Syracuse and GM Alex Kline / Entire Staff Part Ways

[atlanticuse]

I agree with all the above. One thing I might add is it’s hard to rack up assists or play team ball when no one is making an effort to get open. Seemed like our guys stood still a lot waiting to see what the guy with the ball would do, regardless of who had the ball. No back door cuts or attempts to get open using screens. We lived and ultimately died on iso action.

Coaching… inmates… asylum… clubhouse….

 

[atlanticuse]

Unfortunately, you need stars to win in college basketball. Red thought Freeman and JJ were his stars. The guys they brought in were supposed to be role players to play along side those two guys. George was supposed to be a huge addition and a costly one to put them over the top. Our stars turned out to be duds and the season went the way it did.

I’d love a guided tour of what went on inside of Red’s brain

 

[Millhouse]

Millhouse thinks that any position that is metrics or statistical in nature can be done by any scrub with a laptop and a sports reference site open.

No.
I think that the people we have purporting to do that work at Syracuse are worse than scrubs with a laptop

 

[Millhouse]

Not really his responsibility. People conflate a pro sports GM with a college GM. They have significantly different levels of responsibility. Red gave him a list of what ingredients he would need to make dinner for a certain amount of money. Kline's job was to evaluate what was available at player store, what the prices were, give Red the list to pick from with pros and cons. Alex didn't force Red to spend millions on JJ and Donnie and Nait. He works for Red.

So what would convince you that he's not the best ever at his job. What would have to happen?

 

[Millhouse]

The problem was that our offensive approach was horrendous in every possible way. Who knows how good ANY of our guys really are when they were directed to execute in that slop.

Seriously check out George on college basketball ref. He is who he is

 

[SanDiegoCuse]

Counterpoint - all gas no breaks

 

[SanDiegoCuse]

I wonder what Alex really thought about Red running with JJ at the 2.

Yeah, there’s no world where the analytics say, “Great idea!”

 

[Fly Rodder]

So what would convince you that he's not the best ever at his job. What would have to happen?

I think you're misreading my posts. I don't care if they fired him or not. I only posted because posters are putting blame on Kline for this year's team because they think he's 100% responsible for a roster like Brian Cashman or Brandon Beane. He was only hired after Autry and crew completely botched their roster the first two seasons consecutively and realized they were in over their heads and had to hire someone. The guy makes peanuts compared to the coaching staff and did a servicable job this season helping bring in better talent. He only shops for the ingredients. Red cooks the dinner.

 

[NKR1978]

I think you're misreading my posts. I don't care if they fired him or not. I only posted because posters are putting blame on Kline for this year's team because they think he's 100% responsible for a roster like Brian Cashman or Brandon Beane. He was only hired after Autry and crew completely botched their roster the first two seasons consecutively and realized they were in over their heads and had to hire someone. The guy makes peanuts compared to the coaching staff and did a servicable job this season helping bring in better talent. He only shops for the ingredients. Red cooks the dinner.

I don't put the blame on him. I just think he's replaceable and losing him shouldn't be a cause for stress.

Red was not a good head coach at this level. The buck stops with him. Kline could only do so much.

 

[PoppyHart]

I think you're misreading my posts. I don't care if they fired him or not. I only posted because posters are putting blame on Kline for this year's team because they think he's 100% responsible for a roster like Brian Cashman or Brandon Beane. He was only hired after Autry and crew completely botched their roster the first two seasons consecutively and realized they were in over their heads and had to hire someone. The guy makes peanuts compared to the coaching staff and did a servicable job this season helping bring in better talent. He only shops for the ingredients. Red cooks the dinner.

So he was brought in to help a team that went 14-19, and they went 15-17.

I understand and admit that Red made the final sign off on keeping players (JJ/DF), discarding players (or encouraging them to leave), and bringing in new players (George, Kingz, etc…)

But Kline did not just drop off a non-descript spreadsheet on Red’s desk at 5 pm on Friday and go on holiday for a month.

Until and unless we know who Kline favored/preferred, and which players were “gettable”, I refuse to hold him blameless. The only results that we have info to judge him on are 15-17.

If it turns out he had Stirtz or Lendeborg (exaggerating for effect) eager and ready to sign and Red passed, then the dynamics certainly change.

 

[kingtidge]

So he was brought in to help a team that went 14-19, and they went 15-17.

I understand and admit that Red made the final sign off on keeping players (JJ/DF), discarding players (or encouraging them to leave), and bringing in new players (George, Kingz, etc…)

But Kline did not just drop off a non-descript spreadsheet on Red’s desk at 5 pm on Friday and go on holiday for a month.

Until and unless we know who Kline favored/preferred, and which players were “gettable”, I refuse to hold him blameless. The only results that we have info to judge him on are 15-17.

If it turns out he had Stirtz or Lendeborg (exaggerating for effect) eager and ready to sign and Red passed, then the dynamics certainly change.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter.

When you have a head coach that can't do the basics of the job adequately, splitting hairs on how well targeted the transfer list was, is a pointless exercise.

Competence is coaching matters and if you don't have the basics covered, your are going to struggle at this level.

 

[Millhouse]

I think you're misreading my posts. I don't care if they fired him or not. I only posted because posters are putting blame on Kline for this year's team because they think he's 100% responsible for a roster like Brian Cashman or Brandon Beane. He was only hired after Autry and crew completely botched their roster the first two seasons consecutively and realized they were in over their heads and had to hire someone. The guy makes peanuts compared to the coaching staff and did a servicable job this season helping bring in better talent. He only shops for the ingredients. Red cooks the dinner.

Anyone can shop for ingredients