What are your Expectations for Basketball?

[WilsonHog]

We have a similar thread for football in MMQB right now that was referred to in another thread in this forum.

I use the same framework for Mike Anderson that I do for whoever our basketball coach is. It is a very simple one.

(1) I believe a new coach in any program needs one or two years to get his program in place. For that reason, I don't get too fired up if we don't see postseason in the first year or two following a coaching change. Never have.

(2) Once year three rolls around, I expect postseason play every season, and that needs to be the NCAA Tournament - at a bare minimum - three out of every five years.

(3) I don't fault fans for poor attendance; it is the coach's responsibility to put an exciting enough product on the floor to make people want to go to the games.

Now, let's apply that to Mike.

2011-12 and 2012-13: In his first two seasons, we went 18-14 and 19-13, respectively. No postseason, but improvement from year one to year two, so at the end of the second year I still supported him as much (100%) as I did the day he was hired. 

2013-14: 22-12 and NIT bid. No problems with him at all. Still 100%.

2014-15: 27-9 and NCAA bid. Extremely pleased. Still 100%.

2015-16: 16-16. Not happy due to no postseason play. Well, some would say, you must factor in the departure of Bobby and Michael. No, I don't; Mike does. Still, overall I am pleased with Mike as our coach.

2016-17: One of three things will happen. If we make the NCAAs, I'm back at 100% support. If the NIT..., yeah, okay, I'm willing to give him another year to make the NCAA Tournament. If we don't see the postseason at all, time for a new head coach.

[phadedhawg]

In regards to this year we need to make the NCAA tourney.  Unless the SEC surprises me and 5 or 6 decent teams emerge, this year looks like it a competent team should have a good path to the Dance. 

I don't know if he actually said it but I heard Nolan said his goal in conference play was win your home games and split your road games.  That would be success in my book.  That might be a big ask for our team when considering their recent road efforts.

[Danny J]

I am of the same mind...I treat the basketball coach the same as football. No biases here. What I expect from one I expect from the other. This year IMO is a make or break year to prove to ME that he is the right coach for the job. We have the talent and the depth. If we can't start a run this year then I am not sure we can expect much beyond a NCAAt bid every 6 years and that is simply not good enough. No more excuses this year

[The_Iceman]

In regards to this year we need to make the NCAA tourney.  Unless the SEC surprises me and 5 or 6 decent teams emerge, this year looks like it a competent team should have a good path to the Dance. 

I don't know if he actually said it but I heard Nolan said his goal in conference play was win your home games and split your road games.  That would be success in my book.  That might be a big ask for our team when considering their recent road efforts.

It may be easier to make the tournament as an average team in a great conference than by a good team in a poor conference. There is no longer the "must take so many teams from each conference" mentality anymore. With the RPI and SOS, the committee does really factor in conference or record much anymore.

[The_Iceman]

I believe we need to make the NCAA this year or Mike needs to go. The only hesitancy I have is the 2017 and 2018 classes and can the next coach keep them together. Also....who realistically would be the next coach here?

If it wasn't Mike Anderson, would we accept one NCAA bid in 6 years, with none the final two?

[WilsonHog]

I have no bias for or against Mike. The extent of my allegiance to him rests in whether he generates the level of success that I regard as reasonable for our program. If so, great. His ties to past glories of the program become a nice feel-good extension of that. If not, well...bye.

[The_Iceman]

I have no bias for or against Mike. The extent of my allegiance to him rests in whether he generates the level of success that I regard as reasonable for our program. If so, great. His ties to past glories of the program become a nice feel-good extension of that. If not, well...bye.

Would an NIT bid this year be acceptable to you? If you could make the call, would you get rid of him if he didn't make the tournament? I don't think Jeff Long will, but would you? I'm not talking a total collapse of a season like last year, but being a 1 or 2 seed in the NIT.

[HoopS]

I expect us to be an ncaat team more years than not.

And I've said he needs to make it this year. And so I'm kinda wavering here because while I do expect the ncaat, I can't help but to also look at the current recruiting and think we've finally turned that corner.

He could sure make it easy on me and people like me if we just would make the tournament.

To me, it's hard to be locked in on "X results equals Y reaction" right now.

It is why I am one of the ones who is really trying to back this team and I hope the fans start to show up. This team has potential.

Potential to make the tournament and start a nice run.

Potential to be the last team he has here.

It would be a shame to get this close to turning a corner and then go a different direction.

And deep down, I can understand it either way if we don't make it and he's fired, or isn't.

[phadedhawg]

To me, the NIT wouldn't accomplish much for us.  If we played games at home, I doubt the attendance would be much better than a regular season home game. 

There's not much attention paid to the NIT so I don't see it elevating our program.  It would be better than setting home and watching post season play.

In my lifetime we've only played in one NIT game that mattered and that was against that unmentionable school at the beginning on the Richardson era.

[Atlhogfan1]

Hard to answer this without it seeming like a rant against our program currently.  So I will just answer.

College sports, sports in general, are entertainment.  Little entertainment value in Arkansas basketball and has been that way for several years.  I'm trying to maintain enough interest and passion to care to have expectations but it is admittedly forced at this point.  I stated earlier today I haven't seen 1 second of play or a highlight from this Hog season.  I still bother to post because it keeps me thinking about college basketball and our basketball program.  I lost interest in MLB many years ago and don't want to do that quite yet with college basketball. 

I expect not only NCAAT appearances but wins in it.  It is often a crapshoot and matchup dependent so putting a number on it or a round demand for a given year isn't really reasonable IMO.  But over a number of seasons, we should be seeing Hog teams playing on the second weekend of the tournament on occasion with the threat of a F4 at some point.  If this isn't the expectation then why bother?  And I kind of think we are nearing the why bother time.  Not to rant, but Nolan and Mike got their program back.  Wasn't that what was most important?  Hawg Ball (even though we haven't seen it)?  Seemingly it was.

In addition to the wins, I expect a coach to be able to excite the fan base to at least a minimal point.  Nothing has been done.  If not for Bobby being a Hog no matter, these last 5 seasons could have never happened and we wouldn't have missed much of anything.  Back to the scheduling soapbox, great for the RPI we stopped playing the SWAC and MEAC.  But to give the fans absolutely nothing and to do so nearly every season so far has made this rebuild even worse.  One thing to not achieve on the court but to not even give the fans much of a reason to pay attention has been a failure.  Good thing for those conference challenges giving a non conf game of interest once a season or so.  The marketing of the program has been non existent. 

I expect Arkansas basketball to stay much closer to UK in terms of success and fan interest than any other program in this conference.  Not match but be the SEC's other basketball program. 

Anyway, to the OP and to generalize if a coach took over a rebuild with some off court things to fix:

1) Start to fix the off the court and be competitive as possible with what talent is here. (Mike passed)

2) Have significant progress made off the court, recruiting start to show improvement with talented recruits fitting our needs for how we want to play and be competitive on the court, team maximizes its potential playing the intended style.

3) Off court fixed, recruiting going well,  NIT minimum, team maximizes its potential playing the intended style, fans fully engaged and excited about direction of program(Mike - off court good, recruiting no, postseason failure - made NIT after horrible losses to end season and ended with NIT embarrassment)

4) NCAAT, recruiting well (this should have been the floor for the program going forward and the launching point, NCAAT appearance having played a schedule with few really good opponents and lost to them all, recruiting failure)

5) Team good enough to play in the second weekend of NCAAT, recruiting strong, team playing the desired style well, fans excited for basketball throughout year - (does it need to be said what a failure this was at this point? any other coach would be or should have been fired - I get why leeway given in this instance)

6) Team good enough to play in the second weekend of NCAAT, recruiting strong, team playing the desired style well and fans interested enough to where there aren't 9,000 unused tickets and 15,000 empty seats in BWA

7) Team good enough to play in the second weekend of NCAAT, recruiting strong, team playing the desired style well


I don't think these are unreasonable.  Didn't even demand an NCAAT appearance after season 3 in spite of what SEC basketball is.

[Atlhogfan1]

I have no bias for or against Mike. The extent of my allegiance to him rests in whether he generates the level of success that I regard as reasonable for our program. If so, great. His ties to past glories of the program become a nice feel-good extension of that. If not, well...bye.

If we did have bias against, there would be MUCH more venom being spewed and earlier demanding a coaching change.  Would be sad if it came to it so hoping it doesn't. 

[hogman99]

Hard to answer this without it seeming like a rant against our program currently.  So I will just answer.

College sports, sports in general, are entertainment.  Little entertainment value in Arkansas basketball and has been that way for several years.  I'm trying to maintain enough interest and passion to care to have expectations but it is admittedly forced at this point.  I stated earlier today I haven't seen 1 second of play or a highlight from this Hog season.  I still bother to post because it keeps me thinking about college basketball and our basketball program.  I lost interest in MLB many years ago and don't want to do that quite yet with college basketball. 

I expect not only NCAAT appearances but wins in it.  It is often a crapshoot and matchup dependent so putting a number on it or a round demand for a given year isn't really reasonable IMO.  But over a number of seasons, we should be seeing Hog teams playing on the second weekend of the tournament on occasion with the threat of a F4 at some point.  If this isn't the expectation then why bother?  And I kind of think we are nearing the why bother time.  Not to rant, but Nolan and Mike got their program back.  Wasn't that what was most important?  Hawg Ball (even though we haven't seen it)?  Seemingly it was.

In addition to the wins, I expect a coach to be able to excite the fan base to at least a minimal point.  Nothing has been done.  If not for Bobby being a Hog no matter, these last 5 seasons could have never happened and we wouldn't have missed much of anything.  Back to the scheduling soapbox, great for the RPI we stopped playing the SWAC and MEAC.  But to give the fans absolutely nothing and to do so nearly every season so far has made this rebuild even worse.  One thing to not achieve on the court but to not even give the fans much of a reason to pay attention has been a failure.  Good thing for those conference challenges giving a non conf game of interest once a season or so.  The marketing of the program has been non existent. 

I expect Arkansas basketball to stay much closer to UK in terms of success and fan interest than any other program in this conference.  Not match but be the SEC's other basketball program. 

Anyway, to the OP and to generalize if a coach took over a rebuild with some off court things to fix:

1) Start to fix the off the court and be competitive as possible with what talent is here. (Mike passed)

2) Have significant progress made off the court, recruiting start to show improvement with talented recruits fitting our needs for how we want to play and be competitive on the court, team maximizes its potential playing the intended style.

3) Off court fixed, recruiting going well,  NIT minimum, team maximizes its potential playing the intended style, fans fully engaged and excited about direction of program(Mike - off court good, recruiting no, postseason failure - made NIT after horrible losses to end season and ended with NIT embarrassment)

4) NCAAT, recruiting well (this should have been the floor for the program going forward and the launching point, NCAAT appearance having played a schedule with few really good opponents and lost to them all, recruiting failure)

5) Team good enough to play in the second weekend of NCAAT, recruiting strong, team playing the desired style well, fans excited for basketball throughout year - (does it need to be said what a failure this was at this point? any other coach would be or should have been fired - I get why leeway given in this instance)

6) Team good enough to play in the second weekend of NCAAT, recruiting strong, team playing the desired style well and fans interested enough to where there aren't 9,000 unused tickets and 15,000 empty seats in BWA

7) Team good enough to play in the second weekend of NCAAT, recruiting strong, team playing the desired style well


I don't think these are unreasonable.  Didn't even demand an NCAAT appearance after season 3 in spite of what SEC basketball is.

I must say that was a brilliant post. Well done.

[Razorod]

Hard to answer this without it seeming like a rant against our program currently.  So I will just answer.

College sports, sports in general, are entertainment.  Little entertainment value in Arkansas basketball and has been that way for several years.  I'm trying to maintain enough interest and passion to care to have expectations but it is admittedly forced at this point.  I stated earlier today I haven't seen 1 second of play or a highlight from this Hog season.  I still bother to post because it keeps me thinking about college basketball and our basketball program.  I lost interest in MLB many years ago and don't want to do that quite yet with college basketball. 

I expect not only NCAAT appearances but wins in it.  It is often a crapshoot and matchup dependent so putting a number on it or a round demand for a given year isn't really reasonable IMO.  But over a number of seasons, we should be seeing Hog teams playing on the second weekend of the tournament on occasion with the threat of a F4 at some point.  If this isn't the expectation then why bother?  And I kind of think we are nearing the why bother time.  Not to rant, but Nolan and Mike got their program back.  Wasn't that what was most important?  Hawg Ball (even though we haven't seen it)?  Seemingly it was.

In addition to the wins, I expect a coach to be able to excite the fan base to at least a minimal point.  Nothing has been done.  If not for Bobby being a Hog no matter, these last 5 seasons could have never happened and we wouldn't have missed much of anything.  Back to the scheduling soapbox, great for the RPI we stopped playing the SWAC and MEAC.  But to give the fans absolutely nothing and to do so nearly every season so far has made this rebuild even worse.  One thing to not achieve on the court but to not even give the fans much of a reason to pay attention has been a failure.  Good thing for those conference challenges giving a non conf game of interest once a season or so.  The marketing of the program has been non existent. 

I expect Arkansas basketball to stay much closer to UK in terms of success and fan interest than any other program in this conference.  Not match but be the SEC's other basketball program. 

Anyway, to the OP and to generalize if a coach took over a rebuild with some off court things to fix:

1) Start to fix the off the court and be competitive as possible with what talent is here. (Mike passed)

2) Have significant progress made off the court, recruiting start to show improvement with talented recruits fitting our needs for how we want to play and be competitive on the court, team maximizes its potential playing the intended style.

3) Off court fixed, recruiting going well,  NIT minimum, team maximizes its potential playing the intended style, fans fully engaged and excited about direction of program(Mike - off court good, recruiting no, postseason failure - made NIT after horrible losses to end season and ended with NIT embarrassment)

4) NCAAT, recruiting well (this should have been the floor for the program going forward and the launching point, NCAAT appearance having played a schedule with few really good opponents and lost to them all, recruiting failure)

5) Team good enough to play in the second weekend of NCAAT, recruiting strong, team playing the desired style well, fans excited for basketball throughout year - (does it need to be said what a failure this was at this point? any other coach would be or should have been fired - I get why leeway given in this instance)

6) Team good enough to play in the second weekend of NCAAT, recruiting strong, team playing the desired style well and fans interested enough to where there aren't 9,000 unused tickets and 15,000 empty seats in BWA

7) Team good enough to play in the second weekend of NCAAT, recruiting strong, team playing the desired style well


I don't think these are unreasonable.  Didn't even demand an NCAAT appearance after season 3 in spite of what SEC basketball is.

You expressed my sentiments as well.

I like Mike, I hope he can be the type of coach who get the program to the level you described. We'll see how this season goes. I'm pulling for him.

[WilsonHog]

Would an NIT bid this year be acceptable to you? If you could make the call, would you get rid of him if he didn't make the tournament? I don't think Jeff Long will, but would you? I'm not talking a total collapse of a season like last year, but being a 1 or 2 seed in the NIT.

I would accept that as the absolute minimum.

[ricepig]

I would accept that as the absolute minimum.

Yeah, my thoughts too, and it would depend on the circumstances in achieving our record.

[Knot2brite]

At this point I am kind of leaning toward wanting to be in the NCAA tournament this year. If there is a major injury or some major incident or we get screwed by the committee then I can understand. But at some point there has to be some consistency in our program of making the tourney with a rebuild year every four or five years where we only make the NIT

[Hawg Red]

Are we really worried that much about losing a bunch of Arkansas kids (the recruits)? A competent recruiter should be able to keep them put. Most, if not all, of these kids have invested in each other and playing together. And they're all from Arkansas!!! (Counting former LR native Reggie Perry)

I don't worry about that, honestly.

My expectations have always been that we need to be back in the Big Dance this year. It doesn't look likely here on 12/2/16 but we're only 6 games in. But we really have looked pretty bad in those 6 games relative to expectations. I guess it just depends. Is the SEC abnormally tough and we're on the bubble come Selection Sunday and we just miss by a hair? I might be able to talk myself into another year if we're 1-2 seed in the NIT and make a good run there because I do respect the work that's been put in on the recruiting trail (I just don't think that should hold us hostage) and I'm not completely sure we can upgrade, honestly. But I will be okay with a change if we don't make the NCAAs. How we actually perform will dictate how badly I think we need a change. End of the day, I'm a Hog fan for life and we finally have the in-state kids back on our side and wanting to be Hogs. It's always easier to give a little more time if there are enough positives to support it.

[PonderinHog]

I guess you might say I'm on the bubble, like a lot of other posters.  In the spring I was insistent on NCAAT or good-bye CMA.  Then the recruits started committing left and right for years on out and I catch myself wanting to give CMA more time to get this program back to where it belongs. 

This program has been unstable for so long.  I'm tempted to see how this plays out over a longer period of time than just this season.  But the real test for CMA remains can he get the Razorbacks to the dance.  Always has been and always will be.  He's on the clock.

Talk about mixed emotions.  It's like watching your mother-in-law going over a cliff in your brand new Mercedes.

[Jonteviosk]

I have mixed feelings...I am upset were barely beating teams I feel we should beat by 30 but then Fort Wayne knocks off Indiana and Texas Arlington knocks off the Horns. I was not even upset at the Minnesota game I completely called that on over a week before we played them. We played good defense against Austin last night and MK had a solid game. If we are to go to the dance we everything still depends on MK playing up to his ability. 3 Pt shooting comes and goes. Hannahs struggling from out there but he still playing well overall. The one constant should and needs to be MK. Hannahs is too good of a shooter to not get it going at some point. As for bringing Nacon and Barston off the bench I don't read anything into that CMA always tinkers with his lineup to find the hot hand.

[niels_boar]

My expectations about basketball is that games will continue through March and that projections are difficult, especially about the future.

[Mr. Porkleone]

To many be happy with NIT, Cmon,  We should always be in NCAA, anything less is UNACCEPTABLE.

[elksnort]

Moses needs to have a very good year. 
Thomas it seems, is a player.
Like Macon.  He can play.
Barford has Corey Beck type physique.
Who should be the other starter?

[Hogimus Prime]

I expect the NCAAt every year but I understand that will not happen every year.  The program was a mess when MA took the job. I was disappointed about missing the NCAA's the first 3 seasons but not suprised. There is the perception that the SEC is bad(its down but not as bad as people think), if the Hogs were in the ACC or Big Ten with the record they had in MA's second and third they'd been in the NCAAt.  I feel last was a let big let down but feel like that might just be a dump in the road and not normal.

MA's recruiting hasn't been the greatest but think it's on the uptick with what is set to step on campus the next years.  Looks like he is getting longer, taller and better basketball players. They are getting taller at the 3 and the 4. 

[RazorPiggie]

Make the tourney this year or hit the road.

[sadhogfan]

I believe we need to make the NCAA this year or Mike needs to go. The only hesitancy I have is the 2017 and 2018 classes and can the next coach keep them together. Also....who realistically would be the next coach here?

If it wasn't Mike Anderson, would we accept one NCAA bid in 6 years, with none the final two?

I support Mike and want him to stay, but admit to waning patience and faith. I sympathize with the concern about losing our good recruiting classes if he leaves, but that also reminds me of the situation Pelphrey's last year when we had the great class coming in (Young, Madden, Mickelson, Abron) and people were really concerned about losing that class if Pel was fired. Two things about that:

(1) A decent coach came in and was able to keep the class together.
(2) That class didn't exactly save the program the way we were hoping it would.

So ultimately, if you become convinced that the coach isn't getting the job done, I'm not sure that the fear about the upcoming recruiting classes should prevent you from pulling the plug.

That being said, I am hoping that our talented JUCOs learn (quickly) to not take plays off and play with Moses, MA figures out his player rotations before mid-January, we make it to the NCAAT, and this entire discussion is moot.

[hawkhawg]

Over a ten year period I expect 7 NCAA tournaments appearances. With one final four.

[Deep Shoat]

Anybody else tired of the word "unacceptable"?

I've been on record from day 1.  I don't want CMA as our HC.  But he is.  So I am trying to be supportive.  Which primarily means watching and going to as many games as possible and keeping my mouth shut. 

In reality, I still see no sign that Mike's "system" has any chance of getting us back to consistency in the NCAAT.  But I want him to prove me wrong.  And I'm willing to offer a modicum of patience because he is a high character guy who makes these kids better men.

We NEED to make the tourney this year.  I'm not tourney of fire CMA.  But It will be hard to keep me if we don't make it.

[TheRazorback500]

Over the long term I would also go with 7-8 NCAA appearances and a couple of final four trips over the ten year period.

This year I'm a little concerned. The SEC is suddenly a player on the national scene and league teams are getting some quality wins.  CMA's job is getting harder and it's going to be even more difficult to get the number of wins necessary to ensure a tourney spot. With the experience and upgraded talent we have, he's got to make at least the NIT or I'd be willing to make a change.

:razorback:

[Little Lady Back]

I expect us to be an ncaat team more years than not.

And I've said he needs to make it this year. And so I'm kinda wavering here because while I do expect the ncaat, I can't help but to also look at the current recruiting and think we've finally turned that corner.

He could sure make it easy on me and people like me if we just would make the tournament.

To me, it's hard to be locked in on "X results equals Y reaction" right now.

It is why I am one of the ones who is really trying to back this team and I hope the fans start to show up. This team has potential.

Potential to make the tournament and start a nice run.

Potential to be the last team he has here.

It would be a shame to get this close to turning a corner and then go a different direction.

And deep down, I can understand it either way if we don't make it and he's fired, or isn't.

Agree.

[TexArkHogFan]

A minimum of 20 wins,  we should win at least nine in non conference with the possibility of a couple more if things fall right.  That only leaves us to win at least 11 in conference.  Win at least two in the SEC tournament.  Making the big dance is a crap shoot, but at least put us in a position to be considered. Basketball is usually a quick turn around job.  It shouldn't take five years to be a contender.

[MountieDawg]

When you are paying the coach Top 25 coaches pay, After year 2 I would think you would expect Top 32 performances almost every year.

[FineAsSwine]

Anybody else tired of the word "unacceptable"?

I've been on record from day 1.  I don't want CMA as our HC.  But he is.  So I am trying to be supportive.  Which primarily means watching and going to as many games as possible and keeping my mouth shut. 

In reality, I still see no sign that Mike's "system" has any chance of getting us back to consistency in the NCAAT.  But I want him to prove me wrong.  And I'm willing to offer a modicum of patience because he is a high character guy who makes these kids better men.

We NEED to make the tourney this year.  I'm not tourney of fire CMA.  But It will be hard to keep me if we don't make it.

A very reasonable assessment.

[gmarv]

I think nit is a necessity this year. lord i hope mike does at least that much,because i have very little faith that the powers that be can get us a really good coach.their track record is subpar.

[JonClaudeVanHam]

Two things:

One: I'm really with Wilson on this and I would say my expectations are similar. While I don't mean to sound like I'm expecting less, my real hope from watching Mike Anderson teams the past five years is now that Mike makes us a consistent top 25 program until he retires, sprinkling in one or two Sweet 16 runs. Frankly, I don't see great coaching with Mike, I see good coaching. Clearly he's created a system that brings some form of success, but it also requires that the players themselves be able to overcome the system at times and win in spite of it. I don't like Mike's sub patterns (I don't think we're as deep as Mike likes to claim), and I don't like his defensive scheme that is so easy to poke holes in to find open looks. If we're playing ball denial and going for tipped passes, shouldn't we be frustrating teams like UTA and Fort Wayne? Two very good teams, mind you, but teams that made us play their game rather than ours (a sadly consistent theme so far this year). In the end, with Mike, I'm usually pretty frustrated while watching because I don't understand what he is doing at times. There are small tweaks it seems apparent that we could make (the ungodly amount of switching on the perimeter for instance) that would create a better team, but he just doesn't seem interested. That, more than anything, the inability to adapt, is what prevents Anderson from being a great coach, but he is still a good coach, I don't think that should be argued.

Two: I don't agree at all with the hogville logic of "Win and I'll show up." I think showing up will breed more wins, and more blowouts. Generally beating The Mount by 16 probably could have been 25 if a real crowd had been there, same goes for Stephen F. Austin. Part of me suspects this has a lot to do with playing so terrible on the road. With the exception of 2014, our crowds have been sparse in non-con. Playing in front of 6K in the Bud is like playing in front of 2K everywhere else. It is not that loud and the gym feels utterly empty. When we go on the road for the first time, it's just guaranteed that we'll be shellshocked from the sound alone. Barford, Macon, Cook, Bailey, and Jones have never in their lives played in front a crowd as loud as the one they had to deal with in Minnesota, despite the fact they played 3 games in Bud Walton Arena beforehand. That's really embarrassing, and that is on our fans for not giving the team a chance. For waiting until we play bad on the road against a power conference team and then saying "told you so." If our team has to communicate in front of loud BWA fans, then they can do it better and not look so lost against loud opposing fans. But that's my opinion.

[ricepig]

I guess you might say I'm on the bubble, like a lot of other posters.  In the spring I was insistent on NCAAT or good-bye CMA.  Then the recruits started committing left and right for years on out and I catch myself wanting to give CMA more time to get this program back to where it belongs. 

This program has been unstable for so long.  I'm tempted to see how this plays out over a longer period of time than just this season.  But the real test for CMA remains can he get the Razorbacks to the dance.  Always has been and always will be.  He's on the clock.

Talk about mixed emotions.  It's like watching your mother-in-law going over a cliff in your brand new Mercedes.

That's what insurance is for, cover them both and you can get a Porsche.

[Atlhogfan1]

A number of replies only based on Mike as coach. What should or would your expectations be if he weren't? 

[PorkRinds]

I feel like with the inroads mike is making in state getting elite talent that it would be a disaster to let him go any time soon. Let him get these in state high school guys innthe program and see what he can do with them. If he fails to live up to what they could and should be let him go. If we get them all committed and then fire mike it could set the program back a long ways when it comes to in state talent. And it's just starting to come back.

[WilsonHog]

My only caveat is that we made the same argument for Pelphrey to stay. "If we get rid of him, we'll lose B.J. Young, Ky Madden, and Hunter Mickelson." In retrospect, we kept all of them, and only one really had much of an impact on our program.

[LR_Matt]

So the majority of y'all are saying 7-8 NCAAT appearances in a 10 year period with a final four or 2 sprinkled in there.... LOL, did Nolan even accomplish that??? Mike can't get us there. Hell, he can't even keep in state talent or teach a defense not to foul every other trip down the court. Wait, I know..... it's the ref's fault. Don't adapt or anything LOL.

[TheRazorback500]

A number of replies only based on Mike as coach. What should or would your expectations be if he weren't? 

I guess it would depend on the quality of who was coach. If we had an average coach, the expectations would seem to line up with the general consensus. If we were able to attract an above average one, they'd be higher.

[Kevin]

NCAA tournament or.new coach.

[Atlhogfan1]

So the majority of y'all are saying 7-8 NCAAT appearances in a 10 year period with a final four or 2 sprinkled in there.... LOL, did Nolan even accomplish that??? Mike can't get us there. Hell, he can't even keep in state talent or teach a defense not to foul every other trip down the court. Wait, I know..... it's the ref's fault. Don't adapt or anything LOL.

No the majority haven't on your F4 comment. LOL

Nolan more than accomplished it

[PonderinHog]

My only caveat is that we made the same argument for Pelphrey to stay. "If we get rid of him, we'll lose B.J. Young, Ky Madden, and Hunter Mickelson." In retrospect, we kept all of them, and only one really had much of an impact on our program.

True, but Mike Anderson > John Pelphrey, especially to Arkansas Basketball, IMO.

[Wisco Pig]

At minimum, an average of two NCAA tournament teams every three years and two NCAA tournament wins every three years.  Anderson achieved both of these averages in his previous nine years of coaching before coming to Fayetteville.

[WilsonHog]

Eddie Sutton: Nine NCAA Tournament appearances in 11 years (82%), including one Final Four, one Elite Eight, and two Sweet Sixteens. We won or shared the SWC four times in those nine years, and finished second the other five of those nine years. We won the SWC Tournament three times. We finished the season ranked in the Top 20 eight of those 11 years. Our average record under Sutton was 24-7.

Nolan Richardson: Thirteen NCAA Tournament appearances in 17 years (76%), including one National Championship, three Final Fours, one Elite Eight, and two Sweet Sixteens. We made the NIT two times as well - 15 postseason appearance in 17 years. We won the SEC Tournament once, and finished the season ranked in the Top 20 10 times. Our average record under Nolan was 23-10.

What those two men accomplished is what my expectations for Stan Heath and John Pelphrey were based on, and what my expectations for Mike Anderson are based on, and what my expectations for our next coach will be based on. When you have experienced the energy of full houses at first Barnhill and then BWA, plus a rocking "Barnhill South" in Dallas; when you have traveled to Dallas to watch us defeat a Michigan team led by Jalen Rose and Juwan Howard to make the Final Four; when you have attended a Final Four in Denver (where I turned down $4,000 in 1990 dollars for my two tickets I had just paid $500 for); and when you have watched players like the Triplets, Joe Kleine, Alvin Robertson, Darrell Walker, Scott Hastings, MayDay and Big "O," and Corliss and Scotty...

You aren't much interested in listening to people talk about what our basketball program can't do.

[hogman99]

Playing like UCLA/Kentucky is right now. Really shows how far behind the Hogs are, it's sad.

[Atlhogfan1]

Eddie Sutton: Nine NCAA Tournament appearances in 11 years (82%), including one Final Four, one Elite Eight, and two Sweet Sixteens. We won or shared the SWC four times in those nine years, and finished second the other five of those nine years. We won the SWC Tournament three times. We finished the season ranked in the Top 20 eight of those 11 years. Our average record under Sutton was 24-7.

Nolan Richardson: Thirteen NCAA Tournament appearances in 17 years (76%), including one National Championship, three Final Fours, one Elite Eight, and two Sweet Sixteens. We made the NIT two times as well - 15 postseason appearance in 17 years. We won the SEC Tournament once, and finished the season ranked in the Top 20 10 times. Our average record under Nolan was 23-10.

What those two men accomplished is what my expectations for Stan Heath and John Pelphrey were based on, and what my expectations for Mike Anderson are based on, and what my expectations for our next coach will be based on. When you have experienced the energy of full houses at first Barnhill and then BWA, plus a rocking "Barnhill South" in Dallas; when you have traveled to Dallas to watch us defeat a Michigan team led by Jalen Rose and Juwan Howard to make the Final Four; when you have attended a Final Four in Denver (where I turned down $4,000 in 1990 dollars for my two tickets I had just paid $500 for); and when you have watched players like the Triplets, Joe Kleine, Alvin Robertson, Darrell Walker, Scott Hastings, MayDay and Big "O," and Corliss and Scotty...

You aren't much interested in listening to people talk about what our basketball program can't do.

At least someone will say it.

[alohawg]

My expectations: see 90's

[Deep Shoat]

Eddie Sutton: Nine NCAA Tournament appearances in 11 years (82%), including one Final Four, one Elite Eight, and two Sweet Sixteens. We won or shared the SWC four times in those nine years, and finished second the other five of those nine years. We won the SWC Tournament three times. We finished the season ranked in the Top 20 eight of those 11 years. Our average record under Sutton was 24-7.

Nolan Richardson: Thirteen NCAA Tournament appearances in 17 years (76%), including one National Championship, three Final Fours, one Elite Eight, and two Sweet Sixteens. We made the NIT two times as well - 15 postseason appearance in 17 years. We won the SEC Tournament once, and finished the season ranked in the Top 20 10 times. Our average record under Nolan was 23-10.

What those two men accomplished is what my expectations for Stan Heath and John Pelphrey were based on, and what my expectations for Mike Anderson are based on, and what my expectations for our next coach will be based on. When you have experienced the energy of full houses at first Barnhill and then BWA, plus a rocking "Barnhill South" in Dallas; when you have traveled to Dallas to watch us defeat a Michigan team led by Jalen Rose and Juwan Howard to make the Final Four; when you have attended a Final Four in Denver (where I turned down $4,000 in 1990 dollars for my two tickets I had just paid $500 for); and when you have watched players like the Triplets, Joe Kleine, Alvin Robertson, Darrell Walker, Scott Hastings, MayDay and Big "O," and Corliss and Scotty...

You aren't much interested in listening to people talk about what our basketball program can't do.

And there you have it.

[cosmodrum]

Tourney every year. Simple.