Off topic: Texas Southern/Johnny Jones

CMJ · March 11, 2023

Coach Jones has a chance to get back to the Dance today. Despite having a pretty rough season, he has his team peaking right now (sorta like he usually did here come March) and they've gotten two upsets advancing to the SWAC Final.

GMG_Dallas · March 11, 2023

Happy for Jones and TSU. Saw this article the other day. Shaqir O'Neal cited Jones as one of the reasons he chose TSU because Jones also coached his dad (Shaq) at LSU. Just a reminder as to the type of person coach Jones is that 30 years later, he's still highly regarded by former players. A positive lasting impact is an indication of a great coach.

https://www.khou.com/amp/article/sports/ncaa/ncaab/ncaa-tournament/shaqir-oneal-tsu-shaquille-oneal-son/285-409bf885-75ed-49be-a61b-7940fb38d5dc

Wag Tag · March 11, 2023

If needed I would bring him back in a heartbeat!

outoftown · March 11, 2023

5 hours ago, Wag Tag said:

If needed I would bring him back in a heartbeat!

If there were to be a hire after this season, I think UNT could really do worse. The man really deserves respect. But I also think it could do better.

CMJ · March 11, 2023

As much as I love him, I wouldn't want Coach Jones back. Not because I think we're too good for him, but because coaches who leave a place and then come back rarely have the success they did the first time.

CMJ · March 11, 2023

Watching TSU play really well early. Cool to HOFer Josh White on JJ's staff too. Would be cool if he came back here to be one of Mac's assistants someday!

Rudy · March 11, 2023

25 minutes ago, CMJ said:

As much as I love him, I wouldn't want Coach Jones back. Not because I think we're too good for him, but because coaches who leave a place and then come back rarely have the success they did the first time.

This. Always loved Coach Jones. Even if he never knew my name, he recognized my face, and was always friendly. While I would not be opposed to him coming back here, I'd worry about what would happen if he did not have the same success in round 2.

Cooley · March 11, 2023

The man can recruit and has an exciting branch of basketball. Ain't gonna happen but I'd sign on to a return. The bigger question is would he have enough fire left in his career @ age 61.

TheTastyGreek · March 11, 2023

If anyone who doesn't have the last name Jones loves that coach more than me, I've yet to meet them.

And even I think that the only way Ross Hodge doesn't get this job next is if he decides for some reason to go be an assistant wherever McCasland ends up someday. And even then, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Andrew to get us some sort of Supreme Court exemption to the 13th amendment to keep Hodge from leaving with him, at least until he gets someone else established and up to speed as his first assistant.

CMJ · March 11, 2023

I mean, JJ seems to have plenty of fire at Texas Southern. Looks like they may be going back to the Dance too.

I can only think of a handful of times someone went back to a job they left years earlier and I don't think any of them were as successful the second time around. As I said, that's my issue with any potential return.

It's ridiculous to even really discuss it seriously given how McCasland is tearing it up. Hope we can hold onto him for another few years.

Edited March 11, 2023 by CMJ

Cooley · March 11, 2023

Is it possible to have the success of a Grant McGasland but with a more entertaining brand of basketball; that packs the arena? Yes, I'd like to have some cake and eat it to.

greenminer · March 12, 2023

57 minutes ago, Cooley said:

Is it possible to have the success of a Grant McGasland but with a more entertaining brand of basketball; that packs the arena? Yes, I'd like to have some cake and eat it to.

Maybe our offense would look a little different and better if we could sign a guy that can create his own offense, from the outside going in. Have no idea if that'd be the case, but I like your idea and hope if/when it happens that McCasland is still involved.

greenminer · March 12, 2023

Johnny has 6 - SIX! - NCAA appearances. He has my heart, but I'm looking forward to our future with Grant and Ross.

Shark84 · March 12, 2023

Congratulations to Johnny. He's done an unbelievable job at Southern. I think he thrives in being the underdog. Zero pressure to win and almost no media attention. He sure does look a lot older...as we all do. Great memories of our trips to Hot Springs.

CMJ · March 12, 2023

He'll be in the First Four. He's won two times when in the First Four, so I'm sure he's fine with that even if he has little chance of defeating Kansas or whomever they'll draw should they get past their Dayton opponent.

Edited March 14, 2023 by CMJ

El Paso Eagle · March 12, 2023

Not to be the old Foggie, but are you serious when you say you would like him back?

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He coaches against terrible teams. Giving auto-bids to all of the different conferences is the only reason he gets these trips at TSU

NorthTexasWeLove · March 12, 2023

16 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Not to be the old Foggie, but are you serious when you say you would like him back?

He coaches against terrible teams. Giving auto-bids to all of the different conferences is the only reason he gets these trips at TSU

Not to have an elitist mindset, because what I'm about to say is going to come off as very smu-ish and I don't want to feel dirty. But, do these nobody conferences really need an AQ bid? Are we really, like really, really putting the best 68 teams in? I know it's a slippery slope to walk on, bc if we start taking AQ's away then we'll have the BIG10/SEC/BIG12/ACC tournament and not the NCAA tournament. I just feel there's a better way to get the best 68. Or at least the sort of best 68.

GMG_Dallas · March 12, 2023

1 hour ago, greenminer said:

Maybe our offense would look a little different and better if we could sign a guy that can create his own offense, from the outside going in. Have no idea if that'd be the case, but I like your idea and hope if/when it happens that McCasland is still involved.

I feel like Perry could do that if permitted but McCasland wants a slower pace. Watch UAB play and the amount of "bad" shots Walker takes is astounding. 30 feet out, double teamed, doesn't matter, he clearly has the green light to take whatever shot he wants whenever he wants. That wouldn't fly with McCasland.

CMJ · March 12, 2023

25 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Not to be the old Foggie, but are you serious when you say you would like him back?

He coaches against terrible teams. Giving auto-bids to all of the different conferences is the only reason he gets these trips at TSU

This was his first losing season there and he dealt with a lot of injury problems. This was not really a 20 loss team.

Giving autobids to "terrible" conferences is the only reason anybody other than the top 8 leagues gets anyone in.

CMJ · March 12, 2023

7 minutes ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

Not to have an elitist mindset, because what I'm about to say is going to come off as very smu-ish and I don't want to feel dirty. But, do these nobody conferences really need an AQ bid? Are we really, like really, really putting the best 68 teams in? I know it's a slippery slope to walk on, bc if we start taking AQ's away then we'll have the BIG10/SEC/BIG12/ACC tournament and not the NCAA tournament. I just feel there's a better way to get the best 68. Or at least the sort of best 68.

You gotta give everyone a shot. Saint Peter's got to the Elite 8 last season.

GMG_Dallas · March 12, 2023

6 minutes ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

Not to have an elitist mindset, because what I'm about to say is going to come off as very smu-ish and I don't want to feel dirty. But, do these nobody conferences really need an AQ bid? Are we really, like really, really putting the best 68 teams in? I know it's a slippery slope to walk on, bc if we start taking AQ's away then we'll have the BIG10/SEC/BIG12/ACC tournament and not the NCAA tournament. I just feel there's a better way to get the best 68. Or at least the sort of best 68.

I think every conference needs a bid or you end up with the mess that is college football. Every now and then, a small program from a nobody conference makes a crazy run à la St Peter's last year. Those runs are what make March Madness great.

My issue is actually how many bids conferences can get. I personally think bids should be earned by recent conference performance with a minimum of 1 bid allocated to each conference. If you're like the MWC and went 0-4 last year, maybe you shouldn't get 4 bids this year. If you're like the Big 10 and 8 of your 9 bids were out by the 2nd round in 2022, maybe you shouldn't get 9 bids in 2023. There's quality teams all over. It's problematic when a good team doesn't get a bid because they got upset in their conference tournament but an 18-14 power conference school can get in without showing anything. The little guy never gets a chance to show what they can do without the AQ.

Edited March 12, 2023 by GMG_Dallas

NorthTexasWeLove · March 12, 2023

1 minute ago, CMJ said:

You gotta give everyone a shot. Saint Peter's got to the Elite 8 last season.

Sure, no doubt. I get it. But I feel like the criteria can be tweaked for the better. 25+ win teams shouldn't be sitting on the outside in any world.

NorthTexasWeLove · March 12, 2023

7 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

I think every conference needs a bid or you end up with the mess that is college football. Every now and then, a small program from a nobody conference makes a crazy run à la St Peter's last year. Those runs are what make March Madness great.

My issue is actually how many bids conferences can get. I personally think bids should be earned by recent conference performance with a minimum of 1 bid allocated to each conference. If you're like the MWC and went 0-4 last year, maybe you shouldn't get 4 bids this year. If you're like the Big 10 and 8 of your 9 bids were out by the 2nd round in 2022, maybe you shouldn't get 9 bids in 2023. There's quality teams all over. It's problematic when a good team doesn't get a bid because they got upset in their conference tournament but an 18-14 power conference school can get in without showing anything. The little guy never gets a chance to show what they can do without the AQ.

You're onto something, thus fixing the criteria. Maybe even at-larges HAVE to have a minumum of 20 reg season wins AND be above .500 in conference.

GMG_Dallas · March 12, 2023

18 minutes ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

You're onto something, thus fixing the criteria. Maybe even at-larges HAVE to have a minumum of 20 reg season wins AND be above .500 in conference.

The big dance is supposed to reflect an entire season. There's too much money in the conference tournaments to do away with it. I think how many bids each conference gets can be determined by recent conference success, though, and that would help everybody get a fair shot without just what a committee feels are the best teams.

In international soccer, FIFA uses the 5 previous Champions Leagues to determine how many teams each association can send every year. They also use metrics for the World Cup to see which continents are actually producing results. They don't just say "this country has good players so send them." They have to earn their keep each world cup for the next as a continent. If one of the biggest money making sports federations/associations in the world can do it, the NCAA can too.

Edited March 12, 2023 by GMG_Dallas

NorthTexasWeLove · March 12, 2023

11 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

The big dance is supposed to reflect an entire season. There's too much money in the conference tournaments to do away with it. I think how many bids each conference gets can be determined by recent conference success, though, and that would help everybody get a fair shot without just what a committee feels are the best teams.

In international soccer, FIFA uses the 5 previous Champions Leagues to determine how many teams each association can send every year. They also use metrics for the World Cup to see which continents are actually producing results. They don't just say "this country has good players so send them." They have to earn their keep each world cup for the next as a continent. If one of the biggest money making sports federations/associations in the world can do it, the NCAA can too.

No, I'm with it. Still keep the conference AQ for all. But the at-large bid has to be tagged with meaningful data, specifically for the "bigger" conferences. 20+ reg season wins and above .500 conference record. That tag can be put on everyone. We know a "mid-major" isn't getting in on that criteria, they have to exceed that in its current format. But by placing those minimum standards for all, the 27 win Toledo team that just lost the MAC final won't get left out for a 20-13 Arkansas team that went 8-10 in league play.