Rice 1/14/17

[TheTastyGreek]

39 minutes ago, Army of Dad said:

Solid advice, though I'm sure @ArmyOfMom would be the first to tell you that I'm not well suited to that. 

A major factor to renewing this year was as a vote of confidence in WB. If he fails to publicly act before the season is over I don't know that I'll be back next season. Too much damage done already and then no public attempt to prove he's not more of the same. 

I know some of you think that's a crappy position, but damn few have sat through almost every home game of Benford's tenure as I have. It's painfully obvious Benford doesn't have 'it' and never will. Pull the damn plug already. 

National signing day is February 1st. After that, the focus is off football until spring practice. 

We have four games between now and then, and one other the Saturday after (Rice on February 4th). If we don't win at least three of those five games, it's impossible for us to finish above .500 in conference, meaning it's impossible for us to finish better than .500 on the regular season.

If we're not at least 9-13 (3-7) on Monday, February 6th, Benford better be finally, finally fired. 

If we have 8 or more conference losses and Benford is allowed to coach our road trip to Florida that starts on February 9th, then this new regime is just as horseshit as the last one, and I'm never buying season tickets for another season of any fucking sport this school ever pretends to take seriously, ever again. 

 

 

[UNT90]

31 minutes ago, TheTastyGreek said:

National signing day is February 1st. After that, the focus is off football until spring practice. 

We have four games between now and then, and one other the Saturday after (Rice on February 4th). If we don't win at least three of those five games, it's impossible for us to finish above .500 in conference, meaning it's impossible for us to finish better than .500 on the regular season.

If we're not at least 9-13 (3-7) on Monday, February 6th, Benford better be finally, finally fired. 

If we have 8 or more conference losses and Benford is allowed to coach our road trip to Florida that starts on February 9th, then this new regime is just as horseshit as the last one, and I'm never buying season tickets for another season of any fucking sport this school ever pretends to take seriously, ever again. 

 

 

This is the consequence, Mr. Baker.

Do what you should have already done.

[Army of Dad]

1 hour ago, TheTastyGreek said:

National signing day is February 1st. After that, the focus is off football until spring practice. 

We have four games between now and then, and one other the Saturday after (Rice on February 4th). If we don't win at least three of those five games, it's impossible for us to finish above .500 in conference, meaning it's impossible for us to finish better than .500 on the regular season.

If we're not at least 9-13 (3-7) on Monday, February 6th, Benford better be finally, finally fired. 

If we have 8 or more conference losses and Benford is allowed to coach our road trip to Florida that starts on February 9th, then this new regime is just as horseshit as the last one, and I'm never buying season tickets for another season of any fucking sport this school ever pretends to take seriously, ever again. 

For newer members of the GMG community this is an extreme departure from where TTG had been historically in regards to UNT sports. Almost akin to Kram telling UNT to get bent (almost, because I don't think he'd ever do it). 

Oh and @EagleMBA, I'm drinking a Shiner now.

[KRAM1]

2 hours ago, Army of Dad said:

Solid advice, though I'm sure @ArmyOfMom would be the first to tell you that I'm not well suited to that. 

A major factor to renewing this year was as a vote of confidence in WB. If he fails to publicly act before the season is over I don't know that I'll be back next season. Too much damage done already and then no public attempt to prove he's not more of the same. 

I know some of you think that's a crappy position, but damn few have sat through almost every home game of Benford's tenure as I have. It's painfully obvious Benford doesn't have 'it' and never will. Pull the damn plug already. 

Fair enough...I have sat through them with you.  But, I don't understand giving up and not renewing with a new coach on board.  I get that you probably wouldn't renew if Coach Benford were to be retained...that I get.  But, if it is Coach Benford you can no longer support, why not renew when a new coach is brought in after the season?  Wren has told everyone that the decision will be made AFTER the season...you know that, right?  

[EagleMBA]

8 minutes ago, Army of Dad said:

For newer members of the GMG community this is an extreme departure from where TTG had been historically in regards to UNT sports. Almost akin to Kram telling UNT to get bent (almost, because I don't think he'd ever do it). 

Oh and @EagleMBA, I'm drinking a Shiner now.

Attaboy!! See, things look better already.

For what its worth, as I've said before, I think TheWren and Smatty will act as soon as they are able to get commitments to interview from coaches they want. I personally have faith that the situation will be corrected soon, just not soon enough to do anything about this season...it is a sunk cost IMO.

[Army of Dad]

9 minutes ago, KRAM1 said:

Fair enough...I have sat through them with you.  But, I don't understand giving up and not renewing with a new coach on board.  I get that you probably wouldn't renew if Coach Benford were to be retained...that I get.  But, if it is Coach Benford you can no longer support, why not renew when a new coach is brought in after the season?  Wren has told everyone that the decision will be made AFTER the season...you know that, right?  

I know what he said. I know he left Benford at the helm after coming on board. I know if WB is half as good as we hope him to be he should be long past recognizing the failure stalking the sideline in the Super Pit.

I know that I'm just about completely out of patience. At this point they are killing off my passion for UNT sports in general and more specifically, MBB. Everyone has their own personal 'Popeye moment' and I'm just about there for mine.

You are correct that if Benford was brought back for next year I'd be done completely. If WB waits I don't know that there will be any fire left for a new coach to possibly rekindle. I'm not setting a deadline or saying "I'll never"(unless WB makes a monumental screw up and gives Benford another year), but I am saying it doesn't look good if he lets this draw out much longer.

I've had (just about) all I can stands and I can't stands no more.

[MeanGreenHoops]

10 hours ago, Army of Dad said:

I know what he said. I know he left Benford at the helm after coming on board. I know if WB is half as good as we hope him to be he should be long past recognizing the failure stalking the sideline in the Super Pit.

I know that I'm just about completely out of patience. At this point they are killing off my passion for UNT sports in general and more specifically, MBB. Everyone has their own personal 'Popeye moment' and I'm just about there for mine.

You are correct that if Benford was brought back for next year I'd be done completely. If WB waits I don't know that there will be any fire left for a new coach to possibly rekindle. I'm not setting a deadline or saying "I'll never"(unless WB makes a monumental screw up and gives Benford another year), but I am saying it doesn't look good if he lets this draw out much longer.

I've had (just about) all I can stands and I can't stands no more.

This is how I feel about basketball as well. I admire you for sticking out this long. I had season tickets for years but quit after year 1 of Benford. It was so obvious it was a disaster. The fact that it was allowed to continue was a continuing assault on my fandom. At some point you start to kill off your own emotions for the program so it doesn't hurt anymore.

Once those emotions are gone, they don't really come back, or at least not like they were. You no longer trust. If this is allowed to go until the end of the season, when there is no reason for it (buyout) then my attachment to basketball will probably be done, and I'll need a new GMG.com screen name.

[Greendylan]

11 hours ago, KRAM1 said:

Fair enough...I have sat through them with you.  But, I don't understand giving up and not renewing with a new coach on board.  I get that you probably wouldn't renew if Coach Benford were to be retained...that I get.  But, if it is Coach Benford you can no longer support, why not renew when a new coach is brought in after the season?  Wren has told everyone that the decision will be made AFTER the season...you know that, right?  

I doubt that many of us expect an interim coach to come in and salvage the season, as that's not usually how these things go (2012 WKU being a notable exception), but don't we owe it to our players to at least try?  Or--fine--let's hypothetically write this season off as a loss.  Here's why we still need to pull the plug ASAP:

1.  This has been an unmitigated failure for 4+ years.  This was previously an arguable point--one that originally surfaced after Alabama-Huntsville--but after gifted an oddly long amount of time to respond to said argument, he has shown nothing.  There is no longer a debate; it's over.  If we can unquestionably identify failure, then why tacitly endorse its ability to bury our program a little deeper each day?  If a homeowner detected deadly mold in his basement and was told that it's actually been festering for years, would he say, "Eh, after four years, what's a couple more months?"

2.  Mid-season firings are symbolic.  They establish standards for a program and make a public statement to assure fans, recruits, donors, and the basketball world at large that what has been happening lately is not in fact an indication of where that team exists and should be perceived in the pecking order of college basketball.  If we wait until after the season to make a change, it sends the wan message of "OK, sure, the contract's up.  I suppose we won't renew him."  In other words, business as usual.

3.  Can we PLEASE not allow another Portland State-esque embarrassment?  If we don't make a move soon, this is where we're headed--and we're seeing signs of it already.  Benford and his players must know at this point that they, despite their best efforts, are not in the midst of a dream season that will save his head coaching career and warrant an extension.  I don't mean to psychoanalyze the players, but I imagine they're alternating between feelings of desperation and apathy, as they absolutely know what's coming.  I'm sure they feel for the guy and are mired in all sorts of guilt over not being able to save his job.  Hell, Vito even wrote back at the beginning of the season about the pressure on Combs.  This is teetering on disaster, and I just don't see the point of waiting until some record-setting loss eviscerates what little pride is left in the program.  Don't we want this to seem like a halfway decent job for potential new coaches?

[GrandGreen]

I think NT will have Benford as coach till the season ends.  If Baker was going to make a change it should have already happened. 

I just hope that Baker has a short list of candidates or already has a prime candidate to be the new coach.   

I actually think the NT program will be attractive to a lot of good coaches.  Facilities are good maybe not great, Jones showed that you can get the big job based on coaching here, NT will offer a competitive salary, and looking good compared to Benford should be a given.   

[untbowler]

1 hour ago, GrandGreen said:

I think NT will have Benford as coach till the season ends.  If Baker was going to make a change it should have already happened. 

I just hope that Baker has a short list of candidates or already has a prime candidate to be the new coach.   

I actually think the NT program will be attractive to a lot of good coaches.  Facilities are good maybe not great, Jones showed that you can get the big job based on coaching here, NT will offer a competitive salary, and looking good compared to Benford should be a given.   

Why wait, toss Benford and father Evans out and promote an Assistant down the line. This season is a lost cause but a firing mid-season at least shows the fans that the new AD is tired of the losing and incompetent coaching.

[GrandGreen]

1 hour ago, untbowler said:

Why wait, toss Benford and father Evans out and promote an Assistant down the line. This season is a lost cause but a firing mid-season at least shows the fans that the new AD is tired of the losing and incompetent coaching.

If you read my comments, I have been advocating making a change.  I just said I don't think it will happen.