Doug Gottlieb: “You’ve got to at some point hold Jim Boeheim accountable” Circa February 2009.

First of all, we admit, freely, that Syracuse has been on the wrong end of some disastrous, embarrassing losses (Richmond and Vermont certainly come to mind). There is no debating this fact. What program hasn’t, however? Has Syracuse had more monumental tourney collapses than, say, Kansas? Arizona?

Doug Gottlieb, the man that Syracuse fans love to hate, has made a living calling out Syracuse basketball as being overhyped, underachieving, overcoddled and undercoached. All of these barbs are, quite simply, thinly-veiled attacks on coach Boeheim. Honest. That’s not just our unparalleled paranoia. It’s true. And relatively well-documented on the internets. What we really want to hear is Doug admit that Jimmy has done more with less than nearly every coach in the country. Both Gottlieb’s Oklahoma State and perennial cinderella Gonzaga have nearly as many alums currently in the NBA as does Syracuse…but no one is calling out those programs for not getting it done. Boeheim has over 800 wins in his career, and we at 4th & Forever would venture to say he has accomplished this feat in a consistently top-tier conference with decidedly less talent than the Kentuckys, Dukes and UNCs.

2010 is no different. Syracuse was one of only a handful of schools (6) ever to start the season unranked and reach the top spot in the country…Kansas was the last to do this…over 20 years ago. So, we feel that regardless the outcome of this weekend’s games…Gottlieb owes the Orange a big, fat, “You’ve got to at some point laud Jim Boeheim for the incredible work he has done with these kids, and for the premier program he has built at Syracuse. I wish he would have recruited me.” We’re just saying, that’s all.