this team: SO MANY ???

[Ozcuse]

I'm looking for Chukwu to knock up Battle's girlfriend.

He'd be way out of position and we all know Chukwu can't score.

 

[OrangeDW]

We knew from the start this kid's mother was a problem. That's where the decision should have been made. Let him go elsewhere to cause his problems. I just think JB's age dictates fewer options for recruits.

Maybe, but he was a late recruit anyway. It's not like we targeted him at the expense of someone else. And it's not like his presence hurt our recruiting in the front court...we've brought in a ton of kids, they're just all freshman or not here yet(Bazley).

So I don't see any real harm done. They brought him in, he had a decent freshman year but wanted out...and now he's gone. I don't see any long term affects here. Team would probably be a little better with him, but we were going to be incredibly young and probably struggle this season anyway.

 

[Cusefan0307]

This is the worst Syracuse team on paper I've seen in my 20 plus years of following the program. I don't think that's an exaggeration either.

 

[OrangeDW]

If we miss the tournament again I don't care who we having coming in and how young we are. This board is going to be calling for JB's head.

Not with Bazley coming in, IMO. Kid looks to be a game changer, and really that's all you need in hoop. Put one legit stud on the court with a few other talented returners and suddenly you're in good shape.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Not with Bazley coming in, IMO. Kid looks to be a game changer, and really that's all you need in hoop. Put one legit stud on the court with a few other talented returners and suddenly you're in good shape.

Totally get where you're coming from, but I expect people to still be restless. Hopefully this gets us a chance to land Louis King now.

 

[asj410]

He'd be way out of position and we all know Chukwu can't score.

Ha! I love that!

 

[two3zone]

Not with Bazley coming in, IMO. Kid looks to be a game changer, and really that's all you need in hoop. Put one legit stud on the court with a few other talented returners and suddenly you're in good shape.

If you don't have guards you're in trouble. Washington had a stud guard last year who was the second overall pick and they couldn't win 10 games in a lesser conference. LSU had Simmons the year before and didn't make the tourney.

 

[SoBeCuse]

If we miss the tournament again I don't care who we having coming in and how young we are. This board is going to be calling for JB's head.

I mean I know I will and I'm not afraid to publicly say it. 3 bubble seasons in a row potentially, a self-ban which wouldn't have been a tourney team IMO, etc. Just can't have that at a program of this caliber, obviously.

Until then just wait and see. I do have some concerns about JB being able to mold a team at this stage of his career, the schemes, etc. This team should be pretty athletic so hopefully they can get out and run. If no other credible outside shooting emerges besides Battle then halfcourt offense might be at an all-time worst here. Who knows.

 

[OrangeDW]

If you don't have guards you're in trouble. Washington had a stud guard last year who was the second overall pick and they couldn't win 10 games in a lesser conference. LSU had Simmons the year before and didn't make the tourney.

Say what you want about Boeheim, but he knows how to bring home W's. I have no doubt he could've won a good number of games with Simmons or Fultz.

That said, getting Carey is obviously important.

 

[Madbiker]

So we're losing:
White (18.5 ppg)
Lydon (13.2 ppg)
Gillon (10.5 ppg)
Thompson (9.2 ppg)
Coleman (5.6 ppg)
Roberson (5.3 ppg)

That's almost 80% of total points scored last season.

So we lose a bunch of guys from a weak team that was historically bad. More opportunity for new blood that can turn things around and restore winning. Goodbye to TT another member of the "bad energy something's wrong with this guy" club. Team chemistry will be better this year with a younger, hungrier team with guys who have a better attitude. Let's hope. Many times in our history young guys without a big rep have pleasantly surprised.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

The one question I want answered before all others - who is the leader of this team?

Battle? Great, I'm good with that. Moyer? I'll take a wait and see. Frank? Uh oh, unless he had a revelation this summer. Others?

 

[reedny]

Maybe, but he was a late recruit anyway. It's not like we targeted him at the expense of someone else. And it's not like his presence hurt our recruiting in the front court...we've brought in a ton of kids, they're just all freshman or not here yet(Bazley).

So I don't see any real harm done. They brought him in, he had a decent freshman year but wanted out...and now he's gone. I don't see any long term affects here. Team would probably be a little better with him, but we were going to be incredibly young and probably struggle this season anyway.

Agree. I don't see the need to blame this on JB's age, or deem it evidence of a reeling program (see UConn for that). It's neither. If anything, having JB locked in (without the uncertainty of a "coach in waiting") has probably helped us. I'll leave the rest of the 2018 issues for appropriate threads.

As far as TT, it's been drama from the onset. His upside is impressive and he's (by all accounts) a decent student, so I'm wishing him BOL at the next stop. But I have to say that the timing of this announcement -- the first day of class -- is absolutely cruel. It demonstrates (again) that he (and/or his family) puts TEAM second. As a result, we're deprived of the ability to add another player and we're left with even more uncertainty, virtually guaranteeing that the team will struggle this year. On the positive side, I think our defense just took a step up.

 

[Shark58]

it doesnt matter

the walkers have broken thru the wall and winter is here

 

[Dave85]

Things I'm looking for during the 2017-2018 season:

Tyus Battle gets caught shoplifting gloves and a bathrobe from Shoppingtown mall
Marek Dolezaj and Matt Moyer are accused of shaving points
Frank Howard breaks a girlfriend's car side mirror
Frank Howard is then suspended due to academic ineligibility
Oshae Brissett isn't cleared to play until November
Geno Thorpe stays in Tampa until the 4th day of classes

RE: "Oshae Brissett isn't cleared to play until November"

What??????

 

[OrangeDW]

The one question I want answered before all others - who is the leader of this team?

Battle? Great, I'm good with that. Moyer? I'll take a wait and see. Frank? Uh oh, unless he had a revelation this summer. Others?

It sure as hell wasnt going to be TT though, so this isn't a new issue.

Definitely another in a long line question marks.

I want Brissett, Moyer, Marek, and Sidibe to show promise and improve throughout the year and continue to improve going forward, and for us to land Carey. Those things happen, and we'll have a strong team in 2019.

 

[JLine]

Oh, it's hate JB time. I'll see myself out of the pitiful posts against him.

 

[OrangeDW]

Agree. I don't see the need to blame this on JB's age, or deem it evidence of a reeling program (see UConn for that). It's neither. If anything, having JB locked in (without the uncertainty of a "coach in waiting") has probably helped us. I'll leave 2018 for different threads.

As far as TT, it's been drama from the onset. His upside is impressive and he's (by all accounts) a decent student, so I'm wishing him BOL at the next stop. I have to say that his decision to leave the team the first day of class is absolutely cruel timing, and demonstrates (again) that he (or his family) puts TEAM second. As a result, we have even more uncertainty and less offense, virtually guaranteeing that we'll stuggle this year. But I think our defense just took a step up.

Yup. I'm encouraged by the way next year's class is shaping up. It doesn't take years in hoop like it does in football. Look at how our 2003 title team was formed...a pretty good class of role players where one guy really blossomed as a soph, and a stud freshman along with another good freshman guard. Two classes and we went from bringing in Greg Davis's and Ethan Cole's and starting Billy Cellucks, to winning it all.

 

[Dave85]

Yup. I'm encouraged by the way next year's class is shaping up. It doesn't take years in hoop like it does in football. Look at how our 2003 title team was formed...a pretty good class of role players where one guy really blossomed as a soph, and a stud freshman along with another good freshman guard. Two classes and we went from bringing in Greg Davis's and Ethan Cole's and starting Billy Cellucks, to winning it all.

I appreciate your optimism. Losing TT this way is like a player getting a season ending knee injury. At least this way the players who have to fill in will get lots of PT before the ACC regular season starts. The coaches will be looking for players to step up NOW rather than later. It really sucks that TT is gone. But it's a great opportunity for the other players to step up. I've always been impressed by Moyer. I would really love to see him start to shine.

 

[cuseguy]

Venture to guess that the staff -- along with the players -- knew this was likely for weeks, maybe several months. That the PS ignored this was a bit surprising.

Also willing to bet that Seton Hall has been working behind the scenes to urge him to withdraw and transfer.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Venture to guess that the staff -- along with the players -- knew this was likely for weeks, maybe several months. That the PS ignored this was a bit surprising.

Also willing to bet that Seton Hall has been working behind the scenes to urge him to withdraw and transfer.

If that was the case why didn't we go harder after another player?

 

[reedny]

If that was the case why didn't we go harder after another player?

The fact that we didn't, and now have our shorts down around our ankles, suggests to me that TT's decision was not expected by the staff. And that is disturbing. It's pretty obvious that this kid deliberately played the staff in order to wait for a spot at another program -- he pretty much flipped us off (and his teammates). It's a me-first (maturity) problem we don't need. I'll take the kid who plays violin any day.

 

[cuseguy]

If that was the case why didn't we go harder after another player?

Perhaps because it was likely but not definite. At some point you have get the feeling that he wasn't warm for SU anymore. The fact he was MIA since May should have been an indication.

 

[Dave85]

I think the Iggy award is going to be a real crap shoot this season.

 

[cuseguy]

I may have to think twice about going to watch the National Prep Showcase this fall at Albertus Magnus.

Not the best track record with SU recruits:

Joseph
McCullough
Thompson

More positive
Lydon

TBD
Moyer

 

[Dave85]

Venture to guess that the staff -- along with the players -- knew this was likely for weeks, maybe several months. That the PS ignored this was a bit surprising.
Also willing to bet that Seton Hall has been working behind the scenes to urge him to withdraw and transfer.

Like Isaiah Whitehead’s HS coach, maybe Seton Hall offered TT's mother a job.