Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="Zelda Zonk, post: 4967427, member: 966"] I don't see why it can't be both. The issues i imagined we'd have if we hired from within are there. They're coaching issues. One, the most glaring, is that we can't play m2m defense very well. Basic principles and basic execution is missing. These kids played it in high school. So, either they chose to come to a zone school because they weren't good at it, or they don't have the tools and resources at SU to play it at a D1 college level. Either way, we see it done the right way even at the schools we play in our pre-league games, just not with high-level talent. Secondly, the offense. We don't do the simple things to make it easier to get better, more efficient shots. We are still overly iso-dependent. And most of the time, it seems like Judah is just going to dribble for 90% of the shot clock to see if he can create one of his foul flails, and then if he gets tired or stilted, he'll give it up for someone else to heave a three. We don't set picks for two shooters who can't create shots for themselves, in Bell and Taylor. That's bizarre and in-ex-cus-a-ble! We keep shoehorning 'lithe' forwards into the Center position. We get some 'cute' results, and somehow the staff ignores just how easy it is for the opposition to get to the basket and we just destroy our own already bad odds at rebounds. Simple stuff. Couldn't foresee McLeod's injury, i guess, but a good team would have a better Plan B. Our Plan B seems to also have some physical issues, so maybe we couldn't foresee having to go to Plan C, but... I 'like' Red, but like many of us said, how can you have confidence in a staff that was in place during the long slide downslope? They have the same brains and the same ideas. They were the ones coaching the various positions for the last umpteen years. We needed a new start, not a new half-measure. Can it be turned around? Sure. Half of the problem is talent. If they can convince high level players to come next year to replace those who leave, then sure, we could still have a significant turnaround, even with those same brains. We could have been significantly better if only Jesse had stayed. One player away from making the NCAAs. But, the portal players will have seen who we are now, and maybe we don't have that sheen we used to have. Maybe this was a test year for Red, and maybe they won't like what they are seeing. Who knows what's in the mind of a 20-year old. We can't know. We don't have the technology. [/QUOTE]

Verification: What is a Syracuse fan's favorite color?