So Who Is The First Portaler?

[SanDiegoCuse]

I love watching Q and the toughness/confidence he brought to the floor but if he’s pulling things down behind the scenes you gotta let him go.

 

[CuseTG2003]

The whole story is never shared publicly. It's better that way.

It's also not hard to read between the lines and understand the gist of what happened w/out knowing details

 

[JustPherU]

The whole story is never shared publicly. It's better that way.

Maybe not the entire story but I need names

 

[JustPherU]

It's also not hard to read between the lines and understand the gist of what happened w/out knowing details

Well call me stupid and fill me in

 

[DoctahLexus]

That simply isn't true. Yes, we want to win more. There was a lot going on with this team. And it wasn't good. If you want to win, you have to have the right pieces. But you also have to have everyone pulling the rope in the same direction. That wasn't the case with our team. There was a lot of disrespect for the coach and what we were trying to do. And it came from 2 or 3 players. Oh, and that isn't guessing or reading body language.

I can't believe anything without proof. If it is as bad as you say I think we would have seen more actions from Red that reflect that. He kicked Benny off the team and suspended him for short stretches. Why no 1 game suspension for these other guys who continue to be bad guys? Why did the so called trouble makers not at least receive a reduction in minutes or a tighter leash? I cant believe anything without more proof. Whether it is a long time respected poster who I like or a first time poster.

 

[CuseTG2003]

Well call me stupid and fill me in

Despite being talented, Judah and Quadir (and maybe Bell) were PITAs and won't be missed. Addition by subtraction.

 

[orangepassion]

Why is Q leaving? He is my favorite and thar should count for something.

I actually spoke to Q about that and he said it does not.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

It's also not hard to read between the lines and understand the gist of what happened w/out knowing details

I'm not sure conjecture and drawing your own conclusions is best.

The best Syracuse teams aren't full of choir boys they typically feature tough Philly/NYC/DC kids like Q to give us some swag and our edge. He also fits the team way better if Mintz is no longer here since he's likely better at what we are going to lose if Judah moves on tough contested takes late in the clock.

 

[CardiacCuse]

He also wants to be a starter and that also is most likely not going to happen

if only to keep q around next year, red shouldve started Q over taylor

cant be easy watching a guy like taylor start over you...when he has basically zero production

 

[orangefog]

I actually spoke to Q about that and he said it does not.

Oh man, did he thinks that is creepy and weird and that is the actual reason he is leaving?

 

[CardiacCuse]

BTW, I think when eventually everything is out in the open (not saying I know), I think Red getting to 20 wins with this roster is going to seem like walking on water.

This isn't a joke. I think he basically got us to 20 wins while dealing with a den of mayhem.

yeah- that likely showed up in the kenpom having highest luck - can also indicate behind the scenes mayhem

it was a weird season

 

[RF2044]

Why was there so little control? Why were there no consequences?

Because that's the program's history. The previous head coach wasn't the biggest disciplinarian, he was laissez faire relative to many other coaches with respect to keeping his players in line, and he put up with more than many other coaches might be willing to.

Not criticizing him, just describing.

The vast majority of kids in the rotation were recruited by the former HC, and played under him for at least a year. Red made some changes to the culture, which came with some new expectations -- and those new, more stringent requirements didn't sit well with a few of the players, who were accustomed to something else.

For the record, doesn't make them bad kids. But it wasn't what they signed up for, and wasn't what they were used to. So they chomped at the bit. And those three are pretty tight, so they became somewhat of a passive aggressive disruptive element, even though they weren't overtly "bad."

Red clamped down on some of it, so there WERE some consequences, and there was "control." He even booted a player [not one of the three described above] for repeated squireli-ness. And for a time, that got the attention of the others, and induced them to fall in line -- but it was temporary / short lived.

And now that we're at the end of the season, Red can be frank with them. Get with the program, or find a new place to play. Rest is up to them.

 

[malpearl31]

I can't believe anything without proof. If it is as bad as you say I think we would have seen more actions from Red that reflect that. He kicked Benny off the team and suspended him for short stretches. Why no 1 game suspension for these other guys who continue to be bad guys? Why did the so called trouble makers not at least receive a reduction in minutes or a tighter leash? I cant believe anything without more proof. Whether it is a long time respected poster who I like or a first time poster.

Judah was benched at the start of one of the earlier games this year. I think Red termed it a “violation of team rules” or something like that in the post-game presser. I remember thinking at the time that it certainly wasn’t a good sign for our supposed “leader” to be getting in trouble… with hindsight, it was probably a bigger deal internally than we all thought at the time.

 

[CardiacCuse]

I was very enthusiastic about seeing what Peter Carey could become. But, he should transfer. To a program that will play him at a more realistic position. He’s not a center. He is not a back-to-the-hoop offensive player and he can’t defend centers at this level. I’m kinda sick of us consistently taking skinny high school forwards and sticking them in the post, and it becomes even more nonsensical when we have a former guard trying to do the conversion.

Taylor would be a nice depth piece, but he shouldn’t be starting for us if we mean to improve, and he shouldn’t have nearly the minutes he was given this year. Not his fault, to take the place of Benny. And I like his attitude. Or lack thereof. He’s the kind of kid that should be a part of the program, but we need more productivity and I think he’d find more rewarding opportunities elsewhere. Unless he’s willing to take a smaller role, and can improve the J….

Q, I wish would stay. But I can understand wanting to be a starter. Everyone brings up Dion, but Q wants to be an NBA player and one exception in our history doesn’t make a rule. I don’t know if he has the game discipline to be a starting PG with us. He has the vision and skills to be a weapon, and maybe starting would take a bit of the pressure off him to make impact plays. Maybe he could settle into being more solid and less of a wildcard, but I doubt it. I just think it’s his character to be an entertainer, and it’s like the scorpion crossing the river on the frog’s back.

Judah… I don’t know what to say that hasn’t been said many times before. I won’t miss him. He took on a lot of scoring responsibility, and sometimes that happens just as you assess yourself vs your teammates, and sometimes that happens with a personal agenda. We saw a bit of both. Whatever. He didn’t pay smart, didn’t run an efficient offense, and played ineffective defense, despite a few flashy steals. He was enigmatic. If the character were better, I’d have a different perspective on him, but I didn’t see much maturation this year, after too many issues last year.

I hope JJ comes back. Not sure what Cuffe’s ceiling is. I have no idea what Patterson is going to be. Or whether McLeod will be healthy. We need a center. And then we need to figure out if Maliq can be a 4 against a 3.5 in Freeman. And then how would Bell fit in? Bell is another guy I can’t predict. Would like him back, stronger and with a better commitment to D, but I can’t see him taking a 6th man role. A kid who shoots 40% from 3, started, and was so capable of big scoring nights is probably not going to be happy about a diminished role, with our recruits coming in. And I’m not sure we couldn’t find more efficiency in the portal. Not a better shooter, but a combination of some shooting, rebounding and defense, and consistency might be the replacement fit. But who offers him a better platform in the portal? It’s going to be an interesting next month or so.

you wanted less minutes for carey? so zero minutes then? he hardly played at all.

but I agree. he should bounce.

 

[phil77]

if only to keep q around next year, red shouldve started Q over taylor

cant be easy watching a guy like taylor start over you...when he has basically zero production

There is a reason why Taylor started every game despite little production. Read the thread and you will probably figure out why Taylor started all the time and Q didn't.

 

[CardiacCuse]

McLeod.

he said big time.

mcleod's big but not big time.

 

[malpearl31]

if only to keep q around next year, red shouldve started Q over taylor

cant be easy watching a guy like taylor start over you...when he has basically zero production

But what if Q was constantly pulling in the wrong direction all year long, whereas Taylor was doing everything the coaches asked of him? Would you still start the player that had a bad attitude over the player that did everything the right way?

If Red was trying to build a culture of hard work and accountability - and that led him to start JT over Q to try to get that point across to the entire team - then I don’t have a problem with that.

 

[CardiacCuse]

I don't presume to think next year will be better.

I may be in the minority but I don't see us getting back to top 25 anytime soon.

I expect to see more 17-20 win seasons and very rare 22+ win seasons.

When you are in what, fourth year of trash hoops, maybe that's what your program is - trash.

Boeheim said to the NCAA hold my beer and buried the program he built.

Red needs to shake up the coaching staff, get alum and boosters to back the brinks up, and get our hoops support staff to get off their asses and start doing portal talent evaluation

The program is stale and stalling out.

you say this without any idea how the portal season will go?

i agree it is possible that there isnt improvement...but its also very likely there is.

 

[RoysRunts]

Bell

 

[CardiacCuse]

But what if Q was constantly pulling in the wrong direction all year long, whereas Taylor was doing everything the coaches asked of him? Would you still start the player that had a bad attitude over the player that did everything the right way?

If Red was trying to build a culture of hard work and accountability - and that led him to start JT over Q to try to get that point across to the entire team - then I don’t have a problem with that.

I think Q didnt start because red wanted someone off the bench that coud provide a spark...a counter to when judah was gassed etc...he wanted to have at least one card up his sleeve.

imo Q was the heart of the team. by far the best competitor and WINNER. Q was one of the best players on the squad and accepted a bench role with a great attitude. He did have his ups and downs and lacked consistency...but he showed up plenty. he has his flaws but improved a lot from freshman year and showed great promise.

If this year was an exmaple of Taylor pulling in the right direction thats simply an indictment of his game.

I think without taylor the record is mostly the same

i think without q the record is much much worse.

there's really no comparison between the two.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

But what if Q was constantly pulling in the wrong direction all year long, whereas Taylor was doing everything the coaches asked of him? Would you still start the player that had a bad attitude over the player that did everything the right way?

If Red was trying to build a culture of hard work and accountability - and that led him to start JT over Q to try to get that point across to the entire team - then I don’t have a problem with that.

What about the selfless walkons who pull in the right direction? Just play them Red even got their hopes up when he made that threat.

Taylor is not a good player we've seen guys of his ability lose their jobs entirely and not play at all Carey, Goodine, Kaleb. If he is brought back next year then starting him makes sense but if he leaves the program its a ridiculous move that drove talented players out. We ended up with a 6 man rotation though so he was always going to play.

Go look at the portal recruiting thread people are suggesting middle of the pack A10 players. The idea we can get someone more talented than Q in the portal is insanity. We developed him for 2 years so he can go somewhere like Uconn and win a title is probably what happens if he gets pushed out. Taylor will go to an A10 school and struggle for minutes if he wants to start Ivy or Patriot.

 

[orangefog]

What about the selfless walkons who pull in the right direction? Just play them Red even got their hopes up when he made that threat.

Taylor is not a good player we've seen guys of his ability lose their jobs entirely and not play at all Carey, Goodine, Kaleb. If he is brought back next year then starting him makes sense but if he leaves the program its a ridiculous move that drove talented players out. We ended up with a 6 man rotation though so he was always going to play.

Go look at the portal recruiting thread people are suggesting middle of the pack A10 players. The idea we can get someone more talented than Q in the portal is insanity. We developed him for 2 years so he can go somewhere like Uconn and win a title is probably what happens if he gets pushed out. Taylor will go to an A10 school and struggle for minutes if he wants to start Ivy or Patriot.

I agree with you, we should have played the walk-ons more.

 

[Cuseball]

Bell

I think it was Hima, Carey and Patterson. They were always hanging out and giggling on the bench. Probably giggled and made fart sounds when Autry was trying to teach defense and in bound plays

 

[cusefan88]

Bell

Autry coaches Bell hard because he really could be great. An elite shooter that needs to round out his game. He needs tough love which he gets now. Hope he stays.

 

[Newhouser]

Joe actually avg'd more FGs a game than Judah last year.

Buddy avg'd 5 more FGs a game than anyone else on the team for 2 years in a row.

Not saying I disagree with your take. Certainly this year it played this way.

Interesting how one player Buddy Backdown'ed his way to a 16-17 record yet it was never suggested that he was more interested in personal points than wins.

Just sayin'

Um I always thought Buddy was point counting. I wouldn't have played with him either especially with his Dad as the coach.

and Buddy didn't play a position that traditionally facilitates an offense.