In Defense of Antonio Jardine
by YodaWore44 on Mar 23, 2011 7:55 PM EDT
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PrintIn light of today's tweets that Jade Scorpion will be returning, I thought I would take this opportunity to offer my rebuttal to the negative comments and stupidity that will surely follow this announcement. First, let me state my opinion clearly. In no way, shape or form would Syracuse be a better team next year without Scoop Jardine. Now for the why. Let's look at the typical Scoop-bashing comment one may hear on the radio or read on many a blog:
"Syracuse would be a better team if Scoop would just run the point! He tries to do to much! He makes such idiotic decisions! He is Scooooopid!!!"
Yes. Syracuse would be a better team if Scoop would just run the point. However, this Orange squad is not put together in such a way that allows him to do that. This year, Scoop was asked to keep his dribble for up to 20 seconds at the top of the offense while KrisJo and Triche ran off screens trying to get open. If they failed, Scoop's next option was to dribble to one side of the court and try to dump it down to RIck Jackson who was double teamed because the Orange have no other inside threat. Once options a and b fail, Scoop is then was asked to penetrate and get to the rim where he could dump it off to ...I'm not sure who. If all else fails, Scoop can always jack up a deep three as the shot clock goes off.
The Orange simply do not have another player who can keep their dribble against pressure while remaining a scoring threat. "But Yoda", you say, "Brandon Triche played point guard last year. Give him the ball". Yes- Brandon Triche can hold his own against pressure, but he hasn't proven that he can consistently break down defenders with the dribble and get to the rim (without charging, landing on his hip and sitting out the rest of the biggest game of the year). "But Yoda", you say, "Give Kris Joseph the ball". Yes- Kris Joseph can break down defenders off the dribble, but he hasn't proven he can handle the ball against pressure while creating for others. In fact, he had fewer assists than Rick Jackson and committed the second most turnovers on the team.
Lastly, you stay classy Syracuse. Like it or not, Scoop is the face of the Orange right now. He has been the most accessible Orange Man for the past three years and, by all accounts, bleeds Orange more than any one of us on this blog does. He is not DeShaun Williams, Eric Devendorf or even Paul Harris. Criticize his play if you wish. Mock his propensity for cheesesteaks and Chipotle if you must. But let him play ball- he has earned that much.
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+1
High profile position, not enough help – you nailed it. He’s improved a bunch in his time here. Anyone remember his shot mechanics his freshman year? I’m going with the sunny side and looking for another step forward next year.
Best post I've seen since Sunday night
I do kind of disagree with him being the face of the Orange though. Actually, you’re right that he is, but I don’t want him to think. I want him to have the same thought process he had last year when he wasn’t a good 6th man, but at worst the second best 6th man (arguably behind Kris) in the nation.
Glad you’re staying Scoop. You deserve a Senior Night here.
This year, Scoop was asked to keep his dribble for up to 20 seconds at the top of the offense while KrisJo and Triche ran off screens trying to get open. If they failed, Scoop’s next option was to dribble to one side of the court and try to dump it down to RIck Jackson who was double teamed because the Orange have no other inside threat. Once options a and b fail, Scoop is then was asked to penetrate and get to the rim where he could dump it off to …I’m not sure who. If all else fails, Scoop can always jack up a deep three as the shot clock goes off.
Let’s hope never to have another offense like that again. Cause what you wrote was the ugly ass truth. Unfortunately though, how is the offense going to drastically improve next year again? I guess maybe Waiters might be the next offensive threat, but besdies him, where is this offense potential next year.
Is the offense going to look just as stagnant next year? Someone please come up with some other scenario.
Go Orange(men)!
While everyone talks about the jump Fab, Keita, Triche, etc. have to make I think the biggest we’ll see is Waiters. I love what I saw Sunday night from him, and he’s more than capable of doing that on a regular basis IMO. I also think Cooney can be a better version of when Andy was younger and coming off the bench as a 3 point threat..
no doubt
waiters is going to be a star. hopefully it happens in 2011-12 rather than 2012-13, but he is definitely going to be a legit star player.
and yes, a reliable spot-up s-shooter would have totally changed the game this season. triche or cooney or somebody needs to bring that threat that andy (and wes) brought.
cj, kris, and the big men will definitely improve over the off-season, so we’ll be in better shape down low.
for as much as the marquette loss stung (prtty bad), i am really looking forward to next season…
BK: This guy is on fire, he is really smokin'.
KenKo: Oh yeah, Bill? What's he smokin'?
Yeah, I'm not banking on Fab, Keita or Triche
My hopes rely on Waiters and CJ.Waiters on offense and CJ on hustle/defense.
Go Orange(men)!
it happens
Unfortunately though, how is the offense going to drastically improve next year again?
Every year, like clockwork, on every team, someone improves and impresses people.
I've been involved in a number of cults, both as a leader and a follower. You have more fun as a follower. But you make more money as a leader.
You mean like this year???
which the “step up” didn’t really happen. Triche showed signs, but was vacant in the tourney. Scoop stayed Scoop, Kris went forward trying to showcase his NBA game and not his college game, the only one I can see is RJ….and he got better numbers because he was the only true big man. His hands were STILL an issue, the weight loss helped, but by the end of the year he looked really slow.
Tell me where the improvement was form last year to this year.
Go Orange(men)!
Yeah, that summation of the offence they were running
was textbook. The only problem was Rick would get double teamed and Kris was having trouble making his own shot, and a lot of times it came down to Scoop making that desperation drive or jacking up the 3.
I think the upset people felt was usually when he would jack that 3 with 25 seconds left on the shot clock or turnover some poor inbound pass.
Triche was unsteady but got better at the perimeter. This team actually did a hell of a lot better than I thought they would last year. They ended with a damn good record, got to the tourney and lost to a better BE team.
It is kind of funny: We never lost to a non-conference team all year. ha!
I just figured you were posting from Canada
I just wanna tell you both good luck, and we're all counting on you.
Scoop drives me crazy
But there has to be a reason that Boeheim doesn’t give him the Paul Harris treatment, and it’s probably because he knows that Scoop is the best option he has for leadership, running the point, etc. I think Boeheim knows that he asked him to do maybe a little too much this year, but on the flip side, he had no choice.
"(BARF)" - Donovan McNabb, during his game winning drive against Virginia Tech in 1998
Yea...
Scoop frustrates me. A lot. But he is talented and he obviously cares. He also is probably our PG option right now. My preference would be for MCW to get a proper chance at the spot in case he can handle it. I loved Scoop in the 6th man role, but his decisions making leaves a lot to be desired for a starting PG. I like Scoop and I’m glad he’s coming back; I just don’t think he had the kind of season to be granted the starting role without question.
I agree
But there is no excuse for his mental mistakes. Missing shots is understandable. Taking dumb shots is not. If a good defender steals the ball… that’s life. Making a lazy pass is not.
As Dan Hawkins once suggested… this is Division I basketball… “this aint intramurals, brother”… if you want to play in the limelight, you need to play smarter.
The upshot is that, hopefully, next year we will have so much depth at guard that the mental mistakes are not tolerated. Scoop can dictate how much or low little he plays by how smart he plays.
Dictated, but not read.
Great Post and I will add...
There are 6 types of players:
1. The guy everyone knows will have the ball in his hands in crunch time. (This guy wasn’t on the Syracuse basketball team this past season.)
2. The guy who wants to have the ball in crunch time. (Scoop Jardine)
3. The guy who wants to want to have the ball in crunch time. (Kris Joseph)
4. The guy who should have the ball in crunch time if he wants it, but he doesn’t want it or he’s afraid of it. (Brandon Triche for most of the season)
5. The guy who clearly should not have the ball in crunch time. (The remainder of the team, although you can make a case that CJ Fair hit some clutch shots)
For those that hate on Scoop, they believe he’s #5. He’s not. He makes some terrible decisions, forces some terrible shots, has terrible turnovers, but so did Andy Rautins and Gerry McNamerra. The difference between Scoop and Gerry is that Scoop’s skill set still isn’t doesn’t make him a #1 guy the way Gerry’s and Andy’s skill sets did… namely they could flat out shoot in crunch time.
For those that think Scoop regressed this year, I think Yoda hit it on the head, he was asked to do much more with much less. As for next year, my hope is that Scoop improves his decision-making. That may not happen. BUT… if Joseph or Triche becomes that #1 guy like both of them are fully capable of being, Scoop doesn’t have to be the guy and can just focus on running the offense.
One final thought. Imagine Triche next season with Scoop’s confidence… he would be incredible and clearly our #1 guy that we were missing this season.
For real-time 'Cuse banter, check me out at: http://twitter.com/#!/TeabagDunk
*5 types of players... not sure why I wrote 6
For real-time 'Cuse banter, check me out at: http://twitter.com/#!/TeabagDunk
by I miss DIAP! on Mar 24, 2011 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions
since you brought up Rautins
I think people tend to forget that he was usually good for a couple WTF passes for turnovers per game his senior year.
I just wanna tell you both good luck, and we're all counting on you.
this
seriously, there were at least 1-2 facepalms every game from andy last year, often coming in the 2nd half. andy got a lot of slack from the fanbase, partially because the team was just so good that they overcame it.
if scoop limits the early 3s, makes a normal progression in his game (decision-making in general), and the rest of the team also improves, he will be 1st-team all BE, possibly more.
BK: This guy is on fire, he is really smokin'.
KenKo: Oh yeah, Bill? What's he smokin'?
Because Rautins was never a point guard
He’s supposed to be a SG. He picked up the PG role because NO ONE else on the team could do it (and no one on the team STILL can’t do it).
His PG game last year was better than Triche or Scoop’s current PG game.
Go Orange(men)!
To follow up on the Rautins comparison
This is from Donna Ditota’s chat today:
Scoop this year had 205 assists and 100 turnovers. Andy Rautins last year had 171 assists and 98 turnovers. My point is that both guys took chances with the ball. Both guys tried to make plays. And both of them – I bet this will surprise you — shot about 37 percent from 3-point range in Big East games.
That's insane
Fact, not opinion?
Say Hey-o on Twitter! @RenegadePumpkin
by TheRenegadePumpkin on Mar 24, 2011 9:35 PM EDT up reply actions
That's not the numbers I am seeing:
Scoop (’11): 3pt FG: 52 for 148 = .351 // 1.18 PPS
Rautins (’10): 3pt FG: 86 for 217 = .396 // 1.43 PPS
Soooooooooooooooooo yeah, keep comparing the two.
Go Orange(men)!
i think Andy's biggest contribution was defense and as a leader
and Scoop doesn’t come close in the intangibles and I haven’t been terribly impressed with his defense. Only comparing offensive numbers isn’t the full picture
"We don't lose hat and t-shirt games" - Tedy Bruschi
Scoop: http://espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=36584
Andy: http://espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=27189
The Assists and Turnovers were accurate. The 3pt% seems to be from Andy’s junior year.
Indefensible
He lacks leadership, maturity, unselfishness, intelligence, and, most of all, the four year progression you would expect to see in a player that is boys with Rick Jackson. Maybe he was asked to do things he otherwise would not have done but Boeheim didn’t ask him to do alot of the things that he did either.
What seperates the haves from the have-nots is embracing the bigger role when called upon. As a score first point guard you know he was licking his lips preseason, salivating over the opportunity, and he failed miserably. What we just witnessed says less about this year and more about the previous three. You can talk about shot mechanics and baby fat all you want but had he been committed and progressed the way he should have this thread wouldn’t exist.
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