As background, I am proud to say that I am a UNCC graduate and have been a fan and supporter of the Charlotte program for nearly 20 years. I am fortunate that this program has provided many wonderful memories - camping out for tickets and enjoying donuts from Bobby Lutz, losing my voice and storming the court after beating a highly ranked Cincinnati team, reveling in the Lutz invitational talk, travelling to CUSA tournaments, beating Lamar Odom’s Rhode Island team in the NCAA, very nealry beating the Tar Holes in the 2nd round of the NCAAs, and many, many more.
Unfortunately, the program has been a frustration and disappointment recently. I loved Bobby Lutz but was ready to move on early in his final season. I was disappointed with the move to the A-10 and then our inability to compete at a higher level in that conference. And honestly, moving back to CUSA, while good for the football team, is disappointing from a basketball perspective - the passion for many Charlotte alums.
It would be easy to focus on the frustrating aspects of the season and our team. God knows, we have a very entertaining thread that mostly covers it! But I have decided that I am going to focus on the positives of the current team and our program. I choose this path not because I am naive or because I don’t care as much as many others on this board. Rather, it is the positives that provide me happiness, entertainment, and most of all hope as I think about the next few seasons.
I am focused on the following:
Recruiting - I’m very happy with our progress and like the Charlotte pipeline that Major has created
Coaching - Beating Kansas St. and Michigan and bringing home a tourney title requires some talent, right?
Talent - We have some real talent coming back and with the the infusion of talent, I think our guys will find better roles (Henry is not a PG, for example)
I understand the frustration and the venting. I will not participate. I am a Charlotte 49er fan and I wish our coach and our players the best and I am looking forward to next season. For those that choose the opposite approach, what will you be doing when we start the season fast? When the transfers are electric, the freshmen provide hope for the future, Mike Thorne continues to improve, Lester improves in his second year, and the 49ers challenge for the CUSA title and make the NCAAs? Are you going to complain and bitch or are you going to enjoy it?
GO CHARLOTTE 49ERS!!! Bring on the 2014-2015 season already!
[quote=“NinerUpNorth, post:1, topic:28727”]As background, I am proud to say that I am a UNCC graduate and have been a fan and supporter of the Charlotte program for nearly 20 years. I am fortunate that this program has provided many wonderful memories - camping out for tickets and enjoying donuts from Bobby Lutz, losing my voice and storming the court after beating a highly ranked Cincinnati team, reveling in the Lutz invitational talk, travelling to CUSA tournaments, beating Lamar Odom’s Rhode Island team in the NCAA, very nealry beating the Tar Holes in the 2nd round of the NCAAs, and many, many more.
Unfortunately, the program has been a frustration and disappointment recently. I loved Bobby Lutz but was ready to move on early in his final season. I was disappointed with the move to the A-10 and then our inability to compete at a higher level in that conference. And honestly, moving back to CUSA, while good for the football team, is disappointing from a basketball perspective - the passion for many Charlotte alums.
It would be easy to focus on the frustrating aspects of the season and our team. God knows, we have a very entertaining thread that mostly covers it! But I have decided that I am going to focus on the positives of the current team and our program. I choose this path not because I am naive or because I don’t care as much as many others on this board. Rather, it is the positives that provide me happiness, entertainment, and most of all hope as I think about the next few seasons.
I am focused on the following:
Recruiting - I’m very happy with our progress and like the Charlotte pipeline that Major has created
Coaching - Beating Kansas St. and Michigan and bringing home a tourney title requires some talent, right?
Talent - We have some real talent coming back and with the the infusion of talent, I think our guys will find better roles (Henry is not a PG, for example)
I understand the frustration and the venting. I will not participate. I am a Charlotte 49er fan and I wish our coach and our players the best and I am looking forward to next season. For those that choose the opposite approach, what will you be doing when we start the season fast? When the transfers are electric, the freshmen provide hope for the future, Mike Thorne continues to improve, Lester improves in his second year, and the 49ers challenge for the CUSA title and make the NCAAs? Are you going to complain and b**** or are you going to enjoy it?
GO CHARLOTTE 49ERS!!! Bring on the 2014-2015 season already![/quote]Thanks, me too
If you have taken from many of the critical posts that they want anything besides success then you have missed the point. As I have said on multiple occasions this is not about a coach or an AD. It is about success. If I didn’t care about success I would shut up and not say a damn thing because Lords knows we haven’t seen much of it recently. Do I think Alan can get us there? No. Am I buying 4 tickets to Halton next year? No. Am I praying to God that we win every single game? You bet your ass. Not because of Alan, or Bobby or Judy or anyone else - but because the kids wear green and white and so do I. I don’t support Alan Major - I support the Charlotte 49ers.
I have not missed the point. We all want success. I’m only saying that I will choose that the path of support rather than criticizing and tearing down. I support Charlotte. I support Coach Major. I support Lester. I support Thorne. I support Henry. I support!!
I have not missed the point. We all want success. I’m only saying that I will choose that the path of support rather than criticizing and tearing down. I support Charlotte. I support Coach Major. I support Lester. I support Thorne. I support Henry. I support!![/quote]
NinerUpNorth, you have my admiration that you have the nerve to speak up like this, especially when most Niner fans (including those not on this board) want a new coach. With that said, I respect your stance, but I also disagree with it.
I have not missed the point. We all want success. I’m only saying that I will choose that the path of support rather than criticizing and tearing down. I support Charlotte. I support Coach Major. I support Lester. I support Thorne. I support Henry. I support!![/quote]
NinerUpNorth, you have my admiration that you have the nerve to speak up like this, especially when most Niner fans (including those not on this board) want a new coach. With that said, I respect your stance, but I also disagree with it.[/quote]
Likewise. And I understand the frustration and anger and agree with many of the points. But I choose to enjoy and look to the future with promise of better days. I’ll even buy you a beer in 360 days from now when we are playing in the Midwest regional of the NCAA.
At some point, you have to concede that there might be too much damage done to the Alan Major brand. I too hope the Niners go undefeated next year and win the national championship. I don’t think that’s gonna happen. After tonight, I think success is an NIT bid (at best). We are the new Northwestern when it comes to the NCAA Tournament…it ain’t happening anytime soon.
Even if Major got the Niners to the NCAA tournament, would we be behind him? Hard to say. I think back to Herb Sendek at NC State. His first few years were horrible. He eventually made an NIT or two and four or five NCAAs in a row (even a sweet 16 after they beat us in '05). Still, there were parts of the NC State faithful that wanted him gone. I think there are parts of Niner Nation that wouldn’t support Major if he completely turned it around. I would. As others have said, it’s about the name on the front of the jersey. Period. I do think there are some among us that think he is the wrong guy, and he always will be.
After tonight, I gave up ALL hope that a change will occur. I won’t be in Halton next year because I think this program is going to hell. If Major proves me wrong, I’ll eat my words and come crawling back. Not everyone will though.
I for one am ready to give him another year. I didn’t like the extension but I can live with it. I am looking for the following to occur and I will be satisfied. 1. No more transfers. I think this was a major problem this year with the loss of Nickerson and Clark. If that trend continues then I have pretty much had it. 2. Fix the problems of stupid turnovers, lack of focus, poor defense, bad shot selection. This drove me nuts this year. If he cannot get this sorted out next year then I’ve had it. 3. At least a very strong challenge for the conference title, deep run in the conference tourney and NIT or NCAA.
Yes I want the NCAAs but frankly I would enjoy a really strong regular season more. I want to enjoy my time in Halton and not leave frustrated over and over. I want us to finish the season strong, not limp into March.
I would hope so since you already owe me THREE beers.
Welcome back to the boards. I noticed you had been away for over a year when you started this thread, so I am sure this topic is close to your heart. How are things up there in Chicago? Are the Cubs gonna be any good this year?
Truthfully, I don’t support any coach. Let the guys coach themselves and sub in and out freely if it helps.
I’m old enough (and smart enough) to know that if Major catches lightning in a bottle in the next couple of years and we win big, 25+ and go to the Sweet Sixteen or something he’s off to greener pastures. It happens to schools at our level all the time. Hell, we get soccer and golf coaches pilfered by the big boys, you think they won’t notice a basketball coach?
Watkins left for a payday, Lutz tried to get the UT gig and those guys were alums. You think a Midwestern Resume Builder won’t bolt?
All that being said, I would love to be a stepping stone school if we can mimic what Xavier or someone like that has done. Hope Major wins big, gets a 1.2M per year gig at a BCS school and we slap him on the butt and say “Thanks and good luck in your new job”.
I would hope so since you already owe me THREE beers.
Welcome back to the boards. I noticed you had been away for over a year when you started this thread, so I am sure this topic is close to your heart. How are things up there in Chicago? Are the Cubs gonna be any good this year?[/quote]
clt says the cubs look strong in 2015. Bryant and Baez are studs.
You’ll probably be able to move up to the 6th row.[/quote]
Sounds good to me. I don’t view it as supporting Major and Judy or what not. I enjoy basketball, so I go to the games. Gets me away from real life for a couple of hours. Something to do.
You’ll probably be able to move up to the 6th row.[/quote]
Sounds good to me. I don’t view it as supporting Major and Judy or what not. I enjoy basketball, so I go to the games. Gets me away from real life for a couple of hours. Something to do.[/quote]
Same here- has nothing to do with anything other than I enjoy sports
While I think it’s a high horse move to act like we don’t all simply want Charlotte to succeed, I do think a topic in this direction had to be made at some point. Despite the overwhelming voice of displeasure with our coach, our AD thinks he should stay and that’s that.
So what are the positives?
I still believe in our players. Winning PR was no mere fluke. We still have my favorite Niner since Leemire (PH). We still have Clayton. We’ve got a NC POY coming in next year. I think we do have a really good player set and if Major can figure some things out where he is lacking, we could still have a real team.
Major has won 2 tournaments since taking over. If he can win the conference tourney rather than an early season tourney (or both! oooh), there’s our first bid to the only prestigious tournament since '05.
