JJ Starling

[tee1222]

If anyone wants to listen to Cooleys presser….

Awesome, just the first 2 1/2 minutes. Tips his hat to Red's game plan and says "I can't tell you much much I'm looking to this g-d damn game next year".

Then
"As long as I'm the head coach, I want to play Syracuse every year".

He's controlled but pissed and completely honest. I've got a ton of respect for Cooley. Would have been a tremendous adversary if he was in the Big East back in the day. Edit: haha oh wait, he WAS a Big East coach back in the day!

 

[Sherman20]

JB is a hall of famer? He had 43 winning seasons in a row and 5 final fours? He won 26 games his first season?

Are you seriously acting like defending JB is at all comparable?

But defending the JB that was coaching from 2017-2023 and especially 2020-23 is a lot different than the guy who was coaching for the first 40 years of his caeer. That was not the same guy at all. He was not performing at the same level at all, particularly with recruiting and roster building, that got him into the Hall of Fame.

If you love JB so much, you should probably listen to him. Because he wanted Red or Gmac to take over for him. I'm sure he's preaching patience as well.

Again, can you see how your posts have done a 180 and become a lot more critical with Red and this team, while last season you seemed to be asking for patience and pushing back against knee-jerk reactions and negativity? Maybe I'm wrong, but that's how I remember it.

 

[baggerbob]

JB is a hall of famer? He had 43 winning seasons in a row and 5 final fours? He won 26 games his first season?

Are you seriously acting like defending JB is at all comparable?

He also was a bad coach the last 8 years.
He quit putting the time in to recruit, and
Wouldn't change up his defense to try to take away the 3 point shot.
He should have stepped away when he decided, not to spend the time it took to keep the program great.
Red is a first year coach with basically Jim's team.
So go away until after the season is over.

 

[dollarbill44]

If they’re the same now as in March, this team doesn’t win 4 more games. If they’re slightly better they maybe get to .500. That’s not good enough, sorry I don’t give a pass to a guy who got hired over top-quality coaches like you do.

Apparently, you don't give a guy a chance either. Maybe you could not be judgmental for just a few moments per day.

 

[Cuse181]

But defending the JB that was coaching from 2017-2023 and especially 2020-23 is a lot different than the guy who was coaching for the first 40 years of his caeer. That was not the same guy at all. He was not performing at the same level at all, particularly with recruiting and roster building, that got him into the Hall of Fame.

If you love JB so much, you should probably listen to him. Because he wanted Red or Gmac to take over for him. I'm sure he's preaching patience as well.

Again, can you see how your posts have done a 180 and become a lot more critical with Red and this team, while last season you seemed to be asking for patience and pushing back against knee-jerk reactions and negativity? Maybe I'm wrong, but that's how I remember it.

My stance was that a hall of fame head coach, whose contract was rumored to be ending in 2024, should’ve been able to coach it out. I was vehemently against the red hire from the start, I thought it was a bad idea and that a REAL national search should’ve been conducted. As far as his choice for the next coach, i respected his ability to coach HIS teams, I did not believe he should’ve been able to hand pick the next coach because it was obviously going to be one of his assistants who have no business taking over a top tier job. They should’ve gone off somewhere else and learned the ropes first, not on the fly with a historically great program.

 

[Cheriehoop]

That’s the problem, tons of high quality coaches were out there and Syracuse choose an unproven assistant. Coaches would’ve come here if Syracuse even put in a tiny amount of effort.

That’s how JB got his chance isn’t it? Don’t start up with how things were different and we couldn’t have gotten a former head coach back then, we’d done that - Fred Lewis who recruited both Dave Bing and walk on JB was head coach at So Miss and he brought Ray Danforth who had jr college head coaching experience in as his assistant. When Fred was fired, Danforth, was elevated from ass’t to head coach and then hired JB as his only assistant. Sound familiar? Back then college basketball programs even had only one assistant. We thankfully are in fine hands as we have been for over a half a century at SU.

 

[Cuse181]

Apparently, you don't give a guy a chance either. Maybe you could not be judgmental for just a few moments per day.

This is one of the highest paid and most exclusive careers in the country, chances come to very few people and you don’t get to struggle.

Now he has a chance to prove me wrong next Sunday by beating a team who actually has a chance to sniff the tournament through an auto bid.

 

[Cusefan0307]

My stance was that a hall of fame head coach, whose contract was rumored to be ending in 2024, should’ve been able to coach it out. I was vehemently against the red hire from the start, I thought it was a bad idea and that a REAL national search should’ve been conducted. As far as his choice for the next coach, i respected his ability to coach HIS teams, I did not believe he should’ve been able to hand pick the next coach because it was obviously going to be one of his assistants who have no business taking over a top tier job. They should’ve gone off somewhere else and learned the ropes first, not on the fly with a historically great program.

It’s over. Give it up. JB lost to Georgetown 4 times in the past 8 years.

Red is doing fine considering he lost a key player to injury. And our recruiting is already twice of what it was the last few years of JB.

 

[Cuse181]

That’s how JB got his chance isn’t it? Don’t start up with how things were different and we couldn’t have gotten a former head coach back then - Fred Lewis who recruited both Dave Bing and walk on JB was head coach at So Miss and he brought Ray Danforth who had jr college head coaching experience in as his assistant. When Fred was fired, Danforth, was elevated from ass’t to head coach and then hired JB as his only assistant. Sound familiar? Back then college basketball programs even had only one assistant. We thankfully are in fine hands as we have been for over a half a century at SU.

Things were different, not the least of which was the north eastern dominance of basket ball. Beyond that, there were plenty of people upset that JB got the job. Ya know what he did? He went and won 26 games, beat a top 10 team in his first 5 games and made the sweet sixteen to shut up the haters. If red does half of that, he wins me all. All I need to see is the team not fall flat on their face at the first sign of adversity against a tournament team.

 

[Cuse181]

It’s over. Give it up. JB lost to Georgetown 4 times in the past 8 years.

Red is doing fine considering he lost a key player to injury. And our recruiting is already twice of what it was the last few years of JB.

What key player? Chance never played a minute. And as for recruiting, Donnie is a good get, but talent only gets you so far. Coaching needs to be there too. Things like calling a coherent scheme to cover short comings, putting guys in the right position to be successful, getting your stars to make the guys around them better, even when they’re struggling. 10 games in and I can’t say we’ve seen a coherent scheme in a game yet. It’s been guards making shots. Georgetown was carving up Syracuse and had open shots left and right, Syracuse was constantly battling to get even half decent looks.

 

[FrancoPizza]

Thanks for sharing some scoop - who did Red get hired over?

Nobody. That’s the point. Outside candidates were never seriously considered.

 

[Bayside44]

That’s the problem, tons of high quality coaches were out there and Syracuse choose an unproven assistant. Coaches would’ve come here if Syracuse even put in a tiny amount of effort.

So you have no answer then. Tons!

 

[DCUNITED13]

The season is almost 1/3 in, we need Starling to do this on a constant basis, he was a starter last year in the ACC and AA in HS.

Yes, so was Benny Williams. Let’s wait until we make the NCAA till judgement. At least that’s my take.

 

[AlaskaSU]

What key player? Chance never played a minute. And as for recruiting, Donnie is a good get, but talent only gets you so far. Coaching needs to be there too. Things like calling a coherent scheme to cover short comings, putting guys in the right position to be successful, getting your stars to make the guys around them better, even when they’re struggling. 10 games in and I can’t say we’ve seen a coherent scheme in a game yet. It’s been guards making shots. Georgetown was carving up Syracuse and had open shots left and right, Syracuse was constantly battling to get even half decent looks.

Nothing is more important than talent. A pickup team of NBA pros playing without a coach would kill any college team.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

Why is the Starling thread arguments over JB?

Judah is 44% from the 3 point line on the season I don’t think there are any realistic circumstances that see him not turn pro at the end of the year. I think Starling will do great as the lead PG next year.

Not sure if we’ll get regular performances like yesterday from him but I hope so we can do some damage in the ACC if he plays like that.

Miami looks like trash today and getting ran out of the gym by Colorado.

 

[Sbucketball]

Cooley gave lots of praise but also had that edge that tells me this rivalry is going to regain some fire.

 

[tee1222]

Cooley gave lots of praise but also had that edge that tells me this rivalry is going to regain some fire.

Yes.

 

[two3zone]

Sorry to rain on your misery, but Georgetown has one of those top-quality coaches you refer to, and how did they do?
Are you expecting Red to just flip a switch and make us top 20 again? If so, it might be a good idea for you (and this board) to rein them in a little.

Red beat the guy who probably 90% of the board would’ve taken over him.

 

[grepal]

You don’t need to be a weatherman to tell which way the winds blowing and you don’t make plans for tomorrow based on yesterdays weather.

I see the team getting better overall. We need to keep working and improving g to be a successful tourney team. Sounds like we may be getting a little healthier.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Edit: I have no idea how GOOD of a coach, just as much as everyone who calls him the savior don’t know how BAD of a coach he might be. You’re entitled to your opinion to think he’ll be good, I’m allowed to reserve my judgement and assume the worst until he actually proves something.

That's NOT what what you're doing, though. You're not "reserving" anything. You've made your judgement AND are assuming the worst- which totally contradicts what you're saying. You may be right, but what's the rush, dude?
It's really not that hard. Sheesh.

 

[mark79]

I see the team getting better overall. We need to keep working and improving g to be a successful tourney team. Sounds like we may be getting a little healthier.

JJ playing well makes a ton of difference for us as does having a backup center. But also our defense is improving. Still a ways to go, but we’re defending with more intensity. And if we can get additional scoring from Maliq and Quadir, both of who played a lot more aggressively, we got something cooking. Quadir especially seems like the light is turning on as to his role and what he can and cannot do.

 

[Cuse181]

That's NOT what what you're doing, though. You're not "reserving" anything. You've made your judgement AND are assuming the worst- which totally contradicts what you're saying. You may be right, but what's the rush, dude?
It's really not that hard. Sheesh.

That’s 100% what I’m doing. I’m not impressed with him, I’ve voiced that. I’m reserving my judgment of him being a bad coach. I haven’t said he’s a bad coach, I’m saying he isn’t doing a good or impressive job so far. Why does my opinion bother you so much?

 

[Cuse181]

So you have no answer then. Tons!

Ignoring the real problem I see. A national search should’ve been conducted.

 

[Cuse181]

Nothing is more important than talent. A pickup team of NBA pros playing without a coach would kill any college team.

Kentucky has had that for multiple years, several teams with 5+ eventual draft picks. How many championships does Calipari have? One.

 

[DoctorBombay]

That’s 100% what I’m doing. I’m not impressed with him, I’ve voiced that. I’m reserving my judgment of him being a bad coach. I haven’t said he’s a bad coach, I’m saying he isn’t doing a good or impressive job so far. Why does my opinion bother you so much?

Bother? No.
But erroneous, misguided, and ill-formed "opinions" always get my goat.
But you're absolutely right...why bother? Peace.