Stull has to fix this or CTF needs to realize

[Tucson_Miner]

it is sad to be watching all of the conference championships and to see just how much better teams are, from conferences that were "inferior" just a few years ago. I am sad to see what UTEP basketball and Conference USA have become. I have to admit that I wanted nothing more than for Tim Floyd to turn us in to a mid-major power. It is clear that he will NEVER achieve that at UTEP. I am going on record and saying that he will NOT get us to the NCAA tournament next season. The retuning players are great offensively but defensively they play zero defense and got killed on the boards 8 out of every 10 games. Who's to say that CTF will even play the same style next season. He made it clear that he was uncomfortable with it. Let's say he recruits 2 to 4 new guys mostly power forward types .... the excuse when we are losing next season is going to be that with all the new faces they need time to "gel". We are really screwed you guys and the only true way to really start improving is for CTF to step down, retire, and allow someone else to give it a shot.

By the way, CUSA is so bad that UAB is projected as a 7 seed in the NIT ... really?!

 

[Lucaminer1]

it is sad to be watching all of the conference championships and to see just how much better teams are, from conferences that were "inferior" just a few years ago. I am sad to see what UTEP basketball and Conference USA have become. I have to admit that I wanted nothing more than for Tim Floyd to turn us in to a mid-major power. It is clear that he will NEVER achieve that at UTEP. I am going on record and saying that he will NOT get us to the NCAA tournament next season. The retuning players are great offensively but defensively they play zero defense and got killed on the boards 8 out of every 10 games. Who's to say that CTF will even play the same style next season. He made it clear that he was uncomfortable with it. Let's say he recruits 2 to 4 new guys mostly power forward types .... the excuse when we are losing next season is going to be that with all the new faces they need time to "gel". We are really screwed you guys and the only true way to really start improving is for CTF to step down, retire, and allow someone else to give it a shot.

By the way, CUSA is so bad that UAB is projected as a 7 seed in the NIT ... really?!

Very well thought out and reasonable post. I have been hearing "next year" for quite a while now. I know everybody thinks that Swiggy and Wilms will all of a sudden make this a sweet sixteen team but once again we are basing it on complete unknowns. Hell, we already know Wilms could help but he is not the bruising inside player that is needed. There will be a bunch of new guys next year and the cycle begins again. Great post Tucson...

 

[sweetlou#1]

I have no idea of how long you have been supporting the Miners, but it seems you always pipe up with your ESPN type dialogue as to how poor the Miners played and your shower of criticism at Tim Floyd. No one on this board accepts losses, especially old die-hards like me, who experienced the '66 championship year and all the other ones that followed thereafter. It is a bitter pill when we lose to all those low rated schools in the CUSA league. but I still believe that our highly rated coach - Floyd will bring us back to our glory years in the next year or two. I have supported UTEP for many, many years by purchasing season tickets and being a donor to the Athletic department and will continue to do so as long as I can. On the other hand, your rabid complaints really have worn me out amigo. You should switch alliance to Arizona Cats or simply raise a large chunk of money and buy Floyd's contract out. That probably would make you a contented ex-UTEP Miner fan. Good luck.

 

[mikesarabia]

I have no idea of how long you have been supporting the Miners, but it seems you always pipe up with your ESPN type dialogue as to how poor the Miners played and your shower of criticism at Tim Floyd. No one on this board accepts losses, especially old die-hards like me, who experienced the '66 championship year and all the other ones that followed thereafter. It is a bitter pill when we lose to all those low rated schools in the CUSA league. but I still believe that our highly rated coach - Floyd will bring us back to our glory years in the next year or two. I have supported UTEP for many, many years by purchasing season tickets and being a donor to the Athletic department and will continue to do so as long as I can. On the other hand, your rabid complaints really have worn me out amigo. You should switch alliance to Arizona Cats or simply raise a large chunk of money and buy Floyd's contract out. That probably would make you a contented ex-UTEP Miner fan. Good luck.

Sweetlou, I always enjoy reading your posts. I was not fortunate enough to witness the 66 championship (I was still a young boy at the time) but I still remember listening to Ted Bender on the radio calling games that featured Archibald, Dick Gibbs, Scott English, John Safford, et al. I remember the Georgetown game, Arizona NCAA tournament game (in Arizona), and of course the Kansas NCAA tournament game. When I am down like right now, I just pop in those videos to make me feel better. Yes, I know a lot of you will say I am living in the past, but again I am a diehard Miner fan. I have been a Miner fan all my life and also do support them each year. My family and I look forward to basketball season every year. Sweetlou, you seem to have the same type of Miner passion as I do.

 

[Tucson_Miner]

Sweetlou, my wife and I donate athletically (season tickets and donations) and academically (engineering) to the university. Unless your money is better than mine, which still exists today, I have just as much of a right to express my opinion as you do. Unfortunately, I was not alive to witness the 66 championship like many of you were (I am jealous). I was too young to remember the 80's and now we just flat out don't exist in the college basketball world. Even though the product on the court (and field for that matter) is not worth the price of admission I will continue to drop our hard earned money on tickets, concessions, and donations. Why? Because I LOVE the Miners. I want what all of us wants and that is a perennial winning basketball program. My opinion is that a coaching change will get us moving toward that. At the very least a coaching change will give the younger fans some renewed hope. What is scary is that we have an aging fan base that dwindles each season. What happens when all of the older die hards are gone???? What has the AD done to build that fan base???

 

[Lil_Train]

Looking at next year's roster as it stands today, I don't think there is any way to make a compelling argument that this team is anywhere close to being an NCAA tournament team. Looking at who we currently have coming back, I see four guys I would consider "above average" (maybe being a bit generous) when comparing to other CUSA talent. These guys are:

*Artis
*Harris
*Moore
*Winn

I need to qualify this statement a bit as well, in that I would place them in the "above average" category only on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, to me they were "below average" for most of the year. There was some gradual improvement as the year went on, and I think some of that was due to Winn's ability to handle his defensive assignment without needing help from the perimeter players. At his size, you have to give him a lot of credit for that. We don't need to get into Vint's deficiencies in this area.

So, looking at the rest of the roster for next year; in theory, just to be as "good" as this year, we would need our new guys to be able to make up for the losses of Morris\Caldwell\Vint. For me to list Caldwell and Vint (I know they are great guys off the court), more than anything, points to the core of the issue: A real lack of basketball talent. Right now, we have several guys I would consider fringe D1 level players or guys that would be the 12th/13th man on most teams. You simply can't have six "glue" guys on your team and expect to win.

It sounds like the staff is counting heavily that McSwiggen and B. Jones can come in next year and fill in some of the gaps. While it sounds like McSwiggen is a heck of a shooter, the biggest question will be whether he can adapt to the quickness and physicality of the American game on the defensive side of the ball. For Bhudda to be able to contribute next year, for starters, he needs to get stronger physically. He was completely outmatched by nearly every guy he faced in his limited minutes this year. He will need to make a MAJOR jump to help the team out next year.

While I don't think CTF has all of a sudden lost his abilities as a bench coach, clearly, he has struggled to bring in the talent to get us where we need to be. The excuses of a poor conference affiliation, remoteness, etc. are indeed factors. However, when a school that is 30 miles up the road and is a member of a more poorly rated conference can consistently make it to the Big Dance, it makes our situation even more difficult to swallow. I am one of the biggest Tim Floyd supporters, but he simply hasn't gotten the job done up to now. Projecting into next year, I am hoping to be wrong, but I don't see how we can turn it around without a real influx of talent that is brought in late. We are reliving the Mike Price era.

 

[mikesarabia]

I agree with most of what you stated and respect your opinions. However, the thing I have a problem with is when people bring up how the Aggies get to the tournament each year. I feel if you put UTEP in that conference and the Aggies in CUSA, I would be shocked if the Aggies made it every year to the tournament. The Miners on the other hand in my opinion would dominate the WAC, but we would be complaining about the conference we are in.

 

[PURPLEFIRE]

I've said this before and I'll say it again! Patience! Are we where we I want to be ? Hell no but we need patience!! You can't have Haskins 80's without his late 70's ...... All we need is an inside presence and our defense will look a lot better and Wilms and hopefully jones will bring this!

Lee Moore is an outstanding player and hopefully will come back as a junior again and hopefully mcswiggan can fill earvins shoes and we will be alright! If we had any kind of center this year I think we would have won the league but that's just me....

 

[Lil_Train]

I agree with most of what you stated and respect your opinions. However, the thing I have a problem with is when people bring up how the Aggies get to the tournament each year. I feel if you put UTEP in that conference and the Aggies in CUSA, I would be shocked if the Aggies made it every year to the tournament. The Miners on the other hand in my opinion would dominate the WAC, but we would be complaining about the conference we are in.

Not disagreeing that the Aggies would have a more difficult time in CUSA, and our chances would be improved in the WAC. However, the reality is that unfortunately both leagues are one-bid conferences, and we finished in sixth place in CUSA-lite. Getting swept by a rebuilding NMSU team this year is also a reality. In my opinion, there are no excuses for this.

On a positive note, I think Lee Moore has the potential to be the next "special" player. Would be great to have him for an additional year.

 

[PickAx]

I second most of what everyone is saying. I know Tucson, while he isn't much of a bball player in the morning pick up games. His heart is in the right place. I think we are on the right track, but losing three players this year had to hurt us (Hunter, Wilms and McSwiggin). I have heard both Coach Floyd and Johnson both say McSwiggin can flat out play. Let's face it, if we had two big men and one shooting forward, this discussion wouldn't be happening. Am I getting to the ropes end of not making the NCAA tourny, sure, I am not ready to throw the towel in yet, but I do need to see tangible improvement next year.

 

[Tucson_Miner]

I agree with MOST of what Pick Ax said. LOL.

 

[centex-miner]

Sweetlou, I always enjoy reading your posts. I was not fortunate enough to witness the 66 championship (I was still a young boy at the time) but I still remember listening to Ted Bender on the radio calling games that featured Archibald, Dick Gibbs, Scott English, John Safford, et al. I remember the Georgetown game, Arizona NCAA tournament game (in Arizona), and of course the Kansas NCAA tournament game. When I am down like right now, I just pop in those videos to make me feel better. Yes, I know a lot of you will say I am living in the past, but again I am a diehard Miner fan. I have been a Miner fan all my life and also do support them each year. My family and I look forward to basketball season every year. Sweetlou, you seem to have the same type of Miner passion as I do.

I think John Phelan may have been the Miner announcer at that time and then Gary Gallup prior to Tiecher...Ted was a weatherman and did Dialing for Dollars......from what I recall...

 

[Rocketsr]

Come on everyone. We should just lower our expectations for the Miners. I think if we make the CBI we should be satisfied with another great season. And if we actually make the NIT we can jump for joy as we overachieved.
I really don't think most care on this board if we make the NCAA tournament, it doesn't seem to really matter to many of the posters on here. As long as CTF remains as coach and we rack up CBI invites, we can always dream of yesteryear and know that in 1992 we won a NCAA tournament game.and actually beat an opponent of relevance that year.
The posters have been numbed by such mediocrity for so long that it is no longer standard to field exceptional or even very good teams. It is now the norm to settle for the second tier, and there is no shame in that. The only shame is to truly believe by keeping things the same, it will ever be any different.

And if anyone wants to judge me and say I am not a fan, my family has been season ticket holders for over 60 years for football and basketball, and contributes money to the Athletic dept every single year.
The thing is that I have seen some great basketball over the years. I kind of see this as going to a great steakhouse, then going to golden corral and being sworn to that it is the same. Most know mediocrity when they see it, but most have settled for it so long that it becomes the norm.

 

[Lucaminer1]

I've said this before and I'll say it again! Patience! Are we where we I want to be ? Hell no but we need patience!! You can't have Haskins 80's without his late 70's ...... All we need is an inside presence and our defense will look a lot better and Wilms and hopefully jones will bring this!

Lee Moore is an outstanding player and hopefully will come back as a junior again and hopefully mcswiggan can fill earvins shoes and we will be alright! If we had any kind of center this year I think we would have won the league but that's just me....

Well, if there seemed to be a real building plan I would agree patience would be in order. However the recruiting has been all over the map as far as "building". We have as many guys depart the program as enter it annually. Look, at the end of the day I love utep and i especially love utep basketball. The fact that we continue our slide into irrelevance should be troubling to all the fans. Maybe Floyd fixes it. Who knows. I have seen very little to believe that to be so. I would be thrilled to be wrong.

 

[Tucson_Miner]

I agree with Luca. The recruiting is all over the map. When we need big men he signs guards. When we need guards he signs big men. Go figure.

 

[factchecker4678]

2nd tier league, 2nd tier team, and 2nd tier fans who obviously don't like watching the Miners play in the NCAA tournament.

 

[MineroFanatico]

2nd tier league, 2nd tier team, and 2nd tier fans who obviously don't like watching the Miners play in the NCAA tournament.

LOL. This coming from a 2nd tier poster...

 

[unihorn]

2nd tier league, 2nd tier team, and 2nd tier fans who obviously don't like watching the Miners play in the NCAA tournament.

Tell us something you're "1st tier" at.

 

[allminer]

Tell us something you're "1st tier" at.

Creating new handles? Lol.

 

[MinerInWisconsin]

I think John Phelan may have been the Miner announcer at that time and then Gary Gallup prior to Tiecher...Ted was a weatherman and did Dialing for Dollars......from what I recall...

Yep, Ted Bender was a weatherman. This was before the PC culture but he still caught some flack for the following remark when talking about some chilly El Paso weather:

"as they said at Pearl Harbor, there is a nip in the air". Man, that was a long time ago.

 

[Imaminer]

Sweetlou, my wife and I donate athletically (season tickets and donations) and academically (engineering) to the university. Unless your money is better than mine, which still exists today, I have just as much of a right to express my opinion as you do. Unfortunately, I was not alive to witness the 66 championship like many of you were (I am jealous). I was too young to remember the 80's and now we just flat out don't exist in the college basketball world. Even though the product on the court (and field for that matter) is not worth the price of admission I will continue to drop our hard earned money on tickets, concessions, and donations. Why? Because I LOVE the Miners. I want what all of us wants and that is a perennial winning basketball program. My opinion is that a coaching change will get us moving toward that. At the very least a coaching change will give the younger fans some renewed hope. What is scary is that we have an aging fan base that dwindles each season. What happens when all of the older die hards are gone???? What has the AD done to build that fan base???

You "LOVE" the Miners? Whew, I'd hate to see what you have to say about a team you "HATE". Still, your money and opinion are as valid as the next guy's. Some folks just "LOVE" to bitch about those they "LOVE", I guess.

 

[Minerforlife]

You "LOVE" the Miners? Whew, I'd hate to see what you have to say about a team you "HATE". Still, your money and opinion are as valid as the next guy's. Some folks just "LOVE" to bitch about those they "LOVE", I guess.

Tucson is a passionate fan who like most of us on this board donate a large amount of our disposable income to UTEP. We do this because we love the university. The fact is we outspend every school in this conference in basketball, yet we dont get the results. Floyd's three predecessors accomplished more in a shorter timeframe and against much tougher competition. The fact is the percepion and performance of the program have never been as low as they are now. The "we are a poor school excuse" doesnt cut it, we are the richest school in the conference. There is no excuse for strugling this badly for this long in such a weak conference. Instead of calling those of us who are upset about the program "losers" why dont you tell us why you think the program is in good shape.

 

[nattybry]

Just get a quality Power forward that can contribute right away and I'll be excited for next year. Now is that player out there I have no idea, but if Floyd really cares about this university its proud b ball history and his fans, this should be his complete off season focus!

 

[homeskillet75]

I remember Ted Bender. That man had glasses so thick he could see into the future. To bad even his future sight didn't help him call the weather correctly.

(Remembers a white Christmas when Ted said it would be Sunny)

 

[mikesarabia]

I remember Ted Bender. That man had glasses so thick he could see into the future. To bad even his future sight didn't help him call the weather correctly.

(Remembers a white Christmas when Ted said it would be Sunny)

I have been waiting for sweetlou to post on Ted Bender because I am almost positive he called some Miner games. I do remember he did the weather for KTSM and I also remember John Phelan. I am thinking sweetlou would remember and either correct me if I am wrong on Ted Bender or confirm what I remember. Sweetlou??