Stuck in basketball purgatory

BillySee58 · December 4, 2013

The last three games and the first half of this one should've taught us at least one major thing. This team's talent, combined with this schedule will prevent this season from being an abysmal disaster, which is what it would take to get Benford fired.

The second half should've taught you that we will not be consistently competitive with teams that are actually decent, like when conference play rolls around.

Been said plenty of times on here, but Benford will be here for at least another year after this. It would take something like a 5-27 season for him to get fired, and we are already at 5 wins. Disappointing to watch some displays of our talent and realize this is "expected" of us to lose this badly

Edited December 4, 2013 by BillySee58

H-towngreen · December 4, 2013

The easy OOC schedule guaranteed his return

Army of Dad · December 4, 2013

The easy OOC schedule guaranteed his return

Or was it that his return was guaranteed so there needed to be a super easy OOC schedule to help justify it?

untbowler · December 4, 2013

2 GREAT BASKETBALL hires by RV, one gets blown out by 50 and the other by 30 pts. Yup just dandy. Benford hurry back to the sisters of the poor, although Peterson needs to schedule more D2 and NAIA

UNTLifer · December 4, 2013

I was pretty hands off with Benford last year, because I just think there could have been numerous factors working against him, new head coach, new system, players loyal to JJ, players hoping Forest would've been hired, etc.., but this year is bringing my worst fears to the surface.

I think Benford is one of those career assistants that every program needs because they are great recruiters. He obviously connects with his players, appears to be a pretty nice guy, but just isn't cut out to be the head coach. Good recruiters/assistants are the one's that really connect with the players and develop a relationship with them. Many times, their personalities tend to be along the lines of a "people pleaser" and they work hard to make everything right and avoid conflict. Playing for your best friend seems like a great deal because you know what you can get away with and don't always have to give your best effort, and your best friend may be hesitant to get in your face because they don't want to ruin a relationship. They want you to like them. This is great as a lead recruiter or an assistant, because, as a player, this is the person you can turn to when you need someone to listen, etc...

Many highly successful head coaches have to have the ability to motivate their players and sometimes that means pushing a player to the point that the player doesn't like the coach. These coaches don't care if the player likes them, they want them to but it doesn't effect their job performance, because they will do what it takes to get the most out of a player. People pleasers have a difficult time kicking a player in the butt if it is needed. I was honestly scared of the best coach I ever played for. I was scared to disappoint him, scared to not do my best, scared to the point that I practiced with a 102 degree fever because I didn't want to tell him I didn't feel good. I grew to love this coach and respected him than any other coach I ever played for, but it took time. He appeared to honestly not care if we liked him or not at the time, because he utilized every means to make us successful, which his teams always were.

I think Coach Mac is a great example of this personality. I think every player in that locker room respects Coach Mac and Coach Mac likes them, but you have to earn his respect by doing things the right way, not cutting corners, being good on the field and off, etc... If you can't become the player/person he envisions because you aren't willing to make that sacrifice, then you will be replaced. It doesn't mean he doesn't like you, but you didn't earn his respect. These are the coaches you will run through a brick wall for, because your respect for them instills a fear or attitude in you that you will do everything to never disappoint them.

I don't know if Benford has that in him or not. He will recruit and sign great talent because he knows how to connect with his players and build a relationship immediately. He is good at becoming their best friend, the person that is always telling them how good they are and how great they can become, but can he flip that switch and kick their ass when needed? I think Vic Trilli was this way and Benford could be also. Neither seemed to be cut of the cloth of a Coach K, Roy Williams, Rick Majerus, Jim Boeheim, etc... that will never hestitate to get in a player's face when it is necessary. Hope I am wrong, and this is all speculation on my part, but this could be an issue.

Just an opinion from a middle aged white guy with limited basketball skills.

stryker · December 5, 2013

It's quite possible that this team could go winless in conference play. The only team we'd have a shot at is UTSA.

UNT90 · December 5, 2013

The last three games and the first half of this one should've taught us at least one major thing. This team's talent, combined with this schedule will prevent this season from being an abysmal disaster, which is what it would take to get Benford fired.
The second half should've taught you that we will not be consistently competitive with teams that are actually decent, like when conference play rolls around.
Been said plenty of times on here, but Benford will be here for at least another year after this. It would take something like a 5-27 season for him to get fired, and we are already at 5 wins. Disappointing to watch some displays of our talent and realize this is "expected" of us to lose this badly

If RV refuses to admit his mistake for a second year and again chooses to blame players, this basketball program may not be good again for another 8 to 10 years.

I doubt I would return to being a season ticket holder for the next 7 years.

You want to kill your fan base? Keep this guy around after a 3 win conference season. That, following the disaster that was last year, will tell me you don't give a crap about anything other than saving a few bucks on a contract.

Again, if UNT doesn't care about it's basketball program, why should I?

Hey, maybe this all turns around and we go .500 in conference. Then RV would trumpet how Benford has this thing on the right track (completely ignoring how Benford was the one that derailed it) and we will struggle along in the CUSA 2nd division for the next couple of years. Doesn't that sound grand?

Censored by Laurie · December 5, 2013

It's quite possible that this team could go winless in conference play. The only team we'd have a shot at is UTSA.

Rice, Tulane and our ex-sbc Florida compatriots are pretty bad too. That said, so was ULM last year...and they swept us.

UNTMike81 · December 10, 2013

Went throught this last year. Now that Coach Mac has turned FB around I have somewhere to go on message board. Sad thing is JJ rescued me from UNT Purgatory and Coach Benford is putting me back in the hole. Many of us realized this last year and screemed from high heaven about it. Because RV has a serious "Man Crush going with Coach Benford"

Purgatory it is for UNT Men's BB!!! Women's BB might go way of Purgatory but jurory still "out".

Men's program "not so much". Only thing that might save us from 30 Yrs. of Purgatory is C-USA level of comp. once Benford is finally shown the door. This will take some time because of RV's "Man Crush" with Coach Benford!!!!!!