Today was it for me. Syracuse basketball needs to move on.

[MikeSU02]

People who think our success is solely tied to Boeheim that have been doing the fear mongering “be careful what you wish for” crap like to downplay the draw of the Dome these days, but…..there’s zero reason we should ever have a bad team while we play here. Every single SU player ever talks about the Dome being a major factor, but that doesn’t fit the narrative for some who think our recruiting issues aren’t caused by having an 80 year old coach…

The only reason we shouldn’t have a good chance to be successful post-JB is if we have JB or his main supporters actively working against the new coach when JB is on his way out. I don’t think he would, but crazier things have happened.

Or, the school limits the pool of candidates or won’t pay a competitive salary.

 

[OrangeDW]

People are nuts if they don't think the Dome is a draw. Is EVERY game like Saturday? Obviously not.

I look forward to having one of the best coaches in the country lighting that place up while playing a cutting edge style of ball, once again.

 

[rrlbees]

Agreed. And I think it will be a major plus for whoever the next coach is. I still think this is a place that the right coach can recruit like crazy at. Our 80s-10s advantages were never solely “HOF Coach”.

Many factors come into play for most recruits.

 

[AZOrange]

Benny's completely lost, and in our system Maliq should be sitting and learning.

I don't hate the zone, I think the biggest place JB has slipped has been in the GM role of the job.

You can’t have 1 guy guarding three spots. The defense falls apart quickly because the guards stink up top. The forwards have to come up
Higher leaving the corners free. It’s dumb

 

[Cuse'91]

People are nuts if they don't think the Dome is a draw. Is EVERY game like Saturday? Obviously not.

Games like Saturday are almost a negative to our players. They see a graveyard 17,000 every game, then suddenly 30,000 big time atmosphere. Tell me they aren't thinking this crowd is not for us, but for Duke.

 

[M2MPrinciples]

Do said power 6 players say things like “once I saw that______(fill in arena name), it was over.”

For example, I’m thinking of Josh Pace during his Devendorf podcast appearance - he said he went to the football game against VT and was like “we play our basketball games HERE?!”, and that was it for him. Lol.

That's a great story. It's also from 20+ years ago.

 

[AZOrange]

Benny’s instincts and aggressiveness aren’t there at this point. He can jump high but that rarely helps him make a play.

I agree the scheme is bad though.

There is a reason NO ONE ELSE PLAYS IT at this level. JB complimented the tough D Duke played all game. What were they in?

 

[OrangeDW]

Many factors come into play for most recruits.

Agreed. And this being a basketball town and school with a place to play like that….I think our chances to be successful going forward are strong.

 

[OrangeDW]

That's a great story. It's also from 20+ years ago.

The tweet I posted was of a guy who just played here a couple years ago….

 

[rrlbees]

The only reason we shouldn’t have a good chance to be successful post-JB is if we have JB or his main supporters actively working against the new coach when JB is on his way out. I don’t think he would, but crazier things have happened.

Or, the school limits the pool of candidates or won’t pay a competitive salary.

I’d support you if you were the next coach. I may not agree with whomever the choice is but I’d still support them.

 

[rrlbees]

You can’t have 1 guy guarding three spots. The defense falls apart quickly because the guards stink up top. The forwards have to come up
Higher leaving the corners free. It’s dumb

The forwards pushing up started several years ago. It sometimes looks like a 4-1 defense. The rotations lately have been tweaked though. You don’t see Jesse running to the corners as much. Hardly at all. Even the guards have been rotating to the corners.

 

[MikeSU02]

I’d support you if you were the next coach. I may not agree with whomever the choice is but I’d still support them.

I don’t you doubt would, truly.

I’m just saying, there have been instances where established coaches who were considered legends not only stayed on too long, but also lit fires behind the scenes that have made the next guy’s job infinitely harder.

Again, I don’t think JB would do that, but it’s a non-zero chance.

And, the other side, is choosing from a competitive pool of candidates, as well.

 

[721Comstock]

Agreed. And this being a basketball town and school with a place to play like that….I think our chances to be successful going forward are strong.

144% THIS.

We have an iconic facility, in a hoops town, with tons of eyeballs watching (when we’re good) -
In the venue, on TV, and wherever we play - Orange Nation shows up and shows out.

We still remain a Top 10 historical program, in a solid hoops conference, and making a good hire can get us back to our winning ways fairly quickly.

The Wake game needs to the the wake for JAB’s Cuse career -

We thank him for the memories and all he’s done for the program over 5+ decades, and wish him a happy, well-earned retirement.

 

[Cusefan0307]

We used to draw big crowds even if we were playing bottom feeders in the Big East. I remember going to a St. Johns game circa 2011 and we had well over 20,000 and the place was electric. It’s been at least 5 or 6 years since the dome has been that way for basketball outside of name brand schools.

 

[Bayside44]

You can’t have 1 guy guarding three spots. The defense falls apart quickly because the guards stink up top. The forwards have to come up
Higher leaving the corners free. It’s dumb

I'm not getting into all that, teams lose playing man also.

Our talent is sub-par. JB at 90% is still good enough to scheme his way to end of games but it's not enough. Like watching the end of Desko but super-sized.

 

[MikeSU02]

There is a reason NO ONE ELSE PLAYS IT at this level. JB complimented the tough D Duke played all game. What were they in?

The man is a creature of habit.

He’s had this job for almost fifty years.

I’m with you that we should play different defenses, but what are we going to do while he’s here?

 

[AZOrange]

The forwards pushing up started several years ago. It sometimes looks like a 4-1 defense. The rotations lately have been tweaked though. You don’t see Jesse running to the corners as much. Hardly at all. Even the guards have been rotating to the corners.

Yes started in the slow footed guard era

 

[AZOrange]

The man is a creature of habit.

He’s had this job for almost fifty years.

I’m with you that we should play different defenses, but what are we going to do while he’s here?

Stop watching?

 

[RF2044]

The only reason we shouldn’t have a good chance to be successful post-JB is if we have JB or his main supporters actively working against the new coach when JB is on his way out. I don’t think he would, but crazier things have happened.

Or, the school limits the pool of candidates or won’t pay a competitive salary.

Those two factors are surefire ways to ensure that the successor won't be successful.

 

[MikeSU02]

Stop watching?

Fair.

 

[AZOrange]

I'm not getting into all that, teams lose playing man also.

Our talent is sub-par. JB at 90% is still good enough to scheme his way to end of games but it's not enough. Like watching the end of Desko but super-sized.

That’s not the point. We played zone for years because we didn’t have guys that could play man. Now we don’t have the guys that can play zone either. Instead of blaming the players blame the coach putting this together. You mean to tell me that the Bryant or Colgate kids are better and more capable players?

 

[FrancoPizza]

Games like Saturday are almost a negative to our players. They see a graveyard 17,000 every game, then suddenly 30,000 big time atmosphere. Tell me they aren't thinking this crowd is not for us, but for Duke.

17k is generous. It was maybe half that for many games.

 

[OrangeDW]

Games like Saturday are almost a negative to our players. They see a graveyard 17,000 every game, then suddenly 30,000 big time atmosphere. Tell me they aren't thinking this crowd is not for us, but for Duke.

Disagree.

I’m sure they understand that a “big name” opponent on a Saturday evening with students on campus is much different than playing a nobody school on a Tuesday while students are at home on break.

Majority of our 30,000 crowds in history are probably against Georgetown, UConn, Nova, and Duke.

 

[rrlbees]

Do said power 6 players say things like “once I saw that______(fill in arena name), it was over.”

For example, I’m thinking of Josh Pace during his Devendorf podcast appearance - he said he went to the football game against VT and was like “we play our basketball games HERE?!”, and that was it for him. Lol.

He may have loved it but in many cases Mom’s have a say in the matter and Paces mom was very worried about sending him to school way up north. That was until JB pulled her aside and assured her he would take care of her child. She was then on board.

Now you know the rest of the story.

 

[Cusefan0307]

That’s not the point. We played zone for years because we didn’t have guys that could play man. Now we don’t have the guys that can play zone either. Instead of blaming the players blame the coach putting this together. You mean to tell me that the Bryant or Colgate kids are better and more capable players?

Ehhh. Pretty sure our teams from 09-14 could have played any defense. We were just so good in the zone for sooo long it didn’t matter.

The extension of the 3 point line has not helped the zone. We were getting shredded Battle’s last season here at the 3 point line. Every season since he talks about playing man, but then completely abandons it. It’s been so long since we have played man now that I’m not even sure with the requisite athletes JB could coach it up.