Losing some height next year but gaining some shooters

[Rebel10]

Maryland had a 6'10 kid Chris Wilcox that went pro (8th overall pick in draft) the year Juan Dixon and company won the national championship. In fact the had three good sized kids on the team in 6'10 Chris Wkicox, 6'9 Ryan Randle and 6''10 Tahj Holden. At any rate you did not see a 6'7 center on the team. And you were wrong about LB being here. See the quote that Stallion put up. Also, LB said that if Mudiay had been here SMU would have been a top 5 team. I think LB knows more than you do.

[hoopmanx]

Maryland had a 6'10 kid Chris Wilcox that went pro (8th overall pick in draft) the year Juan Dixon and company won the national championship. In fact the had three good sized kids on the team in 6'10 Chris Wkicox, 6'9 Ryan Randle and 6''10 Tahj Holden. At any rate you did not see a 6'7 center on the team. And you were wrong about LB being here. See the quote that Stallion put up. Also, LB said that if Mudiay had been here SMU would have been a top 5 team. I think LB knows more than you do.

You just declare things as truths w/no knowledge, it's amusing. Maryland started Mouton, Wilcox and Baxter the year they won it. Who played low block? Baxter, who was 6'6 in shoes, Wilcox 6'9, mouton 6'5. The other two guys certainly helped w/depth but Holden was a face up 4, that hung on the perimeter and seldom even touched the ball back to basket in the flex. Randle was closer to 6'8 and not an integral rotation guy until the following year.

As for Mudiay, LB's a politician. Saying we'd be top 5 if he were here is easy. Telling you he told Mudiay not to come is a little harder. So many of you just assume he went to China b/c of UA or money. There are a lot of different versions to that story depending on your vantage point. As for LB knowing more than me, of course he does. That said, he's made more than a few roster flubs since he's been here and certainly doesn't get a free pass for his failures, just b/c we're better than we have been. At this point, it's about 'are we as good as we should be?' The answer to that was no all year, even though we won the AAC.

[gostangs]

I'd agree with hoop - except I thin it is pretty obvious there was Under Amour meddling in the Mudiay situation.

We could use some more height - no doubt about it. But it is not "mid major" to have the 6-9 guys we have for next year. That's just dumb.

[hoopmanx]

I'd agree with hoop - except I thin it is pretty obvious there was Under Amour meddling in the Mudiay situation.

We could use some more height - no doubt about it. But it is not "mid major" to have the 6-9 guys we have for next year. That's just dumb.

I know a great deal about the Under Armour situation and there wasn't that much meddling until they sniffed the NCAA inquiry. Suffice it to say, they had fears of their next star being ineligible at SMU(not grades) which takes away their year long promotional build-up.

[Stallion]

So getting to No. 12 in RPI at Tournament time without Mudiay for the entire year, Markus Kennedy for first semester, Keith Frazier for second semester and Martin for second semester is UNACHIEVING? Stop listening to that blowhard. Use your own mind and think. Hopefully he'll go find another program to pretend to be a fan of.

[hoopmanx]

So getting to No. 12 in RPI at Tournament time without Mudiay for the entire year, Markus Kennedy for first semester, Keith Frazier for second semester and Martin for second semester is UNACHIEVING? Stop listening to that blowhard. Use your own mind and think. Hopefully he'll go find another program to pretend to be a fan of.

Blah, they overcame several self-inflicted wounds to lose all their high end OOC games, beat a woeful AAC and bail out in Rd 1. We celebrated after a regular season title that's not recognized. Martin was a mistake to bring in, not some loss. Frazier was a mistake to bring in, not some loss. Based on the talent level we had heading into the season, we underachieved

[East Coast Mustang]

Hoop isn't wrong. Just because he isn't blowing sunshine up your chutes 24/7 about the program doesn't mean he's any less of a fan.

[Stallion]

I personally doubt Hoopmanx has any substantial connection to SMU Period

He is singularly unique among active posters in never recollecting anything about the school, his education, activities he was involved, coursework. Name a thing he has ever posted proving he has more than a tangential connection to SMU

He apparently discovered the internet and SMU basketball circa the Doherty hiring

[hoopmanx]

I personally doubt Hoopmanx has any substantial connection to SMU Period

He is singularly unique among active posters in never recollecting anything about the school, his education, activities he was involved, coursework. Name a thing he has ever posted proving he has more than a tangential connection to SMU

He apparently discovered the internet and SMU basketball circa the Doherty hiring

LOL, I've been on these boards since early/mid Dement and left SMU in '94, a few years before. I've got nothing to hide about my experiences/life on the Hilltop. It wasn't that great and I had more fun after I left, so you won't hear me wax poetic. There are quite a few here that are friends on facebook and they can tell you most of my 'friends' are from SMU.

You keep swinging, champ. Someday you'll hit something other than air

[Mustangsabu]

I see that we have degenerated to eating our own once again. I have no inside information ever, but I know enough about the world to be able to see that it is entirely possible that Mudiay was never coming here and that it was simply another strand in what was a very successful publicity campaign. Having the Harrison Twins maintain SMU as an option was one ploy, even though everyone acknowledged that they would never actually sign. Mudiay announcing on ESPN was huge, but it is pretty clear to me that there was more in play with that deal than we were ever let in on. And Frazier coming to SMU can easily be seen as a risk calculated to generate publicity with the cost being that he was a huge academic liability. And, as it turns out, it looks like we are going to suffer for our actions in getting Keith on campus.

What many on this board are failing to open their eyes to is that it is a distinct possibility that next year we will be less than we were this year, and that we may have seen the zenith of our rise to prominence. We don't have huge signature players coming. We have a real risk that MK will not be here next year, and the rumors about NM are worrisome too. I love LB and it has been a pleasure to watch him (almost surreal) on our court every game) but there is no guarantee how long he will be here, and the unpleasant truth is that we are left to hope that the program under his leadership has not sold its soul for instant success. I am optimistic that this NCAA investigation is going to result in nothing too severe but I am appalled that the school sees fit to demand such a massive increase in cost, calculated by comparison to programs among whom SMU does not fit, without laying open the facts and the consequences of our misdeeds.

This year, while a lot of fun, we had 0 wins against top-25 teams, and for most games in Moody the crowd was no more than 5000, when they eventually decided to turn up. Without legitimate success next year that number is going to fall, and the situation will be exacerbated by the redistribution of seating in Moody. LB has voiced his displeasure with the attendance and I wouldn't expect him to want to see out the remaining years of his career at a school that doesn't really care. The money can only mask that for so long.

I just want to get back to watching basketball and getting behind the team. I'm sick of getting the shaft.

[gostangs]

Stallion never likes it when someone knows more about a sport than he does. Ill take Stallion on football recruiting all day long - but give me hoopmanx on basketball.

That said, I think Under armour is giving hoopmanx their sanitized version and you are buying it. They are the cause of Mudiay not being with us - and they will be the cause of lots of future headaches for lots of programs unless they are reigned in.

Abu you are dead wrong on the crowd - no idea where you are pulling the crowd info out of, but it is somewhere dark. Larry has expressed lot of enthusiasm about our regular sell outs - he just wants us to be there when players are announced. That probably isn't going to happen - and that's fine actually. It is a busy town. If you want to get bummed about basketball attendance in Texas check out the home atmosphere in ANY other arena in this state. We are the best game day show in the state of Texas by a long shot.

The guy to worry about is not LB - its David Miller. He brought this back to our campus and as long as he is committed we will put a national competitive product on the court. Great coach, great facilities, academic support plus great recruiters = success. It ain't that complicated, and LB is great but it isn't all about him.

[Rebel10]

I'd agree with hoop - except I thin it is pretty obvious there was Under Amour meddling in the Mudiay situation.

We could use some more height - no doubt about it. But it is not "mid major" to have the 6-9 guys we have for next year. That's just dumb.

It is dumb not to have read what I said. I said 6'7 not 6'9. please reread my state to. I just think we need a good rim protector and Hoopmanx seems to think two 6'7 guys are fine. I do not share that opinion. I too think we need a guy around the 6'9 range to be a rim protector. I think Carter could develop into that.

[hoopmanx]

I'd agree with hoop - except I thin it is pretty obvious there was Under Amour meddling in the Mudiay situation.

We could use some more height - no doubt about it. But it is not "mid major" to have the 6-9 guys we have for next year. That's just dumb.

It is dumb not to have read what I said. I said 6'7 not 6'9. please reread my state to. I just think we need a good rim protector and Hoopmanx seems to think two 6'7 guys are fine. I do not share that opinion. I too think we need a guy around the 6'9 range to be a rim protector. I think Carter could develop into that.

Are you saying we should have kept Jordan Dickerson lol?

[Rebel10]

I am saiying I am glad we got Yanick and Kennedy. And I hope we get Carter.

[hoopmanx]

That said, I think Under armour is giving hoopmanx their sanitized version and you are buying it. They are the cause of Mudiay not being with us - and they will be the cause of lots of future headaches for lots of programs unless they are reigned in.

The guy to worry about is not LB - its David Miller. He brought this back to our campus and as long as he is committed we will put a national competitive product on the court. Great coach, great facilities, academic support plus great recruiters = success. It ain't that complicated, and LB is great but it isn't all about him.

It's possible they are pulling my leg, but they never have in the past. Love your David Miller point. This resurrection has been all about commitment, far more so than LB.