SU's "What ifs"

[SWC75]

Syracuse sports ‘what ifs’: You can only pick three

We love "what ifs" around here, so let’s discuss a few.

www.nunesmagician.com

In picking three of the things listed, I'd go for things that had a lasting impact, (or might have) on the future of the program:
- We recruit Michael Vick
- We don't hire G-Rob (of course, if we recruited Vick...)
- Mike Hopkins stays, (which I presume means he would have been the head coach by now)
(I'm not counting Carmelo stays for four years because that had no chance of happening.)

As far as individual games:
- Keith Smart misses (they don't have Moten not calling the time out)
- Pat Dye goes for it
- AO doesn't get hurt.

But my real fantasy is: Pearl stays for his senior year. Smart hits that shot. We immediately inbound to him with 4 seconds left and 90 feet for the national championship - and Walter Berry's watching on TV.

 

[ORRange]

Carmelo stays 4 years
AO doesn't get hurt
Smart misses

 

[Dollar Dog]

Syracuse sports ‘what ifs’: You can only pick three

We love "what ifs" around here, so let’s discuss a few.

www.nunesmagician.com

But my real fantasy is: Pearl stays for his senior year. Smart hits that shot. We immediately inbound to him with 4 seconds left and 90 feet for the national championship - and Walter Berry's watching on TV.

OK, there's a lot to unpack both from the article and your version of the theme -- i'll get to that later. My focus was on your "fantasy" paragraph and my unfolding reactions, reading each sentence inside a 2-second span:
"Pearl stays..." -- No! Love the Pearl, but somehow we would not have made the Final if he stayed.
"Smart hits that shot" -- No! What was the point of Pearl staying if we still lose on that excruciating shot?
"[Pearl] 90 feet for the NC" -- Oh, I get it! BC all over again. Cool.
"Walter Berry's watching" -- SWC75...pure genius! (millennials -- YouTube "Big East Tournament 1986")

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Syracuse sports ‘what ifs’: You can only pick three

We love "what ifs" around here, so let’s discuss a few.

www.nunesmagician.com

In picking three of the things listed, I'd go for things that had a lasting impact, (or might have) on the future of the program:
- We recruit Michael Vick
- We don't hire G-Rob (of course, if we recruited Vick...)
- Mike Hopkins stays, (which I presume means he would have been the head coach by now)
(I'm not counting Carmelo stays for four years because that had no chance of happening.)

As far as individual games:
- Keith Smart misses (they don't have Moten not calling the time out)
- Pat Dye goes for it
- AO doesn't get hurt.

But my real fantasy is: Pearl stays for his senior year. Smart hits that shot. We immediately inbound to him with 4 seconds left and 90 feet for the national championship - and Walter Berry's watching on TV.

We don't get there without Sherm at the helm.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

The biggest what if in SU history. What if JB takes the U of R job and not the SU job?

 

[orange79]

The biggest what if in SU history. What if JB takes the U of R job and not the SU job?

We probably have Mike Neer as coach for 40+ years.

 

[hoopsupstate]

What if Sam Perkins comes to SU?

 

[SUFan44]

Top two that stand out in recent days in terms of basketball are the Onuaku injury and Fab Melo playing in the tournament.

Michael Vick to SU is the big one for football. Others include: What if administration gave Pasqualoni more to work with? What if they didn't hire Greg Robinson? What if the referees don't call the ridiculous personal foul calls for uniform violations against Tennesse? What if Torry Holt didn't play for NC State? There are many more.

 

[SWC75]

We don't get there without Sherm at the helm.

I picture them together in the back court.

 

[stuckinbig11]

DC makes his foul shot

 

[pfister1]

What if JB convinced the administration that basketball shouldn’t be played in the new football stadium?

What if Penn State was extended an invite to the original Big East?

 

[OrangeXtreme]

What if Barry Baker was granted a 5th year of eligibility?

 

[SWC75]

DC makes his foul shot

Triche, too.

 

[kcsu]

Vick would have changed the direction of SU football beyond our dreams.
Hop would doing well because he would still have JB mentoring him.

 

[two3zone]

Fab Melo. Zero doubt we win.

 

[sufandu]

There are two that have immediate and obvious impact: 1. Keith smart missing 2.Pat Dye going for it, so I'll take those right off the bat.

All of the rest have more grey for how things would have transpired.

If we don't hire Gerg, we may get another sucky coach.

If 'Melo stays, we're better for sure, but we're not gauranteed another final four. MJ never got back. Our great teams of the late 80's never got back.

I think I'll go with us getting Vick for my 3rd. We had solid teams without him despite atrocious qb play. With him things keep going and maybe 2001 is magical. Or maybe 2000 is magical, Freeney doesn't get hurt since he's not sacking Vick and he leaves early for the NFL. So, if we do have continued success, does the administration rest on its laurels for longer and fail to recognize how far behind we've fallen in the facilities arms race?

If I can use a write in, I might take DC making his free throws, that someone else suggested. But if Smart misses his shot, that's not necessary.

 

[RF2044]

Vick would have changed the direction of SU football beyond our dreams.
Hop would doing well because he would still have JB mentoring him.

"Changed?"

Seems to me that Vick would have just helped the program stay on the trajectory it was already on. We were coming off back-to-back appearances in the Fiesta / Orange bowls.

 

[HOFCeluck]

What if CuseHulk never sits in 311

 

[HOFCeluck]

Playing it straight I'd say Smart, AO, and Fab Melo.

 

[MadNY3]

What if Smart misses
What if Smart misses
What if Smart misses
What if Smart misses
What if Smart misses
What if Smart misses
What if Smart misses
What if Smart misses
What if Smart misses
What if Smart misses
What if Smart misses
What if Smart misses
What if Smart misses
What if Smart misses
What if Smart misses
What if Smart misses
What if Smart misses
What if Smart misses
What if Vick comes here
What if AO doesn’t get hurt
What if Fab stayed eligible a few more games

 

[kcsu]

"Changed?"

Seems to me that Vick would have just helped the program stay on the trajectory it was already on. We were coming off back-to-back appearances in the Fiesta / Orange bowls.

Changed.

 

[RF2044]

Changed.

Sounds like you don't have a handle on where our program was during the McNabb era.

 

[Shawn91111]

If we beat Illinois in 89' I feel they would have beat Michigan and Seton Hall (who they beat 3 times that year). That 89 team was probably the most talented team we ever had.

 

[sufandu]

If we beat Illinois in 89' I feel they would have beat Michigan and Seton Hall (who they beat 3 times that year). That 89 team was probably the most talented team we ever had.

'89 probably had the most talent. '88 may have been more complete with Seikely at center.

 

[Fat tire 13]

Another way to look at it - what if I was born in Durham with Duke alum parents instead of Cuse?