All You Need To Know About Cuse Coach in Waiting

[RDF]

Just received my Basketball Times today--and in it is Dick "Hoops" Weiss' column which features an update with Mike Hopkins--former Cuse player, current assistant, and next in line to take over for Boeheim. Well Hopkins recalled his first memory of Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim when he was 13 years old and watching Cuse host Hoyas in 1985.

"The game had just started when a Syracuse fan threw an orange from the 3rd deck that splattered onto the glass backboard as Patrick Ewing was at the line.

Hopkins comments: "I remember he had to go over and tell the fans, 'We don't want this. I don't want this. They're going to tech' me up.' I'm thinking 'Yeah, right.' From that moment on I became a Syracuse fan".

So what is this guy saying? Is he saying he liked Syracuse because they had racist fans who held up bananas, threw oranges at Ewing/Hoyas--who Pops took off the court when this happened, and he liked them BECAUSE OF THIS? Well--nice to see the character of person who is ready to take over there.

Looks like the rivalry will only grow to another level. I've read this comment about 10 times and I still dont' understand why he'd use that example as to how he became a fan of the Orangemen? Does he realize what was really going on with the fans/GU? Or is he thinking that is cool? I don't know--but it didn't impress me as being the type of thing a future Head Coach should talk about as being an "attraction" to a school-and for those unfamiliar with Hopkins--he's got the kind of face that looks like a guy who would approve of that behavior.

Can't spell HopKins without emphasizing the "K"--so maybe he'll be the new Coach K--except we can add 2 more to add the emphasis.

[EasyEd]

Easy - it says he was impressed that Boeheim would defend Ewing in front of Syracuse fans. He's not defending the fan.

[hoyalove4ever]

The comment is vague and odd. It is unclear what exactly he means. I agree that it is a weird thing to say attracted you to become a fan.

[LizziebethHoya]

ed said:

Easy - it says he was impressed that Boeheim would defend Ewing in front of Syracuse fans. He's not defending the fan.

I don't think he was defending Ewing. He just wanted the fan to behave so he didn't get in trouble.

[theexorcist]

The thing that seems to matter is the "Yeah, right". Boeheim, obviously ever the gentleman, heads over and gets people to do the right thing and appeals to their baser nature by focusing on winning and losing and saying he'll get thrown out.

Of course, Hopkins is positive that Boeheim will never get thrown out because he is Boeheim.

And so there you have it. You become an Orange fan if you like playing in arenas where fans throw things on the court and if you consider Jim Boeheim to be a living god.

[hoyalove4ever]

Good analysis- that seems about right.

[Boz]

Mike Hopkins was a Syracuse fan, played for Syracuse and coaches at Syracuse.

I need no other reasons to despise him.

[JimmyHoya]

ed said:

Easy - it says he was impressed that Boeheim would defend Ewing in front of Syracuse fans. He's not defending the fan.

But shouldn't that make you a Boeheim fan, but not a Syracuse fan? Who would want to play for those people, if in fact he didn't like the orange tossing?

I don't want to jump to call him a racist, he might have just liked the rabid nature of the fans, but he's surely a jackass.

Very bad quote.

[lichoya68]

yes go hoyas eat up and feast on the big east especially syracuse and uconn too yes its 2008 will be great and part of 2007 we will thank heaven go hoyas

[balla]

I wonder if Mike Hopkins will maintain Boehiem's "GREAT" track record for graduating black athletes???

[Hoyaholic]

RDF - I have read a lot of irrational interpretations of quotes on this board (and probably posted a few myself), but yours takes the cake. So let me try to follow your logic:

1) Fan throws orange 20 years ago
2) Syracuse coach (rightfully) tell fans to knock it off
3) 13-year-old Mike Hopkins, at his first basketball game, thinks the coach handles the situation well, and becomes a fan.
4) Other fans, at different times, held up bananas to taunt Pat Ewing. (Note: This is not at all mentioned in young Mr. Hopkins' reasons for becoming a SU fan)
5) Therefore, you imply that Mike Hopkins is a member of (or at least sympathetic to) the Ku Klux Klan.

Did I get that right?

[Hoya50]

balla said:

I wonder if Mike Hopkins will maintain Boehiem's "GREAT" track record for graduating black athletes???

reading crap like this makes my blood boil. students are responsible for graduating, not coaches (unless a student plays for a clem haskins type). a coach can look the other way when it comes to grades and playing ball, but it is still the student's job to graduate.

like many of you, i worked my entire college career and footed my own bill. if someone told me that i could get a free ride to a great university and play basketball in front of thousands of people in a top conference, i would have signed that contract in blood and busted my arse to get the best education possible.

i think graduation rates are the biggest farce going. coaches don't take exams and write papers, students do. if students don't want to take advantage of a great situation, that is their responsibility and prerogative.

[hoyalove4ever]

The question is this: why did Boeheim's manner of handling of that ugly, ugly situation override the underlying situation itself to Hopkins? What an awful spectacle: fans throwing fruit at Patrick. What the heck could Boeheim say to them? "Aim better next time!" Seriously, you would hope that would be a sad moment in SU hoops history. The quote by Hopkins is very sentimental- as if it was a proud moment. That's what is so strange.

[hoyalove4ever]

Gotta respectfully disagree, Hoya50. A coach's job is to control his players to the extent possible and to have them represent the school in a positive manner in every aspect of their lives. The coach has the ability and responsibility to monitor academic progress and, when necessary, intervene to promote success.

A good coach doesn't just say, "Wow, you're behind in your classes. Better work harder." A good coach gets to the bottom of the situation and does everything possible to correct it.

That is not to say that every time a player fails to graduate that the coach has failed. However, low graduation rates over a long period of time do reflect very poorly on a coach. It shows that he is failing to help his players succeed in the most important aspect of their college career.

[SFHoya99]

hoya50 said:

balla said:

I wonder if Mike Hopkins will maintain Boehiem's "GREAT" track record for graduating black athletes???

reading crap like this makes my blood boil. students are responsible for graduating, not coaches (unless a student plays for a clem haskins type). a coach can look the other way when it comes to grades and playing ball, but it is still the student's job to graduate.

like many of you, i worked my entire college career and footed my own bill. if someone told me that i could get a free ride to a great university and play basketball in front of thousands of people in a top conference, i would have signed that contract in blood and busted my arse to get the best education possible.

i think graduation rates are the biggest farce going. coaches don't take exams and write papers, students do. if students don't want to take advantage of a great situation, that is their responsibility and prerogative.

Whil I somewhat agree, when there is a systematic breakdown of the system, you have to question something more than the players.

1) Did Boeheim recruit only guys who didn't want to go to class?
2) Was there any support structure for them?
3) Did Boeheim encourage or discourage schoolwork? Did Boeheim want Melo in the gym or in the classroom?

I find it hard to believe that for ten years or so, no African-American basketball player at Syracuse wanted to graduate.

[balla]

hoya50 said:

balla said:

I wonder if Mike Hopkins will maintain Boehiem's "GREAT" track record for graduating black athletes???

reading crap like this makes my blood boil. students are responsible for graduating, not coaches (unless a student plays for a clem haskins type). a coach can look the other way when it comes to grades and playing ball, but it is still the student's job to graduate.

like many of you, i worked my entire college career and footed my own bill. if someone told me that i could get a free ride to a great university and play basketball in front of thousands of people in a top conference, i would have signed that contract in blood and busted my arse to get the best education possible.

i think graduation rates are the biggest farce going. coaches don't take exams and write papers, students do. if students don't want to take advantage of a great situation, that is their responsibility and prerogative.

Wrong. It is a coaches responsiblity to make sure that a STUDENT-ATHLETE is working towards their degree. That is why the NCAA is finally linking graduation with scholarships. Boehiem has failed African American STUDENT ATHLETES.

[RDF]

Well--I just find it beyond ODD that out of all the Syracuse Moments--and great players/games--that he chooses that MOMENT to be fan--and the "yeah right" comment is what I didn't get--is he saying Boeheim really didn't give a crap what happened and was just appeasing the rules? Or was he saying that he didn't think Boeheim could control the crowd?

Either way--considering what would happen when Georgetown would be on the road in Big East in those days--I think a future Head Coach would go into further detail as to why he enjoyed that moment--considering most of us grew up in that era as well and knew what was going on. Let's put it this way Len Berman and Bill Rafferty didn't find it as a "great moment".

Hopkins wasn't in Syracuse--he was home in California watching.
Maybe he was really in love with the Dome Ranger or liked how their fans held up bananas and gorilla/ape signs that were in section that person threw the orange. If you really want to be impressed--how about a coach of an OPPOSING team demanding that teams won't take court until crap like that is removed from facility? Or better yet, how do signs like that get into the place to begin with?

As a fan who grew up in the ESPN/Big East era--I know what game Mikey was referring too--and there was a hell of a lot more to be impressed with then that moment--which was garbage.

[Elvado]

I think it's great that at age 13, Hopkins was inspired by bigotry and ignorance.

Those qualities certainly must have informed his decision to attend that cow pasture they call a University.

[hoya4ever]

I think when he said "Yeah, Right!" it was Hopkins's reaction to Boeheim taking action. As if saying "Yeah [coach], Right [on]" or "[That's] Right"

[RDF]

hoya4ever said:

I think when he said "Yeah, Right!" it was Hopkins's reaction to Boeheim taking action. As if saying "Yeah [coach], Right [on]" or "[That's] Right"

Well part of being a coach at a major university is in how you deal with press--and as you can see--this comment can be taken many different ways--and it's an odd example to give to people as to how you became a fan of the program. Sometimes it's best to think before you speak. There is a difference in being a fan and being involved at a college institution. Hopkins is also known for speaking before he thinks or has entire story--see his comments about Jeff Green being an Orangemen prior to Jeff passing SAT's and ending up at GU.