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[QUOTE="jfuchs91, post: 1387259, member: 5273"]
It's easy to overreact when losing a recruiting battle, especially when the player was clearly coveted by Syracuse.  However, saying "the ship is sinking" is premature.  Recruiting is maddeningly fluid, and even if SU was the perceived leader at one time, it's foolish to read too much into the decision of one teenage boy.  Syracuse fans will have a favorable outlook towards the school, but for a recruit, he's being sold on [I]all[/I] of these schools.  Did the sanctions hurt Battle's recruitment?  Perhaps.  But each recruit has a unique set of priorities and interests.  Syracuse still has the pedigree, exposure, and hall of fame coach to appeal to highly-rated players.

Sanctions will undoubtedly be a hindrance for the program, but in many ways Syracuse's sanctions late into Boeheim's career mirrors what occurred at UConn near the end of Calhoun's tenure.  Times may seem dark immediately following the NCAA's punishment, but they can be overcome.  Games are won on the floor, and even if Syracuse takes a slight step back in the caliber of recruit they sign, their fit into the Syracuse scheme is as important as anything.  In the era of one-and-dones, developing slightly lower-rated prospects that fit a team's scheme is a completely viable way to succeed.  Look at Wisconsin this past season, or UConn with their two championships in the past five years.  Experienced teams that are molded by hall of fame caliber coaches is an extremely realistic and attainable way to achieve major success.
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