out. [/QUOTE]

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