1) a Mike Newell-type charismatic personality
2) a run and gun offensive coach who made the games "exciting"

Coach Beard is neither, but he is obviously an excellent coach. With an AD, who is doing his job, all the coach needs to do is win games (not be a promoter) and Coach Beard is doing that. If we win this Saturday, I expect some really good crowds next week and hopefully the rest of the season. 12-1 will bring a lot more fans than a "charismatic" coach with a middling record.

(12-31-2015 12:52 PM)mjs Wrote:  1) a Mike Newell-type charismatic personality
2) a run and gun offensive coach who made the games "exciting"

Coach Beard is neither, but he is obviously an excellent coach. With an AD, who is doing his job, all the coach needs to do is win games (not be a promoter) and Coach Beard is doing that. If we win this Saturday, I expect some really good crowds next week and hopefully the rest of the season. 12-1 will bring a lot more fans than a "charismatic" coach with a middling record.

Coach not "charismatic"...? Ask his players and recruits this question......

I'd say charismatic AND wins are needed to fill the Jack. We have to do more at Little Rock than at other smaller schools because of the Democrap not giving us any love and fans with Hog blinders on.

I'm hearing folks say that people they work with who have never mentioned Trojan basketball are suddenly noticing what's going on and some have said they're going to go out to some games. Now I don't know how many people that included, but it's obvious we're getting attention with our performance. Kudos to Coach Beard and the kids. Way, way above early expectations.

(12-31-2015 12:57 PM)Mr. Basketball Wrote:  

(12-31-2015 12:52 PM)mjs Wrote:  1) a Mike Newell-type charismatic personality
2) a run and gun offensive coach who made the games "exciting"

Coach Beard is neither, but he is obviously an excellent coach. With an AD, who is doing his job, all the coach needs to do is win games (not be a promoter) and Coach Beard is doing that. If we win this Saturday, I expect some really good crowds next week and hopefully the rest of the season. 12-1 will bring a lot more fans than a "charismatic" coach with a middling record.

Coach not "charismatic"...? Ask his players and recruits this question......

I guess it depends on how you define or view the term

Charismatic- compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others

This defines our coach 30 years ago almost perfectly. Of course, it also defines a psychopathic religious leader or dictator. No doubt, Coach Beard inspires devotion in his players. I don't view him as being the phony, used car salesmen type that many "charismatic" personalities are. He seems to be a "straight-shooter" not a BS'er.

I agree that Beard is not charismatic; his is not a flamboyant personality. However, he does come across as very sincere, and that goes a lot further with me, anyway.

(12-31-2015 01:27 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  I agree that Beard is not charismatic; his is not a flamboyant personality. However, he does come across as very sincere, and that goes a lot further with me, anyway.

ditto on that one.

Don't get me wrong: I have maintained for a long time that we need a salesman for the program. But that doesn't have to be the coach, and probably doesn't need to be. We just need someone out there doing battle in the media for us.

Went to the barber shop yesterday, and the first thing the barber said was,"have you been keeping up with the Trojans this year. They are doing great aren't they." I don't know if he's a basketball fan or not, but he's certainly aware of what's going on at the Jack this year. I suspect there are a lot of folks who are noticing the difference.

If nothing else, get the SID to call into DTS occasionally. They would have to talk to him civilly, and he could get some good air time for us. Also, forget the ADG. Work the TV and radio stations for all they are worth.

(12-31-2015 01:27 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  I agree that Beard is not charismatic; his is not a flamboyant personality. However, he does come across as very sincere, and that goes a lot further with me, anyway.

He's got conviction and sincerity.

Bo Ryan was not exactly Mr. Personality, either. He did OK.

(12-31-2015 01:29 PM)mjs Wrote:  

(12-31-2015 01:27 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  I agree that Beard is not charismatic; his is not a flamboyant personality. However, he does come across as very sincere, and that goes a lot further with me, anyway.

ditto on that one.

Pretty interesting posts from a guy who felt no change was necessary and that no better coach could be found. Better to wake up late than never, even for fan police.

(12-31-2015 01:30 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  Don't get me wrong: I have maintained for a long time that we need a salesman for the program. But that doesn't have to be the coach, and probably doesn't need to be. We just need someone out there doing battle in the media for us.

Yes, that has been my argument. The coach's job is too coach. Coach Beard is doing his job and then some. Chasse's job is to promote and be a salesman for the program and he is also doing a bang up job. Bringing in a "winner" as a coach (which, of course was his job as well) has made Chasse's salesman job a lot easier. It's been a long time since I felt this good about our overall program.

As long as Coach Beard stays, I'll be shocked Chasse doesn't get the tourney in LR after it's last year in New Orleans after next season.

It doesn't hurt if the coach is a promoter, but it isn't absolutely necessary if it doesn't fit his personality.

(12-31-2015 01:30 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  Don't get me wrong: I have maintained for a long time that we need a salesman for the program. But that doesn't have to be the coach, and probably doesn't need to be. We just need someone out there doing battle in the media for us.

The best sales tactic you can have is winning, but it doesn't hurt if the coach is a guy that can sell ice to Eskimos to boot. Newell didn't have anything but a job when he came here. He sold his dream to a lot of local people, then he started doing what every fan wants to see. Winning on the court. He did have the advantage of two newspapers here at the time who were competing, and gave us a lot of publicity. I think it even helped that he arranged to play his games at the Convention Center downtown, and it became a place to go. Even saw Clinton at games when he was governor.

I picked up a more optimistic vibe when I visited the JSC for the last home game before Christmas. There was a larger crowd for that time of year, an activity room set up for the kids in the practice court, and no sign of seat police. Chasse and his staff had done a remarkable job transforming Trojans games into a true family event and making everyone who bought or acquired a ticket feel welcome and part of something exciting. Even if the teams were not doing so well it was still money and time well spent. The magic is back and better than ever. The upside is that as the teams have more success both the men and women will have more support because the athletics department is stretching to make Trojans basketball an attractive entertainment option in Little Rock. I stayed to see the women play for no other reason than my daughter was having a ball on Fisher Court. That is smart and it is paying off. Imagine how many more young families will show up with their kids when word gets around about this.

Add to that the quality of basketball and you have a bigger, more engaged fan base.

I don't know anything about the seat police. I haven't really been paying attention to that. But it's great to have activities for the young kids so families can come to the games and have something for their children to do. I recall when we played at Barton Coliseum and MJS's son, who is now a medical doctor, used to run and around and play with other kids and have fun. The whole thing Chasse is trying to do is make the games a fun family event, and he's obviously doing a good job of it.
If we can keep winning, it will get folks out to the games. And Chasse is doing a great job promoting the program. We always said it would take the right coach and the right AD to get the job done here. I think we've hit on that combination.

(01-01-2016 03:12 PM)outsideualr Wrote:  I don't know anything about the seat police. I haven't really been paying attention to that. But it's great to have activities for the young kids so families can come to the games and have something for their children to do. I recall when we played at Barton Coliseum and MJS's son, who is now a medical doctor, used to run and around and play with other kids and have fun. The whole thing Chasse is trying to do is make the games a fun family event, and he's obviously doing a good job of it.
If we can keep winning, it will get folks out to the games. And Chasse is doing a great job promoting the program. We always said it would take the right coach and the right AD to get the job done here. I think we've hit on that combination.

We definitely have. I just argued that it wasn't the coach's job to do everything. Coach Beard is doing what he was hired to do. I pushed Coach Beard from the first day I heard his name, based on his credentials, but he is doing better than even I ever expected. Luckily Chasse had the balls not to be pushed into hiring an ex-hog like Wally was hoping for.

(01-01-2016 03:12 PM)outsideualr Wrote:  I don't know anything about the seat police. I haven't really been paying attention to that. But it's great to have activities for the young kids so families can come to the games and have something for their children to do. I recall when we played at Barton Coliseum and MJS's son, who is now a medical doctor, used to run and around and play with other kids and have fun. The whole thing Chasse is trying to do is make the games a fun family event, and he's obviously doing a good job of it.
If we can keep winning, it will get folks out to the games. And Chasse is doing a great job promoting the program. We always said it would take the right coach and the right AD to get the job done here. I think we've hit on that combination.

Where are you getting this WE stuff? There were very few of us saying that about neither the coach or the AD. For a long time, I felt like the Lone Ranger on a coaching change, and Peter(pretty much by himself)has been saying for years the AD needed to go. Some were even saying up to the very end, "where can we find some one who would be better than Steve? He's a great guy, and he just got married to a local woman, and etc.etc.etc.etc." Now everyone is pretty much on the Beard bus, and for sure on the Conque band wagon.