so who gave up on them at 0-4?

[cuseattle]

There is definitely some truth to this. Lately I have been watching those late 80s games on Youtube. All those players you mention...even those Michigan teams with Gary Grant, Rumeal Robinson, Glen Rice, Mills, etc. Geez.

Seton Hall should have won that game !

 

[orangecuse]

I guess it depends on one's definition of 'gave up.' After the putrid conference start, I certainly was guilty of thinking that this was going to be a very long winter, and that it appears very unlikely that this team would have any chance of getting to the dance. However, as probably most of the people here, it didn't keep me from tuning in every single game with the expectation that anything was possible, while twisting, turning, squirming, shouting, etc. the same as in all the year's past. Guilty of having strong doubt, certainly...but not giving up.

 

[CusefanATL]

I didn't. As a fan it's frustrating to see other fans give up so quick. People gave up on the team in 2013 too. Not sure why we do this quite a bit.

I would be shocked if 1 person actually gave up on the season. i think there are huge differences in that wording and actual intent. Its totally fine to predict not making the tournament based on past results, thats not giving up as a fan though.

I would have much more issues at 10-7 with people predicting national championship than people predicting NIT. Thats just common sense.

 

[Ozcuse]

I didn't give up. I knew the team's slump was more due to Hop being the substitute teacher than anything else.

Kinda scared when the substitute teacher becomes the full time teacher.

 

[UnderHisOwnPower]

Quite a few of us were saying theyll be lucky to win 6 or 7 acc games. I know after the clemson game i just about gave up, i felt like that was a game we had to have to be a tournament team.

I was skeptical after seeing the TX Southern game live. It had been awhile since I saw so many alley oop dunks over the zone that I was not sure they would have a winning record on the season. Then 0-4 just confirmed my concerns, but they've made a remarkable turn around. Very proud of their will to win, the obvious chemistry they are playing with now, and how much of a booster shot the long lay off was. Stretch run, need to get it done!

 

[MSOrange]

I guess it depends on one's definition of 'gave up.' After the putrid conference start, I certainly was guilty of thinking that this was going to be a very long winter, and that it appears very unlikely that this team would have any chance of getting to the dance. However, as probably most of the people here, it didn't keep me from tuning in every single game with the expectation that anything was possible, while twisting, turning, squirming, shouting, etc. the same as in all the year's past. Guilty of having strong doubt, certainly...but not giving up.

You summed it up for me very well. This is where I was at. I never give up on Syracuse basketball, but I had a hard time seeing the big dance. I wasn't realistically worried about the winning record streak. I thought JB would figure out how to get us to that point.

 

[orangecuse]

I didn't give up. I knew the team's slump was more due to Hop being the substitute teacher than anything else.

Kinda scared when the substitute teacher becomes the full time teacher.

I'd really love to know Hop's true thoughts/feelings on his 9 game stint. I realize it's not his team as JB eluded to, etc., but it's not like Hop wasn't familiar with the guys, the system, etc. as he's been an assistant coach here for 2 decades. I've heard the substitute teacher analogy, but I really struggle with that to some extent because of Hop's extended time in the program and his 'coach in waiting' status...a far cry from your garden variety substitute teacher designation. His results couldn't have been a confidence booster.

 

[81South]

Never gave up on the boys. JAB always finds a way to get er done.

 

[jec1521]

I'd really love to know Hop's true thoughts/feelings on his 9 game stint. I realize it wasn't his team as JB eluded to, etc., but it's not like Hop wasn't familiar with the guys, the system, etc. as he's been an assistant coach here for 2 decades. I've heard the substitute teacher analogy, but I really struggle with that to some extent because of Hop's extended time in the program and his 'coach in waiting' status...a far cry from your garden variety 'substitute' teacher designation.

I agree. The "not his team" argument doesn't fly with me isn't the whole point of having him as the coach in waiting continuity? If he doesn't bring continuity, what does he bring that other coaches couldnt?

 

[MadisonCuse]

The season isn't over! Sure they made a nice turnaround but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Most Cuse teams usually peak in Nov/Dec and go through a Jan/Feb slump, I'm glad to see this team continues to develop.

Unlike previous years the bench isn't shortening its getting a little longer as Frank develops.

 

[pearl31]

yeah I'll admit that at halftime of Clemson I was pretty much like, "welp this team is going exactly nowhere"... but then at the same time I couldn't let go of how good they were in the Bahamas, so I did retain a smidgen of hope

 

[CusefanATL]

I guess it depends on one's definition of 'gave up.' After the putrid conference start, I certainly was guilty of thinking that this was going to be a very long winter, and that it appears very unlikely that this team would have any chance of getting to the dance. However, as probably most of the people here, it didn't keep me from tuning in every single game with the expectation that anything was possible, while twisting, turning, squirming, shouting, etc. the same as in all the year's past. Guilty of having strong doubt, certainly...but not giving up.

dude. you and i are on the exact same page. almost scary how similar my 2 posts (1 just before and 1 literally at the same time so i know we arent copying eachother) are to yours.

 

[We Are Syracuse]

I did so disgustingly... I should be Game of Thrones "SHAMED"

underestimated the presence of the great JAB.. Shame on me

Edit to add: Although, I must say for myself, that I have watched every game as intense as the first. So I said I have given up hope, but the way and passion I watched the games with, didn't exemplify that.

 

[Cusefan0307]

yeah I'll admit that at halftime of Clemson I was pretty much like, "welp this team is going exactly nowhere"... but then at the same time I couldn't let go of how good they were in the Bahamas, so I did retain a smidgen of hope

Great thread you created a month ago bringing up the 2010-2011 season when we lost 6 out of 8.

 

[rrlbees]

Not I.

 

[CuseHulk]

You know I never did. A lot of u stand corrected. I told u so.

 

[Marsh01]

I had my doubts for sure. I know a lot of people did. Certainly nothing wrong with that. They struggled and needed to improve. They certainly have done that.

Also let me know when they start giving away fan of the year awards for those who say they didnt. I love those posts.

 

[Eric15]

This is an extremely likable group of players, but objectively, I still think this team is in the bottom quartile of all-time Boeheim teams in terms of talent. And we're still very much on the bubble.

That said, sometimes underdog seasons like this can be the most fun from a fan perspective. With the exception of 2003, this board was never as electric as it was during that 2006 BET run, when an objectively bad SU team totally surprised us.

 

[RF2044]

I had my doubts for sure. I know a lot of people did. Certainly nothing wrong with that. They struggled and needed to improve. They certainly have done that.

Also let me know when they start giving away fan of the year awards for those who say they didnt. I love those posts.

That's right--there were some important factors / developments that occurred. Hopkins had a poor stint. Surprisingly, our rebounding got exponentially better. Cooney / Richardson, who'd been cold, started to hit threes at a respectable clip. Howard overcame his illness setback and gave us a legitimate 7th guy in the rotation, which bolstered depth. And Coleman went from a token starter to a guy who started producing inside [however intermittently].

And of course, JB's return sharpened the team's focus.

But this is a much better team than it was back in December. That's the key. We rarely seem to improve over the course of many seasons, but this team has come a LONG way and improved a ton.

 

[NYCSUGrad]

I'd really love to know Hop's true thoughts/feelings on his 9 game stint. I realize it's not his team as JB eluded to, etc., but it's not like Hop wasn't familiar with the guys, the system, etc. as he's been an assistant coach here for 2 decades. I've heard the substitute teacher analogy, but I really struggle with that to some extent because of Hop's extended time in the program and his 'coach in waiting' status...a far cry from your garden variety substitute teacher designation. His results couldn't have been a confidence booster.

Well he had anticipated taking over the team for the ACC portion of the schedule and then was given 48 hours or less notice before a big game, Georgetown IIRC, that he would be taking over sooner. We can parse all the games , wins and losses, and did at length. The point for the future is he will be able to look back at this and see what he could have done better.

Plus unless JB is dead or senile, Hop can confer with him as much as he wants once he becomes head coach. He couldn't here. Bernie Fine could when JB was recovering from cancer.

 

[MonsterGame]

ehhh... our defense, interior play (both offense and defense), and rebounding has improved dramatically since jb's return. that's the difference, not a mini slump from g.

Gonna have to disagree with you. I see it this way. "Ehh, every time I see G play poorly, the defense, interior play (both offense and defense), and rebounding are dramatically worse." Teams do have team leaders who the team rallies around. Not saying JB's come back isn't a big reason as well, but maybe part of that is JB refocusing G to be great so the team can follow. Just watch what happens the next time G has a stinker game.

Look, I'm not saying G is everything alright. I am saying G's play leads the way for this team.

 

[djcon57]

I didn't give up on them necessarily, but I was pretty stuck on my "this team is one of the worst zone teams we've had and can't rebound a lick" thoughts pretty hard.

I'm shocked how well they've rebounded. STILL, I will stick to this though, this team can only win when we are hitting 3s. So as I've said for weeks, we can beat anyone and lose to anyone. Seed doesn't matter. Just get in the dance and maybe we hit a hot streak.

 

[RF2044]

This is an extremely likable group of players, but objectively, I still think this team is in the bottom quartile of all-time Boeheim teams in terms of talent. And we're still very much on the bubble.

That said, sometimes underdog seasons like this can be the most fun from a fan perspective. With the exception of 2003, this board was never as electric as it was during that 2006 BET run, when an objectively bad SU team totally surprised us.

I think this is a very fair assessment.

That we've been able to overcome those limitations and round into form as a formidable team speaks volumes about JB's coaching this year.

 

[Knicks411]

I think this is a very fair assessment.

That we've been able to overcome those limitations and round into form as a formidable team speaks volumes about JB's coaching this year.

I think this year really has to make the people who are ready for JB to retire and Hopkins to take over pause. Not saying the 9 games Hop coached will be reflective of how he'll do when he takes over for real, but it's been night and day.

 

[NineOneSeven]

I had serious doubts, but that doesn't mean I didn't watch every game the same way.