The Daily OrangeDiamond: With win No. 800 in sight, Boeheim remains among nation's greatest coaches
By Jared Diamond
Posted: 11/9/09, 3:39 AM EST Section: Sports
Forgive Rick Pitino for the hint of bitterness in his voice when he talks about Jim Boeheim nowadays. It stems from the frustration of losing a brutal recruiting battle to an old coach he hoped had finally lost his touch.
Pitino heard Boeheim entered the fray, but he remained unconcerned. He maintained a stranglehold on this one. Nobody, least of all an over-the-hill rival in his 34th season, could swoop in.
At least, he thought so.
When the prospect - Fab Melo, anyone? - announced his verbal commitment to Syracuse, Pitino learned what the rest of the college basketball world already knows, but the public refuses to believe.
Boeheim is more than just one of the greatest coaches of all time. That much is inarguable. The numbers alone prove that point.
No, Boeheim remains one of the best coaches in the country right now. Barring a disaster, the Orange will beat Albany tonight, giving Boeheim win No. 800 of his sterling career. With that milestone will come discussion of his long tenure, his list of achievements and his everlasting legacy at SU.
All the praise is more than deserved. But the conversation will likely focus on the past, not the present. This is the wrong approach.
With Boeheim on the verge of becoming just the eighth coach to earn membership to the vaunted 800 Club, now is the time to talk about what he is still doing. After 33 years and 799 wins, he hasn't lost a single step.
Just ask Pitino.
"Recruiting is where you lose the eye of the tiger, and that son-of-a-gun has not lost the eye of the tiger," Pitino said at Big East media day last month. "I wish he would lose it because he beat my ass out on that kid."
Syracuse currently has the No. 3 ranked recruiting class for 2010, featuring five-star center Melo and four-star guard Dion Waiters, according to Scout.com. If Boeheim lands heralded five-star forward Tobias Harris, who has named the Orange one of seven finalists for his services, Syracuse will likely take the No. 1 spot.
Pitino heard Boeheim entered the fray, but he remained unconcerned. He maintained a stranglehold on this one. Nobody, least of all an over-the-hill rival in his 34th season, could swoop in.
At least, he thought so.
When the prospect - Fab Melo, anyone? - announced his verbal commitment to Syracuse, Pitino learned what the rest of the college basketball world already knows, but the public refuses to believe.
Boeheim is more than just one of the greatest coaches of all time. That much is inarguable. The numbers alone prove that point.
No, Boeheim remains one of the best coaches in the country right now. Barring a disaster, the Orange will beat Albany tonight, giving Boeheim win No. 800 of his sterling career. With that milestone will come discussion of his long tenure, his list of achievements and his everlasting legacy at SU.
All the praise is more than deserved. But the conversation will likely focus on the past, not the present. This is the wrong approach.
With Boeheim on the verge of becoming just the eighth coach to earn membership to the vaunted 800 Club, now is the time to talk about what he is still doing. After 33 years and 799 wins, he hasn't lost a single step.
Just ask Pitino.
"Recruiting is where you lose the eye of the tiger, and that son-of-a-gun has not lost the eye of the tiger," Pitino said at Big East media day last month. "I wish he would lose it because he beat my ass out on that kid."
Syracuse currently has the No. 3 ranked recruiting class for 2010, featuring five-star center Melo and four-star guard Dion Waiters, according to Scout.com. If Boeheim lands heralded five-star forward Tobias Harris, who has named the Orange one of seven finalists for his services, Syracuse will likely take the No. 1 spot.
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