SU's "What ifs"

[RF2044]

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.

Agree -- have long maintained that the '89 team might have been our "best," pound for pound. That team had a few flaws, though -- can you imagine if they could shoot a little better?

But that was a national championship caliber team -- I've watched that Missouri NCAA game a bunch of times, man were we tough.

 

[OrangeDW]

Agree -- have long maintained that the '89 team might have been our "best," pound for pound. That team had a few flaws, though -- can you imagine if they could shoot a little better?

But that was a national championship caliber team -- I've watched that Missouri NCAA game a bunch of times, man were we tough.

Douglas, Coleman, and Owens - all 3 of them are probably in the top 6 SU players of all time? Thompson is probably top 25 or so?

Dave Johnson is probably up there near top 25 or so too, though he was young and nowhere near the player he’d develop into as a junior-senior - he was still a stud athlete with ability as a freshman in 89.

5 of the better SU players of all time on the same team.

 

[SkyTopBus44]

This really made me laugh!

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Syracuse didn’t call a timeout against Arkansas..

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I picture them together in the back court.

They were, the year before.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Agree -- have long maintained that the '89 team might have been our "best," pound for pound. That team had a few flaws, though -- can you imagine if they could shoot a little better?

But that was a national championship caliber team -- I've watched that Missouri NCAA game a bunch of times, man were we tough.

DC vs Doug Smith. Great match up.

 

[SWC75]

They were, the year before.

Pearl Washington
32.2m 21.5p 3.1r 9.7a 3.2s 0.0b 37.5+ 7.3mfg 1.8mft 4.1to 3.4pf 16.6- = 20.9NP 12.4OE 8.5FG

Sherman Douglas
11.4m 19.0p 4.3r 7.4a 4.3s 0.7b 35.7+ 4.7mfg 1.7mft 4.3to 4.3pf 15.0- = 20.7NP 12.6OE 8.1FG

 

[kcsu]

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

No. We have only had 8 season tickets since the early 60s. Shared meals with every head coach other than Dino including Ben and been to more away games than you have most likely been to home games. Other than that we really dont have a clue about the program.

 

[RF2044]

No. We have only had 8 season tickets since the early 60s. Shared meals with every head coach other than Dino including Ben and been to more away games than you have most likely been to home games. Other than that we really dont have a clue about the program.

I'd take that bet.

I hope you didn't espouse such H0T Takes when you were sharing meals with all those coaches.

 

[miamicuse]

What if Hakim didn't successfully block Lee's shot, would that shot had gone in?

What if Hakim made a tiny bit of contact and a foul was called?

Bob Knight in an interview years later about that 1987 game in the final seconds, he said it went through his head many times and he thinks the real pivotal play was when DC inbounded the ball to Rony. DC should have stayed out of bounds so Rony would not have passed back to him. He said they decided to foul DC at that last moment to put him on the line. If DC had stayed out of bounds he felt Syracuse would have won that game.

 

[Sherman20]

Fab Melo. Zero doubt we win.

That’s interesting. I think UK was too good that year to beat them for the title, even with Fab. But we would have made the Final Four and probably the championship game too (instead of Kansas). I always felt in 2010 we had a more of a complete team than 2012 (but not as deep) and, more importantly, the better path to win the championship. There were no juggernauts that year. Duke, who won the title, was eminently beatable. With AO, I think we would have beaten Butler, then Kansas State, Michigan State, and Duke.

 

[Sherman20]

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.

Agreed. For me, the 1989 and 2010 teams both should have won titles. In an alternative universe, we win both of those years (plus 1987) and JB has at least 4 titles (and 8 Final Fours) to his name and there’s no debate about his place on the Mount Rushmore of college basketball coaching legends.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Fab Melo. Zero doubt we win.

What if Fab committed to Louisville?

Pitino gets a slap on the wrist and he gets docked one scholarship for half a season.

 

[721Comstock]

What if Fab committed to Louisville?

Pitino gets a slap on the wrist and he gets docked one scholarship for half a season.

And... that's ONLY if he used underage hookers to recruit him.

 

[HOFCeluck]

What if Hakim didn't successfully block Lee's shot, would that shot had gone in?

What if Hakim made a tiny bit of contact and a foul was called?

Bob Knight in an interview years later about that 1987 game in the final seconds, he said it went through his head many times and he thinks the real pivotal play was when DC inbounded the ball to Rony. DC should have stayed out of bounds so Rony would not have passed back to him. He said they decided to foul DC at that last moment to put him on the line. If DC had stayed out of bounds he felt Syracuse would have won that game.

Even if it went in theyd be going into overtime without Collison and Langford...who had killed us.

So unless Heinrich suddenly goes nuts from three (3-12) I don’t see them pulling it off.

 

[SWC75]

Even if it went in theyd be going into overtime without Collison and Langford...who had killed us.

So unless Heinrich suddenly goes nuts from three (3-12) I don’t see them pulling it off.

I still wonder if Hak didn't get a finger on Henrich's shot at the buzzer, as well as blocking Lee's shot. Henrich's shot never got there and Kueth grabbed it in front of the basket. How could Henrich be that far off?

 

[Orangejet]

What if:
- Cuse still played hoops at Manley Field House
- Rick Pitino was our HC
- Jonny Flynn stayed all four years

 

[Eric15]

- Jonny Flynn stayed all four years

Even though Flynn was a great player, the team improved by leaps and bounds between 2009 and 2010. I'm wondering if he would have thrown off the perfect balance of that 2010 team.

 

[Eric15]

The shot that stressed me out the most every time I rewatch that game is Hinrich from the top of the key 81-78 with 20 seconds left. That thing JUST rimmed out.

 

[syrBossHogg]

1. Vick goes to SU
2. Smart doesn't hit the shot
3. AO doesn't get hurt

 

[cuse10]

You'll drive yourself to misery thinking about this. For the success that SU has had, it's been a program filled with heartbreak. Could be greater than what it is.

1. Keith Smart misses the shot.
2. Syracuse is able to steal Vick out of Virginia. Some people believe it was close, but Vick on his 30 for 30 said that he stayed home to ensure the safety of his brother. He was able to do that at Tech which was just a drive from Newport News.
3. Onuaku doesn't get hurt in the BET. That was a championship team and bar none, the best team in the country that year. The Duke team that won is arguably their least talented team to win the title. They had a cakewalk to the Final Four.

Honorable mention:
1. Anthony Davis' father sends him to Syracuse.
2. Derrick Coleman's back doesn't act up in 1989.
3. Triche gets the block call.

 

[kirbivore]

Syracuse didn’t call a timeout against Arkansas..

They make the FF and lose to UNC (Stackhouse and Wallace)

 

[SWC75]

You'll drive yourself to misery thinking about this. For the success that SU has had, it's been a program filled with heartbreak. Could be greater than what it is.

1. Keith Smart misses the shot.
2. Syracuse is able to steal Vick out of Virginia. Some people believe it was close, but Vick on his 30 for 30 said that he stayed home to ensure the safety of his brother. He was able to do that at Tech which was just a drive from Newport News.
3. Onuaku doesn't get hurt in the BET. That was a championship team and bar none, the best team in the country that year. The Duke team that won is arguably their least talented team to win the title. They had a cakewalk to the Final Four.

Honorable mention:
1. Anthony Davis' father sends him to Syracuse.
2. Derrick Coleman's back doesn't act up in 1989.
3. Triche gets the block call.

C Fab Melo
Anthony Davis
Kris Joseph
G Brandon Triche
G Scoop Jardine
6th man: Dion Waiters = 40-0, baby!

 

[cuse10]

C Fab Melo
Anthony Davis
Kris Joseph
G Brandon Triche
G Scoop Jardine
6th man: Dion Waiters = 40-0, baby!

Might be a hint of comedy in this post, but I don't think it's farfetched. They went 34-3 with Fab being suspended. I was telling someone about how Davis should have been in an SU uniform in response to a tweet about greatest one and done's. Had Cal not paid what he did, that zone would have been incredible to watch. They would have put teams in the torture rack.

 

[two3zone]

That’s interesting. I think UK was too good that year to beat them for the title, even with Fab. But we would have made the Final Four and probably the championship game too (instead of Kansas). I always felt in 2010 we had a more of a complete team than 2012 (but not as deep) and, more importantly, the better path to win the championship. There were no juggernauts that year. Duke, who won the title, was eminently beatable. With AO, I think we would have beaten Butler, then Kansas State, Michigan State, and Duke.

UK was great, no doubt. With Fab we were better. I think we lost one game with him if memory serves me it was against Cincinnati and one of his first games back.