Wondered what could have been

[Harry]

Isn't this the TCU team that we had a lead on at halftime? They are going to the NIT - we had an early exit in the first round of our home tourney? What in the wild wild world of sports happened to us this season? Looked so good at the beginning, favorable schedule - first home tourney in eons. Bitter pill to swallow for sure.

[Hunter Green]

Streaky shooters who play no defense and questionable coaching = mediocre basketball at NT.

[NT80]

Streaky shooters who play no defense and questionable coaching = mediocre basketball at NT.

mediocre basketball = mediocre attendance = stuck in mediocre conference

[untbowler]

Would you rather be in the SWAC, WAC or other B-Ball conferences that are below the Sun Belt, I think there are about 15-16 other conferences that finished below the Belt. I hardly consider that Mediocre.

How about other sports?

Football we finish first year in and year out, but every other sport we are middle of the pack for the most part, if not in the bottom-half.

There are a few exceptions, but currently UNT athletics is right where we belong with the lack of fan support and Athletic Department Support.

[eulesseagle]

Personally, I think UNT Basketball is getting ready to turn the corner and be a sucessful program in the Sun Belt.

1) UNT is not getting beaten by large double digit scores....even though we ended up 14-14 we lost several games in the single digits that we could have won.

2) JJ has brought in the best players, I think, he could get despite UNT's reputation for not excelling in BB with the exception of a handfull of years in the past 35 years.

3) JJ is not here to build a mediocre team. He came highly recommended from his LSU coach....who stood beside him during his initial press conference at UNT.

4) Personally, I think it takes a little time to build a quality program at a Mid-Major like UNT and unlike Texas Tech who was able to land Bobby Knight(who donates his salary to the Library at TTU) or Louisville who got Pitino for major bucks. UNT does not have that financial support. So it goes to the age old question that we have always had at NTSU/UNT.....you get what you pay for. Do you think that if NTSU had the bucks to keep Hayden Fry he would have left to go to Iowa??

5) I like the soft schedule we played in our OOC games....a little tougher than the Texas A&M schedule though but I think it did build confidence in our team. This is the same thing that all major programs do to build their records before conference starts....and.....this almost ensures a consistant winning record at the end of the season--despite how one does in conference....look at what TCU did with Tubbs and what A&M did in conference play.

6) Keep JJ...he will get the players that we need to start winning again.

[Brent]

Would you rather be in the SWAC, WAC or other B-Ball conferences that are below the Sun Belt, I think there are about 15-16 other conferences that finished below the Belt. I hardly consider that Mediocre.

And seeing that there is 32 conferences, and we finished IN THE MIDDLE of the 32 conferences, that would make the Belt MEDIOCRE.

And, I also wouldn't tag an averge of 20-25% capacity mediocre, that is just pitiful.

[dentUNiTe]

the Sun Belt was the #12 conference (out of 32) in the RPI rankings in the DMN the other day. That puts it in the top third (just about).

[Coffee and TV]

Would you rather be in the SWAC, WAC or other B-Ball conferences that are below the Sun Belt, I think there are about 15-16 other conferences that finished below the Belt.

Maybe this year that's the case, but generally the WAC is a better basketball conference.

[untbowler]

Maybe this year that's the case, but generally the WAC is a better basketball conference.

This will continue to be the case look at who the WAC sent to the NIT and NCAA Tourney.

Nevada is the only team that will be there next year.

Rice, UTEP, and that is it and they are gone next year.

The Belt send ULL to NCAA and also add WKU and Denver to NIT, that to me is equal if not better and the future only gets better with the Belt losing none of those 3

[Arkstfan]

And Tulsa who earned most of their NCAA money is leaving too.

[mad dog]

Personally, I think UNT Basketball is getting ready to turn the corner and be a sucessful program in the Sun Belt. 

1)  UNT is not getting beaten by large double digit scores....even though we ended up 14-14 we lost several games in the single digits that we could have won.

2) JJ has brought in the best players, I think, he could get despite UNT's reputation for not excelling in BB with the exception of a handfull of years in the past 35 years.

3) JJ is not here to build a mediocre team.  He came highly recommended from his LSU coach....who stood beside him during his initial press conference at UNT.

4) Personally, I think it takes a little time to build a quality program at a Mid-Major like UNT and unlike Texas Tech who was able to land Bobby Knight(who donates his salary to the Library at TTU) or Louisville who got Pitino for major bucks.  UNT does not have that financial support.  So it goes to the age old question that we have always had at NTSU/UNT.....you get what you pay for.  Do you think that if NTSU had the bucks to keep Hayden Fry he would have left to go to Iowa??

5) I like the soft schedule we played in our OOC games....a little tougher than the Texas A&M schedule though but I think it did build confidence in our team.  This is the same thing that all major programs do to build their records before conference starts....and.....this almost ensures a consistant winning record at the end of the season--despite how one does in conference....look at what TCU did with Tubbs and what A&M did in conference play.

6) Keep JJ...he will get the players that we need to start winning again.

Wonderful breakdown Euless.

[emmitt01]

I'm always amused by the people who knock out basketball team. I wonder, and I'm going out on a limb here, how many of them have uttered on this same board:

1)I have a job and kids so I can't support basketball

2)I don't want to drive in traffic so I can't support basketball

3)It's a weekday so I can't support basketball

4)I have other engagements on Saturdays so I can't support basketball...but I'll be there in the fall

5)All of the above

Considering that JJ's team got about 1500 to show up per game this season...and that was an improvement...I'd say we're right where we deserve to be.

[GreenBat]

I'm always amused by the people who knock out basketball team.  I wonder, and I'm going out on a limb here, how many of them have uttered on this same board:

1)I have a job and kids so I can't support basketball

2)I don't want to drive in traffic so I can't support basketball

3)It's a weekday so I can't support basketball

4)I have other engagements on Saturdays so I can't support basketball...but I'll be there in the fall

5)All of the above

Considering that JJ's team got about 1500 to show up per game this season...and that was an improvement...I'd say we're right where we deserve to be.

Emmitt,

There is a BIG difference between supporting a program and attending the game. No one doubts your support of the program, even when you have to work on a Saturday and miss a game in the fall. Lets face facts, it's easier to attend Basketball games if you live in Denton, than if you live in Fort Worth or South Dallas. Traffic does make a difference in my thinking as it does with most people.

No matter how much I enjoy basketball, it is frustrating to drive an hour and a half in bumper-to-bumper traffic and then watch the team give-away a game they should win and then drive an hour home pissed off. I choose to listen to the game on line, it is much easier. But I still SUPPORT the program.

And you're correct, 1,500 fans is about what you can expect until you post a 20-plus win season.

Just the facts, not trying to start an argument, because we agree basketball attendance is lacking, but do not ever insinuate that I do not support this program!!!!

[NT80]

Considering that JJ's team got about 1500 to show up per game this season...and that was an improvement...I'd say we're right where we deserve to be.

Considering the way JJ's team played...I'd say we're right where we deserve to be.

Just win!

[emmitt01]

Emmitt,

There is a BIG difference between supporting a program and attending the game. No one doubts your support of the program, even when you have to work on a Saturday and miss a game in the fall. Lets face facts, it's easier to attend Basketball games if you live in Denton, than if you live in Fort Worth or South Dallas. Traffic does make a difference in my thinking as it does with most people.

No matter how much I enjoy basketball, it is frustrating to drive an hour and a half in bumper-to-bumper traffic and then watch the team give-away a game they should win and then drive an hour home pissed off. I choose to listen to the game on line, it is much easier. But I still SUPPORT the program.

And you're correct, 1,500 fans is about what you can expect until you post a 20-plus win season.

Just the facts, not trying to start an argument, because we agree basketball attendance is lacking, but do not ever insinuate that I do not support this program!!!!

Likewise I am not trying to start an argument but just for my sake, how do you support the program without attending the games? It's just been my understanding that one of the big reasons we were passed over for the CUSA bid was because of a lack of basketball attendance. Was there some sort of behind the scenes support for basketball that we didn't tell them about?

[NT80]

It's just been my understanding that one of the big reasons we were passed over for the CUSA bid was because of a lack of basketball attendance.  Was there some sort of behind the scenes support for basketball that we didn't tell them about?

Lack of basketball success was probably more critical to our rejection than attendance. You want a program representing a conference that can win OOC games and gain media for a conference. It doesn't matter how many local fans see them do it, that doesn't gain the conference any media or revenue.

Yes, you can support a program without attending every game, just like supporting our troops without being personally in Iraq. Buying season tickets ($), displaying bumper stickers, promoting the team to undecided fans, etc. is supporting the program.