Hogs are down but they are not done

[Biggus Piggus]

Here is what Mike has in him:

an ability every season at Arkansas to fail to find the correct player rotations until at least a couple of weeks into conference season

When does he find it this season?  If soon, still enough mediocre to awful opponents to run up his win total again. 

What bugs me is now we're told by the apologists that we should forgive MA's Hogs 1) one big nonconference disaster of a road loss every season, because it's inherent in the system, and 2) a slow start to SEC play, because it's inherent in the system.

IT IS NOT. MA's just doing it wrong.

Nolan's teams were not fated to being incompetent and completely outcoached by good opposition in Nov-Dec. Not when he had his system rolling. MA's teams play like Nolan's first three Arkansas teams.

Maybe MA's got to get the player mix right before this system is going to function.

Recruiting has gone well recently, so we might have the players in place over the next two years.

What is riskier, waiting for that, or not?

[Atlhogfan1]

What bugs me is now we're told by the apologists that we should forgive MA's Hogs 1) one big nonconference disaster of a road loss every season, because it's inherent in the system, and 2) a slow start to SEC play, because it's inherent in the system.

IT IS NOT. MA's just doing it wrong.

Nolan's teams were not fated to being incompetent and completely outcoached by good opposition in Nov-Dec. Not when he had his system rolling. MA's teams play like Nolan's first three Arkansas teams.

Maybe MA's got to get the player mix right before this system is going to function.

Recruiting has gone well recently, so we might have the players in place over the next two years.

What is riskier, waiting for that, or not?

It is frustrating because it has become predictable.  You discussed our slow conference starts back before Christmas.  I mentioned his history of failing to find the right player mix in the non conference.  Some of it was his valuing offense over defense ie the Bell - Wade decision or giving Beard a bigger role after the defensive debacles at home early in the 2015 SEC play.  Always takes him some losses to figure it out. 

What is the risk in waiting?  At this point, we are playing conference games to a less than half full BWA.  More apathy?  We can only not show up, not watch, say we don't give a darn so much.  Football/SEC pays the large part of the bills.  That is where the pressure will be ramped up significantly especially with that expansion underway. 

I'll ask you this:  how much trust do you have in Mike to maximize the combined talents of the classes?  That is, if all goes to plan and they arrive on campus and don't bail after he does his in and out lineup changes through the non conference with them never finding a rhythm, a defined role or knowing what to expect game to game in playing time.  And then getting into SEC play and finding some upperclassmen is playing because they supposedly know how to make better decisions in what is the free flow of our motion offense or in our defense which too requires decision making.  How much patience these kids going to have.  Guess it may be a good thing our roster is turning over AGAIN quickly to force him to play them.

I see the pieces you do.  Multiple 6-6 wings.  A PF.  A couple of guards in a couple of seasons + a PG in 19.  Can Mike get it done without having backcourts with players capable of playing his defenses like he had at UAB and Mizzou?  Or can these guards coming do it?  Can Beard, Barford and Macon do it next season?

[Biggus Piggus]

What have you seen from 5.5 seasons of Mike Anderson that justifies faith in him? What?

For informational purposes, here are Arkansas's best wins over that span, using Pomeroy rankings.

2. Florida 80-69, home (2013)
13. Kentucky 71-67 OT, road; 87-85 OT, home (2014)
16. Vanderbilt 82-74, home (2012)
18. Texas A&M 74-71, home (2016)
22. Michigan 66-64, home (2012)
25. Missouri 73-71, home (2013)
25. Vanderbilt 90-85 OT, home (2016)
26. SMU 78-72, road (2014-15)
31. SMU 89-78, home (2013-14)
35. Georgia 79-75, road; 60-49, SECT (2015)

We might have three more chances to beat a top 35 team this season - Oklahoma State, South Carolina, Florida. All road games.

Here are Arkansas's worst losses under MA:

102. Stanford 69-66, neutral (2016)
103. LSU 65-60, road (2013)
105. Oklahoma 78-63, road (2012)
111. Texas A&M 69-53, road (2014)
112. South Carolina 71-69, SECT (2014)
112. Georgia 81-59, road (2012)
118. Wake Forest 88-85, road (2016)
183. Mercer 69-66 OT, at Little Rock (2016)
189. Auburn 90-86, home (2016)
190. Houston 87-78, at Little Rock (2012)
209. South Carolina 75-54, road (2013)

That list cuts off right before:

98. Mississippi State 84-78, home (2017)

Note the three top 35 road wins vs. eight sub-100 road/neutral losses.

[hogsanity]

What have you seen from 5.5 seasons of Mike Anderson that justifies faith in him? What?

For informational purposes, here are Arkansas's best wins over that span, using Pomeroy rankings.

2. Florida 80-69, home (2013)
13. Kentucky 71-67 OT, road; 87-85 OT, home (2014)
16. Vanderbilt 82-74, home (2012)
18. Texas A&M 74-71, home (2016)
22. Michigan 66-64, home (2012)
25. Missouri 73-71, home (2013)
25. Vanderbilt 90-85 OT, home (2016)
26. SMU 78-72, road (2014-15)
31. SMU 89-78, home (2013-14)
35. Georgia 79-75, road; 60-49, SECT (2015)

We might have three more chances to beat a top 35 team this season - Oklahoma State, South Carolina, Florida. All road games.

Here are Arkansas's worst losses under MA:

102. Stanford 69-66, neutral (2016)
103. LSU 65-60, road (2013)
105. Oklahoma 78-63, road (2012)
111. Texas A&M 69-53, road (2014)
112. South Carolina 71-69, SECT (2014)
112. Georgia 81-59, road (2012)
118. Wake Forest 88-85, road (2016)
183. Mercer 69-66 OT, at Little Rock (2016)
189. Auburn 90-86, home (2016)
190. Houston 87-78, at Little Rock (2012)
209. South Carolina 75-54, road (2013)

That list cuts off right before:

98. Mississippi State 84-78, home (2017)

Note the three top 35 road wins vs. eight sub-100 road/neutral losses.

and if I read that right, all but 3 of those top 35 wins were wasted in years they did not make the ncaat.

[Kevin]

watching the hogs is like groundhogs day

[Peter Porker]

There is a lot of panic that's going on this board. Multiple coaching threads about firing Mike Anderson. I can understand the disappointment or frustration but this season is not lost. First thing that Mike has to do is get a starting line up. This thing about having 7-8 starters need to stop because players have to know their role on the team.

1. Insert Beard into the starting line up. Mike has been boasting about Beard play and how big of a difference he is on the court. If he is that big of a difference and he settles things down he should be starting. Watkins lack of ability to knock down the mid range jumper handicaps the offense. Their are times that Macon drives and kick to Watkins but he doesn't shoot the ball. The only negative with Beard is he can not become a ball hog. He has a tendency to look for his offense too much instead of being the facilitator that can score if need be.

2. Dusty has to get above 40% on the 3 point shot. Dusty is currently shooting the 3 ball at 35%!!

3. Moses Kingsley - Our Moses need to find a burning bush in order to rediscover his calling. Somebody need to light a fire under Moses Kingsley and remind him that outworking, outhustling, rebounding, attitude, and running the floor made him the SEC preseason player of the year. 4 rebounds against sister of the poor is unacceptable when you are 6'10 and the teams primary rebounder. Moses need to get around some fire so he can move towards being a average player in the SEC.

It's a long season and the possibility of winning 11-12 games is still obtainable. It start by finishing the rest of this month .500 in the conference. I actually believe they will win 4 of the next 5 games but I will give Vandy the win on the road. Oklahoma State is a team that can be beat because they are currently 0-4 in Big 12 play. I wouldn't be surprised if Arkansas wins the next 5 games of the season.

vs. Missouri  W
@ A&M  W  Lead guard play is not strong. Arkansas weakness is defending teams with quick guards that can get in the lane.
vs. LSU  W
@ Vandy L   This game is really a toss up game. We are sandwiched between Florida and Iowa State on their schedule
@ Oklahoma State L   Guard play concerns me

16-9   4-4

This team will be right there and in position to make the NCAA tournament. Sometimes you can gain after a lost. I think this team will do that. Let the season play out!

Mike Anderson is just not a good coach! Mike Anderson is a great coach! If I'm the AD Mike has six years to turn this program around. This is not a easy job and it need rebuilding. The lack of a low post option is hurting this team. The message is stay together and keep grinding. Don't tell me anything about Greg Marshall!

[Letsroll1200]

The program is about to blossom. So what

[porkinsons disease]

watching the hogs is like groundhogs day

you said it. That is what is so frustrating