eaglehoney

I'm not a Jones fans, but I don't dislike the guy either. I thought it was crazy for him to get a contract extention when he had not yet proved himself. Some are saying if he doesn't have a winning season this year he should be tossed out. I agree 100%, has anyone looked at the quality of the times NT is playing? I have a feeling that once NT starts playing confrence teams there will be less winning. Jones has a VERY talented team out there on the floor this year. However, this is not the first talented group of young men Jones has had under him. C. Davis, J. Green, L. Hopkins, W. Smith, and J. Rogers was a hell of a team had they had the right leadership. S. Johnson had a great deal of talent, but even his talent was not enough to pull NT through. The 2005 - 2006 team was a great team, but once again they didn't have the right leadership. A bunch of not so good school to go up against, a very talented squad, and either a loss for the season or break even = time for a new coach.

Denver is a hard place to play. You lose your air really really fast.

We have some really good talent on the floor this year just as we have had in the past few seasons. The talent isn't the problem.

Currently Justin Barnett is the only player on the roster that isn't "JJ's" player. If you think about it he (JJ) came in with some very talented players on the floor. Kenneth Mangrum, Chris Davis, Jermaine Green, Lee Green, Terrence White, Will Smith, and Leonard Hopkins. All those young men were very talented and under the right leadership would have been a great basketball unit. Your opinion is yours and it is very valid and respectable. No matter how great of a guy JJ may be, being a good guy isn't going to make us a winning team. From watching all the coaches on the court and off the court my opinion is Charlie Leonard could get the job done. He believes in fundamentals, he believes in team basketball, and the players in my opinion hold the highest level of respect for him.

I wasn't one of those people either. I agree with SUMG last year should have been his do or die year. I wonder how true the 14 to win rumor is. I think they can win 2 more (Troy and S. Bama), but it will not be easy. WKU is possible but I just don't see it happening. It is always hard to win in Denver with the altitude, so I don't see that one happening either. However, I don't see them losing 7 in a row. I would like to see them win the last 4 because I am a Mean Green fan, but at the same time I am not a JJ fan and I am ready for him to go.

It is my understanding that Ron Harris and Ty Thomas both had to go through extreme measures to be released from their scholarships. And my source is extremely reliable.

For JJ first two seasons I never missed a home game. Season three I missed maybe two or three games. After season three I have caught a game here and there. I do not make the games mainly because for a few years I have seen SEVERAL players with a lot of talent lose due to lack of good coaching. I can honestly say that JJ does not do a good job of adjusting. The press has been the down fall of the Mean Green for several season. At some point he must figure out a way to adjust to the press. Since this is my first game this season I do not really know the talents of most players on the roster. For those of you that have been to the games this season, can someone tell me why Watson isn't starting? I noticed that JJ is still running the same plays he ran back in the 2001-2002 season. They did not work then and they do not seem to be working now. JJ was out coached for sure Saturday night. From reading other post, Simpson is a very talented player. It was very smart of USA to get him out of the game as quick as possible. With Simpson out, it was free reign down the lane. Since JJ coming on we have had some good JUCO players and transfers to come in. But how does he ever expect his team to really catch fire if the roster does a drastic change every year. At some point he should have had a young recruiting class so that those players could have grown together. Call me crazy but this method is working for Slinker. She has at least 6 players that are in their 3rd season together. They know each others strengths and weaknesses. With JJ you just don't have the repetition. Someone, in this post asked how the record is currently 12-7... It is because, UNT plays a crap non-conference schedule. This season is far from over, and with the talent on the roster they can be the team to beat in the end. Will that happen? It is possible.

Yes they both left for more play time. I think Ron would have turned out to be a great player had he been given more play time at UNT.

Did Ron Harris red shirt this year? I don't even see his name on West Texas's roster.

I married Will Smith ex-UNT basketball player. We met after a basketball game. The first words out of his mouth, "dang, you're a midget" I replied, "dang, you're a jackass." Two years later he vowed to love my shortness and vowed to love his jackass and we've been happily married for 2 years.

His family was going through some things and he wanted to be closer to them. Also, he was VERY unhappy playing under JJ.

I doubt that JJ and his crew knew that Johnson would not complete his degree. Was the money well spent? I have no straight foward opinion on that. Johnson is doing very well in the ABA and it is looking really good for him to either play overseas or make a NBA team. Either way he is putting some positive exposure out for the UNT basketball team. Johnson still had a couple of semesters to go before he would have earned a degree. With him transferring from an out of state University he lost some major hours. Higher Education is not for everyone it takes extreme dedication and once Johnson was no longer playing basektball I do not believe the motivation/dedication was there anymore. He had an opportunity to start providing a life for himself and he took it. I can't and won't be upset with someone for getting out there and making a way for themself. Now, it lowers the graduation rate for basketball and athletes as a whole for UNT. It took away some major dollars from the basketball program. Johnson isn't the first nor last player that will cost the program thousands and thousands of dollars.

Chris Davis graduated in his 5th year. During his 6th year he started taking classes towards his masters, he did not complete his masters but he DID get his BA prior to his 6th year. Hopkins graduated in his 5th year. Will Smith and Mike DeGrate both finished in their 4th Year. It was said that Jerome graduated during the summer of 2004, and if that is correct he graduated in his 4th Year Second Summer Term. John Franklin also graduated but I don't know that he counts. The years I speak of are their actual academic years ( i.e. 4th year = 8 long semesters.) Since JJ has been the coach T-White and Shawson Johnson have been the only players that have not actually received a degree. I can't really tell you much about pre-JJ b/c my source cannot seem to remember that far back.

Last year 3 out of 5 seniors actually graduated that isn't bad.

I will admit that I have missed the last two home games, but there is no way you can be talking about the same point guard I watched at the start of the season. Hines is the BEST PG the Mean Green has seen in a long long long time. PG are meant to lead the team and set up the off. and Hines does just that time and time again.