Who's happy? Kinda weird to generalize and also to imagine some sort of mass glee, just because we're acknowledging that someone with a more powerful/creditable voice said something publicly that many of us here have been saying for a while. I don't think any of us is happy about this 'truth,' and that's my generalization.
IDENTITY. There are many problems with Red’s coaching but identity is up there. Tbh it’s probably what we miss most about Boeheim other than he was a basketball genius, that lived, breathed and loved basketball. Under Autry we literally have no identity. Under Boeheim did we not only have an identity as a team, but we quite literally had an identity for every position. When you thought Syracuse basketball when Boeheim was here you thought Boeheim, 2-3 zone and up and down basketball. Not only that but you thought of tall, super athletic wings, a big center that could block all the shots and be a problem in the zone and you thought of ball dominate guards that could score with the best of them. We really have fallen a long way but that’s what Syracuse basketball was for so long
The ones in the top-20 mostly are. Auburn, as just one example, has two freshmen who see minutes, only one really, and neither starts. They have a single sophomore who I think is a walk-on. The starters are all seniors. But only one of them is new to Auburn this season. Everyone else was picked up 2-3 years ago as transfers or have been there the duration.
They would live in Skaneateles
JB didn’t have an identity for his first years either. The zone became his identity twenty years after he was coaching.
Really, Red needs to recruit for something. I suggest defense... because it is probably easier to find under-the-radar guys that can play defense for less NIL than the guys that are offensively skilled. If we consistently hold the non-elite teams to under 65 points, we then need less offense to get wins. Start stifling the Lemoynes... pull some upsets... fill the Dome with more fans... and let the crowd become the valued 6th man that we know it can be... get back into the top 25.
It wasn't bad talent wise. Unfortunately, most of them were psychotic
Many will as most of these kids come from difficult home environments. Money matters more than anything else that is a fact. SU has to realize that and recruit the kids that value a combination of things. Fran has it down. He wants kids that realize the SU family will be there for them if they don't make the league. Fran talks about excellent in life and in the classroom. DART is real. It isn't a slogan. He really wants to and will help these kids succeed in life beyond football. He preaches the value of an SU degree. Of our connections. Talks about setting them up for jobs. I don't know but I doubt Red is doing any of that. If he's not he better start because SU isn't going to win with dollars. It has to be the whole package, and he needs to target kids that value what we have to offer.
Let's call a spade a spade. Jim inherited an amazing program. The dome and the Big East ESPN Big Monday made the Big East coaches. Jim became a good coach later in life, but he was blessed with great talent.
That’s absurd that JB inherited an amazing program. Good program but he built it up from there, taking advantage of ESPN, the BE footprint and talent available.
Um check out what he inherited. Final four program when it was almost impossible to make the final four.
I’ve come to find “identity” to be the most meaningless word thrown around on this board.
What 17 year knows who those guys are?
To be fair, Pitino wrote a book called “Success is a Choice” then whined, bitched and moaned for 4 years in Boston.
DART
True all the way around.
No, he is a great coach. I got to know him when he was an assistant at SU. He is a superstar, great coach. He has flaws but name one other coach who has succeeded at as many different places as him. Personally, I think that he is one of the greatest coaches of all time.
I was around to watch that 1975 team and a few SU editions before that. Good program but that F4 was kind of an anomaly. They lost nine games heading into the NCAAT and in the tournament they won two games in OT and the other they won by two. Only one of their players even remotely sniffed the NBA which was the case for several years prior. There is no question that JB elevated the program in a major way. That's why he's in the HoF. Then the last 4-5 years of his career he made a mess.
