It's time for a change

Scollie41, your email was well written and to the point. As a Niner, I am comforted to see that there are others who care about the program as I do especially during a time of crisis. Put simply, those of us who remain commenting on this site are the true ā€˜die-hard’ fans. Like you, I will send my comments regarding the state of affairs of our basketball program. Nonetheless, I will wait until the score of our final game is confirmed. If we do not win the CUSA tournament, my letter will be in the mail the next morning. However, if we manage to sneak into the ā€˜big dance’, I am willing to give AM and Odom one more chance to pull our team out of the doldrums.

I think you are underestimating the tenure of Chancellor Fretwell. He signed off on 24 visitation in the dorms. We were the first campus in the UNC System to have it, and it was a game changer!

First… Make [glow=red,2,300]ZERO[/glow] mistake. I want a new coach in the worst way. We need an injection of positivity in the program and the culture needs to change…

That being said, I must defend both Phil and Judy for something they bet beat up for.

Phil- One really can’t argue the guy has done a world class job growing this university. Just from the eye test alone when looking at the campus, the guy has knocked it out of the park. On the communication front I’m actually impressed as hell the guy takes time to respond to emails from fans of the program. I know we aren’t the only emails in his inbox and it impresses me he takes the time. The references to club ranking and links to CO pieces about recruits? Ehh, could I do with out that? Sure… But he wants us to succeed in athletics, any thoughts to the contrary are wrong IMO.

Phil’s emails, and Judy’s occasional defiance/support of the regime get beat up here… From the fans perspective, with damn good reason… But from the ā€œLeadership perspectiveā€, what exaclty should they be doing other than supporting their guy??.. I’ve managed people that were just flat out turds, I sure as hell has to support them with a smile on my face if the individuals performance came up in a group setting (despite me trying like hell to fix them or fire them behind closed doors). Who wants to work for someone who is going to take a swipe at them in public? Just becasue we haven’t seen grey puffs of smoke from Halton doesn’t mean they aren’t pissed and aren’t going to make a move to fix this mess. Being a good manager entails having to chow down on a pile of crap every now and again.

All that being said… Ignore everythign I just said if AM is still coaching this team in 2 weeks

Road Conference Game Wins
2011 - 0
2012 - 2
2013 - 3
2014 - 2
2015 - 3

[quote=ā€œs9er, post:23, topic:29460ā€]First… Make [glow=red,2,300]ZERO[/glow] mistake. I want a new coach in the worst way. We need an injection of positivity in the program and the culture needs to change…

That being said, I must defend both Phil and Judy for something they bet beat up for.

Phil- One really can’t argue the guy has done a world class job growing this university. Just from the eye test alone when looking at the campus, the guy has knocked it out of the park. On the communication front I’m actually impressed as hell the guy takes time to respond to emails from fans of the program. I know we aren’t the only emails in his inbox and it impresses me he takes the time. The references to club ranking and links to CO pieces about recruits? Ehh, could I do with out that? Sure… But he wants us to succeed in athletics, any thoughts to the contrary are wrong IMO.

Phil’s emails, and Judy’s occasional defiance/support of the regime get beat up here… From the fans perspective, with damn good reason… But from the ā€œLeadership perspectiveā€, what exaclty should they be doing other than supporting their guy??.. I’ve managed people that were just flat out turds, I sure as hell has to support them with a smile on my face if the individuals performance came up in a group setting (despite me trying like hell to fix them or fire them behind closed doors). Who wants to work for someone who is going to take a swipe at them in public? Just becasue we haven’t seen grey puffs of smoke from Halton doesn’t mean they aren’t pissed and aren’t going to make a move to fix this mess. Being a good manager entails having to chow down on a pile of crap every now and again.

All that being said… Ignore everythign I just said if AM is still coaching this team in 2 weeks[/quote]

Myron.

[quote=ā€œNinerSuckAss, post:24, topic:29460ā€]Road Conference Game Wins
2011 - 0
2012 - 2
2013 - 3
2014 - 2
2015 - 3[/quote]

I haven’t cared enough to post much about basketball in the past month, but I just saw this and had to say ā€œHoly crap!ā€.

That’s very sad.

[quote=ā€œHighFlying49er, post:26, topic:29460ā€][quote=ā€œNinerSuckAss, post:24, topic:29460ā€]Road Conference Game Wins
2011 - 0
2012 - 2
2013 - 3
2014 - 2
2015 - 3[/quote]

I haven’t cared enough to post much about basketball in the past month, but I just saw this and had to say ā€œHoly crap!ā€.

That’s very sad.[/quote]

The average fan doesn’t realize how hard it is to win on the road in Conference USA. We are talking about dozens of screaming fans disrupting your concentration and game flow. And there are are the time of dead silence you have to deal with where your distracted by the squeak of your sneakers. Not to mention the rigors of travel and not sleeping in your own bed and having to eat meals in strange restaurants, hell half the towns we play in don’t have a Bojangles.

I wouldn’t read to much into those stats…

Thanks

Assuming no response?

I’ve been traveling for work, but I did get a very sincere response from Phil yesterday. It was not a boilerplate template but a specific response to my comments. He thanked me for my past support and loyalty and said that the annual evaluation of the basketball team (like all sports) would begin immediately since the season officially has ended.

I am happy that he responded and it was actually more than I expected. Now we just have to wait to see what the outcome is.

 I would like to put a few things in perspective from this most disappointing season.  The defensive weaknesses in general: Clayton played loose, afraid to man up, probably afraid of fouling and constantly out of position grade D. TWill always out of position and looses his assignment in a man ( that's why a zone was consistently better) gradeC.  Thorne was big enough to patrol the paint but had no defensive instincts.  He was always a half step too late and couldn't anticipate what the offense was going to do. Grade C.  Braxton was just too small and was never known for his defense anyway grade C-.  I'm giving Henry a B just for his quickness and disruptive ability but his gambling style hurt us big time.  Sullivan and Benny I'll hold judgement on because of their limited time but Dorn and Woods played defense like freshman.  They weren't worse nor better than any of the other players making the same kind of mistakes.
 If you take all these players as sub standard defenders,  I don't know how we stopped anybody (not sure we did stop anybody).  I do blame the coaches as it seemed none of the issues were addressed as the season progressed but what I came to realize and believe is I'm not sure any other coaching staff could have done much better.  I submit evidence of Major's first year.  Lutz's last few years had horrendous perimeter defense.  Teams passed the ball uninhibited on the perimeter for wide open 3's time after time.  Major's first team lead the league in 3 pt. defensive %.  So is the blame more personnel, practice time teaching, or game time coaching?  I don't know the answer to it other than it just might have been the players we had rather than all the blame on coaches.  
 I'm not advocating keeping the current staff but let's hope the powers to be make a very educated and informed decision taking current players attitudes, recruits mindset, and the 49er faithful in consideration. I saw Izundo play this year and I'm not so sure I wanna risk losing him.  He is the real deal and in basketball it only takes one phenom to change the direction of a program that desperately needs help.

[quote=ā€œ73niner, post:31, topic:29460ā€] I’m not advocating keeping the current staff but let’s hope the powers to be make a very educated and informed decision taking current players attitudes, recruits mindset, and the 49er faithful in consideration. I saw Izundo play this year and I’m not so sure I wanna risk losing him. He is the real deal and in basketball it only takes one phenom to change the direction of a program that desperately needs help.[/quote]Izundu has signed a LOI, if he doesn’t come here and we don’t release him, he loses a year of eligibility.

[quote=ā€œ73niner, post:31, topic:29460ā€] I would like to put a few things in perspective from this most disappointing season. The defensive weaknesses in general: Clayton played loose, afraid to man up, probably afraid of fouling and constantly out of position grade D. TWill always out of position and looses his assignment in a man ( that’s why a zone was consistently better) gradeC. Thorne was big enough to patrol the paint but had no defensive instincts. He was always a half step too late and couldn’t anticipate what the offense was going to do. Grade C. Braxton was just too small and was never known for his defense anyway grade C-. I’m giving Henry a B just for his quickness and disruptive ability but his gambling style hurt us big time. Sullivan and Benny I’ll hold judgement on because of their limited time but Dorn and Woods played defense like freshman. They weren’t worse nor better than any of the other players making the same kind of mistakes.
If you take all these players as sub standard defenders, I don’t know how we stopped anybody (not sure we did stop anybody). I do blame the coaches as it seemed none of the issues were addressed as the season progressed but what I came to realize and believe is I’m not sure any other coaching staff could have done much better. I submit evidence of Major’s first year. Lutz’s last few years had horrendous perimeter defense. Teams passed the ball uninhibited on the perimeter for wide open 3’s time after time. Major’s first team lead the league in 3 pt. defensive %. So is the blame more personnel, practice time teaching, or game time coaching? I don’t know the answer to it other than it just might have been the players we had rather than all the blame on coaches.
I’m not advocating keeping the current staff but let’s hope the powers to be make a very educated and informed decision taking current players attitudes, recruits mindset, and the 49er faithful in consideration. I saw Izundo play this year and I’m not so sure I wanna risk losing him. He is the real deal and in basketball it only takes one phenom to change the direction of a program that desperately needs help.[/quote]

Good points, my only quibble is I thought Dorn was serviceable on defense while Woods was a compete train wreck. Not atypical for freshmen though and they certainly have the quickness to defend if they develop the desire.

[quote=ā€œ73niner, post:31, topic:29460ā€] I would like to put a few things in perspective from this most disappointing season. The defensive weaknesses in general: Clayton played loose, afraid to man up, probably afraid of fouling and constantly out of position grade D. TWill always out of position and looses his assignment in a man ( that’s why a zone was consistently better) gradeC. Thorne was big enough to patrol the paint but had no defensive instincts. He was always a half step too late and couldn’t anticipate what the offense was going to do. Grade C. Braxton was just too small and was never known for his defense anyway grade C-. I’m giving Henry a B just for his quickness and disruptive ability but his gambling style hurt us big time. Sullivan and Benny I’ll hold judgement on because of their limited time but Dorn and Woods played defense like freshman. They weren’t worse nor better than any of the other players making the same kind of mistakes.
If you take all these players as sub standard defenders, I don’t know how we stopped anybody (not sure we did stop anybody). I do blame the coaches as it seemed none of the issues were addressed as the season progressed but what I came to realize and believe is I’m not sure any other coaching staff could have done much better. I submit evidence of Major’s first year. Lutz’s last few years had horrendous perimeter defense. Teams passed the ball uninhibited on the perimeter for wide open 3’s time after time. Major’s first team lead the league in 3 pt. defensive %. So is the blame more personnel, practice time teaching, or game time coaching? I don’t know the answer to it other than it just might have been the players we had rather than all the blame on coaches.
I’m not advocating keeping the current staff but let’s hope the powers to be make a very educated and informed decision taking current players attitudes, recruits mindset, and the 49er faithful in consideration. I saw Izundo play this year and I’m not so sure I wanna risk losing him. He is the real deal and in basketball it only takes one phenom to change the direction of a program that desperately needs help.[/quote]

You are very generous with the C’s given the state of the team.

  Yea but put 4 or 5 C's on the court at the same time equates to disaster!!!!!

[quote=ā€œelrodvt, post:33, topic:29460ā€][quote=ā€œ73niner, post:31, topic:29460ā€] I would like to put a few things in perspective from this most disappointing season. The defensive weaknesses in general: Clayton played loose, afraid to man up, probably afraid of fouling and constantly out of position grade D. TWill always out of position and looses his assignment in a man ( that’s why a zone was consistently better) gradeC. Thorne was big enough to patrol the paint but had no defensive instincts. He was always a half step too late and couldn’t anticipate what the offense was going to do. Grade C. Braxton was just too small and was never known for his defense anyway grade C-. I’m giving Henry a B just for his quickness and disruptive ability but his gambling style hurt us big time. Sullivan and Benny I’ll hold judgement on because of their limited time but Dorn and Woods played defense like freshman. They weren’t worse nor better than any of the other players making the same kind of mistakes.
If you take all these players as sub standard defenders, I don’t know how we stopped anybody (not sure we did stop anybody). I do blame the coaches as it seemed none of the issues were addressed as the season progressed but what I came to realize and believe is I’m not sure any other coaching staff could have done much better. I submit evidence of Major’s first year. Lutz’s last few years had horrendous perimeter defense. Teams passed the ball uninhibited on the perimeter for wide open 3’s time after time. Major’s first team lead the league in 3 pt. defensive %. So is the blame more personnel, practice time teaching, or game time coaching? I don’t know the answer to it other than it just might have been the players we had rather than all the blame on coaches.
I’m not advocating keeping the current staff but let’s hope the powers to be make a very educated and informed decision taking current players attitudes, recruits mindset, and the 49er faithful in consideration. I saw Izundo play this year and I’m not so sure I wanna risk losing him. He is the real deal and in basketball it only takes one phenom to change the direction of a program that desperately needs help.[/quote]

Good points, my only quibble is I thought Dorn was serviceable on defense while Woods was a compete train wreck. Not atypical for freshmen though and they certainly have the quickness to defend if they develop the desire.[/quote]

as the year went on, i thought woods got better on defense.

Maybe we could all agree that with the right tutelage, most of our players will improve in time both in defense and offense. However, the present coaching staff has demonstrated no signs of improvements after 5 years. The blame for Charlottes continuing demise in a second/third tier conference should lie solely upon the feet of those that are responsible for player development. The evidences are overwhelming. For example, we basically played 2 type of defense (man and 2-3) for an entire season. A good coach staff will experiment with other defensive schemes and find the one that works on a particular opponent.

Yeah, case in point: Duke put on a clinic in switching defenses yesterday against State. Took State completely out of their offense early on and State never recovered.

clt says duke has a pretty good coach.

Profound… ::slight_smile: