Third Best Team Ever?

[orange2win]

Only two other SU teams have ever been ranked this high or higher in Week #6. These were 89-90 team, which got bumped off in the S16 and the 2011-12 team which made it to the E8. Both these teams were ranked #1 in week 6.

 

[TerryM]

Whoa... brakes. Ranking mean nothing way way way too early for this talk.

09-10 Best Team in Cuse History imo (been watching 38 years)

 

[Dave85]

Whoa... brakes. Ranking mean nothing way way way too early for this talk.

09-10 Best Team in Cuse History imo (been watching 38 years)

Arinze was awesome. I would have said 09-10 team until Arinze blew out his knee. It's hard not to accept the 2003 team was the best ever in recent times since they actually won a NC.

But IMHO, the last four years has been the best four year period in last 28 years I've been watching. This year's team has the potential to be very special. With TC's blazing hot shooting and just a little bit better play from our BIGs, I think this year's team may have the best chance for a NC that I have seen in my 28 years.

 

[cusetown1]

This team could possibly be the best team in my 33 years (if we can get the centers to start scoring).

 

[Marsh01]

I wouldnt anoint this team anything after 9 games. Very promising but I will hold off on the best team ever stuff until we get into the real meat of our schedule.

Taking into consideration the players that played for every team in the country and the era in which they played in I think the 09-10 teams was the best and the 88-89 team top to bottom was the most talented.

 

[br801]

This team could possibly be the best team in my 33 years (if we can get the centers to start scoring).

Nothing brings out the hyperbole like an undefeated SU team in mid-December.

There's a long way to go before we'll know anything about this team's place in history.

 

[CusefanATL]

This team could possibly be the best team in my 33 years (if we can get the centers to start scoring).

we have started 9-0 the last 5 years...

lets calm down a bit for now in anointing this team better than 03, 10, 12, late 80's, early 90's - even 96 for now.

 

[JOC44]

I would say that the 1987-88 team was the best I ever saw, and I have been watching since 1976.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

This team isn't even top 3 in the last five years. I like this team a lot but let's not forget the past so easily.

09-10 ; arguably best team, sweet 16, big east champs
11-12 ; no fab melo in post season, elite 8, big east champs
12-13 ; final four

 

[dollarbill44]

I would say that the 1987-88 team was the best I ever saw, and I have been watching since 1976.

This^. The big difference is that competition back then was much better because there weren't any one-and-dones. The best players stayed for at least 3 years.

 

[Dave85]

we have started 9-0 the last 5 years...

lets calm down a bit for now in anointing this team better than 03, 10, 12, late 80's, early 90's - even 96 for now.

It's really hard to calm down! The defense is getting better every game. TC's blazing hot shooting may continue to last. And I love the double screens they've been running on offense (something kind of new as far as I can tell). I remember Andy Rautins making sprints to get open looks with a catch-and-shoot. But the way this team is running the low post double screens with the occasion reverse direction to get an open layup is very difficult to defend. Really good inbound plays to TC. I like the plays the offense is running. I will try calm but man they sure look like the best team I've seen at this point in the season.

I think we all agree Cooney's blazing hot shooting will have to be present during big games. And we need slightly better production from our BIGs. Grant, Fair, and Ennis will be the consistent glue all season in my opinion. That fact we are having this conversation probably says something.

 

[cusetown1]

we have started 9-0 the last 5 years...

lets calm down a bit for now in anointing this team better than 03, 10, 12, late 80's, early 90's - even 96 for now.

I'm calm, people laughed at me when I said 29-2 2 years ago. If they get consistent low post scoring they could possibly be the best Syracuse team ever. Are you really this arrogant in real life?

 

[cusetown1]

I loved the '09-'10 but that team also lost to a terrible UL team twice.

 

[Dave85]

I loved the '09-'10 but that team also lost to a terrible UL team twice.

I hate losing to Louisville because Patino is pompous ass. I don't know why, but I just hate Duke more. I like coach K, but I just hate it when Duke wins. And when any team beats Duke it makes me happy. Especially when Duke get's beat on their home court. Nothing is sweeter. So that said, I am so not looking forward to the Orange playing at Cameron. Any loss to Duke will just rip my guts out! I know Georgetown was a big rivalry bla bla bla. But father Thompson really started that rivalry so when he left I thought it lost a little of its juice. In my mind, Duke is our nemesis. UNC I don't really care too much about. But Duke, man I would love to beat that team in Cameron this season!!!!

 

[Marsh01]

I hate losing to Louisville because Patino is pompous ass. I don't know why, but I just hate Duke more. I like coach K, but I just hate it when Duke wins. And when any team beats Duke it makes me happy. Especially when Duke get's beat on their home court. Nothing is sweeter. So that said, I am so not looking forward to the Orange playing at Cameron. Any loss to Duke will just rip my guts out! I know Georgetown was a big rivalry bla bla bla. But father Thompson really started that rivalry so when he left I thought it lost a little of its juice. In my mind, Duke is our nemesis. UNC I don't really care too much about. But Duke, man I would love to beat that team in Cameron this season!!!!

I love the passion but we havent played Duke since 1998 so they really are not our nemesis. They now will be in the mix for sure.

 

[Dave85]

I love the passion but we havent played Duke since 1998 so they really are not our nemesis. They now will be in the mix for sure.

As I said, I don't know why but for me personally I simply do not like Duke. In my mind, they are our nemesis. Anytime we beat Duke, for me at least, it will be like beating Georgetown, Louisville, and U-Conn on the same night.

P.S. -Conn

 

[CusefanATL]

I'm calm, people laughed at me when I said 29-2 2 years ago. If they get consistent low post scoring they could possibly be the best Syracuse team ever. Are you really this arrogant in real life?

was I being arrogant?

I'm really confused.

 

[stuckinbig11]

The current ranking is more of an assessment of how poorly other teams have played this year and does not mean much regarding how good this SU team is in relation to past SU teams.

 

[dinno28]

The mid/late 80's teams were much more talented ... but so were the teams we were playing against ... most pre 1 and done teams were deeper

 

[CorduroyG]

this team just feels like a top 5 team. i think its because we can be so explosive offensively. last few years its been the defense thats carried us and the offense has been such a grind, this year i feel like we can outscore teams. not sure if the stats back that up, but watching the baylor and indiana games at no point was i worried that we were gonna lose that game because i didnt think they could stop us offensively. havent felt that way the last few teams.

 

[bballbeadle]

It's really hard to calm down! The defense is getting better every game. TC's blazing hot shooting may continue to last. And I love the double screens they've been running on offense (something kind of new as far as I can tell). I remember Andy Rautins making sprints to get open looks with a catch-and-shoot. But the way this team is running the low post double screens with the occasion reverse direction to get an open layup is very difficult to defend. Really good inbound plays to TC. I like the plays the offense is running. I will try calm but man they sure look like the best team I've seen at this point in the season.

I think we all agree Cooney's blazing hot shooting will have to be present during big games. And we need slightly better production from our BIGs. Grant, Fair, and Ennis will be the consistent glue all season in my opinion. That fact we are having this conversation probably says something.

Dave, did you see Instant Juice's article today? He claims that our poor rebounding is a disaster waiting to happen. I wonder what other people think?

 

[RealSUFan]

I'll help you come down Dave.

Here's the Instant Juice article that says we really aren't that good: http://sujuiceonline.com/2013/12/11/syracuse-basketballs-achilles-heel-perimeter-defense-rebounding/

In other downer news, Sagarin has us rated as low as #19. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaab/sagarin/

Also, have you ever had a dog that died? Sucked, didn't it?

 

[bballbeadle]

I'll help you come down Dave.

Here's the Instant Juice article that says we really aren't that good: http://sujuiceonline.com/2013/12/11/syracuse-basketballs-achilles-heel-perimeter-defense-rebounding/

In other downer news, Sagarin has us rated as low as #19. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaab/sagarin/

Also, have you ever had a dog that died? Sucked, didn't it?

Awwwww, I wasn't trying to bring Dave down! I just thought IJ had some rebound facts and wondered if others thought the situation was as dire as IJ thinks it is. Dave, I love ya, man! Stay high. Stay high.

 

[Dave85]

I'll help you come down Dave.

Here's the Instant Juice article that says we really aren't that good: http://sujuiceonline.com/2013/12/11/syracuse-basketballs-achilles-heel-perimeter-defense-rebounding/

In other downer news, Sagarin has us rated as low as #19. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaab/sagarin/

Sagarin also has Villanova as the #3 team in the country. We shall see!

Yeah, I read that Juice article. The combination of pressure on Ennis and bad rebounding may hurt us. BUT, Ennis is playing lot better the last few games than the first few games. And so is Cooney's ball handling. Even Silent G is bringing up the ball with more confidence. So I don't think pressure on the guards is going to be an issue.

I do agree with Goodman's assessment on rebounding. All basketball teams live and die by rebounding at either end of the court. So that one is kind of a tautology type argument as opposed to an Achilles heel. You could also argue if the Orange do not score enough points they are going to lose the game. I guess my counter argument to Goodman's article would be if our team doesn't bring their A game to every game, we may lose.

In terms of rebounding, I am sure our coaches carefully study the stats from each game and adjust the practice accordingly to address any issues. We heard before the Indiana game that if the Orange did not win the rebounding battle they would lose the game. Well, they stepped it up and they did not lose the rebounding battle!

P.S. And no matter what the psychologists say about the girl who stripped down to her underwear, I am going to go with the explanation that she was perfectly sane and she simply felt less embarrassed by not wearing her IU pants and shirt.

 

[Dave85]

Dave, did you see Instant Juice's article today? He claims that our poor rebounding is a disaster waiting to happen. I wonder what other people think?

Yes. See my post above this one.