If A&m, Why Not Unt?

[Objective Aggie]

After twenty plus years of dreadful basketball, A&M is actually a very solid team. I have always wondered why UNT did not try to build a basketball powerhouse. It is much easier to have a basketball school than football (only need a few strong recruits, more teams in playoffs, etc).

I know you think A&M has more resources than UNT, but our basketball has been WOEFUL.

We were 1-25 against OU until Saturday.

We have lost to Morriss Brown, Oakland, Centennary, the Baylor intramural team that filled in after the scandal (twice)

It was just plain dreadful. And now we are top 10. I really think UNT could create a top 25 / top 40 team.

[Green Mean]

After twenty plus years of dreadful basketball, A&M is actually a very solid team. I have always wondered why UNT did not try to build a basketball powerhouse. It is much easier to have a basketball school than football (only need a few strong recruits, more teams in playoffs, etc).

I know you think A&M has more resources than UNT, but our basketball has been WOEFUL.

We were 1-25 against OU until Saturday.

We have lost to Morriss Brown, Oakland, Centennary, the Baylor intramural team that filled in after the scandal (twice)

It was just plain dreadful. And now we are top 10. I really think UNT could create a top 25 / top 40 team.

Thats what I have been saying even before I knew my head from my arse. I think basketball has great potential here cuz its obvious we can do it....whether he should be booted out or not after this season thats a completely different discussion but he's shown us that we can get nice recruits from big schools here and he can make a competitive team. All we need to do is take it to the next level in some way and we can definitely be a top 25 or 40 team.

[CMJ]

It was actually Helwig's intention to build us into a basketball power for those very reasons. Problem was he hired Trilli.

[e-bone ver2.awesome]

Great question that many of us have wondered for awhile. Personally, I just don't think that the athletic department takes basketball that seriously. If they did we wouldn't have a coach for 16 years with Slinkers pathetic record, and JJ would have been fired after the first round conference tournament loss on our home floor. Neither have done anything of consequence. There are no standards and no expectations, except from fans. And even then, there are fans who are thrilled about UNT being represented by mediocre basketball. Basketball is my favorite sport and I want nothing more than to go to be in a packed SuperPit watching nationally regarded basketball teams.

After talking briefly with Moot in the basketball chat yesterday, I am a little hopeful for the future of UNT basketball. As evidenced by the DD fire/TD hire, I think RV sees what kind of excitement can be generated when the right move is made and the athletic department gets serious. I think RV wants us to get into a better conference and I'm sure he knows that have a competitive basketball program is very important in garnering interest from conferences.

[UNT_playmaker]

It was actually Helwig's intention to build us into a basketball power for those very reasons. Problem was he hired Trilli.

And it was Helwig behind the wheel...That guy has runied UNT athletics more than anyone put together.

[gksmith]

I would love to see NT as a basketball power.

It will take a big name coach to help do that. NT will have to do something to try to keep the top BB players in state. The top players in the state go to Texas, Tech, or go out of state.

I don't want to get into the "Texas is not a basketball state like Indiana or N. Carolina" discussion again.

[e-bone ver2.awesome]

I would love to see NT as a basketball power.

It will take a big name coach to help do that. NT will have to do something to try to keep the top BB players in state. The top players in the state go to Texas, Tech, or go out of state.

I don't want to get into the "Texas is not a basketball state like Indiana or N. Carolina" discussion again.

Billy Gillispie wasn't a big name coach when Johnny Jones was hire over him. Look at what he has done at UTEP and TAMU. There are plenty of excellent coaches out there that would love the chance to bring UNT to the "promised land". We have a great arena and other athletic facilities and we are surrounded by a ton of great basketball talent. It wouldn't take much to get these programs into gear. And no, keith, that gear isn't neutral.

[UNTFan23]

And it was Helwig behind the wheel...That guy has runied UNT athletics more than anyone put together.

Helwig comes in a close second to Hurley.

Long term, Hurley did far more damage. Do you ever wonder why people refer to the "administration" as not caring about athletics? He is one of a few reasons.

[CMJ]

Well, administrations predating Hurley weren't exactly enthused about athletics either.

Not to mention alumni involvement in anything.

[untbowler]

could have been worse if they would have just promoted Alan Ward. Thank god Murray State took him from us and his hiring practice of thinking a candidate is a nice person so lets hire with no other interviews.

[drex]

While I strongly support the dismissal of Darrell Dickey, I must ask the question as to why the basketball coaches are not held to the same standard. The Slinker situation is laughingly sad and should be rectified at the end of the season. Jones needs to understand that he is also under extreme scrutiny. There needs to be three engines of the athletic engine....football, men's basketball and women's basketball. To not give the student body a quality product in these three sports is inexcusable. Product, product, product....that is what it is all about. The fans deserve better from the basketball programs. If we took basketball seriously, we would have much better student and alumni support. Just killing time between football seasons just won't get it done in 2007...maybe it was Ok in 1945, but not now.

[greenminer]

The UTEP coaching tree is branching out and taking over the Big XII.

All feelings that some Miner fans feel about the way he left aside, he's an outstanding coach and maybe one of the best program builders out there.

Nebraska got a good one in Sadler (he's not quite the recruiter that BG is, though).

2 down, 10 to go....

Edited January 30, 2007 by greenminer

[Green Lantern]

Great question that many of us have wondered for awhile. Personally, I just don't think that the athletic department takes basketball that seriously. If they did we wouldn't have a coach for 16 years with Slinkers pathetic record, and JJ would have been fired after the first round conference tournament loss on our home floor. Neither have done anything of consequence. There are no standards and no expectations, except from fans. And even then, there are fans who are thrilled about UNT being represented by mediocre basketball. Basketball is my favorite sport and I want nothing more than to go to be in a packed SuperPit watching nationally regarded basketball teams.

After talking briefly with Moot in the basketball chat yesterday, I am a little hopeful for the future of UNT basketball. As evidenced by the DD fire/TD hire, I think RV sees what kind of excitement can be generated when the right move is made and the athletic department gets serious. I think RV wants us to get into a better conference and I'm sure he knows that have a competitive basketball program is very important in garnering interest from conferences.

I totally agree with what you have written here. The first round loss in the conference tournament that we were hosting should have meant the ax for Johnny. His teams have consistently played a "street ball" style. Never displaying dedication to defense, settling for crappy shots (read too many hasty 3's), never having a team who can consistently hit their free throws...and on and on and on.

With the facilities that we have at NT and the recruiting base that the DFW area provides, there is no reason that we can't be the top program in the Sunbelt (in short order) with the right coaching staff at the helm.