Things i'm hearing...

[AZOrange]

I think everyone comes out looking bad and IMO JB is more to blame because of what he said in the postgame presser. I think he did it so it was clear to all that he was getting pushed out. Our admin is not exactly known for handling things well, a deserved reputation, but I do put it more on him, he needed to go and had many chances to go out gracefully

The AD should control what is said and what isn’t. It never should have been left to him.

 

[AZOrange]

You may not like this but, what I am hearing is that JB burned a lot of bridges with some of his press conference statements, which he had to walk back and were the final impetus for change. JB knew this would be the last year but he was asking for, I will say "things", the University was not willing to agree to. The plan was not to have JB announce he was retiring in the post-game press conference. As is his practice, he went rogue with a broadside in an effort to extract what he wanted. He once again misread the room and here we are.

Let’s go Red! LGO!

He didn’t really go rogue. He was asked a question. They should have intercepted that answer opportunity

 

[richmondcuse03]

I don’t think he’d be hovering around the program. Besides the new home in Skaneateles he also applied for membership at an exclusive golf course in Florida.

Hope it’s Seminole! He could do some good fundraising there…

 

[oldpinepoint]

He didn’t really go rogue. He was asked a question. They should have intercepted that answer opportunity

Well in fairness a script answer could have been given and he just chose not to follow it. Who knows and honestly what’s done is done.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

The AD should control what is said and what isn’t. It never should have been left to him.

Just curious how. This wasn’t conducted on campus, the ACC likely controlled the presser.

 

[orangepassion]

the optics were terrible... but JB should have never been left to his own devices answering that question in the presser to begin with. As AZ said, the admin could have squashed the retirement questions, but didn't... everyone shares the blame here and it's unfortunate.

I'm not sure what you wanted the AD to do. The norm (especially after a tournament game) is a post game PC. JB looked like he knew exactly what he wanted to say, even prolonging the PC so Mike Waters could ask another question about it at the end.

 

[mark79]

i believe most of this. i will say, i think the loss angered JB to the point where it brought out certain feelings, and then he kinda went off the rails from there. i think his intention was to communicate his retirement, and then he couldn't do it. he's been upset the last few weeks about how this has played out.

As I said the other day to a friend, JB’s greatest strength, loyalty, was also his greatest weakness. He couldn't bear to part ways when it was time. But we can forgive him for that I think.

 

[kuethstheman]

He didn’t really go rogue. He was asked a question. They should have intercepted that answer opportunity

Not sure what you're suggesting.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Agreed. I also wonder if something was lost in translation along the way where JB believed he would have a presser later to announce it. I hope the university isn't that incompetent, but who knows? This is the place that did misspell Roosevelt Bouie's last name on his jersey during a jersey retirement ceremony.

I have to think that the much stronger likelihood is that he went off script, asking for another job with the university. I mean, as others have said, Autry had to have agreed to take the job, and then there's JB saying, "eh, maybe they'll still keep me; it's up to the university".

If I'm Autry, I'm NEVER having Boeheim come to practice, and I'm not giving him a seat anywhere near the bench.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Not sure what you're suggesting.

He could have just said, "I've decided to retire" to play along with the whole charade for his pride.

But JB don't play that way, homey. "They might still keep me on; that's their decision."

 

[kingtidge]

He didn’t really go rogue. He was asked a question. They should have intercepted that answer opportunity

People get mad at me when I intercept answer opportunities... just sayin.

 

[mark79]

I have to think that the much stronger likelihood is that he went off script, asking for another job with the university. I mean, as others have said, Autry had to have agreed to take the job, and then there's JB saying, "eh, maybe they'll still keep me; it's up to the university".

If I'm Autry, I'm NEVER having Boeheim come to practice, and I'm not giving him a seat anywhere near the bench.

Agree. That press conference was literally all over the place. He went from asking for another job, to I’m not the one to ask if I’m retiring, to I already gave my retirement speech. No way that was all supposed to play out like that.

 

[kingtidge]

Agree. That press conference was literally all over the place. He went from asking for another job, to I’m not the one to ask if I’m retiring, to I already gave my retirement speech. No way that was all supposed to play out like that.

It was actually kind of fitting.

The JAB "says stuff" schtick on the day he's let go... he says some of the most bizarre stuff ever.

 

[Scooch]

He didn’t really go rogue. He was asked a question. They should have intercepted that answer opportunity

Eh. All Jim had to do was say "Today I'm talking about the game we just had and the players who gave everything they had this season, like Jesse and Benny here. There will be time to talk about all that other stuff later."

That's it, that's all he needed to do.

Are you suggesting that a staffer should have leapt in when Donna asked that question and whisked Jim away, secret service style?

 

[sabach]

Eh. All Jim had to do was say "Today I'm talking about the game we just had and the players who gave everything they had this season, like Jesse and Benny here. There will be time to talk about all that other stuff later."

That's it, that's all he needed to do.

Are you suggesting that a staffer should have leapt in when Donna asked that question and whisked Jim away, secret service style?

Wouldn't that have been awesome though if it happened? Lift him off his feet like the President when someone is shooting at the White House.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Agree. That press conference was literally all over the place. He went from asking for another job, to I’m not the one to ask if I’m retiring, to I already gave my retirement speech. No way that was all supposed to play out like that.

Evidence that he really just can't help himself from being a jerk when he's asked to do something he really doesn't want to do.

Autry: "Uh, Coach, what the heck was that???"

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

This is from a few "friends of the program" and a couple of people in the AD's office (who might be susceptible to spin, so I take what they say with a bit of cynicism).

The retirement plan had been locked in for a few weeks. Not many knew much about it, just that it would happen after the season's end.

The plan included the coach essentially confirming his retirement in whatever post-game presser was the last of the season. Boeheim had gone along with this. There was a press release ready to go last week with quotes from Boeheim and the word "retirement" all over it.

The presser comes, and according to some folks in the AD's office, Boeheim decided to softshoe it. Now I've heard conflicting stories on why that was. One person told me coach was concerned he wouldn't be able to handle his emotions if he announced in that way, that quickly after his last game. Whether he told people of these misgivings or not is up for debate.

The AD's office was furious at the way it went down and had to change the press release completely. It was supposed to come out right after the presser, but instead, they had to re-edit it and release it a few hours late.

A friend of the program says it wasn't intentional to make the university look bad, but who knows for sure.

Go ahead and kill the messenger, but this is what I've heard from a handful of people who should know.

That makes sense. I also think JB’s comments post Wake II on what he will be doing (poorly phrased by me) were about working for the University in some capacity, other than coaching.

I really wish coach had let his guard down and announced that this win, with the adversity his team overcame the last few games, with the 2003 team and everyone else in attendance, was his most special, and that it was his last game in the Dome as coach. That is all he needed to do. (Easy for me to say).

 

[Cheriehoop]

This is from a few "friends of the program" and a couple of people in the AD's office (who might be susceptible to spin, so I take what they say with a bit of cynicism).

The retirement plan had been locked in for a few weeks. Not many knew much about it, just that it would happen after the season's end.

The plan included the coach essentially confirming his retirement in whatever post-game presser was the last of the season. Boeheim had gone along with this. There was a press release ready to go last week with quotes from Boeheim and the word "retirement" all over it.

The presser comes, and according to some folks in the AD's office, Boeheim decided to softshoe it. Now I've heard conflicting stories on why that was. One person told me coach was concerned he wouldn't be able to handle his emotions if he announced in that way, that quickly after his last game. Whether he told people of these misgivings or not is up for debate.

The AD's office was furious at the way it went down and had to change the press release completely. It was supposed to come out right after the presser, but instead, they had to re-edit it and release it a few hours late.

A friend of the program says it wasn't intentional to make the university look bad, but who knows for sure.

Go ahead and kill the messenger, but this is what I've heard from a handful of people who should know.

I was telling my family that I bet what you were told was probably what actually happened. JB had too many emotions which as a coach, he has hidden, to keep his composure while announcing his retirement publicly. He absolutely loved coaching at Syracuse and he appreciated being able to live his dream. He knows how fortunate he’s been to love, care so much about SU as a whole, the basketball program, the community and the appreciation that he‘s received back from so many over the decades. The emotions connected were just too difficult for him to keep them in check. I imagine he’s been dealing with his emotions and focusing on the task at hand, throughout the season, ever since he knew that this was his last year. The same reason most everyone knew he wouldn’t agree to a big farewell event was the reason he couldn’t manage a public dramatic retirement announcement.

 

[721Comstock]

Wouldn't that have been awesome though if it happened? Lift him off his feet like the President when someone is shooting at the White House.

Which gets me thinking - what would JAB's Secret Service codename be?

"2-3 Zone"?
"Chicken Parm"?

 

[CusefanATL]

This is from a few "friends of the program" and a couple of people in the AD's office (who might be susceptible to spin, so I take what they say with a bit of cynicism).

The retirement plan had been locked in for a few weeks. Not many knew much about it, just that it would happen after the season's end.

The plan included the coach essentially confirming his retirement in whatever post-game presser was the last of the season. Boeheim had gone along with this. There was a press release ready to go last week with quotes from Boeheim and the word "retirement" all over it.

The presser comes, and according to some folks in the AD's office, Boeheim decided to softshoe it. Now I've heard conflicting stories on why that was. One person told me coach was concerned he wouldn't be able to handle his emotions if he announced in that way, that quickly after his last game. Whether he told people of these misgivings or not is up for debate.

The AD's office was furious at the way it went down and had to change the press release completely. It was supposed to come out right after the presser, but instead, they had to re-edit it and release it a few hours late.

A friend of the program says it wasn't intentional to make the university look bad, but who knows for sure.

Go ahead and kill the messenger, but this is what I've heard from a handful of people who should know.

From Donna's article "After Jim Boeheim’s postgame remarks, his players were left to digest the confusing narrative coming out of those intriguing 15 minutes. Boeheim at some point relatively soon after the news conference bombshell told his players he would be retiring and that Autry would be SU’s next head coach, according to several sources."

After reading that, I basically am convinced at this point that Boeheim just fumbled his planned response. He got lost in his emotions. Its why we saw him choke up a few times specifically talking about coaching his sons.

And this is the most compelling evidence we got... he went out of his way to give Mike the last question. That had to be part of his plan. And there was no reason to give Mike that last question. the PC was over. But he did it and I felt it... and when Mike asked the question - I really truly believe that Boeheim just couldnt get the words out the way they were intended.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Which gets me thinking - what would JAB's Secret Service codename be?

"2-3 Zone"?
"Chicken Parm"?

"Digger"

 

[mark79]

I don’t know what the protocol is for press conferences but it seems to me he usually does them alone. Wondering if having a couple of other players there sort of helped him retain some degree of composure.

I’m a way, Jim Boeheim IS Syracuse. Taking that role away from any of us would be awfully awfully hard. And perhaps even harder to give up willingly.

I am extremely torn in my emotions. He has been the 50 year coach of a team I bleed for and I love him for his tremendous loyalty. But that loyalty was to a fault and he definitely should have handled it better. As others have said, this will hopefully all calm down and cooler heads will prevail to smooth it all over.

 

[twinight]

Evidence that he really just can't help himself from being a jerk when he's asked to do something he really doesn't want to do.

Autry: "Uh, Coach, what the heck was that???"

Yeah... what a "jerk." Why couldn't a guy who just minutes before had coached his last game after 50 years be completely in control of his thoughts, words, and feelings??

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I would never hire him. He has made the school look bad at every turn this season, and if they allow him to continue they look weak. The goodwill is used up unless JB comes out and finally says "My ego was a problem".

He is the face of Syracuse basketball, Syracuse University and Syracuse NY. He is magnanimous with his time and generosity. He should have a well defined role.

 

[AZOrange]

Eh. All Jim had to do was say "Today I'm talking about the game we just had and the players who gave everything they had this season, like Jesse and Benny here. There will be time to talk about all that other stuff later."

That's it, that's all he needed to do.

Are you suggesting that a staffer should have leapt in when Donna asked that question and whisked Jim away, secret service style?

Yes