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mustangxc wrote:

SoCal_Pony wrote:

JasonB wrote:Ethan and Ray are really nice pieces off the bench at the 4/5 rotation. Band/White/Douglas off the bench aren't anything special, but there is some potential there.

Jason, this is why you richly deserve your sunshine label.

Of the 5 players you mention, I would argue only 1, Ethan, would be on a LB team, and he would be a much better, well-rounded player than he is today. If he was the same player under LB that he is today under tank, he most likely would transfer out.

My only reason for optimism is that we have more Larry Brown type players this season than we did last season. Still not enough but at least we are better.

I feel like there is not one player on this year's team that would be a starter at any point between 2014-2017. Who would you bench off of any of those squads to replace with anyone on current roster?

I agree PonyTime. I don’t see a starter either.

He's got a point.

You are saying that a little too easily...

Nic as a sophmore versus Davis as a sophomore? The offensive numbers are close, and Davis is a much better defensive player. We all know Nic was incredible, and we would lean towards Nic, but Davis isn't far away.

Tyson Jolly as a JR versus Shake as a Jr? I would lean Shake. He shoots better from 3, but Jolly is way more effective inside and a better rebounder.

Hunt as a sophomore versus Foster as a sophomore? I'm taking Hunt I think.

Semi versus Mike, Moore versus Ethan, Tolbert versus Jasey, and Gu versus White is where the current team loses out big time. When NcNeil is eligible, the gap between Gu off the bench is much closer.

Ray and Band provide better depth at the end of the bench than Larry had, for whatever that is worth.

I'm not saying that this is a 30-5 team, it obviously isn't that level. But there is enough talent to have expectations that a good coach will finish top 5 in the league.

It’s an interesting discussion but not really relevant to today’s mess. We do have a few good (not great) pieces. We lack a combination of a total stud with enough pro-potential parts to be considered a top program. We were ALMOST there with LB..... one lottery or high first rounder away. But what we also sorely lack is a coach with the ability to recruit guys like that and then coach them all up to their highest potential. Half our roster have pretty much either topped out or never had the basic talent/tools/attitude.

I don’t see SMU making much noise ever with Jank as coach.

sadderbudweiser wrote:It’s an interesting discussion but not really relevant to today’s mess. We do have a few good (not great) pieces. We lack a combination of a total stud with enough pro-potential parts to be considered a top program. We were ALMOST there with LB..... one lottery or high first rounder away. But what we also sorely lack is a coach with the ability to recruit guys like that and then coach them all up to their highest potential. Half our roster have pretty much either topped out or never had the basic talent/tools/attitude.

I don’t see SMU making much noise ever with Jank as coach.

Unfortunately for you, you will have to wait and see what happens. I hope you are wrong.
I want to cheer this team on to do the best they can do and see where the chips fall.

The Falcon wrote:I want to cheer this team on to do the best they can do and see where the chips fall.

We all did that during the Doh and Dement years (which I find rather amusing that the 94-2012 time period is referred to as "The Dark Ages" on the SMU Basketball Wikipedia history page).

I think we all got a taste of "the big time" and now it just isn't the same - and most of us don't have a lot of confidence that it will ever be the same under this staff.

If you can't recruit you'll get the boot.

The Falcon wrote:

sadderbudweiser wrote:It’s an interesting discussion but not really relevant to today’s mess. We do have a few good (not great) pieces. We lack a combination of a total stud with enough pro-potential parts to be considered a top program. We were ALMOST there with LB..... one lottery or high first rounder away. But what we also sorely lack is a coach with the ability to recruit guys like that and then coach them all up to their highest potential. Half our roster have pretty much either topped out or never had the basic talent/tools/attitude.

I don’t see SMU making much noise ever with Jank as coach.

Unfortunately for you, you will have to wait and see what happens. I hope you are wrong.
I want to cheer this team on to do the best they can do and see where the chips fall.

What makes you think I want the team to lose? Totally false. I still travel to games and have every year since LB’s first. I root for the guys. I’d love to be wrong but I’m just not seeing it.

Want to tell me more about waiting? Teach me patience? Pre-DP athlete here who would love nothing more than to see SMU excel in all sports.....as we did back in the day.