Tuesday, April 08, 2014
Jim Boeheim is a Dick, We Know This
The media and blogosphere are killing Jim Boeheim for what he said about Tyler Ennis on ESPN:
"I think he’s a great college player. I think physically he probably could’ve used another year. A little bit different than Dion Waiters who I had a couple of years ago who left. I think Dion was physically better, more physically ready. I think when you go to the NBA you need to be as physically ready as you can be. So I think Tyler could’ve benefited from another year, but certainly he’s a tremendous player and a very, very smart point guard. And I think the one thing I think is point guard is probably the hardest position to break into in the NBA, it’s a very difficult position, but he’s got the skill-set to do that. It’s just a question of him landing in the right place."
So he said he didn't think Ennis was physically ready to play in the NBA and he should have stayed in college another year. That actually seems like a fair and honest assessment to me.
BUT...why would he give a fair and honest assessment on TV to a nationwide viewing audience? Whom does that benefit? Certainly not Ennis, not Boeheim and not even the NBA scouts. If Boeheim wanted to do the best thing for everyone involved he should have given a stock answer on TV and if questioned by NBA people, given his true and honest assessment.
Sure, I love honesty, but as "Liar Liar" proved you don't just walk around telling people they look fat or that you like their big tits.
BUT...I would hate to defend Jim Boeheim on anything but the people who are blasting him for saying something negative are missing half the story. Boeheim said he's a tremendous player and a very smart point guard who has the skills to do well in the NBA. So when sites like Deadspin say kids shouldn't go to Syracuse, that's just so ridiculous that even a Boeheim-hater such as myself feels obligated to point out the other side.
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2 comments:
I entirely agree with you. He shouldn't have said that publicly, but he didn't exactly throw him under the bus either. Roy Williams was far harsher in publicly saying that Reggie Bullock was not ready last year, if I remember correctly, and he didn't heap high praise on him the way Boeheim did on Ennis.
And that Deadspin article is stupid. Boeheim has had lots of players leave early with his unwavering support, and it's perfectly reasonable for him to think Ennis could use another year in college. The same bullshit was written about Coach K "selfishly" urging William Avery to stay at Duke in '99, when he was simultaneously privately and publicly saying that Avery's classmate Elton Brand should go pro.
And I guess another thing I should have added was that he has to be honest at some point, otherwise his opinion has no meaning and he can't help anyone. But as I stated, he could be honest privately, and on TV tilt towards praise.
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