FIUPantherFan

Good luck to you guys and your team. We FIU fans know first hand what it's like to start over but if you get the right guy (like Coach Cristobal), then it will be worth it in the end. I hope those that made it have at least enjoyed your stay in Miami and enjoyed your visit to FIU. Go Panthers! FIU Golden Panthers Message Board

I can work with this one too. So let's say, I'm this loser guy and my options, in your scenario, are the following: 1. "Spend time" (euphemism for those that are not yet of age) with a HOT girl who is only with me until she finds the next best thing.... OR... 2. continue to be a loser and never get to "experience" the HOT girl Do I even need to tell you which one most guys are going to chose? Especially when we are well aware that we are not going to get married to the hot girl anyway. It's just a one night stand, but it's going to be a HOT (CALIENTE) night! Go F I U! www.FIUGoldenPanthers.com

That was hillarious! The only problem with your anology of the girlfriend changing our habits and the way we use to be is that the FIU BBall program's only real tradition and history was a losing one. Not a single winning season in more than a decade. So if the new girlfriend annoys our friends by trying to change our bad habits, I think we can live with that. www.FIUGoldenPanthers.com

Hello, I don't know what UNT's standards are, but if I recall correctly, the only university in the SBC that has better academics than FIU (based on several ratings categories including US News, Princeton Review, Forbes and the Carnegie Foundation) is the University of Denver (Private). In 2009 FIU had a 35% acceptance rate. FIU (and UD) are the only SBC schools with both a College of Law and a School of Medicine. As it relates to the recruits, if Coach Thomas was hell bent on getting FIU on probation, these guys would be playing not sitting out. Clearly FIU's Compliance Department is keeping track of players eligibility (something which the FIU football team got in trouble for in the past vacating wins and losing several scholarships). I don't see how we are a "rouge" program, what is Coach Thomas doing that is against NCAA rules? Recruiting players that had been offered scholarships by plenty of other programs (including some Power 6 conference schools)? The only thing I'm worried about is what the APR effect the ineligibility of these guys might have (if they never step foot on the court, as some of you HOPE, do they even count for APR purposes? I don't know). Of course lets not look at the fact that the FIU Men's Basketball team's APR and GPA actually rose this past year, that doesn't help your narrative about Coach Thomas so better to ignore that. I'm not sure how this experiment is going to work out for us in the long run, but so far I'm happy with what he has done. You may believe it or not, but last year's FIU Men's Basketball team was the best coached team we have had since I've been following the school (1996). The team had absolutely no big men, no real point guard, saddled with injuries the entire season and had no consistent shooter, it was a miracle they won any games (remember, they lost to a DII school during exhibitions). I'm looking forward to having a more complete team and to hopefully getting Ferguson and Taylor back for the Spring, when the real fun begins!