11/14/08

[LA_Mustang]

SMU b-ball starts....and hopefully we can forget about this mess. Doherty's got those boys going in the right direction.

[TheBestAvailable]

I would wait until we get by Houston Baptist before I start making BB predictions. It could be just as bad as football again.

[Billy Joe]

Slow down on the can't wait until basketball starts.....when has SMU basketball ever done anything? I do know this about SMU basketball....as usual, the local kids ain't even looking at SMU....not a good sign when your coach cannot even get the local kids interested.....SMU has really burned bridges in its own backyard

[LA_Mustang]

I want local kids as much as anyone, but we have burned bridges that will take some time to rebuild......that's what happens when you unjustly fire a local guy who is well respected by area coaches. As much as some of us hated it, we must move on.

Doherty has done a fantastic job of getting us in the mix for top players in other parts of the country. He landed three of the best recruits we've had in years with Papa Dia, Paul McCoy and Mouhammad Faye. We should reap the benefits of having players as talented as McCoy (outside), Dia (inside) and Faye (inside) on the team with Williams, Bamba, Malone and Harp.

We are still without a true scorer and I'm usually as pessimistic as anyone, but I have a good feeling about this team…….a team with only one senior - Fall.

[Stallion]

I'm more confident SMU will be competitive once Faye is eligible on about December 15th or so.

[J.T.supporta]

I would wait until we get by Houston Baptist before I start making BB predictions. It could be just as bad as football again.

haha, you might be right

[Longtime]

The only bridges we have burned are from having a crummy program playing in an empty arena.

If anyone tells you otherwise, they're just posturing for Tubbs. Sure, Tubbs helped convince a couple of kids to stay home and play for SMU, but obviously it wasn't enough to turn around the program. Tubbs certainly didn't recruit any Dallas kids to OU while he was there, and that's a program that had a lot going for it.

If SMU were to start winning and filling up Moody, NOTHING would keep the local kids from being interested. Their mommas would insist they stay home. But right now, there's not a lot momma can say.

[One Trick Pony]

Reduced qualifying admissions should help

[PoconoPony]

I want local kids as much as anyone, but we have burned bridges that will take some time to rebuild......that's what happens when you unjustly fire a local guy who is well respected by area coaches. As much as some of us hated it, we must move on.

Doherty has done a fantastic job of getting us in the mix for top players in other parts of the country. He landed three of the best recruits we've had in years with Papa Dia, Paul McCoy and Mouhammad Faye. We should reap the benefits of having players as talented as McCoy (outside), Dia (inside) and Faye (inside) on the team with Williams, Bamba, Malone and Harp.

We are still without a true scorer and I'm usually as pessimistic as anyone, but I have a good feeling about this team…….a team with only one senior - Fall.

I recall our last coach challenging the local HS coaches who supported his hiring to help him out by pushing some kids his direction. I think that you could make a good case that support from the HS coaches was merely vocal and limited to his hiring and no further recruitment support was ever generated. Hence, I wonder how well he was respected or regarded as a coach. One gets the sense that he was poorly regarded and that local coaches knew of his totally negative coaching style and constant criticism of his players and did NOT want their kids being coached by him and subjected to his totally negative style and failure to be positive and supportive of his kids. No tears were shed by any of his players when he was dismissed.

[Stallion]

Don't make a fool of yourself with that comment. That simply is not true-you just made it up out of ignorance-you obviously don't know too much about the subject sitting up there in Pennsylvannia.

[Pony81]

Winning and a full arena will cure any problems with recruiting local kids.

Local kids no too well the futility that is SMU FB and BB. To recruit here will mean getting 3rd tier kids.

We must get great players from across the country to elevate the program to the point where local kids are once again interested in playing for SMU.

PB and Tubbs failed to get any local talent. Maybe MD and JJ can get things turned around with national talent.

[Longtime]

Let's not forget that in basketball, high school coaches have less and less influence. It's the "AAU coaches" - many of them are basically street agents - who have a lot of the power in directing kids to certain programs.

Of course, Doherty could help himself by hiring one of the DISD coaches onto his staff. Right now, the most successful DISD coach is James Mays at South Oak Cliff- but he's radioactive with all the grade-changing that's being uncovered at SOC.

[StallionsModelT]

I too am looking forward to seeing how our basketball team progresses this year. McCoy and Williams should significantly improve our backcourt play and Faye gives us some athleticism in the frontcourt. Doherty says he wants to flip the record to 20-10. Anyone here think that's possible?

[jtstang]

The only bridges we have burned are from having a crummy program playing in an empty arena.

If anyone tells you otherwise, they're just posturing for Tubbs.

The only posturing regarding Tubbs was done by SMU and its lame duck Copeland, and it was the burgers and Cheer scandal. Totally made up and orchestrated allegations of NCAA "violations" meant solely to give them an excuse to can Tubbs.

[Lebanese4Life]

I too am looking forward to seeing how our basketball team progresses this year. McCoy and Williams should significantly improve our backcourt play and Faye gives us some athleticism in the frontcourt. Doherty says he wants to flip the record to 20-10. Anyone here think that's possible?

Haha, that's a laugh. I'm predicting a little less than .500.