http://college-basketball-blog.blogs.cbs...6/34973736

(02-25-2012 08:23 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  http://college-basketball-blog.blogs.cbs...6/34973736

Interesting take. Everyone else has been really critical of Knight's comments. I have little doubt its the truth. Sometimes the truth hurts. Too bad. He didn't recruit these kids. He got stuck with them and he finally had enough. Helps us understand why Steve puts such a premium on recruiting good kids. He said its a joy to come to practice everyday this season. In the end, there is little downside to recruiting "good" kids. Yes, sometimes you may not win as many games. But recruiting "problem" players with talent will usually come back to bite you in the end- chemistry problems at best; suspensions, arrests, etc. at worst. I guess it could be argued Knight could have thrown these players off the team and brought in a bunch of walkons for this season. Maybe he wrongly thought he could "change" some of these kids behavior and attitude over the course of the season. But, as long as what he said was the truth, I don't have a big problem with it.

I don't like a coach "dissing" his players publicly. If he doesn't like what they're doing, either tell them in private, or if that doesn't work, and they still aren't willing to follow the rules, cut them loose. But the way he handled that press conference was just plain stupid and boorish IMO. Just because something is the truth doesn't mean you have to open your big mouth to the world. You might gather I don't particularly care for boorish people, whether they're coaches or politicians, or just ordinary folks. Not an attractive trait.
And I try to avoid those type of people. Too many negative vibes. It can be catching.

I agree to certain extent. I do think he is being hypocritical because if they are such a problem why are they still playing for him. I think Shields is an upright guy but my only knock since he has been at UALR is the Stevie Moore deal. Moore deserved to be kicked off the team but why did Shields put him back in a game after he left the team and went and sat in the stands. If you feel they are not good student athletes don't complain and then not kick them off the team or is it that you will put up with it so you can win? (hypothetical ?) If they had won the game would he had made those statements? I guess it would have more cred if he made those statements after a win.

(02-25-2012 11:08 AM)LR Alum Wrote:  I agree to certain extent. I do think he is being hypocritical because if they are such a problem why are they still playing for him. I think Shields is an upright guy but my only knock since he has been at UALR is the Stevie Moore deal. Moore deserved to be kicked off the team but why did Shields put him back in a game after he left the team and went and sat in the stands. If you feel they are not good student athletes don't complain and then not kick them off the team or is it that you will put up with it so you can win? (hypothetical ?) If they had won the game would he had made those statements? I guess it would have more cred if he made those statements after a win.

I really don't think that Shields realized that Moore had gone up into the stands when he put him back in the game, therefore I'm willing to give Coach a pass on that one.

And I agree with Dr. J. There is almost never a circumstance where I could agree with a coach publicly dissing one of his players like Knight did. It might come back to bite him on the butt too. His Dad might have been able to get away with that kind of talk, but then again his Dad was a legend who had several National Championships on his resume. What does Pat Knight have on his to overcome the bad publicity with recruits that this will cause? Nothing that I can think of.

Sorry, I enjoyed watching the whole interview, but that's just me.

(02-25-2012 12:27 PM)PTJR Wrote:  

(02-25-2012 11:08 AM)LR Alum Wrote:  I agree to certain extent. I do think he is being hypocritical because if they are such a problem why are they still playing for him. I think Shields is an upright guy but my only knock since he has been at UALR is the Stevie Moore deal. Moore deserved to be kicked off the team but why did Shields put him back in a game after he left the team and went and sat in the stands. If you feel they are not good student athletes don't complain and then not kick them off the team or is it that you will put up with it so you can win? (hypothetical ?) If they had won the game would he had made those statements? I guess it would have more cred if he made those statements after a win.

I really don't think that Shields realized that Moore had gone up into the stands when he put him back in the game, therefore I'm willing to give Coach a pass on that one.

And I agree with Dr. J. There is almost never a circumstance where I could agree with a coach publicly dissing one of his players like Knight did. It might come back to bite him on the butt too. His Dad might have been able to get away with that kind of talk, but then again his Dad was a legend who had several National Championships on his resume. What does Pat Knight have on his to overcome the bad publicity with recruits that this will cause? Nothing that I can think of.

Steve said he didn't know. I don't think he would have put him back in if he had known that. I doubt coaches spend a whole lot of time looking in the stands.

I know Scotto doesn't post anymore but to bring back what he said (paraphrasing) about the situation...so it was going to sit in the stands that was the bad thing instead of him walking off the court and going to the locker room. Or did Shields think he was still on the bench?

Wish Scotto posted here still, but I think he finally just got really pissed at all our (mine included) Hog bashing. Oh well. He was a great contributor and fan.

(02-25-2012 05:46 PM)eh9198 Wrote:  Wish Scotto posted here still, but I think he finally just got really pissed at all our (mine included) Hog bashing. Oh well. He was a great contributor and fan.

Still is a great fan. Probably a better fan than many of us. I don't think he's missed a game this year, men or women. I see him across the arena every game. I miss his posts too, but I am guilty of pig bashing as well.

(02-25-2012 11:09 PM)LRTrojan Wrote:  

(02-25-2012 05:46 PM)eh9198 Wrote:  Wish Scotto posted here still, but I think he finally just got really pissed at all our (mine included) Hog bashing. Oh well. He was a great contributor and fan.

Still is a great fan. Probably a better fan than many of us. I don't think he's missed a game this year, men or women. I see him across the arena every game. I miss his posts too, but I am guilty of pig bashing as well.

With apologies to Scotto, this is about the only place in the State of Arkansas that it is okay to bash the pigs. Anywhere else in the State (I'm not even sure it is acceptable in Jonesboro) you're looked at like your from another planet if you don't "love those hawgs". At this point, I really don't believe Jeff Long has any agenda against UALR or thinks about us one way or the other (of course, he is continuing the outdated policy of not playing anyone in the State). It's more the culture that UAF has created, where they are the only team that matters and this is reinforced everyday by the local TV stations, local newpaper, local sports talk shows, etc. No doubt it has a major effect on how we are viewed by the average person in Central Arkansas. It was nice to see 5000 at the arena last night with only a scattering of ASU fans.

Can you remember when the students would leave after halftime ceremonies at the Homecoming game. They don't do that anymore.
And if the number of traditional students keep growing, that's going to be a big plus for our program. The young people really got into the game, and the crowd had to help motivate our team. It was great seeing 5000 fans in the stands. Wouldn't it be great if every game had that number of fans in the seats. Anyone who watched that game last night should certain be motivated to become a regular attendee, but I know that's a little wishful thinking. It was our best crowd in seasons, and a chance to win some new fans. Had we lost the game, it would have been a sin with that many people there, but winning had to motivate some folks to come more often. Let's hope so.

(02-26-2012 09:48 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  Can you remember when the students would leave after halftime ceremonies at the Homecoming game. They don't do that anymore.
And if the number of traditional students keep growing, that's going to be a big plus for our program. The young people really got into the game, and the crowd had to help motivate our team. It was great seeing 5000 fans in the stands. Wouldn't it be great if every game had that number of fans in the seats. Anyone who watched that game last night should certain be motivated to become a regular attendee, but I know that's a little wishful thinking. It was our best crowd in seasons, and a chance to win some new fans. Had we lost the game, it would have been a sin with that many people there, but winning had to motivate some folks to come more often. Let's hope so.

You would hope last night's game would motivate some of the attendees to come back. I'm not sure how much "winning" the game matters to the casual fan, as much as it being an exciting and entertaining game. I remember a few years ago, Jim and I both brought folks to a game. Great game that we lost at the buzzer. We were both devastated- thought the people we brought we brought would be down as well. But the folks we brought, not being diehard UALR fans, loved the game...thought it was great. Now whether they ever came back, I can't recall.

"COME BACK LITTLE SCOTTO"!

(02-25-2012 12:30 PM)RBL Wrote:  Sorry, I enjoyed watching the whole interview, but that's just me.

Guess it worked:
HUNTSVILLE - After being challenged by head basketball coach Pat Knight earlier in the week, Lamar's senior class responded in a big way Saturday evening at Johnson Coliseum as the Cardinals used a huge second half to roll to a 72-49 Southland Conference win over Sam Houston State.

I don't care. Bad behavior is bad behavior, and that goes for coaches as well as players. His dad got by with that crap for years, but in our society, winning trumps bad, obnoxious behavior. But you'd better win or you'll be coaching at Texas Tech instead of Indiana, or Podunk instead of Lamar.

(02-26-2012 09:14 AM)mjs Wrote:  With apologies to Scotto, this is about the only place in the State of Arkansas that it is okay to bash the pigs. Anywhere else in the State (I'm not even sure it is acceptable in Jonesboro) you're looked at like your from another planet if you don't "love those hawgs". At this point, I really don't believe Jeff Long has any agenda against UALR or thinks about us one way or the other (of course, he is continuing the outdated policy of not playing anyone in the State). It's more the culture that UAF has created, where they are the only team that matters and this is reinforced everyday by the local TV stations, local newpaper, local sports talk shows, etc. No doubt it has a major effect on how we are viewed by the average person in Central Arkansas. It was nice to see 5000 at the arena last night with only a scattering of ASU fans.

I doubt that Long even "thinks" about UALR at all, but as you said, he is continuing the policy, suposedly started not by God(sorry God, I meant Broyles)but by John Barnhill. Saw in the paper the other day where Dave Van Horn said he'd like to play more games at Dickey-Stephens Park, but can't get anyone to play him here. Scott Norwood said, "I'll play them." We'll see how badly Van Horn wants to play in NLR, because he's got someone who says that they'll play him here.

(02-26-2012 09:48 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  Can you remember when the students would leave after halftime ceremonies at the Homecoming game. They don't do that anymore.

I must confess I did that during the Platt years. (I did not become a fan until the end of Wimp's first year, after I graduated). The excuse was that we had to be ready to open the fraternity lodges for the homecoming parties. Being on campus helps tremendously. And winning. And building school spirit. And BEER :drinky2:

I hope that I have atoned for this by now.

(02-25-2012 12:30 PM)RBL Wrote:  Sorry, I enjoyed watching the whole interview, but that's just me.

Roll Lamar