DMN - actually some pub for hoops

[Pony_Fan]

Any comments? I LIKE what I am reading!



No spare change in SMU basketball

Tubbs and Mustangs make a lot of alterations and need all to pay off


11:26 AM CDT on Friday, October 15, 2004


By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News



UNIVERSITY PARK – Practice officially starts Saturday at 12:01 a.m. So does the Jimmy Tubbs era at SMU.

But changes in the men's basketball program's culture began soon after he was hired in March.

After a 12-18 season that cost Mike Dement his job, SMU president Gerald Turner and athletic director Jim Copeland made it clear that it was time that SMU reached the postseason.

To accomplish that, Tubbs said SMU needed sweeping changes. He altered the players' off-season conditioning drills, changed the schedule to add more home games, allowed all the assistant coaches more autonomy and helped in a new marketing strategy.

"I want the program to take on my personality," Tubbs said. "I want to make sure our kids are committed to the program and to bring in good people that want to be successful."


Irwin Thompson / DMN
SMU basketball head coch Jimmy Tubbs (left) and assistant Robert Lineburg hope they have the horses to reach the postseason.

Tubbs knows the task will be difficult. SMU has not reached the NCAA Tournament since 1993.

He decided his players needed to be tougher. Tubbs brought in new conditioning drills from Oklahoma, where he was an assistant for two seasons. Players and assistant coaches were required to report at 6 a.m. for weight lifting and running. Players had to run a mile under a specific time. Guards, for instance, had to finish the distance in under 5:40. Big men, under 6:00.

"We had never done these things before," leading scorer Bryan Hopkins said. "I knew coming from OU he would pick some stuff up there and expect us to do it."

Improved conditioning will be needed to run SMU's up-tempo offense and its pressure defense, something Tubbs was noted for during his days at Kimball, where he was the head coach for eight seasons (1982-90). Last season, SMU ran a matchup zone defense and a halfcourt offense.

"When we first started the drills, there was a certain amount of fear," Tubbs said. "I told them it would be tough. The first time they tried to achieve the goals we set for them, they failed. But what made me proud of them was that they made it the second time."

The weight program has paid off for several players. Hopkins said he's a lean 205 pounds, instead of a heavy 210. Patrick Simpson, at 6-9, weighed 220 pounds last season. Simpson, who will play near the basket this season, is 235.

Like Dement, Tubbs realized SMU needed more home games. SMU had three home dates among the 10 nonconference games last season. Dement's Mustangs also played three Big 12 opponents last season.

Tubbs, along with senior associate athletic director Carlton Cooper, scheduled five home games among the eight nonconference games. Schedule strength of the home games was reduced. Gone is Wake Forest, and in is UT-Tyler.

Tubbs, a former assistant under Dement, also realized his staff needed more autonomy. Dement was more hands-on with every basketball function. He often controlled everything from practice times, offensive and defensive plays and how players conducted off-season workouts.

Tubbs, who gave each assistant his own office, retained close friend Robert Lineburg from Dement's staff. Lineburg is top assistant and lead recruiter. He traveled with Tubbs to Senegal to meet Bamba Fall's parents. Fall, a 7-1 center from Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, made an oral commitment to SMU last month.

Tubbs chose other assistants to fill specific roles. One of Dean Christian's strengths is the academic side of recruiting, and he was influential in getting an oral commitment from Ryan Dermody of Loveland, Colo. Anthony Anderson has strong local ties. Tim Heskett, coordinator of basketball operations, helped organize the recent Jimmy Tubbs Golf Classic at Oak Cliff Country Club.

It's no coincidence that the tournament took place in Oak Cliff, where T

[PK]

It was a good article coming from the DMN. I liked the picture of the billboard too...good pub down in Oakcliff.

[ponyboy]

Who was on the billboard with Coach Tubbs? Hopkins?

[PK]

Yes Hopkins and one of the players from the women's team. Maybe someone can post a picture of the billboard from the paper...Webguys???

[BUS]

Great news!!!

Simpson + 15 Great
Faster players Great
More energy on the court Great

Go Coach Tubbs
Go Mustangs

[MustangStealth]

It was actually sent out in one of those insider emails.

[bubba pony]

note in the article where it reads:
"Players had to run a mile under a specific time. Guards, for instance, had to finish the distance in under 5:40. Big men, under 6:00."

I believe this is fast. if these guys are running this speed tubbs is preparing the team for speed.

[EmeraldCityPony]

Speed, but also endurance. We've had trouble of late finishing games due to fatigue. Running a six minute mile is damn hard.

[OldPony]

5:40 is not fast. Any HS miler worth his salt will beat that by 40 seconds or more. I am not impressed with that at all. I am impressed that Simpson has put on 15.

[ponyboy]

You're wrong, OP. As a former competitive runner, I can tell you that 5:40 is damn fast for a basketballer. It's tough enough for a guy 5'9", 160 lbs like myself.

[OldPony]

My son beat 5:40 when he was 9 years old. He never ran competively but did play football and other sports

[ponyboy]

Was your son 6'5", 210 lbs. at age 9?

[OldPony]

More like 4'8 and 75 lbs. I don't know where anyone comes off thinking a 5:40 is hard for a mile. Did they do 2 or 3 in a row? Is it all up hill? Around the arena up and down? Almost any HS athlete in decent shape ( football tackles, centers and guards excepted) can do this. In the 60's, decent HS milers ran below 5 minute miles. At that speed we are saying that they could almost lap a 5:40

[EastStang]

5:40 is a decent time in the mile for a non runner. I ran CC in HS and when BBall season came around I was usually the least tired player on the team. By giving them an off season road work regimen, the players will be in better shape come the start of the season and less likely to get injured. Endurance does not create quickness, but it will help you in the last five minutes of the second half from having dead legs.

[jtstang]

5:40 is not fast. Any HS miler worth his salt will beat that by 40 seconds or more. I am not impressed with that at all.

Well I don't think Tubbs' point was to impress you. I think maybe he noticed how a lack of conditioning has kept us from winning games over the last couple seasons and installed the mile run requirement to help them get in better basketball shape, not to make the olympic track team.