New FSSW.com interview with Doh

[skyscraper]

http://www.foxsportssouthwest.com/pages/landing/?blockID=157262&feedID=4519
There is lots to pick apart from the interview, but the first question made my head explode:
"This has been kind of an up-and-down year for your team.."
What has been the up part of this season?

[FriscoPMG]

Thanks for the link. I admit it's tough to read Doh's responses objectively without the immediate reaction of wanting to bash him. And maybe this is my anti-Doh coming out, but does he take any responsibility for this disaster? He points out the history of the program, the lack of talent he inherited, McCoy's struggle, health issues, Bennie Rhodes & Alex Malone not working out, etc., but nowhere (unless I missed it) does he say, "I need to do this or that better."

Can't believe he's throwing out tough scheduling as a problem because they've played a handful of decent teams. He fails to mention all of the joke schools that we've played in between those games.

And I thought it was interesting that he did say they are actively pursuing the junior class in DFW. Will be interesting to see what becomes of that.

Plenty more in that article, but that's what stood out to me while wearing my anti-Doh reading glasses.

[abezontar]

It takes several years to find a style that fits SMU and works in CUSA? WTF?

[George S. Patton]

What an absolute painful read. We need Emily Gold to come on the board and fire another shot across the bow. Her first couple of entries have been great. She says it better than we do.

[Eye In the Sky]

Wow, he just threw out just about every excuse in the book. Didn't inherit any players? Is that why he had his most successful season with them? Over-scheduling means playing 1-2 marginal BCS schools each year? Come on. Bennie Rhodes and Alex Malone are the reason why they didn't recruit well that year? Well, he never gave Malone a chance to succeed and totally destroyed his confidence. All we know about Rhodes is that he disappeared after his redshirt season.

And who's responsible for all this? Not the head coach! He went to North Carolina so there's no way anything could be his fault! He beat Duke at Cameron and UConn in the same season. Clearly, he's not the problem!

[Pony_Fan]

I'm not real wild about some of his answers. I don't think he sounds too beaten down in his TV/radio interviews this year.

1) Did he really have to take a class of 7?
2) Didn't he make the schedule?
3) How can he say how he's that "close" by losing to TCU, South Florida, and A&M.
4) He basically says it's easier to recruit outside of DFW due to competition with Big 12.
5) Is CUSA really that tough in the scheme of things? I haven't look at our conference RPI lately.

[Charleston Pony]

this team needs to finish strong if anyone wants to feel good about Doh getting that 5th year he has consistently mentioned as a realistic timeline.

it remains to be seen how "patient" the bball circle of champions might be

[PonyDoh]

We stink, so the Doh hate is merited, but he didn't say anything all that controversial in that interview. People are reaching. Maybe he should have taken some blame straight up, but much of what he said is true. This team has been killed by injury and McCoy. That's not even up for debate

I don't like the tough scheduling comment, as I'm sure most don't. This years schedule is better then last years, but it still needs upgrades. Also, I buy that what works at Carolina doesn't work here, but that should be obvious in the job description, not 2 years in.

BTW, God Bless the boosters known as the Circle of Champions, but what a horrible nickname. They're rich guys, not a secret order hell-bent on world domination.

[George S. Patton]

Doh, when you are a coach and take no responsibility over your program that is tanking and blame everybody but yourself, then screw you. Doherty is quick on his postgame shows and talks about accountability. He needs to practice what he preaches. He also does a lousy job of playing the sympathetic figure.

Doherty ran into these issues in his first year and did not over one them. However he addressed them did not work and he did not adjust enough to improve his tenure.

Coaching is a bottom line industry: you win you stay. You lose you're gone. Matt Doherty is 38-68 in his fourth season. His lack of Ws and accomplishments speak for themselves.

He needs to be fired.

[PonyDoh]

Doh, when you are a coach and take no responsibility over your program that is tanking and blame everybody but yourself, then screw you. He ran into these issues in his first year and did not over one them. However he addressed them did not work and he did not adjust enough to improve his tenure.

Coaching is a bottom line industry: you win you stay. You lose you're gone. Matt Doherty is 38-68 in his fourth season. His lack of Ws and accomplishments speak for themselves.

He needs to be fired.

Beat that drum all you want, I'm not going to argue w/agenda's, nor am I really for him staying or leaving. My post was about the interview, which I felt was pretty good and honest. Do I think he could shoulder more blame in the media? absolutely. Do I hate hearing about our 'tough' schedule? no doubt. That said, he didn't blame anyone in that interview. He just talked about the state of the program, and if he was the complete blowhard you're suggesting, I doubt he'd admit that we are a year behind schedule. The injuries and McCoy's regression are fact, not assigning blame. The man even said it took him a few years to figure out the school/league, which isn't flattering. You are just reading it to suit your stance. That's cool, fire the guy. I'm merely saying the interview was pretty informative and dealt w/realities of the program, ie recruiting locally etc

[George S. Patton]

Sure it was informative and some of it is legit.

Is it ok that we're 38-68 in 3 1/2 years under his watch?

As for media coverage, he should be happy that someone just wants to talk to him. Shocked there was even a story.

[CA Mustang]

This team has been killed by injury...

Even if SMU was 100% healthy all season long, how much better would they (and the record) be?

[Stallion]

I'm going to make one point-or really raise an issue-I was one of the first to question Doherty's recruitment of a 7 man freshman class-however, I've never been fully clear if that was really all Doherty's fault or whether SMU had changed the transfer policy by then to allow Doherty the flexibility to really get transfers into school in that first year. I'm pretty sure he has that flexibility now-just not sure about that first critical year

[PonyDoh]

This team has been killed by injury...

Even if SMU was 100% healthy all season long, how much better would they (and the record) be?

If McCoy was playing even decently, and we don't have the injuries, we have roughly 4 more wins, IMO. Basically, on track to get the 16 or 17 wins most predicted around here.

[PonyDoh]

I'm going to make one point-or really raise an issue-I was one of the first to question Doherty's recruitment of a 7 man freshman class-however, I've never been fully clear if that was really all Doherty's fault or whether SMU had changed the transfer policy by then to allow Doherty the flexibility to really get transfers into school in that first year. I'm pretty sure he has that flexibility now-just not sure about that first critical year

To be honest, I don't know what the transfer policy was that first year. I will say that admissions had to be somewhat lenient to get kids like Bennie Rhodes into school out of Zion. Not sure about JUCOs.

Also, I don't like 7 man classes either, but if the coach is given unilateral control to gut the roster as policy, it's not the huge issue many make it out to be. Increasingly, hoops ships are being used as one year renewables.