Hoops Haven

Coach Boeheim often gets overlooked by some of the other Hall of Fame coaches who have become legendary because of his somewhat laid-back style of coaching and because his Orangeman, under his watch, have only one NCAA Championship. He now will get mentioned in the same breath as Mike Kryzewski and Dean Smith, as they are all now members of the elite 800 win club.

Boeheim became the eighth Division I coach to reach the milestone with a victory over Albany in the first round of the 2K Sports Classic earlier this week. His first victory as head coach for the Orangemen was over Harvard, back on November 26th, 1976. He has amassed an amazing 799 more victories over the next 33 years and has a career coaching record of 800-288(.730%). He also holds the record for wins in the Big East conference with 356 victories. He is now 102 victories behind the general, Bob Knight’s 902 career victories.

Just like Jim Calhoun at UConn, Coach K at Duke, and Dean Smith at UNC, Boeheim has been the figurehead of a program which has risen to great heights under his direction. Syracuse hoops has become a national powerhouse by annually making the NCAA Tourney, playing in 3 NCAA Title games, and winning 1 National Championship in 2003. Over the last 3 decades, Boeheim has proven to be one of the game’s best teachers since the program has produced a large number of NBA players like Derrick Coleman, Carmelo Anthony, and Sherman Douglas.

Some critics have argued that Syracuse does so well in the Boeheim tenure because he regularly schedules “cream-puffs” during his non-conference schedule. That would explain why Syracuse usually finishes the regular season with 20+ wins yet usually falters in big games because of the team not being tested. This reputation has come primarily from his early career when the Syracuse program was not the national powerhouse of today.

The fact is…….everybody plays cream-puffs. For example, Michigan State’s ‘09-’10 non-conference schedule is littered with teams like Florida Gulf Coast, Toledo, and the Citadel. In recent years, SU’s out of conference schedule has been among the toughest in the nation by playing teams like Memphis, Kansas, and Florida. Let’s be honest, when half of your games are against other Big East Conference teams, you are definitely not playing cream puffs.

After the milestone win, coach was given a framed orange jersey with the number 800 stitched on it and received a video tribute from close friend Kryzewski. The first words he uttered in his thank you speech speak volumes about his unassuming personality, “I appreciate you all staying up so late. It’s way past my bedtime.”

Check out Ed Quarry’s funny take on some of college basketball’s oddest domes and hairstyles:

Rick Majerus- St Louis Billikens

This Uncle Fester look-alike has been known to sleep on a bed of nails.

Phil Martelli- St. Joes Hawks

With all the bumps and dents on his head, he resembles Frankenstein, but without the bolts.

Jim Boeheim- Syracuse Orangemen

With the high forehead and glasses, he resembles the creature that attacked Neumann,(from Seinfeld), in the first Jurassic Park .

Fred Hill-Rutgers Scarlet Knights

With his bald head and short stature, doesn’t he look like one of the munchkins in the Wizard of Oz, singing about following the yellow brick road, as a member of the lollipop guild?

Joe Mihalich-Niagara Purple Eagles

Joe’s two wisps of hair on his barren skull gives him a Fred Flintstone look. Yabba Dabba Do!

Seth Greenberg-Virginia Tech Hokies

I’ve heard that his shiny dome gives off dangerous levels of radiation in Blacksburg!

Buzz Williams-Marquette Golden Eagles

The little fireplug with the bald pate looks like Stricker in Back to Future!

Billy Donovan-Florida Gators

With that widow’s peak he could be a stunt double for Eddie Munster. Does Bill do the Monster Mash?

Gene Keady-former Purdue Boilermaker Coach

I could never figure out whether that was shoe polish or hair on that head. Stay out of the rain, Gene!

Lou Henson-former Illinois Fightin Illini and NM State Coach

The famous wraparound called the Lou-Do by the great Dick Vitale. Was that carpet or hair on his head?