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Men's Basketball Thoughts

MinerManiac

MI Hall of Famer
Jun 28, 2001
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There have been a number of posts on the men's basketball team and Coach Floyd over the past few days, I thought that rather than post a separate portions of my thoughts to a number of different threads, I would consolidate them in one thread.

It's a rebuilding year: We lost our top three players from last year, and four of our top seven. Additionally, we entered the season with one of our top seven from last year battling injuries, and another ineligible for the first semester. We are counting on six players who had never played a second of Miner basketball entering into this season to play significant roles on this year's team. It should have been obvious to everyone entering into the season that this was going to be a rebuilding year. It was obvious to the coaches - if you don't believe me, check the out of conference schedule. Now even those of us who realized that this is a rebuilding year allowed ourselves to believe that it might be something more after the comeback against CSU, but we've all had to return to reality quite quickly.

A legitimate question is, "Rebuilding from what?" Had we at least competed for a conference championship, and made an NCAA Tournament or two recently, I don't think that anyone would have a major heartache with going through a rebuilding year in Floyd's sixth season. The problem is that we are rebuilding after receiving a CBI and an NIT appearance the last two years, both blow out losses. That does make this season a bit hard to swallow.

Our guards are our strength: I was initially skeptical when we Artis decided to transfer here. Sure, he was a highly rated recruit out of high school, with at least one analyst saying that he barely missed out on making the McDonald's All American team. But just like the high school valedictorian that's carrying a 2.0 in college, that doesn't mean a whole lot if you don't produce at the next level, and DA's stats at Oregon were rather pedestrian. Then he came and played in the scrimmage, the exhibitions, and the first four games of the season, and he completely won me over. Also winning me over was Lee Moore, who seemed to be able to score in a variety of ways from multiple places all over the court. Teaming these two up with Morris, and with the expected arrival of Omega Harris, I was confident that we would had one of the twenty or so best backcourts in the country.

And then the level of competition improved. Dramatically. And Artis and Moore, whom I honestly expected to easily handle the tougher competition, have struggled mightily, and Morris has been inconsistent. These problems are compounded by the fact that the backcourt still is our strength. Hooper has developed some nice moves in the post, and we all like Winn, but that's pretty much all we've got up front. We need our backcourt to play fantastic each and every game to have a chance to win, and they haven't done that the past three games. The result: three blowout losses. We need these guys to step up.

Saviors: As things have gone south fans have tried to look for some hope to turn things around. Omega Harris is one the guys that some are looking to as a savior. I really like Omega, he has outstanding physical tools, and showed some flashes of brilliance last year. He also, at times, looked like the freshman he was. Now there is an old expression, "The best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores", and I believe that there is a really good chance that Omega might be much improved after having a year's experience under his belt. But I'm certainly not looking for him to be a savior for two main reasons:

1. He is in Floyd's doghouse, and, more importantly,
2. He does nothing to shore up our most glaring weakness, our inside play.

Which leads us to our other savior, Buddha Jones. The 6-10, highly ranked freshman may seem to fit the bill of what we need, but not so fast. This is a kid who averaged 4 points and 3.3 boards a game against the likes of Loyola, Texas State, and Alcorn State. How, again, is he ready to help us when we play against a tough frontcourt?

Then there is the would be savior, Matt Willms. Willms averaged 5.2 ppg and 4.3 rpg last year, and has never remotely looked like the all-conference type of player that Floyd promised when he brought him in. Of course he would have helped some if he had been healthy this season, but not enough, in my opinion, to make much of a difference in the last three games.

"We have the number 12 recruiting class in the country!": I honestly get irritated every time I read this quote. Saying that Clark Francis of Hoop Scoop rated our class as the 12th best in the country is a true statement, and good data. But so many here have taken this one analyst's ratings to heart, presenting it as gospel that there are only 11 programs in the country that have a better recruiting class than ours. Where were we ranked by Rivals? Scout? ESPN? Any of the other myriad of websites that rank college basketball recruiting classes? Also, the only way to truly rank recruiting classes is to wait four or five years out, see how the players have actually performed, and then decide the goodness of that class, which will still be subjective. Now I have no problem with the way that recruiting classes are ranked now, I used to use the same type of conjecture to evaluate how well past UTEP staff's had done in recruiting years ago. But again, to take one analyst's subjective opinion as gospel just doesn't make sense to me.

Floyd's recruiting prowess: Coach Floyd has proven himself to be great recruiter in his career. He did a tremendous job recruiting back when he was an assistant to Coach Haskins, and also as a head coach at Idaho, New Orleans, Iowa State, and USC. But as a head coach at UTEP, well, not so much. Floyd has had six recruiting classes while here at UTEP. Do you know the name of the best HS guard that he has recruited that completed his eligibility here at UTEP? CJ Cooper. I was hoping that Omega Harris would supplant him in a few years, but, if reports on this board are correct, that might not happen. When Morris completes his eligibility at the end of this season, he will become only the second backcourt player that Floyd has recruited (HS, JC, or transfer) to complete his eligibility here at UTEP. In SIX classes. I fully expect DA and Moore to join him and Cooper the following season, but WOW. Floyd has had a little more success in the frontcourt, but it's certainly nothing to brag about.

How long do you give Floyd to produce?: Like some others have said in other threads, I have been a HUGE Floyd fan for a long time. I was ecstatic when he was named head coach, worrying my coworkers by screaming out loud at my desk when I heard the news. But I have been very disappointed so far in his tenure here as head coach. So my question for everyone is this: how long do you give him to produce before you will call for him to be replaced?

I said during the offseason, when I already knew that this would be a rebuilding year, that I wasn't ready to call for Floyd's head yet, and I'll stick with that. However, if by next season, when Willms should be back, when our freshman bigs will have a year under their belt, when Artis and Moore return for their senior season, and Harris (hopefully) is a junior, we had better make the NCAA Tournament. Or, at least, have me frothing at the mouth cussing out the selection committee on how they screwed us. If not, my patience will have worn out.

I know that there are some that have already run out of patience. I assume some are giving him this season. Others might give him a lifetime time pass. I'm interested to read what others think.
 
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Great post Maniac. I agree this was always going to be a rebuilding year. Before I saw the non conference schedule I thought we would win 14 games. The expectations were way too high. To me the biggest risk Floyd took was to build this years team around Artis and Moore. Im not sure Artis is even a starting pg at the d1 level. Hes the same guy we saw at Oregon completely pedestrian and underwelming. Hes definitely not a leader, his on court antics and body language are unacceptable. Moore was kicked off his juco team. Juco teams are filled with guys with discipline and academic problems. Nobody expects them to be choir boys. you really have to be a pain in the ass to be kicked off a juco team. The reason I bring this up is that there seems to be internal problems on this team. Team chemistry is non existent and there seem to be different factions within the team. I hope its not the case but the additions of Artis and Moore may end up being a net negative.

Our lack of a big man is inexcusable. I have no clue why they didnt recruit a juco center. Wilms was never the savior. We dont have legit d1 center on the roster, thats a huge problem. I dont think Jones will help the rebounding situation at all. If you look at his high school tapes, he regressed big time his senior season. He made a smart decision getting out of his commtment to SDSU. He would have never seen the court in San Diego. He does have a high ceiling but hes raw and is not going to help us this year.

My biggest complaint with Floyd is that he hasnt developed talent. His entire tenure he has went after risky recruits to try to put together a big season and get himself back to the bigtime. I think its crazy most people on here dont think he has interviewed and campaigned for other jobs. He was never going to be here forever and the only reason he is still here is that nobody else wants him. People use the kids gloves with Floyd.when Kugler loses a game he gets completely ripped, I dont have problem with that. However, its curious many of the same people make excuses for Floyd. Im resigned to the fact that Stull is going to give Floyd the Mike Price seven year plan. I dont see how this team gets that much better next year. We will certainly lose players like every year, and we still dont have a d1 center. I just dont see the building blocks to get this team into tournament contention.
 
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Well thought out and well done on the write up, man.

I'll use your format and add my thoughts from there.

Rebuilding year - I agree that this year is a rebuilding year, however, every year aside from last year has been tabbed as a rebuilding year.

Guards are our strength - I am at a loss for words as to the decline in productivity from our guards over the course of the 3-4 games. Yes the level of competition has increased slightly since SIU and CSU, but if these guards can't hang, and at least compete with the NMSUs and UTAs of the cbb world, we have fundamental issues. Nobody can shoot the ball anymore, with any consistency anyway. Nobody can penetrate the lane with any regularity. Nobody seems to move without the ball. Nobody (guards) seems to be playing with any heart. They look like they are just going through the motions. I'm not surprised anymore though, because it looks about like every other mid-season CTF coached Miner team.

Saviors - Never saw any of the guys coming in late, or back from injury, as saviors. I definitely see them as reinforcements, or added depth...perhaps in positions of great need (which happens to be ALL of them).

#12 rated recruiting class - I didn't look too deep into this either. For one, these player ratings are highly subjective, but even more than that, UTEP's class rating was skewed because of the number of incoming recruits. This particular analyst does not average the player ratings per team, but rather gives a raw numerical score. Yes, we had some guys with high star count, but we also had a high number of players in the class, which is a bit misleading. Also, have DA or PT lived up to their 4 star ratings? I say not, at least not yet. From what I've seen, I doubt they will.

Floyd's recruiting prowess - Floyd can sell. Of that I have no doubt. He is a genuinely like able guy. I still love the guy even though in my opinion he hasn't achieved squat since being back here in EP. As somebody else alluded to in another thread, he can recruit individuals, but he can't put a solid team together with those recruits. I tend to agree with that, unfortunately. And when I really look at things objectively, I don't think that the guys who end up at UTEP are any better than some of the lesser known products that other CUSA teams are picking up. In other words, our recruiting classes are good on paper, but it's not really translating to the court. Not saying that I want a court full of criminals running around but being a great guy does not necessarily bring in the Ws, and at the end of the day, that is what cbb is about.

How long do we give Tim Floyd - I was of the opinion that TF should get through next year to get to the dance, due to rebuilding this year, injuries, etc. I am no longer of that opinion and as far as I'm concerned, it is NCAA tourney this year, or bust. From what I have seen over the last 5 1/2 years, all TF Miner teams bear some unremarkable similarities: The offense is ALWAYS stagnant, simple, boring and inefficient...every year. I usually use the word anemic in describing the Miners on offense. Our guys look handcuffed, or like they are wearing mental/emotional straight jackets. They lack creativity and because of that, they are easy to shutdown. Most noticeable to me, though, is that I can't really think of a CTF team that played a whole season with heart and fire. Every season, without fail, I hear in the interviews how the guys really get along with each other, yet they seldom look like they're playing for each other. They look like a 7th grade team who is begrudgingly going thru the motions of a drill as their coach robotically mentions that this will somehow help them down the road. There are always kids in the doghouse. Every year. I follow two other teams, not as closely, nor with the same passion, and neither team has had even one instance of this doghouse bullshit that I am aware of. Yet every year TF has multiple. I really question the effectiveness of his approach. I haven't witnessed it making one bit of difference in terms of increased quality of team play. There is an apparent disconnect between the staff and the players. It's so glaringly obvious. Floyd teams suck at rebounding year in and year out. We may hang in that department in CUSA, but this is a very watered down and weak league. CUSA used to be a top 10 conference for bb, and now I think it is 19th. It's beyond pitiful. These are just a few of the traits of CTF teams that I witness from year to year. I'm sure some of you could add to the list and I'm sure some of you completely disagree. I ain't tryin' to change anybody's mind, these are just my observations. With that said, I'm ready for a change. We may take a couple steps back in the process, but we aren't exactly lighting the world on fire right now. I could give a shit if we finish 8th, when the alternative is finishing 3rd or 4th like we have the past several years. Like Ricky Bobby says, if you ain't first, you're last. I'd rather take a chance and go for broke than keep mediocrity as the norm. I'd really like to hear from someone that thinks we should hang on to TF, and the compelling reason for why UTEP should do so.
 
Well thought out and well done on the write up, man.

I'll use your format and add my thoughts from there.

Rebuilding year - I agree that this year is a rebuilding year, however, every year aside from last year has been tabbed as a rebuilding year.

Guards are our strength - I am at a loss for words as to the decline in productivity from our guards over the course of the 3-4 games. Yes the level of competition has increased slightly since SIU and CSU, but if these guards can't hang, and at least compete with the NMSUs and UTAs of the cbb world, we have fundamental issues. Nobody can shoot the ball anymore, with any consistency anyway. Nobody can penetrate the lane with any regularity. Nobody seems to move without the ball. Nobody (guards) seems to be playing with any heart. They look like they are just going through the motions. I'm not surprised anymore though, because it looks about like every other mid-season CTF coached Miner team.

Saviors - Never saw any of the guys coming in late, or back from injury, as saviors. I definitely see them as reinforcements, or added depth...perhaps in positions of great need (which happens to be ALL of them).

#12 rated recruiting class - I didn't look too deep into this either. For one, these player ratings are highly subjective, but even more than that, UTEP's class rating was skewed because of the number of incoming recruits. This particular analyst does not average the player ratings per team, but rather gives a raw numerical score. Yes, we had some guys with high star count, but we also had a high number of players in the class, which is a bit misleading. Also, have DA or PT lived up to their 4 star ratings? I say not, at least not yet. From what I've seen, I doubt they will.

Floyd's recruiting prowess - Floyd can sell. Of that I have no doubt. He is a genuinely like able guy. I still love the guy even though in my opinion he hasn't achieved squat since being back here in EP. As somebody else alluded to in another thread, he can recruit individuals, but he can't put a solid team together with those recruits. I tend to agree with that, unfortunately. And when I really look at things objectively, I don't think that the guys who end up at UTEP are any better than some of the lesser known products that other CUSA teams are picking up. In other words, our recruiting classes are good on paper, but it's not really translating to the court. Not saying that I want a court full of criminals running around but being a great guy does not necessarily bring in the Ws, and at the end of the day, that is what cbb is about.

How long do we give Tim Floyd - I was of the opinion that TF should get through next year to get to the dance, due to rebuilding this year, injuries, etc. I am no longer of that opinion and as far as I'm concerned, it is NCAA tourney this year, or bust. From what I have seen over the last 5 1/2 years, all TF Miner teams bear some unremarkable similarities: The offense is ALWAYS stagnant, simple, boring and inefficient...every year. I usually use the word anemic in describing the Miners on offense. Our guys look handcuffed, or like they are wearing mental/emotional straight jackets. They lack creativity and because of that, they are easy to shutdown. Most noticeable to me, though, is that I can't really think of a CTF team that played a whole season with heart and fire. Every season, without fail, I hear in the interviews how the guys really get along with each other, yet they seldom look like they're playing for each other. They look like a 7th grade team who is begrudgingly going thru the motions of a drill as their coach robotically mentions that this will somehow help them down the road. There are always kids in the doghouse. Every year. I follow two other teams, not as closely, nor with the same passion, and neither team has had even one instance of this doghouse bullshit that I am aware of. Yet every year TF has multiple. I really question the effectiveness of his approach. I haven't witnessed it making one bit of difference in terms of increased quality of team play. There is an apparent disconnect between the staff and the players. It's so glaringly obvious. Floyd teams suck at rebounding year in and year out. We may hang in that department in CUSA, but this is a very watered down and weak league. CUSA used to be a top 10 conference for bb, and now I think it is 19th. It's beyond pitiful. These are just a few of the traits of CTF teams that I witness from year to year. I'm sure some of you could add to the list and I'm sure some of you completely disagree. I ain't tryin' to change anybody's mind, these are just my observations. With that said, I'm ready for a change. We may take a couple steps back in the process, but we aren't exactly lighting the world on fire right now. I could give a shit if we finish 8th, when the alternative is finishing 3rd or 4th like we have the past several years. Like Ricky Bobby says, if you ain't first, you're last. I'd rather take a chance and go for broke than keep mediocrity as the norm. I'd really like to hear from someone that thinks we should hang on to TF, and the compelling reason for why UTEP should do so.

Artis, Moore and Morris have been tentative at best since Colorado State -- don't know why, but who do you bench them for?

Caldwell brings the most energy of any player on the team so far this year.

I hate calling out players, but Flaggert is a big disappointment. Threes get launched right over him and made, and he's not the shooter he was touted to be. Vint is who we've always known Vint to be.

Re: Floyd, the only opinions that really matter are Stull and Natalicio's.

If it were my decision, I'd be looking hard at the recruiting class for next year. I think we have two commits + big man Jones, but I could be wrong. Are they any good? Who knows. Any other big recruits for next year up his sleeve?

If recruiting doesn't look strong, and if we don't win the conference or conference tourney, I think it would be generous to give Floyd one more year.
 
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Artis, Moore and Morris have been tentative at best since Colorado State -- don't know why, but who do you bench them for?

Caldwell brings the most energy of any player on the team so far this year.

I hate calling out players, but Flaggert is a big disappointment. Threes get launched right over him and made, and he's not the shooter he was touted to be. Vint is who we've always known Vint to be.

Re: Floyd, the only opinions that really matter are Stull and Natalicio's.

If it were my decision, I'd be looking hard at the recruiting class for next year. I think we have two commits + big man Jones, but I could be wrong. Are they any good? Who knows. Any other big recruits for next year up his sleeve?

If recruiting doesn't look strong, and if we don't win the conference or conference tourney, I think it would be generous to give Floyd one more year.

Yeah, tentative is a good word to describe the lack of going to the hoop, or creating offense. The trio you mentioned certainly aren't tentative in regards to jacking up 3s, though. Not saying they should be benched, although I'm not opposed to Caldwell, Touchet and Flag getting more minutes. Actually thought they played better team ball the other day when they got the start. Not at all under any illusions that they give us a better chance to win though.

You're right. We can bitch and moan all day long about what WE think should happen with CTF, however the only opinions that matter are the two you alluded to.

You're also on the money in regards to our 2016 guys, the two HS kids and K Jones. Probably decent players. Just doesn't seem to matter who we have, the chemistry and cohesion are consistently absent.

In the end, I think CTF will be here next year regardless of what happens this year. I have noticed though, attendance looks down from last year...at least from the MinerTV perspective...which is all I have to judge by. Too few butts in seats, and a lackluster season, may give Stull reasons to at least consider other options. Not holding my breath tho.
 
I knew this would be a rebuilding year, and I expected to lose some games. I just didn't expect to lose them the way we have. We are getting stomped the entire game by "decent" teams.

The lack of cohesion and continuity is on Floyd, and Floyd alone. He's made the decision to recruit certain players, and he's made the decision to run them off. This year we are rebuilding, next year we'll be rebuilding, and so forth and so on. Problem is we're always building, but nothing ever gets "built". We're like the TXDOT of college basketball...
 
One of you said that you would like to hear from a Floyd supporter and why I support him.... I still support him for this one reason. I support him because he has (in college) has won everywhere he has been.... Even smal places like New Orleans and Idaho... If he can win there he can definitely win here it's not like he forgot how to coach or recruit! I just think he has taken a few gambles that have not paid off and got screwed by Hamilton and dealt with stupidity ( the three getting kicked off the team) and then Vince hunter leaving early , Wilma being out agian .... Just some bad luck ... I still support him because he has won everywhere he Has been in some tough places
 
One of you said that you would like to hear from a Floyd supporter and why I support him.... I still support him for this one reason. I support him because he has (in college) has won everywhere he has been.... Even smal places like New Orleans and Idaho... If he can win there he can definitely win here it's not like he forgot how to coach or recruit! I just think he has taken a few gambles that have not paid off and got screwed by Hamilton and dealt with stupidity ( the three getting kicked off the team) and then Vince hunter leaving early , Wilma being out agian .... Just some bad luck ... I still support him because he has won everywhere he Has been in some tough places

Fair enough. How long do you give him to win here? And what do you consider "winning" here?
 
Great and thought-provoking write-up MinerManiac. These other responses (minerforlife, unihorn, Fanaticoog)...not so much. Same old negative bullshit IMO.
From this fan's standpoint that craves success and realistically analyzes our program, what you've touched on is spot on. The only thing you've missed is this:
We have four coaches with head coaching experience and I believe that Coach Floyd defers too much to them. Are we somehow over-coached to the point that the players don't react due to the fact that they're so worried about doing the perfect thing that they screw up. Are they so over-coached that their natural confidence when shooting goes missing during game time. Same thing happened with football but Coach Kug has some big balls and fired the assistants!
 
Great and thought-provoking write-up MinerManiac. These other responses (minerforlife, unihorn, Fanaticoog)...not so much. Same old negative bullshit IMO.
From this fan's standpoint that craves success and realistically analyzes our program, what you've touched on is spot on. The only thing you've missed is this:
We have four coaches with head coaching experience and I believe that Coach Floyd defers too much to them. Are we somehow over-coached to the point that the players don't react due to the fact that they're so worried about doing the perfect thing that they screw up. Are they so over-coached that their natural confidence when shooting goes missing during game time. Same thing happened with football but Coach Kug has some big balls and fired the assistants!

Yawn...

Again, Vegas feels threatened by any voice differing from his own. Must've been overly criticized as a wee little boy.
 
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One of you said that you would like to hear from a Floyd supporter and why I support him.... I still support him for this one reason. I support him because he has (in college) has won everywhere he has been.... Even smal places like New Orleans and Idaho... If he can win there he can definitely win here it's not like he forgot how to coach or recruit! I just think he has taken a few gambles that have not paid off and got screwed by Hamilton and dealt with stupidity ( the three getting kicked off the team) and then Vince hunter leaving early , Wilma being out agian .... Just some bad luck ... I still support him because he has won everywhere he Has been in some tough places


It has been a lot of years since he won at NO and Idaho. What has he done lately?
 
Great and thought-provoking write-up MinerManiac. These other responses (minerforlife, unihorn, Fanaticoog)...not so much. Same old negative bullshit IMO.
From this fan's standpoint that craves success and realistically analyzes our program, what you've touched on is spot on. The only thing you've missed is this:
We have four coaches with head coaching experience and I believe that Coach Floyd defers too much to them. Are we somehow over-coached to the point that the players don't react due to the fact that they're so worried about doing the perfect thing that they screw up. Are they so over-coached that their natural confidence when shooting goes missing during game time. Same thing happened with football but Coach Kug has some big balls and fired the assistants!

I think your point about the players over-thinking and being afraid of making mistakes versus playing freely has some merit. It's not unlike Barnes vs. Smart at Texas. But I don't think you can blame that, if true, on the assistants. It's up to Floyd to set the overall direction and make sure the plan is clearly communicated and consistently executed by the assistants and players.
 
This year's team is essentially a new team. We can't expect them to perform like a unit until they've had time to learn each others tendencies on the court. That will come later in the year as they continue to gel. Like I said before, they will play much better at the end of conference then they do now. Stop freaking out.
 
He won at USC and was ranked right before coming here.

If 7 years ago is "lately", I guess that's great and we should all be happy.

NO (20+ yrs ago) and Idaho (almost 30 yrs ago) should no longer be an argument as to why TF is a great coach and can do the same thing here. He turned both of those programs a lot faster than what he's done here.

I too was excited about what he would do for our Miners but he has not delivered. People can rattle off all the obstacle's, challenges and issues for why he hasn't delivered but when you look at his offense, it sucks. His style of play is boring and unimaginative (outside of his inbound plays, those are genius).

I for one, am done with believing he can do the job here. My observation and opinion. That's what this board is for.
 
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This year's team is essentially a new team. We can't expect them to perform like a unit until they've had time to learn each others tendencies on the court. That will come later in the year as they continue to gel. Like I said before, they will play much better at the end of conference then they do now. Stop freaking out.

At this time I don't see anything different about this team from any other of Floyd's teams. Maybe this is the team that actually will gel at the right time. But as of now looks like every other team we have seen under Floyd.
 
You are missing my point !! It doesn't matter if Floyd won at Idaho or New Orleans 200 years ago, the fact is in college Floyd has been successful at every college stop he has been at.
 
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You are missing my point !! It doesn't matter if Floyd won at Idaho or New Orleans 200 years ago, the fact is in college Floyd has been successful at every college stop he has been at.

Except here. And I'm sure before he began his tenure at UTEP ctf himself would have been the first to say if he didn't make the tourney within 5 years, success would have eluded him.
 
Floyd's best team was his first with Barbee players. It's time for him to produce, every team has injuries and non-qualifiers. NO EXCUSES. I think if they don't make the NCAA then they have to part ways with Floyd. Some times things just don't work for whatever reason, yes Floyd is a UTEP guy through and through but up to now he has been a disappointment. Every year we have high hopes and at some point the team lets us down. Start looking at up and coming assistants, Stull has done pretty well going that route. UTEP deserves better, 1 Sweet Sixteen in 20+ years is unacceptable for a "basketball" school. Floyd needs to start feeling the pressure, its not like CUSA is a power basketball conference where we get 3-4 NCAA bids a year. It all starts this weekend with NMSU coming to town! COME EARLY AND CHEER LOUD! GO MINERS!
 
A bad 3 game stretch and I'm disgruntled like most of you, but if we do in fact gel and get to NCAA then we can all happily eat baked crow, at least for this year. Alot to be seen, season is young!
 
Wow....YES I expect us to be in the dance EVERY flipping year, but is Floyd a failure? I don't think so. ONE losing season isn't a failure. A disappointment? F yes. But c'mon....

I seriously think this team will be DAMN good in a couple months. We replaced so many parts that these guys seriously need to learn to play together and get some kind of cohesiveness going. Yeah yeah yeah....same sh*t different year....I don't want to hear it either BUT fact is it DOES take a while to gel. Bad crap has happened every GD year and here we are....

chill....because I KNOW you guys will be singing praises and what ifs soon enough....
 
Wow....YES I expect us to be in the dance EVERY flipping year, but is Floyd a failure? I don't think so. ONE losing season isn't a failure. A disappointment? F yes. But c'mon....

I seriously think this team will be DAMN good in a couple months. We replaced so many parts that these guys seriously need to learn to play together and get some kind of cohesiveness going. Yeah yeah yeah....same sh*t different year....I don't want to hear it either BUT fact is it DOES take a while to gel. Bad crap has happened every GD year and here we are....

chill....because I KNOW you guys will be singing praises and what ifs soon enough....


Everyone wants the program to succeed. But at this point there has to be some success that is evident. Not highly ranked recruiting classes, etc, but getting into the tournament. The shine wore off the Floyd hiring long ago. His time has not been a failure as you mentioned. But you are correct in that it has been a disappointment. I am curious to see how this team develops. There are certain flaws that I am not sure it can overcome, but we shall see.
 
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I will happily and enthusiastically eat crow and root for this team and TF if they turn it around and make the dance, or NIT for that matter. However, if we struggle all year I'm sure the apologists will defend by saying TF will have this team ready next year....and the cycle will continue.
 
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