The End Of An Era: Jim Boeheim Has Announced His Retirement...Finally

Isaiah Vazquez. Getty Images.

Syracuse just lost their first game of the ACC tournament at the buzzer (basically) to Wake Forest. The game ended in perfect Cuse fashion with Boeheim failing to draw up anything out of a timeout and Joe Girard III taking an ill-advised long 2 fading away from the basket. Wake proceeded to run down the court and drain the game winner right in their faces. 

It's a loss that no one should be surprised about. The team is poorly coached with mediocre recruiting. They really have nothing going for them and it all points back to Jim Boeheim who has more than overstayed his welcome as head coach. The evolution of the 3 point shot in today's game has trampled his precious 2-3 zone. When he's challenged on it he laughs in people's faces. He's stubborn and old and has needed to step away for some time now. He inspires exactly zero players to play up for him. In fact he typically alienates them enough that they just outright transfer like what happened with Kadary Richmond, someone who was crafted by the gods to play a the top of the 2-3. With his sons out of the program it made sense for last year to be his final season. With no school officials caring to step in and do something, Boeheim returned. The result was another terrible year filled with mediocrity. 

It felt like finally this season the majority of fans got the message that the program needed a major change. I mean my god it was brutal to watch this team over the course of the season and the recent seasons before this one. It became a chore, even for those who normally live and die with the Orange. 

FINALLY, it seems the end has arrived. 

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Praise the fucking lord. It's time. It's been time for years. Please let this be it. Come to a buyout deal, give him some random advisor job at the university, and end the era. 

And for those who think I don't appreciate the good times Boeheim brought to the school, you're wrong.  He built this shit from nothing, got to the Final 4 five times, and won a natty (thanks to Melo). During my time there they rose to number one in the country and went to multiple Final 4s. All of that is great and I do wish he got a better swan song than losing at the buzzer in Greensboro, North Carolina during a noon game to Wake Forest. But hey, when you overstay your welcome like this I can't feel that bad. The last half a decade has been BAD. This had to happen. 

As for the future, who knows. I'd love for them to go out and get someone not currently tied to the program so we can get a fresh start. If it ends up being someone from within like G-Mac or Adrian Autry that's fine, at least it's someone different, but my ideal new ring leader is a completely new guy. Regardless, the important thing is that a new era is here…I think. 

Update: It's official! Never thought I'd live to see the day those words flashed across the screen. Amazing

P.S. For the love of God someone please tell JG3 he doesn't have to use his covid year and come back for a 5th season.