Tom Penders and Matt Doherty

[Big10Ponyfan]

Turnaround Tom came to Texas from Rhode Island for the 1988-89 season to replace the despised Bob Weltlick. At the time, UT had never made a serious commitment to basketball until it turned to Penders.

The roster Penders inherited was not highly regarded because the only team that went to the post season under Weltlick was the 1985-86 squad that went to the NIT.

Penders had Travis Mays (the best player), George Muller, Jose Nassar and others. With that group, Penders found a way win about 22 games, get to the SWC tournament finals and got to the second round of the NCAA before it lost to Missouri in the second round. Remember the job Nassar did on Tom Hammonds?

Penders may have flamed out, but he is the one which got Texas basketball going.

Matt Doherty comes to a program where the talent is better (my opinion) than how it has played under Mike Dement and Jimmy Tubbs and comes to a school where is appears the school is serious about getting basketball going again.

With a difference voice who challenges and inspires and offers a new perspective, you're going to have players on this roster who will push themselves to different limits than ever before. Jon Killer, Ike I-chart, The Rack, etc.

We've already seen that through the first three games. It appeas that they have accepted his coaching.

I see a lot of similarities between what Penders did and what Doherty can do. When you commit to your program, it's amazing what can happen.

[Stallion]

...and the suck up continues. Just sit back and relax-follow recruiting, go to the games but nobody believes a word you say because you say it about every single coach. There also is no correlation between the commitment of UT under Penders to SMU under Doherty. NONE!

[MustangIcon]

I can agree with everything you said except for I think this is the least talented team SMU has had in quite a few seasons. I anticipate we will get much more out of that talent than we would have under the previous regimes, but this team to me does not compare talent wise to seasons of the past.

[Big10Ponyfan]

...and the suck up continues. Just sit back and relax-follow recruiting, go to the games but nobody believes a word you say because you say it about every single coach. There also is no correlation between the commitment of UT under Penders to SMU under Doherty. NONE!

Whatever you say, Mr. Recruiting. And you're right. Whatever Doherty is selling, I'm buying.

[Big10Ponyfan]

I can agree with everything you said except for I think this is the least talented team SMU has had in quite a few seasons. I anticipate we will get much more out of that talent than we would have under the previous regimes, but this team to me does not compare talent wise to seasons of the past.

I agree that the talent is an issue. But I'll take a team that is out talented but will outwork its opponent every day. Basketball is about effort. Defense is effort. Rebounding is effort. You have to want to do those two. Offense can be more of a talent thing.

Remember, Dan Dakich shut down Michael Jordan in the 1984 NCAA Regional semifinals as Indiana beat UNC. And look what we did against the FSU kid yesterday -- Gordon. He had 15 (scored FSU's first 6) and was not a huge factor.

I think there was a talent difference there in both cases.

[Stallion]

See there you go again -most assuredly Basketball of all games played is about physical talent-those that don't have it fire their coaches every 2-5 years. The kids that "work-hard" play intramurals in College.

[Big10Ponyfan]

This isn't a Hoosiers kind of thing. But would you prefer the team that works together or the team that comes and goes in 12 different cars?

[Stallion]

You're right this isn't High School Teddy Ballgame. I wouldn't "prefer" anything except for winning. Winning in this conference is defined by Memphis, UH, UTEP and UAB and perhaps Tulsa from a historical perspective. They didn't just win because of hustle -they won because of talent not to mention an admission model that made that possible.

[Big10Ponyfan]

Well, if you get a team that works together you may have a pretty decent season fall into your lap. Let's see where we are in February.

I didn't know you were a Ted Williams fan. I actually liked, "The Splendid Splinter.''

[Stallion]

that would be neat-o and swell. Let's wait until March instead.

[Big10Ponyfan]

February is more realistic because by then you'll know if there is something to play for in March. You want meaningful games in February.

We've got troubles.
Right here in River City
That start T
And that rhymes with P
And that means pool

Are your kids saying swell? Oooohhh
--Robert Preston, The Music Man

[Treadway21]

not to mention an admission model that made that possible.

So i guess that means that every team that doesn't make it into the NCAA's is not following "the model". Doherty has got a lesser talented team than the one that went 15-16 and got em playing like a real basketball team. They may wear out, but we now have a coach that has a system. Plus he has got a pretty good class coming in.

[Charleston Pony]

suffice it to say the Doherty era is off to a good start. Now, let's just hope the momentum continues to build and that we can keep coach Doherty around. I first started following SMU hoops during the Doc hayes era and have been waiting for a return to that level of consistent success for over 40 years. Let's hope Doherty is the guy who can finally get it done and that SMU can keep him here if/when he does

[Billy Joe]

The key to Doherty's success if recruiting local talent. Dement / Tubbs had a hint of success doing this with the Sasser / Davis / Ross group. We almost made it to the NCAA's with that group. There is a hot bed of talent in our own backyard. Will the Tubbs firing prevent us from getting some of this talent? Will SMU's restrictive admission policies continue to prevent us from getting this talent? Time will tell. I just don't believe Doherty (or any coach for that matter) will have any success recruiting 'left-overs' from other states. Get the top kids in your own backyard and then the wins will come. Easier said than done though.

[The PonyGrad]

With Coach Ds national rep he can do mare that get left-overs from other states. Granted we want to get local talent but the main point is to get talent from whereever it comes.

And coaching matters and players matter, we can have both! So chill out.