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It's the end of January

utep2step

utep2step

MI Miner Maniac
Jul 10, 2001
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Billy and Tony rose to the occasion and Floyd would pour in diesel in mid size domestic thinking it would help.

Do you go with...
a) Go with what helped you beat Tech and start off the year promising?

b) F around with guard play and let them grow up?
bii) Let Lathon be Lathon and show his skills?
biii) Let Boum hit the gas in preparation for next year? Boum has come on late
biv) Ask Lathon and Hawk to put their differences aside and carry this team to post season?
bvi) Just give the keys to Williams and hope for the best despite attracting triple coverage?
 
They really need to open up what works for them. They shoot themselves out of the game before it evens starts. Why and the hell do they not play Efe and Williams together more? This will take the load off of Williams some, since he is getting double teamed so much. It would free up Efe to some easy shots. Then work it out, right now they play pass on the perimeter... Then find the guy with the lowest percentage shot, and YEP that's the one who shoots... Floyd had his down falls, but he new how to coach a team during game time. I don't see Terry doing much of that. It needs to happen more, this team is so lost. What a waste of players.
 
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I can't argue with that shy but Floyd was an inside-out offensive coach and UTEP had no effective center like Terry has now. So by crunch time Floyd relied on the back court.

"FEED THE BIG MAN!" Get it to Williams. No one in CUSA can stop him.
 
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utep2step said:
I can't argue with that shy but Floyd was an inside-out offensive coach and UTEP had no effective center like Terry has now. So by crunch time Floyd relied on the back court.

"FEED THE BIG MAN!" Get it to Williams. No one in CUSA can stop him.
Click to expand...

So if they fed it to Williams every game UTEP would be undefeated since nobody in CUSA can stop him?
 
Getting it to the big man is all timing chucklenutz. Ask any coach at any level. UTEP guards are hesitating to get it to him.

I played the game with pro's, national tournaments, UTEP 80's players and El Paso HS best many, many moons ago. The offenses change but some things remain the same.
 
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Have we had 1 single Ally-oop on a set play or off a drive this year? We have Williams, Tydus, Tarke, Archie and Stroud that are ALL more than capable. How many would we have in Barbee's dribble drive offense?

It's been years since UTEP football or basketball had an exciting offense (maybe excluding the Lee Moore season).
 
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I have corresponded with Senter pointing out what so many of us are concerned about as causes for this team's failures; including doubts about Terry's ability, choice of players playing, suspicion of unrest, etc.
He says he's holding down two jobs, doesn't have time to answer questions like mine, isn't concerned that the fans are restless, and won't admit that a problem exists. He completely supports his coaches.
We; my friends are in trouble. Doomsday indeed.
 
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Even with the realistic expectations I had before the season, this team is underperforming.

But then I think to myself why do we feel entitled to have an overnight championship? What are we doing better that everybody in conference isn’t doing? Why does every coach and university in our conference have to struggle and take the long route, but we deserve a championship tonight?

There are only two current coaches in the conference that have made the NCAAT as members of CUSA. It took Jones six years and D’Antoni four years to win the auto-bid. D’Antoni still hasn’t won a regular season title.

LT coach four years and nothing to show for it. UAB same. UTSA same.

Let’s see if McCasland can get it done in year 3. Stansbury took WKU to the NIT semifinal in year two. Let’s be realistic Terry and Stansburry don’t have the same resume.

Back to Terry and the job he’s doing. Whether we’re happy with this season or not it’s an improvement from year one. This team spent all of last season rated in bottom third of the computer rankings. This year we have spent the entire season rated in the top third of all teams. Even though our conference record is upside down the computers still considers us the third/fourth best team in the conference. It doesn’t matter what our record is. It’s identical to everyone else in the conference. Take away non division one games and you tell me which team stands out to you.

13-6, 12-8, 9-9, 12-7, 11-7, 13-5, 10-9.

Everyone is in the mix. The prettiest record doesn’t get anyone shit. Yes I would like to be in the conversation for the top pod so we can compete for the regular season title but then I ask myself again.

What in Terry’s resume made us believe he could win a regular season conference title in year 2? How many did he win at Fresno?

We’re having a typical Terry season in a typical CUSA 3.0 fashion.

The ride isn’t over. A lot of basketball still left.
 
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I get the "Rome wasn't built in a day" as applied to this team. But damm they have so much potential, you see flashes of it every time they step onto the court, but they just can't seem to get it together. Likewise when they go bad (like the first half of the UTSA game) man they really stink it up. I suspect this team doesn't have a good work ethic, which could explain endless rounds of starting fives, strange off court issues, erratic play and failure to perform. We don't blow anyone out (even against the weakest of completion) fall behind early and have no idea who is going to be on the court during the game. I also think Terry is putting up with a lot of issues off the court, is too nice and forgiving and needs to show some tough love. Miss the bus to a road game? Quit the team and come back a week later? Would Gillispe, Barbe or Haskins even tolerated this?
 
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JCorona said:
But then I think to myself why do we feel entitled to have an overnight championship? What are we doing better that everybody in conference isn’t doing? Why does every coach and university in our conference have to struggle and take the long route, but we deserve a championship tonight?
Click to expand...

I hear your sentiments. Here’s the deal though. Did those schools you mentioned have a Bryson type player waiting for them? Did they also have 4 other D1 transfers? Did they have 3 talented sophomores coming back? Do they have the history of winning that we do? Do they have the facilities and fans that we do?

Maybe we don’t deserve to be champs this year, and if we were in 2nd place, nobody would be bitching, but we’re not in 2nd place. Does anyone really believe we will be better next year? There’s likely going to be some transfers. Unless this teams suddenly goes on a tear, this year is a disappointment.

CUSA sucks and we’re a bottom team in it. Imagine after the 92 season telling a UTEP fan that in 30 years UTEP would be in a conference with LaTech, UNT, UTSA, Rice, Marshall, and 2 schools called FIU and FAU. Then telling them that UTEP would only go to 3 Tournaments and not win any of those games. You would have been committed to an insane asylum. We are trash!!!
 
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miner1liner said:
I have corresponded with Senter pointing out what so many of us are concerned about as causes for this team's failures; including doubts about Terry's ability, choice of players playing, suspicion of unrest, etc.
He says he's holding down two jobs, doesn't have time to answer questions like mine, isn't concerned that the fans are restless, and won't admit that a problem exists. He completely supports his coaches.
We; my friends are in trouble. Doomsday indeed.
Click to expand...
Sounds like Stull! Great just what UTEP needs.
 
I don’t understand why fans expect a lifetime .500 coach to instantly turn into a championship coach. It’s the same as getting mad at Dimel for not taking us to a bowl game by now. What in their past made us believe they’re capable of instant success?

We hired Rodney Terry, not Jim Calhoun in his prime.

Let’s play the what if game and say we didn’t choke against LT and FAU. So now we’re in the top pod and the overall standing look like this.

12-8, 11-9, 12-6, 13-6, 11-7.

Is that really what would make everyone happy right now? Which of those is UTEP and who’s in first place?

We would still be in the same situation we are in and everyone else in the conference is in.

Win the tournament in Frisco.
 
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Dmanminer said:
Sounds like Stull! Great just what UTEP needs.
Click to expand...
miner1liner said:
I have corresponded with Senter...
He says he's holding down two jobs, doesn't have time to answer questions like mine, isn't concerned that the fans are restless, and won't admit that a problem exists. He completely supports his coaches.
We; my friends are in trouble. Doomsday indeed.
Click to expand...

More like 1liner just being overly sensitive.
 
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miner1liner said:
I have corresponded with Senter pointing out what so many of us are concerned about as causes for this team's failures; including doubts about Terry's ability, choice of players playing, suspicion of unrest, etc.
He says he's holding down two jobs, doesn't have time to answer questions like mine, isn't concerned that the fans are restless, and won't admit that a problem exists. He completely supports his coaches.
We; my friends are in trouble. Doomsday indeed.
Click to expand...

Contradicted yourself in that statement. Explain his replies to you in this thread, since you just said he "doesn't have time to answer questions like mine...".

Anyone would get testy if your emails are like some of your posts here....

https://utep.forums.rivals.com/threads/mid-season-questions.9697/#post-135943
 
JCorona said:
I don’t understand why fans expect a lifetime .500 coach to instantly turn into a championship coach. It’s the same as getting mad at Dimel for not taking us to a bowl game by now. What in their past made us believe they’re capable of instant success?
Click to expand...

No, it’s not. As I explained above, there are different expectations for different schools and sports. A new UTEP football coach is not expected to go bowling in their 2nd season. Even if we had hired a competent coach, expecting a bowl game last year would have been unrealistic.

However, it wasn’t unrealistic to expect a “good” basketball team this year. As I stated above, we have 5 D1 transfers, who all practiced together last year. Add them to Efe, Jordan, and Nigel, and you should have a solid team. Because they practiced together all last year.

While CRT wasn’t extremely successful at Fresno, one should expect that he could do better with more “resources” in a crappier league. I don’t have a problem with his hiring - yet. I think he has done an awful job this year.
 
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JCorona said:
I don’t understand why fans expect a lifetime .500 coach to instantly turn into a championship coach. It’s the same as getting mad at Dimel for not taking us to a bowl game by now. What in their past made us believe they’re capable of instant success?

We hired Rodney Terry, not Jim Calhoun in his prime.

Let’s play the what if game and say we didn’t choke against LT and FAU. So now we’re in the top pod and the overall standing look like this.

12-8, 11-9, 12-6, 13-6, 11-7.

Is that really what would make everyone happy right now? Which of those is UTEP and who’s in first place?

We would still be in the same situation we are in and everyone else in the conference is in.

Win the tournament in Frisco.
Click to expand...

Play hard all 40.
Develop chemistry.
Improve throughout the season.
Make intelligent in game adjustments.
Play personnel that is “on”.
Play to team’s strengths.
Develop an identity.

Championships may be too much to ask at this point. Those items listed above, are things we should expect as fans. Due to the lack of most of those things, therein lies my discontent, personally.
 
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NoNCAAWinsSince1992 said:
No, it’s not. As I explained above, there are different expectations for different schools and sports. A new UTEP football coach is not expected to go bowling in their 2nd season. Even if we had hired a competent coach, expecting a bowl game last year would have been unrealistic.

However, it wasn’t unrealistic to expect a “good” basketball team this year. As I stated above, we have 5 D1 transfers, who all practiced together last year. Add them to Efe, Jordan, and Nigel, and you should have a solid team. Because they practiced together all last year.

While CRT wasn’t extremely successful at Fresno, one should expect that he could do better with more “resources” in a crappier league. I don’t have a problem with his hiring - yet. I think he has done an awful job this year.
Click to expand...
So you don’t consider a team rated in the top third of all 353 teams good? You don’t think being ranked 3rd by kenpom in the conference is a good team? Basically you don’t want a good team, you want a championship team. Full circle.
 
JCorona said:
So you don’t consider a team rated in the top third of all 353 teams good? You don’t think being ranked 3rd by kenpom in the conference is a good team? Basically you don’t want a good team, you want a championship team. Full circle.
Click to expand...

Kenpom rankings mean nothing. Actual wins and losses, plus the eye test do. Their record is 12-9 and I do not consider teams 3 games above .500 “good”. Take away those 3 trash games vs D2 and they’re 9-9, which is .500. They’re 3-5 in CUSA. Do you consider teams that are below .500 in CUSA league play “good”? I sure as **** don’t.
 
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NoNCAAWinsSince1992 said:
Kenpom rankings mean nothing. Actual wins and losses, plus the eye test do. Their record is 12-9 and I do not consider teams 3 games above .500 “good”. Take away those 3 trash games vs D2 and they’re 9-9, which is .500. They’re 3-5 in CUSA. Do you consider teams that are below .500 in CUSA league play “good”? I sure as **** don’t.
Click to expand...
Ok so if we were 12-8 like the first place team in the conference is, then we would be considered good? There’s not much difference between 9-9 and 12-8.

IMO the difference is the extra year McCasland has over Terry.
 
The first place team is 14-8, 8-1 in conference and has won 8 games in a row. They’re good right now, maybe their season will turn. UTEP is not good right now and looks like they won’t be the rest of the year.
 
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FanatiCoog said:
Play hard all 40.
Develop chemistry.
Improve throughout the season.
Make intelligent in game adjustments.
Play personnel that is “on”.
Play to team’s strengths.
Develop an identity.

Championships may be too much to ask at this point. Those items listed above, are things we should expect as fans. Due to the lack of most of those things, therein lies my discontent, personally.
Click to expand...
  • I think they play hard all game. No 20+ lead is safe against us. We might go through scoring droughts, even though those have disappeared lately, but we play hard until the end.
  • Team chemistry was my number one concern heading into this year. There’s always going to be problems when you get a bunch of talented 18-22 year olds who all think they should be on the court.
  • That’s something we haven’t done yet. But Terry’s successful teams start showing improvement around this stage in the season. His CBI team was 8-13 (1-7) before winning 13 of 18. His NCAAT was 14-8 (5-4) before winning 11 of 12. His NIT team was 13-8 (5-4) before they got hot. I’m going to wait until Frisco and give him the full season to judge if the team improved or not.

  • That’s typical Terry for us. Not a great X’s and O’s Coach.
  • This area has improved a lot. We’re not seeing the hot hand get benched anymore.

  • I agree with this one too and it goes back to his overall coaching abilities.

  • We have an identity but it’s not working for us.
 
NoNCAAWinsSince1992 said:
The first place team is 14-8, 8-1 in conference and has won 8 games in a row. They’re good right now, maybe their season will turn. UTEP is not good right now and looks like they won’t be the rest of the year.
Click to expand...
First place is 14-8, UTEP is 12-9. That’s the league. Very little separates the top team from the 10th place team. We’re all bitching and annoyed cuz we haven’t won two more games like the class of cusa has.
 
JCorona said:
First place is 14-8, UTEP is 12-9. That’s the league. Very little separates the top team from the 10th place team. We’re all bitching and annoyed cuz we haven’t won two more games like the class of cusa has.
Click to expand...

Look at their non-conference schedule.
At VCU
At Dayton
At Arkansas
Vs Rhode Island
Vs Utah St
Home vs OU
Home vs Little Rock

They challenged themselves in the non-conference and didn’t play a charmin soft schedule like UTEP. If UTEP had their schedule, they would be 6-15 or something
 
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miner1liner said:
I have corresponded with Senter pointing out what so many of us are concerned about as causes for this team's failures; including doubts about Terry's ability, choice of players playing, suspicion of unrest, etc.
He says he's holding down two jobs, doesn't have time to answer questions like mine, isn't concerned that the fans are restless, and won't admit that a problem exists. He completely supports his coaches.
We; my friends are in trouble. Doomsday indeed.
Click to expand...
This sad. So Senter isn’t watching nor cares that Dana Dimel is absolutely getting destroyed on the recruiting trail this cycle?


That’s the biggest story no one is talking about, I know this is a hoops thread but how can you trust your coaches when Dimel is laying eggs in a crucial recruiting class.

Yikes.
 
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NoNCAAWinsSince1992 said:
Look at their non-conference schedule.
At VCU
At Dayton
At Arkansas
Vs Rhode Island
Vs Utah St
Home vs OU
Home vs Little Rock

They challenged themselves in the non-conference and didn’t play a charmin soft schedule like UTEP. If UTEP had their schedule, they would be 6-15 or something
Click to expand...
Its interesting that our soft charming sos is 135 and theirs is 99. If we had gotten lucky and drawn the top teams in Hawaii like they drew the top teams in Jamaica the sos would be even closer to each other.

I think we go 4-7 ooc like they did.
 
How would this team look if Vila and Boum were 35%+ from the 3-point line?

Or if we had some set plays or inbound plays to utilize our athleticism? Shoot Terry has game tape from some of Floyd's best plays (inbound lob to the rim from the baseline, backdoor play from the left wing and split the guards down the lane for an alley oop off defensive help).

Or both? How about 2, maybe 3 losses and 1st place in CUSA. Terry needs his players to shoot better, but his players need some more guidance.

More wins, more excitement, more fans, more notice, better recruiting.....it only takes some adjustments.
 
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JCorona said:
So you don’t consider a team rated in the top third of all 353 teams good? You don’t think being ranked 3rd by kenpom in the conference is a good team? Basically you don’t want a good team, you want a championship team. Full circle.
Click to expand...
Kenpom ratings don’t do a thing for you, if you can’t win games. Same for better it the top third. This team is much better than last year, but should be much better than what they are. There lack of chemistry really bothers me due to them being together last year. It pretty much guarantees that many will be leaving next year. Why would you stay when your not winning or enjoy playing with your teammates?
 
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Dmanminer said:
Kenpom ratings don’t do a thing for you, if you can’t win games. Same for better it the top third. This team is much better than last year, but should be much better than what they are. There lack of chemistry really bothers me due to them being together last year. It pretty much guarantees that many will be leaving next year. Why would you stay when your not winning or enjoy playing with your teammates?
Click to expand...
Sorry about all the spelling, multi tasking and not paying attention to what was on paper.
 
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minerfan_14 said:
Contradicted yourself in that statement. Explain his replies to you in this thread, since you just said he "doesn't have time to answer questions like mine...".

Anyone would get testy if your emails are like some of your posts here....

https://utep.forums.rivals.com/threads/mid-season-questions.9697/#post-135943
Click to expand...
Kindly show me where I contradicted myself. I said he responded to my emails. I also said he did NOT answer any of my specific questions. In general he said they have already won more games than last year (8), two of this year's losses were while Terry was out, they are young & still learning, etc.
His goal is improvement and he thinks that has been accomplished. He refuses to see any disappointment in the performance so far.
He has sent me two emails; 1/5 and 1/14. In the second one he said he will not answer anymore of my questions or anyone elses.
He didn't technically answer mine; he responded without answering the questions.
 
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