Harold Stewart

[calvin]

Who was the person on this board that said Stewart was bust ? I personally think he is going to be great and has tremendous upside. If giving more playing time this year I think he could avg. double digits. I like Quincy but I think Harold should be starting in front of him. Great sign for us............

[djohnnie]

I agree Calvin, he seems to be producing in the times he plays. I saw him when I went to the Houston game. Maybe some solid play will convince Johnnie to give him some more pt?

[Cooley]

Calvin, I said that I didn't like this recruiting class!

(which includes Stewart) Have not seen anything to change my mind

I also stated that my expectation for this team and program is to be a top 75 team. I base my opinion of who will come in and elevate the program. Who can play top-75 ball. Stewart is just a role player on a team of role players. (Excluding K. Davis & our center)

Stewart is a 6-8 power forward weighing less than 200 pounds (without an outside game and who can't bang with top-75 talent. Stewart doesn't start for a top-75 program or come off the bench. If you and others are excited about Stewart and his career 8 points, fine. Calvin, I realize that Denver was a nice team but we are playing perhaps the softest home schedule in the history of D!

I'm dissapointed that JJ did not, and maybe can not, recruit better players. I hope like hell I am wrong, but I can't get excited with what I have seen. I believe I stated that Stewart would be a backup for 4 years. Coupled with the others, this class is terrible!

Where does he play next year Calvin? Does he start ahead of Clarence Muse (6-10 JUCO center) Does he start ahead of the kid from Arizona State (PF/C position) Quincy Williams, is a better player and should play before Stewart.

Don't tell me that we can't attract top-75 talent to UNT!

Reginald Durskin (sp)

Chris Davis

Leonard Hopkins

Shawnson Johnson

Jason Miller

Kendrick Davis

The 2005 class

Justin Howerton (No Playing time)

Harold Edwards (El busto)

Lionel Brown (OK, but could have found a better HS backup pg than a JUCO)

Harold Stewart (See above)

I'm sorry, this is not going to meet my expectations (or win a division of the Sun Belt Conference)

Again, I posted several questions to the board to better understand what they expected. I've just re-stated mine.

I don't care to hear the "P" word about our players we recruit 5-6 years into the program. "We need to win now"

Go Mean Green

[Guest e-bone]

Of course Stewart is a role player. It is pretty unrealistic to expect a freshman to come in and be more than a role player. Especially when we already had our top 3 players established and ready to go. For a freshman I'm impressed with Stewart. He is the kind of athletic forward that I like, and he has a lot of room to improve as well as get bigger and stronger. He showed a lot of poise the other night in the second half and made several plays that helped to win the game against Denver.

As for Brown, I don't understand how you can't like what he has brought to the table for this team. Last season Hines was run ragged because we couldn't afford to take him out of the game. This season we can bring Brown in and not worry about not having someone who can bring the ball up the court and run an offense. Plus he is a scoring threat, and I consider him our top 3 point shooter.

Also, to label Edwards "el busto" half way through his freshman season is ridiculous. If he is the same player half way through his junior season, then yeah, but he is a freshman. Same goes for Howerton. Let's reserve judgment for at least a year after they graduate high school. Let them hit the weight room and be coached by college coaches for at least a year before we start throwing out the word bust.

This team is much better than last years team, and the main reason can be contributed to depth. Depth that includes significant playing time from members of last years recruiting class, which includes 3 freshman.

[FirefightnRick]

Don't forget Jesse Ratliff, one of two NT athletes to ever have SI's player of the week.

Rick

[calvin]

Cooley,

What you consider Houston a top 75 team ? They beat LSU and Arizona. Well Stewart had 13 points off the bench in that game and was very impressive. Everybody sees everything different, but he looks like a player to me. And as far as his weight, Gasol, Miles, Odom, Kobe, and several others arent very big so that doesnt mean too much to me. And it was Deginald not Reginald.

[Cooley]

Thanks Rick! I was just listing guys from the recent past that some of the newer poster could relate to.

E-bone, thanks for your post below on what your expectations are for the program (a few days ago) Though I must admit, I don't quite follow you, at least you chimed in; when Calvin didn't.

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"I don't have a required number of wins by a certain year or anything like that. I just want to see an improved team on the floor every year, which is something that I have indeed seen. However, I think that we are nearing the time when our basketball teams take the step to the next level. That doesn't mean winning conference every year, but the occasional conference championship, compete year in and year out in the conference tournament, and play in one of the two post season tournaments every year are places that I think these programs should be in the near future.

Since I started following NT basketball I have really wanted a NCAA birth for the men's team, and I think that will happen sooner rather than later. I just hope when it does I am able to make the trip to see them play."

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E-bone, I forgot to include Rich Young with the 2005 class. As for as Edwards, if he has played limited time against Hardin-Simmons, UT Perminan Basin, SFA, Angelo St. etc., JJ's not going to play him in conference. Hopefully we're loading up next year with newer/better talent. The following year, JJ gets to add 4 more ships to a pretty nice foundation. (When this happens, Lionel Brown will not be here or Rich Young). Shawson Johnson was only here 1 semester but he raised my vision

for big time basketball in Denton. The 2005 class was a let down.

I, like others, have waited patiently for JJ to load up. I am now thinking it will the 2007-2008 season (for our banner year) If we don't make our feelings/expectation known, we will continue to be a mediocre program.

E-bone, imagine RV reciting your above expectations to JJ. Do you think he would have a clear understanding of what was expected of him?

Posters have been critical of students and alumni turnout. I'm convinced that winning and fun basketball is what is needed. Additionally, a better home schedule. How in the world could we attract 10,500 fans back in 1976? 8,000 fans for a few other contest. The time is now!!!

Understand that many of us are sick and tired of being sick and tired of mediocrity in our programs. When need to position ourselves for a better conference yesterday. Below average junior college recruits and/or high school kids with potential (and upside) ain't making it happen soon enough.

[Guest e-bone]

How did this go from a discussion about last year's recruiting class to criticism of my expectations of the basketball program? Before I respond to this post I would like to see your response to my previous post, not something in another thread.

[NDT]

Cooley,

The name is Deginald Erskin, who left UNT and walked on at UT as a non scholarship and got some playing time his Senior year.

Jason Miller, as far as I recall, was a backup after transferring to OSU.

Shawnson Johnson played one semester (what was left of his eligibility). He was a good player but had little impact on this program in the long run.

All I know is that we are a better team right now than any team that any of those guys you mentioned played on. In the end that is all that counts.