2008-09 Basketball Schedule

[fanfromafar]

I hope you didn't think my post meant that we should "aspire" to that. I simply was stating that we need to build some confidence early in the year this year. Pile up some wins and then steadily get stronger in our schedule. Blow out losses don't help our team's attitude. We need to gradually build back to where we were. Besides a 10-1 Techster team will bring some people back to the TAC to watch them - not a 5-5 one.

Anyway, right now, I don't care what the schedule looks like. I just want to start winning again and be proud of my Techsters once again.

I wasn't actually referencing your post. I don't think anyone on here thinks you want us to play losers. The only place I disagree with you is that I do care what the schedule looks like. I hope it isn't a bunch of has-beens, wannabes, and bottom dwellers. That would be an embarrassment.

[philgarris]

I wasn't actually referencing your post. I don't think anyone on here thinks you want us to play losers. The only place I disagree with you is that I do care what the schedule looks like. I hope it isn't a bunch of has-beens, wannabes, and bottom dwellers. That would be an embarrassment.

Here is why I think it is important to play teams from the mid level and big conferences.
I don't think it does us any good at all to have wins against McNeese, UTSA and some other schools from smaller conferences. I believe if we are gonna play against those conferences we should play the teams that made the NCAA tournament the year prior or at least a post season Tournament, I would try to schedule a UTA and even SFA, they still are the best in their conference and while others in that conference are up and coming it still gives us a look of we are playing the better teams from the weaker conferences.
I would rather have close wins and even a loss from the mid ranked teams in the Big 12, SEC, Big East and ACC.
I would love to see us work to get the following schools on our schedule from these conferences
Big 12 - Iowa St. Kansas St, Missouri and Kansas
SEC - Ole Miss, Auburn, Alabama, South Carolina
Big East - Seton Hall, Providence, Georgetown, South Florida, Villanova and Pitt or West Virginia.
ACC - Virginia, Virginia Tech, Miami, Florida State, Clemson and Georgia Tech
I feel that a 5-5 non coference schedule would play much better in march than a 10-1 record or 9-2 record against the weaker teams from the smaller conferences.
I also think with the players that we have we can compete on any given night with any of the above mentioned teams.
I think it would also send a message to the team that no matter what our program is always going to play against the competiton that will make them better and that we are not going to take on teams and hope that we compete well and make a good showing.
Sunbelt Conference would also be a good place to go for the non conference schedule
ULL, MTSU, WKU. We already have WKU on there but the other two teams would be a good addition also.
The Big 10 has some teams that we would match up well with. - Indiana, Penn St, Iowa, Michigan. We would have a good chance to beat them if we are playing well and we have to be in the mind set that WE WILL BE PLAYING WELL all season, I am making a commitment that I will not use the word REBUILDING this year, we are as built as we are gonna be so that excuse is tired, over and out of my vocabulary. I also understand we are not a top 10 team but that is not an excuse that I will make, we have to be on top of things from the start.
We have the coaching staff, we have the athletes and we have no more excuses for anything not to work.
We are deep in each position and if we are not deep in a certain position we will just have to work harder than the other team in that position so that we make up for what we lack in talent we flourish over them in desire and heart.
I am so ready for this season to start.

[champion110]

I am making a commitment that I will not use the word REBUILDING this year, we are as built as we are gonna be so that excuse is tired, over and out of my vocabulary.

That is fine, but we are rebuilding until we are back where we want to be. We might not SHOULD be rebuilding right now, but we are - unless you are satisfied with what you saw last year. In my mind, we will be rebuilding until we get back to where we should be.

I think you are saying that we should NOT be rebuilding right now and I agree with that.

[BlindDog]

We have the coaching staff, we have the athletes and we have no more excuses for anything not to work.
We are deep in each position and if we are not deep in a certain position we will just have to work harder than the other team in that position so that we make up for what we lack in talent we flourish over them in desire and heart.
I am so ready for this season to start.[/QUOTE]

***
Ditto on being ready for the season to start here!
Coach Long, is excited about the up-coming season and you know that Spoon will be!
A W is a "W"... This team is gonna get it done this year
and I am thinking that it want matter much who we play!
As Mean Gene would say I got Blind Faith working here...smiling!

[Mean Gene]

Ditto on being ready for the season to start here!
Coach Long, is excited about the up-coming season and you know that Spoon will be!
A W is a "W"... This team is gonna get it done this year
and I am thinking that it want matter much who we play!
As Mean Gene would say I got Blind Faith working here...smiling!

HEY!! Someone mention me??

Gotta agree w/my tag team partner ( FFA ) AND Champ, Phil & BD ( maybe I should be a politician?? :icon_wink: ) here. We have the talent to be better & 'Spoon should provide the motivation & coaching ( since we DON'T have that w/CL, IMO!! Now ya'll didn't think I'd pass up a chance to take another shot ( deserved, IMHO ) at him, didja?? ). I certainly don't want to play a bunch of pansies just to post a gaudy W-L record. That won't get us prepared for the tourney ( assuming we qualify. Remember when that was a given?? ). But if we play the previous quality of OOC schedule ( like Tennessee, LSU, etc ) then we'll have ANOTHER subpar record & that won't attract future recruits. Yes, I know we have commitments to fulfill ( like the Lady Vols ). Phil has a great plan in his suggestion to play some of the smaller names from bigger conferences then work our way back in the days of old tough schedule.
I'm familar w/football where the schedule is made several years in advance. Does that pattern exist for WBB? How 'bout it, Phil?

MG

[philgarris]

Ditto on being ready for the season to start here!
Coach Long, is excited about the up-coming season and you know that Spoon will be!
A W is a "W"... This team is gonna get it done this year
and I am thinking that it want matter much who we play!
As Mean Gene would say I got Blind Faith working here...smiling!

HEY!! Someone mention me??

Gotta agree w/my tag team partner ( FFA ) AND Champ, Phil & BD ( maybe I should be a politician?? :icon_wink: ) here. We have the talent to be better & 'Spoon should provide the motivation & coaching ( since we DON'T have that w/CL, IMO!! Now ya'll didn't think I'd pass up a chance to take another shot ( deserved, IMHO ) at him, didja?? ). I certainly don't want to play a bunch of pansies just to post a gaudy W-L record. That won't get us prepared for the tourney ( assuming we qualify. Remember when that was a given?? ). But if we play the previous quality of OOC schedule ( like Tennessee, LSU, etc ) then we'll have ANOTHER subpar record & that won't attract future recruits. Yes, I know we have commitments to fulfill ( like the Lady Vols ). Phil has a great plan in his suggestion to play some of the smaller names from bigger conferences then work our way back in the days of old tough schedule.
I'm familar w/football where the schedule is made several years in advance. Does that pattern exist for WBB? How 'bout it, Phil?

MG

I always tried to make sure that I did a two year deal with schools and both home and away, but not sure how they are doing things these days. I know that we don't have near to pull in state that we used to have when we were playing more of the local schools, there isn't that big rivalry anymore and that is somthing that I hate has gone.
I wish we could a few of our non conference games against ULM, ULL, and LSU each year. I think it would be a good thing for the state as well as our program.
That is just my thought and I can be wrong but we would be much better served playing those teams than a Alcorn St, Sam Houston St and some others that we have played in the past.

[fanfromafar]

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/articl...te_post_player

Joni has moved on and managed to do something at Bama that we've not been able to do here in two years....sign a real post player.

[Mean Gene]

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/articl...te_post_player

Joni has moved on and managed to do something at Bama that we've not been able to do here in two years....sign a real post player.

Makes ya wonder what ( or WHOM ) was stopping her from signing a recruit like Garrett. Garrett even mentioned that 'Bama wasn't playing her style of basketball yet Joni managed to bond with her & get to commit. I really like hearing her say the she wants to help put Alabama back on the map & create a dynasty. So where can WE get a recruit with that kind of ambition??
Perhaps we have some of those coming in & 'Spoon can motivate/coach them into a true Techster team.
Just looks, to me at least, that Joni & the other coaches managed to recruit quality players yet once they got here, SOMEONE couldn't do anything with their talent???