It's time to support Slinker!

marc_moffitt · January 4, 2005

I have noticed that many of our fans have become quick to "fire everyone" if something is not working out immediately. I think that in our situation, the best thing we can do as fans and supporters is to rally support behind our coaches and the players.

I don't beleive the answer to building a better program is to fire any coaches, but rather to support them financially and in spirit. I honestly beleive that we have a great set of coaches in all of our programs that genuinely care about the success of the players and UNT. I think that is very hard to replace.

I understand the desire to have a great program today, but we must be patient and persistent as we strive to get better. What makes a great coach is the ability to remain positive and focused even when things aren't going we'll. We must realize that many of our coaches are still dealing with the "remains" of a struggling athletic program from only a few years ago.

It is possible to "turbocharge" a players' drive to win by placing fans in the seats that respond positively to great plays, and encourage growth when performance is below capability.

We need to rally behind our coaches and players at this time and support them as they strive to get better in the coming months.

SUMG · January 4, 2005

I have noticed that many of our fans have become quick to "fire everyone" if something is not working out immediately.

Coach Slinker started off her UNT career with a winning season.....followed by 8 straight losing seasons. I wouldn't exactly call our school impatient in this situation.

I don't think anyone is advocating making a change in mid-season. Personally, I'll wait and see how the season plays out. But I do think it's time we start taking another of our potential money making sports a little more seriously. If places like SFA and La. Tech can have great women's programs (as they have in the past) why can't we?

NT80 · January 4, 2005

I have noticed that many of our fans have become quick to "fire everyone" if something is not working out immediately.

5 winning seasons out of 16 years is hardly "quick to fire everyone". I doubt you'll find another college allowing such a record. I am frustrated in any of our sports that don't show "continued" improvement, but I agree we wait to see how the conference part plays out. The only things that can be changed are the fans (+/-), the facilities, the players, or the coaches.

Edited January 4, 2005 by NT80

Rudy · January 5, 2005

I don't beleive the answer to building a better program is to fire any coaches, but rather to support them financially and in spirit.

????? You're kidding right? Are you one of those who doesn't like Simon Says because it teaches "deception" or don't like dodgeball in elementry schools because it creates winners and losers?

Most of us are saying wait until the end of the season before anything is done, unless the team just starts to suck, which we don't think will happen. Why should Coach Slinker be on the hot seat? Look at her record, 5 winning seasons our of 16? 2 NIT appearances where we were blown out. I was at the game at OSU, Emmitt and Brad Olsen can vouch for that The game was not even close, even though the score may not seem bad. She recruits some good players, but we are ALWAYS undersized when it comes to playing a good program, which is where we should be trying to get. Most of us are not saying she needs to be shown the door, but she needs to be on the hot seat. And on the facilities BS, the Super Pit is one of the nicest basketball facilites I have been to. It is right up there with Baylor, SMU, TCU and OK St Im not saying its better, but it competes right with them. Some have a slightly better atmostphere inside the arena, some have better lighting, and some have a better concourse. But I have not been to a single arena yet where I say that it is without a doubt better than the Pit. The Pit underwent major changes beginning with Trilli. We went from those aweful 70's orange seats, to the now green ones, replaced the floor, painted the new floor with lighter green so it will show up better on TV, put in 2 new scoreboards with the video screen, added the statistics boards, and they are now renovating the outside. When it comes to basketball, facilites CANNOT be used as an excuse.

UNTLifer · January 5, 2005

I understand the desire to have a great program today, but we must be patient and persistent as we strive to get better. What makes a great coach is the ability to remain positive and focused even when things aren't going we'll. We must realize that many of our coaches are still dealing with the "remains" of a struggling athletic program from only a few years ago.

Okay Marc, Slinker has had 16 years to produce. How much more patient do you want us to be. No offense to UTA, but we should never lose to that program, and we should be more competitive with teams on our level like SMU, TCU, etc.... The only stat. that we are winning at this point are turnovers, that is, if you count who has the most. Our mistakes are the result of poor preparation which points directly at the head coach.

I don't know Slinker personally. She may be the nicest person on campus, but she has yet to prove to me in her 16 years that she can coach the talent she assembles.

marc_moffitt · January 5, 2005

RV and Dr Pohl have only been around for a few years now.

I understand that Slinker has been here for a while, but she has only had decent support from the Administration and Alumni for a couple of years.

FoUTASportscaster · January 5, 2005

No offense to UTA, but we should never lose to that program, and we should be more competitive with teams on our level like SMU, TCU, etc....

Not to offend you, but I think you are showing your ignorance here. UTA has beaten a few Big 12 teams the last couple of years and took the number 24 team to the wire. We have a great coach who knows strategy and will play with five players on the floor. She has great connections to high school talent in the area and knows what it takes to win. In her basketball head coaching career, which began as high school coach in 1978 until UTA in 2001, she has had 3 losing seasons. One as a high school coach, were she was 13-15 and the first two at UTA when she started a couple of weeks before the season started and finihed 6-21. The next year she was 14-15. Now if you are saying UNT should have gotten her, then that might be a little more legit, but prepare to fall behind UTA as long as Coach Capps is here.

Brent · January 6, 2005

Not to offend you, but I think you are showing your ignorance here. UTA has beaten a few Big 12 teams the last couple of years and took the number 24 team to the wire. We have a great coach who knows strategy and will play with five players on the floor. She has great connections to high school talent in the area and knows what it takes to win. In her basketball head coaching career, which began as high school coach in 1978 until UTA in 2001, she has had 3 losing seasons. One as a high school coach, were she was 13-15 and the first two at UTA when she started a couple of weeks before the season started and finihed 6-21. The next year she was 14-15. Now if you are saying UNT should have gotten her, then that might be a little more legit, but prepare to fall behind UTA as long as Coach Capps is here.

She is the type of coach that we should want out of all of our coaches.

And, as one who spent a year at UTA, if the Mavs can get a coach like that, UNT should be able to do better.