Memo to UTEP Athletics

[MinerMambo]

To: The UTEP Dept. of Arrogance (aka Athletics)

From: A Necessary Annoyance (aka a fan who cares and thinks)

Re: The Kaplowitz Hit Job (aka yesterday's press conference)

Yesterday's press conference represented an all time low for UTEP Athletics. As season ticket holder for men's basketball and football for over 40 years, I've seen just about everything - but yesterday's conference was an abomination.

Today's athletics' department acts like they are presiding over a program that is a national juggernaut when in reality their performance aligns more with the Bad News Bears.

Notice to UTEP Athletics: Your revenue programs underperform (although I love Kugler's direction)...your conference affiliation has been in free fall since the late '90s...your inability to keep succesful men's bb coaches means you're a revolving door.

Notice to UTEP Athletics: Underperformance coupled with an intentional absence of information will lead to questioning, speculation, opining, and scrutiny. If your media guy can tweet about Vince Hunter's lack of a jump shot then maybe somebody can provide regular information when there is off season activity of note. What's happened over the past month would invite scrutiny in any community that cares about its program. To act as if this is surprising or unwarranted - especially for a big-timer like NBA/USC Tim - tells me that the leadership is clueless.

Notice to UTEP Athletics: Calling a press conference, at a public institution of higher learning, for the sole purpose of degrading the local sports radio guy is classless and not Tier 1. Imagine if UTEP Athletics had put the forethought and effort that yesterday's presser required into conference affiliation, a successful coach retention policy, or last season's basketball and football schedules.

Notice to UTEP Athletics: Your head men's basketball coach is classless. For all that NBA/USC Tim likes to invoke Haskins, Haskins would never have participated in yesterday's job on Kaplowitz. Haskins would never throw players under the bus the way Floyd minimized the contributions of Brodericks Jones ("we're losing a guy who averages 1.3 points, okay"). Haskins would never implicitly belittle El Paso ("I've been in places like Chicago, New Orleans, L.A. and have worked with real journalists..."). Haskins would never get into physical altercations with other coaches (Enfield and Alford) or shove players off (Earvin Morris v. La. Tech in '15). Haskins would never make repeated excuses for poor performance (oldest team, youngest team, one big league, mid major, millenials, injuries, transfers, etc.). For all of Floyd's excuses, Haskins had way more - the difference is that you never heard them and he still won. Moreover, Haskins respected the university, conducted himself with class, and loved El Paso and wanted to be here.

Sincerely,

A Necessary Annoyance

P..S. You have gold in Keitha - do whatever it takes to keep her. She is class, she is grace, and she loves UTEP and El Paso.

 

[unihorn]

Floyd is no Haskins.

 

[MineroFanatico]

Bravo, OP. Well ****ing said.

 

[minerdelic]

Don't post often, but this is sooooo on point, I had to give it a thumbs up. Yes, yes, yes and oh.....yes.

 

[FarWestTexas]

Need this posted on Facebook so fans can Share the hell out of it.

 

[CubsFan81]

Be careful posting it on Facebook. Floyd and Stull might accuse you of posting fiction.

 

[nattybry]

If we all send a dollar to Uteps Athletic Department can we buy Floyd out so we can get a coach with Class who can win!

 

[utep2step]

While I agree with the tone and direction of your message to UTEP athletics, I have to say that Haskins was kind of an asshole in his own way. He was a generous man often, but made holy water evaporate quickly if it touched his forehead. I am not trying to belittle a dead man's legacy, but there were years when Haskins belittled players but did it to get better performance, but belittling is belittling. Haskins was ready to throw El Paso under the bus and go to Lamar if he didn't get the money he wanted; sorry that's not loyalty. There were times Haskins had attrition and blamed it on players off court behavior; a lot of it didn't get coverage it deserved but nobody questioned The Bear. Ok, Haskins didn't embarrass himself by getting into it with other coaches, but he did get arrested for DUI, with a bunch of crushed beer cans in the bed. His drinking was legendary all over El Paso. But he won games, delivered titles and made NBA legends. Truth be told, he drove under the influence often. If Haskins was still coaching today with social media, I guarantee there would be a lot of mothers saying "OMG! Coach Haskins didn't actually do that?!" or "Not again coach?!"

'66 is over and UTEP needs to chart another new course on the hardwood. The social ramifications of 66 are legendary. Haskins showed courage under the national spot light head to head with a legendary coach as well, and against a bigot, too. Haskins is dead, but his legend for winning and when it counted will never be forgotten.

Lets demand Stull hold Floyd accountable for unprofessional behavior, but not by comparing to Haskins. It drove some coaches nuts that came before Floyd and in a lot of cases, rightly so. The sad thing, Stull is not going to, which is the saddest and low point of UTEP athletics.