Pete Thamel

[Cusefan0307]

I don't disagree with you. I've shared that viewpoint as well directly with the powers that be (at least the apathy and anger part). I think it's tournament or bust next year.

I agree. My point is if we end up in Dayton and lose with him coming back the followingn season fans are going to lose it. Especially if it’s a situation where we need to get 4 or 5 guys in the portal again.

 

[capeorange]

I'm not going to pretend to know the accuracy of this but I think people should take a look and come to their own conclusions on what Autry is getting.

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Buzz Williams is way overpaid.

 

[Fly Rodder]

Exactly. "JB says things" was a thing for most of his tenure and it went into overdrive in the later years.

Which it makes it all the more difficult to trust anything that comes out of the university, directly or indirectly.

 

[Chip]

Right or wrong, this decision screams to me the release of a statement beginning, "From the office of the Syracuse University Athletic Director" as opposed to an in-person presser where things could get, well, uncomfortable.

Don't disagree, but JW always does kind of a state of the program presser doesn't he? Maybe that was more tied in with Dome improvements, can't recall.

But if he does, he just sets the tone that this year was way below expectations, he has something in mind that our program should achieve. Like the 7 win thing that Dino didn't reach. Not sure if he'll say what it is, but it wouldn't take rocket ship scientists to figure out it would be an NCAA bid (and maybe better than First 4, which would kinda be like a Dino 6 win bowl game).

I'm sure he'll bring up things like JJ/Donnie injuries, not enough 3 letter word $, etc. That's part of the job.

Jeremy, and I believe others have said, no bid next year and he's gone. And that's one thing I do believe in this board full of speculation. If he doesn't get there, I would bet with almost 100% certainty that we go outside of the program for the next coach.

 

[EnviroSciGuy]

I agree. My point is if we end up in Dayton and lose with him coming back the followingn season fans are going to lose it. Especially if it’s a situation where we need to get 4 or 5 guys in the portal again.

LOL what fans?

Even if we have a great team NEXT year, it woud take most of the season if not longer to get fannies back in the seats and reverse the narrative that basketball is now Gerg football.

I'm not putting a cent into the program again until they start treating it like an actual revenue sport and not some country club for friends and alumni.

 

[Cusefan0307]

The JJ excuses don’t hold merit to me because we have been terrible with him too and he’s 100% part of the problem.

 

[JeremyCuse]

A. Red's buyout.

B. Assuming the next coach is currently under contract to another school, SU may have to pay some or all of that buyout.

C. The next coach's salary for 2025-26 or 2026-27.

A+B+C = 9 million we have to come up with?

This ^, Reds buyout is almost nonexistent but as you noted SU will have to pay out his deal, any potential buyout in a new coach and then that new coaches deal. We're not talking tens of millions here but we're also not talking a few mill either

 

[Bulldog04]

Syracuse U will never pay a head coach what everyone thinks they should pay them. Reds $3m a year is ranked t40th. If he was doing a great job we would say “getting a bargain” like JB did for all those years. Unfortunately this year was not good so he looks overpaid. But Alabama just gave Oats a 6 year $38m extension. So for everyone that says “we need a real coach”, they are never ever ever paying that kind of money for someone that everyone here thinks we deserve. They will have to get an up and coming coach like Louisville did and hope he wins at the pay the university is willing to pay. SU will never get a recognizable name for what they pay

 

[IthacaMatt]

You are putting JB on Wildhack? I don't. Impossible situation and would bet JB has close friends in the BoT providing him "air support " for years. That was a unicorn situation with a Hall a famer who built it and almost burned it to the ground. In regards to Dino, 99% of the people on this board wanted him extended after the bowl game. The Red hire should have been a search. I don't like the contract but again I would wager BoT interests and other influences played a role in who got hired. Does ADJW have authority on certain things? Absolutely. You think he has control over things like Hall of Fame coaches with friends on the BoT and who then literally goes mental at the end? No way.

Syverud and Wildhack were already here when Boeheim was first supposed to retire. Have you forgotten?

Right. I don’t disagree. The portal was awful. But that means firing him for one bad offseason. He knew he screwed that up and needed a GM type. He got one. If he screws up again, there’s no excuse and he’s gone.

Well, it wasn't just "one bad offseason". He coached terribly. Everyone saw it.
Regardless of the players, there was no structure or execution to what they did.
That part is 100% on Autry.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Syracuse U will never pay a head coach what everyone thinks they should pay them. Reds $3m a year is ranked t40th. If he was doing a great job we would say “getting a bargain” like JB did for all those years. Unfortunately this year was not good so he looks overpaid. But Alabama just gave Oats a 6 year $38m extension. So for everyone that says “we need a real coach”, they are never ever ever paying that kind of money for someone that everyone here thinks we deserve. They will have to get an up and coming coach like Louisville did and hope he wins at the pay the university is willing to pay. SU will never get a recognizable name for what they pay

I don’t disagree, but outside of the SEC no schools are poaching coaches from other HM.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Unserious program summed up here

Are you OK, my man?

Whats “unserious” about not having a buyout as large as some people are claiming? Wouldn’t that be a serious program? I’m so confused.

He's saying that if the buy-out isn't that much, then why aren't we dumping Red?

 

[IthacaMatt]

Jeremy, and I believe others have said, no bid next year and he's gone. And that's one thing I do believe in this board full of speculation. If he doesn't get there, I would bet with almost 100% certainty that we go outside of the program for the next coach.

We have to, or the program doesn't recover for years.

 

[Scooch]

Right or wrong, this decision screams to me the release of a statement beginning, "From the office of the Syracuse University Athletic Director" as opposed to an in-person presser where things could get, well, uncomfortable.

Uncomfortable in Syracuse?! With the media there?

I’m sure you’re right. It’s just that the idea of there being a contentious press conference in Syracuse is hysterical. Syracuse media is Charmin soft.

 

[Scooch]

This ^, Reds buyout is almost nonexistent but as you noted SU will have to pay out his deal, any potential buyout in a new coach and then that new coaches deal. We're not talking tens of millions here but we're also not talking a few mill either

Cost of doing business. They’ll find the money if they have to. And it seems likely they’ll need to find it a year from now.

It’s kind of amazing how people obsess over a million here and a million there. These amounts are truly not much in the grand scheme when a school is making $50+ million a year in media revenue

It’s why the “we lost Lefew for $200K” ring so hollow to me. That’s nothing in the world of collegiate professional sports.

 

[Cusefan69]

I agree with a lot of what you say here. If you don't think politics played a role in keeping JB as long as he did and who succeeded him, you're naive and apparently have no experience with office politics.

As far as Dino, we differ a bit. Most of us absolutely would have extended Dino when we did and thought it was a great move. I know I did. But I've made decisions at work that made a lot of sense at the time that didn't work out and we're judged on results, not intentions.

Fair point on Dino and the nuance of that thought is true. I agree with your framing.

 

[littlereg]

Because outside of Red killing someone, they were never going to do that. JW was very clear with donors and anyone who would listen at beginning of season that he thought talent pool was empty when Red took over and he needed time. They thought he did a very good job last year. They’re high on the incoming class. And they know they needed to spend more on NIl.

So then do you change the goalposts and fire an alum for one bad portal (especially given all the Kiyan stuff). We got more buzz from alums and SU bball fans for that commitment than anything else in the past five years. I know that overlooks everything else we see in games but that is the reality.

I know it’s controversial but this isn’t a money decision. It’s a sticking by what we told Red and what the expectations were. We’re just not a program that flips on coaches like that.

The expectations next year are totally different.

I have no energy for the essay I started to type in response to this and I know it’s not your word and I know you dont agree with what they think but holy hell this program is a pathetic joke. They’re telling on themselves with almost every single one of those points. you know why this school/program is looking poverty right now? Because they act like poverty, run it like it’s poverty and present themselves like a victim. Why anyone is surprised by that is beyond me. You get what you put it in. They made their bed but for som reason all they do is make excuse after excuse and blame everything and everyone else.

 

[DilemaCuse]

Are you OK, my man?

Whats “unserious” about not having a buyout as large as some people are claiming? Wouldn’t that be a serious program? I’m so confused.

Well you wouldn't have a large buyout for a virgin head coach. You would increase it if he showed competency when you extend him but you wouldn't start w a high buyout. Makes no sense from the schools perspective of the coach tanked.

 

[Scooch]

Well you wouldn't have a large buyout for a virgin head coach. You would increase it if he showed competency when you extend him but you wouldn't start w a high buyout. Makes no sense from the schools perspective of the coach tanked.

I think we’ve put the nail in that coffin.

There is no meaningful buyout if they terminate Red. It’s been stated here several times in the last couple days.

They gotta pay out the remainder of his deal. But that’s true for anyone under contract in any profession.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Uncomfortable in Syracuse?! With the media there?

I’m sure you’re right. It’s just that the idea of there being a contentious press conference in Syracuse is hysterical. Syracuse media is Charmin soft.

The media here has treated Red with kid gloves. If anything they’re gaslighting fans.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Saying the talent was dry is fine, but when you lose Edwards, Girard, Mintz, and Brown because we were told they all weren’t good enough to replace them with players with worse production fans lose patience quickly. Every replacement we have signed in the portal has been a step down from the previous guy.

I don’t think not being good enough was the issue.

 

[Scooch]

The media here has treated Red with kid gloves. If anything they’re gaslighting fans.

Syracuse University sponsors a professional basketball team. Yet most of the local media largely treats everyone involved as if it’s 1987 and the kids are playing for the name on the front of the jersey.

It’s all very silly.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I'm reading it as the 9 million is the buyout plus the next coach's potential contract? If it was 4 years at 2 mil and Autry doesn't actually stink then it looks like a good deal. I can't see him making 3 mil a year.

If that's the math that some people have been using, then that's just stupid.
Firing Autry & Staff costs this much. Period.

Of course you have to pay a new coach. You have to pay someone to coach.
It's not like you're paying someone a signing bonus.

 

[Oakland]

I'm not going to pretend to know the accuracy of this but I think people should take a look and come to their own conclusions on what Autry is getting.

Men's Basketball Head Coach Salaries - USA TODAY

Ever wondered who the highest paid coach in men's basketball is? Find out today with USA TODAY's complete salary data.

sportsdata.usatoday.com

Shaka Smart at $2.2 mil - ouch!

Steve Alford is still coaching?!

 

[IthacaMatt]

A. Red's buyout.

B. Assuming the next coach is currently under contract to another school, SU may have to pay some or all of that buyout.

C. The next coach's salary for 2025-26 or 2026-27.

A+B+C = 9 million we have to come up with?

Sorry, but this is an illogical way to look at it, at least with respect to the cost of firing Autry.

B is speculation, and we could always hire someone who does not have a buy out.

C is also unrelated to the cost of firing Autry, because you have to pay SOMEONE to coach.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Kinda my feeling too...NCAA or bust. NIT might be enough especially if injuries or something beyond the staff's control happens in 25-26.

You mean like losing his most talented player halfway through the season