LOL these guys just cant help themselves

[Cusefaninvirginia]

No, Long Beach State is another one of those games like the Northern Iowa game where we play a good tourney team from the year before that everyone still recognizes, beat the snot out of them, and by the end of the year they are under .500 but no one remembers because it was a "name opponent" at the beginning of the season even though they graduated their best players.

I think you're doing the same thing that a lot of other fans around the country are doing to Syracuse. You're assuming because Long Beach State lost 4 key players from last year that there will be a significant drop off. But if you listen to some of the national analysts, Long Beach State still has a very good chance to win the Big West this year and return to the NCAA tournament again this year. The four key players they lost did not leave early - their coach knew this was coming, and so prepared by adding 4 solid transfers (from West Virginia, Depaul, etc.) and had redshirted a bunch of freshmen to help them step up and contribute right away. I'm not saying this means that they'll necessarily be as good as last year, but all the early indicators suggest this is a solid team that could beat us if we don't take them seriously. And in any case if this is only the 4th or 5th best team we are playing OOC, then that says to me we're playing a pretty respectable OOC schedule.

 

[IthacaMatt]

We play a weak preconference schedule on average guys. Get over it.

Actually, we don't, or else we wouldn't have the RPI that we do every year. While we may not play teams at the very top of each BCS conference, only a few teams out of the entire NCAA pool do. If you go look at the schedules of all the top 25, everyone has 4 or 5 cream puff games, so that they can take a look at new guys and try to build cohesion among their teams.

We play in a pre-season "exempt" tournament every year, just like all the other big teams, except Boeheim doesn't like the long trips because they jet lag your team for a few days afterwards. So our tourneys are always on the East Coast (MSG or nearby).

And if you look at the OOC teams we play, they are usually the top teams from mid-major leagues, or middle-of-the-pack teams from BCS leagues. It's just the right balance because the mid-majors are good teams, many of whom make the NCAA, and provide the equivalent of like a first round NCAA game for us. The middle-of-the-road BCS teams (e.g.. NC State, Georgia Tech) give us a likely win, plus the benefit of the strength of schedule of that BCS league as the season goes on.

There's a reason that our schedule is consistently ranked high. The Big East gives us enough quality games to mimic what teams in smaller leagues have to do to have a tough enough schedule.

Our other tactic has been to not play teams whose RPI is above 150 or so. Having that 200+ rated school really drags down your RPI, so we tend not to do that anymore.

 

[IthacaMatt]

By applying Eamonn Brennan/ESPN theoretical physics we find that games played on aircraft carriers are analogous to games played in the Carrier Dome and games played in Fayetteville, Arkansas are the equivalent of being played in Fayetteville the Syracuse suburb. Thus both are to be considered home games for the Orange and the 1st road game on the schedule is clearly Jan. 6, 2013 at USF.

All aircraft carriers, and by extension all games played at military institutions, are Syracuse home games. And because of our unique relationship with the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, any games attended by the military are SU home games.

Quick, revise the map !!

 

[IthacaMatt]

I don't think the second comment by Brennan was all that bad. First one was a little difference.

We don't play many road games OOC. It's a fact; people are going to harp on it. We can either change it, or just ignore the criticism. (Since it hasn't really hurt us the last few years in seeding or anything like that)

Same as everybody else. Louisville had 20 home games to our 19.

News alert - it's how programs MAKE MONEY.

 

[SmilinBob]

I just think too many "analysts" are just too lazy to look really at mid majors and have to see name teams before they give their ignorant approval.

 

[Knicks411]

Our other tactic has been to not play teams whose RPI is above 150 or so. Having that 200+ rated school really drags down your RPI, so we tend not to do that anymore.

Yeah this is the real departure from the past, and it really helps our SOS numbers. Good job by the staff.

Same as everybody else. Louisville had 20 home games to our 19.

Sure. We just exchange road games for neutral site games. (For as I can tell Louisville played zero neutral site games int he regular season).

Like I said, it is what it is. Our schedule is fine for the computers and the selection committee, which in the end is all that matters. I'd like to see more road games in general, but that's a personal preference and nothing else.

 

[OttoMets]

And beat a Texas tech team coached by Bobby Knight who said after that game "I've never had a team beaten that bad in all my coaching career." Tell that to the little rookie emman.

That's not helping to prove your point.

That was seven years ago. And I don't think there are too many people out there who consider Texas Tech at the Garden to be any kind of special challenge.

 

[OttoMets]

...The middle-of-the-road BCS teams (e.g.. NC State, Georgia Tech) give us a likely win, plus the benefit of the strength of schedule of that BCS league as the season goes on.

There's a reason that our schedule is consistently ranked high. The Big East gives us enough quality games to mimic what teams in smaller leagues have to do to have a tough enough schedule.

Our other tactic has been to not play teams whose RPI is above 150 or so. Having that 200+ rated school really drags down your RPI, so we tend not to do that anymore.

If an opponent is a likely win, that suggests the non-conference schedule is not very strong (if not exactly "weak"). And the RPI thing looks good on paper, but there's no material difference between beating #150 or #330 - neither makes for a strong schedule, each is a team we'll beat by more than 20.

 

[cusetown1]

That's not helping to prove your point.

That was seven years ago. And I don't think there are too many people out there who consider Texas Tech at the Garden to be any kind of special challenge.

I said it because it was a team from a major conference with Bobby Knight as their coach.

 

[dollarbill44]

If an opponent is a likely win, that suggests the non-conference schedule is not very strong (if not exactly "weak"). And the RPI thing looks good on paper, but there's no material difference between beating #150 or #330 - neither makes for a strong schedule, each is a team we'll beat by more than 20.

When you're a legit top 10 team, there are only a handful of games on your full schedule that aren't likely wins, including in-conference. By your logic, Kentucky plays a weak OOC schedule every year.

 

[Knicks411]

When you're a legit top 10 team, there are only a handful of games on your full schedule that aren't likely wins, including in-conference. By your logic, Kentucky plays a weak OOC schedule every year.

I think the point is that playing UNC, Indiana, and Louisville every year, like Kentucky does (actually i think they may not be playing IU this year), is different than playing a schedule with a lot of top 150 teams but not as many elite teams.

As I said that, I looked at UK's schedule, they only play one of those teams this year. But they do play Duke, Baylor, and Notre Dame as well.

Anyway, the point to me, is that I would consider a schedule with a say 3 top 20-25 teams, one at home, one neutral, and one road, and the rest 250+ to be more difficult than one that has a lot of teams ranked from 50-150. The RPI might say differently (and to be fair, that is what matters) but it's just another way to look at it.

 

[PhatOrange]

Syracuse 2 road games:
At San Diego State 11/11
At Arkansas 11/30
At South Florida 1/6/13

Duke 3 road games:
at Kentucky 11/13
at Minnesota 11/22
at Davidson 1/2/13

UNC 3 road games:
At Long Beach 11/16
At Indiana 11/27
At Texas 12/19
At Virginia 1/6/13

Kentucky 2 road games:
At Notre Dame 11/29
At LVille 12/29
At Vandy 1/10/13

Indiana 1 road game:
At Georgia 11/19
At Iowa 12/31

LVille 2 road games:
At Northern Iowa 11/22 (this is a tourney game)
At C of Charleston 12/4
At Memphis 12/15
At Seton Hall 1/9/13

 

[Knicks411]

Just for the record, I don't have much of an issue with the schedule this year. Legit road game vs a solid team, kind of a road game (though it's pretty much all military people who go, no?) vs a good team, and neutral site vs a good team.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

I think the point is that playing UNC, Indiana, and Louisville every year, like Kentucky does (actually i think they may not be playing IU this year), is different than playing a schedule with a lot of top 150 teams but not as many elite teams.

As I said that, I looked at UK's schedule, they only play one of those teams this year. But they do play Duke, Baylor, and Notre Dame as well.

Anyway, the point to me, is that I would consider a schedule with a say 3 top 20-25 teams, one at home, one neutral, and one road, and the rest 250+ to be more difficult than one that has a lot of teams ranked from 50-150. The RPI might say differently (and to be fair, that is what matters) but it's just another way to look at it.

You seem to have fallen for the ESPN made concept of OOC SOS as some type of meaningful metric. You should be comparing UKs overall schedule to SUs overall schedule, without regard to in-conference or out of conference. Until recently, SUs in-conference schedule was brutal, so there was plenty of reason behind the choices of the OOC. Now, when the in-conference is softening up, JB is scheduling harder OOC. There is good reason for UK and Gonzaga to have harder OOCs than SU, and it does not make them heroes for doing so.

 

[CorduroyG]

Who cares, playing an extra road game in november or an extra top 25 team in december ain't gonna make a difference. Its wayyyyy more important how you're playing in feb/march then nov/dec. For selfish reasons it would be exciting to play a kentucky or duke in november, but this idea that it would help us in march or prepare us better for the tourny is bs. The grind of the big east gets us ready for the tourny, not games that took place 4 months ago.

Sent from my SCH-R720 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Knicks411]

You seem to have fallen for the ESPN made concept of OOC SOS as some type of meaningful metric. You should be comparing UKs overall schedule to SUs overall schedule, without regard to in-conference or out of conference. Until recently, SUs in-conference schedule was brutal, so there was plenty of reason behind the choices of the OOC. Now, when the in-conference is softening up, JB is scheduling harder OOC. There is good reason for UK and Gonzaga to have harder OOCs than SU, and it does not make them heroes for doing so.

Considering the selection committee frequently points to non conference SOS as a reason to include/exclude a team from the tournament I don't agree that it's an ESPN created concept.

Who cares, playing an extra road game in november or an extra top 25 team in december ain't gonna make a difference. Its wayyyyy more important how you're playing in feb/march then nov/dec. For selfish reasons it would be exciting to play a kentucky or duke in november, but this idea that it would help us in march or prepare us better for the tourny is bs.

Agreed with this, for the most part. I don't think I've hid the fact that it's more of an personal preference thing for me. As long as we're really good, the non conference SOS thing isn't much of an issue because we're going to make the tournament no matter what.

 

[PoppyHart]

SDSU game is neutral. Sure, it's a long travel, but I don't think we're gonna go up against a throng of screaming students or anything approaching Viejas.

For a team that should have zero worries about making the tourney, I wished we scheduled more like the top teams. If we played Kansas and Ohio State, for example, one road and one home/neutral, and the rest was double directionals, I think that would prepare us better for what we want to achieve (i.e. winning in rounds 4 through 7 of the NCAA), than playing the mid-majors and being overly concerned with rounds 2 and 3.

 

[CorduroyG]

SDSU game is neutral. Sure, it's a long travel, but I don't think we're gonna go up against a throng of screaming students or anything approaching Viejas.

For a team that should have zero worries about making the tourney, I wished we scheduled more like the top teams. If we played Kansas and Ohio State, for example, one road and one home/neutral, and the rest was double directionals, I think that would prepare us better for what we want to achieve (i.e. winning in rounds 4 through 7 of the NCAA), than playing the mid-majors and being overly concerned with rounds 2 and 3.

Poppy in midseason form.

Sent from my SCH-R720 using Tapatalk 2

 

[sandman525]

A minor (yet somewhat important) note is that the NCAA tournament is played at neutral sites. If your goal is to prepare your team for the tourney, wouldn't you rather schedule neutral site games as opposed to road games?

 

[PoppyHart]

Poppy in midseason form.

Sent from my SCH-R720 using Tapatalk 2

You win. SDSU on a decommissioned aircraft carrier/museum in front of 1,500 military officers, local dignitaries, and 1,000 snooty rich folk is about as hostile a place as one can imagine.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

A minor (yet somewhat important) note is that the NCAA tournament is played at neutral sites. If your goal is to prepare your team for the tourney, wouldn't you rather schedule neutral site games as opposed to road games?

I think that SUs OOC strategy will change when we go to the ACC. I think SU will schedule more of the old BE schools and do it in tourney type environments - called away games when possilble. For instance, St Johns in MSG would be in this category. SU may be tempted to play either Seton Hall or Rutgers in the Barclays Center, or Villanova at the Spectrum. I think we may be seeing the last of the playing people out West on a ship, or going into some podunk town in Arkansas. This is a big time Northeastern school and should schedule as such.

UK has already publically stated their revision to thier big game strategy and how they will now only do the big OOCs in neutral sites. I think SU will quietly follow suit.

 

[Knicks411]

You win. SDSU on a decommissioned aircraft carrier/museum in front of 1,500 military officers, local dignitaries, and 1,000 snooty rich folk is about as hostile a place as one can imagine.

Yeah this was my first thought. I assumed it was not going to be like playing Kansas in KC, for instance.

Also, another advantage to playing at home is knowing the court. I assume San Diego State won't be much more familiar with playing on a ship than we are.

A minor (yet somewhat important) note is that the NCAA tournament is played at neutral sites. If your goal is to prepare your team for the tourney, wouldn't you rather schedule neutral site games as opposed to road games?

Think it depends on your team. If your goal is to first make the tournament, you probably need to schedule some road games to make the SOS look better. (this isn't an issue for us right now, of course)

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

We play a weak preconference schedule on average guys. Get over it.

THIS

we play a fairly weak preconf schedule and basically stay at home as much as humanly possible every year. What's the big deal? Embrace it...own it. We are......SU!

 

[OttoMets]

I think the point is that playing UNC, Indiana, and Louisville every year, like Kentucky does (actually i think they may not be playing IU this year), is different than playing a schedule with a lot of top 150 teams but not as many elite teams.

As I said that, I looked at UK's schedule, they only play one of those teams this year. But they do play Duke, Baylor, and Notre Dame as well.

Anyway, the point to me, is that I would consider a schedule with a say 3 top 20-25 teams, one at home, one neutral, and one road, and the rest 250+ to be more difficult than one that has a lot of teams ranked from 50-150. The RPI might say differently (and to be fair, that is what matters) but it's just another way to look at it.

That's what I'm saying.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I think the point is that playing UNC, Indiana, and Louisville every year, like Kentucky does (actually i think they may not be playing IU this year), is different than playing a schedule with a lot of top 150 teams but not as many elite teams.

As I said that, I looked at UK's schedule, they only play one of those teams this year. But they do play Duke, Baylor, and Notre Dame as well.

Anyway, the point to me, is that I would consider a schedule with a say 3 top 20-25 teams, one at home, one neutral, and one road, and the rest 250+ to be more difficult than one that has a lot of teams ranked from 50-150. The RPI might say differently (and to be fair, that is what matters) but it's just another way to look at it.

That's what our pre-season tournaments are for, although the last couple have been lesser opponents, IMO. Three OOC games against ranked opponents is more than all but 3 or 4 teams play against in the pre-season. And the teams that do load up, when they're from the SEC, they almost have to do it to be considered serious on the national stage, because Kentucky or Florida have less quality opposition during their regular season than the other power conferences do.