Syracuse basketball freshman Chris McCullough: Packed and ready to start Orange career (PS)

[CaptainJ]

Hard to blame a kid for capitalizing on his stock and chasing his dream by becoming a top 20 pick and making millions in the process. Ennis doesn't owe the fans anything and him coming back next season wouldn't have guaranteed JB a 2nd chip. He did what was best for him and his family and we as Cuse fans should wish him well and hope that he's successful in the Association.

Don't get me wrong Francis, after he decided to leave I wished him nothing but the best, even though I wasn't happy from the team aspect. I do realize the game has changed quite a bit and we aren't going to to have guys like DC or Sherman who stick around and become legends, but it still takes awhile to get used to people being a one and done when they weren't projected to be, if that makes sense. Maybe my metaphor was a little over the top, but it isn't like I'm hurting the feelings of TE because he doesn't spend his time on here. I don't blame the kid either, we live in a society that places financial gain above all else. I guess I don't fault even Grant. With McCullough, regardless of his performance, I suppose my emotions will be more tempered being some seem to believe he has already expressed to JB that he is a one and done, and JB is excited to have his services for that one year. I'll be pleasantly surprised if he hangs around, due to the systematic desensitization Ive had to go through. I mean we are fans, we have feelings, and we fuel this multi-million dollar industry that wouldn't exist without us. I wish Mr Ennis the best in his future endeavors, but right now am more excited to wish Mr Joseph and McCullough success this season. As noted, I wasn't a giant fan of Ennis even before people were talking about draft possibilities, and realize I may be putting a little too much expectation on KJo. I still have faith in JB and this team though, and think we can finish better than the projected 5th in the ACC if the guys gel well. I think it's possible Roberson and McCullough by february could be better than Grant and Fair were last February.

 

[Dave85]

Hard to blame a kid for capitalizing on his stock and chasing his dream by becoming a top 20 pick and making millions in the process. Ennis doesn't owe the fans anything and him coming back next season wouldn't have guaranteed JB a 2nd chip. He did what was best for him and his family and we as Cuse fans should wish him well and hope that he's successful in the Association.

Yeah, whatever. Blame may be too strong of a word. It's more supererogatory.

 

[Dave85]

Don't get me wrong Francis, after he decided to leave I wished him nothing but the best, even though I wasn't happy from the team aspect. I do realize the game has changed quite a bit and we aren't going to to have guys like DC or Sherman who stick around and become legends, but it still takes awhile to get used to people being a one and done when they weren't projected to be, if that makes sense. Maybe my metaphor was a little over the top, but it isn't like I'm hurting the feelings of TE because he doesn't spend his time on here. I don't blame the kid either, we live in a society that places financial gain above all else. I guess I don't fault even Grant. With McCullough, regardless of his performance, I suppose my emotions will be more tempered being some seem to believe he has already expressed to JB that he is a one and done, and JB is excited to have his services for that one year. I'll be pleasantly surprised if he hangs around, due to the systematic desensitization Ive had to go through. I mean we are fans, we have feelings, and we fuel this multi-million dollar industry that wouldn't exist without us. I wish Mr Ennis the best in his future endeavors, but right now am more excited to wish Mr Joseph and McCullough success this season. As noted, I wasn't a giant fan of Ennis even before people were talking about draft possibilities, and realize I may be putting a little too much expectation on KJo. I still have faith in JB and this team though, and think we can finish better than the projected 5th in the ACC if the guys gel well. I think it's possible Roberson and McCullough by february could be better than Grant and Fair were last February.

I agree for the most part. I don't wish him ill-will. I hope he does well because he will always be known as a Syracuse player in the NBA. But at the same time, I am not very happy he left. I think he should have stayed another year and come back looking like Waiters did his sophomore year. Waiters was totally buffed. He looked like he was an NBA player before the season started. I was okay with Waiters leaving. I thought Waiters was ready. I thought both Grant and Ennis were making a mistake. Ennis needed to be stronger. Grant needed a credible outside shot. It worked out for Ennis. I think Grant was sweating bullets on draft night!

 

[Francis03]

Don't get me wrong Francis, after he decided to leave I wished him nothing but the best, even though I wasn't happy from the team aspect. I do realize the game has changed quite a bit and we aren't going to to have guys like DC or Sherman who stick around and become legends, but it still takes awhile to get used to people being a one and done when they weren't projected to be, if that makes sense. Maybe my metaphor was a little over the top, but it isn't like I'm hurting the feelings of TE because he doesn't spend his time on here. I don't blame the kid either, we live in a society that places financial gain above all else. I guess I don't fault even Grant. With McCullough, regardless of his performance, I suppose my emotions will be more tempered being some seem to believe he has already expressed to JB that he is a one and done, and JB is excited to have his services for that one year. I'll be pleasantly surprised if he hangs around, due to the systematic desensitization Ive had to go through. I mean we are fans, we have feelings, and we fuel this multi-million dollar industry that wouldn't exist without us. I wish Mr Ennis the best in his future endeavors, but right now am more excited to wish Mr Joseph and McCullough success this season. As noted, I wasn't a giant fan of Ennis even before people were talking about draft possibilities, and realize I may be putting a little too much expectation on KJo. I still have faith in JB and this team though, and think we can finish better than the projected 5th in the ACC if the guys gel well. I think it's possible Roberson and McCullough by february could be better than Grant and Fair were last February.

I hear you and can understand your perspective. I thought both could've used another year as most thought to be NBA ready, but once the choices were made I just had the mindset to move on and wish them well. Everybody handles things differently and I can understand that it might take some time for a few people to come around with the decisions that some players make. I just feel that people shouldn't act like these kids owe us anything because it's their lives and choices that they have to deal with however things may play out for them.

 

[jekelish]

So far during Rak's tenure he has played with the likes of Michael Carter-Williams, Dion Waiters, Scoop Jardine, Brandon Triche and Tyler Ennis among others at the guard positions. Their combined resume includes: a couple of lottery picks, a first round pick, an NBA Rookie of the Year, a guy who got votes for NBA ROY, a five year program guy who was sensational by his Sr. year, a guy who just won an Italian championship and was stellar in the process and a couple of guys who were at or near the top in the country in assists. If Rak isn't getting enough touches, he has no one to blame but himself.

Playing with good guards doesn't mean they are going to give you the ball. Need further proof? Look at any AAU game, All-Star game, etc. Being a good guard doesn't mean you're going to give everyone enough touches.

 

[Orange Barrel]

Playing with good guards does mean they are going to give you the ball. It's part of being a good guard. Comparing AAU games, All-Star games, etc. to ACC, Big East, NCAA games proves nothing. A lot of people of this board want to blame Rak's lack of production on our guards. It's been a running theme here and it's nonsense. He's been surrounded by some of the best players in college and coached by some of the best coaches in the game. If he can't produce, it's on him.

 

[CaptainJ]

Playing with good guards does mean they are going to give you the ball. It's part of being a good guard. Comparing AAU games, All-Star games, etc. to ACC, Big East, NCAA games proves nothing. A lot of people of this board want to blame Rak's lack of production on our guards. It's been a running theme here and it's nonsense. He's been surrounded by some of the best players in college and coached by some of the best coaches in the game. If he can't produce, it's on him.

While this may be partially right, i believe Jekelish nailed it. Just because a guard is good at not getting turnovers and gets what the NCAA labels an assist, doesn't necessarily mean he is good at feeding the post. Last year is a prime example. "Good" is just a word, a generalization. Without going back and watching tape and looking away from the ball(how many of us typically do so, let alone look away from the ball during the heat of action? I admit it's not often I do), it might be hard to accurately gauge either sides' assertions. But I definitely saw times Rak had his man sealed with nobody between him and the basket and no attempt was made to pass it to him. As Dave pointed out, Rak also seems to rack up an inordinate amount of fouls establishing position, and this could partly be due to frustration in apparently needing perfect position in order for his teammates to get him the ball, and possibly even lack of name recognition(although that's tough to prove, but still quite plausible).

As for top coaches? What have we seen since Bernie Fine was given the broom? When you look at the work Bernie did with very raw talent like Seikaly and a number of bigs after him, as opposed to the development of our bigs after Bernie left, I think it is quite obvious how much Bernie's talents are missed. This isn't necessarily a knock on Hop or whomever is doing it now, but Hop was a guard, and our bigs aren't developing as they should be. Sure we can blame Rak, Fab, Coleman, BMK, and whomever else, but when you have such a pattern at one position it makes sense to examine a common root(unless you feel our scouting is terrible). So no, I would leave top coaching off the list of Rak's assets, as well as great entry passes from last season. I'm not sure if we want to count MCW's jump passes from the previous season, but I'm not arguing that Rak had necessarily gotten that much better by then anyhow. This year he should be able to silence the naysayers. I have faith JB will look to him more due to his longevity/loyalty, and that KJ will be able to get him the ball for a number of easy deuces.

 

[Orange Barrel]

I won't get into a game of semantics regarding how good our guards have been. The NBA has spoken loud and clear on that. The picture often painted on this board is that Rak is constantly wide open, begging for the ball only to be ignored by the guards. I say BS to that.

We have one of the best staffs in the country. I'll agree that Bernie is missed, but I'll never agree that great coaching isn't one of Rak's assets. The sample size for Hop's work with the bigs is just too small to judge. And let's not forget it's JB running the show.

 

[Dave85]

While this may be partially right, i believe Jekelish nailed it. Just because a guard is good at not getting turnovers and gets what the NCAA labels an assist, doesn't necessarily mean he is good at feeding the post. Last year is a prime example. "Good" is just a word, a generalization. Without going back and watching tape and looking away from the ball(how many of us typically do so, let alone look away from the ball during the heat of action? I admit it's not often I do), it might be hard to accurately gauge either sides' assertions. But I definitely saw times Rak had his man sealed with nobody between him and the basket and no attempt was made to pass it to him. As Dave pointed out, Rak also seems to rack up an inordinate amount of fouls establishing position, and this could partly be due to frustration in apparently needing perfect position in order for his teammates to get him the ball, and possibly even lack of name recognition(although that's tough to prove, but still quite plausible).

As for top coaches? What have we seen since Bernie Fine was given the broom? When you look at the work Bernie did with very raw talent like Seikaly and a number of bigs after him, as opposed to the development of our bigs after Bernie left, I think it is quite obvious how much Bernie's talents are missed. This isn't necessarily a knock on Hop or whomever is doing it now, but Hop was a guard, and our bigs aren't developing as they should be. Sure we can blame Rak, Fab, Coleman, BMK, and whomever else, but when you have such a pattern at one position it makes sense to examine a common root(unless you feel our scouting is terrible). So no, I would leave top coaching off the list of Rak's assets, as well as great entry passes from last season. I'm not sure if we want to count MCW's jump passes from the previous season, but I'm not arguing that Rak had necessarily gotten that much better by then anyhow. This year he should be able to silence the naysayers. I have faith JB will look to him more due to his longevity/loyalty, and that KJ will be able to get him the ball for a number of easy deuces.

Yeah, I've been thinking BF was a much better coach than I previously thought.