Boeheim Retiring in 3 Years

[Native]

Just announced. (https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/578207828030132224) Not very tactful to do this three years out, is it? What's the point of announcing this now?

[kAzE]

Yeah this seems really dumb . . . now recruits will stay away, knowing that a coaching change would happen during their tenure on the team. Unless he has an A+ guy already lined up for the job, I don't see this announcement helping their program in any way. This soon after being handed NCAA sanctions, it's like he's admitting defeat. Not a good look.

[juise]

My first thought is that three years should get him to 1000 wins including the vacated ones or past Knight if those wins are excluded. I agree that the announcement is odd and could affect his ability to hit those milestones.

[Tom B.]

Yeah this seems really dumb . . . now recruits will stay away, knowing that a coaching change would happen during their tenure on the team. Unless he has an A+ guy already lined up for the job, I don't see this announcement helping their program in any way. This soon after being handed NCAA sanctions, it's like he's admitting defeat. Not a good look.

The guy's 70, so he's already facing questions about how long he's going to stick around. This allows him to say, "I'll stay here long enough to get us through the sanctions and right the ship," while putting a succession plan in place. It wouldn't surprise me if they now move sometime in the next year or so to put a designated successor-in-waiting in place as his lead assistant, like Michigan State did with Tom Izzo when Jud Heathcoate started planning to retire, so he can reassure future recruits regarding the program's continuity after he's gone.

[Troublemaker]

I think Syracuse kind of already has a coach-in-waiting in Mike Hopkins: http://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/index.ssf/2013/09/syracuse_basketball_assistant_1.html

Although obviously Hopkins' pursuit of the USC job means that there's nothing binding about his status.

[Olympic Fan]

I thought that long-time assistant Mike Hopkins had long been designated "coach-in-waiting"

[andyw715]

This might align with SU's appeal.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Yeah this seems really dumb . . . now recruits will stay away, knowing that a coaching change would happen during their tenure on the team. Unless he has an A+ guy already lined up for the job, I don't see this announcement helping their program in any way. This soon after being handed NCAA sanctions, it's like he's admitting defeat. Not a good look.

Well, with the level of uncertainty around the program, I see it making sense. There's been open discussion about whether he would be back next year or not. This at least alleviates that.

[SCMatt33]

I'm betting this is designed to keep Hopkins from jumping ship. The coach-in-waiting thing has been done more in football than basketball, but we've seen at time over there that without a clearer timeline, the coach might bolt (a la Will Muschamp and Texas). Having the coach in waiting also allows this announcement to be made, and still be palatable to recruits, who will probably be heavily recruited by Hopkins more as time goes on. It also allows Boeheim to retire a year earlier than that if he really wanted to without feeling like he's abandoning anyone, since any recruit from here on out knows they're playing for Hopkins at some point anyway, so if he's mentally done in a year or two, it's no big deal. If he announced two years and tried to stay three, that would probably not go over so well.

[freshmanjs]

Yeah this seems really dumb . . . now recruits will stay away, knowing that a coaching change would happen during their tenure on the team. Unless he has an A+ guy already lined up for the job, I don't see this announcement helping their program in any way. This soon after being handed NCAA sanctions, it's like he's admitting defeat. Not a good look.

not sure about this. there was already uncertainty about his retirement. other programs using his pending retirement as negative recruitment. now there is clarity and a plan. while it will be hard to recruit through the transition, it will be better than letting uncertainty persist.

[Henderson]

Just announced. (https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/578207828030132224) Not very tactful to do this three years out, is it? What's the point of announcing this now?

It's not "untactful". Surprise announcements on a short time line are untactful.

And the point of announcing it now, you ask? The the clear point of announcing it now is to allow both coaches and recruits to operate with full information. It may be better strategically to fool your recruits with incomplete information, then spring it on them, but it's not the best way to do things if you care about the players you are recruiting.

If being coy with your recruits regarding your plans to retire counts as "tact", I don't like "tact."

[Tjenkins]

I understand he's friends with Coach K., but I've never liked Boeheim since I became aware of him in the 80s. He always had an air of sleaziness about him. I won't mourn his departure.

[Les Grossman]

I'm neutral on whether he should stay or go, but I think having a plan and announcing it to the world is the right thing to do. So I applaud the announcement.

[Duvall]

I think Syracuse kind of already has a coach-in-waiting in Mike Hopkins: http://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/index.ssf/2013/09/syracuse_basketball_assistant_1.html

Although obviously Hopkins' pursuit of the USC job means that there's nothing binding about his status.

I understand making the move if the plan is to name Mike Hopkins as the formal coach-in-waiting. But why didn't that happen today? Are they waiting for the new athletic director to sign off on the succession plan?

[fuse]

Best online joke I've seen about the announcement is:

Press release should have been worded that Boeheim will retire in 2-3 years.

(Ba da bum Ching!)

[sagegrouse]

I understand he's friends with Coach K., but I've never liked Boeheim since I became aware of him in the 80s. He always had an air of sleaziness about him. I won't mourn his departure.

I don't know Coach Boeheim, but I worked in government with a close family member who was a high-character person. Also, in my book, he gets credit for being "lifetime Syracuse," having been there for 50 years, since his time as a player. He was missing from the 'Cuse only the three seasons he played in the ABL in nearby Scranton, PA. Plus, he's friends with K and has been a regular member of his coaching staff for Team USA since 2006.

Doesn't he also get points for selling Coach K on the zone defense?

[Clay Feet POF]

I'm neutral on whether he should stay or go, but I think having a plan and announcing it to the world is the right thing to do. So I applaud the announcement.


Plus Tax

[Tom B.]

I thought that long-time assistant Mike Hopkins had long been designated "coach-in-waiting"

I think you're right -- I'd forgotten about that.

I guess the goal of this announcement is just to minimize uncertainty and speculation, and to give a little more definition to the succession timeline.

[-bdbd]

I'm betting this is designed to keep Hopkins from jumping ship. The coach-in-waiting thing has been done more in football than basketball, but we've seen at time over there that without a clearer timeline, the coach might bolt (a la Will Muschamp and Texas). Having the coach in waiting also allows this announcement to be made, and still be palatable to recruits, who will probably be heavily recruited by Hopkins more as time goes on. It also allows Boeheim to retire a year earlier than that if he really wanted to without feeling like he's abandoning anyone, since any recruit from here on out knows they're playing for Hopkins at some point anyway, so if he's mentally done in a year or two, it's no big deal. If he announced two years and tried to stay three, that would probably not go over so well.

I had the same thought. This is out there in order to keep Hopkins onboard. He might be very tempted to leave anyway, given the sanctions, etc. As far as any future recruits, this is going to be Hopkin's ship from here on out. Yes, you sell that JB is there for the next 2-3 years, and "will still be around/involved fater that," but you have to put Hopkins front and center in the kids' living rooms to convince them they want to be a part of HIS program going forward.

They are in a tough spot anyways, with those sanctions in place, so why not??!

One last thought: If they are appealing to the NCAA for some relief from "overly harsh" sanctions, then this gives the NCAA an excuse to provide the relief... "Hey, we got what we wanted, forcing the head guy out (actualy TWO head guys in the AD and the HC) who was the Captain during all of the misdeeds. Why not let up a little on those now left behind..."