Can someone help me and explain the state of SMU Basketball?

[FriscoPMG]

Are you guys saying the basketball team is not very good this year? I thought SMU was going to be "Top 25" in everything it does. At least that is what Orsini told me. Maybe Orsini is a liar and a fraud just like his moron predecessor Copeland.

Like most folks on this board, I wasn't a fan of Copeland, but I think he at least had some legit excuses (compared to the current administration) when it came to restricted spending and I suppose academic qualifications too.

I guess you have to give Orsini credit for convincing Turner & the top decision makers to allow the huge increase in athletic spending and the loosened academic restrictions. But unfortunately the more we spend, the worse it gets. Dropping $1 million on "Pony Up"...dropping $1 million on the ridiculous new "sports bar" AD offices (not sure if this was from donors or not)...
And in the meantime they've been eliminating several support staff positions and replacing long time SMU employees with "their guys", while at the same time creating these new business & sales positions without actually having a product to sell right now.
So I'm pretty convinced that this athletic administration (and this can even go down to men's basketball head coach too) is all about smoke & mirrors...
SMU preaches Top 25 while TCU actually practices it...

And I'll now apologize for going off topic with that rant, but there are just too many problems with this thing to know where to start.

[Stallion]

You guys are trying to analyze changes in the athletic model that really have only been fully implemented within the last 2 years or less. Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. Let it at least have a cycle of 4-5 years to see if the changes made in the Model result in better programs. Remember we have to dig out of a grave first to even get to level ground. I suggest that you starting counting from 2 in Basketball and from 1 in Football.

[LA_Mustang]

You guys are trying to analyze changes in the athletic model that really have only been fully implemented within the last 2 years or less. Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. Let it at least have a cycle of 4-5 years to see if the changes made in the Model result in better programs. Remember we have to dig out of a grave first to even get to level ground. I suggest that you starting counting from 2 in Basketball and from 1 in Football.

I get what you're saying, Stallion....and I agree, but when we are losing multiple games to teams with less talent and getting blown out by teams with similar talent that has nothing to do with an athletic model or needing to wait.....this isn't a new thing, it has consistently happened all three years under Doherty.

[jtstang]

Like most folks on this board, I wasn't a fan of Copeland, but I think he at least had some legit excuses (compared to the current administration) when it came to restricted spending and I suppose academic qualifications too.

Doesn't mean he wasn't a fraud. He helped purpetrate the biggest fraud in the history of SMU baskeball with the burgers and Cheer debacle.

[George S. Patton]

You guys are trying to analyze changes in the athletic model that really have only been fully implemented within the last 2 years or less. Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. Let it at least have a cycle of 4-5 years to see if the changes made in the Model result in better programs. Remember we have to dig out of a grave first to even get to level ground. I suggest that you starting counting from 2 in Basketball and from 1 in Football.

Does the model apply to players trying to play together?
Does the model apply to players playing defense?
Does the model apply to players converting 60 percent at the FT line?
Does the model apply to 0-7 on the road?
Does the model apply to a 6-8 forward, who chose SMU over OU and Louisville, mentally checking out for the season?

We've never been in dispute about better players make coaches look smarter and vice versa and that the need for them is always a must.

But when it comes to the elements of the game and you consistently poor in this regard, then you have some problems with your program.

I'm with you but not all the way on this.

[Pony_Fan]

You guys are trying to analyze changes in the athletic model that really have only been fully implemented within the last 2 years or less. Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. Let it at least have a cycle of 4-5 years to see if the changes made in the Model result in better programs. Remember we have to dig out of a grave first to even get to level ground. I suggest that you starting counting from 2 in Basketball and from 1 in Football.

I get what you're saying, Stallion....and I agree, but when we are losing multiple games to teams with less talent and getting blow out by teams with similar talent that has nothing to do with an athletic model or needing to wait.....this isn't a new thing, it has consistently happened all three years under Doherty.

I agree with Stallion but LA has a point too. No reason for these blowout losses and ridiculous holes in the 1st half - we aren't seeing any nice adjustments other than a sub every minute which doesnt help. Box out, get rebounds, play defense if you aren't hitting the shot. Instead it's lazy defense, giving up 3 point records to every team on the map.

No excuses, I'm sorry.

[EastStang]

The current state of SMU basketball

[PoconoPony]

I was watching the Big East game last evening between UConn and DePaul. UConn probably has the best 8 in the country and DePaul was very game and competitive until UConn's 3 bench "starters" turned the tide. Announcers quoted several Big East coaches including DePaul's coach as saying it takes (SIX) 6 years to turn a program around and be competitive in the Big East. Yep, 6 years to finally get the talent to compete and be in the middle of the pack. Maybe we are too impatient and do not fully appreciate how hard the recruiting wars have become with so many programs all lookingand fighting for talent.

[jkflamebo]

RACK - thanks for your input. my 4 years on the hilltop is coming to an end. best game i saw was when you guys fought like men and almost beat memphis in moody a couple years ago. i look at that box score and see that 5 players on our side were on the court most of the game. i know it was a different team with little depth and all, but why the hell don't we stick with our BEST 5 guys the majority of the game and let them do their thing?

[PoconoPony]

You guys are trying to analyze changes in the athletic model that really have only been fully implemented within the last 2 years or less. Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. Let it at least have a cycle of 4-5 years to see if the changes made in the Model result in better programs. Remember we have to dig out of a grave first to even get to level ground. I suggest that you starting counting from 2 in Basketball and from 1 in Football.

I agree that it takes time for any model to take shape and that patience is needed; however, I think someone should contact the UNC site and get specific feed back as to exactly why Doh was run out of Chapel Hill so soon. My only recollection at that time was that he was described as a bad bench coach. I never heard that reason further defined. Anyone know someone close to the UNC program who can authoritatively comment???? There might be clues in their answers.

[therack]

I will admit to having hoped for a .500 year. It is so frustrating to compare rosters, expect to be competitive and then fail. The ECU game was the most frustrating experience. To lose at home to a mediocre team with a terrible road record, bad, just bad.

That said, I don't see team leadership as all that coachable. Our likely leaders are Williams and McCoy and they are the new kids on campus. To think others will immediately accept them is not realistic.
Next year is make or break, leadership has to emerge from the experience of this year and they have to capitalize on the athleticism we have glimpsed.

you are correct, both williams and mccoy do have leadership abilities... The problem is that they are new this year and our only veteran player Bamba is not a LEADER!!! even though they did very nice article about his increased leadership in DMN a month ago, he's no leader... Hopefully, one or two of these guys will get tired of losing and begin leading this group... Otherwise, I hate to say that but it might be a very long season...

[therack]

RACK - thanks for your input. my 4 years on the hilltop is coming to an end. best game i saw was when you guys fought like men and almost beat memphis in moody a couple years ago. i look at that box score and see that 5 players on our side were on the court most of the game. i know it was a different team with little depth and all, but why the hell don't we stick with our BEST 5 guys the majority of the game and let them do their thing?

I agree with you, all you need is 5 starters and solid 2-3 guys off the bench... But it seems like Coach cannot make up his mind because the guys are so inconsistent...

[EastStang]

I think at this point rack may be on to something. No one has outright taken control of a position. Dia looked promising last year and now is spotty. No one has taken control of the 2 spot or the three spot. Mo Faye is MIA half the time and Nyakundi is inconsistent. Williams clearly has shown he belongs on the Court and so does McCoy, but they really are meant to play the same position. Without a true starting five, you keep holding tryouts all year long hoping that someone steps up. If no one does, you're back to the youngest team again next year as we try out a new group.

[papawasamustang]

I think at this point rack may be on to something. No one has outright taken control of a position. Dia looked promising last year and now is spotty. No one has taken control of the 2 spot or the three spot. Mo Faye is MIA half the time and Nyakundi is inconsistent. Williams clearly has shown he belongs on the Court and so does McCoy, but they really are meant to play the same position. Without a true starting five, you keep holding tryouts all year long hoping that someone steps up. If no one does, you're back to the youngest team again next year as we try out a new group.

No one has taken control of a position because its almost impossible to get into any type of rhythm or consistency when you are using the yo yo approach to substitutions. I have seen numerous players start off slow or miss several shots before they get in the flow, find their rhythm & get hot.
I once had a teammate that missed his first 6 shots from the floor, was 0-3 @ the FT line & got hot & couldn't miss the rest of the game & finished with 39 pts. I've seen this countless times.

[papawasamustang]

living in Midland it is very difficult to follow the Basketball team or that matter any basketball. Do we have any talent on this team? Is our coaching really this poor? Does SMU Basketball have a future in its current state? I am just trying to get a handle on things. Cause from out here it does not look very good. Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Pony Up!

Have u checked out the Midland JC basketball team this year?
#4 in the nation.
What do you think of Kevon Lytch @ Midland JC?

http://www.midland.edu/athletics/basket ... /Kavon.php

Yes. I have season tickets. Ksvon is a stud. 6-7 241 lbs. -
19 ppg almost 9 rpg. He controls the game. He was raised in Brooklyn and came to MIdland College this year from a JC in Oklahoma. Had some maturity problems it sounds like and had some problems at the beginning of the season. He seems to have his head on straight now. I do not know about his grades, he is enrolled at a JC, but he does have a very strong inside game and he has the body to play D-1 BB, probably would be a big help to SMU if they go after him.

here is a link to an article in the Midland paper about Kavon you might enjoy:

http://www.mywesttexas.com/articles/200 ... h_read.txt

PONY UP!

Thanks for the info. You get to see some great talent in that conference.
I would have loved to been @ the recent game vs. South Plains.
Midland 2007 National Champs vs. South Plains, defending National champs.

http://www.gochaps.com/archtxwork/artic ... tballm.php