What if we lose?

[SWC75]

The Axeman said last night that the pressure was all on Syracuse the first three games of the tournament because of our high seed. He said that there will still be some pressure on Saturday because this team needs to get to the Final Four to live up to the expectations created by the great regualr seaosn, the high ranking and #1 seed.

I called in today to say that the pressure is more dependent on the opponent than the round. Looking at the remaining teams, Ohio State and Kentucky are two teams I think might be better than we are and if we played competitively against them but lost, I would not feel that there was any shame in that. Any loss will be disappointing but I don't feel the season would be 'besmirched' by such a loss. It would be more like losing to Oklahoma in 2009 or Kentucky in 1996. If North Carolina makes it to the Final four, they will have overcome the injury to their point guard and they have the type of tlane tthat a loss to them would not be shameful. Kansas and Baylor are close to that level.

I don't want to lose to Indiana again for historical reasons. I think Xavier is the least likely team we will face. They are almost in the Sweet 16 by default. I certainly wouldn't want to lose to them. Ohio U. could be this year's Butler. It would sting to beat Ohio State and then lose to Ohio U.

The result I'd least want to is to lose to a team we've already beaten and thought was in the rear view mirror. I don't want to lose to NC State and Florida- that would negate our previous wins over them. And, please God, I don't want to lose to Rick Pitino for the national championship.

The Axeman still disagreed. he feels that as the years go on, we will not remember who we lost to but when and if this team lost tomorrow, they would go down as a 1 seed that didn't make the Final Four and that's what people would remember. I think that once we lost Fab Melo, Ohio State became the defacto #1 seed in this region. I think they would have gotten the #1 seed if the suspension had been announced before the seedings were decided.

The test of this is: If you were given a choise of losing a close game to Ohio State in the Elite 8 or beating them and getting upset by Ohio U in the Final Four, (no other possibilities in this test), which would you prefer? I think the loss to Ohio U. would hurt more and longer than the loss to Ohio State, even if the loss to the Buckeyes came in an earlier round.

 

[JohnCuse44]

If we beat Ohio St we are not going to lose to Ohio U

 

[zeekay]

Final Four you can hang a banner. Elite 8 should be "meh" for a team like Syracuse, regardless of opponents. No one is going to remember in 2 years who we lost to.

 

[JoeSU]

I think that once we lost Fab Melo, Ohio State became the defacto #1 seed in this region. I think they would have gotten the #1 seed if the suspension had been announced before the seedings were decided.

Exactly.

 

[baggerbob]

Not that i believe we're going to lose but as i've said before i'm ok with how much this team has achieved with all the nonsense that has been thrown in their way. This team is 34-2 and in the final 8 the vast majority of the fans would take that every year and be happy so lets just continue to enjoy the ride.

 

[rrlbees]

bite your tongue

 

[SBU72]

My POV. Preseason goals:
Win 20 games in a row (break old record) done
Break Pitt dominance done
Be ranked #1 done 5 weeks in a row
Beat Georgetown Done
Beat UConn Done, not once, not twice but 3 times!
Break Louisville dominace Done, not once but twice!
Be BE champ, #1 seed BET Done
Win BET failed
Earn #1 NCCA seed, East Reginoal Done
Get to Sweet 16 Done
Get to Elite 8 Done
Get to Final 4
Get to Final 2
NC

Quite a list. My point is any ultimate goal is really a series of steps, some harder than others. Some don't necesarily need to be met, (ie you could be NC without ANY of the in season goals) but fullfilling them goes a long way to the end. Take a look that the list so far. Only one goal was not met. That in itself is quite a feat for any team. We can talk all we want before a season what we want the team to do based on potential but fulfilling that potential is hard. Real hard or it wouldn't be worth while. This team has already done a lot to be proud of and you can double or triple that pride due to the outside forces that were being brought to bear on them.

 

[TinyManInside]

Final Four you can hang a banner. Elite 8 should be "meh" for a team like Syracuse, regardless of opponents. No one is going to remember in 2 years who we lost to.

Really? I'm always surprised by statements like this. I remember each tournament loss from 1985 until last year. I could probably also quote you the path to that final game too.

I think this statement is probably true for the Big East tourney, but certainly not for the NCAAs.

 

[sabach]

Final Four you can hang a banner. Elite 8 should be "meh" for a team like Syracuse, regardless of opponents. No one is going to remember in 2 years who we lost to.

I can tell you the starting five of the Illinois team that beat us in the Elite 8 in my freshman year at SU. IMO losing in the Elite 8 is the worst round to lose in.

 

[dasher]

Final four loss to ohio and it's not a tough call for me at all.

 

[djcon57]

I can tell you the starting five of the Illinois team that beat us in the Elite 8 in my freshman year at SU. IMO losing in the Elite 8 is the worst round to lose in.

I would normally agree...but the Sweet 16 monkey off the back win was really needed.

 

[sabach]

I would normally agree...but the Sweet 16 monkey off the back win was really needed.

Of course it is nice to finally get back to the Elite 8. But now we are one game from the Final Four and we need to get this one too.

 

[jekelish]

I'll take a loss in the Final Four over a loss in the Elite 8 any day of the week, no matter who we are playing.

Of course, isn't Jimmy B 3-0 in Final Four games? So it's moot if we win tomorrow.

 

[thebigeast44]

Axe is full of $#@! IMHO.

This game reminds me a lot of the 1989 SU-Illinois Elite 8 game. That was a battle of 2 excellent teams that could have gone either way. It sucked that we lost but I felt no disappointment at all in the team and I would not be disappointed in the team if we lost tomorrow. Especially so that we will be going into the game without Fab and this is a game where he could have been a significant factor.

I am proud of this team and their accomplishments whatever happens tomorrow. Of course, I'll be rooting my ass off for them to make it to the FF4 and win the whole thing!

Let's Go Orange!!!

 

[Garbs]

your poll needs more options, but if I had to choose I would take the loss to Ohio mostly because I will be at the game tomorrow

 

[RandygoCuse]

Hmmm...I'd rather go to the FF, but you raise an interesting point. Even with a loss to the Buckeyes, I feel like the season is a success at this point as we've made it to the 8 without Melo. However if we were to win, than lose to a team like Ohio U it would seem like we lost a golden opportunity (it wouldn't feel this way if we lost to a team like Kentucky). Not sure if I would call it a failure, let's hope we win it all and I never have to consider it.

 

[DoctorBombay]

I can tell you the starting five of the Illinois team that beat us in the Elite 8 in my freshman year at SU. IMO losing in the Elite 8 is the worst round to lose in.

I'll do you better...the five players on the court when we lost to Indiana in '87!*
That's how post-traumatic stress disorder works! :bang:

*(Keith &%#@! Smart, Steve Alford, Daryl Thomas, Ricky Calloway, Dean Garrett)

 

[Orange87]

Final Four every time.

 

[suttree]

I'll do you better...the five players on the court when we lost to Indiana in '87!*
That's how post-traumatic stress disorder works! :bang:

*(Keith &%#@! Smart, Steve Alford, Daryl Thomas, Ricky Calloway, Dean Garrett)

What is the process for flagging a post as obscene and deserving of immediate deletion?

 

[armory]

I choose not to give false choices.

 

[themole]

I can tell you the starting five of the Illinois team that beat us in the Elite 8 in my freshman year at SU. IMO losing in the Elite 8 is the worst round to lose in.

Worst of any round? I'd much rather lose tomorrow than have lost to UNC-Asheville a week ago.

 

[Madbiker]

The round trumps the opponent. I certainly would rather make the FF and lose there, doesn't matter to who.

 

[Upstate]

Hate to look ahead, but playing a UNC squad without Marshall would be a great game. We'd finally get back into the mid-70s, 80s offensively.

 

[GardenOrange]

I choose not to give false choices.

"If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice."

 

[suthrills]

Final Four you can hang a banner. Elite 8 should be "meh" for a team like Syracuse, regardless of opponents. No one is going to remember in 2 years who we lost to.

I bet you most people on this board can tell you who we lost to in just about every tournament since it expanded and bet you a fair amount of people can tell you every NCAA loss since JB took over.
Certainly everyone can tell you that we lost to Butler 2 years ago so I'm sure 2 years from now SU fans will certainly remember who we lose to this year, if we lose.
You couldn't be more wrong.