2024-25 NCAA Basketball Thread

[K1 Lover]

Anyone have thoughts on what has happened to our old conference foe Syracuse? They look like they could be 20 loss team? Is/was the Cuse a one coach wonder? 

I was wondering the same thing recently and decided to look at their message board. I came across this thread.

Pretty depressing stuff. Just makes me even more appreciative for where Marquette basketball is right now.

[WhiteTrash]

I was wondering the same thing recently and decided to look at their message board. I came across this thread.

Pretty depressing stuff. Just makes me even more appreciative for where Marquette basketball is right now.

Uhg! That is depressing.  You're right, give me great appreciation for what we have.

It will be interesting to see if they can turn it around.  From the way that thread reads, fans have moved past angry and are now apathetic. 

[DFW HOYA]

Anyone have thoughts on what has happened to our old conference foe Syracuse? They look like they could be 20 loss team? Is/was the Cuse a one coach wonder? 

Syracuse had a Final Four team under Roy Danforth, who quit to take a job at Tennessee, from which they elevated Jim Boeheim to head coach.

There is a thread on that board projecting Syracuse as falling into the trap that Georgetown did, where they stayed too long with the same family. While it's highly unlikely the Orangemen will be drawing 2 or 3,000 a game as is the case in DC, the Carrier Dome is going to look quite uncomfortable if this team is 2-10 in ACC play heading into February.

[TallTitan34]

I was wondering the same thing recently and decided to look at their message board. I came across this thread.

Pretty depressing stuff. Just makes me even more appreciative for where Marquette basketball is right now.

To quote a great man "F'ck 'em".

They, along with Pitt, blew up the old Big East. Sure, it would have eventually happened anyway but they are directly responsible for where they now are.

FAFO

[mileskishnish72]

To quote a great man "F'ck 'em".

They, along with Pitt, blew up the old Big East. Sure, it would have eventually happened anyway but they are directly responsible for where they now are.

FAFO

Agree firmly. For 'Cuse, that's a bit of the old TS.

[Hards Alumni]

To quote a great man "F'ck 'em".

They, along with Pitt, blew up the old Big East. Sure, it would have eventually happened anyway but they are directly responsible for where they now are.

FAFO

Yep, I'm sure they've been happy cashing their ACC checks for years.

Sucks to suck

[Uncle Rico]

Games of the Day brought to you by 2025-26 Marquette basketball, rudderless on the sea of mediocrity:

Arlington Baptist at Baylor, 6PM, ESPN+

Cleary at Duquesne, 6PM, ESPN+

[#UnleashSean]

Uhg! That is depressing.  You're right, give me great appreciation for what we have.

It will be interesting to see if they can turn it around.  From the way that thread reads, fans have moved past angry and are now apathetic. 

There were plenty of people around here that would have been elated if marquette grabbed a 7 seed two years in a row not to long ago.

[Its DJOver]

Larannaga was upset that he made the Final Four and had players leave...hmmm...kinda like you made the Final Four at George Mason and left, Jim?

Hypocritical.

Not exactly apples to apples when he stuck around for 5 more seasons and made 2 more tournaments.

[WhiteTrash]

Not exactly apples to apples when he stuck around for 5 more seasons and made 2 more tournaments.

Shhhhhh.

Stoopid facts.

[Uncle Rico]

Shhhhhh.

Stoopid facts.

Jim made $2.85 million in his last year at Miami.  His last salary at George Mason was just over $700,000.

Hate guys that leave a program for a better financial situation.

[Its DJOver]

Jim made $2.85 million in his last year at Miami.  His last salary at George Mason was just over $700,000.

Hate guys that leave a program for a better financial situation.

Even $ aside, I'm sure he had offers immediately following the FF that were similar pay bumps and he obviously didn't take them.

Every player from the FF team had the opportunity to graduate with him as their coach.  Every incoming Freshman that had committed to him the FF year had an opportunity to graduate with him as their coach.  Was he never supposed to consider another job?

If he had used his run to immediately jump to another job that he was ill-prepared for (looking at you Sha) I would understand the criticism.  If he were a career journeyman (Buzz, Musselman) I would understand the criticism. Neither of those apply here.

He was much more of a Brad Stevens situation where everyone knew he was destined for bigger and better things (obviously not to the level Stevens was) and people appreciated what they had while they had it. I doubt very many, if any people at George Mason have ill will towards him.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

To quote a great man "F'ck 'em".

They, along with Pitt, blew up the old Big East. Sure, it would have eventually happened anyway but they are directly responsible for where they now are.

FAFO

I've long since moved past yearning for the old BE. This current version is just fine, and honestly the timing worked out perfectly.

Syracuse could definitely have a good basketball program. They have the resources. But they will need to cut bait on a bad coach relatively quickly.

[Uncle Rico]

Even $ aside, I'm sure he had offers immediately following the FF that were similar pay bumps and he obviously didn't take them.

Every player from the FF team had the opportunity to graduate with him as their coach.  Every incoming Freshman that had committed to him the FF year had an opportunity to graduate with him as their coach.  Was he never supposed to consider another job?

If he had used his run to immediately jump to another job that he was ill-prepared for (looking at you Sha) I would understand the criticism.  If he were a career journeyman (Buzz, Musselman) I would understand the criticism. Neither of those apply here.

He was much more of a Brad Stevens situation where everyone knew he was destined for bigger and better things (obviously not to the level Stevens was) and people appreciated what they had while they had it. I doubt very many, if any people at George Mason have ill will towards him.

White Trash doesn't like players having freedom of movement and doesn't think coaches changing jobs is a comp.

It is.  GoldenBummer's point about Larranaga misses the mark, though, that I agree with.

Coaches and players both have freedom of movement and both should maximize their earning value should they choose to.

Jim Larranaga is 75-years old.  He made a lot of money coaching.  I won't feel sorry for him because the landscape is different than it used to be and things went south after his Final 4 appearance. 

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Yeah Larranaga spent 11 seasons at Bowling Green and 14 seasons at both George Mason and Miami. Really can't label him as a job-hopper.

Anyway, I still find it sad that these guys still can't find fulfillment outside of coaching.

[Its DJOver]

Coaches and players both have freedom of movement and both should maximize their earning value should they choose to.

You mean like every other person that works a job? That's to wild of a concept for me to believe.

[Uncle Rico]

You mean like every other person that works a job? That's to wild of a concept for me to believe.

For some people, it is.  They bemoan players having the freedom of movement and demand loyalty to ol' alma mater.