(12-20-2011 12:15 AM)mjs Wrote:  You have said you like Coach Shields, but have no problem criticizing him. I liked Mike personally, but if I say anything unflattering about him I'm stabbing him in the back. I don't see the difference.

I do like him personally, I've said that many times. I have criticized his coaching ability(his lack an effective offense, his inability to recruit better players, his over coaching during games, and his inability to excite the fan base and increase our attendance). I've often praised his efforts to appear on the local morning talk shows. If I've ever criticized his character, you'd have to show me that. It is true that I've advocated a change in coaches. I still do.

As to the difference between your criticism of Newell and my criticism of Shields, I guess it's how you and I look at it. I guess someone who doesn't have a horse in the race would have to decide that.

Most of my horses finish at least fourth.

(12-19-2011 11:48 PM)PTJR Wrote:  

(12-19-2011 06:15 PM)Jim Tripcony Wrote:  

(12-18-2011 06:27 PM)LRTrojan Wrote:  

(12-18-2011 04:46 PM)Jim Tripcony Wrote:  I do remember there were games when the enthusiasm was greater than we are having now when we are 3-9. We won more games . . . and that will cause more enthusiasmin more people . . . regardless of the teams we are beating. There are many fans that are more enthusiastic beating Hardin-Simmons like a drum every time than losing close ones to SMU and Missouri State. To each his own. Not me. I want the tougher competition and would HATE going back to the previous scheduling, even if it meant more enthusiasm in the masses. As to every home game being exciting in the old days, I can only assume that was hyperbole to make a point. For your average non-basketball-junkies in our midst, there were plenty of nights that the puny crowds and beating pitiful competition left something to be desired on the excitement scale.
I would have no problem with giving away a few tickets as prizes. I just think that to compare the size of crowds receiving giveaways and the size of crowds paying real money to get in is not a really valid comparison.

It's not just because we're 3-9 that the enthusiasm is down. There hasn't been much enthusiasm in this program in years. It hasn't been worth a **** since we moved to the Jack. Sure there have been some exciting games over the years. The only problem is that there aren't very many people there to get excited. But, there have been a lot of dull grinder games too. I like the better competition also, but the enthusiasm was much better when you are a winner.

I don't seem to remember all of the "plenty of nights that the puny crowds and beating pitiful competition". I remember we beat some "pitiful" competition some, just as we do now. I don't remember lots of "puny" crowds in those days. "Puny" crowds are what Steve Shields coached teams draw. Sure the Sun Belt is a better league than the TAAC was overall. I stayed with Steve for about five or six years. His teams go up and down like a yo-yo, depending on the type of recruits he can bring in and the caliber of the rest of the Sun Belt.

I didn't expect any of Shields' fan club to agree with my post. But you can't truthfully say that I didn't state the facts. Anyone who is truly pleased and satisfied with the present state of this program, the pitiful crowds, and this coach, it's pretty obvious that it doesn't take much to please them.

And no hyperbole or any other bull****. Most all home games were exciting to me, and they must have been for most all those other folks who have dropped by the wayside since then.

I'm not criticizing anyone for selective memory. We're all probably guilty of that at times. And I didn't mean to imply that mixed in with your opinions were absolutely no facts. I'm not satisfied with our record, but I'm OK with a program who sends its team to the Big Dance. And I'm pleased that you used to get excited at the games. By my definition, I got excited at the SMU, Oral Roberts, Milwaukee games, and I was excited listening to the LaTech game. Most of all, I was excited attending 4 straight upsets in Hot Springs last March.

I'd love to know the real head count of "all those folks" at our Hardin-Simmons and Stetson games.

"I'm not satisfied with our record, but I'm OK with a program who sends its team to the Big Dance."

Jim, I love ya man. But this quote has got to be talked about. One Big Dance appearance in 21 years, after a fluke run from a bottom seed in the conference tournament, just doesn't justify that statement.

I guess what I'm looking at is the trip to the Dance in conjunction with what appear to be two of our better recruiting classes. Things appear to be looking up.

(12-20-2011 11:23 AM)outsideualr Wrote:  

(12-19-2011 11:15 PM)LRTrojan Wrote:  

(12-19-2011 09:28 PM)mjs Wrote:  

(12-19-2011 08:25 PM)LRTrojan Wrote:  

(12-19-2011 06:35 PM)mjs Wrote:  While I was extolling Newell's virtues I forgot that little factoid.

You post about how nice Newell was to you and your wife, and that he remembered the name of you kid, and that you don't have anything against him, and then you stick that knife in him every chance you get. Why don't you just come out and tell us how you really feel about him like Jim does. One post he's okay, then the next post, LOOK OUT FOR THAT KNIFE.

By the way, you never have told us who should get the rest of the credit that you weren't going to give Newell for what he accomplished here.

I liked Newell, personally. I appreciate what he did for the program. It's simply a fact that he hasn't had a DI job in 20 years. It's also a fact that he doesn't walk on water.

What does that have to do with the success he had on the court here?
And, I didn't know he was supposed to have walked on water, but can you prove that that he couldn't? Have you actually seen him try, and then get his feet wet? I like the way you say "I liked Newell" and then, here comes the knife.

I was out at Lake Maumelle the other day, and darn if I didn't see some blond headed man walking across the water. I can't be sure, but could it have been.................?

I didn't think anyone was watching.

Was that you?