Tough 5 Years

[RichmondCuse]

2010-14 have been pretty brutal. Sounds silly to say, considering the amount of wins we've had, but when you realize that we've had one Final Four sandwiched between injuries /suspensions derailing two teams that had serious championship potential and then this year going from 25-0 to 2 and out in 6 weeks, it's been a tough 5 years. 2003 brought a lot of goodwill, but I hate to say, at this point it seems SOOO long ago.

The last two years, our style of play has been extremely hard to watch. Here's hoping JB makes some offseason adjustments, particularly to the offensive game plan. Hope Ennis and Grant return, but not optimistic. Either way, would be nice to see our luck turn around sometime soon!

 

[jdubs30]

That's college basketball. As fair or unfair as it may seem; all November - early March do is get you in the best possible position for a single elimination tournament that is decided almost solely on matchups (and in that same vain sometimes you'd rather be seeded worse just to get a better matchup). If you're 30-0 in the regular season all it takes is a dude from a 14 seed hitting 7 3's to send you home.

I love the bracket concept as a basketball fan; but I think it's a horrible way to decide the best team in a sport.

 

[Timonen]

I get it's subjective but compare us to peer programs and I don't think anybody who hasn't won a title would switch with us over that time. Ucla? Unc? Gtown? Florida? Even uconn and uk have had major lows, despite titles.

What's a "good" five years? We shouldn't take this for granted. Every game we've played over that time has been relevant. No nit. No playing out the stretch. No rebuilding years.

 

[TheCusian]

2010-14 have been pretty brutal. Sounds silly to say, considering the amount of wins we've had, but when you realize that we've had one Final Four sandwiched between injuries /suspensions derailing two teams that had serious championship potential and then this year going from 25-0 to 2 and out in 6 weeks, it's been a tough 5 years. 2003 brought a lot of goodwill, but I hate to say, at this point it seems SOOO long ago. The last two years, our style of play has been extremely hard to watch. Here's hoping JB makes some offseason adjustments, particularly to the offensive game plan. Hope Ennis and Grant return, but not optimistic. Either way, would be nice to see our luck turn around sometime soon!

Could not disagree more. We've had a really good run. Better recruits, more wins, surprise run to the Final Four...

 

[RichmondCuse]

Could not disagree more. We've had a really good run. Better recruits, more wins, surprise run to the Final Four...

But 4 of our last 5 teams have failed to meet expectations come tournament time...

 

[AZOrange]

Seriously you people are out of your minds...

 

[cuseguy]

I get it's subjective but compare us to peer programs and I don't think anybody who hasn't won a title would switch with us over that time. Ucla? Unc? Gtown? Florida? Even uconn and uk have had major lows, despite titles. What's a "good" five years? We shouldn't take this for granted. Every game we've played over that time has been relevant. No nit. No playing out the stretch. No rebuilding years.

Well, Florida has won 2 NC since we won one and they be on the verge of another.

Perception, like it or not, is that we're a flameout program.

 

[jec1521]

That's college basketball. As fair or unfair as it may seem; all November - early March do is get you in the best possible position for a single elimination tournament that is decided almost solely on matchups. If you're 30-0 in the regular season all it takes is a dude from a 14 seed hitting 7 3's to send you home.

I love the bracket concept as a basketball fan; but I think it's a horrible way to decide the best team in a sport.

Not saying you are wrong, but it's hard to swallow when you see teams like Mich State, Duke, etc. make runs consistently. (Yes, I know Duke lost in the firts round this year, but they also go to a Final Four every few seasons.)

JB is what he is. A great coach, but he only gets to a final four every decade. The lack of production in March the past 5 years is no fluke. Consistent flameouts with one year of lightning in a bottle.

 

[Briancuse]

We are clearly above a lot of programs, but it is frustrating to see this team underachieve. Lville has a chance to go to their 3rd straight final four. Tom Izzo has been to 6 final fours. Maybe I am greedy, but I want a little more.

 

[Eagles20]

Not saying you are wrong, but it's hard to swallow when you see teams like Mich State, Duke, etc. make runs consistently. (Yes, I know Duke lost in the firts round this year, but they also go to a Final Four every few seasons.)

JB is what he is. A great coach, but he only gets to a final four every decade. The lack of production in March the past 5 years is no fluke. Consistent flameouts with one year of lightning in a bottle.

In the last 3 years duke lost to a 15 seed and a 14 seed

 

[jec1521]

We are clearly above a lot of programs, but it is frustrating to see this team underachieve. Lville has a chance to go to their 3rd straight final four. Tom Izzo has been to 6 final fours. Maybe I am greedy, but I want a little more.

Things could certainly be worse, but it sure is frustrating. Life as a syracuse fan... *sigh*

 

[RichmondCuse]

It's great to have reached the level of being a consistent Top 10-15 program. Bit to really reach the next level, it needs to result in more Final Fours and hopefully Championships than it has so far. We've also had some very bad luck. But it's still disappointing.

 

[jec1521]

In the last 3 years duke lost to a 15 seed and a 14 seed

Did you purposely use the past 3 years as an example? Because they did win it all 4 years ago.

I would gladly take losses to a 15 and 14 seed if it had a NC right around it.

 

[cuseguy]

In the last 3 years duke lost to a 15 seed and a 14 seed

You're right. I'd be very disappointed if I was a Duke fan, and I'd feel like my team has been underachieving.

Duke and SU are in the same boat right now.

Let's see how Duke does next year with the No. 1 recruiting class.

 

[HoustonCuse]

2010-14 have been pretty brutal. Sounds silly to say, considering the amount of wins we've had, but when you realize that we've had one Final Four sandwiched between injuries /suspensions derailing two teams that had serious championship potential and then this year going from 25-0 to 2 and out in 6 weeks, it's been a tough 5 years. 2003 brought a lot of goodwill, but I hate to say, at this point it seems SOOO long ago.

The last two years, our style of play has been extremely hard to watch. Here's hoping JB makes some offseason adjustments, particularly to the offensive game plan. Hope Ennis and Grant return, but not optimistic. Either way, would be nice to see our luck turn around sometime soon!

Ask yourself this: Which program do you want to swap places with as far as performance in the past 5 years? I guess Louisville?

 

[jec1521]

You're right. I'd be very disappointed if I was a Duke fan, and I'd feel like my team has been underachieving.

Duke and SU are in the same boat right now.

Let's see how Duke does next year with the No. 1 recruiting class.

We are not in the same boat as Duke. They have 15 Final Fours. 4 National Championships. They are a Blue Blood.

 

[Briancuse]

Ask yourself this: Which program do you want to swap places with as far as performance in the past 5 years? I guess Louisville?

Its not about who we would want to swap places with, it is about us, we need that 2nd championship.

 

[Stevenson]

JB has coached for forty years and has one NC (thanks melo). UConn may play for their 4th in 15 years in April.

 

[RichmondCuse]

Ask yourself this: Which program do you want to swap places with as far as performance in the past 5 years? I guess Louisville?

The 5 that have won a Championship

 

[Cootface]

I agree with this for really only one reason. In the last five years we should have had two final fours and probably at least one title but the one final four we did get we had no business being there. Injuries ('09) or suspensions ('11) happen, but if you want to be a blue blood program, you beat Dayton. Period.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Well, Florida has won 2 NC since we won one and they be on the verge of another.

Perception, like it or not, is that we're a flameout program.

UF and Donovan have done nothing since they won in '07. This year they ran roughshod over a crappy conference and just happen to slide into the number one ranking after everyone else lost. They aren't as dominant as the talking heads are making them out to be. They have not been an "elite" program since the titles, by any stretch.

 

[HoustonCuse]

Its not about who we would want to swap places with, it is about us, we need that 2nd championship.

Maybe so, but we have to live in reality. You can't win every game and every championship. I mean, what are your expectations here? This has been the best 5 year run in program history, if it is not good enough for you, you have two choices: accept a little reality in your life or find a new team. The finiding a new team part will be difficult because very few have performed better than the one you already have. So that leaves your task as accepting reality.

 

[Briancuse]

Maybe so, but we have to live in reality. You can't win every game and every championship. I mean, what are your expectations here? This has been the best 5 year run in program history, if it is not good enough for you, you have two choices: accept a little reality in your life or find a new team. The finiding a new team part will be difficult because very few have performed better than the one you already have. So that leaves your task as accepting reality.

I will be a Syracuse fan till the day that I die, maybe I am a little greedy, but I want that 2nd championship. All of the blue bloods have multiple titles.

 

[cuseguy]

We are not in the same boat as Duke. They have 15 Final Fours. 4 National Championships. They are a Blue Blood.

We'll, I was trying to be kind, and I meant at the moment.

 

[RichmondCuse]

Maybe so, but we have to live in reality. You can't win every game and every championship. I mean, what are your expectations here? This has been the best 5 year run in program history, if it is not good enough for you, you have two choices: accept a little reality in your life or find a new team. The finiding a new team part will be difficult because very few have performed better than the one you already have. So that leaves your task as accepting reality.

Not really hard to understand. With the teams we've had in the last 5 years, the expectation is better March results than we've gotten. Frustrating that it hasn't happened.