Switch the results of Game 1 and Game 2 ...

[ClvrUsrnm]

... and how would you feel about the team?

A lot of strong (some might say over-) reactions after the first two games. How do you think you’d feel if Cuse had beaten Colgate 13-5 and lost to Albany 12-9?

As the Joker said in The Dark Knight:

“You know what I noticed? Nobody panics when things go according to plan. Even when the plan is horrifying. If tomorrow I told the press that, like, a gang-banger would get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will be blown up, nobody panics. Because it's all part of the plan. But when I say that one little old mayor will die, well then everybody loses their minds!”

 

[laxsummit]

Quite a passage to quote. Last year, Binghampton massacre caused excessive optimism with some planning final four weekend, that quickly reversed to doom and gloom after the Albany fiasco. The truth layed in between. Prefer to be 2-0 but this start is not shocking upon closer look.

 

[ClvrUsrnm]

I did consider whittling the quote down. But I figure the real Colgate loss is the mayor and the hypothetical Albany loss would be the truckful of soldiers.

Loss to Colgate, we freaked out. Hypothetical loss to Albany, we’re unhappy but not necessarily surprised after last year.

 

[CuseAlum87]

I always thought the Binghamton and Siena wins were fool's gold and I didn't think they even provided quality playing time for the reserves. Guys could score without having to run the offense, that doesn't help build depth. Losing to Colgate may turn out to be a key motivator for the rest of the season. Come out flat and you could lose to anybody.

 

[JeremyCuse]

I always thought the Binghamton and Siena wins were fool's gold and I didn't think they even provided quality playing time for the reserves. Guys could score without having to run the offense, that doesn't help build depth. Losing to Colgate may turn out to be a key motivator for the rest of the season. Come out flat and you could lose to anybody.

Well I don't disagree that those games aren't true barometers of how the season will play out, I don't see anything wrong with having 1 or 2 of those types of games on the schedule so the team can have a breather every once in a while. This current schedule doesn't allow for the reserves to really get any run at all with no "cupcake" type games. I know Coach Desko isn't a huge fan of mid week games but would playing Siena tonight really be that big a deal?

 

[Powellfan]

Well I don't disagree that those games aren't true barometers of how the season will play out, I don't see anything wrong with having 1 or 2 of those types of games on the schedule so the team can have a breather every once in a while. This current schedule doesn't allow for the reserves to really get any run at all with no "cupcake" type games. I know Coach Desko isn't a huge fan of mid week games but would playing Siena tonight really be that big a deal?

I think playing a team with a low RPI like Siena adversely effects your own RPI and hence making you more susceptible to the whims of the selection committee. On the field, no it is not a big deal to schedule a mid-week game against a team you certainly would beat 9 times out of 10, but with the selection criteria I think just simply playing those games ends up hurting you. I think Desko really values RPI.

 

[JeremyCuse]

I think playing a team with a low RPI like Siena adversely effects your own RPI and hence making you more susceptible to the whims of the selection committee. On the field, no it is not a big deal to schedule a mid-week game against a team you certainly would beat 9 times out of 10, but with the selection criteria I think just simply playing those games ends up hurting you. I think Desko really values RPI.

I agree he certainly does and that all circles back to a few years ago when SU got an 8 seed and had to play Albany in the 1st round despite winning the ACC tournament and beating Duke twice that year. After that season he re-did the schedule and noted specifically it was due to RPI. I certainly get where he is coming from but this seems a bit like overkill. That one season was a one off as Cornell was terrible that season and a few other teams that we play on a regular basis were down a bit as well Hopkins, ALbany to an extent, UVA etc. If you take say Rutgers or Navy off the schedule and put in St. Johns or a St. Bonnies, or say a Bingo the RPI isn't going to take that much of a hit when you look at the fact SU is playing the ACC schedule plus Cornell plus Army plus Albany plus Hopkins and even Hobart. Having a great RPI is alwasys a good thing but if your 6-6 going into the ACC tourney it doesn't do all that much good if you don't win that first round game or if you finish the year 5-7 but had the #1SOS and top 3 RPI. The team needs a game or two where they can get a W on the W/L record and get the young guys some run.

 

[MD Cuse Fan]

I agree he certainly does and that all circles back to a few years ago when SU got an 8 seed and had to play Albany in the 1st round despite winning the ACC tournament and beating Duke twice that year. After that season he re-did the schedule and noted specifically it was due to RPI. I certainly get where he is coming from but this seems a bit like overkill. That one season was a one off as Cornell was terrible that season and a few other teams that we play on a regular basis were down a bit as well Hopkins, ALbany to an extent, UVA etc. If you take say Rutgers or Navy off the schedule and put in St. Johns or a St. Bonnies, or say a Bingo the RPI isn't going to take that much of a hit when you look at the fact SU is playing the ACC schedule plus Cornell plus Army plus Albany plus Hopkins and even Hobart. Having a great RPI is alwasys a good thing but if your 6-6 going into the ACC tourney it doesn't do all that much good if you don't win that first round game or if you finish the year 5-7 but had the #1SOS and top 3 RPI. The team needs a game or two where they can get a W on the W/L record and get the young guys some run.

I think you're are talking about 2016? They actually lost to Duke by one in the regular season match up but beat them in the ACC final. Interesting to note they did beat the future NCAA Champs rather easily that season.

 

[PhatOrange]

Same. I don’t think albany is a very good team but I liked that Syracuse actually displayed HHH. They can win on that alone.

 

[DoctahLexus]

I agree he certainly does and that all circles back to a few years ago when SU got an 8 seed and had to play Albany in the 1st round despite winning the ACC tournament and beating Duke twice that year. After that season he re-did the schedule and noted specifically it was due to RPI. I certainly get where he is coming from but this seems a bit like overkill. That one season was a one off as Cornell was terrible that season and a few other teams that we play on a regular basis were down a bit as well Hopkins, ALbany to an extent, UVA etc. If you take say Rutgers or Navy off the schedule and put in St. Johns or a St. Bonnies, or say a Bingo the RPI isn't going to take that much of a hit when you look at the fact SU is playing the ACC schedule plus Cornell plus Army plus Albany plus Hopkins and even Hobart. Having a great RPI is alwasys a good thing but if your 6-6 going into the ACC tourney it doesn't do all that much good if you don't win that first round game or if you finish the year 5-7 but had the #1SOS and top 3 RPI. The team needs a game or two where they can get a W on the W/L record and get the young guys some run.

2016 I believe we got the 8 seed almost entirely because of that loss to Cornell. They had a losing record that season so it turned into the feared "bad loss" that does a real number on your tourney seeding. I would say that was a bigger factor than playing Siena and St. Johns. especially since we won those easily. Colgate beating Cornell in the first game of the season in 2018 is with out a doubt the only thing that kept Cornell from getting the 8 seed, despite them beating Yale and crushing us in the head to head. When you play almost entirely good teams it's hard to get that bad loss that kills your seeding. It certainly worked in our favor last year. Let's hope colgate puts up a solid record this year or we are in trouble if we have another 5 or 6 loss season.