So Who Is The First Portaler?

[5OutFred]

Would it be accurate to say:
If he's healthy, Westry has been guaranteed a starting spot
?

Guaranteeing a starting spot to an injury-prone player who has played less than 10 college games over 2 years would be irresponsible at best

 

[dasher]

I feel its easy to see the guys who are not bought in.. I know its sometimes tough to see past skill and athleticism but we have guys you dont win with. Need to have a play 4 each other team mentality. You can feel that Judah and Bell lack that.. Q leans that way to me too but I also wonder if he needs. strong player voice just shutting him up... Too many of these guys equals an issue.

JJ, Brown, Taylor, never come across that way to me.. They play ball and seem to be for each other. I cant get a vibe on Cuffe.

Also you especially don't want to bring in a gamechanger freshman next year and have culture issues influencing hm or Moore.

I know its a business but coaches say 'Id rather lose with guys that buy in and play for each other" than deal with bad culture players!

Cuffe is a good kid. So are Brown, JJ and Taylor. Although, Taylor won't be back.

 

[Cuse_NYC]

I think it was more than his shot. There was a point before Red had him cutting that he didn't even want to touch the ball on O. He was passing as soon as it came to him.

agree. and asked to cover 4’s which he has no shot at doing. He can’t do much of anything imho

 

[orangenauburn]

JM

 

[Cuse_NYC]

Cuffe is a good kid. So are Brown, JJ and Taylor. Although, Taylor won't be back.

Cuffe prob more of an Iona guy. Wish he would transfer for his best interest

 

[Red2003]

Our Nil situation is a lot better than people realize.

I agree. My original point I think there is a huge opportunity in continuing the hype from football and keeping it rolling to hoops. Syracuse football feels like it’s playing with the big dawgs or at least nipping at their heels in just year one of Fran Brown. Now it’s time for hoops to follow suit this portal season.

 

[two3zone]

I’ll say again. Where does he think he’s going to start? I get that he can put his name out there and that’s good for him to see what his worth is and his options are. Doesn’t mean that he won’t be right back in Orange off the bench.

Temple? St Josephs? LaSalle?

 

[gmacfor3]

Judah, Q, and Bell are not guys you win with, They can be program killers... Judah and Bell lack any mental toughness on the court.. If things dont go their way they fold... Q plays low IQ basketball.. He has good anticipation but forces plays too much. I think Q could be fine with more vocal players to tell him to make smarter plays.. This is not a player led team which hurts, The best teams are player led.

The only difference between us and Louisville is coaching... Red did a good job in year 1 and Kenny Payne was not a good coach. Its not a hot seat year next year from Red either. AD is gonna give him some time unless next year is a disaster and it won't be.. If we make NIT this year it hurts, but its a logical growth from from the last 2 years. Red is gonna find mentally tough players that may not be as flashy but play with some grit.

Think back to 2009 when we had a good year with the Flynn, Devo and Harris, that team was good but lacked something.. We all saw those 3 leaving, almost mutually with JB... Next year we bring back a different team relying on other voices and lost to Lemoyne, but then went on to have an amazing year.. AO and Rautins player led and brought Wes in and he fit perfect, and everyone knew their roles.

These players will leave and we will be better for it.. Change is good and Red will find his team personality

Really good post. Completely agree. Especially the part about 2009…talent only takes you so far…need mentally tough WINNERS! Hope Red can find some in the portal.

 

[UpstateSM]

not going to class = not getting the grades = not staying eligible as a student = not qualified for portal?

= Dean's List at UNC

 

[two3zone]

Our Nil situation is a lot better than people realize.

After the very slow start they’ve really gotten on the right track.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

After the very slow start they’ve really gotten on the right track.

That’s what she said

 

[two3zone]

That’s what she said

 

[CuseFaninVT]

We are children

 

[AZOrange]

Cuffe prob more of an Iona guy. Wish he would transfer for his best interest

Why? We need depth and he is a good player.

 

[orangefog]

Why? We need depth and he is a good player.

I’m with you. I like Cuffe.

 

[XC Cuse]

Why? We need depth and he is a good player.

Kids in his first year. Idk why so many are so quick to castoff players. He's an athlete.

 

[SUbear]

For the record, I like Taylor, would want him to stay and be a 4 year program guy.

He’s the type of kid you want on your team, banging every day in practice and giving you court time. He’s a solid role player seventh man type

Okay to that, but starter or major minutes, no thank you.

 

[DoctahLexus]

Nobody knows or actually cares if these are good or bad kids. If the so called bad kids were a little better at basketball then some of this attitude stuff would be either brushed aside or viewed as a part of what makes them good basketball players. You chose to read into body language and 2nd hand rumors because we are not winning enough. Anything on the subject of good or bad kid is lame as hell. You guys just want to win more.

 

[kingtidge]

Okay to that, but starter or major minutes, no thank you.

Taylor went up for a finger roll layup last game and missed the rim entirely... he rolled it off his fingers into mid-air away from the basket.

I have never seen that before in my 45+ years of watching b-ball. If you can't quite get to the rim you adjust and do a standard layup off the backboard...

Defensively he's pretty solid.

Offensively, he's a hot mess. He's good with the baseline reverse layup... that's about it.

Anything he tries facing the basket is an adventure, to say the least...

 

[Scott11]

Quadir is a tough one. I would want him to stay. He’s athletic, unafraid and can play at this level. I would like to think that Red could coach him up. He is willing to rebound and his shot, while not good, should improve as his mechanics are not terrible.

On the flipside as I have complained about before, he does not prioritize taking care of the ball, and is more interested about getting on sportsCenter. He is not a good shooter and cannot finish with his left hand. His defense somehow has gotten a pass from many on this board, but it is awful.

I think a big factor that some have alluded to although not directly on this board is that the team is somewhat divided. On one hand, you had the four of Benny, Judah, Q and Bell. On the other hand, you have Maliq, JJ, JT and Cuffe. The level of commitment to team and the behavior level is so much greater for the latter four that it isn’t close. We have seen immature and disrespectful behavior from the first four repeatedly and it really is up to Red to decide how much he can take. But I think it is pretty clear that he is looking for his team to adopt a mindset of the latter four next year.

 

[FrancoPizza]

Can't wait for this to all shake out

I hope the announcements keep us distracted at least so we can get through the first weekend of March Madness. The first weekend really sucks without SU.

 

[shu 49]

Qs gone

U guessing or ya know. If so why.

Autry loves Bell..he’s a huge piece for next year

i do think he could be but has to improve mentally. If he is tougher then he will realize that when he is off he could still impact game in other ways. There have been glimpses of it in the season so lets hope it continues.

 

[JustPherU]

Next we’ll hear that somebody stole somebody else’s flatscreen and PS5.

Or they’re banging a teammates gf.

Or a coach’s wife

 

[benjams77]

Nobody knows or actually cares if these are good or bad kids. If the so called bad kids were a little better at basketball then some of this attitude stuff would be either brushed aside or viewed as a part of what makes them good basketball players. You chose to read into body language and 2nd hand rumors because we are not winning enough. Anything on the subject of good or bad kid is lame as hell. You guys just want to win more.

That is not completely true.. JB used to push talented kids on who were not fitting.. I'm not for all the rumors... but the on court stuff you can see.. There are differences between playing and winning and competing and being Winners.. Judah, Bell, and Q have skill to win but they are not winners.. We get blown out in many losses because they cant handle adversity and they fold.

My issue more with Q is his Basketball IQ.. I think he competes but makes some bad decisions. I dot see him not having mental toughness but I do think he needs player leadership that he isnt getting.

Taylor did not have a gpod year but he just does his job and doesnt complain on court. Body language does matter whether you like it or not.. I speak from HS level but Im sure its the same in college cause some refs are the same.. They do not like teams like Cuse with players who Bitch after every call and throw their arms up.. You can laugh but It matters to karma and the Basketball Gods to get things to go your way..

There was a point when i thought if we were on the bubble and close we wouldnt get in cause we are a mentally weak group.. Why do you think medai never talks Cuse anymore.. Our team is tough to watch for people from a discipline perspective. That does start with Red but the only way to force it on players is to move them on

 

[kingtidge]

I think a big factor that some have alluded to although not directly on this board is that the team is somewhat divided. On one hand, you had the four of Benny, Judah, Q and Bell. On the other hand, you have Maliq, JJ, JT and Cuffe. The level of commitment to team and the behavior level is so much greater for the latter four that it isn’t close. We have seen immature and disrespectful behavior from the first four repeatedly and it really is up to Red to decide how much he can take. But I think it is pretty clear that he is looking for his team to adopt a mindset of the latter four next year.

One thing I did not realize so clearly until the last Clemson game was the tangible animosity between Joe and Judah... it seemed beyond just competitive in-game opponents.

I mean, I suspected they weren't the best buds last year, but it seemed clear as day in that game they REALLY don't like each other...

Made me also question whether Joe left because JB retired or if he simply couldn't stomach another season playing with JM...

I am now kinda thinking it may have been primarily the latter...

I may be completely off base in that assessment, as it is mostly gut feeling...