VCU Coach Anthony Grant

[Hogtropolis™]

the thing about VCU was the brand of play. It was a mistake to think Big 10 basketball would "sell" to fans who grew up under nolan's ball. A few of us who remember the heyday of eddie ball, made the adjustment to nolans style. For many it took him winning with it to fully embrace that style, but after we were sold, we have become dedicated converts. Nolans teams were always fun to watch and played HARD. They might lose, but they were bygawd gonna go down swinging and fighting. Stans teams dont seem to show that same emotion, or play with that level of intensity.

The bottom line is it is a philosophical thing. Very similar to the football issue. The fans , or at least IMO a large part of the fanbase wants an uptempo type basketball. In basketball though it isnt about offensive philosophy and half court sets. We want to see a team that can do some of that, but prefers to generate offense off in your face D that forces turnovers, and disrupts the other teams offensive sets. That plays defense like they are on a mission, with pride and intensity that we have seldom seen under SH.

If we saw these things then i think the record would be vastly superior to where it is now. If we get a motion offense type coach who prefers a physical pound it inside game then it will be big disappointment to me regardless of how "big" a name he has.

JMO

Very well put.  +1

[weresoclose]

the thing about VCU was the brand of play. It was a mistake to think Big 10 basketball would "sell" to fans who grew up under nolan's ball. A few of us who remember the heyday of eddie ball, made the adjustment to nolans style. For many it took him winning with it to fully embrace that style, but after we were sold, we have become dedicated converts. Nolans teams were always fun to watch and played HARD. They might lose, but they were bygawd gonna go down swinging and fighting. Stans teams dont seem to show that same emotion, or play with that level of intensity.

The bottom line is it is a philosophical thing. Very similar to the football issue. The fans , or at least IMO a large part of the fanbase wants an uptempo type basketball. In basketball though it isnt about offensive philosophy and half court sets. We want to see a team that can do some of that, but prefers to generate offense off in your face D that forces turnovers, and disrupts the other teams offensive sets. That plays defense like they are on a mission, with pride and intensity that we have seldom seen under SH.

If we saw these things then i think the record would be vastly superior to where it is now. If we get a motion offense type coach who prefers a physical pound it inside game then it will be big disappointment to me regardless of how "big" a name he has.

JMO

I agree on almost all points.

But -- if we can get BG then for godsake GET HIM!

If not, it's true that it IS a philosophy thing, and that's why I keep throwing out the name Dana Altman.  He's proven he can win consistently at CREIGHTON!
And for guys that care about RPI, Creighton was like 20 spots ahead of us this year.  Tough loss to Nevada, but Nevada's good and its the tourney, so...

Altman plays full court ball combined with motion offense with lots of backdoor, smart basketball.  Sounds like something Arkansas might be interested in.

[Hogtropolis™]

I agree that if Heath is gone, then we should go after BG or BS.  If we are unable to get either of those two, then I think a guy like Anthony Grant or even Altman would be a good guy to go after.

[Torqued pork]

Billy Gillespie or Bill Self.

Arkansas used to be, only about a decade ago, one of the top three programs in NCAA D-1 basketball.

Does nobody remember that?

Arkansas, during the 1990s, went to three Final Fours and won a National Championship.

Arkansas used to be one of the biggest, most important basketball programs in the nation?

Why do Arkansas fans resort so quickly to the "we can't hire anybody good" mindset?

Why?

Especially with basketball with so much very recent history that proves otherwise?

oldbooniehog

Try and forgive them. They're probably just used to hearing Rick and Chuckles beat down our psyches to keep our coaches propped up.

[TRUHOG718]

This is not official but I am starting to wonder what if. I want one of the Bills as we allll do and a few others. If we did go the mid major route I like the fire from Grant from VCU. He has the Nolan death stare down packed, and I know it means nothing to most I see something in that dude. He is a big believer in discipline, he presses a lot, he is winning running his offense (Billy Donovan" offense) and the players have bought into it quickly, and hes got a mean streak which our players need because our players run this team which would explain why they play hard sometimes and other times ahhhhhhhh.... well you saw this season. I also see him putting butts in the stands due to his style of play.

Once again I'm not saying I want hime yet because  I dont want another Mid major fly by night who looks beautiful at the "dance" but when you get up in the morning and the liquor wears off you realize you just slept with a gorilla. He is still not in my top 5 wish list but If it comes down to it this guy is no sloutch. Heath never really had to prove himself at Kent St. because the players ran their old coaches offense not his. This guy is proving himself in a big way and the world is starting to take notice as am I.

[fu-man-soo]

anthony grant is stan heath, exactly.  his players were recruited by jeff capel now at ou

[TRUHOG718]

anthony grant is stan heath, exactly.  his players were recruited by jeff capel now at ou

but they are running grants offense. not capels. thats what separates him from heath. "Heaths team took him to the elite eight" , he did not take the team. Grant took his team to the tourney and almost pulled off two upsets.

[Winner]

Another unproven commidity. But at least he plays a fun style.

[Hogtropolis™]

His style of play alone would pack out BWA again.

[Kevin]

anthony grant is NOT stan heath. the only similarity is one you head coach.

anthony grant did not have a player mutiny on his hands.  he was the associate head coach at florida for the last 4 years.  he was there for all 10 years with billy at marshall before that.

a proven recruiter, and coach.

if you don't wnat somebody with just one year coaching experience fine but quit comparing him to heath.

[TRUHOG718]

NO!!  Hasn't recruited his own program.  Don't want a coach who hasn't recruited his own program. In two years, if they are at the same level as they are now and we are looking for a coach....go get him.  I too like his style.  However, he is a one year wonder for now.

Hopefully it wont come down to that. Hopefully we get one of our top choices and we can put all this behind.

[alaback]

NO!