No excuses for this years mediocre product

[capeorange]

Study shows most valuable men’s, women’s college basketball programs

A new study shows the Univ. of North Carolina men’s basketball team has the highest valuation in the sport at $378M.

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com

Not many other programs have the earning potential in basketball Syracuse has when we are putting out a good product.

This would make it appear that we really can afford a good coach.

 

[nyucuse]

This would make it appear that we really can afford a good coach.

Maybe I am an optimist but I think JW being the businessman that he is, will go all in on restoring our flagship program to a state of glory. He knows full well how important a competitive, top tier men's hoops program is to the University, and what SU is most associated with. And it will not be lost on him how important it is to the bottom line. He has alluded to the fact that BB is more important to SU than to other P4 programs given our history, the dome capacity revenue potential, etc

 

[Chip]

I'll stand on an island if need be that Donnie would make a difference.

If/when he comes back (sounds like he will), if he doesn't make a difference, I'll own it.

End of the day though, it doesn't matter. We don't make the tournament, we have to move on. And I think we will. Same guy having the same injury might have changed results, but it's not a job saving excuse.

 

[Dick_in_MI]

I'll stand on an island if need be that Donnie would make a difference.

If/when he comes back (sounds like he will), if he doesn't make a difference, I'll own it.

End of the day though, it doesn't matter. We don't make the tournament, we have to move on. And I think we will. Same guy having the same injury might have changed results, but it's not a job saving excuse.

I’m on that island with you Chip, and I agree with the whole post.

 

[FrancoPizza]

I'll stand on an island if need be that Donnie would make a difference.

If/when he comes back (sounds like he will), if he doesn't make a difference, I'll own it.

End of the day though, it doesn't matter. We don't make the tournament, we have to move on. And I think we will. Same guy having the same injury might have changed results, but it's not a job saving excuse.

Right. It's only a job-saving excuse if ADJW never planned to fire him in the first place.

 

[LAorange44]

“The freshmen need more time…..” Get ready for it….

 

[Nicknack]

I’m on that island with you Chip, and I agree with the whole post.

Who isn't on that island? Donnie coming back will certainly make a big difference. The question is how much of a difference and how many more bad losses before that happens.

 

[tptcuse]

I'll stand on an island if need be that Donnie would make a difference.

If/when he comes back (sounds like he will), if he doesn't make a difference, I'll own it.

End of the day though, it doesn't matter. We don't make the tournament, we have to move on. And I think we will. Same guy having the same injury might have changed results, but it's not a job saving excuse.

I completely agree with you about Donnie and the difference he would make if healthy. We would have at least one more win.

The problem is the coach shoots himself in the foot by not being any better at his job than he was last season. The only thing that he can be credited with is a better defense.

Horrific FT shooting, random substitution patterns, no discernible offensive scheme, zero 2026 recruits at this point, didn’t add an assistant coach, bad situational awareness, and god-awful press appearances.

A lot of us hope to be proven wrong because he’s clearly a good person but it’s not looking good.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I completely agree with you about Donnie and the difference he would make if healthy. We would have at least one more win.

The problem is the coach shoots himself in the foot by not being any better at his job than he was last season. The only thing that he can be credited with is a better defense.

Horrific FT shooting, random substitution patterns, no discernible offensive scheme, zero 2026 recruits at this point, didn’t add an assistant coach, bad situational awareness, and god-awful press appearances.

A lot of us hope to be proven wrong because he’s clearly a good person but it’s not looking good.

One or two more wins is only part of it. Our subpar play since Tennessee has killed our efficiency metrics. We needed to blow out the previous 3 opponents. And instead are 2-1 with a plus margin of 24 total.

 

[tptcuse]

One or two more wins is only part of it. Our subpar play since Tennessee has killed our efficiency metrics. We needed to blow out the previous 3 opponents. And instead are 2-1 with a plus margin of 24 total.

My response was specific to Donnie. I think those things would have also been better.

 

[Cusefan0307]

My response was specific to Donnie. I think those things would have also been better.

I just don’t understand how we can beat Tennessee without him and look like complete garbage the following 3 games.

 

[sufan59]

I just don’t understand how we can beat Tennessee without him and look like complete garbage the following 3 games.

They talk a lot about how they can't have them, but they still do.

 

[RF2044]

I just don’t understand how we can beat Tennessee without him and look like complete garbage the following 3 games.

Agreed.

I'll also add that earlier in the year, the team defense seemed outstanding -- something the team could collectively hang their hats on. What happened post-Tennessee to our defensive play? We went from looking elite to not being able to slow down the likes of Hofstra and Mercyhurst.

 

[sufan59]

Agreed.

I'll also add that earlier in the year, the team defense seemed outstanding -- something the team could collectively hang their hats on. What happened post-Tennessee to our defensive play? We went from looking elite to not being able to slow down the likes of Hofstra and Mercyhurst.

 

[007]

It took a minute for this to register for me, but well done sufan59

 

[Orangezoo]

Agreed.

I'll also add that earlier in the year, the team defense seemed outstanding -- something the team could collectively hang their hats on. What happened post-Tennessee to our defensive play? We went from looking elite to not being able to slow down the likes of Hofstra and Mercyhurst.

If you watch the Houston game we looked overly prepared while then far less so vs Kansas. Felt the same vs Tennessee then seeing St Joes and Hofstra. Mercyhurst just looked like a team lacking motivation and tactics.

To me it’s the staff overthinking on the job trying to focus on specific matchups to get those wins vs having a philosophy to get the win. Some of this is not having Donnie but overall it looks to me just a staff that lacks confidence and commitment to an approach.

 

[Newhouser]

Agreed.

I'll also add that earlier in the year, the team defense seemed outstanding -- something the team could collectively hang their hats on. What happened post-Tennessee to our defensive play? We went from looking elite to not being able to slow down the likes of Hofstra and Mercyhurst.

People scout. See our weakness and counter. Mercyhurst I'm sure said "run our stuff and they'll lose the will to guard" . They were right.

 

[McCuse]

I completely agree with you about Donnie and the difference he would make if healthy. We would have at least one more win.

The problem is the coach shoots himself in the foot by not being any better at his job than he was last season. The only thing that he can be credited with is a better defense.

Horrific FT shooting, random substitution patterns, no discernible offensive scheme, zero 2026 recruits at this point, didn’t add an assistant coach, bad situational awareness, and god-awful press appearances.

A lot of us hope to be proven wrong because he’s clearly a good person but it’s not looking good.

And like.someone else said on a different thread, if we had made "most" of our free throws we would have 3 or 4 more wins. Sad but true.

 

[RedtheGOB]

I just don’t understand how we can beat Tennessee without him and look like complete garbage the following 3 games.

My take is that he has been trying to improve the offense in practice instead of just spending all the time on defense. Makes sense.

However I’m confident saying that he can’t run an effective offense with the # of subs he’s making all the time not even considering several guys are not buying in on offense + does he know what he’s really doing, prob not. Maybe it helps the defense to stay fresh but at what cost. The guys clearly hate all the subbing especially George.

We are now seeing teams tighten their lineups and make sure their best backcourt and best frontcourt guy are on the floor 37+ mins a game. We don’t have a guy averaging over 30 mins a game and just like us we can’t make any sense of who’s coming and going off the bench. It’s killing them and us ha.

 

[McCuse]

Maybe I am an optimist but I think JW being the businessman that he is, will go all in on restoring our flagship program to a state of glory. He knows full well how important a competitive, top tier men's hoops program is to the University, and what SU is most associated with. And it will not be lost on him how important it is to the bottom line. He has alluded to the fact that BB is more important to SU than to other P4 programs given our history, the dome capacity revenue potential, etc

We can only hope.

 

[Anstza]

I completely agree with you about Donnie and the difference he would make if healthy. We would have at least one more win.

The problem is the coach shoots himself in the foot by not being any better at his job than he was last season. The only thing that he can be credited with is a better defense.

Horrific FT shooting, random substitution patterns, no discernible offensive scheme, zero 2026 recruits at this point, didn’t add an assistant coach, bad situational awareness, and god-awful press appearances.

A lot of us hope to be proven wrong because he’s clearly a good person but it’s not looking good.

FT shooting beyond horrific. Literally the worst. These guys should be shooting free throws on their own. If it takes a thousand a day so be it.

 

[Scooch]

I'll stand on an island if need be that Donnie would make a difference.

If/when he comes back (sounds like he will), if he doesn't make a difference, I'll own it.

End of the day though, it doesn't matter. We don't make the tournament, we have to move on. And I think we will. Same guy having the same injury might have changed results, but it's not a job saving excuse.

I thought we agreed that the “we’re better off without Freeman” crowd was certifiable?

Of course we’ll be better with him. Let’s hope he comes back for ACC season and has 15-16 wins in him.

 

[AZOrange]

My take is that he has been trying to improve the offense in practice instead of just spending all the time on defense. Makes sense.

However I’m confident saying that he can’t run an effective offense with the # of subs he’s making all the time not even considering several guys are not buying in on offense + does he know what he’s really doing, prob not. Maybe it helps the defense to stay fresh but at what cost. The guys clearly hate all the subbing especially George.

We are now seeing teams tighten their lineups and make sure their best backcourt and best frontcourt guy are on the floor 37+ mins a game. We don’t have a guy averaging over 30 mins a game and just like us we can’t make any sense of who’s coming and going off the bench. It’s killing them and us ha.

Been saying the sub patterns have been really weird for awhile now…

 

[AZOrange]

There is no other team in basketball that starts their offense 95% of the time with their center outside the 3 point line. Literally none. And then that center tries to run the guard defender and misses 100% of the time.