What is there to look forward to? | Page 3 | Syracusefan.com

What is there to look forward to?

With this program? I am disheartened by the product. In all honestly, I love the way this team competes, and I like some of the pieces. Think Girard will be good and I believe Edwards will also be a solid player. Buddy is what he is, a really good shooter but lacking everywhere else.

Reality is that we may not be at rock bottom yet. Hughes is likely gone next year. Our recruiting has failed us (for the most part). I’m not a chicken little the sky is falling person but I just don’t see this being any better in the next 2-3 years. Then we go into the Uncertainty of replacing JB and who is going to coach next. Will they be able to draw players to Central N.Y.?

We may only be in the middle of our downward spiral. I don’t want to be Indiana or UCLA. Winters suck around here and a bad SU b-ball program makes them suck so much worse.
The season has been difficult no doubt. Dior Johnson, Kennedy Chandler and Benny Williams cannot get here soon enough.
 
I
Look, I love JB, and I'm highly appreciative of his incalculable contributions over the years. I think he is a top 10 all time great in college basketball. He's been the coach for my entire life, and it is difficult in that respect to envision what comes next.

But I can acknowledge BOTH his unparalleled past success / accomplishments AND the fact that the program has slipped into a sustained period of mediocrity. We are no longer an elite program -- the status quo has become the new normal -- and it won't change until there IS change.

When JB hangs 'em up, I will applaud him for his success, revel in all of his accomplishments, and salute him for the years of joy he's brought me as an SU fan. But I'll also look forward to the future and a new beginning.

It's beyond time.
It may not change after a coaching change. No guarantees the next coach will be a winner.
 
There is no hope of being a good team as long as Boeheim is the coach. There has been a steady downward trajectory for the past several years, and the team this year is just an acceleration of the trend. How many people suddenly get better at their job in their late 70's?

For whoever follows Boeheim - following a legend sucks. It is arguably one of the toughest situations for any coach to step into, as it is almost all downside with very little upside, as they are perpetually in the shadow of the legend. You know what sucks worse than following a legend? Following a legend who hasn't recruited worth a damn for several cycles and left the cupboard almost entirely bare of high end talent. Syracuse better pray that Hopkins come back home, because if it isn't Hopkins the next coach is going to face intense headwinds (Hopkins would "only" face strong headwinds, to continue the metaphor).

All this to say, I have no hope for a decent team for at least seven years or so - the rest of the Boeheim tenure, the 3 or so years they'll give a transition coach, and then hoping they nail the next hire, who will need a few years to recruit and mold talent and bring the program back to its historical levels.

Cheers!
 
So what?

People need to stop being so afraid of change. Change is inevitable -- and risk isn't all bad. Opportunity can arise from risk.
Yeah the people who are afraid of the change need to answer this question honestly “what can get worse?” Because currently we are on the NIT bubble.
 
What do we have to look forward to? The next game. Negative farking spoiled Nancies. Syracuse will be fine. The program will be fine. We'll get better this year and put together some wins we have no right winning. People need to calm the F down.

Warmest regards,
Ragman
 
What do we have to look forward to? The next game. Negative farking spoiled Nancies. Syracuse will be fine. The program will be fine. We'll get better this year and put together some wins we have no right winning. People need to calm the F down.

Warmest regards,
Ragman

You’re dreaming.

But I like the positive vibe.
 
I’ll be honest, and this isn’t an angry post or threatening post, it’s just an acknowledgement...

Ive given up on this program until we make a change.

I tried. I went to the GT game in Atlanta. Watched some games. Forced myself to care as long as I could.

I just don’t.

This isn’t Syracuse Basketball.

I’ll still check in here and look up the scores, but I’m in my mid-30’s, and for the first time in my entire life, I don’t care about Syracuse Basketball.
 
If the season plays out like we all expect. Expect ADJW to have a long talk with JB.

ADJW loves and admired JB and the basketball program ever since he has gone here but the writing is on the wall. In the last 5 or so seasons we have retrogressed. The writing is pretty much on the wall. JB is killing what he built right now and that’s sad. I think at the BARE MINIMUM we are going to see a couple new assistants next year and knowing how loyal JB is, instead of making those changes he might resign.

That being said I’m fairly confident ADJW will have a talk about this stuff at the end of the year and JB will have a few options. It’s unfortunate his legacy is taking a bit of a hit here at the end but it’s can’t be overstated enough how much he did for this Program, City, University, etc...but sometimes you have to know when to step away and that should have been a few years ago with the original plan. I really would not be surprised if this is JB’s last season for the reasons I stated. He has to know the decline we are in right now and it’s pretty significant. He cares too much about this program and what he built for it to keep going this way.
 
If the season plays out like we all expect. Expect ADJW to have a long talk with JB.

ADJW loves and admired JB and the basketball program ever since he has gone here but the writing is on the wall. In the last 5 or so seasons we have retrogressed. The writing is pretty much on the wall. JB is killing what he built right now and that’s sad. I think at the BARE MINIMUM we are going to see a couple new assistants next year and knowing how loyal JB is, instead of making those changes he might resign.

That being said I’m fairly confident ADJW will have a talk about this stuff at the end of the year and JB will have a few options. It’s unfortunate his legacy is taking a bit of a hit here at the end but it’s can’t be overstated enough how much he did for this Program, City, University, etc...but sometimes you have to know when to step away and that should have been a few years ago with the original plan. I really would not be surprised if this is JB’s last season for the reasons I stated. He has to know the decline we are in right now and it’s pretty significant. He cares too much about this program and what he built for it to keep going this way.
Yeah I can’t see any of this.
What assistant would get fired?
I can’t see any changes until Boeheim wants to retire and we have no clue when he wants to retire. I really don’t think anyone has a clue when he will retire.
 
If the season plays out like we all expect. Expect ADJW to have a long talk with JB.

ADJW loves and admired JB and the basketball program ever since he has gone here but the writing is on the wall. In the last 5 or so seasons we have retrogressed. The writing is pretty much on the wall. JB is killing what he built right now and that’s sad. I think at the BARE MINIMUM we are going to see a couple new assistants next year and knowing how loyal JB is, instead of making those changes he might resign.

That being said I’m fairly confident ADJW will have a talk about this stuff at the end of the year and JB will have a few options. It’s unfortunate his legacy is taking a bit of a hit here at the end but it’s can’t be overstated enough how much he did for this Program, City, University, etc...but sometimes you have to know when to step away and that should have been a few years ago with the original plan. I really would not be surprised if this is JB’s last season for the reasons I stated. He has to know the decline we are in right now and it’s pretty significant. He cares too much about this program and what he built for it to keep going this way.

Very interesting stuff. I could definitely see Jimmy resigning if he’s forced to make changes to the coaching staff.
 
If the season plays out like we all expect. Expect ADJW to have a long talk with JB.

ADJW loves and admired JB and the basketball program ever since he has gone here but the writing is on the wall. In the last 5 or so seasons we have retrogressed. The writing is pretty much on the wall. JB is killing what he built right now and that’s sad. I think at the BARE MINIMUM we are going to see a couple new assistants next year and knowing how loyal JB is, instead of making those changes he might resign.

That being said I’m fairly confident ADJW will have a talk about this stuff at the end of the year and JB will have a few options. It’s unfortunate his legacy is taking a bit of a hit here at the end but it’s can’t be overstated enough how much he did for this Program, City, University, etc...but sometimes you have to know when to step away and that should have been a few years ago with the original plan. I really would not be surprised if this is JB’s last season for the reasons I stated. He has to know the decline we are in right now and it’s pretty significant. He cares too much about this program and what he built for it to keep going this way.

Great post, but the assistants can only get prospects in the door. It’s up to the HC to close. That hasn’t happened in some time.
 
As a Bills fan since the 80s I've been conditioned to deal with this. As a Cuse fans since the 8Os I have not. I've always been loyal to the Bills through the muck and I will be loyal to Cuse. For those of you saying you don't care or won't watch, I question just how important your team is to you. Through the lowest of the lows i've always watched one team. Now I will watch the other. Each and every game.
 
Unfortunately, I don’t see things improving until JB is gone. He really screwed the program by not sticking to his own timeline. Recruiting will continue to get worse, which will hurt the play the court even more than it is now. It’s a vicious cycle when a legend hangs on too long. It never ends well and the period of change after that is just as grueling. It’s going to be a long , hard fight to ever get back to where we were. It’s time to rip the scab off and begin the healing process
 
This will probably start to get better 2-3 years after Buddy graduates.
 
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As a Bills fan since the 80s I've been conditioned to deal with this. As a Cuse fans since the 8Os I have not. I've always been loyal to the Bills through the muck and I will be loyal to Cuse. For those of you saying you don't care or won't watch, I question just how important your team is to you. Through the lowest of the lows i've always watched one team. Now I will watch the other. Each and every game.
I’m also a Bills fan, but this is completely different.

1) In a condensed 16 game season, theres hope and excitement each and every year. Perhaps false hope, but hope.

2) Theres a draft where you convince yourself you’ve picked some game changers.

3) Theres Free Agency, with contracts. The good players you have don’t just leave after one year.

4) The Bills were making coaching changes during the drought. It wasnt the same dude holding the team hostage.

5) Football is way more entertaining than the watered down product CBB has become. (My opinion, but seems to be quite evident)

Contrast that with a team who has slowly been in a death spiral for years, culminating with a bottom feeding ACC team, that has nothing to look forward to... No exciting recruits, no new coach and the same played out philosophies that no longer work as they used to.

With the Bills, at least there were shakeups in coaching and/or personnel every year. We seem held hostage by this coach, with his antiquated philosophy and, the saddest thing, draining the lifeblood of our program - the ability to recruit.

Finally, I never stopped supporting the Bills during the drought, but I sure as hell checked out...which is what I’m doing now with Syracuse Basketball. This program is a disaster and I’ll still wear my Cuse gear and check in here and there, but I can’t... it’s a chore... it’s tedious... it’s boring... I can’t keep spending money, and forcing myself to care, about a program that doesn’t care enough to change what isn’t working.
 
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If the season plays out like we all expect. Expect ADJW to have a long talk with JB.

ADJW loves and admired JB and the basketball program ever since he has gone here but the writing is on the wall. In the last 5 or so seasons we have retrogressed. The writing is pretty much on the wall. JB is killing what he built right now and that’s sad. I think at the BARE MINIMUM we are going to see a couple new assistants next year and knowing how loyal JB is, instead of making those changes he might resign.

That being said I’m fairly confident ADJW will have a talk about this stuff at the end of the year and JB will have a few options. It’s unfortunate his legacy is taking a bit of a hit here at the end but it’s can’t be overstated enough how much he did for this Program, City, University, etc...but sometimes you have to know when to step away and that should have been a few years ago with the original plan. I really would not be surprised if this is JB’s last season for the reasons I stated. He has to know the decline we are in right now and it’s pretty significant. He cares too much about this program and what he built for it to keep going this way.
I hope you are right but I have no confidence that ADJW is dictating anything to JB.
 
I hope you are right but I have no confidence that ADJW is dictating anything to JB.
I really don’t get how anyone can think Wildhack is going to do anything towards basketball.

Recruiting is the biggest problem right now.
We haven’t recruited a quality big since Tyler Lydon and he was more of a PF. It’s 4 years.

The 5 position is a disaster right now and we have to hope a RS FR next year can be a role player. Which I can’t expect to see.
 
The class of 2021 was 6-11 years old from 2009-2014.

Our days as one of the best programs in the country are going to very soon be something that none of the kids we’re recruiting even remember. They probably already are for most of these kids. We’ve been “Temple” level for a long time now.

This sucks.
 
I’m also a Bills fan, but this is completely different.

1) In a condensed 16 game season, theres hope and excitement each and every year. Perhaps false hope, but hope.

2) Theres a draft where you convince yourself you’ve picked some game changers.

3) Theres Free Agency, with contracts. The good players you have don’t just leave after one year.

4) The Bills were making coaching changes during the drought. It wasnt the same dude holding the team hostage.

5) Football is way more entertaining than the watered down product CBB has become. (My opinion, but seems to be quite evident)

Contrast that with a team who has slowly been in a death spiral for years, culminating with a bottom feeding ACC team, that has nothing to look forward to... No exciting recruits, no new coach and the same played out philosophies that no longer work as they used to.

With the Bills, at least there were shakeups in coaching and/or personnel every year. We seem held hostage by this coach, with his antiquated philosophy and, the saddest thing, draining the lifeblood of our program - the ability to recruit.

Finally, I never stopped supporting the Bills during the drought, but I sure as hell checked out...which is what I’m doing now with Syracuse Basketball. This program is a disaster and I’ll still wear my Cuse gear and check in here and there, but I can’t... it’s a chore... it’s tedious... it’s boring... I can’t keep spending money, and forcing myself to care, about a program that doesn’t care enough to change what isn’t working.

Thanks Long Island. Now I'm really depressed. Like the Bills though I just can't not watch. No matter how dismal it gets.
 
Thanks Long Island. Now I'm really depressed. Like the Bills though I just can't not watch. No matter how dismal it gets.
Haha... on the bright side, at least all our teams aren’t terrible. I’m used to looking forward to basketball season around Halloween... Now it’s January and I’m looking forward to the NFL season in September, with FA/Draft as the next sporting event on my horizon.
 
Haha... on the bright side, at least all our teams aren’t terrible. I’m used to looking forward to basketball season around Halloween... Now it’s January and I’m looking forward to the NFL season in September, with FA/Draft as the next sporting event on my horizon.

Yep. I always would tell my friends Syracuse basketball is here to save me from the Bills. As this fall and holiday season unfolded I realized that things would be very different this season. Agreed, can't wait for FA/Draft.
 
I really don’t get how anyone can think Wildhack is going to do anything towards basketball.

Recruiting is the biggest problem right now.
We haven’t recruited a quality big since Tyler Lydon and he was more of a PF. It’s 4 years.

The 5 position is a disaster right now and we have to hope a RS FR next year can be a role player. Which I can’t expect to see.
Recruiting has been bad and is the biggest stumbling block since the indecision regarding JB leaving and Hop taking over. Recruits had to feel uncomfortable not knowing who they were going to be playing for.

I don't think the coaching is a huge problem as we continue to see improvement from the players we have. I'm not sure what posters mean when they say the game has passed JB by. He has as much desire to win as ever and his in game coaching is still good.
But if you don't have the better quality player to begin with, you can only improve to certain level.

The guys are giving us good effort but there is too much inexperience on the bench to maximize what we have.

Change will come but how and when it will happen is anyone's guess.
 

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