A Few Questions To Ponder

[emmitt01]

1)How long until beating NT counts as a "quality win"? In today's basketball world if you beat Sienna or Gonzaga it is viewed by the national media as a "quality win." I don't think we're quite there yet, even though next season we would be a defending conference champ. I think it may take either a run of at least two more conference titles in the next 3-4 years or going 2 to 3 games deep in the tourney.

2)Will JJ leave? I know it's fashionable in the local media and even amongst our fans to say that JJ will bolt at the first major offer. Is this so? He brings back 4 of 5 starters next season and gets back Kedrick Hogans and DJ. A third trip to the NCAA's cements him as not just the best coach on our campus by far but also as the biggest head on the NT historical Mount Rushmore in basketball. Yes, ahead of Bill Blakeley. Add to this the impending student fee kicking in and I think it's plausible to say that RV could renegotiate his contract to an even larger salary or sweeten the pot every time another offer comes in. Granted, we can't make him a millionaire, but I think we could ward off any midmajor or smaller BCS basketball school. I don't think Calipari or Pitino money is coming his way.

[MeanGreen61]

1)How long until beating NT counts as a "quality win"? In today's basketball world if you beat Sienna or Gonzaga it is viewed by the national media as a "quality win." I don't think we're quite there yet, even though next season we would be a defending conference champ. I think it may take either a run of at least two more conference titles in the next 3-4 years or going 2 to 3 games deep in the tourney.

2)Will JJ leave? I know it's fashionable in the local media and even amongst our fans to say that JJ will bolt at the first major offer. Is this so? He brings back 4 of 5 starters next season and gets back Kedrick Hogans and DJ. A third trip to the NCAA's cements him as not just the best coach on our campus by far but also as the biggest head on the NT historical Mount Rushmore in basketball. Yes, ahead of Bill Blakeley. Add to this the impending student fee kicking in and I think it's plausible to say that RV could renegotiate his contract to an even larger salary or sweeten the pot every time another offer comes in. Granted, we can't make him a millionaire, but I think we could ward off any midmajor or smaller BCS basketball school. I don't think Calipari or Pitino money is coming his way.

Sure that JJ's dream job would be at LSU. I've read that he and his family are very happy in Denton so, other than LSU, it may be kinda hard to pry him away if RV continues to review and sweeten his contact.

[island eagle]

Sure that JJ's dream job would be at LSU. I've read that he and his family are very happy in Denton so, other than LSU, it may be kinda hard to pry him away if RV continues to review and sweeten his contact.

Also, it appears as though the LSU job may open up in the foreseeable future....so why get bogged down in a new program that might tarnish his record (since usually it is a struggling team that is looking for a new coach) just as the LSU job opportunity appears.

[CaribbeanGreen]

Sure that JJ's dream job would be at LSU. I've read that he and his family are very happy in Denton so, other than LSU, it may be kinda hard to pry him away if RV continues to review and sweeten his contact.

while my instinct fears that the combination of his incredible turnaround here and his likable personality mean that JJ eventually lands a huge job elsewhere, I look at guys like Stew Morrill at USU, with year after year of great success and find hope (also, see St. Joes, GMU).

[MDH]

I think if another mid major were to win @ UNT it would be considered a quality win if we string together another couple 20 win seasons.

[eulessismore]

1)How long until beating NT counts as a "quality win"? In today's basketball world if you beat Sienna or Gonzaga it is viewed by the national media as a "quality win." I don't think we're quite there yet, even though next season we would be a defending conference champ. I think it may take either a run of at least two more conference titles in the next 3-4 years or going 2 to 3 games deep in the tourney.

2)Will JJ leave? I know it's fashionable in the local media and even amongst our fans to say that JJ will bolt at the first major offer. Is this so? He brings back 4 of 5 starters next season and gets back Kedrick Hogans and DJ. A third trip to the NCAA's cements him as not just the best coach on our campus by far but also as the biggest head on the NT historical Mount Rushmore in basketball. Yes, ahead of Bill Blakeley. Add to this the impending student fee kicking in and I think it's plausible to say that RV could renegotiate his contract to an even larger salary or sweeten the pot every time another offer comes in. Granted, we can't make him a millionaire, but I think we could ward off any midmajor or smaller BCS basketball school. I don't think Calipari or Pitino money is coming his way.

I like your new avatar. Oh, and as someone who became a basketball fan watching Bill Blakeley basketball, it's pretty exciting that JJ has surpassed him.

Edited March 18, 2010 by eulessismore

[FirefightnRick]

as someone who became a basketball fan watching Bill Blakeley basketball, it's pretty exciting that JJ has surpassed him.

...at the same time, it would have been just as exciting, if not even more for you and others here who also watched that era of NT basketball, "IF" 7 of the 8 season's Blakeley coached here we were playing in the 21'st ranked basketball conference and not as an independent, and at the same time there were more than 32 teams qualifying for the the NCAA tournament and more than 16 teams qualifying for the NIT tournament, for a grand total of 46 teams qualifying to play in the post season? That would have been something for sure.

With that, God bless Coach Blakeley, who I hear is in poor health and currently struggling with cancer. It's always nice that so many here remembers and/or respects our past and those who made it happen and those who actually watched it in person which I'm certain he appreciates?

Rick

Edited March 18, 2010 by FirefightnRick

[CMJ]

Point of fact - there were also a whole lot fewer teams in Division 1 back in the late 1970's. Probably no more than 200(versus the 347 we have now).

[TheTastyGreek]

...at the same time, it would have been just as exciting, if not even more for you and others here who also watched that era of NT basketball, "IF" 7 of the 8 season's Blakeley coached here we were playing in the 21'st ranked basketball conference and not as an independent

Second all the Blakeley love. He deserves the respect and accolades.

But... During this run of JJ's 20 win seasons, the Belt hasn't been the 21st ranked conference. We've had a bad year in OOC, but RPI wise, we've been pretty respectable the other years. 15th one year, and that was just 16 ten-thousandths of a point behind the West Coast Conference (Gonzaga's home).

As for the lack of an automatic bid, I wish we'd had a chance at one. Blakeley and his teams deserved it.

I think you have to blame the lack of conference affiliation on the AD at the time.

[MeanGreen61]

...at the same time, it would have been just as exciting, if not even more for you and others here who also watched that era of NT basketball, "IF" 7 of the 8 season's Blakeley coached here we were playing in the 21'st ranked basketball conference and not as an independent, and at the same time there were more than 32 teams qualifying for the the NCAA tournament and more than 16 teams qualifying for the NIT tournament, for a grand total of 46 teams qualifying to play in the post season? That would have been something for sure.

With that, God bless Coach Blakeley, who I hear is in poor health and currently struggling with cancer. It's always nice that so many here remembers and/or respects our past and those who made it happen and those who actually watched it in person which I'm certain he appreciates?

Rick

Remember attending a game at Moody in '76 with a group from the office that included a couple of smoo grads. The ponies were gonna win without any difficulty . Enjoyed counting their $$$ after the ponies got whacked 96-88 in their house. Strangely, beleive that NT and West Texas State were the top Texas teams that year. That season (75-76) NT only lost 4 games (Memphis, West Texas State (1-1 split), Utah State and Bradley(1-1 split). Beat Baylor and Arizona State during a 22-4 season.

In the 76-77 season NT was 21-6 beating Kansas State,Baylor,SMU,TCU,Tulsa, San Diego State and Fresno State.

Edited March 18, 2010 by MeanGreen61

[foutsrouts]

Point of fact - there were also a whole lot fewer teams in Division 1 back in the late 1970's. Probably no more than 200(versus the 347 we have now).

Depending on the year in question, roughly 1 out of 5 teams played post-conference season back then, as compared to roughly 1 out of 3 teams these days when considering the NCAA, NIT, and CBI. Different times back when you didn't have all the conference tourneys.

[MeanGreen61]

Depending on the year in question, roughly 1 out of 5 teams played post-conference season back then, as compared to roughly 1 out of 3 teams these days when considering the NCAA, NIT, and CBI. Different times back when you didn't have all the conference tourneys.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but beleive the NCAA tournament only invited 32 teams then.

[CMJ]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but beleive the NCAA tournament only invited 32 teams then.

They invited 32 during Blakeley's best years. It went up to 40 by his his final seasons at NT.

Edited March 18, 2010 by CMJ

[Mean Green 93-98]

I think you have to blame the lack of conference affiliation on the AD at the time.

Ooh...I think you have tread on "sacred ground."

[TheTastyGreek]

Ooh...I think you have tread on "sacred ground."

Not unintentionally.

We had two of the greatest coaches in our history here for both major sports at the same time. But the gamble one of them took basically screwed over the legacy of the other one. Not completely... But significantly.

It's unfortunate, for sure. I wonder where the basketball program could have gone if we'd had any affiliation and earned NCAA bids at least some of those 3 years.

[FirefightnRick]

Remember attending a game at Moody in '76 with a group from the office that included a couple of smoo grads. The ponies were gonna win without any difficulty . Enjoyed counting their $$$ after the ponies got whacked 96-88 in their house. Strangely, beleive that NT and West Texas State were the top Texas teams that year. That season (75-76) NT only lost 4 games (Memphis, West Texas State (1-1 split), Utah State and Bradley(1-1 split). Beat Baylor and Arizona State during a 22-4 season.

In the 76-77 season NT was 21-6 beating Kansas State,Baylor,SMU,TCU,Tulsa, San Diego State and Fresno State.

Great stuff '61.

As for the number of Division I teams during this era, according to this archived article on NCAA.org, there were 236 teams in the Div I Basketball field in 1975.

Rick

Edited March 18, 2010 by FirefightnRick

[eulessismore]

Remember attending a game at Moody in '76 with a group from the office that included a couple of smoo grads. The ponies were gonna win without any difficulty . Enjoyed counting their $$$ after the ponies got whacked 96-88 in their house. Strangely, beleive that NT and West Texas State were the top Texas teams that year. That season (75-76) NT only lost 4 games (Memphis, West Texas State (1-1 split), Utah State and Bradley(1-1 split). Beat Baylor and Arizona State during a 22-4 season.

In the 76-77 season NT was 21-6 beating Kansas State,Baylor,SMU,TCU,Tulsa, San Diego State and Fresno State.

When we went to a North Texas basketball game in those years, we expected a North Texas win.

[gruu]

When we went to a North Texas basketball game in those years, we expected a North Texas win.

And we don't now? I do.