Pete Thamel

[Scooch]

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

You guys actually think this is a tourney team with Freeman? Like for realsies?

 

[IthacaMatt]

You guys actually think this is a tourney team with Freeman? Like for realsies?

Of course not. Freeman couldn't defend either.

 

[longtimefan]

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.

This is situation many programs will be in most years.

 

[Red2003]

You guys actually think this is a tourney team with Freeman? Like for realsies?

Our back court is probably the worst we’ve had in our schools history. Defensively for sure its easy to see but IQ and shot selection, turnovers, running the offense it’s all terrible too.

I’ve just never been so embarrased in the guards and I throw our 3’s in there with that. I’m not calling Bell or Taylor forwards, they play like guards and just as inconsistently.

Autry has no idea how to coach or develop them because he never had to. He just expects them to play with the same toughness and the same talent level as the guards we’ve had roll through the program the last 30 years.

We’ve always just had long athletic guards that figured it out and now we have the opposite.

 

[orangecuse]

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

Well, SU will continue to reap what it sows then.

If SU is unwilling to commit to the level of what is needed nowadays to be a true player in the game (not to mention acting like a program with the 5th most wins in the history of the game - inclusion of the bogus 101 vacated W's) then they shouldn't expect, let alone demand, the fan base continuously to anti up (NIL $$$) either.

Which, ultimately, will have a broader impact (negatively) to Dome crowd sizes, general community interest, etc. as already evident. And, all that that implies.

 

[Fly Rodder]

With full seasons from Freeman & JJ I do think they’d be better, but I think it’s still a losing season. Which is far from what was expected.

 

[RF2044]

You guys actually think this is a tourney team with Freeman? Like for realsies?

Freeman was on the floor when we barely beat Le Moyne in the opener, needed 3OT to beat a Youngstown State team that a middling Ohio State had beaten by 37 a few days earlier.

Excuse after excuse.

 

[RF2044]

Well, SU will continue to reap what it sows then.

If SU is unwilling to commit to the level of what is needed nowadays to be a true player in the game (not to mention acting like a program with the 5th most wins in the history of the game - inclusion of the bogus 101 vacated W's) then they shouldn't expect, let alone demand, the fan base continuously to anti up (NIL $$$) either.

Which, ultimately, will have a broader impact (negatively) to Dome crowd sizes, general community interest, etc. as already evident. And, all that that implies.

100% spot on.

Ultimately, you reap what you sow. And if they choose to give Red a third year [which we all agree seems likely], then there will be financial consequences that result from that decision.

But it's time to dispense with the excuses. This year has been a categorical disaster in just about every way. The KenPom / NET data is so abysmal, it points to this being a HISTORICALLY bad season.

Red needs to hit a home run with the portal and make the NCAA next season, or he needs to be relieved of duty. No more half-measures, complaining about external factors holding things back, etc.

 

[5OutFred]

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

I do think it's important to provide context here when gaslighting can be an overarching "out".

Speaking for the radio, and this is not a knock on the talent that is employed, I'm not sure how anyone can wholeheartedly give credence to the opinions of those who are either directly employed by the university or by extension did/do the bidding of JB who quite literally owns part of the parent company.

I appreciate they are in a difficult spot and likely cannot give honest opinions, for seeing what happened to Brent Axe, but that's kind of the entire problem? After that happened, all credibility went out the window, and anyone who believes they are speaking genuinely is, in my mind, quite foolish.

There is one station in town, employing SU parties by extension, and the one person who pushed back was "axed." And you expect them to be honest?

As a result, disingenuous opinions fill local consumers heads, postering as genuine. That is how gaslighting happens.

 

[TexanMark]

Of course not. Freeman couldn't defend either.

No but they might have won 3-4 more games

 

[Cusefan0307]

With full seasons from Freeman & JJ I do think they’d be better, but I think it’s still a losing season. Which is far from what was expected.

It’s worth maybe 2-3 more wins. Notre Dame we have JJ and maybe Miami/yesterday with Freeman. Still a good 30-40 teams away from the bubble.

 

[Scooch]

Freeman was on the floor when we barely beat Le Moyne in the opener, needed 3OT to beat a Youngstown State team that a middling Ohio State had beaten by 37 a few days earlier.

Excuse after excuse.

For sure. It’s been 4 months of retconning so why should it stop now.

 

[Scooch]

No but they might have won 3-4 more games

Perhaps. I think we can all agree that even if this team was 100% healthy all year they’d be nowhere near the bubble. The roster is still completely inadequate.

 

[phil77]

They’re fooling themselves if they think just making the tournament is going to quiet people down and drag people back to the dome. Making the first 4 as a 10 seed won’t do it. I’m in a fantasy football league with 9 other late 30’s/early 40’s alums. Every single person wants to see a coaching change and they don’t care about next years recruits. It appears to me that the administration does not realize the anger and apathy within the fanbase.

This is correct, I don't think they realize what is happening. Our athletic department is always late in realizing what is going on, and this is no different.

 

[Fly Rodder]

It’s worth maybe 2-3 more wins. Notre Dame we have JJ and maybe Miami/yesterday with Freeman. Still a good 30-40 teams away from the bubble.

Yep. It’s not like JJ and Freeman were replaced by zeroes when they were out. There were players who contributed. And the difference between Jyare and Donnie isn’t great enough to overcome the overall mediocrity.

 

[ar inj]

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?

I would say: A+B+the difference between Autry’s salary and the new guy’s salary. That is likely less than 9.

 

[phil77]

Yep. It’s not like JJ and Freeman were replaced by zeroes when they were out. There were players who contributed. And the difference between Jyare and Donnie isn’t great enough to overcome the overall mediocrity.

Also watching JJ throw away the last game should throw away any idea that you can just put JJ on the floor and that automatically means we would be a better team and win a close game.

 

[Red2003]

Also watching JJ throw away the last game should throw away any idea that you can just put JJ on the floor and that automatically means we would be a better team and win a close game.

Been on the fence with JJ all year. I don’t think he belongs back after yesterday. He’s part of a broken core on this team.

 

[MSOrange]

Been on the fence with JJ all year. I don’t think he belongs back after yesterday. He’s part of a broken core on this team.

Agree I don't think he is one of the answers to righting the ship if he were in a role that I think he'd be happy with.

 

[pearl31]

Perhaps. I think we can all agree that even if this team was 100% healthy all year they’d be nowhere near the bubble. The roster is still completely inadequate.

What if, just for the sake of argument, we include Westry with Starling and Freeman?

 

[RF2044]

What if, just for the sake of argument, we include Westry with Starling and Freeman?

Westry in actuality, or the fantasy about what Westry was going to bring to the table?

Because [not directed at you, Pearl31] a massive gap between the two.

 

[pearl31]

Westry in actuality, or the fantasy about what Westry was going to bring to the table?

Because [not directed at you, Pearl31] a massive gap between the two.

Oh I'm just talking about the Westry they (foolishly maybe) expected when they put the roster together. Just trying to look objectively as possible at what they thought they had going into the season vs what they actually ended up with. I'd even include Bell in this- like, something happened to that guy that made him into a complete non-factor when it was assumed he'd be the leading scorer making multiple 3s per game

 

[hoopsupstate]

Been on the fence with JJ all year. I don’t think he belongs back after yesterday. He’s part of a broken core on this team.

If you’re right, how do you replace him? You think you’ll get better from the portal when there are other major spots to fill. If we lose JJ and Freeman you can forget about next year. You’re looking at 6-7 needs from the portal. Where do you think the money is coming from?

 

[phil77]

What if, just for the sake of argument, we include Westry with Starling and Freeman?

What if we let JB go and hired Nate Oats when we had the chance?

 

[Scooch]

What if, just for the sake of argument, we include Westry with Starling and Freeman?

Westry was not gonna be an option this year. The staff knew that early on.