On "being wrong"

[Flacusian]

It was only 9 days ago that I settled in to watch the team that among all of the sports world I love the most and have subjected my emotions to pretty much 365 days a year. Once the season ends I just switch gears and try to dig up every morsel of info as to which high school kids we might get, who's coming back, who's testing the NBA waters... well, those who are of similar ilk know exactly what I'm talking about.
Being a Syracuse Basketball fanatic, in my opinion, is unique in many ways when compared to fans of other programs. The things that make us unique are too numerous to completely enumerate here. But to provide some facts to substantiate my opinion, here are a few. The program's identity is wrapped around a defensive strategy that is emblematic of the team and program itself. You mention Syracuse Basketball... and in the same breath you mention the 2-3 zone and the Genius who has perfected it and stubbornly lives or dies by it... Jim Boeheim, who by the way for many is the only coach they have ever seen coaching the Orange. In fact... name another major program who has had the same coach for as many seasons as Syracuse.
Name another program which is as far north as Syracuse... that has had any modicum of success equal to Syracuse. (ok for the sake of heading off the skeptics... Storrs is 41.8 and Syracuse is 43.08 and having grown up in Ct. I can assure you Cuse gets WAY more snow) From a recruiting standpoint being the equivalent of Santa's workshop doesn't qualify Cuse an inviting climate .

So enough of that. ( you can see how hard it is for me to admit I'm wrong) Another fact is that after the loss to G. Tech. I pop into the board here and decide, like many, I can no longer tolerate watching us lose games and seem to have the complete inability ro run anything other than the pick and roll and seem to struggle to score more than 50 or 60 points. The love of the program starts to work against me at that point and I allow the "E" to take over the "I" . Emotion over intellect. Yes, I know you can argue that by allowing this to happen there isn't a lot of intellect present in the first place.

So, I'll cut to the chase. I WAS WRONG. I was very wrong. Entertaining crazy thoughts like the game has passed JB by is compete and utter insanity. All the " recent fluke final 4 appearances have masked the fact that Cuse is a program in decline" are flat out wrong. 48 hours later we were hanging loss around the necks of the #1 Blue Devils, Away, and after finding ourselves down 12 - zip... this team, this Syracuse team who many had already relegated to being careening toward an NIT type season at best, began to find itself, began to become the vision that JB has for this group of kids.

Wow... I had just been treated to what will become one of the most memorable games over the stretch of my CuseBB fandom. and I'm not a kid anymore... I've been watching this program for 45 years with uninterrupted intensity. I had been wrong about this team. Dead wrong. And wrong about JB. I had committed the greatest sin that a true die hard fan could commit.
I had begun to doubt... I had lost faith. I had let a few early season head shaking losses get me to throw in with the naysayers.

I had drawn conclusions based on limited evidence and perhaps worst of all, I had doubted that this group of kids didn't have what it takes to dig down individually and surrender themselves to the team... and never quit.

I'm glad I was wrong. I was very wrong. Tip of the hat to all of the kids on the team and to JB... who I should never doubt.

 

[Eric15]

It was only 9 days ago that I settled in to watch the team that among all of the sports world I love the most and have subjected my emotions to pretty much 365 days a year. Once the season ends I just switch gears and try to dig up every morsel of info as to which high school kids we might get, who's coming back, who's testing the NBA waters... well, those who are of similar ilk know exactly what I'm talking about.
Being a Syracuse Basketball fanatic, in my opinion, is unique in many ways when compared to fans of other programs. The things that make us unique are too numerous to completely enumerate here. But to provide some facts to substantiate my opinion, here are a few. The program's identity is wrapped around a defensive strategy that is emblematic of the team and program itself. You mention Syracuse Basketball... and in the same breath you mention the 2-3 zone and the Genius who has perfected it and stubbornly lives or dies by it... Jim Boeheim, who by the way for many is the only coach they have ever seen coaching the Orange. In fact... name another major program who has had the same coach for as many seasons as Syracuse.
Name another program which is as far north as Syracuse... that has had any modicum of success equal to Syracuse. (ok for the sake of heading off the skeptics... Storrs is 41.8 and Syracuse is 43.08 and having grown up in Ct. I can assure you Cuse gets WAY more snow) From a recruiting standpoint being the equivalent of Santa's workshop doesn't qualify Cuse an inviting climate .

So enough of that. ( you can see how hard it is for me to admit I'm wrong) Another fact is that after the loss to G. Tech. I pop into the board here and decide, like many, I can no longer tolerate watching us lose games and seem to have the complete inability ro run anything other than the pick and roll and seem to struggle to score more than 50 or 60 points. The love of the program starts to work against me at that point and I allow the "E" to take over the "I" . Emotion over intellect. Yes, I know you can argue that by allowing this to happen there isn't a lot of intellect present in the first place.

So, I'll cut to the chase. I WAS WRONG. I was very wrong. Entertaining crazy thoughts like the game has passed JB by is compete and utter insanity. All the " recent fluke final 4 appearances have masked the fact that Cuse is a program in decline" are flat out wrong. 48 hours later we were hanging loss around the necks of the #1 Blue Devils, Away, and after finding ourselves down 12 - zip... this team, this Syracuse team who many had already relegated to being careening toward an NIT type season at best, began to find itself, began to become the vision that JB has for this group of kids.

Wow... I had just been treated to what will become one of the most memorable games over the stretch of my CuseBB fandom. and I'm not a kid anymore... I've been watching this program for 45 years with uninterrupted intensity. I had been wrong about this team. Dead wrong. And wrong about JB. I had committed the greatest sin that a true die hard fan could commit.
I had begun to doubt... I had lost faith. I had let a few early season head shaking losses get me to throw in with the naysayers.

I had drawn conclusions based on limited evidence and perhaps worst of all, I had doubted that this group of kids didn't have what it takes to dig down individually and surrender themselves to the team... and never quit.

I'm glad I was wrong. I was very wrong. Tip of the hat to all of the kids on the team and to JB... who I should never doubt.

I’m not sure I follow your logic. Most of the people who are frustrated with the program are basing their thoughts on five calendar years of data points. How is that limited evidence? Isn’t deciding you were “wrong” based on a single game result actually the “limited evidence” in this equation?

 

[Flacusian]

I’m not sure I follow your logic. Most of the people who are frustrated with the program are basing their thoughts on five calendar years of data points. How is that limited evidence? Isn’t deciding you were “wrong” based on a single game result actually the “limited evidence” in this equation?

Actually, no, I don’t believe it is. It’s vastly more important how a team performs at the end of the year than the earlier part of the season. The season provides the opportunity to develop the team and the talent of the individual players into something greater than the sum of its individual parts. Syracuse does not even begin to compete with the recruiting success of many other programs and yet... there they are finding themselves going deep in the tournament. Part of the genius of James Boeheim is that he has consistently done more with less and his commitment to the zone is the centerpiece of how he has done so much, with less, for so long. And, it isn’t just one game I’m basing my observation on. Perhaps you haven’t noticed but this team is on a pretty good winning streak, save for the GT game. I am seeing increasing evidence that we are witnessing the emergence of what is going to be a very formidable team in March

 

[Eric15]

I am seeing increasing evidence that we are witnessing the emergence of what is going to be a very formidable team in March

I would love nothing more than for you to be right about this.

 

[supp]

It was only 9 days ago that I settled in to watch the team that among all of the sports world I love the most and have subjected my emotions to pretty much 365 days a year. Once the season ends I just switch gears and try to dig up every morsel of info as to which high school kids we might get, who's coming back, who's testing the NBA waters... well, those who are of similar ilk know exactly what I'm talking about.
Being a Syracuse Basketball fanatic, in my opinion, is unique in many ways when compared to fans of other programs. The things that make us unique are too numerous to completely enumerate here. But to provide some facts to substantiate my opinion, here are a few. The program's identity is wrapped around a defensive strategy that is emblematic of the team and program itself. You mention Syracuse Basketball... and in the same breath you mention the 2-3 zone and the Genius who has perfected it and stubbornly lives or dies by it... Jim Boeheim, who by the way for many is the only coach they have ever seen coaching the Orange. In fact... name another major program who has had the same coach for as many seasons as Syracuse.
Name another program which is as far north as Syracuse... that has had any modicum of success equal to Syracuse. (ok for the sake of heading off the skeptics... Storrs is 41.8 and Syracuse is 43.08 and having grown up in Ct. I can assure you Cuse gets WAY more snow) From a recruiting standpoint being the equivalent of Santa's workshop doesn't qualify Cuse an inviting climate .

So enough of that. ( you can see how hard it is for me to admit I'm wrong) Another fact is that after the loss to G. Tech. I pop into the board here and decide, like many, I can no longer tolerate watching us lose games and seem to have the complete inability ro run anything other than the pick and roll and seem to struggle to score more than 50 or 60 points. The love of the program starts to work against me at that point and I allow the "E" to take over the "I" . Emotion over intellect. Yes, I know you can argue that by allowing this to happen there isn't a lot of intellect present in the first place.

So, I'll cut to the chase. I WAS WRONG. I was very wrong. Entertaining crazy thoughts like the game has passed JB by is compete and utter insanity. All the " recent fluke final 4 appearances have masked the fact that Cuse is a program in decline" are flat out wrong. 48 hours later we were hanging loss around the necks of the #1 Blue Devils, Away, and after finding ourselves down 12 - zip... this team, this Syracuse team who many had already relegated to being careening toward an NIT type season at best, began to find itself, began to become the vision that JB has for this group of kids.

Wow... I had just been treated to what will become one of the most memorable games over the stretch of my CuseBB fandom. and I'm not a kid anymore... I've been watching this program for 45 years with uninterrupted intensity. I had been wrong about this team. Dead wrong. And wrong about JB. I had committed the greatest sin that a true die hard fan could commit.
I had begun to doubt... I had lost faith. I had let a few early season head shaking losses get me to throw in with the naysayers.

I had drawn conclusions based on limited evidence and perhaps worst of all, I had doubted that this group of kids didn't have what it takes to dig down individually and surrender themselves to the team... and never quit.

I'm glad I was wrong. I was very wrong. Tip of the hat to all of the kids on the team and to JB... who I should never doubt.

But, c'mon guy...one day I have a medium bowel movement and one day I have a large one. But that doesn't mean it's going to be large every time from here on out.

 

[bballbeadle]

Every season is unique, with its own pre-season hype, season performances, and post season reflections. We have certainly had disappointing seasons and our own share of drama, sometimes too much drama! What made this season unique for me is the high expectations most of us had for the team, and I don’t think those expectations were unreasonable. Objective professionals agreed with us. Those hopes were shattered by our performance at MSG, and matched up with the football team’s pasting by Notre Dame, that felt like one of the worst weekends of Syracuse sports ever.

You know that expression “You live by the Boeheim, you die by the Boeheim?” Oh, you don’t? I’m pretty sure that’s a thing. At any rate, I do hate how my mental health is linked to ups and downs of SU basketball. I often wish I could sit back and be more cynical and detached. Fans come in all kinds of stripes; doesn’t make them less of a fan. (I believe all of us have to utilize self-preservation from time to time, amirite?)

At any rate, I feel a sense of calm hope at this point that I didn’t think was possible a few weeks ago, or even after the Ga Tech game. Our team is not quitting. Far from it! May the Boeheim be with us.

 

[bballbeadle]

But, c'mon guy...one day I have a medium bowel movement and one day I have a large one. But that doesn't mean it's going to be large every time from here on out.

Just as long as it’s larger than the other guy’s.

 

[MSOrange]

But, c'mon guy...one day I have a medium bowel movement and one day I have a large one. But that doesn't mean it's going to be large every time from here on out.

Now that's an analogy I didn't see coming.

 

[Flacusian]

But, c'mon guy...one day I have a medium bowel movement and one day I have a large one. But that doesn't mean it's going to be large every time from here on out.

Me thinks you just had another large one right here.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

Its been a weird season every guy on our team has looked 'bad/awful' for a stretch at some point. But none of our guys suck they all bring a lot to the table and beat Michigan St on the road in the tournament.

 

[hungrychuck]

That's a pretty thought that the OP has, but I'm not sure it's all that well reasoned.

Seems like more of an emotional or guilt-driven take.

The Duke win was inspiring...although hard to say how inspiring things would have been if Tre Young were still around to pick our guards clean faster than a fat man with a bucket of fried chicken.

And the Georgia Tech game was every bit as ugly as it appeared to be.

What's encouraging is the ability to spank a decent Pitt team off of the high of the Duke win. Winning games we should win is going to be vital to this team's hopes.

What I like is that we're where we are with a number of players arguably under-performing.

Frank Howard, of course, but due to injury and therefore understandable. Oshae, due to more complicated reasons. Others still moving along the learning/development curve: Buddy, Jalen, Bourama.

Chuk making progress and Marek maturing are other reasons to think our poor early form may not define this team.

Each of those players presents a possibility for significant improvement heading toward the latter part of the regular season and whatever the postseason has in store.

However, there aren't a lot of gimmes on the ACC schedule and this team will still need to avoid no-shows like the GT game to get to the dance.

 

[CaptainJ]

At any rate, I feel a sense of calm hope at this point that I didn’t think was possible a few weeks ago, or even after the Ga Tech game. Our team is not quitting. Far from it! May the Boeheim be with us.

Last game, he started 4 for 4 on threes, so I agree.

 

[CaptainJ]

Just as long as it’s larger than the other guy’s.

I try not to look at the poop of other guys, so I wouldnt know.

 

[CaptainJ]

Me thinks you just had another large one right here.

I read many large ones on here.

 

[two3zone]

I try not to look at the poop of other guys, so I wouldnt know.

You're missing out bro.

 

[CaptainJ]

You're missing out bro.

I wanted to like your post, kind of out of habit, but I can not endorse this depravity...despite my state.

Speaking of which, TV's Shameless is back, for anyone who is a fan. Watching now. The title describes many of us, in my opinion. It even makes me look look fairly "normal". I think it's on Netflix for those who have it, but I dont pay for any tv type thing. (torrents, ftw)

 

[newmexicuse]

A lot of merit in your post. Also a lot of merit in your previous feelings and emotions. As Cuse fans we have been accustomed to regular seasons with many ups and few downs often to be followed by post season underperformance. Now that script has flipped. We have had relatively little regular season success in recent years and we have become bubble trolls. We have had post season over performance.

As a fellow fan, I am appreciative for all jimmy has done, but it is more fact than opinion that he is often out of step with how the game has evolved. Change comes slowly if at all for him.

Sometimes his old ways work, sometimes they do not. IMHO, the near term future of the program will probably be more of what we have seen the last five seasons. Fans satisfied with that will continue to blindly support jimmy, fans that want to risk change, which might be better or worse will criticize jimmy.

One thing to consider, we cannot bring back the old big east days of Cuse domination every season, but where can our ceiling be now?

 

[Townie72]

I’m not sure I follow your logic. Most of the people who are frustrated with the program are basing their thoughts on five calendar years of data points. How is that limited evidence? Isn’t deciding you were “wrong” based on a single game result actually the “limited evidence” in this equation?

Impact of NCAA sanctions?
Entry into the ACC? (An improved and more balanced conference than the Big East was)
Cyclical nature of college basketball strength outside of a very few "selector" schools?
NBA departures at a higher rate?
Difficulty projecting just how effective recruits will actually be once they get to college?
Dilution of program visibility caused by the huge increase in number of games on TV?

I get that the "frustrated" don't really care about the contributing factors, they just want "wins" and "winning" and they are perfectly willing to burn whoever or whatever at the stake that they think might be responsible for their personal pain.

It's one thing to look at the numbers and observe "the past five years are not as good as the five years previous to that". At it's core, that is a fact-based approach.

It's yet another to get out the torches and pitchforks, surround the Dome and insist your ideas on how this frustration can be alleviated are correct.

 

[GooseMutt]

But, c'mon guy...one day I have a medium bowel movement and one day I have a large one. But that doesn't mean it's going to be large every time from here on out.

But at least you keep going. Sometimes your little turd is still bigger than theirs