Doherty needs to go

by **Billy Joe** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:16 am

It is time for Orsini to swallow his pride and realize he made a mistake in hiring Doherty. A 9 win season is unacceptable when your stated goal is "Top 25". SMU finished last in a mediocre conference and cannot generate interest with the local recruits. The attendance is embarrassing and the near future does not look promising. Unfortuneately, Doherty will be back next season and probably for his 5th season because the athletic program does not have the funding to pay real money to get a big time coach at SMU. In the meantime, we have to listen to the excuses and garbage from Orsini and Doherty on how the program is going to turn around and start winning. It is funny how each season goes by there are fewer and fewer people that stop to listen.

by **Hoop Fan** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:31 am

I'm not sure Orsini knows much about basketball. Does anyone know if he really does? I know his roots are in football. I honestly think that considering the weak schedule, this was THE worst season in the history of SMU basketball. Not one quality win. But the real problem is if you are honest with yourself, this team is not positioned to take a step forward next year either. Yes, we can wish and hope like we always do, but do you really see it?

Having said that, the only way I fire Doh this year is if I had a prepackaged deal to bring in Gillespie if UK fired him or someone like that who is a proven recruiter, program builder and has Texas ties. Firing Doh just to get into line for an assistant from the Midwest or Northeast is not a good plan after only three years. Although, I do think Orsini had Doh prepackaged when Tubbs got fired which still irks the hell out of me. Had we not had a new AD coming in, Tubbs would have never been fired on those absurd grounds. Not enough people spoke up for what was right.

by **Stallion** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:33 am

This is not even close to the worst season in SMU History.

by **Hoop Fan** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:36 am

Stallion wrote:This is not even close to the worst season in SMU History.

beg to differ. Would rather go winless in a weak SWC than win 2 games in an even weaker CUSA. How many losses to Pine Bluff do we have in our history? Makes a 37-36 loss to UTA look legit.

by **bagice** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:47 am

Did you not see the fancy statistical charts in the DMN!

We have improved this season from last :wink:

.

Kidding aside, I still haven't given up on Doherty and think we should give him one more year. Next year he needs to take care of business against teams we should blow out and turn most of those close losses into Ws.

We need .500 or better in conference next year.

Obviously, Orsini could be working some magic behind the scenes to bring in a big name, but I don't think so, I think he and Turner think Doherty is on the right track and they like him as the face of SMU Basketball....

by **LA_Mustang** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:01 am

it was definitely the worst season I've witnessed since following the program (early/mid 90s). I agree with HF that a winless season in SWC couldn't have been any worse than 3 wins in this conference. The ridiculous OOC losses are what make it the worst for me.......maybe they did, but I can't imagine we lost to teams like UT-SA and Ark-Pine Bluff in Moody back in the day??

by **BUS** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:23 am

He will at least work out the contract period. He may even get an extension.

Come on folks, Doh is not going anywhere.

by **bagice** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:28 am

Hell, I look back on Dement, think how long we stuck with him and had no conference titles and only one NIT first round loss to show for it. His class of Sasser, Davis and Elsey and getting B-Hop probably gave him a few more years than he should have got and he did get the Q, but even with all those players, we never got it done.

by **SMU2007** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:43 am

hey but at least doh's blog points out that they are getting CLOSER to winning games. isn't that worth something??

by **Stallion** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:57 am

Its been about a combined 15 years since Dement and Cavan left SMU and some of you cling to this belief that the reason we suck is because we "stuck too long with Dement and Cavan". ? The reason we suck is because we stuck too long to a ridiculously uncompetitive Model. As someone who told you at the time Dement and Cavan weren't the problem I laugh ha! ha! ha! Mike Dement and Mike Cavan the greatest Coaches in SMU Post DP History!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Not one Coach in that 15 years has duplicated their records EVEN playing under much more relaxed admission standards. Mike Dement especially would have got us to the Dance if the SMU administration wasn't so incredibly stupid. All he needed was one measley JUCO big man.

by **WE ARE BACK** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:57 am

I am not renewing my seats next year... There is nothing I saw on the court that points toward improvement . We don't have the talent, and most importantly the coach. How do we not have one player that shoots 80% or higher from the free throw line? This team looked like it didn't know what it was doing most of the time. Nobody moves or sets screens on offense. This is all due to bad coaching.

by **friarwolf** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:58 am

I don't have much hope for next year, either. Doh is a good salesman but I just don't think he has a lot of basketball smarts or if he does, he isn't good at communicating them to his players. It is disappointing to see so many of our players - big men especially - who lack fundamentals. I think he will have 3 scholarships open up and I hope he goes and finds us 2 juco big men with attitude who can at least rebound and set picks and a slasher would be nice, too. Too many ifs to expect much improvement next year, I am afraid..........

by **bagice** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 11:14 am

Stallion wrote:Its been about a combined 15 years since Dement and Cavan left SMU and some of you cling to this belief that the reason we suck is because we "stuck too long with Dement and Cavan". ? The reason we suck is because we stuck too long to a ridiculously uncompetitive Model. As someone who told you at the time Dement and Cavan weren't the problem I laugh ha! ha! ha! Mike Dement and Mike Cavan the greatest Coaches in SMU Post DP History!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Not one Coach in that 15 years has duplicated their records EVEN playing under much more relaxed admission standards. Mike Dement especially would have got us to the Dance if the SMU administration wasn't so incredibly stupid. All he needed was one measley JUCO big man.

I wasn't saying that we stuck too long with Dement, I was just merely pointing out that we stuck with him, even though he didn't produce titles or tourney appearances and find it odd that some want Doherty gone after just 3 years.

I liked Dement, you still haven't sold me on Cavan though, I woulda just as soon stuck with Rosseley, although I know you will bring up his record against TCU, Baylor and Rice :wink:

by **ontheedgeofmyseat** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 11:26 am

Doh is a class act...the students love him (at least they show up for hoops..), he has a young squad and in only his third season (give him a mulligan for year one), he can and will turn this thing. I like the guy..gives the program some "street cread"...optimistic about the future. Changing horses now makes zero sense..think it through fellas....

by **MustangStealth** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 11:36 am

ontheedgeofmyseat wrote:Doh is a class act...the students love him (at least they show up for hoops..)

Are you kidding? Student attendance at bball is terrible. 2 dozen people in their greek shirts is not a student section. 8-10 years ago when Dement had us competitive there were 5X more students at every game and they would actually wear the red Mustang Maniacs shirts.

Doherty needs to go

Doherty needs to go

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