Who are you most angry with?

[IthacaMatt]

“It could get worse” misses the point.

The question that matters is “can it get better?”

Anyone think JB is going to lead a program resurgence?

Precisely!

Can it get better with Boeheim still coaching, or are we even worse next year?

What about the year after that? If we lose 20 next year, who is he going to recruit at 80 years old?

 

[IthacaMatt]

Honest question for all you people blaming Wildhack for this crap time for mens sports.……
1. Would you honestly fire Jim Boeheim ?
2. Did you disagree with the hiring of Gary Gait ?

Yes, if Boeheim won't leave after this season that is winding down, he will NEVER willingly leave.

So, yes, it's time for the gold watch. He already had the farewell with the ring of honor ceremony vs. Georgetown. Send him out on Senior Night, or else don't email me to ask if I want season tickets until you have a new coach.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Nobody cares more than JB!
Caring is not the problem.

Tell us, what does JB care about most?
Make a list of the top 3 things.

 

[OrangeFoo]

Ten years ago we won 30 games and lost a ff game on a questionable call. This garbage really started once Hop left.

That’s my point. We switched from recruiting basketball players to athletes who could play the zone. We hit gold with that team 10 years ago and the one that went to the Houston final 4, but even those years the team was pretty painful to watch in the regular season. Then hop left and we stopped getting elite athletes and it was over. JB tried to compensate by doubling down on offenses starting with the Andrew White year but they couldn’t play the zone and then the bottom fell out with the Buddy years and here we are.

 

[Dcuse]

Yes, if Boeheim won't leave after this season that is winding down, he will NEVER willingly leave.

So, yes, it's time for the gold watch. He already had the farewell with the ring of honor ceremony vs. Georgetown. Send him out on Senior Night, or else don't email me to ask if I want season tickets until you have a new coach.

So easy to say on a fan board. But if IthacaMatt was the AD, I think we might have a different answer.

 

[Cusefan0307]

That’s my point. We switched from recruiting basketball players to athletes who could play the zone. We hit gold with that team 10 years ago and the one that went to the Houston final 4, but even those years the team was pretty painful to watch in the regular season. Then hop left and we stopped getting elite athletes and it was over. JB tried to compensate by doubling down on offenses starting with the Andrew White year but they couldn’t play the zone and then the bottom fell out with the Buddy years and here we are.

We won 28, 30, 27, 34, 30, and 28 games from 09-14 For a record of 178-43(81%) There was much much pain in that era until we lost to BC in 2014. I do remember fans complaining that season that Ennis played too slow, but hard to argue with the strategy then because we were no worse than a 4 seed in any season. We also had multiple draft picks on all of those teams. They would have been great teams playing man as well.

 

[Chip]

I’m not angry at all.

I’m pretty disinterested though.

Mostly because we’re uninteresting but partly because the sport itself has become uninteresting.

I’ll watch March Madness because it’s still a fun tradition. But I haven’t watched one single non SU college hoops game this year. I’ve probably only watched about 75% of ours.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I’m not angry at all.

I’m pretty disinterested though.

Mostly because we’re uninteresting but partly because the sport itself has become uninteresting.

I’ll watch March Madness because it’s still a fun tradition. But I haven’t watched one single non SU college hoops game this year. I’ve probably only watched about 75% of ours.

Well, I'm angry about how far they will let the program collapse to appease an old man who everybody seems afraid of offending, when he doesn't give two damns about offending you.

But yeah, college basketball is a tough watch. I watched Texas v. Baylor the other night. Two top 10 teams, and after 10 minutes, I couldn't care. I switched to NBA. At least there is some player continuity from year to year.

 

[CuseMan4]

Are there former players calling for his retirement?

Not publicly but behind the scenes there are some rumblings and a few guys that aren’t happy with the last few seasons.

But think about it. As a former player from the beginning of Boeheim’s tenture-2017. Those were the glory years. Since 2017 this isn’t Syracuse basketball. It’s not recognizable. We are going to miss not only the NCAA tourney but the damn NIT two years in a row. And we wouldn’t have done squat or made squat the COVID year either. So do you blame them? Haha

 

[MikeSU02]

I’m not angry at all.

I’m pretty disinterested though.

Mostly because we’re uninteresting but partly because the sport itself has become uninteresting.

I’ll watch March Madness because it’s still a fun tradition. But I haven’t watched one single non SU college hoops game this year. I’ve probably only watched about 75% of ours.

This is pretty much where I am.

I've grown into a much bigger NBA fan. Started to really turn when Melo got drafted and now I'm deep into the NBA vs college. I'm still a Syracuse fan, obviously **points to all my posts on this board**

I agree re March Madness, that's cool and always entertaining, especially the first weekend.

JB frustrates the giddy up out of me, but I'm honestly stuck between between frustration, apathy and a bit of sadness for him and the program, overall. And for the latter, as I've said before, JB has been in my life... my whole life. I have, on more than one occasion, said "thank god for Jim Boeheim, all my other teams suck". When Cuse won the chip, I was in grad school, surrounded by fellow die hards, weeping and the first two people to call me were my parents because they knew how much it meant to me.

I was a fan of Cuse from literally my first memories. Grew up in upstate, went to school there primarily because I had fallen in love with the school through my sports fandom.

I hate, hate, hate seeing JB on this numerous years down slide, but it frustrates me to no end to see the lack of ingenuity and brilliance that, at one time, made this man one of the best coaches of all time. It doesn't exist. It's gone. Filled with the rantings of a man who is a shadow of the best version of himself. If he were switching up assistant coaches, banging the drum on the recruiting trail, embracing the new world order of the NIL and portal like I've literally seen him do in the past to adjust to the evolving college game (there was a point where he basically mastered the two and done for a few years it seemed like and he clearly knew how to feature Melo his one year), maybe I would feel different.

At this point, everyone is culpable. Chancellor, AD, JB, BoT, the deity of your choice, the freaking winter when it snows too much and the summer when it's too dang hot and humid. I dunno.

But unless he is visited by the ghosts of Cuse basketball past, present and future and wakes up a brand new man, he's got to go. And I hope it can be done respectfully and joyously, but I don't see that right now.

 

[kingtidge]

I still believe that if last year went according to plan (tourney appearance at the very least) he would’ve walked away. But with it being the first losing season he couldn’t stomach it. I’m hoping this is it so that hanging around too long doesn’t become a bigger part of his legacy than it needs to be.

What's according to plan??

The season went according to reality.

 

[Millhouse]

This “we owe” stuff is crazy to me.

Performance matters. His has declined well beyond an acceptable range, for a pretty long period of time. Not to mention his commentary to outside entities has never been more eye opening.

In what other profession is a lifetime achievement award handed out and good money paid to individuals who had a good run but can’t do it anymore?

He is WELL past retirement age. His skills are eroding. There is no shame in that. The shame is in the stubbornness of not stepping away before it gets ugly.

They still have a winning record. I know you and your circle of submajor friends laugh but whatever. Can't do it. He's not nearly as good as he was, ok. He will retire soon enough.

 

[Millhouse]

Precisely!

Can it get better with Boeheim still coaching, or are we even worse next year?

What about the year after that? If we lose 20 next year, who is he going to recruit at 80 years old?

What do you think the odds of him returning in 25-26 are?

That factors into how much I feel like they need to push him out.

We are talking about one year, imo. I would rather lose four more games than we otherwise would to not fire a guy who won a thousand

 

[OrlandoCuse]

For the record, this feels as bad, if not worse than the final days of Coach P as far as fan support for the coach.

Similar slow erosion that becomes unacceptable to the overwhelmingly majority.

Wonder if the people who were supportive of getting rid of P are as supportive of JB being told it’s time.

The fact that these conversations are happening nearly 20 years apart just shows that the fans have become old and are stuck in the past, resistant to change.

Syracuse needs to figure out a way to compete in the modern landscape of college basketball. I think football is a lost cause, but I firmly believe there’s still a chance with basketball. However, they need to act quickly because the door is closing.

 

[cuseincincy]

Haven't been able to read the whole thread so not sure if I'm the first, but I place the blame squarely on Juli. She's too supporting of him and she is also old enough that she should be a little more selfish.

 

[IthacaMatt]

What do you think the odds of him returning in 25-26 are?

That factors into how much I feel like they need to push him out.

We are talking about one year, imo. I would rather lose four more games than we otherwise would do not fire a guy who won a thousand

OK. Joe, Symir and Jesse all graduate and don't take a free Covid year.

Judah, Benny and Bell all transfer out.

JBA goes portal to play his final year at Lehigh or someplace like that.

Our returning roster consists of Hima, Taylor, Maliq Brown, Copeland, Carey and the new center, Patterson.

How many games does that team win? Five?

Do you really want to see that? Do you think Boeheim could actually handle losing 20 or more games in his final season?

What is the point, honestly?

 

[gmoney44]

JB? Wildhack? The BOT? We all saw this coming with JB. Anyone surprised was either not seasoned in the real world or too deep in the orange bunker. Add in ego and stubbornness, this was always how the game ended for JB. For me it's our AD. He came on board knowing this elephant was in the room. The plan thus far of doing nothing infuriates me as a fan and alum. Take the program back.

I’m not angry with anyone. I’m disappointed with many at SU. Like you mentioned you didn’t have to be Madame Leota to see this coming.

 

[TinyManInside]

Myself for not putting money on Pitt and -6.

I rarely gamble on sports but that line was the lock of the century.

The only saving grace of this team is that it pays you to watch them play…

 

[NineOneSeven]

I’m not angry at all.

I’m pretty disinterested though.

Mostly because we’re uninteresting but partly because the sport itself has become uninteresting.

I’ll watch March Madness because it’s still a fun tradition. But I haven’t watched one single non SU college hoops game this year. I’ve probably only watched about 75% of ours.

I’ve watched some solid college games this year.

 

[TinyManInside]

It’s so weird that a guy who’s late career success has been so positively impacted by transfers (Wes Johnson, Michael Gbinije, Elijah Hughes, Allen Griffin, Andrew White, John Gillon, etc) has such a negative opinion of the portal.

I know the portal is different than the old rules. But it’s still disaffected kids leaving one school to join another.

Why is it weird? He’s 78 years old. People that age are not known for their mental flexibility. And he’s demonstrated a gameday rigidity (adherence to the zone) that is the epitome of inflexibility. It’s EXTREMELY obvious that once he is entrenched in a position there is no turning back. He made the decision years ago (before the transfer portal era) that transfers are bad, therefore they are still bad.

 

[TinyManInside]

What do you think the odds of him returning in 25-26 are?

That factors into how much I feel like they need to push him out.

We are talking about one year, imo. I would rather lose four more games than we otherwise would do not fire a guy who won a thousand

We’re not talking one year. We’ve never been talking one year. This guy is never going to leave of his own volition. Chance of coaching in 2025-26 is 100% unless he is removed. Since that has always been the case, we’re like 4 years too late. Every year this continues is just another year of diminishing the brand. I want Syracuse basketball to be good (like real, “tangible results good”, not 12-6 against the worst schedule in 45 years ‘good’ lol) again. I have less faith than most here that 1) the AD will make a good hire, and 2) it’s as easy to turn around as everyone says.

 

[CuseBlock]

The lack of passion and excitement in the program/fanbase is what makes me the saddest. This program isn’t the identify of the school like it once was. I don’t talk to a lot of other students that care about Syracuse basketball all that much. In fact, the consensus around campus is that students care more about our football team than our basketball team… I can’t make that up. It tells me all I need to know about the people at the top and how they’ve handled the last 5+ years.

 

[JustPherU]

Tell us, what does JB care about most?
Make a list of the top 3 things.

How the heck am I going to get in JB’s mind and make that list?I can promise you though that he cares about winning basketball games.

 

[Gotothehole]

How the heck am I going to get in JB’s mind and make that list?I can promise you though that he cares about winning basketball games.

Caring about winning basketball games it’s not enough. He’s paid millions to win them. If you have noticed that’s not been happening for years. Time for the gold watch

 

[Red Holzman]

Would love to know what's going through the minds of JB's assistant coaches.
Ongoing loyalty? Frustration? Concern for careers/resume? Anger?

Surprised that, so far, they have all stayed with JB on his long, fateful journey.
Their marketability has to be slipping with the program.