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Maybe Doherty and his TCU counterpart are being given too much pressure to successfully recruit top tier players from within the metroplex. First, most kids grow up wanting to go to traditional powerhouses who are on television every week. Second, most kids would rather hit a school that the academics are not as difficult. Third, school size and student enthusiasm - SMU has neither and even if the entire student body of SMU showed to a basketball game the arena would still not be filled and Moody sits less than 10K, no? Fourth, opponent legitimacy - Conf USA is not strong and many of the schools in the conference are not known by most high school ballers. This point goes back to perenniel powers who are on tv every week or in Top 25 match ups, etc. It becomes part of these kids' psyche'. In a recent post about a football player SMU offered an "inside" source told someone on this board that the kid was only going to seriously consider perenniel Top 10 programs. What does that say? Granted, it should not take 4 years to get minimal positive results but I think the idea of needing to be a better recruiter in our own backyard is over rated. Good ballers are all over the nation. And, maybe SMU is an easier "sale" to kids from out of state who don't know better. Just listen to what some of our recruits say when they are interviewed. They have no idea what really goes on in the lockerooms, on the field/court or with the student support. I read that a lot of the recruits like our student support. These recruits are blowing smoke because they have no clue and are taught to say the right things. Doherty has no more leverage. Ultimately, sports is about results. Coaches they get too much blame when it is bad and they get too much credit when times are good. As a former athlete myself I understand and appreciate what the coach does but when the game is on, it is 99% up to the players. Especially in a game like basketball. Furthermore, especially at the highschool, collegiate and professional levels of play. No doubt, SMU needs better talent on the team and if next years class doesn't produce results..........IMO. I know this post jumps around a bit but I get excited...

another reason to get back into a big boy league - quickly!

I disagree with your statement that Moody can't fill up. My time at SMU 1998-2002 we had numerous sellouts, but also had a much better product on the court. Not to mention we scheduled MUCH better teams. I think my first game at SMU was at home against TCU, was a late night ESPN broadcasted game. Back then we could fill up the entire bleacher section, you couldn't move and the overflow of students went to the sides. Games against Bob Knight's Tech Raiders, the great Tulsa matchups at home. Shawn Marion coming in with UNLV. Moody was always jumping and it was tough for visitors. You have to get studs into the program and the band wagon city will jump on. Sasser is a great example...

NastyStang: I was not saying Moody cannot fill up. I was implying if all the SMU student body showed the coliseum would still not be filled. My point was more or less that SMU is a smaller university(nothing wrong with that, in fact its great) so even with signicant student support, relatively speaking, it appears not to be so much when compared to much larger state schools. Your point about bringing in bigger time opponents echoes thoughts in my previous post. SMU plays in a weak conference. Give people a reason to come out and cheer by playing the bigger programs if you can get them to schedule against SMU and then one step in starting to build a stronger team is off the premise that we play the big boys, too.