Daily Campus Supports Coach DOH

[Water Pony]

Doherty should, will stay

Ed Board thinks the coach has greatly improved basketball

By: The Daily Campus Ed BoardPosted: 3/30/07

Ed Board would like to say thank you to someone who has done a great job in just one year: head basketball coach Matt Doherty.

Doherty came in a made SMU basketball exciting again. No, the record at the end of the season did not show that very well. But a strong non-conference record and several close conference games leaves a good outlook on years to come.

There is some talk about Doherty possibly taking a job somewhere else and not returning to the Mustangs next season.

Ed Board believes that this would be a very unlikely occurrence, especially when Doherty says he wants to take a SMU basketball team to the Final Four.

But you have to look at what Doherty did off the court, too.

The first thing Doherty did was get involved with the students. He made rounds to the fraternity houses and invited the sororities to practices with pizza. But Doherty also got the rest of the students excited by having a top name coach leading the Mustangs.

The hiring of Doherty was possibly the best SMU athletic news since the death penalty in 1986.

With the football team finally looking like they are back on track, Doherty is here to get the basketball team back on track. Most SMU students don't know that the Mustangs were in the Final Four and have been to the NCAA Tournament 10 times.

The problem is that the last time SMU saw the tournament was in 1993 while the Mustangs were still in the Southwestern Conference.

Now, 14 years and four coaches later, SMU looks like it has the best chance to go back, and that is due to one man, Doherty.

Doherty not only has the ability to turn a player who averages 3.8 points a game one season into the team's leading scorer with more than 17 points a game, a la Ike Ofoegbu, but he also has the ability to bring in a higher-quality player as well.

So when a coach can mold into a good player into a great player, there is no limit to what this team can do.

Doherty can pretty much stay at SMU as long as he chooses, and it is up to the SMU community to let him know that he is appreciated. That began with the groundbreaking of the Crum Basketball Center, the new scoreboard and talks of other renovations of Moody Coliseum.

So thank you coach Doherty, thank you for bringing excitement back into Moody Coliseum. We'll be behind you and cheering in the Final Four.

[Stallion]

What the hell is the Southwestern Conference?

[RGV Pony]

What the hell is the Southwestern Conference?

also known as the SWAC. And now you know why Grambling was on the schedule in the early 80s.





Yes I'm kidding.

[Pony_Fan]

It's been so long these kids don't even know what conf. we were in...

[smu diamond m]

The hiring of Doherty was possibly the best SMU athletic news since the death penalty in 1986.

Go DC!

[Mexmustang]

Sadley, they don't even know what a winning athletic program is...Go coach DOH!

[Horseshoe]

Doherty should, will stay

Ed Board thinks the coach has greatly improved basketball

By: The Daily Campus Ed BoardPosted: 3/30/07

Ed Board would like to say thank you to someone who has done a great job in just one year: head basketball coach Matt Doherty.

Really? Since when does the editorial board single out one person to express gratitude?

.... Ed Board believes that this would be a very unlikely occurrence, especially when Doherty says he wants to take a SMU basketball team to the Final Four....

OK, kids .... I'm not sure how a group like Ed Board can "believe" something, but as for Coach Doherty's assertion that he wants to take SMU to a Final Four meaning that he won't leave .... THAT's your evidence? What's he supposed to say? "I'm here until I get a better offer!" OF COURSE he says he wants to stay, and I, for one, believe that he does like it here and that he does want to win here. However, let's not use gratuitous comments like that as the reason for blind faith.

.... With the football team finally looking like they are back on track....

Without delving into different people's assessments of what it means to be "back on track" .... wouldn't a football team look like IT is back on track? (Answer: yes) Grammar isn't the most exciting topic, I realize, but come on, you're writers.

Now, 14 years and four coaches later, SMU looks like it has the best chance to go back, and that is due to one man, Doherty.

One man? Really? How about Steve-O, who hired Coach Doherty? How about President Turner, who hired Steve-O? How about the assistant coaches, who are out on the road handling so much of the legworking in recruiting? Coach Doherty is a very impressive man, and by all accounts is an exceptional coach, but don't suggest he can do this without help from his support system.

Doherty can pretty much stay at SMU as long as he chooses....

Why? Steve-O has shown that he's all about winning, about top-25 rankings. Might want to tweak that sentence to say "Doherty can pretty much stay at SMU as long as he chooses .... as long as he wins."

[ponyup10]

Horseshoe:

Do you really just sit around finding things to criticize a collegiate newspaper about?

What do you do and what was your major? Because when I graduate I want to have that kind of time.

Thanks.

[DirtyDozen123]

I don't want to sound like I'm against supporting Coach Doh or the Mustangs, because that is definitely not the case. My only problem with the Ed Board article is the ending:

"We will be behind you and cheering in the Final Four."

Since when have the students REALLY been behind and cheering, other than the Memphis game at the end of the season? As a student that attends almost every home game, I think Ed Board needs to put their money where their mouth is. Maybe if the students start showing the support their Editorial Board is promising, the rumors about Coach Doh leaving will be silenced. Or at least, he won't consider leaving due to lack of support or something like that.

[ponyup10]

A) I think if the team is good enough to make the Final Four people will come out to watch games.

B) I think if the team actually made the Final Four people would come out to watch those games

Like you said, people came out for the Memphis game, it was against a top team and the Mustangs kept it close. If that can continue over into next year the students will be REALLY behind him.

And that is from a student who attended EVERY home game

[DirtyDozen123]

that post is the embodiment of a fair weather fan ... if students only come out to support the Mustangs against top 10 opponents then its going to be a quiet season

[smu diamond m]

Do you really just sit around finding things to criticize a collegiate newspaper about?

What do you do and what was your major? Because when I graduate I want to have that kind of time.

It doesn't take much to criticize the DC. It's just bad. Rampant errors, stupid articles, actually publishing Henson's articles... I could go on.

[ponyup10]

that post is the embodiment of a fair weather fan ... if students only come out to support the Mustangs against top 10 opponents then its going to be a quiet season

That was my point exaclty. But if you haven't noticed that's what happens at SMU sporting events. People only come out for the games we will win or against a top opponent. What I was saying is that if we are good enough to be a Final Four team there will be more games that we should win and fans will come out.

Until SMU produces a high quality athletic team people will not give it full support...sad but true

And finally...

And that is from a student who attended EVERY home game

[DirtyDozen123]

Sorry that im not from around here and had to go home for christmas break so i missed a few games ... i only wish i couldve gone to them all so i could put the "EVERY home game" closing at the end of each of my posts

[expony18]

I don't want to sound like I'm against supporting Coach Doh or the Mustangs, because that is definitely not the case. My only problem with the Ed Board article is the ending:

"We will be behind you and cheering in the Final Four."

Since when have the students REALLY been behind and cheering, other than the Memphis game at the end of the season? As a student that attends almost every home game, I think Ed Board needs to put their money where their mouth is. Maybe if the students start showing the support their Editorial Board is promising, the rumors about Coach Doh leaving will be silenced. Or at least, he won't consider leaving due to lack of support or something like that.

I couldnt stand the ED board when i was in school... they have their heads so far up their @sses they can't see straight...