I've supported Coach all along. I knew going into it he would be facing practically the greatest challenge ever in his career.

1. He took over a program that was stripped of quality players and recruits.
2. He took over a program following its greatest sustained run in its history.
3. He took over a program with a rabid (and rightly so) fan base.
4. And he did it as his first collegiate head coaching job.
   

I knew he would have to learn on the fly. I was willing to cut him some slack because of all these factors.

I assumed he was a really smart guy and would surround himself with great assistants and recruiters. I also assumed he would learn as he went.

Just as we expect to see players get better year after year, I expected that he would become a better coach year after year.

All that said, I have not been disappointed. I'm still excited that Josh is our coach. And I look forward to our future. I think it's going to be incredible.

Couple of things:

Since the C-USA championship win, I've read the paper and heard an interview about what Pastner told the team heading into overtime.

Brilliant!

He saw the body language and he saw the dejection. He knew he had to get his guys excited again.

"This is great! We GET to play 5 more minutes of basketball!"

Substitutions, adjustments, play calling... yeah, that was good. But what he told his team before the OT tip is what won the game.

I agree.

He's finding his groove, growing into the job, and doing it HIS WAY, with positivity.

That's the mark of someone who has a chance to be great. At an early stage of his career, he understands who he is and what his coaching identity will be.

I agree and add he is building a class program the right way!

Let me tell you. He truly loves this team of young men. He takes very little credit for going 19-0 in conf.

And what is so great about his comments to the team prior to the OT tip off; it was not out of character for him. I am sure to a man the team thought that is coach being coach. There was no panic in him, no hesitation, no grasping at straws....he genuinely felt playing another 5 soon to be 10 minutes of basketball was the greatest thing ever for his team at that time. He is no doubt a keeper. He is graduating players in 3 years. That is so much better than reading about players exhausting their eligibility. Not everyone can be a one and done come to Memphis and get a degree in three!

Also, I know we kinda joke about Pastner constantly saying, "That's a good team. They play hard. They're well coached. They've got great players. They're as talented as anybody in the country."

But you know what?

We constantly hear national AND LOCAL media repeat the same schtick over and over: "But they play in C-USA. C-USA isn't any good." etc...

Given that the media repeats it over and over and over and over, I'm glad Josh gives it right back to them.

They want pre-, post- and in-game comments from him? They want radio interviews? They want to hear something other than "That's a good team. They play hard. They're well coached. They've got great players. They're as talented as anybody in the country."

Then they need to stop repeating the same ol' garbage they spit out about C-USA.

Sorry for the rant.

I agree 100%


Pastner: When Southern Miss hit that great shot at the end of regulation our guys looked dejected and I said 'Guys this is awesome we don't have to play 5 more minutes, we GET to play 5 more minutes and they perked up a little and then I said 'Guys this is great for TV we are going to help the ratings and have our highlights shown on tv, all about us' and then they chuckled and I knew right there that we were going to be ok'


A mark of a good leader, whether coach or player, is to assess where a team is at mentally during a game and try to keep them going. I'm pretty sure that previous Tiger teams would have folded after that USM shot but not this team and its not only because we have maturing better players but that we have a more experience coach who knows his players and has better control over them. That's why I'm not worried about this game Thursday, we'll be fine. Josh may be corny with his positive energy talk but he's believes it and his player are feeding off of it

(03-18-2013 03:08 PM)BigTigerMike Wrote:  I agree 100%
So do I

Pastner: When Southern Miss hit that great shot at the end of regulation our guys looked dejected and I said 'Guys this is awesome we don't have to play 5 more minutes, we GET to play 5 more minutes and they perked up a little and then I said 'Guys this is great for TV we are going to help the ratings and have our highlights shown on tv, all about us' and then they chuckled and I knew right there that we were going to be ok'


A mark of a good leader, whether coach or player, is to assess where a team is at mentally during a game and try to keep them going. I'm pretty sure that previous Tiger teams would have folded after that USM shot but not this team and its not only because we have maturing better players but that we have a more experience coach who knows his players and has better control over them. That's why I'm not worried about this game Thursday, we'll be fine. Josh may be corny with his positive energy talk but he's believes it and his player are feeding off of it

And yes I agree again!

I agree with all of the above comments. I knew going in that Josh was green as a head coach & that he would make mistakes but I knew that he would be a quick learner & that someday he would be a legend in college basketball. I'm so excited about what the future holds for Memphis Tiger basketball.

(03-18-2013 03:45 PM)tiger_eyes Wrote:  I agree with all of the above comments. I knew going in that Josh was green as a head coach & that he would make mistakes but I knew that he would be a quick learner & that someday he would be a legend in college basketball. I'm so excited about what the future holds for Memphis Tiger basketball.

Yes! Amen!