Did Syracuse’s hot start last year lead to the late-season swoon? Jim Boeheim took the podium¬†at ACC Media Days, and admitted big heads and over-inflated confidence can lead a team to think they’re better than they are. So getting on the floor and having some early losses is actually very beneficial.
“We had a great start, but we were really winning games by the thinnest of margins against everybody. Not just the good teams.
You really don’t about your players, until they come together in competition.¬†And its always good for players to see that. Because players think they’re good. That’s why losses really help you more than wins. When players win games they think they’re good. When they lose they look in the mirror they look in the mirror and realize they need to do something to get better.”
Boeheim was alluding to the white hot start Syracuse got off to last season, which may have led to unrealistic expectations in March. The Orange was the #1 team in the country, and pulling off late miracles and close wins. But apparently that got into their heads a little.
Most Orange fans knew some of that was fool’s gold, and SU couldn’t keep pulling out wins in all those dramatic ways. But while it seemed like the Orange had started running out of gas late in the season, it’s interesting to hear Boeheim admit the early success and some arrogance may have been the real reason for the poor final month.
Posted: D.A.
