Things I learned at USA Basketball: Notes on Mike Hopkins, Jim Boeheim, Orange Madness, more (PS)

[OrangeXtreme]

http://www.syracuse.com/orangebaske...week_notes_on_mike_hopkins_jim_boeheim_o.html

 

[Dave85]

http://www.syracuse.com/orangebaske...week_notes_on_mike_hopkins_jim_boeheim_o.html

I love Donna's articles. There always interesting and fun to read.

I am not a big fan of Mike Waters. Everything he does always seems to me to emphasize something negative. If it's a choice between the Orange have one three games in a row versus the Orange are shooting 20% from three he will focus on the three point shooting. He's factual. He's objective. But his choices are always something negative versus something positive.

 

[pfister1]

I love Donna's articles. There always interesting and fun to read.

I am not a big fan of Mike Waters. Everything he does always seems to me to emphasize something negative. If it's a choice between the Orange have one three games in a row versus the Orange are shooting 20% from three he will focus on the three point shooting. He's factual. He's objective. But his choices are always something negative versus something positive.

Donna wrote an interesting article and you spent most of your post slamming Mike Waters. To the extent that your comments about Mike are true, seems like you guys have something in common.

 

[Conrad13]

I loved watching that video of Hopkins and Harden.

I truly believe that JB could have been a great NBA coach.

 

[Dave85]

Donna wrote an interesting article and you spent most of your post slamming Mike Waters. To the extent that your comments about Mike are true, seems like you guys have something in common.

Yes, I agree. Donna and I are very positive on Orange basketball.

 

[MSOrange]

I love Donna's articles. There always interesting and fun to read.

I am not a big fan of Mike Waters. Everything he does always seems to me to emphasize something negative. If it's a choice between the Orange have one three games in a row versus the Orange are shooting 20% from three he will focus on the three point shooting. He's factual. He's objective. But his choices are always something negative versus something positive.

I honestly never noticed that about Mike. I'll have to keep my eye out for signs of that. I really enjoy both Mike and Donna. I think the basketball coverage has been excellent over the years.

 

[rrlbees]

I love Donna's articles. There always interesting and fun to read. I am not a big fan of Mike Waters. Everything he does always seems to me to emphasize something negative. If it's a choice between the Orange have one three games in a row versus the Orange are shooting 20% from three he will focus on the three point shooting. He's factual. He's objective. But his choices are always something negative versus something positive.

Completely disagree about Mike. He's great and I'm sure most would agree.

 

[Briancuse]

I loved watching that video of Hopkins and Harden.

I truly believe that JB could have been a great NBA coach.

I think he could have been, but I just can't see him coaching millionaire primadonnas full time.

 

[Conrad13]

I think he could have been, but I just can't see him coaching millionaire primadonnas full time.

That's definitely the first issue that would come to mind with JB in the NBA, but the millionaire primadonnas on Team USA seem to really like him and respect him. Maybe it's because he's an assistant, or because this is a national team, but I think that JB commands respect from the elite players. I could imagine him having a blowout or two with a player in the NBA, but I could also see him as a Popovich type coach that would have given his players even more freedom on offense.

 

[MSOrange]

That's definitely the first issue that would come to mind with JB in the NBA, but the millionaire primadonnas on Team USA seem to really like him and respect him. Maybe it's because he's an assistant, or because this is a national team, but I think that JB commands respect from the elite players. I could imagine him having a blowout or two with a player in the NBA, but I could also see him as a Popovich type coach that would have given his players even more freedom on offense.

If he can survive Louie McCroskey and Deshaun Williams, JB can probably handle most anybody.

 

[Briancuse]

That's definitely the first issue that would come to mind with JB in the NBA, but the millionaire primadonnas on Team USA seem to really like him and respect him. Maybe it's because he's an assistant, or because this is a national team, but I think that JB commands respect from the elite players. I could imagine him having a blowout or two with a player in the NBA, but I could also see him as a Popovich type coach that would have given his players even more freedom on offense.

That is true, but coaching team usa is a part time gig. I just don't think he would be happy doing it from august till june.

 

[Dave85]

Completely disagree about Mike. He's great and I'm sure most would agree.

You are entitled to your opinion but hear me out. I once posted that I thought an article he wrote had a negative tone. Mike quickly responded with "No, I wouldn't say that." Here's my second post to Mike's "No, I wouldn't say that.":

I would say that. In my opinion, I find many of your articles to have a negative tone. For example, "There will not be any former Syracuse University players in tonight's game." That's not positive.
And this one, "So who crapped out and who came away with some winnings" and yet you don't say who "crapped out" even though you imply it! And then the one guy who is not on any NBA team you claim is the winner? There's just something not right in saying Triche is the big winner in Vegas.
But I have to say you are objective. That is, objectively negative. I'm surprise you didn't list the turn over stat for each player. Oh, Triche just played in one game, got it. I can't argue with that fact!
I don't know exactly what it is but there's something not quite right with the tone of your articles.​

http://www.syracuse.com/orangebaske...vegas_summer_league.html#lf_comment=190898106

It's just stuff like this, "He played in just one game" referring to Triche yet calling him the big winner in Vegas. That's just bad commentary. The Orange lost to Dayton, happy day. Check out his headline.

Mike is a UNC graduate. He's a Tar Heel and we're now in the ACC. You may not agree with my opinion but I just don't like his writing style. He never ever says anything positive about the team. He even said once he's not a fan of the Orange because he wants to remain objective. I think it's a mask. Maybe you know him and think he's a great guy. I just read what he writes. I like Donna's articles a thousand times better. Donna doesn't sugar coat anything in her articles yet she's always upbeat and positive.

Here's one of his articles, "Syracuse basketball's 2015 recruiting class ranked 2nd in the country". Emphasis on "2nd in the country". Three weeks earlier the 2015 recruiting class would have been first in the country. It's just what he chooses to write that bothers me. Get me one Mike Waters quote where he says something positive about the Orange. Not just some fact about the number of rebounds in a game. Give me just one positive opinion. Give me just one positive subjective judgment. "The future looks bright" is something you will never see him write. He claims he's being "objective". I don't buy it. JB called the 2015 recruiting class the best recruiting class in his career.

 

[memcorsu]

I was wondering y'alls thoughts on this?

6. Date for Orange Madness?: Boeheim asked when the Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks exhibition game would be played in the Carrier Dome. When told of the Oct. 14 date, he then said Syracuse would likely hold its version of Midnight Madness on the Friday of that week.

Nothing official, but save Oct. 17 as the date of this year's Orange Madness.

Could we see involvement in Midnight Madness from NBA alum?

 

[Orange Barrel]

He even said once he's not a fan of the Orange because he wants to remain objective.

I remember that and thought it was strange at the time. Nothing wrong with a little enthusiasm and homerism. (Yes, I know he's a 'heel, but he's been here forever.) I think MW takes his objectivity a bit too seriously and his writing suffers for it. It makes him seem so detached that reading him can be like reading a box score. Facts & figures. Not much else. But overly negative? No. Donna seems like she's having fun and it shows in her writing.

 

[Eric15]

Here's one of his articles, "Syracuse basketball's 2015 recruiting class ranked 2nd in the country". Emphasis on "2nd in the country".

Well I'm sold - Mike Waters is worse than ISIS.

 

[rrlbees]

Well I'm sold - Mike Waters is worse than ISIS.

Seriously. I'll take 2nd in the country all day long. I took it as a positive. Not sure how anyone can take it as a negative.

 

[orangefan13]

Mike was wearing carolina blue to our teams first acc events last year. Being a north carolina fan I found that alittle odd, but thats alright we got revenge beating them soundly last year

 

[Dave85]

I remember that and thought it was strange at the time. Nothing wrong with a little enthusiasm and homerism. (Yes, I know he's a 'heel, but he's been here forever.) I think MW takes his objectivity a bit too seriously and his writing suffers for it. It makes him seem so detached that reading him can be like reading a box score. Facts & figures. Not much else. But overly negative? No. Donna seems like she's having fun and it shows in her writing.

I don't think I said overly negative. It's more like because of his complete lack of enthusiasm for the teams success, sometimes he chooses to write about stuff that does not put the team in the best light. And at the same time, he ignores stuff that would be give the reader a more positive outlook. It's all about his choices. I do not like what he chooses to emphasize and what he chooses to ignore.

Here's the difference. Check out this article:

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/7/...s-grizzlies-nba-summer-league-2013/in/4287753

How can you say Triche was the big winner in Vegas. It's just negative crazy talk and ignoring everything positive.

 

[realorange]

I don't think I said overly negative. It's more like because of his complete lack of enthusiasm for the teams success, sometimes he chooses to write about stuff that does not put the team in the best light. And at the same time, he ignores stuff that would be give the reader a more positive outlook. It's all about his choices. I do not like what he chooses to emphasize and what he chooses to ignore.

Here's the difference. Check out this article:

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/7/...s-grizzlies-nba-summer-league-2013/in/4287753

How can you say Triche was the big winner in Vegas. It's just negative crazy talk and ignoring everything positive.

Sounded to me like he was talking about Triche doing well in the casino when he mentioned chips in his pocket. The rest of his article was objective as it should have been. That's what reporting is supposed to be.

As for the article on Waiters, it looked better simply because Dion had a good game. You must not have liked it when the reporter said Dion needed to work on his shooting.

 

[Charco]

How can you say Triche was the big winner in Vegas. It's just negative crazy talk and ignoring everything positive.

It seems you're purposely misreading it. He didn't say Triche was the "big winner" in Vegas.

 

[orange79]

Seriously. I'll take 2nd in the country all day long. I took it as a positive. Not sure how anyone can take it as a negative.

Totally agree. Not sure what Dave85 would rather have them be... Expecting SU to be #1 in every category is just silly. And expecting the media to essentially lie and say otherwise is even sillier.

 

[Dave85]

Totally agree. Not sure what Dave85 would rather have them be... Expecting SU to be #1 in every category is just silly. And expecting the media to essentially lie and say otherwise is even sillier.

You are missing the point. It has nothing to do with lying. Your interpretation of what I am saying is way off.

 

[SoBeCuse]

You are missing the point. It has nothing to do with lying. Your interpretation of what I am saying is way off.

I don't know man. Mike seems very objective to me. His job. He shouldn't be gushing over the Orange time and time again nor should he be sugarcoating problems. He's very good, imo.

 

[Dave85]

It seems you're purposely misreading it. He didn't say Triche was the "big winner" in Vegas.

"Triche was with the New York Knicks in Las Vegas. He played in just one game. And yet, he leaves Las Vegas as a winner."

Okay, you are right. He just said Triche was the "winner". My mistake. If he said Triche was the "big winner" do you think that would be over the line. I think just saying Triche was the "winner" was just as bad commentary. It seems to me it's almost bordering on sarcasm. Give me one Mike Waters quote where says anything positive about the Orange. You can't.

 

[Dave85]

I don't know man. Mike seems very objective to me. His job. He shouldn't be gushing over the Orange time and time again nor should he be sugarcoating problems. He's very good, imo.

Donna doesn't gush over the Orange. One thing is to be objective. It's another thing to be negative or a jerk.

Check out this article:

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/7/...s-grizzlies-nba-summer-league-2013/in/4287753

It's positive but not gushing. It points out some warts in Dion's play but it also has some positive things to say. I don't get that from Mike's writing. He writes about the facts but leaves out a lot of the good ones. I don't understand all the man-love people have for our resident Tar Heel.