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the hoover guy is a pg who can shoot

(12-31-2024 09:01 PM)blazers9911 Wrote:  

(12-31-2024 08:16 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote:  I’ve asked versions of this same question several times this season, but would people here give AK the pass they do if he didn’t play here under Bartow?

A lot of UAB folks consider him some sort of coaching savant.

He’s not.

He’s won, what, 2 games in the tournament in a 20+ year coaching career?

Outside of late season miracles his teams have routinely underperformed, never sniffed an at large, never come close to winning a conference regular reason, and have only won confeeence tourneys bc we’ve gotten favorable draws.

If you fire him you are telling the next coach that two tournament appearances and an NIT final aren’t enough. I get the frustrations with this team in particular, but we are much better off than we were in the years that preceded him. This is by far the worst season we have had since AK arrived, and it was either this one or Jelly’s senior year that I had the highest hopes for.

I do get the questions being asked, but what’s the alternative?

I agree with you. I'm not saying fire him. I'm just saying that he isn't this coaching superstar that a lot of old head UAB fans make him out to be. Plus - his accomplishments at UAB haven't been THAT great if you at them outside of the lens of "he was a superstar player under Bartow."

He's better than Davis, Haase, or Ehsan, but far behind Anderson.

I dunno. I'm just frustrated AF.

He's a lot like Bill Clark. A good coach that has raised the floor of UAB basketball and outperformed the previous coach, but what has he done to really raise our status, take the program to the next level, etc.? That being said, I see what that mindset can get you when you have an AD like Mark Ingram. If we were to let AK go (which again I'm not advocating for), he's likely to go hire the first NBA retread with a championship ring and a used car salesman schtick.

I could take losing a lot easier if we had less talented players who played hard. I'm sick to my stomach watching talented players have no heart, no dog, no drive, no fundamentals, no basketball IQ. It flat out sucks. We have guys that are lackadaisical, play hard if there are a certain number of fans in the stands, and take games off if an opponent isn't a "big name." That's a loser mentality. I'm tired of nice guys. AK - get some dogs. These players ain't it.

Has there ever been a game where the teams combined for 44 of 47 from the line?
I sure don't recall one.

We were +10 in rebounds, +8 in 2nd chance points,+ 6 in assists and 56% from 3 on the road. That will = wins 9 times out of 10.

(12-31-2024 08:16 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote:  I’ve asked versions of this same question several times this season, but would people here give AK the pass they do if he didn’t play here under Bartow?

A lot of UAB folks consider him some sort of coaching savant.

He’s not.

He’s won, what, 2 games in the tournament in a 20+ year coaching career?

Outside of late season miracles his teams have routinely underperformed, never sniffed an at large, never come close to winning a conference regular reason, and have only won confeeence tourneys bc we’ve gotten favorable draws.

Your points are very valid Answer.

My thoughts on AK are this: he represents the final stand in tying UAB’s storied past to the present. Marla was exiled. So was Carol. So were Bill and BV.

Bill was becoming a Blazer legend in the mold of Gene Bartow. That’s too much for them to have to deal with.

The problem I feel we currently have in hiring a new coach is this: 1) you’re gonna have Ingram do it, and 2) you won’t be able to replicate the intangible factor of the Bartow lineage. They’ve done such a good job of dismantling us, as our peers moved ahead. I don’t want this, of all UAB Athletics positions, to be treated as an A-Sun job. That’s what they want us to be. So, I think that AK is the best person for us at this critical moment.

Ray is fapping.

(12-31-2024 09:53 PM)hooper Wrote:  Has there ever been a game where the teams combined for 44 of 47 from the line?
I sure don't recall one.

We were +10 in rebounds, +8 in 2nd chance points,+ 6 in assists and 56% from 3 on the road. That will = wins 9 times out of 10.

Only 27 points in the second half. UAB scored 27 points in the first ten minutes of the game!

First half: UAB 48 - NT 31
Second half: UAB 27 - NT 47


First half: UAB 53 - Arkansas State 28
Second half: UAB 31 - Arkansas State 56

Combined
First half: UAB 101 - NT/Arkansas State 59
Second half: UAB 58 - NT/Arkansas State 103

I’ll never criticize AK. He saw the talent in this team (and it is there), and it’s just not tough.
You acknowledge the fault and move on.

(12-31-2024 10:12 PM)Frank Grimes Wrote:  I’ll never criticize AK. He saw the talent in this team (and it is there), and it’s just not tough.
You acknowledge the fault and move on.

Therein lies the problem. If you’re being objective, you have to criticize AK. He is part of the problem. This has been a terrible coaching job, amongst the myriad of other issues.

Only way AK leaves is if he takes another job or retires, which he's earned

While I do think there's another coach out there that will take us to the next level, we can't have Ingram make that decision. Even if the decision is extremely easy

If ya’ll only knew.l

Going forward I vote for no more halftime adjustments.

(12-31-2024 10:30 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote:  

(12-31-2024 10:12 PM)Frank Grimes Wrote:  I’ll never criticize AK. He saw the talent in this team (and it is there), and it’s just not tough.
You acknowledge the fault and move on.

Therein lies the problem. If you’re being objective, you have to criticize AK. He is part of the problem. This has been a terrible coaching job, amongst the myriad of other issues.

I mean, I guess I can criticize him for recruiting this group, but I understand his thought process. In theory, this team should’ve been stronger mentally than it is.

(12-31-2024 10:55 PM)Frank Grimes Wrote:  

(12-31-2024 10:30 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote:  

(12-31-2024 10:12 PM)Frank Grimes Wrote:  I’ll never criticize AK. He saw the talent in this team (and it is there), and it’s just not tough.
You acknowledge the fault and move on.

Therein lies the problem. If you’re being objective, you have to criticize AK. He is part of the problem. This has been a terrible coaching job, amongst the myriad of other issues.

I mean, I guess I can criticize him for recruiting this group, but I understand his thought process. In theory, this team should’ve been stronger mentally than it is.

Why would you not criticize him for this disaster in year 5 though? Is it bc he’s won so many tournament games here? Got us so many at large bids? Got us in the top 25 before? Won us conference regular season titles? Won conference tournament championships against the best of the best and not relied on lucky draws?

He absolutely, without a doubt, deserves criticism. To say that you would never criticize him just solidifies my point. People will not look at him objectively, only because he played here under Bartow.

(01-01-2025 12:06 AM)The Answer UAB Wrote:  

(12-31-2024 10:55 PM)Frank Grimes Wrote:  

(12-31-2024 10:30 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote:  

(12-31-2024 10:12 PM)Frank Grimes Wrote:  I’ll never criticize AK. He saw the talent in this team (and it is there), and it’s just not tough.
You acknowledge the fault and move on.

Therein lies the problem. If you’re being objective, you have to criticize AK. He is part of the problem. This has been a terrible coaching job, amongst the myriad of other issues.

I mean, I guess I can criticize him for recruiting this group, but I understand his thought process. In theory, this team should’ve been stronger mentally than it is.

Why would you not criticize him for this disaster in year 5 though? Is it bc he’s won so many tournament games here? Got us so many at large bids? Got us in the top 25 before? Won us conference regular season titles? Won conference tournament championships against the best of the best and not relied on lucky draws?

He absolutely, without a doubt, deserves criticism. To say that you would never criticize him just solidifies my point. People will not look at him objectively, only because he played here under Bartow.

There has never been a coach at UAB that hasn’t endured criticism by some fans. All have lost games that they shouldn’t and all have had teams that underperformed to preseason expectations.

I think our kenpom rating went up a few points for keeping it close. And UNTs down a few.

Does anyone know if Gordon was at the game or was he still out sick? He is too good a player to throw under the bus over the ID incident. And the staff is as much to blame as he is over that.
(we have a total of 7 assistant coaches with various titles and probably a half dozen managers. It seems like someone would be responsible for ensuring all our guys had the proper ID.) Although it is hard for me to understand how someone his age does not have a driver's license. But it also seems like whoever would not let him travel with the team could use a little common sense. The guys a basketball player traveling with a team and a party of probably 30+. Do they really think he was a terrorist?
He averaged 16 ppg,7.3 rpg and 1.5 steals last year. I know that outside shooting is not his thing but if "toughness" is our problem he might be a solution. We missed far too many 2 pointers yesterday. Yax, Coleman & Butta missed 20 2 pointers between them I think. Gordon would have given us at least a couple of slams that might get the team fired up.

(12-31-2024 07:37 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote:  When things get tough this team unravels faster than a loose roll of toilet paper. They are softer than charmin.

Thats a Quote of the Year candidate 4 sure!

Some thoughts:

1. I don't think Andy Kennedy should be immune from criticism, and I don't think he is. I do not know of other UAB forums/message boards or real in-person discussions etc where folks ("old head UAB fans") consider him a coaching superstar, but I might just be unaware.

I do think there is an inherent sensitivity to the circumstance because of his great playing career at UAB, and the fact that he has been successful enough to where it's kind of a "no man's land" in possibly making a coaching change.

I also understand that even if he didn't have his moderate success/UAB connection, folks would be reluctant to trust the current athletics administration with a new hire.

2. Andy Kennedy - I feel like without looking at the numbers - had about the same amount of success at Ole Miss as he's had here. I think the hope was that he would exceed his level of success at Ole Miss (in my mind) because:

- the years off from coaching and being a TV analyst would allow him to learn/grow more as a coach, resulting in greater success
- he could recruit better to UAB than to Ole Miss due to how each program fits within the conference (i.e. Ole Miss is a historically middle-of-the-road program in the SEC; UAB had a better history than most of our peers in C-USA when he became coach) as well as his more personal connection to UAB
- the transfer portal would bring an element that previously didn't exist in recruiting that could level the playing field for programs in C-USA/AAC

While I think the transfer portal has helped (and the NIL element has hurt), I don't think it's come to fruition that he's become a better coach here than he was at Ole Miss.

3. For this team specifically, the lack of basketball IQ is baffling. When we are on a losing run, I feel like we pass when we should shoot and shoot when we should pass. On our 2nd-to-last possession against North Texas yesterday, after getting 3 offensive rebounds, Vasquez had an open look from 3... that he passed up... to drive inside for a possible open floater/mid range pull-up... that he passed up... to pass it to Ezewiro...who turned it over, resulting in us fouling UNT and extending their lead from 1 to 3. I'm pulling my hair out... why do we not just take the open shot? Even if we miss it, it still is the right play.

Then on other occasions, the team gets too much into 1-on-1 basketball and forces shots. I think particularly Christian Coleman does this too much. I love his energy on defense, offensive rebounding, cutting (made a great cut that resulted in a Vasquez assist yesterday), and finishing at the rim with dunks (and admittedly, he can make a mid-range shot from time-to-time), but anytime he wants to take someone off the dribble or post up when he's far from the block, I get a bit uncomfortable and question why we're running our offense this way.

4. I also think we still haven't figured out the rotation (the players yes; the lineup combinations, no). I feel like the combination of playing McGhee and Moore together has worked well at times this season, but we've gone away from it recently. I'm not saying we should always play with that lineup - I understand having our two smallest guards out there at once can be a liability on defense + would take away some minutes from Butta, AJ, or Tony Toney - but I don't think we should abandon it. I know folks say we don't have a true point guard, but our ostensible starting point guard only played 16 minutes yesterday. I think McGhee is a really good player, and he needs to be empowered to do more with the team.

5. I know we aren't a good defensive team (unless we're being disruptive/forcing turnovers), but I wonder if the coach constantly telling the team we're not a good a defensive team and all this switching screens and over-helping contributes to us not being a good defensive team. We're still going to give up points - defense is much more difficult than offense these days and even well-defended possessions can end up in points - but I think if we coached defense differently, we could be a better defensive team.

6. While we cannot call ourselves a good (or maybe even average) team right now, we clearly have enough talent to build the leads that we have... in all of our losses - weak schedule not withstanding - we've had a chance to win. I think there's still a chance that this team can develop the toughness to withstand runs when we build leads (or finishing our runs when we're trying to overcome a deficit). I think if we win just one tough game, we can maybe develop that toughness or basketball IQ or "edge" and turn a corner for the season. But we're running out of time.

Positionless basketball is especially a poor product when you don’t have any shooters. You have all the switching on defense that leads to mismatches, blown assignments, uncontested baskets.

Watching North Texas impose their will defensively beyond the 3 point line where they just harass the hell out of you is so impressive. Why can’t we do that?

I still point back to AK not recruiting positions. Even the announcers are giving it away that we are hard to watch because we have no point guard.

I’m expecting Yax to use his extra years from Juco(if that pertains to hoops as well) to transfer to play for a guy like Pitino or Self who will coach him up.

Guys like McGhee and Butta who don’t do anything particularly well, probably should’ve been at a school like Troy or Samford. That’s actually disrespectful to Bucky because I know he wouldn’t take them.

(01-01-2025 12:35 PM)UABFAN23 Wrote:  Positionless basketball is especially a poor product when you don’t have any shooters. You have all the switching on defense that leads to mismatches, blown assignments, uncontested baskets.

Watching North Texas impose their will defensively beyond the 3 point line where they just harass the hell out of you is so impressive. Why can’t we do that?

I still point back to AK not recruiting positions. Even the announcers are giving it away that we are hard to watch because we have no point guard.

I’m expecting Yax to use his extra years from Juco(if that pertains to hoops as well) to transfer to play for a guy like Pitino or Self who will coach him up.

Guys like McGhee and Butta who don’t do anything particularly well, probably should’ve been at a school like Troy or Samford. That’s actually disrespectful to Bucky because I know he wouldn’t take them.

I don't think it's fair to say we don't have any shooters. Both AJ & Butta were good shooters last year. And Toney has finally become an effective outside shooter in his 5th year. 37.8% this year. Moore is at 37.7%,and McGhee is above average at 35.3%.
And it's not unreasonable to think that both AJ & Butta get their shot back as the year goes on.
When our shots fall things will go better.
I still think we have a chance at being 3rd or 4th in the conference.
We came very close to beating the #2 team on the road. That means we can beat anybody on the schedule with the possible exception of Memphis.

The whining about AK is really getting old and it serves no purpose.
You think he is trying to lose games? You think he is unaware of our problems?
How many D1 games have you coached and what is your record?

He is not going to be fired or run off unless he has like 3 losing seasons in a row and that is not going to happen.

I think if we played that UNT game 10 times, that player would miss the last second three 7 or 8 out of 10 times or more. He threw up a prayer and got lucky. It happens. Not saying he is not a great shooter or player. But the last second three was well defended and he was off balance.

So, we are not where we hoped to be and an NCAA bid is unlikely. But we can still have a winning conference record because we have more overall talent than most teams in the conference. And none of them are going to feel like they are going to have an easy win when they play us. Especially in Bartow.
We have a shot at going 13-5 or 12-6 and neither would be a disaster.

I do hope AK will schedule much better next year. There is no excuse for 3 SWAC teams and a D2.

Better non conference games will better prepare you for conference play.

I hope we renew the home & home with Arkansas State. I would wager they won't beat us 4 times in a row.

And both Butta and McGhee are good AAC players. I hope both come back next year. We could and have done much worse.

Nobody is trying to run AK off. Folks just see a reoccurring theme. If someone was trying to fix something, they’d stop doing what they’ve done and getting such repetition. We have reached a ceiling right now and that’s not something we anticipated going into year 5 when we made this hire.

Most see the fix for these issues in a different approach in recruiting and roster configuration.

Those moral victories weren’t allowed when Davis was here and got ehsan shoved out the door.

I still see people defending Ehsan as if his last game wasn’t a $50,000 payment out of our own pocket to go play at Brown in the CBI.