New FSSW.com interview with Doh

[CA Mustang]

5 year plans do exist at graveyard programs like SMU. Traditionally, it's more like 4, but the point stands. Sid Lowe is gonna get 5 or so at NC State. Took Kruger 4 at UNLV to turn the corner. Took Drew 5 or 6 at Baylor. It's taking Hamilton forever at FSU. Took Stallings several years to start yielding consistently good squads at Vandy.

Those are two programs in the ACC, one in the SEC, one in the Big 12 and the most successful program in the MWC. With the exception of one program (which may be beginning a gradual decline), CUSA is nowhere near that level. So to be spinning your wheels for four years isn't acceptable when the challenge isn't nearly as tough.

Firing another coach early, doesn't do much for our reputation in coaching circles or on the trail.

And how does losing records and home losses to schools like USC-Upstate help our reputation? What happens to our reputation when you finish near the bottom of CUSA AGAIN?

[MustangIcon]

5 year plans do exist at graveyard programs like SMU. Traditionally, it's more like 4, but the point stands. Sid Lowe is gonna get 5 or so at NC State. Took Kruger 4 at UNLV to turn the corner. Took Drew 5 or 6 at Baylor. It's taking Hamilton forever at FSU. Took Stallings several years to start yielding consistently good squads at Vandy.

Those are two programs in the ACC, one in the SEC, one in the Big 12 and the most successful program in the MWC. With the exception of one program (which may be beginning a gradual decline), CUSA is nowhere near that level. So to be spinning your wheels for four years isn't acceptable when the challenge isn't nearly as tough.

Firing another coach early, doesn't do much for our reputation in coaching circles or on the trail.

And how does losing records and home losses to schools like USC-Upstate help our reputation? What happens to our reputation when you finish near the bottom of CUSA AGAIN?

1. Building a program in a power conference (ACC, Big 12, SEC) vs a weaker conference (CUSA) is all relative to the compeition level. Just as recruiting is relative. I disagree with your statement that the challenge is not as tough.

2. I agree that those losses are flat out embarrassing and I expected Doherty to have had more success on the court than he has to this point. In spite of the McCoy dissappearing act and injuries, Doh needs to get this team to have a strong finish to this season. That is what good coaches do. They overcome tough luck, make the most of what is available to them, and find ways to win. Doherty has, generally speaking, not been able toacheive that over the past few seasons at SMU. He needs to, or he won't be around after his 5 years and no one will be able to say he wasn't given an ample opportiunity.

[PonyDoh]

5 year plans do exist at graveyard programs like SMU. Traditionally, it's more like 4, but the point stands. Sid Lowe is gonna get 5 or so at NC State. Took Kruger 4 at UNLV to turn the corner. Took Drew 5 or 6 at Baylor. It's taking Hamilton forever at FSU. Took Stallings several years to start yielding consistently good squads at Vandy.

Those are two programs in the ACC, one in the SEC, one in the Big 12 and the most successful program in the MWC. With the exception of one program (which may be beginning a gradual decline), CUSA is nowhere near that level. So to be spinning your wheels for four years isn't acceptable when the challenge isn't nearly as tough.

Firing another coach early, doesn't do much for our reputation in coaching circles or on the trail.

And how does losing records and home losses to schools like USC-Upstate help our reputation? What happens to our reputation when you finish near the bottom of CUSA AGAIN?

1. Building a program in a power conference (ACC, Big 12, SEC) vs a weaker conference (CUSA) is all relative to the compeition level. Just as recruiting is relative. I disagree with your statement that the challenge is not as tough.

2. I agree that those losses are flat out embarrassing and I expected Doherty to have had more success on the court than he has to this point. In spite of the McCoy dissappearing act and injuries, Doh needs to get this team to have a strong finish to this season. That is what good coaches do. They overcome tough luck, make the most of what is available to them, and find ways to win. Doherty has, generally speaking, not been able toacheive that over the past few seasons at SMU. He needs to, or he won't be around after his 5 years and no one will be able to say he wasn't given an ample opportiunity.

1) Exactly. Vandy's situation is actually tougher then SMU b/c they are the only private in the SEC, w/higher academic standards then SMU. UNLV is only the most relevant program in the MWC b/c they rebuilt to that level. They were in an abyss after Tark. As you said, it's all relative.

2) Couldn't agree more. What we've seen so far is that CUSA is bad this year and we have decent enough talent to hang. Doh just needs to get it done. The zone is sorta encouraging, and using Barbee vs Rice showed some personnel guts. That said,it doesn't matter minus Ws. I just find it amusing that people acted like this season was over in December. We can easily be a middle of the pack CUSA team, and come close to 500, if we close strong. How much more were people expecting heading in?

[MustangIcon]

2) Couldn't agree more. What we've seen so far is that CUSA is bad this year and we have decent enough talent to hang. Doh just needs to get it done. The zone is sorta encouraging, and using Barbee vs Rice showed some personnel guts. That said,it doesn't matter minus Ws. I just find it amusing that people acted like this season was over in December. We can easily be a middle of the pack CUSA team, and come close to 500, if we close strong. How much more were people expecting heading in?

I expected at minimum a .500 season (15-15). Anything less would be because Doherty didn't get the most out of his guys. **I think I predicted 16-14**

I thought that we had a chance to exceed excpectations and finish as high as 18-12, maybe even reaching a top 5 conference finish (vying with Memphis, UAB, Tulsa, UTEP, and Houston) and even maybe get consideration for a CBI spot.

I thought anything less than 13-17 and Doherty would get canned.

I made these "water marks", so to speak, based on having nothing crushing to the team occur like losing McCoy or Williams for the season. We have almost not had McCoy for the season thus far. We have 12 conference games left. 7 are against top half of the conference teams. 6 are on the road. If we win 6 of those final 12 games (along with a W today vs HBU) we finish 14-16 for the regular season with hopefully a little swagger going into the CUSA Tourney. All is not lost yet in my opinion.

[Pony_Fan]

Bottom line, McCoys not scoring 20 points a game has killed this team this yr.

[CA Mustang]

Took Kruger 4 at UNLV to turn the corner.

Actually, he started with two 17 wins seasons before having 30 and 27 win seasons. SMU can only dream of a "turnaround" like that.

[PonyDoh]

Took Kruger 4 at UNLV to turn the corner.

Actually, he started with two 17 wins seasons before having 30 and 27 win seasons. SMU can only dream of a "turnaround" like that.

true, but they still wanted him fired going into year 3, and they were more vocal about it then we are about Doh. Also, he wasn't allowed to gut the roster and start from scratch. They hated him and the fact he couldn't recruit. Of course, now they're mad b/c his team isn't UNLV kids, just transfers. Tough fan base if your name isn't Tark