Ruckdad

Giving up implies that there was something to look forward to.  At the beginning of the season I was expecting 90+ losses.  It's hard to give up on something that you already knew was going to be bad.

He's had two down years in a row.  There is no indication that the program is making major strides in the near future either.  And who says we can't get someone better than Gilligan?

[quote name="time2time" post="1008513" timestamp="1305056403"] Ruckdaddy what do you know about baseball?  I thought soccer was your sport. [/quote] Very funny.  Anybody who knows me - which you apparently do but refuse to identify yourself - knows that I am a baseball guy first and foremost. This program has not been relevant for many years now.  Sure we got hot on a three day stretch last year but the team was uncermoniously bounced in two days from the regional.  They didn't even look like they belonged.  The fact is the rest of the conference is improving while we are stagnant (which really means we are falling back). I thank Coach G for the great work he has done, but would like to see him move on.

I agree with him too - It is time for some new direction in the dugout.

I was told they were sold out of parking spaces.

[quote name="hipster" post="1002772" timestamp="1303912275"] D1 are u kidding me!!!! [/quote] Hipster - you do know that Lamar plays D1 football, right?

Per Charlie Pallilo just a little while ago.  I don't know where he saw it either.

Tristan Thompson is leaving - Jordan Hamilton leaning towards leaving and Cory Joesph is declaring eligible for the draft but not hiring an agent.

On top of his $425k salary, he probably got a signing bonus worth several million dollars.

Barnes has already said he's coming back - I don't know if Zeller and the other big kid at UNC have made their decisions yet.  For Duke to be a top 5 at any point next season Austin Rivers better be legit and the Plumlee brothers need to take the next step and show littlest brother the ropes quickly.

Giovanne is at Augustana -last I heard - and last I heard he was pretty successful there and also coaching the Golf team.

[quote name="coachacola" post="993068" timestamp="1302015435"] ...and in an unexpected move Tidwell names Tom Abatemarco the new HC at Lamar!!  (Sorry UNLV, couldn't resist.) [/quote] Maybe he can be an assistant to Knight!

[quote name="NorthoftheBorder" post="993062" timestamp="1302015131"] [quote author=BLUEDOVE3 link=topic=82686.msg993060#msg993060 date=1302014912] [quote author=Ruckdad link=topic=82686.msg993057#msg993057 date=1302014752] Having been at Tech while Knight was there, as both an assistant and for a brieft time as head coach, I was ready for him to be gone.  At the same time, I really think that he can be successful here.  He is a class act who is just getting his feet wet as a head coach.  He has made plenty of mistakes while at Tech, and he can learn from those experiences.  All indications are that he has a good recruiting class coming to Tech next year.  Having been in Texas for the last ten years - recruiting Texas high schools will definitely help him hit the ground running.  I do believe that the days of JUCO dominated Lamar teams may be over. He does have some head coaching experience at other levels (USBL and  IBA) and has worked as an assistant at several different schools.  He worked as a scout in the NBA and assitant coach in the CBA.  Finally, he has one of the greatest college coaches to ever live on his speed dial - who also happens to be an analyst on the four letter network.   I am pulling for him, because I genuinely like him and believe that he loves his players and and will have their backs. [/quote]But, can he WIN at this level ??? [/quote] My thoughts exactly!  He could be the greatest guy in the world and that doesn't mean he will win.  And Ruckdad, in your own post, you stated you were ready for him to be gone in spite of the fact that you liked him.  I just feel that the pattern will be repeated, in spite of all the advantages you just listed [/quote] I did want him gone from Tech - like I said, I thought he was over his head.  He had three full years and part of a fourth and just wasn't getting it done.  But remember, he was coaching against Bill Self, Rick Barnes, Bob Huggins/Frank Martin, Billy Gillespie/MArk Turgeon, Scott Drew, Mike Anderson and the like.  Each of these schools (as much as I love Tech) had basketball advantages over him.  He is now at Lamar where he has most of the advantages.  Better budgets in the SLC, better facilities, etc.  He's been recruiting Texas for almost a decade now and should have sufficient relationships with the high school community.  I think he can get us back to the upper echelon of the SLC - and competing in the WAC (if that's our destination).

Having been at Tech while Knight was there, as both an assistant and for a brieft time as head coach, I was ready for him to be gone.  At the same time, I really think that he can be successful here.  He is a class act who is just getting his feet wet as a head coach.  He has made plenty of mistakes while at Tech, and he can learn from those experiences.  All indications are that he has a good recruiting class coming to Tech next year.  Having been in Texas for the last ten years - recruiting Texas high schools will definitely help him hit the ground running.  I do believe that the days of JUCO dominated Lamar teams may be over. He does have some head coaching experience at other levels (USBL and  IBA) and has worked as an assistant at several different schools.  He worked as a scout in the NBA and assitant coach in the CBA.  Finally, he has one of the greatest college coaches to ever live on his speed dial - who also happens to be an analyst on the four letter network.   I am pulling for him, because I genuinely like him and believe that he loves his players and and will have their backs.

I don't read much of anything in to this.  What's he gonna do - come out and say we're throwing all our eggs in the WAC basket?  If it doesn't happen - he and the school look pretty bad.  Good poker players play their cards closer to their vests. 

Not a great start as he went +3 today.

Met with OU officials earlier this week according to the Oklahoman. [Hidden Content] However, the story also indicates that Illinois' Bruce Webber may be negotiating with OU. 

Wojo!?

[quote name="KingSnake" post="989718" timestamp="1301416539"] I just don't see alot from this team.  Hitting is inconsistent.  Weak arm at short.  Pitchers dropping like flies.  It seems like the program is steadily going downhill.  Weak scheduling, coming off a 7th place finish last year (even though the pitching last year carried them through the tourney)...it just seems like we are taking steps backward while the rest of the conference is stepping forward.   I've had season tickets for the last 10 years, and I just don't like the trend I see. [/quote] I see the same trend - as does a certain other poster on here that gets skewered every time he mentions it.  It might be time for a new regime at Vincent Beck.  Even the best coaches have to let it go at some point.

I would probably put Cyprien in that list as well.

Like Cruce - I see no need to bring Abatemarco back - for any reason.  To me it comes down to picking the best five finalists and trusting Tidwell and Simmons to make the right hire based on the interviews.  Each of the candidates has question marks.  They have all been good assistants, but some have not had success at higher level institutions, while others have had success but we can't be sure that success would transfer from a lower level.  And finally, there are those who have no HC experiience. As I have said, my five would be Cross, Knight, Skelton, Green and Evans.  If Sutton can convince Simmons has drug history is exactly that, then maybe he can slide in for a final interview as well.

Is UTEP unhappy with CUSA?

Mr. Cooper has thrown another name in the ring - that was not on this list.  Terry Evans at Central Oklahoma.  According Cooper's article in today's Examiner, Evans started 4 years for Tubbs at OU and Tubbs asked him to apply for the LU job.  Evans is quoted as saying he did.  Based on his Tubbs ties, I would feel pretty comfortable betting my weekly salary that this guy gets an interview. - if he doesn't get the Oklahoma job, which he has also put in for. Makes me wonder if there are other names on the list that were left off this publication, or that weren't on the list when this particular FOIA request was made.  Apparently applications will be taken through Tuesday, so perhaps there will be another FOIA request at that time.

No Knight, no Sutton, no Capel. If this is it, I interview Cyprien, Cross, Monarch and Skelton.

Is the list of applicants the kind of information that would be subject to the Freedom of information Act?