IthacaMatt
Old Timer / Unofficial Contributor for 25+ years
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- Aug 26, 2011
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with your clothes on, if you're a Syracuse hoops fan. I bring you The Dunk Tape, in honor of Raoul Duke.
That was awesome! All of my favorite Cuse players on 1 team...those were the days. Thank you for that.with your clothes on, if you're a Syracuse hoops fan. I bring you The Dunk Tape, in honor of Raoul Duke.
Monster Dunks!!!with your clothes on, if you're a Syracuse hoops fan. I bring you The Dunk Tape, in honor of Raoul Duke.
Monster Dunks!!!
Yeah, I think that's the best in game dunk I've ever seen.That was great. Try this. The on vs ND at about 3:30 mark is my favorite.
All these dunks aside, JB has said that he ended practice on day after Dave Johnson did a 360 from the FT line.
That was great. Try this. The on vs ND at about 3:30 mark is my favorite.
All these dunks aside, JB has said that he ended practice on day after Dave Johnson did a 360 from the FT line.
with your clothes on, if you're a Syracuse hoops fan. I bring you The Dunk Tape, in honor of Raoul Duke.
Yeah, I remember that one well, too. After that game, Mason started saying that Warrick had "go-go gadget" arms.
Best dunker in SU history?That was great. Try this. The on vs ND at about 3:30 mark is my favorite.
All these dunks aside, JB has said that he ended practice on day after Dave Johnson did a 360 from the FT line.
I knew that.Joke's on you. I didn't have clothes on when I watched that.
Best dunker in SU history?
That's exactly the visual I wanted going to bed tonight.Joke's on you. I didn't have clothes on when I watched that.
I know.That's exactly the visual I wanted going to bed tonight.
Yeah. He's at the top of my list because so many of his dunks are plays that absolutely no one in Syracuse history could make. The three that always amaze me are:Best dunker in SU history?
That was great. Try this. The on vs ND at about 3:30 mark is my favorite.
All these dunks aside, JB has said that he ended practice on day after Dave Johnson did a 360 from the FT line.
I think its that the players are not as seasoned. They don't spend multiple years getting together as a squad...I think they are less able to "think the game" now despite maybe being just as talented in terms of raw talent...more AAU and less improvisational skill...its a good question though...to me it was more fun back in 80s 90s...in NBA too...I have seen both of these videos before but they never get old. Man did those 1980's teams play downhill or what? My question is: why does nobody play that way anymore? Is it just defensive schemes won't allow it? Honestly the closest we've seen to it of late was FGCU during their week of fame. And it can't be talent, I could argue playing that way doesn't take more talent per se, it is athleticism and scheme.
I think you nailed it. Individual skill level in basketball is as good as it's ever been. I think fewer highly skilled players are learning how to play within a team concept. Even the best players back in the day had to submit to authority for a few years before becoming huge stars. Now, kids are stars before they leave highschool, make more money than their coach when they become pros, and don't see a reason tomlisten to coaching. This obviously isn't the case for all of them, but I think it happens more now than in previous generations. Golden State struck gold by having two highly skilled players in Thompson and Curry whos dads had played in the NBA and taught their kids the right way to play from the get go, who could set the example for the rest of the team.I think its that the players are not as seasoned. They don't spend multiple years getting together as a squad...I think they are less able to "think the game" now despite maybe being just as talented in terms of raw talent...more AAU and less improvisational skill...its a good question though...to me it was more fun back in 80s 90s...in NBA too...
Yeah...your post brings to mind the phrase "don't hate the player, hate the game"...well I think that's exactly what has been happening inside the sport on the player side of things. It's all about being the man...making the money etc being the star to get the stats...the game is irrelevant for a lot of players...its not about the game...its about the individual...society as a whole is moving more and more in that direction as well. Many players now see the game as an imposition upon them, something to be overcome and ignored as much as possible...instead of a vehicle whereby the collective can be better than the sum of its parts.I think you nailed it. Individual skill level in basketball is as good as it's ever been. I think fewer highly skilled players are learning how to play within a team concept. Even the best players back in the day had to submit to authority for a few years before becoming huge stars. Now, kids are stars before they leave highschool, make more money than their coach when they become pros, and don't see a reason tomlisten to coaching. This obviously isn't the case for all of them, but I think it happens more now than in previous generations. Golden State struck gold by having two highly skilled players in Thompson and Curry whos dads had played in the NBA and taught their kids the right way to play from the get go, who could set the example for the rest of the team.
Yeah...your post brings to mind the phrase "don't hate the player, hate the game"...well I think that's exactly what has been happening inside the sport on the player side of things. It's all about being the man...making the money etc being the star to get the stats...the game is irrelevant for a lot of players...its not about the game...its about the individual...society as a whole is moving more and more in that direction as well. Many players now see the game as an imposition upon them, something to be overcome and ignored as much as possible...instead of a vehicle whereby the collective can be better than the sum of its parts.
That's why you are seeing record numbers of transfers, for example.
At the end of the day, basketball is still a team sport ...and thats why the currys, the spurs, etc are always going to be on top and the kyries are going to stay destroying locker rooms/teams...and the most recent USA basketball team finished like 6th in international competition even with players like donovan mitchell and other nba players...the world gets it...its a team sport...and when played as a team, the level is higher...when played as a group of individuals who care more about themselves, the level is lower...thats why kentucky hasnt won for all of the mcds players they have comparitively and the butlers and vcus etc can make noise.
the culture has shifted so much now that players who have good intentions and want to be team players etc are not thriving as much as they could because the envirnoment as a whole is so individual-centric...some players are just selfsih...as they always have been...but a lot of players now never develop the team skills because they are never in a position to do so...on top of that the selfish players are now able to thrive and get away with their egos like never before...its a vicious cycle.
the arc of the last few decades in ncaabb is depressing for those who have followed the sport for a while, imo.
for the few who benefit...like the lonnie walkers of the world...a decent but unpolished ncaabb player who really wasnt ready to go to the nba but did (like so many others)...malachi, donte green etc...its "better"..now they can put in less work and effort and still get what they want...the game be damned.
I think some of that goes along with all of the transfers and early NBA entries. Guys aren't together long enough to really develop the same chemistry and learn nuances of their coach's systems. I don't see how this will get better.Yes, the thing that is killing college basketball, apart from the constant player turnover, is that there are way fewer "team players". Nice post.