Remember when I said the coaching staff

[Eric15]

Etan Thomas on Facebook:

Etan Thomas
6 hrs ·
I love Syracuse and will always love Syracuse, but this was just plain wrong. Why would a coach publicly try to crush his own player's spirit like that? I hope Tyler Roberson has some good ppl in his corner telling him to stay positive, keep working hard, reinforcing to him that he is a talented player who is very capable and ignore all negativity, even if it's coming from the head coach

 

[orangenirvana]

First, early defections etc happen to every program. That's life.

How many early defections has Pitt had the last two years? Villanova? Oklahoma? Virginia? Oregon? Miami? Utah? (I'm going through the current RPI Top 10).

Life in college basketball is not easy when you have back-breaking defections on an annual basis and you're not named Kentucky or Kansas.

That's fine. It's a hard job to do. But if we want to be considered to have at least an outside shot at title runs year in and year out, we need to be better at this.

That's a pretty hefty expectation. Which is fine, but I think it's also important to be realistic.

 

[Eric15]

That's a pretty hefty expectation. Which is fine, but I think it's also important to be realistic.

"at least an outside shot at title runs" is a pretty hefty expectation? That just means be one of the top 25-30 teams in the country each year.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Howard/Battle/Richardson/Lydon/Chukwu is a filthy lineup. Of course this means we need to bring in another guard and possibly big man to go along with Moyer off the bench. Would this make us more appetizing to a grad transfer guard?

That lineup is not going to rebound well enough to be elite. Even if he's inconsistent, we need his body next year. We are a worse team without him. As JB said, we don't have anybody else in his spot.

 

[dasher]

Holy s,,t, mals one and done, tr is going pro, dc is not coming back, guess lydons next, where is all this crap coming from. The guys who have been one and done or two and done were good players, these guys are adaquate at best.

where did you hear mali is one and done? I don't believe that is true. Dc may or may not come back. Who knows?

 

[dasher]

That lineup is not going to rebound well enough to be elite. Even if he's inconsistent, we need his body next year. We are a worse team without him. As JB said, we don't have anybody else in his spot.

Lydon will be a lot stronger next year. PC should be a lot stronger next year and 7-2 is still 7-2. He isn't a stiff. Plus, even though I introduced everyone to this possibility, a bit of sanity has to come in to play here with Roberson. At the end of the day, he can't be this misguided. Can he?

 

[pfister1]

I think JBs post game comments served several purposes related to what you've posted.

It's amazing what some alleged advisors will tell kids.

I guess the question is, regardless of what he is being told by outsiders and whether or not he is listening to JB and the staff, should JB ever resort to trying to reach him through the press? Really hard to answer without knowing what's been tried behind closed doors, but from everything you see and hear publicly about TR he doesn't seem like the kind of kid that deserves to be attacked publicly by his coach.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I guess the question is, regardless of what he is being told by outsiders and whether or not he is listening to JB and the staff, should JB ever resort to trying to reach him through the press? Really hard to answer without knowing what's been tried behind closed doors, but from everything you see and hear publicly about TR he doesn't seem like the kind of kid that deserves to be attacked publicly by his coach.

JB has always been unkind to players via the press. It's one of the few really bad things about him, IMO. Players today don't take it as well as somebody like Rony Seikaly, who was one of the original Boeheim whipping boys. All that bitching got Rony an 11 year NBA career and a trip to the NCAA championship game, but most players can't take being berated like that for so long. The days of Bobby Knight, Bill Parcells kinds of coaches are coming to a close.

 

[longislandcuse]

JB has always been unkind to players via the press. It's one of the few really bad things about him, IMO. Players today don't take it as well as somebody like Rony Seikaly, who was one of the original Boeheim whipping boys. All that bitching got Rony an 11 year NBA career and a trip to the NCAA championship game, but most players can't take being berated like that for so long. The days of Bobby Knight, Bill Parcells kinds of coaches are coming to a close.

I think we can all agree that Roberson will have a prosperous post-basketball career as an EDM DJ in Miami.

 

[orangenirvana]

"at least an outside shot at title runs" is a pretty hefty expectation? That just means be one of the top 25-30 teams in the country each year.

I was thinking Top 15-20, which is a hefty expectation. Especially after unexpected defections (Ennis, Grant) put you back at least two seasons. Some of the best teams in the country this season (as mentioned) have benefited from having none.

 

[MikeSU02]

How many early defections has Pitt had the last two years? Villanova? Oklahoma? Virginia? Oregon? Miami? Utah? (I'm going through the current RPI Top 10).

Life in college basketball is not easy when you have back-breaking defections on an annual basis and you're not named Kentucky or Kansas.

That's a pretty hefty expectation. Which is fine, but I think it's also important to be realistic.

First, the top ten in rankings don't mean too much right now. What matters is who has a chance to win the tournament.

Do you want to take a look at the teams that have gotten to the Final Four and discuss early departures? I can guarantee you most of them deal with it quite a bit.

JB is the GM, president, coach and, basically, god of SU basketball. This is his team with his players. He chose not to go after the Jamal Murrays of the world. That's fine. It's his show. But we play in a world where players leave early. In fact, when we were dominating recently, we seemed to be perfectly happy with our guys being 2 and done.

Again, I'm not saying it's easy. But this is life as a top program in college basketball. If it were easy, everyone would do it.

BTW, out of all the teams you mentioned above, how many would you put in your Final Four prediction right now?

 

[pulaski74]

where did you hear mali is one and done? I don't believe that is true. Dc may or may not come back. Who knows?

Well, I didn't mean any disrespect but it seems like everytime he has a good game, I log in and theres a "mal one and done?" thread. Might be just one thread but I am not very good at the forum, but I know they are out there.

 

[Scotch]

Etan Thomas on Facebook:

Etan Thomas
6 hrs ·
I love Syracuse and will always love Syracuse, but this was just plain wrong. Why would a coach publicly try to crush his own player's spirit like that? I hope Tyler Roberson has some good ppl in his corner telling him to stay positive, keep working hard, reinforcing to him that he is a talented player who is very capable and ignore all negativity, even if it's coming from the head coach

 

[orangenirvana]

"I didn't criticize him,'' Boeheim said. "I said he wouldn't be playing if he got four rebounds and no points. That's all.

"I don't think it's wrong. If somebody doesn't play well, it's up to the coach to get him to play better or play somebody else. That's the point I was making.''

"We can't win with him playing 37 minutes and getting those results, that's the truth,'' Boeheim said Monday. "Some people don't like the truth. He needs to play better.''

http://www.syracuse.com/orangebaske...l?hootPostID=9b9178456505c66752d92aede1b71544

 

[Orangeblue2]

Is there a fan base ofanother program in country that spends more energy discussing and worrying about early departures ? Jeez, I could see it if we had Duke, UNC, or UK's track record in the last decade, but we are more in the 10-20 range in that time.

 

[djcon57]

Is there a fan base ofanother program in country that spends more energy discussing and worrying about early departures ? Jeez, I could see it if we had Duke, UNC, or UK's track record in the last decade, but we are more in the 10-20 range in that time.

Seriously...it's honestly bizarre. EVERY team has early departures.

 

[djcon57]

Etan Thomas on Facebook:

Etan Thomas
6 hrs ·
I love Syracuse and will always love Syracuse, but this was just plain wrong. Why would a coach publicly try to crush his own player's spirit like that? I hope Tyler Roberson has some good ppl in his corner telling him to stay positive, keep working hard, reinforcing to him that he is a talented player who is very capable and ignore all negativity, even if it's coming from the head coach

What does Etan Thomas know? He's not HOF'er.

 

[Eric15]

"I didn't criticize him,'' Boeheim said. "I said he wouldn't be playing if he got four rebounds and no points. That's all.

I'm not sure Jim understands the definition of the word criticism.

My personal opinion: if it's the pros and these guys are making big money, criticize them publicly all you want. But with amateur athletes, keep it behind closed doors and out of the media.

 

[djcon57]

BTW, out of all the teams you mentioned above, how many would you put in your Final Four prediction right now?

Yeah, I bet Virginia doesn't miss Justin Anderson at all.

 

[Eric15]

The days of Bobby Knight, Bill Parcells kinds of coaches are coming to a close.

Good -- Bob Knight is/was a terrible person on so many levels.

 

[longislandcuse]

Is there a fan base ofanother program in country that spends more energy discussing and worrying about early departures ? Jeez, I could see it if we had Duke, UNC, or UK's track record in the last decade, but we are more in the 10-20 range in that time.

Maybe UCLA? They're the only other team I can think of off the bat with some serious early departures and not a bunch of Final Fours to show for it.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

I'm not sure Jim understands the definition of the word criticism.

My personal opinion: if it's the pros and these guys are making big money, criticize them publicly all you want. But with amateur athletes, keep it behind closed doors and out of the media.

I'm sure that what JB said to TRob behind closed doors about his performance last week is far worse than any soundbite he gave to the media.

 

[orangenirvana]

BTW, out of all the teams you mentioned above, how many would you put in your Final Four prediction right now?

Impossible to say. Any one of them has a very good chance to make it to the Final Four because they're one of the best teams in the nation.

 

[djcon57]

Looking at the last 3 years of Final Four teams and removing Duke and Kentucky (not sure why I should, but I assume we don't want to include them).

2015:
Michigan State - Lost Gary Harris year before
Wisconsin - Lost nobody

2014:
Flordia - Lost Bradley Beal
UConn - Lost Drummond and Jeremy Lamb
Wisc - Nobody

2013:
Wichita State - No one
Louisville - No one
Michigan - Lost Darius Morris

...OH...

and Syracuse who lost Dion Waiters and Fab Melo.

I'd definitely say not losing anyone helped teams like Wisconsin and Lousiville those years, but it's totally doable to win and still lose guys.

 

[Jack Hall]

Good -- Bob Knight is/was a terrible person on so many levels.

Im certainly not arguing w you but what GREAT coaches are nice guys? Look at the guys w most titles. I have met Calhoun, everyone i know , including ucon fans who have met him think he is a world class SOB. Look at K, he is clearly an elitist. But beyond that it is clear he will take any edge to win a title. Good for him. Look at him allowing student section as close to opposing bench and court as he does. Who else does that bush league crap? Look at what his team did w the cheapshot to Psyco T yrs ago. That also was one of the most bush league things i have EVER seen , ever. There is zero way an SU player ever would take a dangerous cheapshot at an opponent like that, at least ive never seen it. So K is an elitist yet it is not beneath him to somehow impresses upon his players that they need to break the nose of the best opposing player w an elbow? But K has 5 titles , great for him. The most recent wedding i went to i met two older guys, both lawyers, who claim to belong to same golf club as JB. I was shocked neither one had anything nice to say about him, nada. I guess greatness comes at a price. To win more titles than everyone else nowadays you probably have to have extreme qualities. Are Knight and K really all that different overall or do they have many same qualities? They were are both great coaches thats for sure