Thursday was a big one - Saturday could be the biggest ever

[jc500]

Gents,

There has been an intervention. Friends have shown me the error of my ways. Apologies are due and owing to the entire board.

With that in mind, let me share with you the vastness of Thursday's games.

First game:
Yes, I have downplayed an SMU first-round victory in the WAC tourney. It's happened a couple of times before with no appreciable gains for the program. However, that does not, in any way, reduce the Pony pride currently swelling within my being.

I demand that all Pony fans replicate their Thursday actions EXACTLY in preparation for tommorrow's game. In addition, do not change your cheering style. I will continue to give tough love to the squad - you should continue with whatever support you provided yesterday.

If we work together, there's a chance. When we combine our work with the AMAZING coaching skills of Mike Dement, that chance raises to a possibility.

Second game:
I'm not sure if you fellas in the Southwest were privileged enough to catch the EPIC Oregon/Arizona State tilt that just took place. If you saw it, you know what I'm talking about.

I'm talking about Luke Ridnour staking his claim as the absolute BEST POINT GUARD IN THE NATION. I imagine there might be some TJ Ford fans out there that would disagree.

Granted, Ford is phenominal. But Rid's game is so innovative, his release so quick, his passes so crisp, that Ford is, in comparison, simply a gifted athlete. He cannot match the other-worldly talent that Ridnour possesses.

And talk about guts.

After Ike Idogu sinks a couple of clutch free throws to put the Sun Devils up one with 13 ticks remaining, Rid took the game (and the entire U of O program) on his shoulders - a load he is all too familiar with.

After calmly advancing the ball past the stripe, Rid gave Kyle Dodd a few dribbles to think about the dagger that was sure to drop.

After freezing the Sun Devils with fear, Rid's jab step right did the rest - giving him just enough space to leverage his way to the bucket. Lay up drops.

Oregon is going to the dance.

These two victories set up what could possibly be the greatest Saturday in the HISTORY of my sports fandom. (Currently number 1 is Boston College's shocking upset of then #1-ranked Notre Dame in '92. My father went to BC, and the atmosphere in my household that afternoon was nothing short of electric as the impossible happened.)

If SMU and Oregon win their respective conference tournaments on Saturday, I will have reached an all-time high.

I'm out

[FloridaMustang]

Super.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by jc500:
<B>Gents,

When we combine our work with the AMAZING coaching skills of Mike Dement, that chance raises to a possibility.</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That was sarcasm, right?

[Pony_Fan]

No, he's just completely delirious and obviously needs some medication. Realizes he has pissed off about every single person on the board

BTW, Ford, Duhon, and Blake are better than your West Coast boy.

UCLA winning was a bigger deal my friend.

[Pegasus]

On this site... I don't care about anyone, unless they are wearing the Red, White and Blue of the friggin SMU MUSTANGS!!!!!!!

[MrMustang1965]

He's STILL a 'rookie'!!!!!

------------------
"Winning ain't everything...but it's a lot more fun than the alternative!" S.M.U. SPIRIT: IT STARTS NOW!

[joey bag of donuts]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Pony_Fan:
<B>No, he's just completely delirious and obviously needs some medication. Realizes he has pissed off about every single person on the board

BTW, Ford, Duhon, and Blake are better than your West Coast boy.

UCLA winning was a bigger deal my friend.</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


UCLA was a bigger win, but by no means a better game. As far as the point guard issue, I think Pony_Fan is directly pulling from an ESPN.com article. I will back up jc500 with a ridnour vote over duhon and blake, but not Ford. Now, if SMU can take the WAC tourney and make it to the dance, will all the Dement naysayers change their tunes and give jc500 a little due for recognizing the coaching abilities......Or will your pride force you to give the players all the credit. I think that Jon Gruden proved coaching has a lot to do with winning, not just players.....

[Pony_Fan]

I actually watch hoops and make my own opinions. Ridnour is a great player but doesn't measure up to Blake or Ford.

Why don't you form your own opinions?Whether you and your bro think he is an AMAZING coach or not, we need a new system and philosophy.... Even IF we make the dance.

[joey bag of donuts]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Pony_Fan:
<B>I actually watch hoops and make my own opinions. Ridnour is a great player but doesn't measure up to Blake or Ford.

Why don't you form your own opinions?Whether you and your bro think he is an AMAZING coach or not, we need a new system and philosophy.... Even IF we make the dance.</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't have any inside scoop on the program, like the rest of you seem to have. I do think that constant turnover in the coaching position doesn't usually do much for a program. Dement has landed some good players, and I think he should be allowed more time. I think attitude and discipline can drive a program from mediocrity to Dance-like material. And judging from the scoop provided, Dement brings both qualities. Dement can learn from his coaching mistakes, but you can't force someone to have discipline and the right attitude.

[ClassOf81]

I'd love to see Hop turn into another Steve Blake - a point guard who thinks passing and defense first, and can score when everyone else is covered. As exciting as T.J. Ford is, I'd take Blake over every point guard in America. I haven't seen any point guard who makes his teammates better as well as he does.

And he doesn't shoot much, but he takes very smart shots.

[OldPony]

Pony Fan made up his mind sometime ago and can't admit that Dement has done an excellent job with this team this year. I was ready to give him the boot earlier in the year but it seems that the players have bought into what he is trying to do and the improvement has been tremendous over the past 1/2 of the year. There has been no late season meltdown and Dement still is a great recruiter when you look at all factors he has to deal with such as no "crib" majors, no tradition, no fans, crummy facilities, mediocre to poor conference, and tough graduation rates demanded by SMU. Pony Fan would have fired John Wooden because it took him so long to turn around the UCLA program. Dement definitely desreves more time. The team looses only 2 players who have really contributed although Q may be the best overall player ever to put on the Mustang uniform and will be really hard to replace in skill and leadership. Q has put this team on his back. Go Ponies!!!!!!!

[Pony_Fan]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by OldPony:
<B>Pony Fan made up his mind sometime ago and can't admit that Dement has done an excellent job with this team this year. I was ready to give him the boot earlier in the year but it seems that the players have bought into what he is trying to do and the improvement has been tremendous over the past 1/2 of the year. There has been no late season meltdown and Dement still is a great recruiter when you look at all factors he has to deal with such as no "crib" majors, no tradition, no fans, crummy facilities, mediocre to poor conference, and tough graduation rates demanded by SMU. Pony Fan would have fired John Wooden because it took him so long to turn around the UCLA program. Dement definitely desreves more time. The team looses only 2 players who have really contributed although Q may be the best overall player ever to put on the Mustang uniform and will be really hard to replace in skill and leadership. Q has put this team on his back. Go Ponies!!!!!!!</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

OP you know where I stand. Dement is far, far from being a Wooden...I will admit no meltdown but I still see the same offensive and defensive patterns. The WAC is extremely weak this year and Dement has let Hopkins freewheel it w/out much structure.

Krispy Kreme - Constant turnover? we have had ours for 7... Tubbs was the recruiting man (Dallas kids) - maybe one of these years we can admit JUCO's and offer a PE major. Enough about that...

Without Q, I am afraid we will be hurtin' next year but I am anxious to see what Hopkins can do with a full summer. Are we going to have to rely on him as another PG to score? Simpson is promising to be a good player for us next season as well. Maybe Pearson can provide a spark.

[jc500]

Gents,

As I stated earlier, I will accept a TJ Ford challenge to Ridnour's greatness.

But Duhon and Blake are simply the beneficiaries of excellent programs, and are in no way comparable to the greatness of Rids.

Duhon, in particular, CANNOT score. The drop off between Jay Williams and Duhon has been immeasurably large. While I respect Duhon's game, he is simply incapable of scoring on par with Rids. (9 ppg v 20 ppg)

Blake is not quick enough to be a GREAT point guard. (Don't get me wrong, he is a very good point guard - he runs the team efficiently and is capable of stepping up his game at times.) However, Blake is too predictable - he simply does not possess the innovative game that Ridnour has and is incapable of scoring on Rids' level. (12 ppg v 20)

I realize most visitors to this site do not have the privilege of seeing Rids' games very often. If you did, you would, NO DOUBT, be in agreement with me.

Or, in the immortal words of Fred Durst, we would all be in "agreeance."

I'm out

[mulletmike]

Ridnour is a quality shoot first PG. You can't compare him to Blake, though.

Blake has lost like 30 games total since his sophomore year of high school. Has a HS and college national title and been to 2 Final 4s and is 20 or so short of 1000 assists. Mostly, Blake is the toughest SOB in college ball right now. You are right, he may not be the quickest PG in the land, but he'll bite you to get an edge.

Ridnour may be more creative offensively, but he's half the defender Blake is and doesn't possess the vision Blake does.


Duhon has one of the worst years any pre-season POY candidate has ever had. Just abysmmal.

TJ Ford is TJ Ford. He does alot of things very well and has all the skill/quicks. He's not a pit-bull, though.

[EastStang]

Blake reminds me of John Stockton of the Jazz. Not fast, adequate shooter, but tougher than nails. Of course having Carl Malone to pass to his entire career hasn't hurt either.

[ponyboy]

Stockton would have succeeded anywhere he ended up. Don't get me wrong, Malone's the most underrated player in modern basketball, but I'm sick of hearing that Stockton's a product of Karl's abilities.