Syracuse basketball head coach Jim Boeheim received high praise from Rutgers’ boss.
After Syracuse basketball suffered its first defeat of the young 2020-21 season this past Tuesday night at No. 21 Rutgers, the typical sequence occurred on social media, including the call for head coach Jim Boeheim to get shown the door.
A bunch of Orange fans lamented about the ‘Cuse 10-point setback, expressing their frustration over the team’s performance, ripping into certain players who struggled, and postulating that Boeheim is relying on old-school coaching techniques that don’t fly in today’s game of college basketball.
Okay, fine, I always respect the opinions of my fellow Orange fans. However, as I noted in a column not too long ago, Boeheim has never put forth a losing campaign in his 40-plus years on the Hill, which is an unparalleled streak in the Division I men’s basketball head-coaching profession.
Steve Pikiell, after the Scarlet Knights’ squad that he coaches beat the ‘Cuse at home, 79-69, earlier this week, had some really complimentary sentiments to shower upon Boeheim.
"“I have a ton of respect for Coach (Jim) Boeheim. He does an unbelievable job,” Pikiell said during his post-game press conference, according to an article from Mike Curtis of Syracuse.com. “He should go on the Mount Rushmore of college coaches. He’s one of the best. I’m just happy for our guys today and glad we were able to win the game, but he’s one of the all-time greats.”"
Let’s appreciate the consistent success of Syracuse basketball head coach Jim Boeheim.
Prior to Rutgers’ recent conquest of the Orange, the Scarlet Knights hadn’t bested the ‘Cuse dating back to 2003, the stanza in which Syracuse basketball captured its first and only national title.
Pikiell, who suited up for former Big East Conference rival Connecticut in his playing days, says it’s a positive step for the Rutgers program to have emerged victorious versus the Orange.
"“We knew we’d be tested tonight, and we were. Coach Boeheim’s won 1,000 games. A ton of respect for their program, and he makes winning 20 games look easy, and I know how difficult it is to win one game. To beat them, I think our guys worked hard,” Pikiell said in the Curtis piece."
Sure, Syracuse basketball has felt its share of struggles in recent years since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference from the Big East in 2013-14.
But Pikiell is correct in that Boeheim should be on the Mount Rushmore of collegiate head coaches. He’s one of the best of the best, and I for one marvel so much as to what Boeheim has achieved at the ‘Cuse.