Siena Basketball: GMAC / Blackwell / AO

[2B20Again]

I will preface by saying I didn’t pay close attn to the game until the end. But, contrary to what a poster said about Welsh praising Gerry’s end of game coaching, I thought it was lazy. It was iso ball, the last few possessions for sure. And we know damn well what that looks like. They got lucky that it worked out. That being said, I did see them run a few things earlier.

I watched every minute. ISO down the end was the plan once they got the lead. Great balance, great job by Jerry.

 

[Orangezoo]

I'd be more concerned if he can do the money/fundraising aspect of the job. Red has been awful at that so the bar is low. But I think the next hire has to be able to generate excitement and get folks to open up their wallets. Would Gerry do that over someone else? Guess it depends who the someone else is...

So my comment was on Gerry as a person.

On him as an option, I’ve been pretty hell bent we should go a different direction despite loving him as a Cuse alum and being a NEPA guy. Watching last night it’s hard not to see some things that are the same things I like in some of the other candidates we’ve mentioned. Not to mention the defensive rotations and work rate dealing with the relentless screening action and physicality from Iona cannot be ignored.

It’s worth a close watch through the end of the season to see how he manages his team being at the top of the league next to Merrimack and then the conference tourney. If they win the league and get to the tourney , with what I saw last night- a really hard look is absolutely fair and you give him a chance to make his case in a national search. Recruiting is a big question as is who gets behind him funding wise as well as the Weitsman relationship conundrum given the Lally’s.

 

[LAorange44]

People are clamoring for a proven coach but it means 100 different things to 100 different people? What makes a coach proven??? Years of coaching? P4 experience? Making the tourney??? Advancing in the tourney? Raising NIL dollars??? Would be helpful if folks dialed these in even when giving their opinion.

 

[Orangezoo]

I watched every minute. ISO down the end was the plan once they got the lead. Great balance, great job by Jerry.

They did ISO but also identified the right matchups and moved and spaced the floor to offer options vs ball watch. The proper way to attack when using ISO ball.

 

[cusefan88]

I'd be more concerned if he can do the money/fundraising aspect of the job. Red has been awful at that so the bar is low. But I think the next hire has to be able to generate excitement and get folks to open up their wallets. Would Gerry do that over someone else? Guess it depends who the someone else is...

Part of the fanbase who doesn't want another alum right now will be extra hard on him. This hire is going to be pressure packed and under a huge microscope for minute 1 of the press conference.

 

[Orangezoo]

Part of the fanbase who doesn't want another alum right now will be extra hard on him. This hire is going to be pressure packed and under a huge microscope for minute 1 of the press conference.

That’s one thing he will do well at in terms of engaging the press vs Red and it’s not close either.

 

[Irishsecra1]

I think Gerry would be a great coach here but I think coming in with the team so broken and a fanbase so heartbroken and angry, it would be an incredibly hard job for anyone. It seems to be an incredibly hard row to hoe for a young coach.
Gerry does have 2 things going for him that no other hire will have (assuming we are not breaking the bank to get a well known hire!).
He will have immediate name recognition and may be able to bring the fans back for another try in a way most other hires wont. Same with donors - everyone knows he was part of the NCAA championship team.
He understands the psyche of Syracuse and our fan base - much as Josh Allen does with Buffalo. - the way an outsider wont.
In some ways, he personifies the average Syracusan (or how we like to think of ourselves) - he does not look particularly athletic, is willing to work his ass off for his dreams and for his family, and has a never surrender attitude.

He has made no secret of his love for Central New York.
I dare say I could imagine him being a lifer like Boeheim if he could achieve that level of oncourt success.

However, he is incredibly close to Red. I cant imagine him coming here if he felt he was stealing Reds job.

 

[Irishsecra1]

That’s one thing he will do well at in terms of engaging the press vs Red and it’s not close either.

Watch any of his recent interviews or press conferences.
He is really good at it.

 

[capeorange]

We just had a board insider (I forgot who) pretty much claim GMac is a jerk and all about Gerry about a week ago. Is this well known?

Well, we sure know that the nice guy act isn't working for Red.

 

[Orangezoo]

Watch any of his recent interviews or press conferences.
He is really good at it.

Correct- we saw that at the national title team celebration game even before Siena.

 

[FloridaCuse]

We just had a board insider (I forgot who) pretty much claim GMac is a jerk and all about Gerry about a week ago. Is this well known?

But didn't others on here add that all good coaches have big egos too?

 

[Fly Rodder]

 

[OmahaCuse]

GMAC may allow us to keep some of the players we want and bring Doty over? I am sure they will seek advice from Melo and big donors on this off the record. GMAC would be a risk verses a legit long term proven winner but think he would be a decent hire given the situation.

 

[LAorange44]

If we aren’t getting a long term proven winner, somebody like a Mick Cronin for example, and we have to take a bet on somebody younger, I’d take a bet on Gerry before anybody else. Not because he is a Syracuse guy but because he is Gerry MF’ing Mcnamara and everything that comes with it.

 

[sufan59]

If we aren’t getting a long term proven winner, somebody like a Mick Cronin for example, and we have to take a bet on somebody younger, I’d take a bet on Gerry before anybody else. Not because he is a Syracuse guy but because he is Gerry MF’ing Mcnamara and everything that comes with it.

It's GMAC. It's different. The guy drained 6 3s in the first half that was the difference in our only National Championship. Even last night, I was genuinely emotionally invested in that outcome. I will always root for GMAC success whether that involves Syracuse success or some other schools success. Where it's in spite of Syracuse though, we will cross that bridge if we ever get there.

 

[Otto21]

I thought that many were convinced that GMAC was not an adequate recruiter when he was at Cuse. He was often blamed for us not landing recruits, and I’m not sure if that had merit or not from what I’ve read. Is this no longer a concern? Or was that sentiment misguided?

 

[BrookhavenCuse]

of course they're a 1 bid league. don't win the tournament you're praying for the nit. these games have been important for positioning in the tournament. first 2 seeds get byes and of course the higher you finish the easier the road (theoretically).

Agree with everything, good perspective. BTW top 6 get byes into the quarterfinals, 7 through 10 play the first night.

 

[Fly Rodder]

They hire Gerry, I hope everyone is prepared for him to be booed in the dome with chants of “fire Gerry” when it turns out he’s not a high D1 coach either.

The same people who defended JAB for a decade and defended the Red hire, are now rallying around Gmac.

What national buzz is Gerry getting? Where is he on the up and coming coaches? What other hopeful annual tourney schools are interested in a MAAC coach?

 

[BrookhavenCuse]

I watched every minute. ISO down the end was the plan once they got the lead. Great balance, great job by Jerry.

Jerry Seinfeld? It’s not J-MAC it’s G-MAC!

 

[Irishsecra1]

GMAC may allow us to keep some of the players we want and bring Doty over? I am sure they will seek advice from Melo and big donors on this off the record. GMAC would be a risk verses a legit long term proven winner but think he would be a decent hire given the situation.

My guess is Melo would give him a big endorsement.
I would love to see what Gerry could do with Kiyan. He has some real good raw talent there, he just needs to focus better and learn patience.

 

[Cuse_NYC]

Gerry can go somewhere else first then be the guy for Cuse down the road.

 

[Irishsecra1]

They hire Gerry, I hope everyone is prepared for him to be booed in the dome with chants of “fire Gerry” when it turns out he’s not a high D1 coach either.

The same people who defended JAB for a decade and defended the Red hire, are now rallying around Gmac.

What national buzz is Gerry getting? Where is he on the up and coming coaches? What other hopeful annual tourney schools are interested in a MAAC coach?

Heres the thing. The best we are going to get is a mid major head coach or an assistant from a top program. Unless they have gobs of money they are willing to spend, that is it.
If they do that, then I agree there are better candidates than Gerry.
Sadly working as our basketball coach is no more attractive than working as our football coach right now.
Red just killed it like Robinson did to football.

 

[baggerbob]

It will be especially interesting if he takes Siena back to the NCAAT after only 2 years there after taking over a 4 win program.
I just think GMAC has the intangibles that really good coaches need.
As for recruiting, he brought in Doty and Folefac and has a verbal commitment from a top 10 point guard who would be the highest rated recruit in Sienas history..

I always thought GMACs personality and his ability to point to his accomplishments as a player would go a long way in recruiting as a head coach when he basically could call the shots.
Seriously, he won a national championship with Carmelo and had a pretty storied career right up to the final Big East Tournament.

He literally isn't asking his team to do anymore than he did as a player.
He can walk the walk so to speak. I think that still resonates with young players.
He isn't just talking a bunch of hot air.

And he did it with hard work and a never surrender attitude.

Since Gerry was an assistant at SU under Jim , what big name recruits did he bring in during all those down years? If we are going to get back to being a top program you have to have elite players to win.

 

[LAorange44]

They hire Gerry, I hope everyone is prepared for him to be booed in the dome with chants of “fire Gerry” when it turns out he’s not a high D1 coach either.

The same people who defended JAB for a decade and defended the Red hire, are now rallying around Gmac.

What national buzz is Gerry getting? Where is he on the up and coming coaches? What other hopeful annual tourney schools are interested in a MAAC coach?

What’s the difference between GMAC and Hodgson in terms of desirable characteristics????

 

[tptcuse]

Heres the thing. The best we are going to get is a mid major head coach or an assistant from a top program. Unless they have gobs of money they are willing to spend, that is it.
If they do that, then I agree there are better candidates than Gerry.
Sadly working as our basketball coach is no more attractive than working as our football coach right now.
Red just killed it like Robinson did to football.

I disagree with the bolded part above. That is revisionist history. Coaching our basketball program is much more desirable than our football program.