Miami Post Game

[Scooch]

We lost to a horrible team that was 1-11 against the worst ACC in decades.

There's no need to argue about what specifically is wrong. EVERYTHING is wrong. This whole program is a tire fire inside a dumpster fire inside a sinking ship.

 

[charleston]

who cares anymore? I turned Netflix on at halftime after watching them not play defense...10 dollar Duke tickets sums it up!

 

[MamesJungro]

I’m glad we have a guy running money ball analytics on 15 year olds to make sure they find players who can “move their feet laterally” and “shoot”

 

[OCESIP]

Most everyone can agree that good defense requires effort, plus a level of athleticism to go along with that. SU's defensive shortfall probably reflects a deficiency in both areas, but more on the effort side than the athletic side.

There are multiple reasons why a player isn't motivated to put forth the effort. Coaching is certainly a factor, but I believe it all ultimately resides with the player and his mindset.

Lack of effort or even total disinterest is magnified in today's portal environment, especially when it's compounded with a losing program and a fragmented locker room. For me, there's very little pride in players putting on the uniform. It's a business, and when you're not happy you move on to another employer and hope for the best.

 

[Newhouser]

If we don't make the ACC tournament and still keep Red for another year, it will be a big national story and will inflict severe damage on the Syracuse basketball brand. Additionally, it will communicate loudly to possible future coaching candidates the lack of commitment to excellence at Syracuse University, and this will be a less appealing job than it would have 2-3 years ago. I don't think making the ACC tournament is the standard we should be striving for - but it would avoid the worst possibly media scrutiny.

We're going to make it, but...I'll be honest, I've been borderline rooting against Syracuse hoping they would not make the ACC tournament. Because I couldn't see any viable way to keep Red as coach if that happened - and if they did keep him, it would be a clear sign to me to just stop paying any attention to Syracuse basketball because the University had thrown in the towel.

Keeping or firing Red won't be a big national story - we are no longer news in the world of college hoops.

That game last night was an embarrassment to both schools and the league and the ACCN.

 

[AcAndAc]

Keeping or firing Red won't be a big national story - we are no longer news in the world of college hoops.

That game last night was an embarrassment to both schools and the league and the ACCN.

Certain firings sometimes intrigue lawyers though...

 

[AcAndAc]

I'm now at the acceptance stage. The final stage of sports grief.

The final stage is going beyond apathy to disgust.

 

[capeorange]

Correct. It’s like they aren’t phased and don’t take it personally at all

I think Red needs to change his evaluation criteria and look more at the kids personality, mental toughness and family background. Has the player been held accountable by family and coaches or has he bounced around from team to team and had everything handed to him or excused? We've been soft for the past 10 years or so. I hated Payton Siva but he was relentless and his attitude may have surpassed his skill. We need more mentally disciplined and tough players.

 

[bnoro]

who cares anymore? I turned Netflix on at halftime after watching them not play defense...10 dollar Duke tickets sums it up!

I haven't watched a game since January. Why waste my time?

 

[JKinUtah]

Anyone still watching this team either needs a medal or a lobotomy. I've been watching for 40+ years though some good times and some bad, but this season is intolerable.

 

[Fly Rodder]

SU won the offensive rebound battle 10-3 but Miami had the same second chance point total (12-12).

Miami was the better team in pretty much every other facet.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

There is nothing about this team that indicates they are using analytics for anything. I’m not even sure they pay attention to the score.

That's brutal but I think you're right. There's been a weird lack of urgency when we face plant at the start of games.

 

[Ozone!]

Well, that game was a real downer!​

We were unable to stop Miami from scoring while going on long spurts without scoring and this game is one we could have won if we played our best!

 

[Cusefan95]

Keeping or firing Red won't be a big national story - we are no longer news in the world of college hoops.

That game last night was an embarrassment to both schools and the league and the ACCN.

Not making the ACC Tournament would ABSOLUTELY be a national story. Keeping a coach after that would signal to insiders that Syracuse had completely given up on basketball.

I don’t think keeping or firing Red would be a story. Agree - literally nobody nationally cares. Barely anyone does locally. The entire point is that missing the ACC tournament is the only relevant story left for Syracuse that could spur a program change.

 

[sufan59]

When you see my posts overtime you can see the swing of emotions. I really try to be an optimist and reasonable like not wanting complete roster turnover with the same coach for next season for the sake of development of the coach. But sometimes you got to take a step back and just state the obvious, We Messed Up. End of story. We were messing up with decisions as it pertains to the basketball program the decade before hiring Autry and we’re still messing up now. I really don’t know how we’re going to get the donors on board to fund the Autry portal upgrades this off season that we hear about. Even if we do get the donors on board, we are still fighting an uphill battle actually getting these players to campus because we are looking less attractive as a program each day that passes by. We all know that investment is needed, but a game like last night makes it much more difficult for people to want to invest in the current version of this program.

 

[jimb]

Anyone still watching this team either needs a medal or a lobotomy. I've been watching for 40+ years though some good times and some bad, but this season is intolerable.

Would you believe 59 years -- From watching the amazing Dave Bing and a skinny guard with glasses play in Manley to this. Quite a let down.

 

[oldpinepoint]

I haven't watched a game since January. Why waste my time?

Same, I have better things to do.

 

[Chip]

I haven't watched a game since January. Why waste my time?

I've basically been the same way. But all kid activities were canceled here last night for snow, so I decided to watch the game. Figured I could enjoy a win.

Welp.

 

[M2MPrinciples]

I've seen a couple national media folks say that the programs that start operating like NBA teams where the GM builds the roster and the coach coaches will be the most successful. That's probably a little too simplistic (in part because it's going to be difficult for SU/Red to be attractive to kids looking to improve their draft stock), but I'm intrigued.

 

[jdubs30]

I've seen a couple national media folks say that the programs that start operating like NBA teams where the GM builds the roster and the coach coaches will be the most successful. That's probably a little too simplistic (in part because it's going to be difficult for SU/Red to be attractive to kids looking to improve their draft stock), but I'm intrigued.

In an environment like that, Reds only strength (his recruiting) would be less important. Give me the best Xs and Os + culture guy; recruiting be damned

 

[miamicuse]

I live in Fort Lauderdale and bought tickets to the game, but decided against going because I couldn't bear to watch that dumpster fire. I asked around at the office to give them away and no takers. I think the turning point is I don't even get mad at poor plays anymore, I kind of expect them, this is no longer fun.

This team, how they play, how they perform, how they defend, how they have no move, no counter move, no adjustment, is a reflection of Red. "We talked about defense..." in February is comical.

 

[Fly Rodder]

In an environment like that, Reds only strength (his recruiting) would be less important. Give me the best Xs and Os + culture guy; recruiting be damned

I don't even know if recruiting is that great. Outside of Freeman (Straughn) and Sadiq (Straughn). Kiyan is a legacy recruit, and frankly, I think any coach at SU could have landed him. Last year's portal recruits were underwhelming and he missed on a bunch of them. Also missed on a bunch of PGs for 2026 including a pretty good one in our backyard.

 

[hoopsupstate]

My biggest concern is SU a desirable destination for portal kids? We will have to overwhelm with money to get a sniff. I’m not sure we can do that. They may target a bunch of players, but will any of them see Syracuse as a place they want to go play?

 

[phreddie]

I’m not sure why everyone is so enamored with us making the ACC tournament. We won’t win a game if we make it. It just makes the agony last for another week. We’ve never won two games in the ACC tournament in the same year since we joined this conference. We have never been a factor in the conference since we joined. Even the first year when we started 25-0 we ended up losing four of our last six regular season games. We’re a big reason why this conference is going down the crapper in basketball.

If we do make the ACC tourney, can we decline the invitation?

 

[orangecuse]

"There's no such thing as an off day defensively."
-Bryan Hodgson

On that premise, this is a quote from an from an NBA head coach (which I've posted before) whose defense had been the best the past two seasons. And, this year has a different and consistently bottom dweller team in the league, currently sitting in an above play-in game playoff spot.

"If you want to win and win in this league at the level that we hope to, you can't do it if you don't guard. And defense comes down to the effort you're willing to put in. The second effort, the third effort, the fourth effort that you're willing to put in. And right now, we don't have enough guys that are putting in the second, third and fourth effort."

Defense, first and foremost is mindset, just as Bulldog's post showing Frank Martin's comment on same. And, in regards to athleticism or lack thereof, a P4 level program, especially one of SU's stature, should rarely, if ever, make such an EXCUSE of it being a factor, let alone it being a significant one.

As several other posters have indicated, this has NOTHING to do with NIL. The usual suspects can continue to make these lame arse EXCUSES, just as the SAME did in blaming those sanctions of being the proximate cause of our issues back then.