Maybe it is a generational thing. The question is, do you adapt your style to the changing environment? Coach K did. So did Roy. Will JB remain a "get off my lawn" style coach forever? Seems that way. I think this kicked him in the face the past couple years. It's embarrassing when you have top 50, top 30 players saying they were interested in Syracuse but JB never offered, never visited, never made an effort, or just sent an assistant to watch their game once or twice. The recruiting trail is a grind, and I understand JB has had a very nice young family, and probably values his time home with the wife and kids, which you can't fault a man for. If he's not willing to grind the recruiting trail from April to October, maybe he shouldn't be coaching anymore.
You really think the Syracuse coaches aren’t teaching them fundamentals? A Hall of Fame coach doesn’t bother teaching fundamentals? Ask any college coach, the problem is that the kids aren’t learning enough fundamentals in the HS and AAU system. They come in very very raw. It’s compounded by the fact that we recruit a lot of athletes who come in with raw skill development because they just relied on their athleticism and height to score and overpower defenders in high school, but didn’t really develop their fundamentals. The coaches only get them for a limited practice time each day, and we have to get them to unlearn years of bad habits.
You bet your life they do. We don't have three (even one?) shooters like they have. And not to downgrade Tyus, but Robinson is the better player.
Change to what this year?
Look at a guy like Roy Williams. He's become a super player friendly coach the past 5 years. We all make fun of him for his corny sayings and dances with the player, but the fact is, players love that. UNC players are happy to play for Roy, they're happy to celebrate with him too. How often do SU players walk by JB during a timeout, or roll their eyes when he yells at them during a game?
JB seems to be on good terms with most of his former players, many of whom return to Syracuse for games or show up to support the program when SU is playing in the NCAAT. I'm not sure the same can be said of all coaches, including some of the bigger names in the sport.
I qualified my statement, which of course is only my opinion.
That's a fair assessment. I guess it remains to be seen how the more recent players will come to view him.
This is exactly spot on. Too many people are focused on what kind of coach Boeheim was. We all agree he was a coaching legend and Syracuse basketball owes more or less everything to the man. But none of that matters as to the coach he is now. The history of legendary coaches at one school - when it comes to the end - is not pretty. Guys get older, they are stuck in their ways, innovation and creativity take a nosedive, energy lags, the attention to detail relaxes - it's just what happens. Add to that the fact that Boeheim - already the ly type - is even more grumpy old man in his old age and is seemingly an increasingly poor match in getting through to teenagers. We're seen Boeheim act inappropriately more and more in press conferences when it comes to lashing out at players. How he treated Roberson, for instance, was not only terrible, but entirely out of step with how modern times (I'm not saying the players need to be coddled, so save your internet ink. I'm just saying the grumpy old man routine isn't getting through.) Players aren't improving the way they used to at Syracuse.
The problem with the SU pick and roll is that it isn't run correctly. It was open a lot last night, just like every game. It can't be half-asked, it needs to be run with conviction and the guards have to occasionally pass the ball to the roller.
