Class of 2022 SG Chance Westry (PA / AZ Compass Prep) TRANSFERRING TO SYRACUSE (4/17/23)

[AZOrange]

I understand and agree but the term “I think” instead of “I know” the ship has sailed still leaves a smidgen of hope for me. I know that hope is not a strategy but I am holding out on giving up. Believe that Chance Westry is a better fit for Syracuse than a JJ Starling (who I also like) and Quadir Copeland (who I believe will commit soon).

it will be a moot point if either JJ or Quadir commits before Chance.

I have zero issue if we land JJ and miss on CW. That is a trade I can live with. And CW is my favorite.

 

[Cusesky8214]

The over 2 year old Westry narrative that this kid is all in on Cuse but because of his parents/handlers he's not coming needs to go crawl into a hole and die. It makes people feel better about the decision I guess but there's more to it then that. With NIL opportunities and these kids getting a piece of the pie now, he'd be orange if thats what he really wanted. Everyone runs with stuff said on here because of a visit he had at the dome over 2 years ago. He pretty much has ZERO interaction/communication with current cuse players. No chemistry...but yea hes all orange and if his dad gave him the green light he would be suiting up for cuse.

 

[721Comstock]

The over 2 year old Westry narrative that this kid is all in on Cuse but because of his parents/handlers he's not coming needs to go crawl into a hole and die. It makes people feel better about the decision I guess but there's more to it then that. With NIL opportunities and these kids getting a piece of the pie now, he'd be orange if thats what he really wanted. Everyone runs with stuff said on here because of a visit he had at the dome over 2 years ago. He pretty much has ZERO interaction/communication with current cuse players. No chemistry...but yea hes all orange and if his dad gave him the green light he would be suiting up for cuse.

You, with your facts and logic and reason - there's no place for that here!

This is a hoops crootin forum!!

We now return you to #narratives and wild speculation, already in progress...

 

[littlereg]

The over 2 year old Westry narrative that this kid is all in on Cuse but because of his parents/handlers he's not coming needs to go crawl into a hole and die. It makes people feel better about the decision I guess but there's more to it then that. With NIL opportunities and these kids getting a piece of the pie now, he'd be orange if thats what he really wanted. Everyone runs with stuff said on here because of a visit he had at the dome over 2 years ago. He pretty much has ZERO interaction/communication with current cuse players. No chemistry...but yea hes all orange and if his dad gave him the green light he would be suiting up for cuse.

I mean I’m not arguing for either side of this argument but why would he build chemistry with the other commits and players if his camp won’t allow him to make that choice to go there anyways you know what I mean? At the end of the day It doesn’t matter anyways so you’re right though.

 

[Cusesky8214]

You, with your facts and logic and reason - there's no place for that here!

This is a hoops crootin forum!!

We now return you to #narratives and wild speculation, already in progress...

I'm usually a more wild speculation type of guy but this one just seems so strange to me. Its all fun though! The recruiting Rollercoaster that is Syracuse.

 

[Cusesky8214]

I mean I’m not arguing for either side of this argument but why would he build chemistry with the other commits and players if his camp won’t allow him to make that choice to go there anyways you know what I mean? At the end of the day It doesn’t matter anyways so you’re right though.

Its been this way for a long time. This isn't just because his camp won't allow him to make a choice. But yes, it doesn't really matter in the end. The decision will be what it is...board narratives run wild on here though and become tall tales for years to come!

 

[721Comstock]

Its been this way for a long time. This isn't just because his camp won't allow him to make a choice.

I'm not a social media savant, so I'll ask those who are -

Is Chance following or interacting w/ players and/or coaches from any non-Syracuse programs??

If he is, then that's not a good sign for us.
If he's not, then maybe he just doesn't do that?

Trying to find the possible silver lining...

 

[AZOrange]

Its been this way for a long time. This isn't just because his camp won't allow him to make a choice. But yes, it doesn't really matter in the end. The decision will be what it is...board narratives run wild on here though and become tall tales for years to come!

I mean parents have influenced Cuse recruits before so not sure why this is so hard to believe. Kenny Anderson, Thomas Bryant and Quade quickly come to mind.

 

[GoCuse14]

The over 2 year old Westry narrative that this kid is all in on Cuse but because of his parents/handlers he's not coming needs to go crawl into a hole and die. It makes people feel better about the decision I guess but there's more to it then that. With NIL opportunities and these kids getting a piece of the pie now, he'd be orange if thats what he really wanted. Everyone runs with stuff said on here because of a visit he had at the dome over 2 years ago. He pretty much has ZERO interaction/communication with current cuse players. No chemistry...but yea hes all orange and if his dad gave him the green light he would be suiting up for cuse.

And you know this because? The narrative you are poo pooing is coming from those that are in the know...not just giving opinions. Not saying you are.

 

[Cusesky8214]

And you know this because? The narrative you are poo pooing is coming from those that are in the know...not just giving opinions. Not saying you are.

Not really pooin on it but its a old narrative. There is absolutely nothing recent that pointed to Chance being all in on Syracuse. Its not just the handlers that want to get paid either...Kids also want the $ and that $ is available at Syracuse now just like it is at LSU/Auburn (how much is tbd) but if he wanted cuse he would be cuse. This is different times then comparing it to some of the other guys we missed out on because of handlers and money. Again, look into some of the other things going on as well thats been talked about numerous times on here.

 

[Cusesky8214]

If we're lucky, Melo's talk with him included a offer along with handing him a business card with a Metal Recyclers number on it.

Seriously though, if its all about money then wouldn't we be a good choice for a top kid like Westry? Is the money opportunities at schools like LSU/Auburn much greater then at ours? This isn't football we're talking about here...if the answer is no then how do we ever compete with some of these schools going forward into the NIL era? Being a major basketball school should help us here shouldn't it? Or will football money trump everything in the end and influence how top basketball recruits decide? Will notoriously known football schools become powerhouse basketball programs going forward?

 

[AZOrange]

If we're lucky, Melo's talk with him included a offer along with handing him a business card with a Metal Recyclers number on it.

Seriously though, if its all about money then wouldn't we be a good choice for a top kid like Westry? Is the money opportunities at schools like LSU/Auburn much greater then at ours? This isn't football we're talking about here...if the answer is no then how do we ever compete with some of these schools going forward into the NIL era? Being a major basketball school should help us here shouldn't it? Or will football money trump everything in the end and influence how top basketball recruits decide? Will notoriously known football schools become powerhouse basketball programs going forward?

Schools with a huge booster base are going to kill it.

 

[orangefog]

Schools with a huge booster base are going to kill it.

I guess that is what I don't understand about the NIL stuff. Do these opportunities have to be legitimate advertising opportunities? Or, is it now legal to pay a player $1000 to come to your kid's birthday party and leave after getting the check?

 

[Cusesky8214]

Don't we have some legit boosters that could help us out with this? Or are we chopped liver compared to these other schools? Does Syracuse struggle in the booster dept? (Honestly asking because idk)

 

[PauliePeppas]

Don't we have some legit boosters that could help us out with this? Or are we chopped liver compared to these other schools? Does Syracuse struggle in the booster dept? (Honestly asking because idk)

definitely lacking compared to a good chunk of schools unfortunately

 

[Zelda Zonk]

Schools with a huge booster base are going to kill it.

This is my feeling, too. But, not just that. Schools with booster bases with both money and and lower 'sophistication level' are going to kill it. The kinds of fans who will spend their own tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars to get more wins for their teams—it seems like that is a certain kind of individual. And i fear 'some types' of schools have more of 'those types' of individuals. It's not really about the endowment size (that's what she said) of the school—it's about the kinds of people who are more likely, en masse, to want to spend their money on college sports wins. It's a sociological thing as well as an economic demographics thing. That's why i think we lose in this deal.

Harvard, Yale, and Stanford are not going to be the big players, although their donors have the most money in the top 4. Texas (not sure how that 'system' works), though, is in the top 5 of endowments, and those people do seem like 'the type.'

 

[Zelda Zonk]

I guess that is what I don't understand about the NIL stuff. Do these opportunities have to be legitimate advertising opportunities? Or, is it now legal to pay a player $1000 to come to your kid's birthday party and leave after getting the check?

I'm completely ignorant of all this stuff, too. Haven't read a word about it.

How is this all being monitored? Because, in the olden days, if i kid was driving a new SUV but came from the projects, you could raise an eyebrow, and maybe that would prompt an investigation. Now, though, a kid could be driving a Lambo to 'class,' and it could legit be from social media, but if a booster were 'supplementing' him under the table with a Samsonite Delegate 3.1 Hardsider full of cash, there wouldn't be any (additional) visual cues to clue in the authorities.

How does all of this not get exploited and perverted?

 

[RF2044]

I'm completely ignorant of all this stuff, too. Haven't read a word about it.

How is this all being monitored? Because, in the olden days, if i kid was driving a new SUV but came from the projects, you could raise an eyebrow, and maybe that would prompt an investigation. Now, though, a kid could be driving a Lambo to 'class,' and it could legit be from social media, but if a booster were 'supplementing' him under the table with a Samsonite Delegate 3.1 Hardsider full of cash, there wouldn't be any (additional) visual cues to clue in the authorities.

How does all of this not get exploited and perverted?

It will.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

 

[chugg21]

This is my feeling, too. But, not just that. Schools with booster bases with both money and and lower 'sophistication level' are going to kill it. The kinds of fans who will spend their own tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars to get more wins for their teams—it seems like that is a certain kind of individual. And i fear 'some types' of schools have more of 'those types' of individuals. It's not really about the endowment size (that's what she said) of the school—it's about the kinds of people who are more likely, en masse, to want to spend their money on college sports wins. It's a sociological thing as well as an economic demographics thing. That's why i think we lose in this deal.

Harvard, Yale, and Stanford are not going to be the big players, although their donors have the most money in the top 4. Texas (not sure how that 'system' works), though, is in the top 5 of endowments, and those people do seem like 'the type.'

Those southern schools don't care about basketball in any fashion. I lived in College Station for a bit and absolutely no one is interested in basketball. I would talk about it and them bringing in Buzz Williams and that mattered far less to people then who they were hiring as position coaches on the football staff. It's football 24/7. I imagine from visiting Baton Rouge on numerous occasions that it's the same at LSU and Auburn. Maybe they have a bit more of a following because they've been better of late but there's a fairly good shot that baseball is ahead of basketball at each school too. So if our flagship program is getting beat out in booster cash by their 3rd priority then yikes.

 

[CardiacCuse]

This is my feeling, too. But, not just that. Schools with booster bases with both money and and lower 'sophistication level' are going to kill it. The kinds of fans who will spend their own tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars to get more wins for their teams—it seems like that is a certain kind of individual. And i fear 'some types' of schools have more of 'those types' of individuals. It's not really about the endowment size (that's what she said) of the school—it's about the kinds of people who are more likely, en masse, to want to spend their money on college sports wins. It's a sociological thing as well as an economic demographics thing. That's why i think we lose in this deal.

Harvard, Yale, and Stanford are not going to be the big players, although their donors have the most money in the top 4. Texas (not sure how that 'system' works), though, is in the top 5 of endowments, and those people do seem like 'the type.'

yeesh

gotta be a way to put a leash on those types!

 

[Zelda Zonk]

Those southern schools don't care about basketball in any fashion. I lived in College Station for a bit and absolutely no one is interested in basketball. I would talk about it and them bringing in Buzz Williams and that mattered far less to people then who they were hiring as position coaches on the football staff. It's football 24/7. I imagine from visiting Baton Rouge on numerous occasions that it's the same at LSU and Auburn. Maybe they have a bit more of a following because they've been better of late but there's a fairly good shot that baseball is ahead of basketball at each school too. So if our flagship program is getting beat out in booster cash by their 3rd priority then yikes.

I wasn't really narrowing my NIL-related animus to just basketball. I get your point—Alabama will buy all the big football recruits (if they need to), but there won't be enough motivated, well-heeled boosters to go after basketball players. But, i think, as with everything else, there's a diffusion into the unfilled areas, just because we're in an era where everyone wants to make a public splash and be recognized and create social media impact. And, so, if if you've got big money in Texas and the field is already too crowded for you to do something for the football team, where there are 90 players and the individual impacts may be smaller, maybe you move over to basketball, where one or two big recruits have a larger impact, and your dollar goes further toward getting you some "ink or pub," as the late Al Michaels used to say.

I don't know. Spitballing, projecting, wondering. Whatever you call it, i just am pessimistic about it all, and even if we could win those battles, i hate the very idea of them anyway. I'm a sad, old romantic, and i like the quaint idea of college students being college students, and preparing for professional life. It's a different world, and i quite hate it.

 

[AZOrange]

Don't we have some legit boosters that could help us out with this? Or are we chopped liver compared to these other schools? Does Syracuse struggle in the booster dept? (Honestly asking because idk)

Chopped liver. For example, about 8-10 years ago Alabama boosters paid off Nick Sabans $3.1mm house. And pay his property tax every year. Can you imagine that here?

 

[AZOrange]

Those southern schools don't care about basketball in any fashion. I lived in College Station for a bit and absolutely no one is interested in basketball. I would talk about it and them bringing in Buzz Williams and that mattered far less to people then who they were hiring as position coaches on the football staff. It's football 24/7. I imagine from visiting Baton Rouge on numerous occasions that it's the same at LSU and Auburn. Maybe they have a bit more of a following because they've been better of late but there's a fairly good shot that baseball is ahead of basketball at each school too. So if our flagship program is getting beat out in booster cash by their 3rd priority then yikes.

Eh I’m not sure that you’ve been following the SEC the last few years. Lots of $$$. And that completely ignores the southern schools in the ACC!

 

[chugg21]

Eh I’m not sure that you’ve been following the SEC the last few years. Lots of $$$. And that completely ignores the southern schools in the ACC!

I was living in SEC territory the last few years so probably. Alabama with Oats certainly has them competitive in bringing in guys and then LSU/Auburn with their head coaches just handing out cash payments. We were talking NIL opportunities. At Syracuse the basketball program is our flagship program and who everyone cares about. Football takes a backseat. At Auburn/LSU which are apparently the competition for Westry, basketball is an afterthought that the local community has minimal interest in.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Schools with a huge booster base are going to kill it.

For a private school, Cuse seems to have done a great job in marketing post-grad networking opportunities to recruits in the recent past. Just look at how many Cuse fans show up at opposing games up and down the East Coast. Kids (or their parents) must notice that.

It's hard to believe, though, the story about $1M for a QB at Alabama that hasn't hit campus yet. Nobody is going to be able to compete with stuff like that. But I wonder how that's going to play with the rest of the team who are already there?