The Jim Boeheim Show - before Duke

[SWC75]

Jim Boeheim’s radio show is on Thursdays from 7-8 or 9PM on ESPN Radio in Syracuse, which is AM1200 or FM 97.7 on the dial. The show originates from Carrabba's Italian Grill in Fayetteville. The first hour, hosted by Matt Park, the Voice of the Orange, is on their general network. The second hour, which begins with the conference season, is hosted by Gomez, a local radio personality.

This year’s schedule: Tuesday, November 12, 7:00 pm, Tuesday, November 19, 7:00 pm, Thursday, December 5, 7:00 pm, Thursday, December 12, 7:00 pm, Thursday, December 19, 7:00 pm, Thursday, December 26, 7:00 pm, Thursday, January 2, 7:00 pm, Thursday, January 9, 7:00 pm, Thursday, January 16, 7:00 pm, Thursday, January 23, 7:00 pm, Thursday, January 30, 7:00 pm, Thursday, February 6, 7:00 pm, Monday, February 13, 7:00 pm, Thursday, February 20, 7:00 pm, Thursday, February 27, 7:00 pm,
Thursday, March 5, 7:00 pm.

You can call into the show locally at 315-424-8599 or nationally at 1-888-746-2873. For Gomez’s portion, use 315-424-8599. Or you can submit questions from this page:
Submit a Question! - Syracuse University Athletics
Or on Twitter at mattpark1 or “askBoeheim”.

The show can be heard in Syracuse on FM 99.5. It’s sometime simulcast on AM 1200 or FM 97.7. You can also get it on: TuneIn | Free Internet Radio | NFL, Sports, Podcasts, Music & News

I will be posting my rough transcript the night of the broadcast focusing on my questions, the team and their last and next games and then a second post the next day on other things that were discussed.




MY QUESTIONS/COMMENTS

First Hour:

“Coach, sometimes the execution on a play is so poor us fans aren’t sure what the strategy actually was. On those last two inbounds plays, Joe Girard, with 1.4 seconds left, tried to pass the ball 80 feet to Elijah Hughes in the corner and the ball only went 70 feet and got tipped out of bounds. Then, with 0.9 seconds left Howard Washington passed to Elijah who was running away from the basket. All he could do was just throw the ball over his shoulder and it never got there. What was the actual plan on those plays? “

Second Hour:

“Coach, could we do such a great job on their leading scorer, Aamir Simms, holding him to 4 shots and 2 points but let Tevin Mack score 32 points? Was the real problem there that we allowed the ball to get into the paint too easily?”




COACH BOEHEIM
(I have, in some instances, put together statements from different parts of the broadcast on the same subject. The quotes may not be verbatim –they are from my scribbled notes. I have not knowingly changed the meaning. In recent years they have started out doing one hour shows and then shifted to two hour shows in January. When they do two hour shows. I might do two posts: one on the night of the broadcast on the issues directly relating to the team on the other the next days on other things that were talked about.)

PART ONE

Matt noted that we’ve played 3 road games in the last four and now we get a 3 game “Domestand”, beginning with the Duke game. JB: “Duke’s got a tremendous amount of different options. They’ve got to big guys inside, a great point guard and much better shooting than they’ve had the last few years. they are one of the top 3-4 teams in the country.

Against Clemson, “We needed one more play at the end. Unfortunately, there was too much time on the clock, (after Hughes’ missed lay-up). 10-11 seconds is too much time. We talked about getting back. Jesse (Edwards) was not in the right position. We would have been better with the shot clock violation but you don’t know that ahead of time. It only occurs to you after they came down and scored. The lob was open. It just didn’t go in. We had a chance to score or maybe get to the foul line. Elijah got undercut like crazy. It hindered him getting back a little bit. ….Marek had a couple of fouls called where he didn’t touch anybody… Joe hit a couple of monster threes….We couldn’t get stops down at the end. It’s not just Jesse. It’s Bourama, too….when they don’t do what you specifically told them to do….They didn’t cover the jumper in the post.”

I called in my first question but they couldn’t hear me, although I could hear them. Fortunately, I had E-mailed my question about those last two plays in ahead of time. JB: “We tried to spin him, (Hughes) around and they just pushed him out too far. He was our best player. There was just time for a catch and shoot. You’re not going to score in that situation.”

Matt described all the close games as “Great theater”. Jim, who is not a playwright, focused on the team’s improvement. “Our rebounding has gotten better. People don’t realize that. Facts get in the way. Too many people look at one game a month ago where we were out-rebounded by 15. We’ve been ahead the last 10 games.” Matt reminded him that we were down 10 vs. Clemson.” But we were +8 in turnovers. We aren’t getting as many assists because we are driving to the basket. We have a good defensive three point percentage. Our overall defensive field goal percentage is in the top 4-5 of the league. We’ve improved…. A guy got a career high 32 points and a guard who had made 7 three pointers all year made 4 of them. Joe and Buddy were off. They were good enough to beat Duke. We’re not going to overpower anyone. We have a young team that can get better. Quincy makes jump shots in practice. It doesn’t translate to games….We had really bad inside defense… Elijah couldn’t get back, (on the last Clemson possession), and Jesse had to cover 2 guys….Jesse mad e a great pass to Quincy, who was looking at the basket , not the ball. You’re not supposed to be looking at the basket, (which isn’t going anywhere). We could have had a 3 point lead with 40 seconds left. They would have had to foul Joe and we would have had a 50 point lead. We’re not going to lose in that situation.”

Mark in Camillus wanted Jim to call a time out, (I presume after we’d seen their defense), on the last in bound with 0.9 seconds left. Jim said that “You can’t get a time out with that much time left. We had another option but it was plugged up.” (I assume that meant Girard, who was behind Hughes but had a man between him and Washington.) “Before the half, Hughes had some options but they were covered. They are a good defensive team and did a good job of pushing up.” Matt said that on the length of the court pass, “You had a quarterback in there”. JB: “he didn’t quite get it there. Those, (last two passes), were reaches. The game was given away. The defense broke down inside. They made more threes than they have made all year. Prentice Hubb of Notre Dame made 6 three against us and probably hasn’t made more than that since. These things happen in college basketball.“

Steve in Boston, (they have Steves there, too), asked about Jesse Edwards. JB: “He’s got skills. He can shoot and pass. He’s got a chance to be a really good player, probably by the middle of next year.” (I predicted it will be between the 4th and the 6th game). “Big men take time. He should have redshirted but we needed him. We redshirted Bol as Jesse is a little bigger so we thought he could help us more. We’ve had so many close games we’ve had to use Marek, (and couldn’t give Jesse enough playing time to develop). Robert, (Braswell) is in so much pain. We’re trying to alleviate it. When he’s not in pain, he can play.”

Josh in boulder asked about getting the ball inside. JB: “We’ve done that a few times, to Bourama, Marek and Quincy. We haven’t been making threes. We need to make threes to beat good teams. We can’t just throw it to Bourama. We need to hit him while he’s moving or he’s got to get offensive rebounds. We scored enough points but we didn’t get stops.”

Duke “Has Carey – the best inside player in the country. They’ve got some great young guys and some veteran guys who have played.”

Gomez took over for the second hour. They discussed the Pittsburgh game. JB: “One of the best first halves we have played. Our defense was the best we’ve played. But good shooting teams are going to make shots. Everybody has good players. It got down to 3 and Marek made a lay-up and a steal. Losing him vs. Clemson killed us. He and Bourama have to avoid foul trouble and stay in the game. A guy had a career night and a guy who had made 7 threes made 4. We were in a great positon to win. We’ve gone a long ways but still have a ways to go. We’ve had 6 games in 18 days. That’s a lot of basketball and they were all tough games. Marek is learning to score a little more. He’s gaining confidence. It takes a couple of years. He hadn’t played much basketball before he came here.” (So many of our recruits haven’t.) He’s a really good player who will get better. We have a lot of young guys who will get better, including two who are redshirting, (Bol Ajak plus Carey or Braswell? Or are we no longer counting Carey?).

Jim told Gomez that he had watched the game on the plane back to Syracuse and again the next day. “I have good recall but there are so many things that happen on the court, many of them away from the ball. Sometimes you don’t know who exactly is at fault. “We had some fairly easy plays that we didn’t make that would have won it. There were 3-4 bad calls but you have to overcome that. We needed another score and more stops but we just couldn’t get them.”

Gomez asked how much the assistants coach players during the game. “Each time out I talk but then they talk to their players. They also talk to them during dead balls.”

I called in my second question and explained that the first time I called I could hear them but they couldn’t hear me. Jim said “That’s not a bad thing.” Thanks coach…. About giving up 2 points to their leading scorer and 32 to the guy next to him and whether the problem was allowing them to get the ball into the paint too easily: “It’s going to get into the paint if they make a concerted effort. We did a good job on Simms. He scored 2 points and traveled a couple of times. We didn’t defend the middle of the paint. We had three freshmen on the court and the guy who scored 32 was a 5th year senior. We still had a chance to get another road win. We shouldn’t have been hurt, (inside) as much as we were. It’s disappointing. “

Tom called in to find out how much the team was bothered by projections that we will be in the NIT. He also complained that Clemson played rough with hand checking, etc. JB agreed that there was “too much hand-checking. You talk to the refs but they don’t listen. You have to play through it. We don’t think about the end of the year. We just keep playing and trying to get better. We’ve got 4 road wins in the league. Not many teams have that.” (Which sounds like something you’d say at the end of the year to the NCAA selection committee.)

Gomez finished the program by saying that Saturday’s game “is the reason Duke players go to Duke and Syracuse players go to Syracuse.”

 

[STEVEHOLT]

"They didn’t cover the jumper in the post.”
so our center didn't do a good job covering the jumper in the post. maybe cause they were making more of a concerted effort to cover the wings which they got hell for not doing last game?
seems to me the centers have to be two places at once. i wouldn't want to play center in this zone. everything is always your fault.

 

[SWC75]

"They didn’t cover the jumper in the post.”
so our center didn't do a good job covering the jumper in the post. maybe cause they were making more of a concerted effort to cover the wings which they got hell for not doing last game?
seems to me the centers have to be two places at once. i wouldn't want to play center in this zone. everything is always your fault.

I've always thought that a defense where the center has to rush to the corner and vacate the paint didn't look right. It seems to be a new wrinkle these past couple of seasons. I don't recall that in past years. With all the young, foreign big men we recruit who haven't played the game that long, it seems to unnecessarily complicate things.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I've always thought that a defense where the center has to rush to the corner and vacate the paint didn't look right. It seems to be a new wrinkle these past couple of seasons. I don't recall that in past years. With all the young, foreign big men we recruit who haven't played the game that long, it seems to unnecessarily complicate things.

Feels like it started with Baye

 

[FrancoPizza]

Feels like it started with Baye

Correct. Just makes more sense to use a 1-2-2 and stop recruiting centers.

 

[Ghost]

Correct. Just makes more sense to use a 1-2-2 and stop recruiting centers.

Or, perhaps recruit even skinnier Centers?

 

[SU94]

Glad JAB acknowledged that Edwards' pass to Q.Guerrier was actually a good one. Shoulda been a dunk. Come to think of it, that was the best pass I've seen out of a SU center in a really long time.

That pass, which had a hand in the loss, has me excited about Edwards' ceiling in the coming years.

 

[realorange]

"They didn’t cover the jumper in the post.”
so our center didn't do a good job covering the jumper in the post. maybe cause they were making more of a concerted effort to cover the wings which they got hell for not doing last game?
seems to me the centers have to be two places at once. i wouldn't want to play center in this zone. everything is always your fault.

When you are just standing under the basket with the shooter at the foul line you aren't covering the wings. Or the shooter.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

When you are just standing under the basket with the shooter at the foul line you aren't covering the wings. Or the shooter.

I rarely saw the shot at the foul line not being contested. It was just better offense than defense. Nor was Sid or Marek seen just standing under the basket. Most times they are cheating to one side or the other because of the corner three and their fear of being dressed down at the next TO.

I’ll say it again. The center can’t cover the entire painted area, including the free throw area, as well as both corners. The guards have to do more to help.

 

[4the Dubbz]

I’ll say it again. The center can’t cover the entire painted area, including the free throw area, as well as both corners. The guards have to do more to help.

Biggggg facts. Unless you have a primo athlete which is crazy unlikely these days. Any athletic tall guy now wants no part in playing center because the game has become so guard oriented.

 

[SWC75]

PART 2

Looking around the conference, Matt Park noted that “Georgia Tech went outside the conference and beat Morehouse. Duke held Pitt off.” JB: “Pittsburgh is much improved. They have really good young players. All these teams people are knocking are good. Notre Dame, Georgia Tech Boston College and Wake Forest are much better. Virginia Tech is good and Miami beat them. There’s no weak spot these teams can all play. BC-Louisville was close for a long time. Jordan Nwora scored 37 for the Cardinals. If he gets his shot, he’ll make them. Notre Dame stole the ball against Florida State, got a 5 second call and then a no call on a foul or they might have won.“ Gomez later said that Top 5 teams have a record number of losses to unranked teams this year: 15. “It’s college basketball – once you get past the top 10 it’s anybody’s ball game. We’re getting more equity every year.” (I guess we’re going for stocks rather than bonds.) “The quadrant system doesn’t take account of strength of schedule.” (?!?) “It will be hard to figure out who should get in this year.”

On the national scene: “Teams are emerging. Baylor, Duke, Kansas and Michigan State are coming on. Gonzaga is very good. I thought Kentucky was coming on but they were behind most of the game against Vanderbilt. Ohio State was #1 and lost 5 of 7. Michigan is on a losing streak. Auburn reached #4 without any wins against tier 1 teams. Dayton is very good. San Diego State is very good. To be undefeated you’ve got to be good.”

On Kobe Bryant: “He had a huge impact on the game in a lot of ways. He taught the younger players on the Olympic team how to work hard and play hard. He would have done amazing things the rest of his life. He was already doing them. He was really smart like Magic. Early in his career he was kind of stand-offish, focused on being the best player he could be. He was the guy who could make the play we needed to win. He and Jordan were similar, both 6-6 jump shooters who could defend. They were the most competitive players I’ve ever seen.” Was Jordan as inclusive of his teammates as Kobe alter became? “Jordan was very inclusive of his teammates, except for the guy who had to guard him in practice. Pippin, Kerr, or Paxson got the ball when Michael was double-teamed. He let Olajuwon win a couple of championships by going to play baseball or he might have won 8 in a row.” What was the impact of Kobe’s death on the players on the current Syracuse team, as they grew up with him dominating in the NBA: “There was a tremendous impact on all our players everyone else. His daughter was almost like a son, doing everything he did. I love watching my sons play but I enjoy watching my daughter play just as much. I love her enthusiasm of the game.” Coach also expressed sympathy to the Altobelli family and the others involved, including a pilot with 20 years experience. “I guess you’re still better off trying to avoid accidents in a helicopter than in a car, (according to the statistics ).”

“Olympic guys have been playing 100 games a year so you don’t have to tell them much. They know how to win. You just have to motivate and manage them a little.” Jim recalled that Kobe told him at the Olympics “Coach, if you have something to say, just say it.” JB: “In the NBA, Kobe came out when he wanted to come out and went in when he wanted to go in. But he allowed us to decide that in the Olympics.” Coach recalled Kobe coming in to beat Spain, who had the second best team. “They always expected to beat us in the Olympics and when the World Championships were in Barcelona but they never did.” Coach let out an audible cackle.

Jim remembers Joe Bryant missing a lay-up against us in the 1975 NCAAs that allowed us a week later to get to our first Final Four. He played for LaSalle and the game was in the Palestra in Philadelphia. Danny Schayes had said that he played against both Joe, (who was in the NBA from 1975-83) and Kobe (1996-2016). Danny played from 1981-1999.

The Orangewomen who have been slumping, were playing Virginia Tech. “They should be better than them but they were supposed to be better than Wake Forest, too.” Actually the Hokies are a good team, (15-5) but Q’s team beat them 67-65 for a much needed win.

The Super Bowl: “I haven’t thought about it. Great coaches and great teams. It should be a good game. Mahomes is a great player.” Matt called him “an incredible physical specimen with a great arm.”

Gomez later discussed some of the prop bets being offered:
Will any player use a prop in his end zone celebration? JB: “I thought they couldn’t do that anymore.” Even though they aren’t in the game, will Joe Buck of Troy Aikman mention the Patriots. JB: “At least 10 times, probably 15.”
Will a fan run on the field? JB: “50-50”. Who will tackle him? “A security guard.”
I missed the first part of the next one: what would happen more times, something or “Joker” getting Oscar wins” JB predicted “Joker” would win with 3.
Will Turmp tweet during the game? JB: “without a doubt.”

On Coach K’s comments on the Cameron student section: “He hasn’t done that for a year. Every once in a while you’re going to have a rant about that. Coach K was sticking up for Capel, one of his players, against the students.”

'Shut up!' Duke's Coach K yells at his own Cameron Crazies after chant during Pitt game | CNN

Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski is apologizing, at least in part, to students after berating the Cameron Crazies fan section during the team's game against the University of Pittsburgh.

www.cnn.com

Jim recalled one time when he grabbed the microphone to address the crowd when some idiot threw an orange at Patrick Ewing. He also shouted at the crowd when somebody said something about Danny Schayes.

Coach was not aware of the new format of the NBA All Star game, where the first three quarters would have separate scores and would determine which team captain’s charity gets a certain amount of money. In the fourth quarter they add the scores up and use the “Elam Ending” that is used in The Basketball Tournament”, where the first team to achieve a set score wins. Coach doesn’t think much of the ‘Elam Ending’

“We’ve been playing this game for a long time and don’t want it to change.”

The New York Knicks “are in the middle of nowhere. It’s been bad drafts and bad contracts. They just haven’t been run well. Meanwhile the Celtics made some great trades and draft picks to get the right guys. The Sixers took a while but not they are good. Milwaukee got the Greek Freak. Toronto gets guys from nobody ever heard of who are good. Free agents aren’t interested in the New York with all the traffic and where do you practice? Kevin Durant will come back like gangbusters.”

The Astros have named Dusty Baker their new manager. “He knows how to manage. They have good players and a good team. The fans might be upset but they don’t have the same impact in baseball that they do in other sports.”

Paul in Syracuse works for Franco’s Pizza and offered to bring one down when JB retires. (tbonezone is ordering it now). He wondered how Mike Hopkins is doing out at Washington. JB: “ They started off good but then lost their point guard. They don’t really have a back-up. They have a strong front line but they’ve lsot 4-5 games by 1-2 points. I’ve known Mike since age 14 and have a long history with him.”

Gomez offered some “outrageous stats in college basketball history”:
“Who scored the most points in their debut game?”
“Who had the most 50 point games in a season?”
“What team made the most consecutive three pointers in a game?”
“Who had the only quadruple double? “
“Who fouled out in the shortest time?”
“What’s the most combined steals by both teams?”
“What’s the fewest points by both teams in a half?”

 

[SWC75]

Glad JAB acknowledged that Edwards' pass to Q.Guerrier was actually a good one. Shoulda been a dunk. Come to think of it, that was the best pass I've seen out of a SU center in a really long time.

That pass, which had a hand in the loss, has me excited about Edwards' ceiling in the coming years.

I agree that when he's a junior and senior that pass might be a weapon for us but as a freshman-passing to another freshman- I would have preferred he just shoot the ball and if it misses, Guerrier is right there to slam it in.

 

[SU94]

I agree that when he's a junior and senior that pass might be a weapon for us but as a freshman-passing to another freshman- I would have preferred he just shoot the ball and if it misses, Guerrier is right there to slam it in.

That's painting with a broad brush. As if freshman cannot make or catch passes.
Honestly, I was just "excited" to see a SU center get a pass and make a better pass (yes, it was late in the game). That happens about 3-4 times per season the last decade, outside of Rakeem's senior year.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Jim recalled one time when he grabbed the microphone to address the crowd when some idiot threw an orange at Patrick Ewing.

January, '85. That was the game when Pearl hit the jumper from the elbow to win it. Hoyas were #1 at the time.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Come to think of it, that was the best pass I've seen out of a SU center in a really long time.

Dolomite makes passes like that every game...

 

[Forza Azzurri]

On Coach K’s comments on the Cameron student section: “He hasn’t done that for a year. Every once in a while you’re going to have a rant about that. Coach K was sticking up for Capel, one of his players, against the students.”

I don't think you would ever see our fans do that to one of our alums..

 

[SU94]

Dolomite makes passes like that every game...

Fair comment. I sort of meant a true center, but good point.

 

[SWC75]

That's painting with a broad brush. As if freshman cannot make or catch passes.
Honestly, I was just "excited" to see a SU center get a pass and make a better pass (yes, it was late in the game). That happens about 3-4 times per season the last decade, outside of Rakeem's senior year.

Shoveling the ball to Guerrier was iffy, at best. Shooting with him in rebounding position was the better option. In a year or two things might be different.

 

[realorange]

They weren't saying anything negative about Capel. K just was way off base in his rant.

 

[SU94]

Shoveling the ball to Guerrier was iffy, at best. Shooting with him in rebounding position was the better option. In a year or two things might be different.

It was a helluva pass. And since he does not have a green light to shoot (and hadn’t played in weeks), I am not sure what you reasonably expected him to do.

 

[SWC75]

It was a helluva pass. And since he does not have a green light to shoot (and hadn’t played in weeks), I am not sure what you reasonably expected him to do.

I already described what i expected him to do. Who doesn't have the green light to shoot in the paint?

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I already described what i expected him to do. Who doesn't have the green light to shoot in the paint?

He wasn’t in the paint. Guerrier was

 

[SWC75]

He wasn’t in the paint. Guerrier was

Actually, he was. Go to 8:30:

But upon reviewing this i'll admit that it wasn't a cinch Guerrier would have gotten a rebound as a Clemson player was coming toward the basket. But if he had shot the ball when he first got it, (and, yes he was outside the paint at that point but he was probably closer to the basket), Guerrier would have been the only one in rebounding position.