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At the Final Four, Jim Boeheim can’t complain. At least not much. At the Final Four, Jim Boeheim can’t complain. At least not much.
(about 9 hours later)
HOUSTON — It took Jim Boeheim about five minutes to become himself on Thursday afternoon. He began his mandatory post-practice news conference by saying he was thrilled to be back in the Final Four and how happy he was for what his Syracuse team had accomplished. He talked graciously about the wonderful hospitality they were receiving everywhere they went. HOUSTON — It took Jim Boeheim about five minutes to become himself Thursday afternoon. He began his mandatory post-practice news conference by saying he was thrilled to be back in the Final Four and how happy he was for what his Syracuse team had accomplished. He talked graciously about the wonderful hospitality they were receiving everywhere they went.
And then, for the next 30 minutes he was the Boeheim that those who have been around him for the last 40 years have come to know and love. As he pointed out during one rambling missive, he stopped worrying years ago about what people think of him.And then, for the next 30 minutes he was the Boeheim that those who have been around him for the last 40 years have come to know and love. As he pointed out during one rambling missive, he stopped worrying years ago about what people think of him.
And, unlike a lot of coaches who make that claim, Boeheim means it.And, unlike a lot of coaches who make that claim, Boeheim means it.
“I laugh a little bit when [people] say, ‘You really did a great coaching job this year,’ ” he said. “In other words, I’m better this year than I was last year or two years ago. What am I doing better? What is that all about?“I laugh a little bit when [people] say, ‘You really did a great coaching job this year,’ ” he said. “In other words, I’m better this year than I was last year or two years ago. What am I doing better? What is that all about?
[Maryland’s run to the Final Four was cut short]
“I’m doing the best I can every year. Now, that may not be very good, but it’s the best I can do every year. . . .“I’m doing the best I can every year. Now, that may not be very good, but it’s the best I can do every year. . . .
“I think each year you try to be the best you can. You do the things you do. Some years, you know, you put your team in a press. I’ve done that. We got our ass beat. Some years you put your team in a press and it works. It’s a matter of the players. “Each year you try to be the best you can. You do the things you do. Some years, you know, you put your team in a press. I’ve done that. We got our ass beat. Some years you put your team in a press and it works. It’s a matter of the players.
“Hubie Brown once told our team and told me a couple of times it’s the execution that the players do, how they execute, that’s going to determine how your coach is perceived.“Hubie Brown once told our team and told me a couple of times it’s the execution that the players do, how they execute, that’s going to determine how your coach is perceived.
“I learned a lesson one year early in my coaching career. We ran a play at the end of the game and it worked. We won by one. Two weeks later we had the same game situation, ran the same play, the shot didn’t go in and I was a s---- coach. That’s just the way it works. It’s what coaching is.” “I learned a lesson one year early in my coaching career. We ran a play at the end of the game and it worked. We won by one. Two weeks later we had the same game situation, ran the same play, the shot didn’t go in and I was an [expletive] coach. That’s just the way it works. It’s what coaching is.”
He paused for a moment and (seriously) smiled. “I think somebody said to me the other day, you know, we all have a job but very few people have jobs that everybody else thinks they can do better.” He paused for a moment and smiled. “I think somebody said to me the other day, you know, we all have a job but very few people have jobs that everybody else thinks they can do better.”
That was only part of Boeheim’s answer to a question about what it meant to him to have senior Trevor Cooney be a part of two Final Four teams.That was only part of Boeheim’s answer to a question about what it meant to him to have senior Trevor Cooney be a part of two Final Four teams.
He was asked a few minutes later about what this season has been like for him — a season that included a nine-game NCAA suspension; 13 regular season losses, including five of the last six; and serious questions about whether the Orange should be in the NCAA tournament field.He was asked a few minutes later about what this season has been like for him — a season that included a nine-game NCAA suspension; 13 regular season losses, including five of the last six; and serious questions about whether the Orange should be in the NCAA tournament field.
[NCAA calls Gonzaga to admit blown call in loss to Syracuse]
“I mean, that’s a long answer,” Boeheim said. “I’ll try to give you the short answer.”“I mean, that’s a long answer,” Boeheim said. “I’ll try to give you the short answer.”
He then talked for five solid minutes without stopping, walking through virtually every game on the team’s schedule, the ups and downs of each player in the rotation, his “vacation,” and the reasons why he always believed his team deserved an invitation to the tournament, even though he wasn’t sure it would get one.” He then talked for five solid minutes without stopping, walking through virtually every game on the team’s schedule, the ups and downs of each player in the rotation, his “vacation,” and the reasons why he always believed his team deserved an invitation to the tournament, even though he wasn’t sure it would get one.
One thing people miss about Boeheim is that he has a steel-trap mind. He remembers in detail every game he ever coached and lots of games he didn’t coach. He also remembers every slight and, unlike a lot of his peers, every compliment.One thing people miss about Boeheim is that he has a steel-trap mind. He remembers in detail every game he ever coached and lots of games he didn’t coach. He also remembers every slight and, unlike a lot of his peers, every compliment.
At one point he talked about what it meant to finally win the national title in 2003 in his 27th season at Syracuse.At one point he talked about what it meant to finally win the national title in 2003 in his 27th season at Syracuse.
“I vividly remember Bob Knight shaking my hand in 1987 after the championship game and saying, ‘You’ll get one of these,’ ” he said of Syracuse’s 74-73 loss to Indiana in Boeheim’s first national championship game. “Of course he didn’t tell me it would take 16 years. But that’s exactly what I said to Roy [Williams] in ’03 when we finally won.” Another Boeheim smile, the kind where his eyes narrow as if the act is physically painful.“I vividly remember Bob Knight shaking my hand in 1987 after the championship game and saying, ‘You’ll get one of these,’ ” he said of Syracuse’s 74-73 loss to Indiana in Boeheim’s first national championship game. “Of course he didn’t tell me it would take 16 years. But that’s exactly what I said to Roy [Williams] in ’03 when we finally won.” Another Boeheim smile, the kind where his eyes narrow as if the act is physically painful.
“Of course I didn’t want to give him the idea he needed to win three.”“Of course I didn’t want to give him the idea he needed to win three.”
Williams, the North Carolina coach who won national titles in 2005 and 2009, is two games from a third with Syracuse the only obstacle standing between him and the national title game. Williams, the North Carolina coach who won national titles in 2005 and 2009 , is two games from a third with Syracuse the only obstacle standing between him and the national title game.
“You know, when you win the national championship — as far as me, everybody is different, everyone has his own thoughts — but I think if you can win a national championship in coaching, I don’t care if you coach 50 years, it’s good. Everything’s good.”“You know, when you win the national championship — as far as me, everybody is different, everyone has his own thoughts — but I think if you can win a national championship in coaching, I don’t care if you coach 50 years, it’s good. Everything’s good.”
Yet another smile — perhaps a new Boeheim record for one afternoon.Yet another smile — perhaps a new Boeheim record for one afternoon.
“It’s kind of like if one of you guys could win the Pulitzer Prize, you’d be happy, wouldn’t you? Would you have to win two?” Pause. “I probably shouldn’t bring that up in this room.”“It’s kind of like if one of you guys could win the Pulitzer Prize, you’d be happy, wouldn’t you? Would you have to win two?” Pause. “I probably shouldn’t bring that up in this room.”
He talked at length about the sanctions Syracuse faced last season and this season. Mistakes had been made. Punishment had to be accepted. The 101 wins vacated from his coaching record bothered him because in other similar cases no wins were vacated.He talked at length about the sanctions Syracuse faced last season and this season. Mistakes had been made. Punishment had to be accepted. The 101 wins vacated from his coaching record bothered him because in other similar cases no wins were vacated.
Boeheim has unofficially won 989 games going into Saturday’s semifinal. According to the NCAA, he’s won 888, which means he’ll have the chance next season to become the first coach in history to win 900 games twice.Boeheim has unofficially won 989 games going into Saturday’s semifinal. According to the NCAA, he’s won 888, which means he’ll have the chance next season to become the first coach in history to win 900 games twice.
He was still talking about the vagaries of coaching in the hallway after the news conference ended. Two flacks were tugging at his arm to go do a TV interview, but he was on a roll.He was still talking about the vagaries of coaching in the hallway after the news conference ended. Two flacks were tugging at his arm to go do a TV interview, but he was on a roll.
“You know Tony [Bennett] got killed for the way his team [Virginia] handled our press Sunday but he did everything right,” he said, referencing Syracuse’s 25-4 rally from 15 points down in the Midwest Region final. “They got two-on-ones against us and their kids just screwed it up. Goes back to what Hubie said. Nobody talked about the fact that I took the press off after we cut the lead to five because we were close and there were still five minutes left and they were going to score against us sooner or later.”“You know Tony [Bennett] got killed for the way his team [Virginia] handled our press Sunday but he did everything right,” he said, referencing Syracuse’s 25-4 rally from 15 points down in the Midwest Region final. “They got two-on-ones against us and their kids just screwed it up. Goes back to what Hubie said. Nobody talked about the fact that I took the press off after we cut the lead to five because we were close and there were still five minutes left and they were going to score against us sooner or later.”
Another smile. “Of course, if they’d ended up winning I’d have gotten killed for taking the press off.”Another smile. “Of course, if they’d ended up winning I’d have gotten killed for taking the press off.”
He admitted that making this Final Four, his fifth, was the most gratifying since the first one in 1987. “The less you expect something, the more it means when you accomplish it,” he said. “This team came a long way, went through a lot to get here.He admitted that making this Final Four, his fifth, was the most gratifying since the first one in 1987. “The less you expect something, the more it means when you accomplish it,” he said. “This team came a long way, went through a lot to get here.
“I was fully prepared to not get in on Selection Sunday,” he said. “Of course I always think that way but I had my speech ready for the guys to say, ‘Okay, it’s disappointing, let’s get ready for the NIT. Watching that show was excruciating. I mean, two hours? Put the teams on the board, then talk about it.”“I was fully prepared to not get in on Selection Sunday,” he said. “Of course I always think that way but I had my speech ready for the guys to say, ‘Okay, it’s disappointing, let’s get ready for the NIT. Watching that show was excruciating. I mean, two hours? Put the teams on the board, then talk about it.”
He shrugged. “Of course, they’re just trying to make money, I get that.”He shrugged. “Of course, they’re just trying to make money, I get that.”
The flacks were tugging again.The flacks were tugging again.
“I’m not really complaining.” And then, with a final wry Boeheim grin: “Everyone knows I never complain.”“I’m not really complaining.” And then, with a final wry Boeheim grin: “Everyone knows I never complain.”
For more by John Feinstein, visit washingtonpost.com/feinstein.For more by John Feinstein, visit washingtonpost.com/feinstein.