Syracuse Basketball Conversation: Mike Hopkins Update, Markelle Fultz

How’s former Syracuse Assistant Coach Mike Hopkins Doing? Plus a NBA Draft update on Washington’s Markelle Fultz and checking on the Seattle Seahawks.

I’ve never seen a fan base so split on a topic before. When Syracuse basketball fans learned that Mike Hopkins, the supposed heir to the throne, was jettisoning to Washington, it was confusing.

Some fans rejoiced and judged Hopkins unfairly on a random nine game sample size that he had no preparation for. And even if he did have preparation, there’s a saying I’ve used on the Syracuse football side, I think it’s still applicable.

The great Bill Parcells once said:

"“If I’m going to be asked to cook the meal, I’d like to be able to pick the groceries.”"

Mike Hopkins wasn’t coaching with “his guys” they were Jim Boeheim’s guys. While this isn’t as jarring as Dino Babers coming in off the street and coaching Scott Shafer’s guys, it’s basically the same thing.

What did the fans say?

While other fans were sad and destroyed and pondering the question, “what next for the Syracuse Orange?”

There was a lot of uncertainty for the future. Boeheim being 72 years old, people were asking how much longer is he going to stay?

While nearly simultaneously with Hopkins leaving, Boeheim signed an unknown length contract

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extension to “help Syracuse through this period”. Many of us locally questioned the legitimacy of Hopkins stepping in for Boeheim when he “was supposed to retire”.

It’s almost like if you’re a parent and your child does something wrong but has a perfect explanation why it went wrong and how it isn’t his fault. The explanation from the Syracuse overlords was too convenient for me and I don’t buy it.

The Orange and I do agree on one point though. Jim Boeheim should walk away when he wants to walk away. No bogus NCAA violation should’ve pressured SU and Boeheim to come up with a phony retirement to cool off the heat on SU, but I digress.

Next: Syracuse Football Sitdown: 3-Star Prospect, EJ Williams, OLB/S

So back to the genesis of this interview that’s linked above. I spoke with Seattle radio personality, Dave ‘Softy’ Mahler on The Score 1260 in Syracuse about a variety of subjects including:

• How has Mike Hopkins been received since taking the job at Washington?
• Speaking of Washington, Markelle Fultz is headed to NBA Draft, stock report?
• Finally some Seattle Seahawks updates on Colin Kaepernick, Eddie Lacy weight issues, and Richard Sherman trade speculation.