I think UNC is listed as the home team for this one but this is essentially a road game. Syracuse will have plenty of backing in the crowd seeing they are from New York plus they play fairly well at Madison Square Garden, especially in 6OT games or when they sucked all regular season long and need an automatic bid for the NCAA Tournament. It should be noted the last time UNC lost to a non-conference foe was over forty games and three years ago on this very floor. Then it was Gonzaga whom UNC exacted revenge against in the Sweet Sixteen last March by running over them in that 18 wheeler meets grape sort of way. If it’s all the same I would prefer to have this one end with no need to seek out future revenge opportunities.
Then again, seeing the UNC’s schedule a win would be a huge bonus and in many ways a loss really would not matter. This is the learning stage of the season, as long as the Heels get better by March a loss would only be an annoyance, like the ACC Semifinals in a championship season.
Comments if you have ‘em.
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I will just say that to people who expect this team to be like last years team, we know that there are going to be rough games for this team that is a work in progress. It’s not always going to be a thing of beauty when you play good teams.
well, that’s it I’m afraid — plenty to learn from and at least a couple things build on from the game though
Ya’ll are free to leave the wagon any time you like. But this team is gonna be fun to watch this year. And they will drive you bananas at the same time. It’s a great time to be a Tar Heel fan.
“I will say again that playing bad doesn’t equal no effort. They wouldn’t be back in striking distance if they didn’t care, and that’s a big damn accusation to say that about an athlete, and especially your team.”
+1000
I think the level of meltdown is what is shocking here. Struggling is one thing but that first ten minutes of the first half was so incredibly bad. They had four airballs in that span.
Every game this year the 2nd half effort has not matched the 1st half effort. Every game. Now, hopefully they will understand that against good teams that will kill you.
Tonight reminds me of the USC game from the 2005-06 season. World didn’t end after that game, either. Though I think a few lunches were lost at the next couple of practices…
It’s funny how some people are so touchy about accusations that pampered athletes might not be giving full effort. The contrast between the guys who are and aren’t ought to be enough evidence therein…giving up 9 points in 40 seconds (6 minute mark or so) isn’t evident of defensive effort.
Missing shots is missing shots…boneheaded plays here and there are anomalies for everyone. Standing around watching your teammates play defense, hustle for boards, meet the ball on passes etc etc is laziness. If Roy can be quoted as saying that he shouldn’t have to coach effort, then I certainly feel comfortable paraphrasing him.
Again: this team will have to man up and grow some guts (and ball handling…) and toughness and start playing to their potential. Roy can succeed in that, and Ginyard can lead the team in that way; his example is a clear positive.
If I were apathetic about the team, then I’d never cricitize their effort etc. Sorta like the highest form of patriotism is expecting more of your country…that’s how I feel–to an obviously lesser extent and importance–about this team and my warranted criticisms of their effort and play.
I refuse to condescend to see this team through Carolina-blue tinted glasses.
Yeah but they are kids THF. A very inexperienced team playing in Syracuse’s back yard. Didn’t we all hope for a 1-1 split in MSG? Well we got it.
****** whuppins can be a positive thing. Dean’s teams sure had enough of em.
JUST A REMINDER. Of how we do things here and handle games like this.
http://www.tarheelfanblog.com/2009/01/about-last-night/
This team came out to start the half looking confused, and out of their element. That might have something to do with no one on the team playing the same role they had last year. The same thing that made us look bad in the last few minutes last night is what hurt us in the second half here. that won’t always be the case.
Man, I NEVER thought I’d have to read that post again 4 games after a National Championship…
This was a reality check. Assuming that at least one of our big men learns how to play physical basketball (which didn’t happen tonight) we might have a top 10 frontcourt. But our top 10 backcourt ain’t getting here until next year. Until then this will be an incomplete team. The zone defense we saw tonight is what everybody is going to be using against us now. Better study the film and figure out how to attack it (Davis shooting more then passing would be a good start…)
“Man, I NEVER thought I’d have to read that post again 4 games after a National Championship…”
You would think…but yet here we are.
Well John if you think they are so pampered and don’t care and aren’t giving effort feel free to watch another team.
like i said, two nights ago, i’d have been fine with 1-1 on this trip.
and tonight, i’m still fine with it.
And I thought I’d never have to see a team loaf that abysmally after seeing their classmates show them how hard work wins games.
Losing the game isn’t the problem. Losing embarrassingly to a good team that played reasonably well (the stats aren’t out of this world for the ‘cuse) in this fashion is the problem. The lack of guts, intensity, and character from the majority of guys out there is the issue…this team can play well and still lose. Or, this team can play like they don’t give a rip for 2/3 of the game and perform well below their potential and lose far more than they should.
Since when did we Carolina fans become such Pollyannas?
Yes, they’ll be fine…right when they listen to what Roy says and play with 1/10th of the intensity and drive with which he coaches.
Edit: in fairness, I must mention the positives of improved FT shooting and rebounding edge. Of course, that we can outrebound a good opponent who shoots 40% from the stripe and still get run out of the building is a touch of grey to that silver lining too…
And with that I’ll apologize to the board, THF, and JBB. I still agree with you as much as possible, JBB, but I responded more harshly than I should have.
And I don’t tend to question what guys bring to the table, especially their effort because I am not out there, can’t do what they do and don’t make the sacrifices they make over the course of many years to be there. Roy will deal with them. If they are not playing up to snuff then you can believe their life in practice will be a living hell until they figure it out. But as a fan and as someone who has 1/10000000th the talent on the basketball court these guys have I am not going to rip them.
“like i said, two nights ago, i’d have been fine with 1-1 on this trip. and tonight, i’m still fine with it.”
I had the same feeling. Admittedly, I had hoped the one loss wouldn’t come against Syracuse, but that’s just because I live in Upstate NY and have to deal with all their fans garbage now. Kind of like what the NC peeps have to deal with every time NC St. get its once-a-decade win…
Tough loss…it stings. Roy is on it, case closed.
and yeah, Marcus, they’re damn sure playing soft and pampered, especially down low. No excuse for that kind of weak play on the blocks. I expect more from their potential…you can play hard and still miss shots and get bad breaks. This ain’t about missing shots and bad breaks. It’s about playing tough and doing the gutsy things you do when the shots aren’t falling.
I again wonder why some folks are so touchy about questioning the clear lack of effort among some of our guys…I question them because I know they’re capable of better, not because I’m interested in kissing asses.
Nonetheless, I follow the Heels because I’m an alum and am usually more proud of the way they play the game than anything else–win or lose. I don’t want to see that slip with this team.
i was impressed with Wear, i think it was mostly Travis, calmly knocking down a shot or two there at the end of the Syracuse flurry. and David’s 3.
Someone tell Zeller it’s OK if he takes his bra and panties off before he plays a basketball game.
The progression continues. And this butt kicking will hopefully help with that development.
Carolina showed good toughness cutting a 20pt deficit to 8pts, but then bad defense and a turnover in consecutive possessions, both by Ed Davis, killed the momentum. And then Strickland (he will improve and once he gets comfortable in his skin as a PG watch out) entered the game and as usual the offense went into the crapper. Good humbling experience for the Heels, watching film of the first 10mins and then the next 5mins of the 2nd half should be an eye opener.
Just went from a roller coaster high last night to a low today, which is expected, but everyone better get in their shots within the next month because by the end of January no one will want to play the boys from Chapel Hill. I don’t think this team will start many halves going 1-14 for the rest of the season.
JBB, the last thing that I will say, is that I think that you are drawing way too many conclusions about this team based on one ten minute stretch. Was it there worst ten minute stretch of the year to this point? Yes. Can you draw any lasting conclusions from it? I would say no. Perhaps we will all feel a bit differently when we’ve gotten some distance from this game.
no offense taken, and certainly no apology needed, Marcus.
We all want the best for the team; we just come at it from different angles.
Roy is indeed on it; he’s certainly got more insights that I’ll ever have on how to fix the problem.
____________________________________________________
and THF, questioning the effort of guys 10000x times more talented than I am is not a problem, because I’m not questioning their abilities, which is what makes it so maddening. Talent isn’t part of the equation. I suppose we just fundamentally disagree; I believe that it is cosmically conceivable that our guys won’t always play with as much heart, soul, and passion as they could and should. Do you not agree?
Beating OSU last night didn’t win us a ring. Losing to Syracuse tonight didn’t lose us one.
“Since when did we Carolina fans become such Pollyannas?”
There is a huge difference between, “not being a Pollyanna” and taking an off-the-cuff shots at a teenagers character for which one couldn’t possibly have any legitimate basis.
UNC got beat down far worse than this in the 2008 Final Four and a lot of people made the same remarks that that team had a “lack of guts, intensity, and character…” Well, that same team came back and ran roughshod over did entire country last year? Did they magically obtain “guts, intensity, and character,” over the summer?
No, of course not, they always had them.
If one game defines a persons “guts, intensity, and character,” then I am screwed…
i had hoped we could have held out until the michigan st. game.texas will be ugly.the worst part is the media will now slay the heels and run them down(goodman especially) all the while praising duke.lots of work to do in chapel thrill.
1. Ed Davis needs to become a man. Now. If he is going to be considered the “man”, it’s time for him to play like it.
2. I knew this day was going to come. I’d like to introduce what I call the “Post-Hansbrough Syndrome” or PHS for short. I can’t recall how many times during the last 4 seasons that the Heels found themselves on the wrong end of mini-6 or 8 point run and we ran to Tyler for a guaranteed bucket or free-throws (which were virtually guaranteed too). I thought, when he is gone, we sure better have somebody to rely on like that. Watching tonight’s game, it’s evident that we do not and will not unless Ed Davis gets a fire under his ******. I mean, I can appreciate how even keel he appears to be at times, but damn I wish he would dunk on somebody and scream about it. Even Hansbrough got pissed off from time to time and showed it. PHS. It’s happening.
3. I thought Henson was going to be an immediate impact. Like he would actually play and show NBA skills impact.
Is this the worse REGULAR season loss (meaning outside KU in the FF) in Roy William’s tenure?
no, they didn’t magically gain guts, but they learned and evolved to play to their potential, which is indicative of the trio I mentioned. Such is what I expect will happen with this team, overrated as they are, after a winter of practice with Coach Williams.
This team will develop some toughness and heart as a collective unit–too few individuals now have it–eventually, I have little doubt.
“i had hoped we could have held out until the michigan st. game.texas will be ugly.”
That is a load of crap, besides the first 5mins of the 1st half and the first 10min of the 2nd half of this game, Carolina has improved game by game and minute by minute, and will continue to do so.
They will at list split with MSU and Texas, and will go at least 2-1 through the MSU, Kentucky, and Texas stretch. Want to wager?
@scl11 – I can’t think of another one that looked this bad.
“Is this the worse REGULAR season loss (meaning outside KU in the FF) in Roy William’s tenure?”
Yes. Lost by 15 at USC during Tyler’s freshman year, and 18 versus KU.
Think about that. In 5+ years, UNC has only had 3 losses by 15+ points, and none by 20.
Let’s not forget, MSU and UK haven’t exactly lit the world on fire this season.
I tend to look at it this way, for the first 5min of the first half and the first 10min of the second half, Carolina can’t play any worse and Syracuse can’t play any better. But who has more potential to improve from now until March?
‘Let’s not forget, MSU and UK haven’t exactly lit the world on fire this season.”
Exactly, would we feel any better if this as 5pt loss? A loss is a loss. And this loss (along with the Vandy scrimmage) was another slap in the face, but this 16pt loss is more of a punch in the nuts. Again, this humbling experience will make the listening in practice and attention to detail more imperative for this group, and only good things can come from that….
i believe we will win the kentucky game.i think michigan states guards are better.who is gonna bang with dexter pittman of texas?i would be happy with wins in those games,but the matchups are in their favor.and no,i dont wager.
2-1 total vs Michigan St, Texas and Kentucky? The AP #2 #3 and #4? If we do that we’ll show that we’re basically as good as anybody in the country.
This early in the season, I won’t be unhappy, or surprised, with a single win in those three games…
Some thoughts:
1. It’s not enough to say that the sky isn’t falling. That’s not the question. The question is whether this games augurs trouble for the future. It does.
2. The trouble specifically is playing against an athletic team with a zone defense. When your guards aren’t good enough to get the ball inside, and you don’t have relialbe outside scoring, you’re in for trouble. We saw the results tonight.
3. We are nonetheless good enough to overcome our weaknesses with the kind of effort we got in the first half.
4. In the second half, we came out not ready to play. This was not like our other second halves this year, in which we merely seemed content to battle on even terms with inferior teams. Repeated air balls and turnovers every other play are a sign of something more troubling than that.
I have very seldom seen a Carolina basketball team come out not ready to play. I wonder if something happened at halftime that we haven’t heard about.
5. It’s not just that, in those dreadful first ten minutes after halftime, we had neither an offense nor a defense. It’s that we had no star to lead us out of it. It’s great to have 11 or 12 talented players, which we do, but you can’t underestimate the value of someone the team can look to, and look up to, when things are grim.
Ginyard has the character for it but not the talent. So I think we’re stuck until someone else shows up, and right now I have no clue as to who that would be.
6. It’s also insufficient to say we’ll trust Roy. Of course we’ll trust him, first because he’s earned it, and second because we have no choice. But the players have to more than listen to him. They have to INTERNALIZE what he’s saying. The team I saw in the first ten minutes of the second half has done no such thing.
7. In addition to more creative guard play and better outside shooting, we need strength and toughness inside. We have height, but that’s not enough. We need muscle. Hansbrough is gone and left us grieving. All our big men need to get to the weight room, and all of them need to get mean. You would think they would have learned more from Hansbrough’s example.
8. About the only bright side I saw tonight was that the Wear brothers can play. They have both maturity and talent. This is a pleasant surprise. Right now I’d say they’re markedly better than Henson or Strickland, who were more sought after in high school.
9. We will lose again this year, a number of times. No disgrace in that with a team this young. But I very much hope we won’t be embarrassed, as we were tonight.
I’m 100% behind these guys. They will learn from this (and maybe so will we)……….. They will be fun to watch, and I look forward to every ballgame. I look forward to seeing them improve and develop, which they will. If you want to whine about something go buy a red hat with a wild dog on it.
well put rath.
i thought it was a dark blue hat with a d……
esheel31 — Thanks!
Wilf — I don’t think it’s whining to point out deficiencies that were there for all to see, most unfortunately including the Syracuse players, and to think about what might be needed to correct them.