Good Times On The Hilltop

[Smulaw90]

Top 10, #5 RPI, love from Jay Bilas/Espn/Seth Greenberg/ Katz, CBS Sports, USA Today and many others.

The story of SMU and the NCAA sanctions were repeated so often early in the season that many of us were sick at our stomach. We kept thinking, "can you just talk about basketball and give this team some credit?" Now, it seems everyone, even Dicky V., is mentioning SMU. SMU has become the posterchild for "team, cohesiveness, togetherness, love for one another." Slowly, this has become the narrative about this Team. And with each successive hardship, this Team has stepped up. So much so, that the possibilities, even without the Big Dance, are still incredible. Good times indeed.

Which brings me to another point. Over the last few weeks, I've watched a handful of games. The really good teams are always fun to watch (Kansas/Oklahoma). But it is so painful to watch UNLV, Memphis, New Mexico, Texas and others. As I watched those games, I saw poor coaching (not at UT) and poor execution. I kept thinking, "why are you taking that shot. Yes, you were open, but......." Suddently it dawned on me, I have become a basketball guru. Watching this Team progress over the course of the last three years has taught me a lot about the Larry Brown way. So much so, that its hard to watch poorly coached teams. I cringe.

So I will end with this: these are really good times on the Hilltop. I''m enjoying this ride, as I know all of you are as well. "Was it worth it to hire Larry Brown and with all the baggage he allegedly brings?" The answer is unequivocally, HELL YES! He's given his heart and soul to this Team/SMU.

As my 13 year old daughter often says, "this story hits me hard in the feels....." Good good times.

[One Trick Pony]

I watched Kansas last night thinking the same thing. Yes we are all basketball experts now .

[Smulaw90]

I watched Kansas last night thinking the same thing. Yes we are all basketball experts now .

I'm done with the practice of law. Ready to move on to greener pastures. I need an assistant coach. You in?

[One Trick Pony]

Absolutely can I drink beer on the floor?

[Pony_Law]

We have the benefit of closely watching a very well coached team. We also have the benefit of watching a well coached team with lots of upperclassmen (over the last 3 years seniors and Juniors have been the back bone). AS a result we see a very high basketball IQ product. There are other great coaches out there that you can appreciate if you watch them. Then there are schools that recruit very high level talent that doesn't stay so you don't really see the craft of basketball being shown (think some of the last few Rick Barns UT teams). Good examples of this, this year are Memphis and LSU. They play really ugly basketball but are mediocre to good because they have a few very high level talent kids. Those kids won't stay to learn the craft (LSU) or have a bad coach (Memphis).

[ponyboy]

I'd be happy to be the guy to wipe up the spills.

[One Trick Pony]

Last year I SAT through a full LB practice in the basement. It was brutal. Now I know why Iverson didn't want to show up haha .

I like the part where Tolbert took a jump shot and LB says anyone can do that s*** I need somebody that can drive to the basket.

[Smulaw90]

Last year I SAT through a full LB practice in the basement. It was brutal. Now I know why Iverson didn't want to show up haha .

I like the part where Tolbert took a jump shot and LB says anyone can do that s*** I need somebody that can drive to the basket.

I remember listening to B. Walton or K. Abdul Jabbar talking about Coach Wooden's famous practices. I can't remember which one said it, but in essence they said that the practices were the hardest things they did. Come game time, everything was easy. That process however taught each of them and their team, that the joy is in the hard work. The reward is never as sweet.

[One Trick Pony]

The master knows what he's doing but for some reason in the back of my mind I wondered how you could get a flow going when you stop every 8 seconds.


Pretty sure Tolbert's driving to the basket now.

[Pony_Law]

The master knows what he's doing but for some reason in the back of my mind I wondered how you could get a flow going when you stop every 8 seconds.


Pretty sure Tolbert's driving to the basket now.

Practice isn't about flow, it's about playing the right way every time.

[One Trick Pony]

Well I'll leave the semantics up to you attorneys.

[pwnyxpress]

All I know is that you are all hired when I win the powerball!

[birddogger]

We have the benefit of closely watching a very well coached team. We also have the benefit of watching a well coached team with lots of upperclassmen (over the last 3 years seniors and Juniors have been the back bone). AS a result we see a very high basketball IQ product. There are other great coaches out there that you can appreciate if you watch them. Then there are schools that recruit very high level talent that doesn't stay so you don't really see the craft of basketball being shown (think some of the last few Rick Barns UT teams). Good examples of this, this year are Memphis and LSU. They play really ugly basketball but are mediocre to good because they have a few very high level talent kids. Those kids won't stay to learn the craft (LSU) or have a bad coach (Memphis).

LSU has been painful to watch. So much talent and so few results. No movement away from the ball, no defense. A waste of talent. Like Dale Brown, J. Jones is a front runner for the Guy V. Lewis award. The Ponies look and play like disciplined professionals by comparison.

[Pony_Law]

All I know is that you are all hired when I win the powerball!

I like it it. If I hit I would definitely love to host a ponyfans meet up in one of the Suites.

[sadderbudweiser]

So right about watching un-disciplined, poorly prepared teams dribble back and forth, go one-on-three, jack it up from Cleveland and play matador defense!

After watching this team improve year over year we have all witnessed enough to critique just about any team. We've actually seen our guys learn from mistakes that other teams make regularly.

Each year there has been substantial and noticeable improvement. This year it has been the ability to close, to seal the deal at crunch time that has been remarkable. We didn't used to be able to do that.