Since Saturday's really ugly loss to Villanova I've spent a lot of time pondering what's wrong with our beloved Syracuse Orange basketball team.
As you can imagine, this has been a lot work. I don't like to think - it hurts my head. My idea of dissecting a tough situation is trying to figure out why Coach Bobby Finstock never got a shot at coaching a big time school. He couldn't have been any worse than Dave Bliss. Bobby never would have got caught up in a scandal like that. This is a man that offered up the best advice I've ever heard:
"There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body. Now you stick to that, and everything else is cream cheese."
If there's a better motto to live your life by contact me, because I certainly haven't heard it.
With that digression over, we get back to the heart of the matter - what's wrong with the team? After much consternation, I've decided I don't have the answer. On paper, this team has enough talent. It has 3 capable guards who can spread the floor and shoot threes, it has a rugged wing player who can attack the glass on both ends, it has a couple of talented big men, and it's got a guy that can come off the bench, hustle and do some dirty work. They even have a freshman who has been struggling, but has a lot of talent and a well rounded game.
They have size and athletic ability, but right that is meaningless. They don't play defense, they go through long stretches in games marked by turnovers and mental errors and they can't win on the road.
The problem is beyond any rational analysis, because the main struggle is between the player's ears. They aren't always playing hard, they aren't always playing smart and the team chemistry seems a touch off. Some teams come together, some do not. Some teams play as one unit and play for each other, some play as individuals. Right now they are playing as mildly disinterested individuals.
From the outside looking in, there is no simple fix to the problem. Changing defenses or juggling starting line ups or waiting for someone to get healthy are not the answers for what ails this team. It's more complex than that. So I'd propose the only solution I think will help right now -- the entire team needs to see the Wizard of Oz. They need to ask for a heart, a brain, and some courage and as far as I know, he's the only person I know peddling those goods (your neighborhood meth dealer doesn't count).
From the outside looking in, there is no simple fix to the problem. Changing defenses or juggling starting line ups or waiting for someone to get healthy are not the answers for what ails this team. It's more complex than that. So I'd propose the only solution I think will help right now -- the entire team needs to see the Wizard of Oz. They need to ask for a heart, a brain, and some courage and as far as I know, he's the only person I know peddling those goods (your neighborhood meth dealer doesn't count).
This team needs to show heart on the defensive end of the floor. It needs to play with more effort, and not quit like they did at the end of the Villanova game. It needs a brain on the offensive end of the floor, so they'll be smart enough to value the ball and not commit needless turnovers (I'm talking to you Devendorf). And this team needs courage on the road. They need to go into an opposing team's arena and snatch a game away they shouldn't win - like they did to Kansas earlier in the season.
We know they possess all of these qualities, they showed us as much during their early season success. Here's hoping Boeheim has the Wizard's number - because the NIT is for Dorothy and Toto - and no one likes those two losers.
3 comments:
Remember when Paul Harris had that running, legnth-of-court run and block against Kansas?
Doesn't that seem YEARS ago? I haven't seen defensive hustle like that on a regular basis in a LONG time.
Rush- I've been living by Finstock's words since 1987.
I think you gave a very accurate assessment of where this team is at. They are lacking that "it" quality call it what you will; chemistry, heart, desire, intangibles. Mystique and aura do exist and they have defined so many champions. Great teams find ways to win, we find ways to loose.
I have always thought Paul had "it," yet he makes a few absolute maddening plays a game. As talented as Jonny is I'm not sure he does. AO has a tendency to disappear when the body's start to bang, DevTO is a scorer but he is entirely one dimensional.
Our roster on paper is as good as anyone's in the country- save UNC. This team feels a lot like 1991 or 2001. A lot of talent but no concept of being a team.
I share similar thoughts about the Orange. One more screaming missing link, may I add to the list of many, is lack of leadership. There is no floor general, Devo and Flynn for some reason play more as individuals than as team mates. I am so beyond disappointed with this team. I had high hopes for them and again, just to be let down. Where is the heart, the passion, the desire to play hard and not give up? This team plays more like boys then men. Look at the teams they beat earlier in the season, Memphis, KU, FL. Those teams have all improved, while the Orange have slid back. Sad, sad, sad. The Orange could be looking at another NIT bid if they don't stop the bleeding and right quick. A win at home against GTown would be ok, but almost meaningless this week after last night. They needed the w last night against UConn and blew it. Yea, so Onuaku is hurt, how come no one else, or the whole team never or rarely step up??? They need to pull a miracle and win the next six: GTown, Nova, STJ, Cincy, Rutgers, and Marq. Orange, don't fail us now.
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