The Ol' "Syracuse Schedules Weak" Routine Returns

by Sean Keeley on Sep 16, 2009 1:41 PM EDT

Last year Syracuse basketball shut up all fo the naysayers who harp on SU's early-season scheduling practices of staying close to home. The Orange went to Kansas City to take on Florida and defending national champ Kansas and they went to Memphis to play the Tigers. All was right with the world.

But, of course, "what have you done for me lately, Cuse?" That's SI's Luke Winn asking. Cause he's got Syracuse back on the "schedule like wussies" wagon.

The Orange are actually traveling outside the state of New York before Big East play starts, but they're facing Florida in Tampa, rather than Gainesville, for the Big East/SEC Challenge on Dec. 10. 'Cuse's other two neutral-court games will be held at their second home, Madison Square Garden, where they're playing Cal in the opening round of the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic.

Now...

Everyone loves to harp on the MSG thing. Fine, it's in the borders of New York State so despite being 300 miles away it's in-state. Got it. But considering we are playing Team Frisky 2009-2010 Cal and, likely, defending national champion North Carolina, I'd say the location doesn't really do too much to help us out. I mean, Kansas was the "hometown" school in the CBE thing last year and we beat them.

As for the Florida match-up, yes, the game is being played in Tampa and not Gainesville. I'm sure there are no Florida fans in Tampa. I'm sure no Florida Gator fans will hop in their RVs and make the 2 hour drive. I'm sure it gives Syracuse the distinct advantage.

As for the rest of our OOC schedule, it's not our fault Memphis is playing us in the Dome this year. That's how these things work, Luke. You play one there and one here. Blame the system.

Last year we were "road-tested" because we played two neutral-site games and a notable road game. This year we're homebodies because we play three neutral-site games. Go figure.

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Hmmmm...

…UNC lost four of its five starters from last year.

And saying that MSG isn’t more of a home court for SU that the other teams is a stretch. Every year it seems that SU plays a couple of games at MSG, just like it seems that in coming years every season SU will play games at the Meadowlands.

AEM

"If you make every game a life and death proposition, you're going to have problems. For one thing, you'll be dead a lot." - Dean Smith

by AEM on Sep 16, 2009 2:02 PM EDT reply actions

Tired

I hope Luke was being facetious with the Tampa not Gainesville remark. This is really tired. So Florida being two hours away in state is not a help, but Cuse being 5 hours away from a place that every team in the country gets jazzed to play in, is? This really gets tired.

by Bryan Adams on Sep 16, 2009 2:04 PM EDT reply actions

Hmmm....

Syracuse lost three of its five starters from last year and will have a freshman playing the point. Something tells me North Carolina won’t be hurting for talent.

Cornell is no slouch and Robert Morris was a NCAA team last year.

by FireMikeVeley on Sep 16, 2009 2:05 PM EDT reply actions

Syracuse can't be hammered for its top four games

They are better than most schools’ top four games. It’s the rest of the schedule they deserve to get blasted for. Almost all of the other non-conference games are going to be against plus-200 RPI schools. Last year, the schedule was so good because they played one, maybe two plus-200 RPI schools. This year they’ll be five or six games like that. That will absolutely kill their SOS.

by Jameson_Fleming on Sep 16, 2009 2:38 PM EDT reply actions

this perception is actually a much bigger problem for syracuse basketball than people realize. It’s annoying and frustrating, but if that’s all it were, it’d really be no big deal. the problem is that its so oft-repeated, and will be repeated again and again every year regardless of truth that its impossible for it not to be accepted by people who actually matter- the selection committee. sports media’s an echo chamber for the most part, but it’s impossible for it not to be paid attention to by the committee, so a tired media meme can, and does (see: 2007), have real negative consequences on syracuse, and that sucks.

by Bernie's Fine on Sep 16, 2009 2:42 PM EDT reply actions

Seriously

It does suck that Luck Winn could pedal that sort of influence, or at least help perpetuate old stereotypes.

by lemonysnicket9 on Sep 16, 2009 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions

SU's Schedule Is Weaker Than Last Year's

I think Jameson makes a good point. There are more cupcakes this year than last year, and Memphis would be a more exciting game had Calipari and all his stud freshmen stayed put. I like to think that despite losing Flynn, Harris and Devo, the team still has enough talent to make the tournament without much concern. But if for some reason it did, the SOS won’t be in ’Cuse’s favor.

I wish they played more on the road before New Year’s, and hope it’s not something the program does only when it’s primed for a good tourney run, like last season.

by bgood0310 on Sep 16, 2009 2:49 PM EDT reply actions

I don't know why our non-conference schedule means anything anyway.

Remember the gauntlet last year? The people to blame here is the 2006-2007 Selection Committee for taking a 18-13 Stanford team over a 22-10 Syracuse team with 10 BE wins.

I think the premise that who we play in November/December is of great significance to how good we are in March is absurd. Maybe this applies for teams outside the BE, but the fact of the matter is that SU is going to play 5 to 7 ranked opponents every year, which is probably more than Memphis has played in the last 3 seasons combined. Moreover, the ranked teams that you play in conference didn’t get there b/c of arbitrary preseason rankings which have little to no objective bases.

Anyway, this point is ultimately academic because I have as much faith in selection committee as i do in the BCS divesting themselves of power by allowing mid majors into the dance.

by Rocket Ship Science on Sep 16, 2009 3:00 PM EDT reply actions

I can't back this up at all

but every time I read something by this Luke Winn guy, be it power rankings or some other article, I feel like he really dislikes the ’cuse. Like, significant bias…

by keithk on Sep 16, 2009 5:12 PM EDT reply actions

This makes no logical sense. “You play in a stadium five hours away but in your home state so it’s really a home game! And you are playing another team 2 hours away from their campus but in their home state, so it isn’t really a home game for them!” What? You can have one but not both.

by Orange22 on Sep 16, 2009 5:14 PM EDT reply actions

bull.

its OK to call the florida game “neutral site” but the MSG game(s) are “home”…florida is as much home in tampa…bull. none of it matters anyway…the slates are clean when big east play starts.

by kingofhoboken on Sep 16, 2009 8:42 PM EDT reply actions