Robbins Receives Honor

[Marty]

http://www.heralddemocrat.com/hd/Sports/5-20-Gene-Robbins

[greenjoe]

Coach Robbins was the coach during the transition form the old Men's Gym to the Coliseum. From Snake Pit to Super Pit.

[GrandGreen]

Robbins was a victim of sorts at UNT after recruiting IMO the best class by a long shot at UNT, he was terminated and never got to coach them in a game. He was probably the best recruiter ever at UNT although at the time the competition in Texas was not anywhere as tough. He was aided by a new and best facility in Texas, the Super Pit. Blakeley's success in his three twenty plus winning seasons was almost entirely due to Blakeley recruits. Robbins' last recruiting class included two all state players and one second team all state players (five man teams not like the almost everybody all state teams of today) Kenneth Williams, Fred Mitchell, and Melvin Davis. In other words he got 3 of the top 10 recruits in the state including 2 of the top five. Added to that he signed juco All American Terry Bailey in the same year as well as Joe Pride the leading rebounder in Juco ranks that year. He also had waiting in the wings redshirted transfer Carl Jones, one of the best shooting guards in NT history. Blakeley could have also inherited senior Bobby Iverson but he decided to forgo his senior season. He was a legitimate high school All American also recruited by Robbins and was probably the highest ranking recruit ever to sign with NT basketball.

I have always wondered what Gene Robbins would have done if allowed to stay at NT. Blakeley's problem was he could not come close to recruiting at the level of Robbins and after Robbins' recruits left he was basically a .500 coach against a much easier schedule than Robbins had in the MVC. In Blakeley's defense going independent certainly hindered the basketball program and he alleged his recruiting budget was totally unsatisfactory. Those open complaints and mediocre teams after his third year ultimately got Blakeley fired. Then UNT hired Tommy Newman, another sad story.

Edited May 20, 2009 by GrandGreen

[drex]

Can you say 'Billy Tubbs?'...the best recruiter we have had.

[GrandGreen]

Can you say 'Billy Tubbs?'...the best recruiter we have had.

Maybe, but someone had to hire him. Robbins also recruited two high school All Americans in one class prior to Tubbs being on the staff. Assistants usually do most of the work in recruiting, however the head coach has to close the deal.

Edited May 22, 2009 by GrandGreen