We all loved it when we were dominating the TAAC against Mercer, Stetson, Centenary, Houston Baptist, Texas San Antonio and other national powers.
Come on. The SBC, even with the new teams is a good mid major league far superior to the teams we were playing then. Why can't we just enjoy what we are and who we are, and let it go with that.
Now with that said, I can't blame those who want changes to make our program better. It's just natural to want to be the best. So I'm not putting anyone down for feeling that way. Sure I want to be a team that can beat teams occasionally from the power conferences and dominate our league. Was Newell a better coach than Shields? I don't know. He played a different style of ball, but would he have done better than Steve against the competition we're playing now? Who can say. The only thing we do know is that Mike didn't have any type of success after he left here, and we can't compare Steve to that, since he's still here.
Anyway, I'd love to be in the Missouri Valley Conference, but since that isn't a possibility, at least at this time, I enjoy playing the teams we're playing and look forward to Georgia Southern and App State coming in next year. I can see a time, years from now, as UALR grows into a more traditional university with thousands of students living on campus, that we'll be a more attractive candidate for leagues which we seem to think are superior to the SBC. Hope to see all of you tonight as we entertain USA. But here's what's strange to me. Why do all the people at the Olympic games keep cheering for South Alabama? USA...USA...USA. Never figured it out.
(01-09-2014 03:47 PM)outsideualr Wrote: [ -> ]We all loved it when we were dominating the TAAC against Mercer, Stetson, Centenary, Houston Baptist, Texas San Antonio and other national powers.
Come on. The SBC, even with the new teams is a good mid major league far superior to the teams we were playing then. Why can't we just enjoy what we are and who we are, and let it go with that.
Now with that said, I can't blame those who want changes to make our program better. It's just natural to want to be the best. So I'm not putting anyone down for feeling that way. Sure I want to be a team that can beat teams occasionally from the power conferences and dominate our league. Was Newell a better coach than Shields? I don't know. He played a different style of ball, but would he have done better than Steve against the competition we're playing now? Who can say. The only thing we do know is that Mike didn't have any type of success after he left here, and we can't compare Steve to that, since he's still here.
Anyway, I'd love to be in the Missouri Valley Conference, but since that isn't a possibility, at least at this time, I enjoy playing the teams we're playing and look forward to Georgia Southern and App State coming in next year. I can see a time, years from now, as UALR grows into a more traditional university with thousands of students living on campus, that we'll be a more attractive candidate for leagues which we seem to think are superior to the SBC. Hope to see all of you tonight as we entertain USA. But here's what's strange to me. Why do all the people at the Olympic games keep cheering for South Alabama? USA...USA...USA. Never figured it out.
Who is bashing the Sun Belt? It is a very solid midmajor league. I think it is right where we belong. If we were always at the bottom, I's say the league was too tough. If we won it every year, I'd likely be pushing to move up. We are regularly in the top 3rd of the league, so I feel the league is just right for us.
(01-09-2014 03:47 PM)outsideualr Wrote: [ -> ]We all loved it when we were dominating the TAAC against Mercer, Stetson, Centenary, Houston Baptist, Texas San Antonio and other national powers.
Come on. The SBC, even with the new teams is a good mid major league far superior to the teams we were playing then. Why can't we just enjoy what we are and who we are, and let it go with that.
It's amazing Doc,
that our team from a conference that weak, could win a game in the NCAA's and lose in double OT to a couple of pretty good basketball programs at the time, in the second game. Then play a pretty good Louisville team and get beat less than the hogs did the next game. Get to the Final Four in the NIT one year, and now with a much superior coach and conference(even after losing the best teams), have such a hard time beating power houses like Southern(and were damn lucky to have done that), and this regime has not even made it to the NCAA or the NIT yet. Now, tell me again about how great this conference is. I concede that the Belt has been somewhat better than the TAAC was, but if you'll answer that part of my post that is highlighted, maybe I'll understand things a little better.
(01-09-2014 06:24 PM)LRTrojan Wrote: [ -> ] (01-09-2014 03:47 PM)outsideualr Wrote: [ -> ]We all loved it when we were dominating the TAAC against Mercer, Stetson, Centenary, Houston Baptist, Texas San Antonio and other national powers.
Come on. The SBC, even with the new teams is a good mid major league far superior to the teams we were playing then. Why can't we just enjoy what we are and who we are, and let it go with that.
It's amazing Doc, that our team from a conference that weak, could win a game in the NCAA's and lose in double OT to a couple of pretty good basketball programs at the time, in the second game. Then play a pretty good Louisville team and get beat less than the hogs did the next game. Get to the Final Four in the NIT one year, and now with a much superior coach and conference(even after losing the best teams), have such a hard time beating power houses like Southern(and were damn lucky to have done that), and this regime has not even made it to the NCAA or the NIT yet. Now, tell me again about how great this conference is. I concede that the Belt has been somewhat better than the TAAC was, but if you'll answer that part of my post that is highlighted, maybe I'll understand things a little better.
Great teams sometimes come out of weak conferences. UNLV was a perfect example during their heydays. They were head and shoulders above everyone in their conference, yet they won a national championship by absolutely killing Duke, if I recall. And look at Florida Gulf Coast last year. Came out of a weak league and didn't they get to the Elite Eight or the Sweet Sixteen. And seeding has a lot to do with how well teams do in the post season. There are teams that teams from our league could probably beat in the NCAA each year, but we don't get to play them because due to the RPI System, which is totally flawed, we get lousy seeds every year.
And let's face it. We had maybe a once in a lifetime game or two that year. And here's the clincher. Twenty years ago you could find kids that nobody knew about and sign some of them.
Karl Malone would have never played for La Tech (Sorry Inside) had the Summer AAU programs and the scouting services been around then. A mid major could find some great players in those days that nobody knew about. But today, there is no way a great player can escape public attention from the big boys, so it's near impossible for us to sign the players that we signed in the Newell, and even Kestenbaum days. Whether there is any relevance to anything I just said, I don't know. But it sounds good doesn't it?
(01-09-2014 06:54 PM)outsideualr Wrote: [ -> ] (01-09-2014 06:24 PM)LRTrojan Wrote: [ -> ] (01-09-2014 03:47 PM)outsideualr Wrote: [ -> ]We all loved it when we were dominating the TAAC against Mercer, Stetson, Centenary, Houston Baptist, Texas San Antonio and other national powers.
Come on. The SBC, even with the new teams is a good mid major league far superior to the teams we were playing then. Why can't we just enjoy what we are and who we are, and let it go with that.
It's amazing Doc, that our team from a conference that weak, could win a game in the NCAA's and lose in double OT to a couple of pretty good basketball programs at the time, in the second game. Then play a pretty good Louisville team and get beat less than the hogs did the next game. Get to the Final Four in the NIT one year, and now with a much superior coach and conference(even after losing the best teams), have such a hard time beating power houses like Southern(and were damn lucky to have done that), and this regime has not even made it to the NCAA or the NIT yet. Now, tell me again about how great this conference is. I concede that the Belt has been somewhat better than the TAAC was, but if you'll answer that part of my post that is highlighted, maybe I'll understand things a little better.
Great teams sometimes come out of weak conferences. UNLV was a perfect example during their heydays. They were head and shoulders above everyone in their conference, yet they won a national championship by absolutely killing Duke, if I recall. And look at Florida Gulf Coast last year. Came out of a weak league and didn't they get to the Elite Eight or the Sweet Sixteen. And seeding has a lot to do with how well teams do in the post season. There are teams that teams from our league could probably beat in the NCAA each year, but we don't get to play them because due to the RPI System, which is totally flawed, we get lousy seeds every year.
And let's face it. We had maybe a once in a lifetime game or two that year. And here's the clincher. Twenty years ago you could find kids that nobody knew about and sign some of them.
Karl Malone would have never played for La Tech (Sorry Inside) had the Summer AAU programs and the scouting services been around then. A mid major could find some great players in those days that nobody knew about. But today, there is no way a great player can escape public attention from the big boys, so it's near impossible for us to sign the players that we signed in the Newell, and even Kestenbaum days. Whether there is any relevance to anything I just said, I don't know. But it sounds good doesn't it?
I think you make some good points. Butler and Gonzaga, have been doing it for several years (although Butler is now in the Big East). As I've said before, Newell never won a tournament or an NIT game outside of Little Rock (or Pine Bluff). Getting home NIT games (the same year the hogs got sent to Lincoln to play Nebraska) is mindboggling looking back on it. How he did that I will never be able to figure out.