What Makes Us Tick?

[AlaskaSU]

We need untested players to step up; the two frosh, BJ and Robertson, plus others to improve like TC, XMAS and MG. Enough of them will most likely make the grade for us to have a successful season. We have confidence because our players always come through.

Why do enough of them always come through regardless of their highschool rankings? Look at the football team, where the team seldom exceeds expectations. Is it tradition, culture, coaching or just individual effort?
My speculation is that it is the intangible factors of tradition and culture. We have an expectation of winning and perhaps that creates the confidence enabling players to come through in the clutch? Confidence is a significant factor in athletic endeavors, even among the most talented. Therefore, tradition and culture are our determing factors.

Comments?

 

[pfister1]

We need untested players to step up; the two frosh, BJ and Robertson, plus others to improve like TC, XMAS and MG. Enough of them will most likely make the grade for us to have a successful season. We have confidence because our players always come through.

Why do enough of them always come through regardless of their highschool rankings? Look at the football team, where the team seldom exceeds expectations. Is it tradition, culture, coaching or just individual effort?
My speculation is that it is the intangible factors of tradition and culture. We have an expectation of winning and perhaps that creates the confidence enabling players to come through in the clutch? Confidence is a significant factor in athletic endeavors, even among the most talented. Therefore, tradition and culture are our determining factors.

Comments?

I think that as a rule our basketball program is recruiting a higher level athlete than our football program is. I think this has probably been the case for most of JB's tenure except for a brief period during the Coach MAC/P era. Those kids are better able to rise to the challenge when the opportunity presents itself. I think culture and coaching probably also play heavily into it. JB knows how to mold a group of players into a winning unit.

 

[Dave85]

We need untested players to step up; the two frosh, BJ and Robertson, plus others to improve like TC, XMAS and MG. Enough of them will most likely make the grade for us to have a successful season. We have confidence because our players always come through.

Why do enough of them always come through regardless of their highschool rankings? Look at the football team, where the team seldom exceeds expectations. Is it tradition, culture, coaching or just individual effort?
My speculation is that it is the intangible factors of tradition and culture. We have an expectation of winning and perhaps that creates the confidence enabling players to come through in the clutch? Confidence is a significant factor in athletic endeavors, even among the most talented. Therefore, tradition and culture are our determing factors.

Comments?

The intangibles are a huge factor. We have the coolest mascot in CBB. Our team is Orange. Basketballs are orange.

 

[jordoo]

Its a combination of the staff doing a good job identifying and bringing in high level talent and having a very good system/coaching staff.

 

[OrangeAl]

The culture creates itself. When the football team is signing top-rated recruits (or the basketball team is signing lower level recruits ) then you can make a fair comparison of the programs' cultures of winning.

 

[longtimefan]

The culture creates itself. When the football team is signing top-rated recruits (or the basketball team is signing lower level recruits ) then you can make a fair comparison of the programs' cultures of winning.

SU hoops hasn't always had the top-level recruits that they have today. And yet, under JB, they have almost always been competitive at a high level.

 

[HoustonCuse]

Some of it is culture, or at least the perception that you are coming into an elite level program and thus you better perform. There is no doubt that Syracuse basketball is one of the very top programs and this is no secret to the recruits coming in. Their head coach is in the Hall of Fame for goodness sake. The program is a major property on national TV, their games are major community events. In the case of the really big games, they are national events. So there is definitely going to be heightened awareness on the part of the players that this is the bigtime and the bright lights are on them.

Further, in basketball where the team is so small and only 5 guys are on the court at once, it would seem there is a much greater chance of player taking personal responsibility for the overall performance of the team. Outside of some very specific skill positions in football, it is probably much easier to blend in and acquiesce to the fate of the team rather than feel like you are directly driving its fortunes.

 

[Flacusian]

I think the disparity between Football and Basketball is due to the genius of Jim Boeheim. At some point during his tenure JB accessed the program and took an honest inventory as to what was at his disposal to build and maintain a program which would compete at the top level nationwide.

1.
JB realized that he would in all likely hood not be able to consistently recruit the top 5 star players but by developing an acumen for identifying the under the radar type players who he felt he could develop into the equivalent of the 5 star players by having them fit into his scheme and his zone defense, he could obtain consistent results and build a consistent and winning program.
2.
His commitment to the zone was something that he felt he could utilize to set the program apart from other programs by making it the trademark of the Syracuse program. A zone defense unlike and better than all others.
3.
Having committed to the ZONE, he recruits towards the objective of getting personnel which is uniquely suited to playing the Syracuse Zone. Long, lean, athletic, players who fit into the paradigm he has established.
4.
JB blends the few top 5 star/ one or two and done kids with program type recruits who lend consistency to the program by staying for 3 or 4 years and develop and contribute increasingly throughout their career.
5.
The Dome represents a unique asset in the Basketball perspective which can help with recruiting, visibility, and recognition which other schools and their venues do not have. While other football programs have venues which seat as many and in fact way more than the Carrier Dome, there are no other basketball programs than can have 34k screaming fans at a home game.
6.
We are Syracuse, where basketball is awesome and it's been that way for a long time and it's going to continue to be that way for a long time.

 

[bballbeadle]

I think the disparity between Football and Basketball is due to the genius of Jim Boeheim. At some point during his tenure JB accessed the program and took an honest inventory as to what was at his disposal to build and maintain a program which would compete at the top level nationwide.

1.
JB realized that he would in all likely hood not be able to consistently recruit the top 5 star players but by developing an acumen for identifying the under the radar type players who he felt he could develop into the equivalent of the 5 star players by having them fit into his scheme and his zone defense, he could obtain consistent results and build a consistent and winning program.
2.
His commitment to the zone was something that he felt he could utilize to set the program apart from other programs by making it the trademark of the Syracuse program. A zone defense unlike and better than all others.
3.
Having committed to the ZONE, he recruits towards the objective of getting personnel which is uniquely suited to playing the Syracuse Zone. Long, lean, athletic, players who fit into the paradigm he has established.
4.
JB blends the few top 5 star/ one or two and done kids with program type recruits who lend consistency to the program by staying for 3 or 4 years and develop and contribute increasingly throughout their career.
5.
The Dome represents a unique asset in the Basketball perspective which can help with recruiting, visibility, and recognition which other schools and their venues do not have. While other football programs have venues which seat as many and in fact way more than the Carrier Dome, there are no other basketball programs than can have 34k screaming fans at a home game.
6.
We are Syracuse, where basketball is awesome and it's been that way for a long time and it's going to continue to be that way for a long time.

Okay, this response is perfection and Flacusian is - my highest compliment - the most Awesome Opossum! As I was reading the other responses, all of them good, I kept thinking: James Arthur Boeheim. That is why we are so good. Flacusian fleshed out why I think that. Thanks, brother!

 

[Opus]

This thread is way to pompous for me to respond. Oh wait, I guess I just did. Sarcasm?

 

[br801]

Further, in basketball where the team is so small and only 5 guys are on the court at once, it would seem there is a much greater chance of player taking personal responsibility for the overall performance of the team. Outside of some very specific skill positions in football, it is probably much easier to blend in and acquiesce to the fate of the team rather than feel like you are directly driving its fortunes.

I think this gets to the crux. Plus the fact that, year in and year out, the guy in charge has an uncanny knack for knowing how to assemble a core group of 7 to 10 guys and getting them to win games in the moment.

 

[AlaskaSU]

Yes, but every basketball team has the same number of players and every football team has the same number of players. What explains why our basketball players, and only our basketball players, come through more often than not, regardless of their star ranking?

 

[realorange]

Yes, but every basketball team has the same number of players and every football team has the same number of players. What explains why our basketball players, and only our basketball players, come through more often than not, regardless of their star ranking?

Can't take that ranking away. Ongoing average star quality has been higher for basketball for many years.

 

[Dave85]

Can't take that ranking away. Ongoing average star quality has been higher for basketball for many years.

But lately SU has been getting better recruits who would have went to other schools in previous years. Next year's football recruiting class is looking very good right now.

 

[Antiprodigy]

I thought JB just rolled the ball out & the kids did the rest?

 

[Ghost]

I thought JB just rolled the ball out & the kids did the rest?

Pretty much - I mean ppl credit the kids, but it's actually all in the way that JB rolls the ball out there. Just the right amount of spin, and no bounce. Such a smooth m*****rf*****er.