Six inches from 24-8

[Chic-Hog-Oh]

Move Harris' free throw against Florida two inches over.

Move Madden's layup at Mizzou just two inches lower off the glass.

Move Portis' short shot against SC just two inches to the right.

Six inches. Total.

I know there are other factors, that Vandy was a few inches from beating US, and that ifs and buts are not candy and nuts....

But six inches??!?? From 24-8?

It tells me we really are not that far away.

[Hogimus Prime]

Well we could do like Bama does in football and claim those losses as victories

[Dirty]

So what your saying is "If we were playing with hand grenades, we all be dead."

[Tejas_Pete]

Almost the same distance away your wife is from being satisfied.

[snortman]

Almost the same distance away your wife is from being satisfied.

Bazinga!!

[Tejas_Pete]

Couldn't resist. Back to the original topic though, we won some close ones and lost some close ones but if Portis hits that point blank hook shot we're in the NCAA tournament. It's just part of sports, but people that want to run Mike out of town if we don't get in the tournament need to step back and look at the bigger picture of our program.

[Dirty]

Couldn't resist. Back to the original topic though, we won some close ones and lost some close ones but if Portis hits that point blank hook shot we're in the NCAA tournament. It's just part of sports, but people that want to run Mike out of town if we don't get in the tournament need to step back and look at the bigger picture of our program.

We are a better team than the one at the beginning of SEC play.  No matter if we sneak in the NCAA or go NIT.  It is still improvement.

  Go Hogs!

[Chic-Hog-Oh]

Almost the same distance away your wife is from being satisfied.

My "six inches" reference was aching for that response.

I debated putting a "That's what she said" type quote as a sidebar in my OP, but judged it would lower the credibility level of my post's thorough research and analysis.

[Dr. Starcs]

And you could easily argue we were 6 inches away from being 18-14.

[Tejas_Pete]

You can argue it both ways but it shows how sometimes we put too much relevance in wins and losses when judging a coach. Take Auburn's NC season under Gene Chizik. There were 5 or 6 games that came right down to the wire and they just happened to win all of them. If things had fallen how they should have Auburn would have been 9 - 3 or 10 - 2.

It also happens with recruiting. You win some and lose some and it's not always on the coach. We have a solid program now with MA, all it takes to go on a championship run is a couple top recruits, get some bounces going your way and bam MA is the greatest coach of all time. There are reason that even teams like UNC and Duke have bad years.

[OLDHOG]

Almost the same distance away your wife is from being satisfied.

Awesome.

[rude1]

Or 6" from being 19-13. We got some of those bounces too. Ky & Vandy? Good teams make their luck by taking care of the game in the first 39 minutes so they don't have to hope for a fortunate bounce of the ball to win in the last minute.

[Rawker]

You can argue it both ways but it shows how sometimes we put too much relevance in wins and losses when judging a coach. Take Auburn's NC season under Gene Chizik. There were 5 or 6 games that came right down to the wire and they just happened to win all of them. If things had fallen how they should have Auburn would have been 9 - 3 or 10 - 2.

It also happens with recruiting. You win some and lose some and it's not always on the coach. We have a solid program now with MA, all it takes to go on a championship run is a couple top recruits, get some bounces going your way and bam MA is the greatest coach of all time. There are reason that even teams like UNC and Duke have bad years.

THANK YOU!  I realize it's just conjecture and meaningless banter when you're trying to spell it out for people that often have no life, but coaching at any school level shouldn't be and isn't about winning each little battle (and then making the dumbest-of-all argument that so-and-so is a better coach because he beat so-and-so that one game) it's about long term war, or in other words, building a program.  It's very clear to me that, except for the very few who sulk when they have to ride pine, the leader-type players buy into Mike's system and thus are part of a building program, where a consistent and more frequent group of basketball leaders will start to flow towards a product that is once again becoming a known commodity, slowly but surely.  I personally think this year has NOT by any stretch proven Mike's inadequacies as a coach, but more so has proven that with just 2 more guys who make better decisions and have better hands, the Hogs overcome the inches that kept them out of the tourney this year.  I'll say this as an aside: With the absolute impossibility next year for Kikko and Scott and Williams to be on the floor at the same time for 6 minutes, like they were in the SC game, the Hogs will be tons better.  In the end, it's about players being able to compete against the best, and those guys - God love 'em for being Hogs - just can't.  I do fault the staff, for that one game, for putting them in at all in such a HUGE game, but overall they are building a solid program and I'm happy that Mike is in charge.

[Hawg Red]

Or 6" from being 19-13. We got some of those bounces too. Ky & Vandy? Good teams make their luck by taking care of the game in the first 39 minutes so they don't have to hope for a fortunate bounce of the ball to win in the last minute.

Very salient point.

Our record was what it was. He blew close games and closed out close games. All we can take from this is that we were much more competitive than we have been in years past. Hopefully, next year we'll be able to not rely or die on so many inches or bounces of the ball.

[trashcan maN]

Very salient point.

Our record was what it was. He blew close games and closed out close games. All we can take from this is that we were much more competitive than we have been in years past. Hopefully, next year we'll be able to not rely or die on so many inches or bounces of the ball.

Yep, the last minute in basketball is alot different than the other 39 minutes. It's when having that guy who can create his own shot becomes a necessity and not a commodity. We don't have 'that guy' yet. That's why the Bulls won 6 championships. They had one of the best closers in history.

[Chic-Hog-Oh]

And you could easily argue we were 6 inches away from being 18-14.

I wasn't arguing. I have no agenda. I even referenced the Vandy game and "ifs and buts" in my OP.

I was only saying we were six inches from 24-8.

Do you have an agenda?

[Dr. Starcs]

I really don't.

It's just the "woulda shoulda coulda" in sports is played out too much sometimes.

To quote (partially) the great Dennis Green "we are who we are"

[Arazorbackguy1]

We're also a Biggers away from being 10-12

[TheRazorback500]

Close out the Tennessee and Georgia road games and the other Missouri game and we're 27-5 and 15-3. We can fantasize either way!

[Chic-Hog-Oh]

I really don't.

It's just the "woulda shoulda coulda" in sports is played out too much sometimes.

To quote (partially) the great Dennis Green "we are who we are"

Please re-read my post. I never said or intended to say "woulda coulda shoulda"; I was saying "We aren't that far away."

Thank you.

[Dirty]

Please re-read my post. I never said or intended to say "woulda coulda shoulda"; I was saying "We aren't that far away."

Thank you.

I agree with you but the Mike haters are out in full force.

[HogFanatic]

OP is correct. We aren't that far away.

But we also got blown out by a hapless Alabama team.
This team lacks focus and this is why you MUST HAVE a true point guard. A man who's JOB is to dictate the flow of your offense with clarity and efficiency.

We don't have one. So we are inconsistent. Capable of blowing out the best team in the land one day and get beaten by 20 by the worst the very next.

Mike Anderson needs to make the point guard position his number one recruiting priority.
I think we will be OK in the post as Kingsley matures more as an offensive player.

[warriorlion]

We're also a Biggers away from being 10-12

Dang, 10-12 the time someone beat me to it!

[Oklahawg]

I really don't.

It's just the "woulda shoulda coulda" in sports is played out too much sometimes.

To quote (partially) the great Dennis Green "we are who we are"

I agree. Arkansas seems to have the opportunity for "woulda shoulda coulda" too often. I want to get past that. I think we will in the very near future.

[Chic-Hog-Oh]

I agree. Arkansas seems to have the opportunity for "woulda shoulda coulda" too often. I want to get past that. I think we will in the very near future.

My original point exactly. I wasn't saying that we are close to being dominant. I wasn't saying that we are close to the 1994/1995 level. I wasn't even saying that we are close to always beating the lower-end teams (AL, SC) every time, especially on the road.

I was only saying that we were thisclose to being 24-8, this year. And that we're not that far away from being a team that can consistently go approx 24-8 each year, with a chance to once-in-a-while hit 30-5 and go for a championship.

In my opinion, those that don't see that are CHOOSING not to see it.

[No1Hog27]

Almost the same distance away your wife is from being satisfied.

Bazinga!!

Ouch!!!!

[chortle]

So how many moral victories did we finish with this season?

[Big Papa Satan]

Almost the same distance away your wife is from being satisfied.

[umpqua]

We're also a Biggers away from being 10-12

IF we had Ray Biggers on this team there's no way we would be 10-12. I think Wichita State has a Ray Biggers on their team somewhere and you see how they're doing.

[Athog]

Six inches has ruined many. If "if's" and. "But's" were candy and nuts we would all have a Merry Christmas!!!

[KCRazorbackfan]

shoulda, woulda coulda...............If a frog had wings, he wouldn't bump his butt while landing.  Lot's of different scenario's for this past fb and bb season.

[Chic-Hog-Oh]

Six inches has ruined many. If "if's" and. "But's" were candy and nuts we would all have a Merry Christmas!!!

Please re-read my OP. I refer to ifs, buts, candy, nuts.

The point wasn't "if only" or "we coulda". The point was "we are not that far away".

Is this really that difficult? Or are haters wantin' to hate?

[olivebranchhog]

Please re-read my OP. I refer to ifs, buts, candy, nuts.

The point wasn't "if only" or "we coulda". The point was "we are not that far away".

Is this really that difficult? Or are haters wantin' to hate?

Your posts make too much sense lol. You honestly can't explain your point any better.  I'm not a huge MA fan, but I really like the point you've made.

IF we had Ray Biggers on this team there's no way we would be 10-12. I think Wichita State has a Ray Biggers on their team somewhere and you see how they're doing.

Take 10-12 seconds to read up on Mr. 10-12 Biggers. I think you'll find 10-12 examples of what the post you responded to was about. It may be 10-12 pages down, but I'm willing to bet 10-12 bucks you'll find it.

[bcdeputy]

Move Harris' free throw against Florida two inches over.

Move Madden's layup at Mizzou just two inches lower off the glass.

Move Portis' short shot against SC just two inches to the right.

Six inches. Total.

I know there are other factors, that Vandy was a few inches from beating US, and that ifs and buts are not candy and nuts....

But six inches??!?? From 24-8?

It tells me we really are not that far away.

Good point and I feel better about the Hogs now.  I really do

[Chic-Hog-Oh]

Good point and I feel better about the Hogs now.  I really do

Really? No sarcasm?  It's so hard to tell, as you know....

Again, my goal wasn't even to make people "feel better about the Hogs". It was only to use a physical expression/measurement (no more wife-expectation-jokes here, please) to say: "We are not that far away."

[Razorhog2006q]

I was only saying that we were thisclose to being 24-8, this year. And that we're not that far away from being a team that can consistently go approx 24-8 each year, with a chance to once-in-a-while hit 30-5 and go for a championship.

In my opinion, those that don't see that are CHOOSING not to see it.

Sorry, but we really aren't that close. Until we stop striking out on our top recruits and settling for plan B and plan C recruits, we'll only have a chance at 24-8 once every few years with a veteran team.

I'm honestly surprised more aren't concerned with our recruiting. You would think with how much stock is put into our football recruiting, people would see this with our basketball program too.

[Chic-Hog-Oh]

Sorry, but we really aren't that close. Until we stop striking out on our top recruits and settling for plan B and plan C recruits, we'll only have a chance at 24-8 once every few years with a veteran team.

I'm honestly surprised more aren't concerned with our recruiting. You would think with how much stock is put into our football recruiting, people would see this with our basketball program too.

Hmmm. I thought our recruiting was improving (Portis is a McD's All-American), and that it's about to get even better with the 2014 and 2015 guys we are in on.

You must know more than me, though. I'll let the other recruiting experts here on Hogville pipe in on your viewpoint. Meanwhile, I'm gonna check the Recruiting Forum.  See you there?

Thank you.

[Razorhog2006q]

Hmmm. I thought our recruiting was improving (Portis is a McD's All-American), and that it's about to get even better with the 2014 and 2015 guys we are in on.

You must know more than me, though. I'll let the other recruiting experts here on Hogville pipe in on your viewpoint. Meanwhile, I'm gonna check the Recruiting Forum.  See you there?

Thank you.

You are welcome to check out the recruiting forum. On the first page, you will see where we struck out on Dickerson and Atwood.

We're on some good prospects next season, but the staff has to close the deal. So far, they've only shown that they can close the deal on in state prospects. Hopefully Mike can have a successful season next year and translate that into landing our plan A recruits.

[pillowhog]

Almost the same distance away your wife is from being satisfied.

LOL

[razorjack12]

Move Harris' free throw against Florida two inches over.

Move Madden's layup at Mizzou just two inches lower off the glass.

Move Portis' short shot against SC just two inches to the right.

Six inches. Total.

I know there are other factors, that Vandy was a few inches from beating US, and that ifs and buts are not candy and nuts....

But six inches??!?? From 24-8?

It tells me we really are not that far away.

You are what your record says you are. 

[Chic-Hog-Oh]

You are what your record says you are.

Correct. And if you re-read my OP, you'll see that I don't say we are different or better than what our record says we are. I said we were not that far away from being 24-8.

Is this concept really that difficult?

[oldhawgs]

Move Harris' free throw against Florida two inches over.

Move Madden's layup at Mizzou just two inches lower off the glass.

Move Portis' short shot against SC just two inches to the right.

Six inches. Total.

I know there are other factors, that Vandy was a few inches from beating US, and that ifs and buts are not candy and nuts....

But six inches??!?? From 24-8?

It tells me we really are not that far away.

Good Point!

[SONofHAM]

I say less than six inches. 

Forget the free throw vs Florida...how about the missed dunk?  Change that by a hair or just drop it in and it's a different game.

[SPAL]

I say less than six inches. 

Forget the free throw vs Florida...how about the missed dunk?  Change that by a hair or just drop it in and it's a different game.

I see your point. Really, I do. I just think the missed free throw is an isolated event that would have clinched. We can literally play the "what if" game for the entire game. Yeah, he missed a point blank dunk and I'll never convince anybody it wasn't a game changer, but despite it....if Harris makes 1 lousy free throw, they cannot tie.

[pillowhog]

And I'm only 6 inches away from being a porn star

[Beaverfever]

I think it's odd that our go to play with our whole season on the line was a play we seemed to have avoided all year.  Portis needed 10 times as many looks like that this season and he might have made that shot. 

[High Octane Hog]

This is a great thread!