Will Syracuse choke again?

[moqui]

I am of two minds on this: On the one hand, I have felt all year long that this squad was a bit overrated and was not built to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament.

But, on the other hand, this team is healthy, has a #1 seed, and a very favorable bracket. If they are ever going to make it past the Sweet 16 for the fifth time, you can't ask for a better path.

 

[Saltine Warrior]

"You are, what your record says you are".
In the NCAA Tournament, our record of success beyond the Sweet16 isn't very good. We're like the San Diego Chargers of cbb & JB is our Norv Turner/Marty Schottenheimer. Good/Very good teams that get to a certain point but more-often-than-not, can't get over the hump. We make the Dance most every year, but cue the flame-out in the Sweet16.
We're past the stage of "moral victories", this program is now bigger than that. We have talent, the best & deepest team in school history, senior leadership & young stars. What possible excuse would we have if we can't go far this year?
This year is pivotal, IMO.

I agree nice post. I hope this team can get over the hump but they have a very tough road by the looks of it. Go cuse.

 

[joct]

The 2 wins in sweet 16 since 1990 line just depressed me. And to think of the 2 wins...the win in 96 against Georgia required about 8 miracles, and in 2003 against Auburn was when they hit like 8 3's in a row to close the game -- it felt like if the game went another 10 seconds they would have kept going and stole the game.

 

[marz09cuse]

I'm sorry but I am so tired of Syracuse fans being content with mediocracy, A sweet sixteen loss will AGAIN be a dissapontment. This morning ESPN put up a graphic that since 1990 syracuse has only made it past the sweet sixteen twice, That is not good. Anything less than a final four will be dissapointing after what this team accomplished.

That just made me choke on my sandwich hearing that stat. Wow. There's no way anyone on this board will be satisfied if we again lose in the S16, no way. That has been a major hurdle for this program, so it's time to get over that hump with what might arguably be one of JB's top 3 teams ever. No excuses, just win!

 

[Cadillac]

Get ready to do the ... Boeheimlich Maneuver. Despite a top seed and stellar season, Syracuse seems set for another choke job.

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegebas...ast-Region-but-may-be-primed-for-upset-031112

You're adorable.

 

[moqui]

The 2 wins in sweet 16 since 1990 line just depressed me. And to think of the 2 wins...the win in 96 against Georgia required about 8 miracles, and in 2003 against Auburn was when they hit like 8 3's in a row to close the game -- it felt like if the game went another 10 seconds they would have kept going and stole the game.

have you seriously never heard that before? it has been a recurring topic of conversation on this board, and its precursors, since . . . forever.

 

[CuseCPT]

JB should have Hopkins sit down with the team and tell them in as much detail as possible what the loss to Richmond felt like. Then, GMac should come in and show them Orange Odyssey to get them amped up again.

 

[joct]

have you seriously never heard that before? it has been a recurring topic of conversation on this board, and its precursors, since . . . forever.

Yes, I've heard it, and known it...and know way too many details along the way than I probably should. Was just trying to make the point about seeing it in print was depressing.

 

[orangefan13]

Will every team in the country this year Choke and none go undefeated making it 36 straight years.

awnser Yes!

If you really want to you could put together about 10 deserving one seeds.
Big Deal! Big . Thets go win this thing.


One loss does not determine how good a team is. A two seed that losses in the first round is still a top 15 team not a top 40. End of Story.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

Will every team in the country this year Choke and none go undefeated making it 36 straight years.

awnser Yes!

If you really want to you could put together about 10 deserving one seeds.
Big Deal! Big . Thets go win this thing.


One loss does not determine how good a team is. A two seed that losses in the first round is still a top 15 team not a top 40. End of Story.

And yet..you make fun of Lebron for his shortcomings in the post season. Pick a lane...

 

[orangefan13]

lol . totally off topic but lebron was the anti leader last year unclutch, A straight to the hoop(never left and right off the dribble) athletic type with a not so good jumpshot and no high post up game.
The guy is killing it this year found his midrange game like our James has found his outside one and has been a total treat to watch. Congrats to him. I am a fan of earning not hype.

For the record if Syracuse or Kentucky lose then they are still number 2 in the country with 3 losses .

 

[otto123]

We have been #1 or #2 for the last 16 weeks if we don't make the final four it's a disappointment.

 

[TinyManInside]

And in every instance we "choked" we came out flat offensively and did nothing to negate that on the defensive end. Alabama, Vermont, Tx A&M, Oklahoma, Marquette, in every instance we came out just butt awful and not ready to play. We let those teams shoot lights out and basically played defense like we did against Cincy on Friday. I don't count the Butler game as a true choke job because of the circumstances (even though we should have won that thing up 4 late). In each of those other games we didn't have the offensive horses to get us out of the holes. This team has as many scoring threats, maybe more, than the 2003 team. That team was able to dig itself out against Okie St because they could score.

It's pretty simple. We need Good Scoop to show up, we need Kris, Brandon and CJ to get their offensive mojo going, we need Southerland to find that shooters zone he had down in Raleigh earlier this season, we need Fab to stop trying to block everything in sight and concentrate on rebounding, and we need Dion to be a supplemental scorer, not the guy having to drop 30 points a game to advance us. We need our offensive balance to return. If we get that and learn from our defensive lapses against Cincy, then we will be a very tough out.

great post Pete

 

[moqui]

given that I think they have been overrated all year long, I will have a hard time calling a trip to the Sweet 16 a "choke" . . . their record & ranking is the product of a schedule that was not as difficult as once imagined - just 4 games out of 33 against teams worthy of earning protected seeds - 3 of those at home - and all narrow wins. It is a team that lacks the single most important quality for winning in March (a productive half court offense). I am hoping for the best, and it looks like a pretty favorable draw, but I still see a team that is not a team built for a deep run. I know that I am in the minority around here, but getting to the second weekend will be a success in my book.

 

[cusetown1]

given that I think they have been overrated all year long, I will have a hard time calling a trip to the Sweet 16 a "choke" . . . their record & ranking is the product of a schedule that was not as difficult as once imagined - just 4 games out of 33 against teams worthy of earning protected seeds - 3 of those at home - and all narrow wins. It is a team that lacks the single most important quality for winning in March (a productive half court offense). I am hoping for the best, and it looks like a pretty favorable draw, but I still see a team that is not a team built for a deep run. I know that I am in the minority around here, but getting to the second weekend will be a success in my book.

good for you

 

[cusetown1]

there are many intangibles with this team that make it so great. They outweigh this whole thing with the half court offense. Which I think has been pretty damn good at times. Yes losing to a vandy or FSU in the second weekend would be a disappointment.

 

[moqui]

there are many intangibles with this team that make it so great. They outweigh this whole thing with the half court offense. Which I think has been pretty damn good at times. Yes losing to a vandy or FSU in the second weekend would be a disappointment.

you set your personal standard weeks ago - 40 and 0, or at worst 37-0 with Fab in the lineup. That is the bar that you set in December. By your own terms, this season is already a disappointment with 2 losses and will be a complete and utter failure with anything less than a national title.

 

[cusetown1]

you set your personal standard weeks ago - 40 and 0, or at worst 37-0 with Fab in the lineup. That is the bar that you set in December. By your own terms, this season is already a disappointment with 2 losses and will be a complete and utter failure with anything less than a national title.

actually that's not true. I said 29-2 and a loss in the big east semi's. There is a thread. proof's in the pudding.

 

[cusetown1]

we are actually ahead of schedule. search "am I crazy to think this team can go 29-2?" the prophet speaks.

 

[pearl31]

We have been #1 or #2 for the last 16 weeks if we don't make the final four it's a disappointment.

maybe but a bigger disappointment would be if your cool posts ceased to be

 

[kirbivore]

I like how two times he says "another" one seed like we are UNC or Duke or UK

also as much as we need to get over the sweet 16 hump, a sweet 16 loss is never a choke

It is if you lose to a lower seed

 

[KingOtis]

I'm sorry but I am so tired of Syracuse fans being content with mediocracy, A sweet sixteen loss will AGAIN be a dissapontment. This morning ESPN put up a graphic that since 1990 syracuse has only made it past the sweet sixteen twice, That is not good. Anything less than a final four will be dissapointing after what this team accomplished.

Let me start off by saying that if we don't make it past the Sweet 16 this year, it will definitely be a disappointment.

Now let's have some perspective on how this team has fared since 1990.

1990 - #2 seed, lost to #6 Minnesota in Sweet 16 (Bad)
1991 - BAD
1992 - #6, lost to #3 UMass in 2nd round (Played to seed)
1993 - Banned
1994 - #4, lost to #1 Mizzou in OT in Sweet 16 (Played to seed)
1995 - #7, lost to #2 Arkansas in OT in 2nd round (Played to seed)
1996 - #4, lost to #1 Kentucky in NC (Overachieved)
1997 - NIT
1998 - #5, lost to #1 Duke in Sweet 16 (Overachieved)
1999 - #8, lost to #9 Oklahoma St. in 1st round (Played to seed, 8/9 games are a coin toss and #9 has winning record)
2000 - #4, lost to #1 Michigan St. in Sweet 16 (Played to seed)
2001 - #5, lost to #4 Kansas in 2nd round (Played to seed, Shumpert hurt)
2002 - NIT
2003 - OVERACHIEVED
2004 - #5, lost to #8 Alabama (Bad, although 'Bama beat #1 Stanford, which "makes them the better team")
2005 - Not as bad as everyone says. Vermont was underseeded and playing in a friendly environment. We still should have won.
2006 - #5, lost to #13 Texas A&M in 1st round (Mulligan: We were overseeded, they were underseeded and if "we don't win 10 effin games" without G-Mac, then we don't beat A&M when he's hobbled)
2007 - NIT
2008 - NIT
2009 - #3, lost to #2 Oklahoma in Sweet 16 (Played to seed)
2010 - #1, lost to #5 Butler in Sweet 16 (Mulligan)
2011 - #3, lost to #11 Marquette (Some say bad, others say mulligan because they were a conference foe that already beat us once)

Once you remove the pre-Juli years and NIT appearances, you're left with 13 seasons in the dance. Five times we played to our seed, three times we overachieved, two times we definitely suffered bad losses ('Bama and Vermont), and the three remaining times can be considered mulligans. If you want to say the Marquette loss was bad, fine. But A&M and Butler were mulligans. I don't know how anyone can say losing to Butler was bad. We were without AO and they were inches away from beating Duke in the NC.

It should also be noted that we were good enough to win the games against Arkansas and Michigan State. 2000 was also the only time an Izzo-coached team beat us. And 2001 was the only time a Roy Williams-coached team beat us.

Now, if you want to talk bad losses, let's take a look at Duke and Kansas.

Edit: Forgot to point out what might be obvious after looking at the list. Since 1990, we were only supposed to make it past the Sweet 16 four times. That includes this year.

 

[Garbs]

It is if you lose to a lower seed

did espn teach you that?

 

[BlueCurtain]

Kind of like chocking on missed back court violations, losing your starting center, having to play Blake Griffin, some gym rat named TJ Sorrentine launching 3's from the parking lot? That kind of chocking? Because I don't see that as chocking.

The defensiveness and apologizing is nauseating. Either you find a way to win or you don't. Save this whiny crap for the next PTA meeting at your local underachieving school district.

 

[cusetown1]

The defensiveness and apologizing is nauseating. Either you find a way to win or you don't. Save this whiny crap for the next PTA meeting at your local underachieving school district.

you are awesome.