Melo - Jeremy McNeil | Page 2 | Syracusefan.com

Melo - Jeremy McNeil

McNeil was one of my favorite players! It seems like he was good for 5 blocks, 5 fouls in 5 minutes.
My favorite McNeil moment was his senior day against UConn (an electric win for us). He was self conscious about not having any family to join him since his Mom passed away. The team walked out with him and the Dome gave him a long thunderous standing ovation.
 
I think you can. If a dude transfers in from a successful program and he is a true alpha. He can come in and instill that toughness even though he is a newcomer, also.

I think that’s very hard to do without a “we.”

McNeil was telling Melo, this is how WE do things here. This is what it takes to be a part of THIS programs. Etc.

I don’t know that a gun-for-hire transfer will carry as much weight. By their nature, winning a title is not #1 on the to-do list for transfers. The reality is that transfers transferred for themselves. Now, that doesn’t mean they’re indifferent to winning, but it does bring in to question how motivated they would be to make the guys around them better.

McNeil was not going to be an NBA player. He knew that. Winning a college title was going to be his Mt. Everest. He needed to make sure the freshmen were up to speed in a hurry if that was going to happen. You don’t get guys like McNeil in the transfer portal, imo. The guys leaving small schools for bigger schools are doing it for the exposure. The guys transferring from big school to big school are doing it for playing time or a different coach (or just straight up for cash). Guys transferring down are doing it for playing time. They’re all competitors and will want to win because that’s why athletes are athletes, but I think we’re talking about that something extra, something special. And I think that’s going to be a rarity among upperclassmen transfers.
 
I think that’s very hard to do without a “we.”

McNeil was telling Melo, this is how WE do things here. This is what it takes to be a part of THIS programs. Etc.

I don’t know that a gun-for-hire transfer will carry as much weight. By their nature, winning a title is not #1 on the to-do list for transfers. The reality is that transfers transferred for themselves. Now, that doesn’t mean they’re indifferent to winning, but it does bring in to question how motivated they would be to make the guys around them better.

McNeil was not going to be an NBA player. He knew that. Winning a college title was going to be his Mt. Everest. He needed to make sure the freshmen were up to speed in a hurry if that was going to happen. You don’t get guys like McNeil in the transfer portal, imo. The guys leaving small schools for bigger schools are doing it for the exposure. The guys transferring from big school to big school are doing it for playing time or a different coach (or just straight up for cash). Guys transferring down are doing it for playing time. They’re all competitors and will want to win because that’s why athletes are athletes, but I think we’re talking about that something extra, something special. And I think that’s going to be a rarity among upperclassmen transfers.
While there is a lot of truth as to why guys leave for smaller schools, guys transfer from big school to big school, and transferring down...a lot of it is the NIL too.
 
My favorite McNeil moment was his senior day against UConn (an electric win for us). He was self conscious about not having any family to join him since his Mom passed away. The team walked out with him and the Dome gave him a long thunderous standing ovation.
That brought tears, and I am not ashamed to say it.
Also, the 2 FTs against Pitt.
 
That's why I hate the talking point that we only won the title because of Melo. If our whole team is Melo, then we get bounced in the 2nd round and have zero titles. McNeil/Pace/Edelin won that game.
2003 Championship Game:

Anthony - 20
McNamara - 18
Edelin - 12
Duany - 11
Pace - 8
Warrick - 6
Forth - 6
McNeil - 0
 
2003 Championship Game:

Anthony - 20
McNamara - 18
Edelin - 12
Duany - 11
Pace - 8
Warrick - 6
Forth - 6
McNeil - 0
And Gerry got all 18 in the first half before injuring his hand.
 
2003 Championship Game:

Anthony - 20
McNamara - 18
Edelin - 12
Duany - 11
Pace - 8
Warrick - 6
Forth - 6
McNeil - 0
gerry had all his points in the 1st half. carmelo was held scoreless the last 13 minutes.
 
That's why I hate the talking point that we only won the title because of Melo. If our whole team is Melo, then we get bounced in the 2nd round and have zero titles. McNeil/Pace/Edelin won that game.
It would still be a lame talking point even if it were true. Like why is JB the only natty winner not allowed to have a great player.
 
My favorite McNeil moment was his senior day against UConn (an electric win for us). He was self conscious about not having any family to join him since his Mom passed away. The team walked out with him and the Dome gave him a long thunderous standing ovation.
My recollection:

McNeil walked slowly onto the court, looking uncomfortable. He was alone for a couple of seconds. Then Forth headed out to join him. The rest of the team followed. A great moment.
 
gerry had all his points in the 1st half. carmelo was held scoreless the last 13 minutes.
IIRC, Carmelo tweaked his back in the second half and wasn’t 100% for the latter part of the game. It was the injury he sustained when Foreign Dude from Oklahoma blindsided him into the table during the Elite Eight game. Not only was that an intentional foul (which the refs completely missed) that deserved an ejection, but I’m convinced to this day that Sampson sanctioned the hit deliberately.
 
And Gerry got all 18 in the first half before injuring his hand.
Is that why he was running away from the ball when Kansas was looking to foul
 
Is that why he was running away from the ball when Kansas was looking to foul
Hmm - GMac was on the bench at the end of that game. He was taken out to get more height on the perimeter defensively after GMac was screened at the top of key and Heinrich got off a 3 that thankfully rattled out. Watch the interview below at around the 22:30 mark. Plus you think that Kansas was that dumb to be looking at purposely fouling one of the best foul shooters not just on the team but in the nation? Billy E. was handling the ball at the end of the game.
 
Hmm - GMac was on the bench at the end of that game. He was taken out to get more height on the perimeter defensively after GMac was screened at the top of key and Heinrich got off a 3 that thankfully rattled out. Watch the interview below at around the 22:30 mark. Plus you think that Kansas was that dumb to be looking at purposely fouling one of the best foul shooters not just on the team but in the nation? Billy E. was handling the ball at the end of the game.
I'm referring to before the final defensive series. This is the part of the game I'm talking about. Multiple times Packer is talking about GMac not demanding the ball or giving it up too quick as the best FT shooter.

 
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I'm referring to before the final defensive series. This is the part of the game I'm talking about. Multiple times Packer is talking about GMac not demanding the ball or giving it up too quick as the best FT shooter.


I didn’t see Gmac run away from anything. He went king a couple times but that’s it. In bounds passes after a Kansas basket he went to the ball and in fact got it a couple times. But it was also obvious what SUs plan was and that was to get the ball into Melos hands who had Collison on him with no risk of the ball being knocked away.
 
I didn’t see Gmac run away from anything. He went king a couple times but that’s it. In bounds passes after a Kansas basket he went to the ball and in fact got it a couple times. But it was also obvious what SUs plan was and that was to get the ball into Melos hands who had Collison on him with no risk of the ball being knocked away.
And it worked - Collison fouled out right towards the end of the game.
 
I'm referring to before the final defensive series. This is the part of the game I'm talking about. Multiple times Packer is talking about GMac not demanding the ball or giving it up too quick as the best FT shooter.

That’s a critique on Boeheim who is making the calls, not McNamara.
 

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