Identity Basketball

NT80 · Friday at 07:33 PM

5 minutes ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

He does run a system. He's an offensive guy that wants to run hence why he recruits athletes.

Yes. We didn't get beat by his offense, we got beat by his recruiting = athletes. They defended us as well as anyone; they are not all offense. They should have beat Irvine in OT, just got tired and a lame airball 3 at the end.

NorthTexasWeLove · Friday at 07:37 PM

20 minutes ago, NT80 said:

They are G5 programs... McNeese, High Point, Utah St, UAB, UTSA, Temple.

They don't have more of anything than we do.

High Point is a basketball only school that sits in a basketball state with a state of the art arena.

Utah St has everything more than us....name it....they have more of it...

UABs NIL is bigger than ours as is their alum support.

Temples NIL is bigger than ours as is their alum support.

Utsa basketball... pretty equal in regard to resources.

We probably have better resources than Mcneese (thank you student athletic fees). But you watch their conference tournament final? They have more alum support, embarrassingly.

But, sure, they don't have more than we do....except they all virtually do.

NorthTexasWeLove · Friday at 07:39 PM

5 minutes ago, NT80 said:

Yes. We didn't get beat by his offense, we got beat by his recruiting = athletes. They defended us as well as anyone; they are not all offense. They should have beat Irvine in OT, just got tired and a lame airball 3 at the end.

They play below average defense, analytically.

NT80 · Friday at 07:42 PM

4 minutes ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

High Point is a basketball only school that sits in a basketball state with a state of the art arena.

Utah St has everything more than us....name it....they have more of it...

UABs NIL is bigger than ours as is their alum support.

Temples NIL is bigger than ours as is their alum support.

Utsa basketball... pretty equal in regard to resources.

We probably have better resources than Mcneese (thank you student athletic fees). But you watch their conference tournament final? They have more alum support, embarrassingly.

But, sure, they don't have more than we do....except they all virtually do.

Still, it's the coaching at those programs that is the biggest impact. Just like ours was poor with Benford. Put Benford in those places and they fail. Coaching is the key, not facilities, alum support, etc, none of it. We must find the right coach!

NorthTexasWeLove · Friday at 07:44 PM

1 minute ago, NT80 said:

Still, it's the coaching at those programs that is the biggest impact. Just like ours was poor with Benford. Put Benford in those places and they fail. Coaching is the key, not facilities, alum support, etc, none of it. We must find the right coach!

Now you're agreeing.... It is more the coaching than the recruiting. Lol

GMGGWBG · Friday at 07:45 PM

Does Houston have an identity? They definitely have a coach, but does he have a basketball identity or system? He may have a championship after this year!

GMGGWBG · Friday at 07:48 PM

If a team has no identity, how could they possibly know what is expected of them or have a winning culture?

untjim1995 · Friday at 07:55 PM

41 minutes ago, NT80 said:

They are G5 programs... McNeese, High Point, Utah St, UAB, UTSA, Temple.

They don't have more of anything than we do.

They all have one giant advantage--their administrations care about sports. We make our teams go play on the road so we can serve fajitas for a faculty appreciation luncheon, where the faculty were happier to win a free parking space than winning free season football tickets for 7 home games.

NT80 · Friday at 07:56 PM

11 minutes ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

Now you're agreeing.... It is more the coaching than the recruiting. Lol

The coaching leads to the recruiting. But you can't have a Benford or a Trilli that can only recruit well, but not know Xs and Os and rotations as well.

NorthTexasWeLove · Friday at 07:58 PM

6 minutes ago, GMGGWBG said:

If a team has no identity, how could they possibly know what is expected of them or have a winning culture?

Quality teams get away with not having an identity all the time because they have elite talent. Take Memphis.... 80ppg and 73ppg/allowed. One game would be guard oriented and the next would be dominated by their 2 bigs. Defense was mid, efficiency was mid, they wanted to run if they could, but then they'd play through their bigs. Their "identity" was basically having better players with very mid coaching. IOW, they didn't have an identity. They certainly are not alone.

NT80 · Friday at 07:58 PM

16 minutes ago, untjim1995 said:

They all have one giant advantage--their administrations care about sports. We make our teams go play on the road so we can serve fajitas for a faculty appreciation luncheon, where the faculty were happier to win a free parking space than winning free season football tickets for 7 home games.

I am really proud of our fan base and media for the response and calling them out on this!

I hope at least a couple of the Admins got the message and saw that Athletics are important!

Edited Friday at 08:10 PM by NT80

NorthTexasWeLove · Friday at 08:00 PM

2 minutes ago, NT80 said:

The coaching leads to the recruiting. But you can't have a Benford or a Trilli that can only recruit well, but not know Xs and Os and rotations as well.

Not really. We had some of the best coaching UNT basketball has ever seen. We weren't out there kicking ass and taking names in recruiting. They were methodical and looked for their type of player that fit their....say it with me.... system.

untjim1995 · Friday at 08:13 PM

4 minutes ago, NT80 said:

I am really am of our fan base and media for the response and calling them out on this!

I hope at least a couple of the Admins got the message and saw that Athletics are important!

You know what would confirm that they got the message? Saying it. Apologizing for it publicly and verbally, making season tickets for next season reduced by the same percentage that the new coaching staff drops down (which it will), and making a damn good hire. Put some muscle behind your words.

But it won't happen because it can't happen. The faculty and administration don't care--at best. Most of them actively loathe athletics existence here, especially football, but also basketball, too. Because they get funded and these idiots want that money for their departments.

This place is an absolute disgrace for what they've done to our basketball teams. I can't figure out if I'm more embarrassed of ever believing that basketball would be treated differently here than football, which has been crapped on in so many ways since I was born in the early 70s, or if I'm more embarrassed to see a university literally treat its teams (made up of employees and students) in such a disgusting fashion. I'll tell you who isn't gonna forget any of this--TX HS Coaches, players, and their parents. Even if they wanted to, other teams' coaches will negative recruit the crap out of us every single time. And it will work even better than it had been working for all of these years before, where it was just unseen apathy they sold against us on the recruiting path. Because now it's KNOWN apathy, even KNOWN loathing. Good luck with that for anyone who contributes to the program, buys tickets, plays here, or coaches here. I don't see any possible way this won't get felt over the next several years.

NT80 · Friday at 08:14 PM

12 minutes ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

Not really. We had some of the best coaching UNT basketball has ever seen. We weren't out there kicking ass and taking names in recruiting. They were methodical and looked for their type of player that fit their....say it with me.... system.

You are fighting with yourself on this, lol. It's not a chicken or egg thing, which came first. You must have a coach that can recruit first, all else fails regardless of system.

Quality teams get away with not having an identity all the time because they have elite talent. Take Memphis.... 80ppg and 73ppg/allowed. One game would be guard oriented and the next would be dominated by their 2 bigs. Defense was mid, efficiency was mid, they wanted to run if they could, but then they'd play through their bigs. Their "identity" was basically having better players with very mid coaching. IOW, they didn't have an identity. They certainly are not alone.

GMGGWBG · Friday at 09:02 PM

46 minutes ago, NT80 said:

You are fighting with yourself on this, lol. It's not a chicken or egg thing, which came first. You must have a coach that can recruit first, all else fails regardless of system.

Quality teams get away with not having an identity all the time because they have elite talent. Take Memphis.... 80ppg and 73ppg/allowed. One game would be guard oriented and the next would be dominated by their 2 bigs. Defense was mid, efficiency was mid, they wanted to run if they could, but then they'd play through their bigs. Their "identity" was basically having better players with very mid coaching. IOW, they didn't have an identity. They certainly are not alone.

Once again, what did they pay for that top tier talent???? Mid coaching but high level recruiting???

GMGGWBG · Friday at 09:06 PM

NT80. I am just happy that we all love Mean Green Basketball. I just don't think we have the money to play like everyone else and beat good teams by outrunning them.

I do know and understand what you are saying though for sure.

Edited Friday at 09:06 PM by GMGGWBG

NT80 · Friday at 10:29 PM

1 hour ago, GMGGWBG said:

NT80. I am just happy that we all love Mean Green Basketball. I just don't think we have the money to play like everyone else and beat good teams by outrunning them.

I do know and understand what you are saying though for sure.

It's not always about "paying" players. I don't know what our NIL payout is, but I would guess not all are here for the $$.

Ross recruited guys from JUCOs and smaller programs. Sometimes just to move up to our level and have a chance to go to an NIT or NCAA may be what lures them.

Like Lorient, he may have been offered just more playing time.. since he was an under-used bench player on FAU...?

NorthTexasWeLove · Friday at 11:11 PM

41 minutes ago, NT80 said:

It's not always about "paying" players. I don't know what our NIL payout is, but I would guess not all are here for the $$.

Ross recruited guys from JUCOs and smaller programs. Sometimes just to move up to our level and have a chance to go to an NIT or NCAA may be what lures them.

Like Lorient, he may have been offered just more playing time.. since he was an under-used bench player on FAU...?

It's 100%... Ok, ok...99% about paying players.

CMJ · Friday at 11:20 PM

3 hours ago, GMGGWBG said:

Does Houston have an identity? They definitely have a coach, but does he have a basketball identity or system? He may have a championship after this year!

Their identity is defense. For the last several years they've been basically like us...but with better athletes.

GMGGWBG · Friday at 11:57 PM

36 minutes ago, CMJ said:

Their identity is defense. For the last several years they've been basically like us...but with better athletes.

Exactly.

Tommy Gadberry · Saturday at 12:01 AM

40 minutes ago, CMJ said:

Their identity is defense. For the last several years they've been basically like us...but with better athletes.

Phil Hartman Yes GIF

GMGGWBG · Saturday at 12:03 AM

1 hour ago, NT80 said:

It's not always about "paying" players. I don't know what our NIL payout is, but I would guess not all are here for the $$.

Ross recruited guys from JUCOs and smaller programs. Sometimes just to move up to our level and have a chance to go to an NIT or NCAA may be what lures them.

Like Lorient, he may have been offered just more playing time.. since he was an under-used bench player on FAU...?

It can be about the money or playing time as long as the money is not too far off. We aren't that close, though.

And playing time correlates with $$$ and teams will pay players this coming season. I think players should be able to make money, but am not at all happy with where the sport is headed.

I had been wondering what donors would do if a coach benched a player they had spent millions of dollars on?

GMGGWBG · Saturday at 12:53 AM

Hey, check this out about the dollars available to teams. It is crazy.

https://nil-ncaa.com/

GMG_Dallas · Saturday at 12:57 AM

Will Wade seemed to focus on athletes this past season. Not necessarily the best shooters or biggest guys, just great overall athletes.

Just like undersized shooters, defensive guys who can't shoot, small guards, and so on, the high majors can't field a roster full of those guys or they'll be exploited. They can take one, maybe two, guys like that if they're just that exceptional at the one thing they're good at. Too many becomes an issue for them. You know who can take on all of those guys? North Texas.

I wouldn't mind a roster full of athletic freaks who can't shoot the 3. Or a roster full of defensive minded guys who are a bit smaller. Or a roster of 3 point shooters who can't dunk. Or a mix of misfits who are being ignored because they're 2 inches too short or their arms are too short or whatever.

There's a way for us to keep being successful. Just need a coach who knows how to get what he needs and maximize what he gets.