Watching the game I just realize how far it seems we have fallen.We are in a weak conference and I can't help but feel that our record is indicative of that weakness.I'm not bashing Tubby by any means.I have no inner knowledge of the program but for those that do,do you guys feel there is a sincere effort by the administration to provide a return to our prominence in the late 2000s?

we never getting back to how we were in the late 2000s.

Well, I'll say this, I can't remember a time where there was less interest in the program than there is right now. The late 90's were really low before Cal came in. I can remember people taking naps in the upper decks of the Pyramid during that time. Maybe some of the older posters can chime in but that's as far back as I go personally.

woman in front of me at the Pyramid graded papers during the last few Finch years and the Price years.

No! I personally think Tubby was what you would call a safe hire.. Don't get me wrong anything was better than Pastner.. Tubby is a good Coach but my problem with the hire was that he nor his staff have ever showed they can land big time recruits..I don't post in game threads anymore because honestly I lost my interest in BB a couple of years ago but got excited when I heard Pastner was leaving.. When I heard it was Tubby Smith It just didn't inspire me enough to get excited.. Like I said when they hired Tubby, there was a reason no big time programs ever tried to hire him after Coaching at Kentucky.. It wasn't because he couldn't coach either.. I like Tubby and always have but I don't think he will make us prominent again.. I think he will make the Tourney a couple of times and maybe win a few but will not be a threat to get far. I've watched 2 games this year and could hardly watch because of how bad the games were!!

(02-04-2017 10:23 PM)tigergg Wrote:  No! I personally think Tubby was what you would call a safe hire.. Don't get me wrong anything was better than Pastner.. Tubby is a good Coach but my problem with the hire was that he nor his staff have ever showed they can land big time recruits..I don't post in game threads anymore because honestly I lost my interest in BB a couple of years ago but got excited when I heard Pastner was leaving.. When I heard it was Tubby Smith It just didn't inspire me enough to get excited.. Like I said when they hired Tubby, there was a reason no big time programs ever tried to hire him after Coaching at Kentucky.. It wasn't because he couldn't coach either.. I like Tubby and always have but I don't think he will make us prominent again.. I think he will make the Tourney a couple of times and maybe win a few but will not be a threat to get far. I've watched 2 games this year and could hardly watch because of how bad the games were!!

You just picked the wrong 2 games. Most of the games have been fun and entertaining.

(02-04-2017 10:07 PM)memp600 Wrote:  Well, I'll say this, I can't remember a time where there was less interest in the program than there is right now. The late 90's were really low before Cal came in. I can remember people taking naps in the upper decks of the Pyramid during that time. Maybe some of the older posters can chime in but that's as far back as I go personally.

Gotta think last year was less, right? I mean I think that was the bottom and we're working our way out now.

I go back to early 80's. There was never a lull at the MSC that I saw. Then we moved to the GAP. It started out well enough, but you're right about the last 90's. Times were as bad then. Many had quit going.

To say we can't ever come back is a little alarmist.

I am perfectly fine with our current path and trajectory. I could not have said those things for the past two seasons.

When we didn't hire a Marshall/Buzz type coach or a young Archie Miller type coach is when I questioned the administration's guidance. I've watched bball for 40 years and as long as I've seen Tubby you knew he could coach decent talent to greatness but not recruit great players.For the money they paid him,I felt there was other coaches that could have restoked a dormant fire.I live close to Pickwick so I'm not in the know..how much do boosters play in the hires?Did they feel Tubby was the best we could do?Thanks for your replies guys.

Did anyone think we were a tournament team at the beginning of the season? I'd say we're probably exactly where people thought we'd be.

Beat Cincy!

I think here is the problem, college BB is dying a slow death.

http://time.com/3744860/march-madness-se...asketball/

1. Regular season BB games have very little impact and fans know it. With the expanded field of 64, pre-season and conference tournaments, the regular season just is kind of there;

2. One-and-dones. Really hurt the game. If someone is any good, they'll be gone within 2 years, max.

3. College BB doesn't become interesting until AFTER the Super Bowl and during March Madness.

Oregon built a brand new, on-campus arena and it is around 60% full - even with free student tickets.

DePaul plays in front of around 2,300 fans.

With TV it's a double-edged sword. Yes, there is TV revenue, but since there are so many games on and many of them are on weeknights, attendance suffers and when fans see a half-full arena, even more apathy sets in.

I really believe Bowen saw/sees the handwriting on the wall. There are a very, very few select programs that relied on BB as a cash cow for FB. UC to a degree, UL to a degree, Duke, UK, Carolina, Indiana (only because their FB is awful), Kansas and that's about it.

Pac-12 bb attendance is way down compared to the glory days, Big 12 basketball - outside of Kansas - is down as Oklahoma and OSU have seen a big reduction in attendance due to the Thunder (they were GIVING away tickets to the OSU-Kansas game a few years back), look at the SEC, outside of UK, BB is a distant thought compared to FB, only in the ACC where there is Duke-Carolina is BB still the marquee sport....but even then Maryland left for the Big 10.

I think Bowen saw Tubby as a solid, safe hire and that way, he can continue his focus on football.

Trying to use college BB as a cash cow in a G5 conference seems to be a risky proposition and a risk that Bowen doesn't want to take.

(02-05-2017 08:36 AM)bubbapt Wrote:  Did anyone think we were a tournament team at the beginning of the season? I'd say we're probably exactly where people thought we'd be.

Beat Cincy!

Yep. Pretty sure I was expecting 11-12 losses. We're on track for that (or a little better). Prior to the Tubby hiring, we were all saying it will take years to return to any sort of success. Most expected we wouldn't be anywhere close to a tournament team for at least three years. We're doing just fine, considering where we were.

(02-05-2017 03:22 AM)AlonsoWDC Wrote:  To say we can't ever come back is a little alarmist.

I am perfectly fine with our current path and trajectory. I could not have said those things for the past two seasons.

Trigger Warning.

Hope had left the building but now she has returned!

Hold on.

You do realize DePaul is a tiny school on the North that plays in friggin' O'Hare's parking lot in a freaking dump right? Even if their program hadn't taken a nosedive, they are the posterchilds for desperately needing an on-campus facility.

Are you talkin to me. Hey... are you talking to me.

lol. I love the trajectory of our program. I am serious when I say Hope had left the building when that guy was there. I went to a few of his last games...rooting for my Tigers and there were fans in the building who wanted us to lose...just to get rid of him.

We won too! lmao. I just can't root for us to lose no matter what.

Tubby was a safe hire, do doubt. I can understand why they went safe. Three more years of garbage basketball would have kilt the thing.

(02-05-2017 01:15 PM)AlonsoWDC Wrote:  Hold on.

You do realize DePaul is a tiny school on the North that plays in friggin' O'Hare's parking lot in a freaking dump right? Even if their program hadn't taken a nosedive, they are the posterchilds for desperately needing an on-campus facility.

I know that, I've actually been to their arena. That said,

http://newsok.com/article/5502934

That's just for Oklahoma State and OU. It doesn't detract from my statement that college BB is nowhere near as popular as it used to be and it's not like college BB is going to suddenly reverse the trend.

(02-05-2017 04:47 PM)Penny Lane Wrote:  

(02-05-2017 02:13 PM)fsquid Wrote:  Tubby was a safe hire, do doubt. I can understand why they went safe. Three more years of garbage basketball would have kilt the thing.

As this relates to Admin issue I'm concerned about, how do you feel this was a safe move especially considering recruiting history, lack or promotional ability, no outstanding success (OR even getting to 2cd weekend) in 9 years and his age?

easy, he wins at a decent but not spectacular clip at places that care about basketball (Tulsa and Kentucky). He won't get the team on probation and the wins at a decent clip brings back a little bit of the season ticket base that has eroded the last few years.

(02-05-2017 05:28 PM)Penny Lane Wrote:  

(02-05-2017 05:03 PM)fsquid Wrote:  

(02-05-2017 04:47 PM)Penny Lane Wrote:  

(02-05-2017 02:13 PM)fsquid Wrote:  Tubby was a safe hire, do doubt. I can understand why they went safe. Three more years of garbage basketball would have kilt the thing.

As this relates to Admin issue I'm concerned about, how do you feel this was a safe move especially considering recruiting history, lack or promotional ability, no outstanding success (OR even getting to 2cd weekend) in 9 years and his age?

easy, he wins at a decent but not spectacular clip at places that care about basketball (Tulsa and Kentucky). He won't get the team on probation and the wins at a decent clip brings back a little bit of the season ticket base that has eroded the last few years.

In retrospect, do you think it was the right hire?

Yes

I think Tubby gets 4 years (or 3 more years) to get us to a Sweet 16. At that point, it will have be 11 years since we have been to a Sweet 16. And that could pretty much kill the program.