What record is just good enough for our BB team????

[WarPig88]

You guys can call me whatever you want, or think whatever you want of my expectations, but I will never, NEVER, lower my expectations to include not making the NCAA tournament on any given year. I'm not talking about going to the Sweet 16 some set number of times in a range of years, or expecting more than that. I'm talking about just making the NCAA tournament. Will always be my baseline expectation, and anything less will be considered a disappointment and below standard. Part of being a fan is being disappointed at times, but lowering your expectations to accommodate mediocrity is not something I'm willing to do. Things were not so bad under Heath and Pelphrey that we should be doing that, IMO.

They do it for football all the time. Why is basketball different when it is actually harder to reach post season play in basketball?

[LAHogfan123]

Well according to the mike can do no wrong crowd, it was such a dumpster fire he took over, shouldn't his record have improved each year.

I am not saying he should win 27 next year, but it is year five, we should at least expect the program to be solid enough to make the tournament

Lets not get all caught up on the fact that the number of wins is all that counts towards improvement for a team each year.  Let's go back again and look and the Coaches I mentioned in my last post.  I'm not saying they won more games every year, because soon they would have to be perfect and lose none.  But there's many ways to show improvement each year for a team and the Coach.  For starters, the quality of players the Coach brings into the program, is he a good or great recruiter?  Another thing, do the players he brings in continually get better from their freshman year throughout their years on Campus?  This is the improvements I'm speaking of.  For the years Mike has been with the program, I'm still yet to be able to give a firm 100% yes to these questions.

[HoopS]

Name a few members of the "Mike can do no wrong" crowd. I want to read so I can
more clearly see where some of these posts are coming from. Seriously.

[WarPig88]

Name a few members of the "Mike can do no wrong" crowd. I want to read so I can
more clearly see where some of these posts are coming from. Seriously.

Rational people are supposed to be pissed after a 27 win season and their team's second NCAA tourney win in the last 15 years.

Didn't you know?

[Atlhogfan1]

Win totals are of course affected by schedules.  Can't put a number on it as it depends on the season and all of the factors that go into the record.  This past season's schedule couldn't have set up much better to maintain a respectable RPI while allowing for a high number of wins when combined with a player like Portis who was often the best player on the court and Qualls who was sometimes the second best.  Those types of schedules won't happen every season. 

Repeating reasons as to why expectations and standards should be lowered and remain fluid will continue to contribute to apathy.  Be happy some care enough to still question or be critical. 

[WarPig88]

Win totals are of course affected by schedules.  Can't put a number on it as it depends on the season and all of the factors that go into the record.  This past season's schedule couldn't have set up much better to maintain a respectable RPI while allowing for a high number of wins when combined with a player like Portis who was often the best player on the court and Qualls who was sometimes the second best.  Those types of schedules won't happen every season. 

Repeating reasons as to why expectations and standards should be lowered and remain fluid will continue to contribute to apathy.  Be happy some care enough to still question or be critical.

So we had an easy schedule? LOL

[Atlhogfan1]

So we had an easy schedule? LOL

The easiest of any SEC team in conference.  Non conference contained few real threats considering most were played in BWA and SMU was shorthanded as were some of our SEC opponents.  It played a role in getting to 27 wins just as the great play of Portis and sometimes Qualls and contributions from others in certain games. 

[hawginbigd1]

Name a few members of the "Mike can do no wrong" crowd. I want to read so I can
more clearly see where some of these posts are coming from. Seriously.

PSST. One of them quoted this and posted right below yours.

[GlassofSwine]

Repeating reasons as to why expectations and standards should be lowered and remain fluid will continue to contribute to apathy.  Be happy some care enough to still question or be critical.

  Yeah, I don't know how I would get by without posts telling me the future under Anderson is bleak. I guess I should be happy that there are a few guys left who will make sure to throttle the enjoyment of a good season down a notch. I would hate to get so excited about last season that I decide to throw away my fandom. I was almost ready to say that now that MA has had the best season in almost 20 years, I didn't care if we won another game with him as coach. Thanks to the few who keep us fans in check.

[Breems]

I'm hearing and reading that the future of Arkansas basketball is done, dead in the water, and hopeless.

I'm seeing that 2015-2016  may be a down (no NCAAT) year. What's the story?

[Atlhogfan1]

  Yeah, I don't know how I would get by without posts telling me the future under Anderson is bleak. I guess I should be happy that there are a few guys left who will make sure to throttle the enjoyment of a good season down a notch. I would hate to get so excited about last season that I decide to throw away my fandom. I was almost ready to say that now that MA has had the best season in almost 20 years, I didn't care if we won another game with him as coach. Thanks to the few who keep us fans in check.

It's the offseason.  Calm down and stop exaggerating.  I don't believe many are saying the future is bleak.  Only someone with an extreme view or trolling you would suggest it is bleak.  At worst it could be suggested it is uncertain. 

[GlassofSwine]

It's the offseason.  Calm down and stop exaggerating.  I don't believe many are saying the future is bleak.  Only someone with an extreme view or trolling you would suggest it is bleak.  At worst it could be suggested it is uncertain.

Please, I'm not exaggerating. I'm being sarcastic.

[MikePiazza]

Until we know the full schedule, any attempts to forecast what next year will be like are futile.

All we know so far is that they're going to Dayton and Wake Forest, and possibly playing in the preseason NIT, and are hosting Texas Tech on January 30. If anyone knows any other schedule nuggets, feel free to post them.

[Atlhogfan1]

Please, I'm not exaggerating. I'm being sarcastic.

It missed. 

[Hawg Red]

They do it for football all the time. Why is basketball different when it is actually harder to reach post season play in basketball?

I don't.

My baseline expectation for all football seasons is bowl eligibility, starting with this past season. Bielema shouldn't win less than 6 games the rest of the time he's here.

[GlassofSwine]

It missed.

  You obviously haven't read through the drivel of posters predicting the inevitable downfall of our basketball program under MA today.

[GlassofSwine]

I don't.

My baseline expectation for all football seasons is bowl eligibility, starting with this past season. Bielema shouldn't win less than 6 games the rest of the time he's here.

I think that is a low expectation for football.

[Hawg Red]

I think that is a low expectation for football.

I believe I stated it was my baseline expectation.

[GlassofSwine]

I believe I stated it was my baseline expectation.

  You did, to me it just seems a little low. I put my expectation at 8-4. I don't believe we should lose OOC games and I don't believe we should have a losing record in conference play. I expect to be disappointed on a very rare occasion and I don't mind waiting a couple of years for the coach to get his pieces in order to see what he can deliver.

[WarPig88]

I don't.

My baseline expectation for all football seasons is bowl eligibility, starting with this past season. Bielema shouldn't win less than 6 games the rest of the time he's here.

Why is sub .500, which is what 6 games is, acceptable in football? Percentage wise, they play the same number of cupcakes the basketball team does?

So why is BELOW .500 acceptable in football but basketball requires above .667 and how is that NOT a lower bar for football?

[WarPig88]

The easiest of any SEC team in conference.  Non conference contained few real threats considering most were played in BWA and SMU was shorthanded as were some of our SEC opponents.  It played a role in getting to 27 wins just as the great play of Portis and sometimes Qualls and contributions from others in certain games.

LOL! We played a tough road schedule for our conference and our home games weren't gimmes either.

Geez we played 3 of the other 4 NCAA tourney teams on their homecourt and won 2 of them.

You are ridiculous. LOL

[hogsanity]

  You obviously haven't read through the drivel of posters predicting the inevitable downfall of our basketball program under MA today.

I don't see a downfall, I just do not see anything above an occasional sweet 16 team, but usually being on the bubble. 

[Hawg Red]

  You did, to me it just seems a little low. I put my expectation at 8-4. I don't believe we should lose OOC games and I don't believe we should have a losing record in conference play. I expect to be disappointed on a very rare occasion and I don't mind waiting a couple of years for the coach to get his pieces in order to see what he can deliver.

It is low. As low as I'm willing to accept. Obviously, if we're only meeting what I deem to be the "minimum" each year, I'm not going to be happy.

OOC games in football will probably be getting tougher with mandates to schedule Power 5 schools. Also, it's pretty tough to stay above .500 when you're in-conference schedule includes LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Miss. State, A&M, and Missouri EVERY YEAR. Then, you're going to have years when you play Georgia, or Florida (if they get good again), etc. SEC basketball is getting tougher, but it's not going to get that tough, I don't think. Football team has it tougher than the basketball team does because SEC West football is so much more tough than the current and foreseeable SEC basketball conference.

[Hawg Red]

Why is sub .500, which is what 6 games is, acceptable in football? Percentage wise, they play the same number of cupcakes the basketball team does?

So why is BELOW .500 acceptable in football but basketball requires above .667 and how is that NOT a lower bar for football?

OOC games in football will probably be getting tougher with mandates to schedule Power 5 schools. Also, it's pretty tough to stay above .500 when you're in-conference schedule includes LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Miss. State, A&M, and Missouri EVERY YEAR. Then, you're going to have years when you play Georgia, or Florida (if they get good again), etc. SEC basketball is getting tougher, but it's not going to get that tough, I don't think. Football team has it tougher than the basketball team does because SEC West football is so much more tough than the current and foreseeable SEC basketball conference.

The schedule that the football team has to play every year is like the Hogs having Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina, Duke, UConn, Louisville, and Ohio State on their basketball schedule every year. Or something like that. But, really, it's hard to compare the two because basketball schedules have 30+ games and more room to make up for mistakes early in the year. There's only 12 games on the football schedule, and as I mentioned, 7 of those games are against 7 of the top 25-40 teams on a given year.

[Atlhogfan1]

LOL! We played a tough road schedule for our conference and our home games weren't gimmes either.

Geez we played 3 of the other 4 NCAA tourney teams on their homecourt and won 2 of them.

You are ridiculous. LOL

We had the lowest in conf SOS in the SEC and one of the lowest of the major conferences.  We only played OM twice out of the top SEC teams and the bottomfeeders twice in the reg season.  It was a soft schedule especially for the 5 weeks after the Bama game. 

The wins at UGa and OM were good wins. 

LOL at your reply.

[Hawg Red]

Also, 68 teams make the NCAA tournament and 4 make the college football playoff. It's easier for the Hog basketball team to have a chance to win a national championship than it is for the football team.

[WarPig88]

Also, 68 teams make the NCAA tournament and 4 make the college football playoff. It's easier for the Hog basketball team to have a chance to win a national championship than it is for the football team.

The regular season is the college football playoff. All teams start out with same opportunity, especially in the power 5 conferences.

Football teams have tie ins to bowls as well, where basketball teams are actually playing against the entire NCAA field for a spot in the tournament.

All you have to do in our league to make a bowl is win six games. You don't have to be in the top 1/3 to 1/4 of the conference like the basketball teams do. I think the league had like 12 teams play bowl games this year. There are only 14 teams.

In football, win your 4 noncons and 2 SEC games. Not an accomplishment at all. That's 2-6 in conference, but you don't consider that LOW expectations.

That would be like the basketball team only needing to get to 16 wins for a post season berth.

[GlassofSwine]

It is low. As low as I'm willing to accept. Obviously, if we're only meeting what I deem to be the "minimum" each year, I'm not going to be happy.

OOC games in football will probably be getting tougher with mandates to schedule Power 5 schools. Also, it's pretty tough to stay above .500 when you're in-conference schedule includes LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Miss. State, A&M, and Missouri EVERY YEAR. Then, you're going to have years when you play Georgia, or Florida (if they get good again), etc. SEC basketball is getting tougher, but it's not going to get that tough, I don't think. Football team has it tougher than the basketball team does because SEC West football is so much more tough than the current and foreseeable SEC basketball conference.

  I believe the OOC will get marginally tougher but your still going to see 3 out of the 4 games vs what should be cupcakes. The conference schedule is brutal but that is why I set the bar at an even 50%. Houston Nutt the poster child for mediocrity had an above 50% conference winning pct. He would have hit my baseline 6 out of 10 seasons. It would be nice to hit it 8 out of 10 and outdo the Houston Nutt era.
   Basketball, I agree the baseline should be at an NCAA tourney appearance and 22-24 wins. Nolan averaged around 23 wins a season. Where Nolan is going to be hard to match is postseason success. He made the Sweet Sixteen in 35% of the seasons he coached and 46% of the time he made the tournament he made the Sweet sixteen or better. Not many coaches have averaged that success over 17 seasons, and that's with no appearances in his last 6 seasons.

[Hawg Red]

  I believe the OOC will get marginally tougher but your still going to see 3 out of the 4 games vs what should be cupcakes. The conference schedule is brutal but that is why I set the bar at an even 50%. Houston Nutt the poster child for mediocrity had an above 50% conference winning pct. He would have hit my baseline 6 out of 10 seasons. It would be nice to hit it 8 out of 10 and outdo the Houston Nutt era.

You make a good point, but it's not as if I'm expecting 6 wins that often. I'm expecting at least 8 this year. A "baseline year", for me, is what I would consider an "off year" and I don't want either program to have regular off years. I really don't want to see the basketball team only win 22 games and get bounced in the first round regularly and I don't want to see the football team win 6-7 games and play in a mediocre bowl game.

[wheelspigharvey]

I bet one side will not agree

I think by now we should expect it just based on the fact that he's been here long enough and we oughta be winning enough dangit, I also think we should expect it because he did something similar at Mizzou (right?).

[HoopS]

I think that everyone who has paid attention knows we are replacing a ton of production and some falloff is likely. Let's see the final roster and schedule and see if what it really looks like.

[lefty08]

Comparing making the tourney in basketball to making a bowl in football may be the dumbest thing I've seen typed in hogville

[Letsroll1200]

All sickness is not death!!!! Mike Anderson is doing a great job on and off the court. Arkansas players are not taking pics in jail but are taking pics at graduation ceremonies. We have a upcoming draft where two Razorbacks names will be called but you wouldn't know from the pessimist on this board.

In addition we have two top 50 recruits coming in and Jimmy Whitt is the best guard to sign with Arkansas since Ronnie Brewer. Mike has met expectations since taking the Arkansas job. I don't care anything about Howland at Miss State or Avery at Bama Mike Anderson is still one of the best coaches in the league. Look at Mike results on and off the court and make a case why he hasn't met expectations. The same guys that are pessimist on this board where the same guys whining about last season early struggles.

We have won two conference games in football in football but we are headed in the right direction. Mike finishes second in the SEC and from the comments on this board Hog basketball is lackluster!

[bigred223]

20 wins next season is possible. I think Kingsley will take a big step forward this year, as will Bell and Beard. If Kapita can give us some good defense and rebounding that would be great.

[Dominicanhog]

Ignore the dog avatar. He has no clue about anything ever.

he is consistent with his stupid comments, you have to give him that...