First, Julie McBride took the blame for Syracuse’s 83-66 loss to Siena on Nov. 15. Then it was her bad pass that caused Rochelle Coleman’s late travel in SU’s 48-44 loss to Seton Hall on Jan. 21. Now, it’s her fault her coach is leaving.

‘I feel terrible,’ said McBride, a point guard. ‘We had a great season last year, and she had a job. We lose this year, and she’s gone.’

This time, it’s not really McBride’s fault.

In a shocking turn of events, Freeman resigned yesterday as head coach of the SU women’s basketball team. Shocking because the ineffective Freeman resigned, rather than being forced out.

Freeman said all the right things yesterday. She’s a leader in the community, having won the Girls Incorporated’s Spirit of American Women Award and the Girl Scout Leadership Award in 1999.

SU Director of Athletics Jake Crouthamel fought back tears when describing his surprise at Freeman’s decision, saying, ‘She’s one of the finest human beings I’ve ever been associated with.’

But the bottom line is Freeman’s a basketball coach. And after 10 seasons that included just one winning year (18-13 last season) and an overall record of 104-174, a change needed to be made, and Freeman did the noble thing.

It matters less what you do off the court. The first priority is on the court, no matter how sweet or honest a person you are. Freeman leaving is the best thing to happen to the program since it upset Connecticut in 1996.

‘I tried my very best,” Freeman said, “and there are times your best is not good enough.

‘You sacrifice self for team. I have to practice what I preach.”

In other words, Freeman continuing as coach would’ve held this team back.

Just look at the starting lineup. Despite freshman Jill Norton’s struggles (1.6 points and rebounds a game), Freeman started Norton at center for 22 games, claiming she was the best defensive option. But when center Awa Diop started in a 71-61 Senior Day win over Pittsburgh, she scored eight points and grabbed seven rebounds while playing better defense (one block and two steals) than Norton had all year.

Not surprisingly, Diop started the rest of the season — two more games. Given Norton’s shoddy play, benching Diop cost Syracuse three or four wins.

Freeman also stuck with the 2-3 zone when teams like Villanova and Boston College lit up SU from 3-point range. When she’d switch to a man-to-man defense late, it was always too late for an SU run.

Mounting losses magnified the questionable decisions.

Freeman said she doesn’t possess the ‘son of a ‘B’ attitude you need to have” as a coach.

Apparently, she had the attitude. She just failed to harness it.

Remember, her team revolted three years ago, according to a published report, because of questionable motivational techniques, including locking players out of the locker room when they played poorly and making players write letters explaining why they should be on the floor.

Freeman’s coaching style was misguided, putting learning above winning. She couldn’t weave the two. Successful coaches can.

Said Freeman: ‘(Coaching for me) was providing for a young person to get an education.”

Education? Was this before or after the 71-44 loss to Villanova? No wonder this team finished 10-18. Losing 101, indeed.

‘It was teaching them how to perfect their jump shot,’ Freeman added.

Syracuse ranked eighth in the Big East in field-goal percentage (43) and ninth in scoring average (65.5). Maybe too many history lessons and not enough basketball.

Freeman claims she understands how it works, saying over and over, ‘Winning is how you keep your job.’

But she lost. And justly surrendered her job.

It took Freeman 10 years to win 100 games at SU, something SU men’s basketball head coach Jim Boeheim did in four seasons.

So, Freeman is now just that: free. Free from the job’s pressures, antagonists and frustrations she claims contributed to her decision to leave.

Freeman said she’d like to resurface, perhaps not as a coach, but to work somewhere with 18 to 25 year olds.

‘I know I want to do something with kids,’ Freeman said. ‘I thrive off their optimism. I would love to be in a position to be around this age group.’

Great. It’s exactly where she should be. It’s too bad such a nice woman just isn’t cut out for Division I basketball.

Scott Lieber is an assistant sports editor at The Daily Orange, where his columns appear regularly. E-mail him at smlieber@syr.edu.

Published on March 18, 2003 at 12:00 pm