Still Support Anderson

[TrueBlue]

All that keeps echoing in my mind is Mike's comments at his hiring presser. "If you see a bear and me fighting, pray for the bear."

Strangely enough, I saw Anderson and a bear fighting last week and the bear whipped his butt really bad. Anderson told me afterward that he lost because the bear was just fighting with a lot of emotion and landed some incredible shots, and truthfully the bear was just "on fire" that day. He also said it was impossible to prepare for the type of fight the bear had that day and he accepted full reponsibility for not having a better fight plan. Anderson does feel, however, that as a fighter he is still going in the right direction and his overall fighting goals are still in sight.

[Youngsta71701]

He was hired in 2011. This isn't football where it takes multiple recruits on both sides of the ball. It doesn't take six years to turn around a basketball program.

We gave Robb Smith 3 years, so does Mike get so many years?

Coordinator, head coach...Two different scenarios. Why is Robb Smith gone and not Bielema?

[Youngsta71701]

I like Mike. He is a good man. But he is not doing all he can with this team.
He could put in some offense other than the motion from time to time. Something other than jacking up 25 footers. But he won't.
He could get out of the full court pressure defense from time to time. I have thought we looked good in the matchup zone. But he won't.
Mike might be too stubborn for his and the team's own good. He is writing his own ticket.

As soon as we went to a matchup zone last night they got a wide open three in the corner. We have always been horrible in zone. But for some reason this year we look horrible in both a zone and man. I do think if we played more zone this year we would be better off for it. You can play zone and still be aggressive in it. Syracuse is a prime example of that.

[Youngsta71701]

Then Mike would have to tke himself out because it is his defensive scheme that leads to all the open 3's. You trap and chase 30+ ft from the basket and someone is going to be open. Throw in a team that actually knows how to run sets to exploit that and you get what happened last night.

The open 3's are Mike's fault because he is obviously incapable of coaching anything other than what they have done nor for almost 6 seasons.

On some of those 3's players were in position to rotate or close out they just didn't. Like they were hesitant and slow for some reason.

[Youngsta71701]

Strangely enough, I saw Anderson and a bear fighting last week and the bear whipped his butt really bad. Anderson told me afterward that he lost because the bear was just fighting with a lot of emotion and landed some incredible shots, and truthfully the bear was just "on fire" that day. He also said it was impossible to prepare for the type of fight the bear had that day and he accepted full reponsibility for not having a better fight plan. Anderson does feel, however, that as a fighter he is still going in the right direction and his overall fighting goals are still in sight.

LOL...I see what you did there. Good one!

[hogsanity]

As soon as we went to a matchup zone last night they got a wide open three in the corner. We have always been horrible in zone. But for some reason this year we look horrible in both a zone and man. I do think if we played more zone this year we would be better off for it. You can play zone and still be aggressive in it. Syracuse is a prime example of that.

Not when you recruit a roster full of tweeners, which is what he seems to always have. Then add in how his best perimeter weapon is usually a defensive liability ( Bell and Hannahs ), and well, the defense is a mess. Then add in how, even after being abused for years, he keeps doing the switch on screens which seems to always have our big guarding someone 30ft from the basket, and you have a sieve for a defense.

[Jim Harris]

I don't understand how we give up 3 point shots. You play Vandy you defend the 3 and you win the game. How do we give up 10 threes in the first half? We don't have the players!! It's on coach!! Call timeout after the first three and get in their butts. You can't trust this team.

In the Vandy-Arkansas game I watched last night, when Arkansas jumped out to cover the 3, the Vandy guys who you would think would not be that quicker than Arkansas simply made basketball moves past UA guys to the basket, and no one else within 10 feet to guard the basket. Granted, giving up a 2 instead of a 3 would be better if they're making all their 3s ...

[sneakybeats]

"oh lord it's hard to be humble.." , but it's all too easy to be shattered as an Arkansas Razorback Fan. 

Bud Walton Arena was literally a mausoleum last night; a sad reflection of what this program has become.

WPS

[ArkansasI]

Nolan never fixed anything by wedging players into roles that did not fit them. Nolan fixed his teams by getting different players. He could not coach a short-bench style worth a damn.

Anderson has not gotten the right players to do what he wants to do. It looks like he took the players he could get. He struggles without the ability to go out and get all the juco quick fixes he used to get. MA would take academic marginals who had talent - can't do that anymore.

He's still recruiting juco players, but Barford and Mason don't fit together well, and Cook has had his role pared down to nothing. MA can't get the nasty-tough defending juco guards he got at UAB and Mizzou. For some reason. And no big, strong power forwards. Not a one.

This.  Painfully accurate.

[Youngsta71701]

Not when you recruit a roster full of tweeners, which is what he seems to always have. Then add in how his best perimeter weapon is usually a defensive liability ( Bell and Hannahs ), and well, the defense is a mess. Then add in how, even after being abused for years, he keeps doing the switch on screens which seems to always have our big guarding someone 30ft from the basket, and you have a sieve for a defense.

I will say this though. Against a team like Vandy you might have to switch that or hedge and get back asap. When you have a 7'0 plus center that can shoot threes with range it makes that hard for you. Against any other team. No. Moses needs to sag down in the lane and beg the PG or SG to drive so he can beat they're stuff or at least be in the lane so he can rebound.

[Youngsta71701]

In the Vandy-Arkansas game I watched last night, when Arkansas jumped out to cover the 3, the Vandy guys who you would think would not be that quicker than Arkansas simply made basketball moves past UA guys to the basket, and no one else within 10 feet to guard the basket. Granted, giving up a 2 instead of a 3 would be better if they're making all their 3s ...

Almost all of their baskets in the first half when they built up the big lead were 3's. In the second half when we outscored them we played more straight up half court defense, we ran them off the 3 point line and made them score in the lane or at the rim. To me that should have been the game plan from the tip. Turn them into drivers.

And am I the only one or does this team just not have good basketball IQ? I was always taught since I was knee high to a grasshopper that if your man was right handed make him go left and vice versa. That one simple thing right there makes it much harder to get beat or for them to score. Send them to their weak hand.

[The_Iceman]

Almost all of their baskets in the first half when they built up the big lead were 3's. In the second half when we outscored them we played more straight up half court defense, we ran them off the 3 point line and made them score in the lane or at the rim. To me that should have been the game plan from the tip. Turn them into drivers.

Mike doesn't have a game plan. He doesn't scout the other team. He has admitted this multiple times.

He says, "if we do what we do, then they won't be able to do what they want to do." He only focuses on his style, and makes no adjustments to the opponent.

He is not a good coach.

[ChitownHawg]

Coordinator, head coach...Two different scenarios. Why is Robb Smith gone and not Bielema?

I'm sorry the point went over your head. I'll dumb it down next time.

How about why does Mike get 6 +2 by some and Heath / Pelphrey didn't? The results of all three coaches seem to be similar. Basketball doesn't take 6 + 2 years to rebuild.

[TushCrush]

As soon as we went to a matchup zone last night they got a wide open three in the corner. We have always been horrible in zone. But for some reason this year we look horrible in both a zone and man. I do think if we played more zone this year we would be better off for it. You can play zone and still be aggressive in it. Syracuse is a prime example of that.

Last night might not be a good sample to evaluate They hit everything. With some quickness in Cook and especially Bailey (who got some minutes last night) that would help the man on the low block on defense coming out to the corner to defend. Thompson just can't get there. But until we run the matchup more ... it doesn't matter.

[Wild Bill Hog]

As soon as we went to a matchup zone last night they got a wide open three in the corner. We have always been horrible in zone. But for some reason this year we look horrible in both a zone and man. I do think if we played more zone this year we would be better off for it. You can play zone and still be aggressive in it. Syracuse is a prime example of that.

Syracuse has a good coach.

[hogsanity]

  They hit everything.

that seems to happen to the Hogs alot. College players are pretty good at knocking down wide open 3's, apparently.

[Little Lady Back]

He's lost control of the team.  There is no team, just a bunch of kids playing for themselves.

This is unfortunately what I'm afraid that I am seeing as well. Also, CMA does not seem willing to make changes when necessary (including staff changes). I have always supported him and the program but it is becoming very difficult, if not impossible, to continue to do so. 

[RagingHawgOn]

Then add in how, even after being abused for years, he keeps doing the switch on screens which seems to always have our big guarding someone 30ft from the basket, and you have a sieve for a defense.

I have completely run out of curse words to yell when I see this during games.

[Youngsta71701]

Mike doesn't have a game plan. He doesn't scout the other team. He has admitted this multiple times.

He says, "if we do what we do, then they won't be able to do what they want to do." He only focuses on his style, and makes no adjustments to the opponent.

He is not a good coach.

Are you sure he said that or Nolan said that? I know for a fact I heard Nolan say that. I'm not sure about Mike though... . Can you provide some evidence please? I'm a see for my selfer.

[Youngsta71701]

I'm sorry the point went over your head. I'll dumb it down next time.

How about why does Mike get 6 +2 by some and Heath / Pelphrey didn't? The results of all three coaches seem to be similar. Basketball doesn't take 6 + 2 years to rebuild.

Ok, that's much clearer. For a second there I thought your were comparing Robb Smith to Mike Anderson.

[rljjr]

Are you sure he said that or Nolan said that? I know for a fact I heard Nolan say that. I'm not sure about Mike though... . Can you provide some evidence please? I'm a see for my selfer.

It's kind of obvious by our performances. Whether he said it or not it appears he believes it.

[Youngsta71701]

Syracuse has a good coach.

Syracuse has run the same defense for years and have perfected it more than anybody probably though possible. A dominant zone defense is rare.

[Youngsta71701]

I have completely run out of curse words to yell when I see this during games.

I'm witcha. Every time I see Moses or Trey do this I literally go to cussing. Still don't understand this. Maybe it's no the guards to communicate and fight over or under the screens. Anyway it goes I just don't understand that. We get lucky every once in a while but not much.

[RagingHawgOn]

Syracuse has run the same defense for years and have perfected it more than anybody probably though possible. A dominant zone defense is rare.

Exactly, running the same defense for years works.  Oh wait......

[Youngsta71701]

It's kind of obvious by our performances. Whether he said it or not it appears he believes it.

Hello Iceman. Nice to meet you...

[Youngsta71701]

Exactly, running the same defense for years works.  Oh wait......

I guess the Jim Boeheim version of the zone was ahead of it's time and time has caught up with Mike's defense.

[The_Iceman]

Are you sure he said that or Nolan said that? I know for a fact I heard Nolan say that. I'm not sure about Mike though... . Can you provide some evidence please? I'm a see for my selfer.

No, heard it in his press conferences multiple times this season. Not gonna go digging for it, but I know for certain he has said it.

[porkinsons disease]

[/quote]He absolutely said it multiple times. It posed the question,"why do we need a film room in the new practice facility, since Mike is above using it"?

[Youngsta71701]

No, heard it in his press conferences multiple times this season. Not gonna go digging for it, but I know for certain he has said it.

Well if that's the case shame on him. Maybe it's time for him to join the rest of us in the 21st century or get left behind. Which is currently the path he's headed on.

[The_Iceman]

Well if that's the case shame on him. Maybe it's time for him to join the rest of us in the 21st century.

It is Mike's philosophy. He believes his pressure defense is enough to affect the other team. He doesn't care if you have a top point guard or a team full of shooters, he is running his defense no matter what. He doesn't scout or try and focus on the other teams best player. It is all his system.

If Mike was a high energy coach and assembled a roster to fit his system, it probably could work. He just isn't that guy like Nolan was.

[Wolfpride]

I have been reading a lot of the posts on Mike Anderson, for and against.  I vacillate back and forth on him.  But last night, I turned the channel and found myself watching "The Notebook" and preferring that to Razorback Basketball!  I was in the Hogwild Band in the early 90s.  I remember being in February and pondering WHERE we would be seeded.......WHAT sight we would be flying to (so we could see if it was a fun city), and who would be in our way..........my how things have changed.  In my son's 9th grade class, there are hardly any Razorback basketball fans because they haven't seen the great teams we had back then.  My son is a Hog fan by default.  But he and I sat down last night after the debacle, and I showed him some youtube video of the early-mid 90s.  He was blown away.......he said, "We were once that good?  That was over twenty years ago......what happened?"

Sad day when I prefer "The Notebook"

[The_Iceman]

I have been reading a lot of the posts on Mike Anderson, for and against.  I vacillate back and forth on him.  But last night, I turned the channel and found myself watching "The Notebook" and preferring that to Razorback Basketball!  I was in the Hogwild Band in the early 90s.  I remember being in February and pondering WHERE we would be seeded.......WHAT sight we would be flying to (so we could see if it was a fun city), and who would be in our way..........my how things have changed.  In my son's 9th grade class, there are hardly any Razorback basketball fans because they haven't seen the great teams we had back then.  My son is a Hog fan by default.  But he and I sat down last night after the debacle, and I showed him some youtube video of the early-mid 90s.  He was blown away.......he said, "We were once that good?  That was over twenty years ago......what happened?"

Sad day when I prefer "The Notebook"

We are in a sad state. Heath and Pelphrey started it. Now, Mike has driven us down even further. We need a new coach. Mike isn't getting it done. He never will.

[EastexHawg]

I am behind this program.

It is because I am behind this program that I believe this coach needs to be shown the door.

I'm not sure why this concept is hard to understand.

[JenksHawg]

The problem is you can't just keep saying we have recruits coming.  Eventually you have to be accountable for all the recruits you've already brought in and their performance.  It's not like he is playing with someone else's recruits.

Lots of reasons to keep him, but you can't keep someone for something they might do.

can you please list those "lots of reasons to keep him"......?

[JenksHawg]

This is not my first thread supporting Mike at a tough time. I just think he will get it done. I can understand some of the impatience from the fan base but hopefully Long don't set this program back 20 years by firing Anderson.

actually isn't that what we're trying to do - set the program back 20 years?

[JenksHawg]

You may want the racial stuff to go away, but in the politically correct society we live in, it is an issue and you can bet Long and others who make decisions have to consider all things...including the fallout if they choose to pull the plug on Mike Anderson.

It would be different if the team was 500 again...but you win 20 plus games and get fired?  You can believe it will be discussed.

you're way off base - not one sports "pundit" will pull the race card if we fire Anderson. 

[rude1]

Nolan was at the game tonight. Left in the first half.

Nolan has to be thinking "where did he get this stuff from"? It certainly wasn't from Nolan, in his quest to separate from Nolan and create his own brand, he has a produced a bootleg system that is severely flawed.

[JenksHawg]

I don't understand how we give up 3 point shots. You play Vandy you defend the 3 and you win the game. How do we give up 10 threes in the first half? We don't have the players!! It's on coach!! Call timeout after the first three and get in their butts. You can't trust this team.

I think it's a combination of our lack of team speed and athleticism (Hannahs, Beard, Thompson), lack of effort, and Vandy's excellent ball movement.

[Kenny Dowell Loggains]

Original poster is one of the reasons Mike is still here letting our basketball program go to shambles... and he (and 10,000 others) are completely OK with that.

As long as there are still 10,000+ season tickets sold, Mike will have a job.  He was "THE GUY" when he was hired, his leash (6+ years) is longer.

Want to get rid of Mike?  START PULLING FUNDING!  Nothing against the players, but I refuse to support sh*t.

I will be part of the solution, not the problem.

[hogsanity]

you're way off base - not one sports "pundit" will pull the race card if we fire Anderson. 

They did not pull it when we fired Heath either.

[Letsroll1200]

Original poster is one of the reasons Mike is still here letting our basketball program go to shambles... and he (and 10,000 others) are completely OK with that.

As long as there are still 10,000+ season tickets sold, Mike will have a job.  He was "THE GUY" when he was hired, his leash (6+ years) is longer.

Want to get rid of Mike?  START PULLING FUNDING!  Nothing against the players, but I refuse to support sh*t.

I will be part of the solution, not the problem.

Mike is the best basketball coach since Nolan. Just check his stats!!! You guys that want him fired are the only ones basing your opinion off pure emotion.

[Letsroll1200]

We are in a sad state. Heath and Pelphrey started it. Now, Mike has driven us down even further. We need a new coach. Mike isn't getting it done. He never will.

You are confused. One minute Mike has driven the program down and the next minute you are saying that Mike has built the program to a good place but unable to take it to the next level. What is it?

[King Kong]

Mike is the best basketball coach since Nolan. Just check his stats!!! You guys that want him fired are the only ones basing your opinion off pure emotion.

Bro it's about to 1 out of 6. It ain't emotions.

[Letsroll1200]

I think it's a combination of our lack of team speed and athleticism (Hannahs, Beard, Thompson), lack of effort, and Vandy's excellent ball movement.

Vanderbilt only way to beat the hogs was shooting the 3 ball. If we showed half the effort we played with in the second half this game wouldn't be a blow out. 10 3 point baskets. If I'm on the court as a point guard and leader somebody is going to hear about it. You have to be willing to piss some people off if you want to be a winner. Cory Beck wasn't afraid to go to Corliss, Scotty, or Dwight but we have some AAU privilege mama boys!!! We need some dogs on the court.

[Letsroll1200]

Bro it's about to 1 out of 6. It ain't emotions.

I dont think he will be fired at the end of this season regardless. The only way Anderson is fired is a complete melt down by the hogs to end this year. Mike is pulling everything he can to get it fix. He inserted Dusty back in the starting line up but it didn't make a damn difference.

[Count Hogula]

"All he can" is not good enough.

HE is not good enough.

The bitter pill many aren't willing to swallow.

No sense dogging the man, it's just time he moved on...

[Jim Harris]

Mike doesn't have a game plan. He doesn't scout the other team. He has admitted this multiple times.

You have some good points in the thread, but this one isn't true at all. If you ever heard him say this (Nolan did), it's just blowing smoke as much as wrestling the bear. They scout the other teams. They plan for what those teams are going to do and they know who the shooters are, tendencies and all that. Now, whether his players execute what they want them to do is another matter.

You don't have to believe me on it, but I know Matt Zimmerman will tell you flat out they scout the opponents, spend plenty of time on film.

What no one outside of the team and staff knows is how much practice time they spend preparing for what they expect, though, because practices are closed. They weren't closed through most of Eddie's and Nolan's time, when I was up there. Some people (coaches I know) claim they have seen an MA practice and all they did was run the whole practice, fast break drills, etc. I don't know if this team does that because most fast breaks they run seem disjointed unless the right one or two guys get the ball.

They have more talent than they had last year, and MA did a good job with that assemblage to just go  16-16, but I don't think they're that skilled. Vandy has more skilled basketball players and better shooters than Arkansas has. The only difference in the game at Vandy and the one last night is, Arkansas couldn't keep up at all during the first half onslaught, and Vandy didn't wilt in the last six minutes this time. This team was good enough to go into Florida and win. They may be 12-12, but they probably beat Arkansas 4 out of 5 times in a home-and-home series. Arkansas managed to get the one in Nashville, but that was nothing short of a miracle.

This team has no passer/leader to really run the offense. Guys who are off-guards are having to do it. They have no idea how to get the ball in to Kingsley, and when they do he often botches it. So, the offense is broken if they can't go one on one and create something, or get it around the horn enough to get Dusty open. I mean, they've had to have Manny Watkins discover how to shoot a 3 to improve somewhat on the offense.

They have trailed on the road by 12, 12, 28, 15, etc. etc. etc. in the past month.

It's again not the X's and O's as much as the Jimmy's and Joe's, because MA cannot build a team here. Whatever has hamstrung him from the beginning, he's only been able to mine jucos or get retreads from other programs who were not tearing it up at their other schools.

This is not some fluke. The have some skilled players, but hardly enough, and there is no great player on that roster at all. Maybe a guy like Barford starts at wherever he is, though he has some limitations in his game as much as anyone. Maybe, MAYBE a different coach gets more out of the roster on hand than Mike is getting, but I'm not so sure. Unless you have a great player out there, there is so much parity in the game now that it's going to be up-and-down.

[ChitownHawg]

Mike is the best basketball coach since Nolan. Just check his stats!!! You guys that want him fired are the only ones basing your opinion off pure emotion.

Is this sarcasm? How many coaches since Nolan had 6 years? Answer: 1

[Youngsta71701]

I'm not sure why this concept is hard to understand.

Because everybody doesn't share the same opinion and never will. I'm not sure why this is a hard concept to understand. Do you want everybody to think the same way you do? I'm sure that would be scary. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion the last time I checked. You can't make somebody want Mike gone just because you do. Some people think the program would be better if we kept Mike. Some people think the program would be better if we let Mike go. Not hard to understand.

[Youngsta71701]

Mike is the best basketball coach since Nolan. Just check his stats!!! You guys that want him fired are the only ones basing your opinion off pure emotion.

And pure hate.