The test is always the next morning

[SWC75]

When I woke up, I sighed but I didn't say "Oh Shjt!".

I don't have that "did anybody get the number of that truck" feeling I had when we lost to Butler or Vermont. We had a controntation with another national power and came up a bit short. we could have played better and the refs sucked but I'm already on to the final stage of grief: acceptance.

It's over, Willy.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

When I woke up, I sighed but I didn't say "Oh Shjt!".

I don't have that "did anybody get the number of that truck" feeling I had when we lost to Butler or Vermont. We had a controntation with another national power and came up a bit short. we could have played better and the refs sucked but I'm already on to the final stage of grief: acceptance.

It's over, Willy.

We should be very proud of our staff and players. They did a great job all year with all of the distractions and turned it into one of the best seasons of Syracuse basketball. However, the loss of Fab Melo, just like the loss of AO, took away another NC for the Cuse. I felt we would have been overwhelming favorites with Fab, but without him we turned into a team that was on par with four or five other teams. And, it's never embarrassing to lose to one of those other four or five teams. That being said, it's unfortunate to play an elite eight game under those conditions.

 

[pfister1]

It is amazing to me that this team was able to lose its starting center and defensive player of the year and still reach an Elite 8 game, an Elite 8 game, that if fairly officiated, it probably would won.

I can't think of another SU team ever that could have taken a body blow like that (loss of Melo) and still been as competitive as this one ended up being. JB teams typically aren't designed to weather the loss of a player of Melo's caliber.

 

[SWC75]

We should be very proud of our staff and players. They did a great job all year with all of the distractions and turned it into one of the best seasons of Syracuse basketball. However, the loss of Fab Melo, just like the loss of AO, took away another NC for the Cuse. I felt we would have been overwhelming favorites with Fab, but without him we turned into a team that was on par with four or five other teams. And, it's never embarrassing to lose to one of those other four or five teams. That being said, it's unfortunate to play an elite eight game under those conditions.

We would not have been "overwhelming favorites" but like AO in 2010, Fab might have made enough of a difference to win a close game, (even though Rak and Baye did well), and maybe Ohio state, like Butler, will go to the title game and win it or almost do so. That's what the argument is based on.

Also: people have a tendancy to root against the team that beat us so they can 'feel the pain' we felt in the next round. i've always felt that was a mistake. The better the team that beat you does, the better you look in retrospect. I wish every team we've ever lost to in the tourney won the national championship.

 

[suthrills]

I too had the "sigh" this morning.
What bums me out is that OSU was just so beatable last night.
If Kris or Dion played just a little bit better we win. (I won't get into the refs).
I think losing Fab this year had a far more signifigant impact than losing AO in 2010.
On to another winning season next year and hopefully a trip to the FF.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

We would not have been "overwhelming favorites" but like AO in 2010, Fab might have made enough of a difference to win a close game, (even though Rak and Baye did well), and maybe Ohio state, like Butler, will go to the title game and win it or almost do so. That's what the argument is based on.

Bottom line is that we were 5-2 without Fab and 29-1 with him. I just felt our team reacted much differently and we had so many different looks on offense and defense with Fab. In my eyes, I felt no way we would have lost if Fab was here. He did a lot of things that didn't necessarily show up in the box score, and his presence anchoring the zone created so many issues on many levels. It's very unfortunate that in a team sport like this, that one players selfishness created the ultimate chaos. We didn't lose to OSU because of the refs and the OSU players, we lost because we were missing our anchorman. In spite of not having him, we still could have won.

 

[SWC75]

Bottom line is that we were 6-3 without Fab and 28-0 with him. I just felt our team reacted much differently and we had so many different looks on offense and defense with Fab. In my eyes, I felt no way we would have lost if Fab was here. He did a lot of things that didn't necessarily show up in the box score, and his presence anchoring the zone created so many issues on many levels. It's very unfortunate that in a team sport like this, that one players selfishness created the ultimate chaos. We didn't lose to OSU because of the refs and the OSU players, we lost because we were missing our anchorman. In spite of not having him, we still could have won.

Fab was on the team in the BET.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Fab was on the team in the BET.

Whoops. That's how brain dead I am. Need to go back and make my edit. Still feel that way with Fab though.

 

[SkanSU]

Also: people have a tendancy to root against the team that beat us so they can 'feel the pain' we felt in the next round. i've always felt that was a mistake. The better the team that beat you does, the better you look in retrospect. I wish every team we've ever lost to in the tourney won the national championship.

I have to agree and reiterate what I have said prevously. SU really did not lose this game; nor did OSU win it. Both teams played the game. I can never fault OSU for winning this game. They are a good team. "What ifs" are over. I do wish the Buckeyes the best. Who else would I root for? Kentucky (gag). Maybe North Carolina (Naw). L'Ville (perhaps, Big east afterall).
GO SU.
GO Baylor

 

[SWC75]

I have to agree and reiterate what I have said prevously. SU really did not lose this game; nor did OSU win it. Both teams played the game. I can never fault OSU for winning this game. They are a good team. "What ifs" are over. I do wish the Buckeyes the best. Who else would I root for? Kentucky (gag). Maybe North Carolina (Naw). L'Ville (perhaps, Big east afterall).
GO SU.
GO Baylor

Ohio State is the kind of program where if you are going to play them, you need to bring your "A" game. We came with our C+ game.

 

[Knicks411]

This is how I feel right now

Very fun season, I will remember fondly for a long time. Happy for the kids, they played through a lot of stuff that they didn't deserve to deal with, and they should keep their heads high. Can't wait till October 15. On to next year.

 

[SWC75]

This is how I feel right now

View attachment 723


Very fun season, I will remember fondly for a long time. Happy for the kids, they played through a lot of stuff that they didn't deserve to deal with, and they should keep their heads high. Can't wait till October 15. On to next year.

October 15th, (my birthday, by the way), will get here. Until then, Carpe Diem!

 

[Madbiker]

The teams that loses always feels that they didn't play their A game...and the team that wins always feels their great play prevented the other team from playing well.

 

[kd bart]

This one doesn't bother me as much as Marquette and Butler because unlike in those games, we never did have a lead late in the game and felt like we blew it.

 

[themole]

To me AO was a bigger loss than Melo, because there were no truly dominant teams two years ago. Duke kinda walked to the title and they weren't even all that, I remember they lost by double digits at G'town that year.

This year there are six or so teams above the rest, and even with Melo it would have been a tough test to get through all of OSU, UNC or KU, and then probably UK.

 

[SBU72]

I found that I was much more at ease during both the Wisc game and the OSU game than I was during the first two rounds or the regular season. During those games when somebody made a mistake I cringed or even yelled at the TV. During the Wisc game I just felt that if SU lost with them shooting 66% from the 3 pt arc there was little if anything that could have been done. Against OSU besides the stupid refs, I felt they were going to lose but still thought that they could pull it out up unitl almost the 2nd last possesion. Either way I was at peace with the results (unlike some posting here). They played hard, they did not succeed. Oct almost can't get here fast enough.