Seth Davis's article about his visit to Syracuse last week

[Garbs]

I'm also not sold on his statment "the younger guys are the most talented". I would really like to see what Southerland does this year. Also, Joseph being healthy could mean big things. Triche could also make a huge step up in his game.

lol, he isn't going to do anything

 

[OttoMets]

the one thing this team is lacking is a clear go-to scorer for those critical late-game, end-of-shot-clock situations.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/seth_davis/10/21/Syracuse.postcard/index.html#ixzz1biWOWVeXHow many teams really have a clear cut go to guy right now? The season hasn't even started yet.

You may be right - a lot of teams probably don't have a proven go-to scorer right now. That is, of course, what October is for.

But it also doesn't make what Davis wrote any less true (nor does it make his statement a slight against Syracuse). We don't have a clear go-to scorer in those situations. We didn't last year, and none emerged in the first week of practice.

 

[cusetown1]

We return every contributor but one from last year. Probably the three guys with the most star potential on this team will not be starting (and some will likely see very little court time during the conference season). Quite different from 2003.

I understand exactly what Davis is saying. Even assuming that Christmas starts, three of our five starters will be backed up by players whose pure talent and potential ceiling is higher (Fair > Joseph; Waiters > Triche; Williams > Scoop).

It's a team with solid - not great - veterans backed up by potentially great - but unaccomplished - youngsters. I call that "not a championship formula." Any counterexamples out there?

I think that's a good problem to have. Talent and youth backing up experience. I love it!

 

[cusetown1]

lol, he isn't going to do anything

I think you might be pleasantly surprised. Just a hunch.

 

[Garbs]

I think you might be pleasantly surprised. Just a hunch.

why because he looks good in a dunk contest? give me a break, good athlete, streaky shooter, not going to play

 

[cusetown1]

why because he looks good in a dunk contest? give me a break, good athlete, streaky shooter, not going to play

never saw the dunk contest, I hate dunk contests.

 

[orangenirvana]

Was Seth Davis actually expecting snow on his visit? Upstate New York is usually gorgeous in October (as long as its not raining).

 

[OttoMets]

I think that's a good problem to have. Talent and youth backing up experience. I love it!

I agree with that completely. This feels like a potentially outstanding season. There's nothing like having a bunch of talented young guys pushing the veterans in practice (half the teams we play this year will field a starting line-up that's worse than our second string); at the same time, it's going to be very beneficial to have our veteran players teaching the young guys all season.

We are in a terrific position talent-wise. Defense and rebounding are concerns of mine (and, until I see otherwise, there's that nagging problem of the five-minute scoring draught that cost a few games). But we're loaded at every position.

 

[Garbs]

never saw the dunk contest, I hate dunk contests.

then what are you basing this on?

 

[orangenirvana]

"Normally I look for a lockdown defender for this category, but nobody really plays that role in Boeheim's 2-3 zone."

Ugh. Really, Seth?​

 

[cusetown1]

then what are you basing this on?

honestly? He reminds me of this guy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashad_Anderson

 

[Garbs]

he's not going to play

 

[fanfanclubclub]

Yeah. He (and I) were the only ones saying aloud how special Wes Johnson was going to be that year. I had watched Wes throughout his redshirt year in practice, and (if anyone remembers) I was the only one saying he would lead us in points and boards (when everyone else here was predicting other leaders). I don't see anyone emerging out of nowhere to make such an impact this year.

Uh, seriously? CTO, no offense, but tons of people who had seen practice were predicting Wes for a huge (like me and many other posters), all-big east, possibly all-american season. Several SU players (Johnny and someone else) had publicly stated that Wes was the best player on the team (during his redshirt season). It was not a big secret.

 

[Garbs]

Uh, seriously? CTO, no offense, but tons of people who had seen practice were predicting Wes for a huge (like me and many other posters), all-big east, possibly all-american season. Several SU players (Johnny and someone else) had publicly stated that Wes was the best player on the team (during his redshirt season). It was not a big secret.

yea it seemed pretty well known the year he sat out that he was the best player on the team at that point

 

[Rocco]

I agree with him on Joseph. The year Joseph was breaking out was when Wes was on the court. He wasn't the go-to guy. Unless he has completely changed his passive behavior, I don't see him being that much better than he was last year. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[OrangeMuskyFish]

I agree with him on Joseph. The year Joseph was breaking out was when Wes was on the court. He wasn't the go-to guy. Unless he has completely changed his passive behavior, I don't see him being that much better than he was last year. I hope I'm wrong.

I think K-Jo is getting completely underrated. Especially by the Fair-Homers (don't really mean that to sound bad) that are starting to predict a jump over K-Jo sometime this year. If K-Jo stays healthy he is going to mix an explosive first-step and deep range. He isn't perfect, but Wes wasn't assertive either, so I don't think other teams are going to be all that happy if Joseph goes for 20 and then passes off the game-winner to Dion.

 

[Rocco]

I think K-Jo is getting completely underrated. Especially by the Fair-Homers (don't really mean that to sound bad) that are starting to predict a jump over K-Jo sometime this year. If K-Jo stays healthy he is going to mix an explosive first-step and deep range. He isn't perfect, but Wes wasn't assertive either, so I don't think other teams are going to be all that happy if Joseph goes for 20 and then passes off the game-winner to Dion.

Until I see something different out of Joseph, I just really don't expect incredible things from him. He will score his 13-18 pts per game, but I don't see him taking the next step. Wes Johnson wasn't assertive, but he was more assertive than Joseph is. Kris has a good first dribble, but then picks up his dribble looking to pass or take a contested shot. If he drove the ball more, he'd have that many more opportunities to score and would have more calls.

 

[OttoMets]

Until I see something different out of Joseph, I just really don't expect incredible things from him. He will score his 13-18 pts per game, but I don't see him taking the next step. Wes Johnson wasn't assertive, but he was more assertive than Joseph is. Kris has a good first dribble, but then picks up his dribble looking to pass or take a contested shot. If he drove the ball more, he'd have that many more opportunities to score and would have more calls.

Yeah. Wes was an A+ athlete (I've never seen a quicker leaper in over two decades of watching Syracuse basketball), an A+ shooter, and darn close to an A+ rebounder. Kris has yet to show any basketball skill that's A-level, and he's been at best an average finisher in the half-court.

I'm sure he'll have a very good year, but I'd be stunned if he approached a Wes-quality season. Wes was special.

 

[OrangeMuskyFish]

Until I see something different out of Joseph, I just really don't expect incredible things from him. He will score his 13-18 pts per game, but I don't see him taking the next step. Wes Johnson wasn't assertive, but he was more assertive than Joseph is. Kris has a good first dribble, but then picks up his dribble looking to pass or take a contested shot. If he drove the ball more, he'd have that many more opportunities to score and would have more calls.

Hmm, might be more a semantics thing then. Scoring the higher end of your point range would make him a pretty darned good scorer. Also, even though I understand that you are not banking on him taking the next step, you sum it up pretty well and it wouldn't be that hard if he was just willing to tweak his persona just a bit. And with the team around him he doesn't need to be as productive as Johnson to go deep into the tourney.

 

[Rocco]

Hmm, might be more a semantics thing then. Scoring the higher end of your point range would make him a pretty darned good scorer. Also, even though I understand that you are not banking on him taking the next step, you sum it up pretty well and it wouldn't be that hard if he was just willing to tweak his persona just a bit. And with the team around him he doesn't need to be as productive as Johnson to go deep into the tourney.

exactly, I am simply going off of what was in the article. if anyone is really going to break out and take the next step this year, i would go with triche. i think he is ready to take over. he starting showing signs last year. nows he in ridiculous shape and has another year under his belt.

 

[OrangeMuskyFish]

exactly, I am simply going off of what was in the article. if anyone is really going to break out and take the next step this year, i would go with triche. i think he is ready to take over. he starting showing signs last year. nows he in ridiculous shape and has another year under his belt.

I really really really want to agree about Triche... unfortunately, I have Dion as my breakout player. And with Triche's tentative past I think he is going to struggle knowing just how quickly the hook may come after a mistake, knowing that each time might be the last before losing his starting job for good.

 

[Rocco]

I really really really want to agree about Triche... unfortunately, I have Dion as my breakout player. And with Triche's tentative past I think he is going to struggle knowing just how quickly the hook may come after a mistake, knowing that each time might be the last before losing his starting job for good.

I really don't think this will be the case, but regardless of who breaks out, it is a win-win for the team. That is the beautiful part about this team this year. So many options. Boeheim has a great problem on his hands.

 

[OrangeMuskyFish]

I really don't think this will be the case, but regardless of who breaks out, it is a win-win for the team. That is the beautiful part about this team this year. So many options. Boeheim has a great problem on his hands.

Just to clarify, this gut feeling isn't because I don't think Triche is improved (which is awesome in its own right), just that I think we started to see the explosive Dion occasionally during the second half of last season, then saw the total package against Marquette, and now he has an offseason of training (and what SOUNDS like soul searching) under his belt... Gonna be BIG BIG BIG (or so I hope)

 

[Rocco]

Just to clarify, this gut feeling isn't because I don't think Triche is improved (which is awesome in its own right), just that I think we started to see the explosive Dion occasionally during the second half of last season, then saw the total package against Marquette, and now he has an offseason of training (and what SOUNDS like soul searching) under his belt... Gonna be BIG BIG BIG (or so I hope)

I completely understand. Let's hope one of them steps up in a big way.

 

[fanfanclubclub]

I think K-Jo is getting completely underrated. Especially by the Fair-Homers (don't really mean that to sound bad) that are starting to predict a jump over K-Jo sometime this year. If K-Jo stays healthy he is going to mix an explosive first-step and deep range. He isn't perfect, but Wes wasn't assertive either, so I don't think other teams are going to be all that happy if Joseph goes for 20 and then passes off the game-winner to Dion.

Count Bobby Knight in your corner Muskyfish. KJo is one of the country's best shooters.