Pressure is on JB

[Cuse_MN]

Our depth had been the talk of this team all year, yet we lose one player who was a complete non-factor a year ago and the team looks like a shadow of its former self. Sounds like Fab gone, so JB needs to work some coaching magic or the catcalls of weak scheduling, no road games, flame outs in NCAAs will get very loud. Not saying we need to win NC without Fab - nor can we - but you can't lose one guy off a "10 deep" team, a guy averaging 7 points a game, be rated #1 for 6 weeks in a row and then have it all look like a house of cards. Think he knows that and he seemed to crumble a bit under the pressure tonight. Instead of a being a calming influence for the kids, he was more negatively animated than I can recall seeing.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

very true. We all know how important Fab is to our team, but the cat calls will be outrageous, should we have another early ouster in March or completely limp down the stretch here.

 

[mantonio]

JB fell prey to the undefeated mania, & did not want to lose it, especially against such a weak opponent.

 

[Marsh01]

Our depth had been the talk of this team all year, yet we lose one player who was a complete non-factor a year ago and the team looks like a shadow of its former self. Sounds like Fab gone, so JB needs to work some coaching magic or the catcalls of weak scheduling, no road games, flame outs in NCAAs will get very loud. Not saying we need to win NC without Fab - nor can we - but you can't lose one guy off a "10 deep" team, a guy averaging 7 points a game, be rated #1 for 6 weeks in a row and then have it all look like a house of cards. Think he knows that and he seemed to crumble a bit under the pressure tonight. Instead of a being a calming influence for the kids, he was more negatively animated than I can recall seeing.

I think he just challenged his team and they failed. Really not hard to figure out. I hope they pass Monday night.

 

[mantonio]

We are making more out of this than we should. Syracuse shot horrendously, & that was the difference. We win by double digits if more open shots fall like they normally do...

 

[cto]

I was waiting for this post. Just didn't know who would post it. The fact that Melo was a "non-factor" last season is completely irrelevant this season. He has been an extremely important part of this team -- and one of the reasons why it was undefeated and ranked so highly.

Without him, it is a totally different team. Losing him would be like our losing AO, or like Cincy losing Kenyon Martin a decade ago. And we know what happened in both cases.

I don't understand how people can blame JB for the outcome of a game that was clearly decided by Melo not being there tonight. There is no one else on the team who is anything like him.

 

[thebigeast44]

Right on CTO - some of the posts getting on JB tonight are beyond moronic.

 

[BORZAK]

DONE DEAL

 

[PauliePeppas]

DONE DEAL

Huh

 

[orangehomer]

Our depth had been the talk of this team all year, yet we lose one player who was a complete non-factor a year ago and the team looks like a shadow of its former self. Sounds like Fab gone, so JB needs to work some coaching magic or the catcalls of weak scheduling, no road games, flame outs in NCAAs will get very loud. Not saying we need to win NC without Fab - nor can we - but you can't lose one guy off a "10 deep" team, a guy averaging 7 points a game, be rated #1 for 6 weeks in a row and then have it all look like a house of cards. Think he knows that and he seemed to crumble a bit under the pressure tonight. Instead of a being a calming influence for the kids, he was more negatively animated than I can recall seeing.

this is stupid.

 

[SourShoes]

This CTO broad is right. This isnt on JB , this is on a very selfish Melo. Should have stayed the out of Chucks every night! Im very upset right now. I feel like 09-10 and 11-12 were ours for the taking... snakebitten since 2003

 

[mountaincuse]

I think he just challenged his team and they failed. Really not hard to figure out. I hope they pass Monday night.

This, good post marsh (btw, go big blue), wanted to see how they respond. Marathon, not a sprint.

 

[SouthCampusHero]

I don't understand how people can blame JB for the outcome of a game that was clearly decided by Melo not being there tonight. There is no one else on the team who is anything like him.

Melo or no Melo, Syracuse has more talent than ND. Thats just a fact.

 

[suthrills]

Our depth had been the talk of this team all year, yet we lose one player who was a complete non-factor a year ago and the team looks like a shadow of its former self. Sounds like Fab gone, so JB needs to work some coaching magic or the catcalls of weak scheduling, no road games, flame outs in NCAAs will get very loud. Not saying we need to win NC without Fab - nor can we - but you can't lose one guy off a "10 deep" team, a guy averaging 7 points a game, be rated #1 for 6 weeks in a row and then have it all look like a house of cards. Think he knows that and he seemed to crumble a bit under the pressure tonight. Instead of a being a calming influence for the kids, he was more negatively animated than I can recall seeing.

What does last year have to do with this year?
Fab is the most important player on the team and tonight illustrated why. It has absolutely nothing to do with statistics.
Ridiculous to bring up last year. Bad post.

 

[Marsh01]

(btw, go big blue),

Amen brother!

 

[CaptainJ]

Melo or no Melo, Syracuse has more talent than ND. Thats just a fact.

This is one of the best posts of the night

 

[Cuse_MN]

I was waiting for this post. Just didn't know who would post it. The fact that Melo was a "non-factor" last season is completely irrelevant this season. He has been an extremely important part of this team -- and one of the reasons why it was undefeated and ranked so highly.

Without him, it is a totally different team. Losing him would be like our losing AO, or like Cincy losing Kenyon Martin a decade ago. And we know what happened in both cases.

I don't understand how people can blame JB for the outcome of a game that was clearly decided by Melo not being there tonight. There is no one else on the team who is anything like him.

I completely agree the outcome of this game was decided by Melo not being there. I am simply saying going forward we need to change what we have done to this point as the backups to Melo don't nearly offer what he did. If there is one thing I know about watching JB over 30+ years, it is he doesn't change much. We are a different defensive team, so we will need more offense. JB is going to have to change things beyond just inserting Rak and Baye into Fab's slot because they don't offer more offense. Were the kids shots off tonight - of course - and that was huge, but when you lose a player this early in the season with this much time to adjust with a team that has been celebrated and backed by the stats as the deepest team in 15+ years in the college game, don't give me this cry me a river crap on a go forward basis.

I hope the team and players don't feel like they should throw in the towel like you are...for every team losing an AO or a Kenyon Martin and ultimately falling short of goals, I can think of a team losing a Kalin Lucas (Big Ten MVP), still went to Final Four, or a Kyrie Irving (the #1 pick in the NBA and Duke still got #1 seed last year).

I'm saying we can't go into a big slide and have an early exit simply because of losing Melo. What part of that do you disagree with?

 

[Marsh01]

This is one of the best posts of the night

Baylor has more talent than Mizzou = loss
Duke has more talent than FLState = loss

happens sometimes.

 

[Cuse_MN]

What does last year have to do with this year?
Fab is the most important player on the team and tonight illustrated why. It has absolutely nothing to do with statistics.
Ridiculous to bring up last year. Bad post.

Those of us that watch every Cuse games know and agree with everything you said. Fab is huge for this team. My point about last year is more about the view of JB and Cuse from the national media and other teams fans if we go into a dive and/or have an early exit in the tourney. Not everybody around the country realizes how important Fab is to the team and they still have the memory of Fab Jello (what he was called at away games I went to) from last year, so they won't blame the drop off on losing Fab, they'll blame it on the same old things they always do... weak scheduling, no road games, the zone, fill in the blank.

 

[CaptainJ]

Baylor has more talent than Mizzou = loss
Duke has more talent than FLState = loss

happens sometimes.

I agree with you, but Florida State is now tied for first in the ACC and destroyed UNC a week earlier, and Mizzou was ranked 5th in the nation(and I'm not sure either were up by 18), so not a true parallel. I do get your point though and agree. I'm just concerned with what more talented teams will do against us on off nights.

 

[Marsh01]

I agree with you, but Florida State is now tied for first in the ACC and destroyed UNC a week earlier, and Mizzou was ranked 5th in the nation(and I'm not sure either were up by 18), so not a true parallel. I do get your point though and agree. I'm just concerned with what more talented teams will do against us on off nights.

I hear ya. Florida State however will lose to Boston College or Wake in the next couple of weeks. They clearly play to the level of their competition.

Mizzou...gutsy team. I do think that their lack of depth will ultimately hurt this team.

Bottom line is we need to respond to Monday night's effort that Cincy will bring. I hope to hell we are ready.

 

[cusaholic]

With Fab missing it simply took SU out of their rythem (gee thanks for that Fab). They showed resilence towards the end and certainly had their chances. JB was all in their faces...each and every one of them. I don't see this loss as a bad thing, I think it will make this team much better. I sure hope it fires them up by Monday.

 

[Cuse_MN]

I was waiting for this post. Just didn't know who would post it. The fact that Melo was a "non-factor" last season is completely irrelevant this season. He has been an extremely important part of this team -- and one of the reasons why it was undefeated and ranked so highly.

Without him, it is a totally different team. Losing him would be like our losing AO, or like Cincy losing Kenyon Martin a decade ago. And we know what happened in both cases.

I don't understand how people can blame JB for the outcome of a game that was clearly decided by Melo not being there tonight. There is no one else on the team who is anything like him.

JB disagrees with you.

"We had all week to prepare for Melo (not playing). We didn't know for sure (he would not play), but we were prepared for it," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said, without elaborating on the reasons.

"I don't know how he affected the game because he wasn't here."

 

[realorange]

I completely agree the outcome of this game was decided by Melo not being there. I am simply saying going forward we need to change what we have done to this point as the backups to Melo don't nearly offer what he did. If there is one thing I know about watching JB over 30+ years, it is he doesn't change much. We are a different defensive team, so we will need more offense. JB is going to have to change things beyond just inserting Rak and Baye into Fab's slot because they don't offer more offense. Were the kids shots off tonight - of course - and that was huge, but when you lose a player this early in the season with this much time to adjust with a team that has been celebrated and backed by the stats as the deepest team in 15+ years in the college game, don't give me this cry me a river crap on a go forward basis.

I hope the team and players don't feel like they should throw in the towel like you are...for every team losing an AO or a Kenyon Martin and ultimately falling short of goals, I can think of a team losing a Kalin Lucas (Big Ten MVP), still went to Final Four, or a Kyrie Irving (the #1 pick in the NBA and Duke still got #1 seed last year).

I'm saying we can't go into a big slide and have an early exit simply because of losing Melo. What part of that do you disagree with?

Sure it was a tough game without Melo. But you don't win many games shooting 35% from the floor and 30% from 3 along with playing lousy defense for over half the game. We don't spot them that 11-2 lead, we win the game in spite of all that.
And where do we have the least depth? Behind Melo of course. So don't expect an equal or even close replacement.
As for you accusing CTO of throwing in the towel--you just don't have a clue.
This is one game. Worry if we don't show improvement without Melo within the next week.

 

[Cuse_MN]

Sure it was a tough game without Melo. But you don't win many games shooting 35% from the floor and 30% from 3 along with playing lousy defense for over half the game. We don't spot them that 11-2 lead, we win the game in spite of all that.
And where do we have the least depth? Behind Melo of course. So don't expect an equal or even close replacement.
As for you accusing CTO of throwing in the towel--you just don't have a clue.
This is one game. Worry if we don't show improvement without Melo within the next week.

My original post didn't have much to do with this game. The #1 team in the country got pounded by a NIT-bound team because we couldn't shoot, because we couldn't board and we allowed ND to dictate tempo for much of the game. I don't think anyone disputes that. Melo was a big loss in this game and will be lost going forward, but my point was good teams overcome adversity and JB has the talent to overcome the loss of Melo, with the right adjustments. If the remaining top-9 guys play their best we win versus virtually all teams in college bball playing their best, except a few. My point on Melo was to note how the national view of Cuse will be if we don't rebound from his loss and continue to play like a top-5 team, which again I don't think is likely. It wasn't I who brought up teams losing important players and using that as an excuse, on the contrary I think you battle with who you have and adjust accordingly. Excuses are for losers. I expect to see improvement and think the team will come together, but will again restate JB will feel pressure if the deepest team in college bball in 15 years starts to reel due to the loss of one player, regardless of who that player is. Other teams have lost better players than Fab with little impact, so lets not use it as an excuse.