When’s the last season you were this excited for a team?

[Fly Rodder]

2016-2017

Coming off the Final Four. After the Andrew White insanity. I remember there basically being the (sensible) guarded and cautious camp and the Final Four or bust camp.

I was firmly in the latter.

The difference here obviously is there’s nothing remotely resembling Final Four expectations. Just excitement over the Autry era getting off the ground with legitimate talent on the roster.

This was the last one I was excited for.

 

[MSOrange]

2016-2017

Coming off the Final Four. After the Andrew White insanity. I remember there basically being the (sensible) guarded and cautious camp and the Final Four or bust camp.

I was firmly in the latter.

The difference here obviously is there’s nothing remotely resembling Final Four expectations. Just excitement over the Autry era getting off the ground with legitimate talent on the roster.

That team fooled me big time also. I've tempered my expectations since then, but I'm at least excited again.

 

[Eric15]

The last November weekend of 2018 was cloud nine for SU sports. The football team was ranked 12th and was playing ND at Yankee Stadium, and the basketball team was ranked I think 15th and had two games at MSG.

What a dumpster fire that weekend turned out to be.

But to answer the question, it would have been prior to the 18-19 season.

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

I lost "excitement" when Hopkins "left." That team couldn't play a lick of defense, had two transfers and the other kid who left after the season (maybe the worst interior defender in my 35 years of watching), and lost a meaningless NIT game at home to an SEC school ($5 tickets or something like that). After that, I had hope and certainly at times found some joy, but was largely certain recruiting would lag, and our systems would continue to suck.

 

[NKR1978]

18-19 coming off the Sweet 16. Felt like things finally clicked. Had a good core coming back. Think we had some recruits that year. Then nope.

 

[NKR1978]

The last November weekend of 2018 was cloud nine for SU sports. The football team was ranked 12th and was playing ND at Yankee Stadium, and the basketball team was ranked I think 15th and had two games at MSG.

What a dumpster fire that weekend turned out to be.

But to answer the question, it would have been prior to the 18-19 season.

That weekend was such a kick to the balls.

 

[Fat tire 13]

For this season, I think the more accurate word to use is intrigued

New coach, new players, and potentially many new lineups, schemes, etc. The most recent years were a combination of bad record and a very predictable product on the court. Now every game could be interesting and style could change according to opponent. Sure some mistakes will be made, but the good moments will be very enjoyable.

 

[Eric15]

Not to overthink things, but I'm cautiously optimistic, but not excited (yet).

If we hold our own in Maui and take a game or two against a brutal field and play like Syracuse again, then I'll be excited.

 

[baggerbob]

For this season, I think the more accurate word to use is intrigued

New coach, new players, and potentially many new lineups, schemes, etc. The most recent years were a combination of bad record and a very predictable product on the court. Now every game could be interesting and style could change according to opponent. Sure some mistakes will be made, but the good moments will be very enjoyable.

In 47 years 8 times JB's team finished with a winning percentage under .600.
6 of those years were in the last 9 years.
Only 2 in the first 38, so yes everyone should be excited for a new system, and maybe exciting basketball again.

 

[DoctorBombay]

I'm excited, and as someone said "intrigued", every single year. Ask me again in January.

 

[XC Cuse]

I thought the 18-19 team maybe. Coming off the surprise Sweet 16 and Battle returning.

Yep, when Battle announced he was back, I thought for sure they'd be a top 15 team all year.

 

[FireballPhil]

I'm excited, and as someone said "intrigued", every single year. Ask me again in January.

This 100%

 

[kcsu]

Not to overthink things, but I'm cautiously optimistic, but not excited (yet).

If we hold our own in Maui and take a game or two against a brutal field and play like Syracuse again, then I'll be excited.

I think hes talking about pre season. Not after we roll the ball out.

 

[stuckinbig11]

I am excited every year.

 

[Cusefan69]

Probably goes back to Lydon, Richardson, Roberson etc for me

Its been a while

 

[NorSyr66]

Always excited to watch my favorite team. Just going to be more excited-er.

...great word "excited-er"!

 

[NorSyr66]

In 47 years 8 times JB's team finished with a winning percentage under .600.
6 of those years were in the last 9 years.
Only 2 in the first 38, so yes everyone should be excited for a new system, and maybe exciting basketball again.

Very interesting statistic. Points out how we were starting to experience mediocre as the new norm. Let's get this Orange train back on track!

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

Pretty pumped with no real expectations on us early. Just concerned that if we are awkward with this group being brand new out of the gate a month into the season we could be out of the mix for an at large and ACC play is just for respectability. That is exactly what last year was with JB scheduling as easy as possible. We're kind of scheduling as hard as possible now so we'll see. Hope we get someone easy the weekend before Oregon for our first ACC game it figures this would be the year they give us Duke or UVA that weekend. We have actually gotten a terrible team every year first Sat of December since the league started putting a game there. I don't think we have ever lost that game either.

 

[two3zone]

That team fooled me big time also. I've tempered my expectations since then, but I'm at least excited again.

Same for me.

 

[Orangezoo]

Same for me.

Yep.. I think for a lot of us. Lydon had good numbers but wasn't the force we hoped- White was lethal from 3 but couldn't defend.. flaws all over and then just things started to turn too late.

 

[Finwad32]

2022… in all seriousness, for the longest time I always thought our teams were capable of great things. I’m cautiously optimistic that we can get back to that in a hurry. As Bees said, certainly intrigued for a couple of reasons.

 

[tptcuse]

Not to overthink things, but I'm cautiously optimistic, but not excited (yet).

If we hold our own in Maui and take a game or two against a brutal field and play like Syracuse again, then I'll be excited.

Completely agree. Of course we would all love to win Maui, but given the field, winning a game or two and looking like we belong would provide optimism given all of the unknowns of this new roster.

 

[Sherman20]

I'm surprised at the '18-'19 comments. People actually thought we had something there? It seemed pretty clear to me that the tourney run the previous year was the anomaly, not the regular season.

The buzz about the Elijah Hughes transfer was fairly high going into that season. Not Wes Johnson-level but significant. He was apparently opening eyes during his sit-out year in practice. Word was that he was giving Tyus the business. So we added a significant piece and had Tyus, Brissett and Howard all returning (plus Chukwu and Marek) from the season before, when we finished as a dominant (top 5) defensive team. We figured Elijah would boost the offense and all the returning guys would take a step forward, which is usually how it goes. It was a reasonable to expect a top 25 team that season.

 

[Sherman20]

I just didn't see it. An 11 seed to a 4 or 5 seed is a big jump. Some people put way too much weight on the tournament as if we turned a corner when it was really just a hot run. We didn't finish the season strong. We lost 3 of our last 5 and 6 of our last 10 in the regular season and UNC drilled us in the second game of the ACC tournament. The marathon of a season is a better indicator than a single elimination tournament of how good a team actually is.

I think people had forgotten what actual elite talent looked like and tried to convince themselves that our very good players were great players. The best players on that team would've been nice 2nd or 3rd options on a team with a legit national star, but none of them were that guy. Put a Carmelo, Wallace, Owens, DC, etc. level talent on that team and it's a different story.

Teams improve like that every year, especially in the transfer portal era. It’s not unusual to make a big jump. Last year, Kansas State went from not making the tournament since 2019 to being a #3 seed. Two seasons ago, Iowa State went from 2-22 to 22-13 and made the sweet 16. Missouri went from 12-21 to finishing last season in the top 25 and earning a 7 seed in the tourney. In 2022, Miami hadn’t made the tourney since 2018, had gone 11-17 the season before and wound up as a 10 seed in the NCAA tourney. Then last year they made a jump up a 5 seed.

 

[Trueblue25]

The buzz about the Elijah Hughes transfer was fairly high going into that season. Not Wes Johnson-level but significant. He was apparently opening eyes during his sit-out year in practice. Word was that he was giving Tyus the business. So we added a significant piece and had Tyus, Brissett and Howard all returning (plus Chukwu and Marek) from the season before, when we finished as a dominant (top 5) defensive team. We figured Elijah would boost the offense and all the returning guys would take a step forward, which is usually how it goes. It was a reasonable to expect a top 25 team that season.

Elijah’s a great orange and a favorite for many reasons.