Memo to SMU men's hoops: Drop the act against the DISD

[George S. Patton]

I've said that there is a two-way street with the lack of a relationship we have had with the DISD. Our snobbery always made it a bit contentious. But the Tubbs firing accelerated it. Thank you Goree Johnson for your participation in it and imposing your will on the DISD coaches.

I still think Jimmy Tubbs just wasn't going to get it done here. But I digress -- I don't know what kind of inroads the Doherty regime was trying to make but whatever they are, the results are a big blank in terms of DISD kids coming here.

In our better years, we did pretty well getting kids around the area. Not sure Bliss' track record because my first year was his last year. But Dement and Tubbs (Jimmy had his pull as an asst. not as a HC) had that pipeline with Willie Davis, Jerryl Sasser and Quinton Ross.

IMO, for SMU to get back to being a legit BB program is suck in its pride, do a better job of rebuilding the relationship with the DISD and start getting kids who truly believe they will make a difference here. Lean on them and tell them the impact Sasser, Davis. Yeah. we weren't awesome (1 NIT appearance) but we didn't stink either. We were watchable.

Our admission policies put us in a better position. I know our FB program is getting some DISD kids, McNeal (who cares how), Frazier and Gamble -- on the surface, Jones and his staff appear to be off to a good start.

Every new coach that takes a job says his first recruiting priority is to close the borders. When you can do that, you become a good program. With the DISD, obvsiously, you're not going to get them all, but you need to get some.

This relationship needs a huge makeover in the worst way. Re-connect with the community and ease the strain and things can change.

Judging by our roster and who in the area we are really going after, it doesn't appear that we are even close to that.

And that's why I think that's a main component as to why the Doherty era is in trouble.

[MustangIcon]

Interesting and fresh perspective. I've never heard this before. Beat that dead horse one more time and while you are at it take a read at the post below.

I spoke with a BB coach @ Carter & he said that relations with SMU are very good & that Lutz comes by often & Doh has been by too.
Sz they have NO PROBLEM recommending any of their kids to come SMU.
SMU is welcome anytime.

Sz we are probably out of the picture for Jarred Shaw, their big center.

However, we are in the mix for Doward Evans, their outstanding PG.
Evans has been an all district player since his FRESHMAN year.
He's averaging 20.5 pts, 4.5 assists & leds the area in 3pt shooting as a junior. He is also the #12 rated player in the state for 2010 according to Texashoops.

With the addition of Evans, this makes 4 out of the top 12 players in Texas for 2010 interested in SMU. Also, Hinton from Frisco Wakeland is ranked #23 & he is also interested in us.

Seems to me like we are working pretty hard to build those relationships. Maybe you should point Doherty to the magic lamp where he can use one of his three wishes for everything to be fixed. Sometimes I feel like that is how you think things work.

[BUS]

One, we do not have many spots to fill.
Two, this team of freshman and soph's is going to be good. ( needs a little changing... Dia )
Three, some of those coaches and aau types are SLIMY. Yes, meant that way a mobster would use the term.

If we win, the right guys will want to come to SMU. Not smooozed to come to SMU.

[George S. Patton]

Icon,
You had the choice not to read it, but you did. Just like I read your stuff. Sorry if you feel like it's tired and worn out. The question then becomes why has it taken so long to repair? I can see the first year being an issue and a little bit in the second. You should be beyond that in year if you did what was right.

We're on the 4th year of a recruiting class with Doherty without a major sniff in the DISD. That's great that the Carter coach said what he said.

But if this staff hasn't done what they were suppose to do in 3 years to get this solved, then maybe they better look into the magic lamp thing.

I guess the actions are speaking louder than the words, aren't they?

[PonyDoh]

Maryland was iced out of Baltimore for close to 15 years for their perceived injustice towards Ernest Graham & then Bob Wade. These things take time, especially w/SMUs rep and the way Tubbs was done. It's clear you and others want to recruit Texas, specifically DFW, but what model are you basing that off of? Can you point to a highly successful, small to mid-sized, private institution, that competes at a top 25 level, by recruiting primarily locals? Specifically, locals out of a district that is pretty average academically and urban?

Icon,
You had the choice not to read it, but you did. Just like I read your stuff. Sorry if you feel like it's tired and worn out. The question then becomes why has it taken so long to repair? I can see the first year being an issue and a little bit in the second. You should be beyond that in year if you did what was right.

We're on the 4th year of a recruiting class with Doherty without a major sniff in the DISD. That's great that the Carter coach said what he said.

But if this staff hasn't done what they were suppose to do in 3 years to get this solved, then maybe they better look into the magic lamp thing.

I guess the actions are speaking louder than the words, aren't they?

[MustangIcon]

The question then becomes why has it taken so long to repair? I can see the first year being an issue and a little bit in the second. You should be beyond that in year if you did what was right.

This is where I think your argument is flawed. So long to repair from what? Since the Hopkins brothers in 2002, we have not landed another DISD player other than Dez Willingham, a transfer. There was no existing pipeline in DISD for Doherty to rebuild. It was/is a complete start from scratch job.

SMU's athletic reputation is a joke to adults that were alive during the "glory days." What do you think its reputation is for kids (especially inner city kids like everyone is clammoring for) we are now recruiting who weren't born until well into the 1990s?

I, everyone here, and the coaching staff would love to have the best players is DISD play at SMU. But if that is not possible, I would rather us take better players who want to come here, whereever they may be from, than settle for marginal D1 talent interested in us solely bc they are from our city.

[Billy Joe]

Well said General. I have been preaching this for years and it is nice to see someone else speak the truth. Of course, you will get the apologists and excuse makers for SMU athletics in general, and, specifically, the basketball team. You hear things like..."they are trying" and "they have to win first".....it is all a bunch of garbage. There are problems when the home town school with top-notch facilities and a nationally recognized coach cannot even get a look from top local talent. This basketball program takes off when SMU begins to attract the top local talent again. For instance, I watched some of the OU / OSU game last night and OSU's starting point guard (Eaton) was a Lincoln graduate....sure would have been nice watching him play at SMU. There are many more examples but you apologists and excuse makers get the point...don't you? Ok, here is another example.....losing seaons and loses at home to Ark. Pine Bluff, and SC Upstate. Do you need more? Because I can go all day with this.

[jtstang]

You hear things like..."they are trying" and "they have to win first".....it is all a bunch of garbage.

Yes, because all of the top notch players want to come to programs that don't win...

[PonyDoh]

Well said General. I have been preaching this for years and it is nice to see someone else speak the truth. Of course, you will get the apologists and excuse makers for SMU athletics in general, and, specifically, the basketball team. You hear things like..."they are trying" and "they have to win first".....it is all a bunch of garbage. There are problems when the home town school with top-notch facilities and a nationally recognized coach cannot even get a look from top local talent. This basketball program takes off when SMU begins to attract the top local talent again. For instance, I watched some of the OU / OSU game last night and OSU's starting point guard (Eaton) was a Lincoln graduate....sure would have been nice watching him play at SMU. There are many more examples but you apologists and excuse makers get the point...don't you? Ok, here is another example.....losing seaons and loses at home to Ark. Pine Bluff, and SC Upstate. Do you need more? Because I can go all day with this.

This board makes me dumber

[Stallion]

You don't start a relationship with DISD by insulting them-YOU have been a major part of the group on this board who reacted to SMU major mishandling of the Tubbs situation by insulting Goree Johnson and others. That isn't the way to handle a major F'ck Up by SMU. Why don't you just remain in the barracks on the subject.

[White Helmet]

yes because they all red ponyfans.com

[Alaric]

The question then becomes why has it taken so long to repair? I can see the first year being an issue and a little bit in the second. You should be beyond that in year if you did what was right.

This is where I think your argument is flawed. So long to repair from what? Since the Hopkins brothers in 2002, we have not landed another DISD player other than Dez Willingham, a transfer. There was no existing pipeline in DISD for Doherty to rebuild. It was/is a complete start from scratch job.

SMU's athletic reputation is a joke to adults that were alive during the "glory days." What do you think its reputation is for kids (especially inner city kids like everyone is clammoring for) we are now recruiting who weren't born until well into the 1990s?

I, everyone here, and the coaching staff would love to have the best players is DISD play at SMU. But if that is not possible, I would rather us take better players who want to come here, whereever they may be from, than settle for marginal D1 talent interested in us solely bc they are from our city.

well said...

June Jones has an advantage over Doherty locally because he has a reputation as a miracle worker and because football recruiting has less
slime than BB recruiting

[Mexmustang]

My two cents:
First, when SMU has the opportunity to replace an assistant coach, let's look real hard at a minority candidate from the DISD or strong connections to Dallas or SMU. Let's identify a young coach, with high energy, that has outstanding potential to move up and help him.
Second, we seem to take on a number of projects, next time why not from Dallas and Ft. Worth, rather than from another continent away?

[papawasamustang]

My two cents:
First, when SMU has the opportunity to replace an assistant coach, let's look real hard at a minority candidate from the DISD or strong connections to Dallas or SMU. Let's identify a young coach, with high energy, that has outstanding potential to move up and help him.
Second, we seem to take on a number of projects, next time why not from Dallas and Ft. Worth, rather than from another continent away?

Excellent point & I agree 100%.
Based on my conversations with some locals I would say that we are welcome @ any DISD campus. Also based on my conversations I think alot of the kids are intimidated about the academics @ SMU.

Going into the DISD ranks & offering an assistant job would be an outstanding gesture. There are many qualifed coaches that could do a great job on many fronts for us.

The best unsigned prospect in DISD's senior class imo is Javarez Willis, a pg a Pinkston. He is very good & would be a great compliment to Williams & McCoy next season.

The DISD BS is just another excuse for all us to complain about why we aren't winning. Or, we are too young. or this or that. There are alot of coaches in the DISD that don't know the history & could care less.

Doh & Lutz & BARNES should be inviting the coaches to Crum every chance the get. Hell, go drive over to their school & pick them up & bring them over. Why not hold DISD coaching clinics.

Time to move on & forget about the DISD excuse & move on to the future.
If Doh & his staff can't take advantage of the goldmine in their backyard than lets get a coaching staff in here that will.

[White Helmet]

Goldmine? thats an exageration of the Rivals top 100, 8 are from texas only 3 from DFW, where as Califonia has 15 in the top 100