Bring back the Walrus!

[VideoEagle]

Those of us who remember the Bill Blakely days are pretty disgusted with the current state of NT basketball.

I will grant you we are somewhat better this year than last. Last year 13-15 and this year we're 14-14. At this rate, we'll have another 20 win season in 2011 with players currently in junior high!

Remember Blakely's chair slogan of "Don't expect miracles" was followed by "Miracles never cease."

The football program has lousy facilities and is still recovering from NT virtually dropping the program in the 80's. The basketball program never had these problems, but has never gotten back to the level of the late 70's.

We need to find some former NBA guy who's hungry and got something to prove!

[DeepGreen]

We need to find some former NBA guy who's hungry and got something to prove!

What about JJ's four year contract extension? How do we get around that?

[MeanGreen61]

What about JJ's four year contract extension?  How do we get around that?

Bite the bullet

[UNT_playmaker]

i would love to see bill blakely back at the helm of NT basketball and im sure he would jump back in the saddle.....

something needs to be done soon about the NT basketball situation.... the entire coaching staff needs to be done with....

we need to be back at where we were at the 70's.

[eulesseagle]

Be patient with JJ.....everyone wanted DD's head about the 4th year of his contract.

I believe that JJ will turn it around.....

Beside who are you going to get????

what decent Basketball coaches are there who wants to coach at a mid-major??? some assist. coach or a good high school coach.....

who do you expect to get? Bobby Knight

North Texas is a mid-major.....face it!! JJ has turned the program around....wait until next year.

[El Paso Eagle]

....wait until next year.

This is an attitude that NT fans need to stop accepting!

[UNTSportsGuy]

This is an attitude that NT fans need to stop accepting!

It worked for us Red Sox fans

[UNTLifer]

Beside who are you going to get????

what decent Basketball coaches are there who wants to coach at a mid-major???  some assist. coach or a good high school coach.....

who do you expect to get?  Bobby Knight

North Texas is a mid-major.....face it!!  JJ has turned the program around....wait until next year.

Ever heard of Billy Gillespie (sp?), head coach at A&M? Interviewed for the position when JJ was hired. There are plenty of good coaches that would be willing to coach at a school with our facilities located in the middle of some of the best recruiting grounds in the nation.

Please enlighten me on how JJ has turned the program around? Gillespie turned around UTEP in 2 years and has done the same in one year at A&M. How long do you expect us to wait on JJ? He's had four years, and this team got worse as the year wore on.

[eulesseagle]

Look what JJ has done:

1. Eased up on us playing the top 25 in roundball and getting the crap beat out of us.

2. Lost about 5 or 6 games by less than an average of 6 points. Those could have been wins (but were not)

3. Compared to DD.... it took DD his 5th year before his teams kicked into gear. Could be the same for JJ.

4. You never hear of any disention among the players.

5. He is slowly bringing in better players.....you have to remember that UNT is a MID MAJOR.

6. Who do you recommend getting....and for what price???-----if you say you don't know or there are plenty of people out there---ok---then who?? cant name any you want to take a chance on?

7. Give JJ a chance...everyone knows what shape the UNT program was in when he took over and remember his old coach came to UNT to stand behind him (cant remember the legendary LSU coach's name).

8. We have had some excellent BB coaches at UNT but the admin has let them go: including Spika (for you Hamilton/Fraley/Hamp Hazelton/Whitiker fans); Blakley (chances are we will never get another pro coach)--This guy packed the pit for every game; Jankovich.

9. Give JJ a chance...he comes highly recommended and looks like he has some very good players coming in. Takes time to build a team...cant be done in one or two years.

[CMJ]

I also think another year or so in store. That said, if we don't show improvement next season I'm going to wonder if we should look for a new coach.

[El Paso Eagle]

Look what JJ has done:

1.  Eased up on us playing the top 25 in roundball and getting the crap beat out of us.

2.  Lost about 5 or 6 games by less than an average of 6 points.  Those could have been wins (but were not)

3.  Compared to DD.... it took DD his 5th year before his teams kicked into gear.  Could be the same for JJ.

4.  You never hear of any disention among the players.

5.  He is slowly bringing in better players.....you have to remember that UNT is a MID MAJOR.

6.  Who do you recommend getting....and for what price???-----if you say you don't know or there are plenty of people out there---ok---then who??   cant name any you want to take a chance on?

7.  Give JJ a chance...everyone knows what shape the UNT program was in when he took over and remember his old coach came to UNT to stand behind him (cant remember the legendary LSU coach's name).

8.  We have had some excellent BB coaches at UNT but the admin has let them go:  including Spika (for you Hamilton/Fraley/Hamp Hazelton/Whitiker fans); Blakley (chances are we will never get another pro coach)--This guy packed the pit for every game; Jankovich.

9.  Give JJ a chance...he comes highly recommended and looks like he has some very good players coming in.  Takes time to build a team...cant be done in one or two years.

Euless,

Not trying to get into a pi$$ing contest, but don't sell NT so short -

Look what JJ has done:

1. eased up on us playing the top 25 in round ball and getting the crap beat out of us.

Thanks for admitting were playing an easier schedule and not wining more games

2. Lost about 5 or 6 games by less than an average of 6 points. Those could have been wins (but were not)

Lost 5 by 7 or less, BUT using this logic we also won 8 by 7 or less

5. He is slowly bringing in better players.....you have to remember that UNT is a MID MAJOR.

Oh, the favorite fall-back for anytime NT does not succeed. Does this mean that when we are successful it’s because were lucky? By the way – the other teams kicking our butts in the Sun Belt are Mid Majors also!!!!

6. Who do you recommend getting....and for what price???-----if you say you don't know or there are plenty of people out there---ok---then who?? Can’t name any you want to take a chance on?

So you don’t think we would get applicants if the job was open? Didn’t we turn away Billy Gillespie (sp) – (UTEP, now A&M)? When the position at NMSU opened they had no shortage of applicants.

9. Give JJ a chance...he comes highly recommended and looks like he has some very good players coming in. Takes time to build a team...cant be done in one or two years.

Please see reference to Billy G. at UTEP and A&M

Edited March 7, 2005 by El Paso Eagle

[gksmith]

The sad truth about basketball in Texas.

Unfortunately, Texas is a FOOTBALL state. Basketball gets very little attention by comparison. If you are a quality basketball player in Texas and you want to play on a top flight college team, you have 3 choices:

Texas

Texas Tech

going out of state

This goes for Women also. Baylor is a fluk this year.

i.e. Last year UNT played Indiana here. Indiana has a freshman (at the time) from The Colony. He kicked out butts.

This season, I forget which team from out of state, but there was another Colony product that came in here and stuck it to UNT.

I am not suggesting that we throw up our hands and give up. Very few colleges, especially mid majors, can have quality programs in 2 major sports.

[GangGreen]

Takes time to build a team...cant be done in one or two years.

How about four?

[GangGreen]

Very few colleges, especially mid majors, can have quality programs in 2 major sports.

Just off the top of my head (mid-majors):

Louisville

UAB

Memphis

Cincinatti

TCU

Miami (OH)

Toledo

Utah

New Mexico

UTEP

Fresno St.

Rice

[gksmith]

Just off the top of my head (mid-majors):

Louisville

UAB

Memphis

Cincinatti

TCU

Miami (OH)

Toledo

Utah

New Mexico

UTEP

Fresno St.

Rice

How many of those are top 25 in two or more sports?

Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Toledo, TCU all went to FB bowl games (I think they all went) but then so did half of the 117 D-1A teams.

Several of those listed have good basketball programs but how many have a real shot at going past the first 2-3 rounds of the NCAA?

Rice has the best baseball program of the group and won a national championship last year or year before. What is their other top sports program? Not football. No idea how they did in BB this year. Never heard anything of them in making the NCAA tournament.

Plus that is 12 schools out of 117 in D-1A football. 12 schools out of 200 plus D-1 basketball. 12 schools out of I don't know how many in D-1 baseball.

As far as my arguement, how many of these teams are in Texas AND draw a national audiance for basketball consistantly? This one I can answer for sure...NONE.

[GangGreen]

How many of those are top 25 in two or more sports?

Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Toledo, TCU all went to FB bowl games (I think they all went) but then so did half of the 117 D-1A teams.

Several of those listed have good basketball programs but how many have a real shot at going past the first 2-3 rounds of the NCAA?

Rice has the best baseball program of the group and won a national championship last year or year before. What is their other top sports program? Not football. No idea how they did in BB this year. Never heard anything of them in making the NCAA tournament.

Plus that is 12 schools out of 117 in D-1A football. 12 schools out of 200 plus D-1 basketball. 12 schools out of I don't know how many in D-1 baseball.

As far as my arguement, how many of these teams are in Texas AND draw a national audiance for basketball consistantly? This one I can answer for sure...NONE.

I guess your definition of quality is a lot different than mine. Making bowl games or the NCAA tournament does not equal a quality program?

Have fun watching Mean Green sports, because you are sure to be disappointed. Personally, I think making a bowl game 4 years in a row shows quality. If you don't think going to the big dance is a benchmark for success, ask all the teams that stay home every year (like us).

[eulesseagle]

UNT had the opportunnity to get the current A&M and UTEP coaches but selected JJ!! Those schools currently had the talent where JJ did not. Take a look what Trilli did for the team. (1) he let go everyone that Jankovich had and brought in a whole new squad!! (2) caused disention on the team where players left UNT to go to other schools.

What did JJ have when he got here??? well.....not much!!

What did the A&M coach and UTEP coaches have when they got to their new venues???? come on man, think. I really do not think that any coach in JJ's position can come into a program that has been decimated and begin a winning program with a reputation of not having a winning program for years.

Coach Blakley had the last great sucessful program at UNT/NTSU!! Just look at all the 20+ winning seasons this man had!!

Coach Spika had a sucessful program at NTSU against the best teams in the nation back in the 60's and early 70's.

Back in the mid or early 1980's we had the opportunity to get the Midland College coach. I can not remember his name but he had several National JC championships under his belt at MCJC. "Spud" Webb played for him and it was during this time that he applied for the NTSU position and did not get it. He was essentially going to bring to NTSU his Midland College team, as transfers to NTSU to rebuild the program, including Spud Webb. NTSU did not want him but got some assistant coach from some high school or college that kept NTSU in loosing seasons. Webb wanted to come to NTSU but the coach thought he was not good enough and too small (5'6" or so). Webb ended up at N.C. State on their National championship team and played several years in the NBA.

So, now the question is even if you brought in any coach that UNT will spend the money for what can they do with a team that has a loosing record in their program??? If some UNT backer and UNT is willing to pay the big bucks to get a great name coach to come in is about the only "short term winning fix" that UNT will have. Other than that UNT will have to build a winning by having a coach like JJ who is willing to commit himself in building a program by getting the best possible player that are willing to come here.

I believe that he is doing that right now. He is slowly turning the program around and possibly next year or the year after he will have us on the winning track. Besides, his future reputation is at stake too.

[SUMG]

UNT had the opportunnity to get the current A&M and UTEP coaches but selected JJ!! Those schools currently had the talent where JJ did not.  Take a look what Trilli did for the team.  (1) he let go everyone that Jankovich had and brought in a whole new squad!! (2) caused disention on the team where players left UNT to go to other schools. 

What did JJ have when he got here??? well.....not much!!

What did the A&M coach and UTEP coaches have when they got to their new venues????  come on man, think.  I really do not think that any coach in JJ's position can come into a program that has been decimated and begin a winning program with a reputation of not having a winning program for years. 

First of all, it is the current A & M coach, who was once at UTEP......that we had the chance to get. (Not the current A & M and UTEP coaches).

Secondly, A & M and UTEP weren't stacked with talented players when Gillespie got to either place.

Thirdly, do you honestly think SBC basketball and Big 12 are comparable? I mean, it would seem to me, that it would be a heckuva lot easier to win in the SBC, than in the Big 12. Gillespie has done more in his first year in Aggieland, than JJ has done in four years at UNT.

And one more time....so maybe it will sink through....if the program was so decimated when Trilli left......how come JJ's best record was his first year at UNT? Explain that one.

And when you've got time, you and GK Smith need to get together. Y'all have a lot in common.

[eulesseagle]

Texas A&M compared to UNT had more talent when Gilespe took over than what UNT had when JJ took over.

Texas A&M did not have any players leave like they left when Trilli was at UNT prior to JJ taking over!!

SMUG, I was not comparing SBC to the Big 12, but making a comparison that the SBC and in particular UNT is a Mid Major not a Major....perhaps you did not read that???

My view centered on UNT not having a consistant winning record over the last 35 years with the exception of some bright spots of Spika and Blakely......

I think even you, SMUG, would agree with that!!

Other than those too far and between bright spots UNT basketball has been at best average and non-competitive....in the conference they have been in.

Sometimes, by your writings, you want a winner now!! well....who you going to pay and get????

Evidently you do not seen what myself or even Buford Julip has seen since the 1960's. Once you get a grip on UNT basketball since the 60's and see what has happened then perhaps, even you, SMUG, will realize that unless a miricle happens JJ "is" doing the best job for UNT Basketball.

I have seen improvement in the team since JJ has been here along with the football team since DD has been here. Believe me when I say this you need to have more patience with JJ.

[greenfrog]

As a followup to the Spud Webb comment. There is more to NT not getting Spud here to play for Bill Blakley

than size. Spud wanted NT to pick up his Corvett payments. Blakley talked to me and others and told us

that he was not about to take the chance to get NT in trouble. He wanted and did run a clean program.

What NCSU did, if anything, I do not know. Spud made the decision and we lost out. A few years later

Blakley was his agent while he was in the NBA. I respect Bill for his decision even though a lot of under

the table transactions were going on in college athletics at that time. Jimmy Gales also ran a clean

program after Bill left.

[risinggreen]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Tommy Newman (the worst coach in NT history) the one that rejected Spud Webb because of his size? If not, then I guess that my memory is failing me.

[GrayEagle]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Tommy Newman (the worst coach in NT history) the one that rejected Spud Webb because of his size? If not, then I guess that my memory is failing me.

No, your memory is fine. Bill had already agreed to give Spud Webb a scholarship before he was fired but Tommy Newman turned that down. I don't know that size was the only factor, Spud played an up-tempo game and Newman a very deliberate style. In fact, if Newman knew anything about him he should've known that at 5'4", Spud could dunk with the best of them.

Webb, being from Wilmer-Hutchins, wanted to stay in the area but thankfully Newman turning him down was the greatest thing that ever happened to Spud.

[Coach]

I wasn't around when Blakely was at the helm, but I have heard plenty of stories from family and am familair with his style.

My question is, in the subtitle of this thread it said that "Blakely got the job done without excuses".

Yet, I have read on here recently that Blakely bought his own ticket out of town with constant criticism of administrative support and lack of resources.

So which way was it? Is it true he complained so much he got fired, or did he just play with the hand he was dealt without excuses?

[eulesseagle]

Texas A&M's first 10 games for their great turnaround season begining at 10-0 was:

N.C. A&T, Trinity, UT-Permian Basin, Oakland, Prairie View A&M, Alabama A&M, La-Monroe, Chicago State, Grambling and Houston.

UNT could have been 10-0 with a cake walk like this schedule.

[FirefightnRick]

Back in the mid or early 1980's we had the opportunity to get the Midland College coach. I can not remember his name but he had several National JC championships under his belt at MCJC. "Spud" Webb played for him and it was during this time that he applied for the NTSU position and did not get it. He was essentially going to bring to NTSU his Midland College team, as transfers to NTSU to rebuild the program, including Spud Webb. NTSU did not want him but got some assistant coach from some high school or college that kept NTSU in loosing seasons.

I'm curious, but is the assistant your talking about here (some assistant coach from some high school or college that kept NTSU in loosing seasons) the one time 80's assistant and only head coach in school history to lead a Mean Green team to the big dance, Jimmy Gayles?

Rick

Edited March 13, 2005 by FirefightnRick