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

[nwahogfan1]

I say winning 22+ games, having a winning record in the SEC and going to the NCAAT every year is not asking too much.  I think there are 68 teams winning spots each year to the T so why cant we be there?  To me going to the NCAAT is like going to a bowl in football.  Just good enough.

I also think we should go above just good enough and be ranked in the top 10 and going deep into the T every so often.  How often, I don't know but lets say 3-5 times every 10 years.   I expect the same in football also. 

We have top 20 facilities, pay our coaches top 20 pay so shouldn't we expect top 20 results??

Your thoughts?

[wheelspigharvey]

I agree with what you're saying, and I'll go out on a limb and say that many wins and making it to the dance is within our reach next season if all goes right.

Just to add, I know it was only last season, but we hovered around the top 25 in pretty much every ranking almost all season.

[UNCLE BACK]

I say winning over 22+ games, having a winning record in the SEC and going to the NCAAT every year is not asking too much.  I think there are 68 teams winning spots each year to the T so why cant we be there? 

I also think we should go above just good enough and be ranked in the top 10 so often and going deep into the T every so often.  How often, I don't know but lets say 3-5 times out of 10 years. 

We have top 20 facilities, pay our coaches top 20 pay so shouldn't we expect top 20 results??

Your thoughts?

I agree but you will have a ton of people condemn your post and say that you are not a real fan... The truth is, Mike wants to win but also Mike is not that Hungry coach that felt he had to prove himself at UAB and MIZZU... He is content with being a rich man that now lives on the rich side of town. To Be Honest, it's hard to blame him.

[wheelspigharvey]

The truth is, Mike wants to win but also Mike is not that Hungry coach that felt he had to prove himself at UAB and MIZZU... He is content with being a rich man that now lives on the rich side of town.

Mike has a calm demeanor but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a fire.  Still waters run deep. 

[UNCLE BACK]

Mike has a calm demeanor but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a fire.  Still waters run deep. 

He wants to win but I can assure you that he is not as hungry as he was and we need him to be starving like a hostage!

[wheelspigharvey]

He wants to win but I can assure you that he is not as hungry as he was and we need him to be starving like a hostage!

I guess I just don't buy how one can know that he's not "hungry" unless you have some specific knowledge of day-to-day stuff.  This is a narrative that gets tossed around here a lot that bugs the crap out of me.

Maybe he is hungry and he hogs all the good meat trays.

[hogsanity]

apparently, for about 90% of the fans, record does not matter as long as Mike is still here, stirring warm fuzzy memories of 20+ years ago that they can cling to.

At this point, year FIVE, there is no excuse to already be in rebuilding.

[nwahogfan1]

I guess I just don't buy how one can know that he's not "hungry" unless you have some specific knowledge of day-to-day stuff.  This is a narrative that gets tossed around here a lot that bugs the crap out of me.

Maybe he is hungry and he hogs all the good meat trays.

Lets get off is he hungry side line and focus on results.  What results do we expect from our BB program no matter who is the Coach.

[TheRazorbackGuy]

apparently, for about 90% of the fans, record does not matter as long as Mike is still here, stirring warm fuzzy memories of 20+ years ago that they can cling to.

At this point, year FIVE, there is no excuse to already be in rebuilding.

Hogsanity, this team won't win 20 games next year and could have a losing SEC record by seasons end with a birth in the CBI tournament. NIT at best but might have to win 20 games for the NIT

[hawginbigd1]

I say winning 22+ games, having a winning record in the SEC and going to the NCAAT every year is not asking too much.  I think there are 68 teams winning spots each year to the T so why cant we be there?  To me going to the NCAAT is like going to a bowl in football.  Just good enough.

I also think we should go above just good enough and be ranked in the top 10 and going deep into the T every so often.  How often, I don't know but lets say 3-5 times every 10 years.   I expect the same in football also. 

We have top 20 facilities, pay our coaches top 20 pay so shouldn't we expect top 20 results??

Your thoughts?

+1 my expectations exactly.

[UNCLE BACK]

I guess I just don't buy how one can know that he's not "hungry" unless you have some specific knowledge of day-to-day stuff.  This is a narrative that gets tossed around here a lot that bugs the crap out of me.

Maybe he is hungry and he hogs all the good meat trays.

It just bothers the heck out of me that that bugs the crap out of you... Your logic is probably the only correct one... Mike makes top 15 money and we have top 15 facilities and we are the only show in the State...

[SexyBeast77]

I say winning 22+ games, having a winning record in the SEC and going to the NCAAT every year is not asking too much.  I think there are 68 teams winning spots each year to the T so why cant we be there?  To me going to the NCAAT is like going to a bowl in football.  Just good enough.

I also think we should go above just good enough and be ranked in the top 10 and going deep into the T every so often.  How often, I don't know but lets say 3-5 times every 10 years.   I expect the same in football also. 

We have top 20 facilities, pay our coaches top 20 pay so shouldn't we expect top 20 results??

Your thoughts?

I agree that 22 wins and the NCAAT should be our floor, the minimum required. However there are 42 Bowl games with 82 teams playing (2 teams play in 2 bowl games in the Playoff).  To put it another way, the percent of FBS that will reach the postseason in 2015: 65 percent!  To compare, 68 Basketball teams make the NCAAT out of 347 schools, that's about 20 percent, 1 in 5 vs over 6/10. Of course there are other lesser Tournaments, but so what, I don't really care about those.   
   With Mike Anderson's lackluster performance, his supporters keep setting the bar for success lower and lower. So much so that it's apparently now underground so far that Chilean miners can't even find it. The goal of our program is in fact not, win enough games for Mike Anderson to keep his job. The goal is to win Championships

[jjdlc]

apparently, for about 90% of the fans, record does not matter as long as Mike is still here, stirring warm fuzzy memories of 20+ years ago that they can cling to.

At this point, year FIVE, there is no excuse to already be in rebuilding.

27-9 is a record we should be firing him over?  Your welcome to your opinion, but as of right now, his record has improved every year he has been here.  If he has a run of bad season, I'm sure the fans will start flocking to your corner.

[wheelspigharvey]

It just bothers the heck out of me that that bugs the crap out of you... Your logic is probably the only correct one... Mike makes top 15 money and we have top 15 facilities and we are the only show in the State...

I just meant you're not the first person to say it, and it gets thrown around like it's fact sometimes and no one seems to be bothered, even hard core Mike guys. 

I'll go ahead and give my hypothesis as far as recruiting:  the system is hard and the training is hard.  Kids do want to work, but our conditioning is on another level.  That is going to attract some of these kids to take a look, but if they are being promised the same amount of success with less work somewhere else (not that other programs don't also train and condition), they might take it.

I can't stay mad at John Candy though.

[UNCLE BACK]

I just meant you're not the first person to say it, and it gets thrown around like it's fact sometimes and no one seems to be bothered, even hard core Mike guys. 

I'll go ahead and give my hypothesis as far as recruiting:  the system is hard and the training is hard.  Kids do want to work, but our conditioning is on another level.  That is going to attract some of these kids to take a look, but if they are being promised the same amount of success with less work somewhere else (not that other programs don't also train and condition), they might take it.

I can't stay mad at John Candy though.

I like Mike and want him to succeed but most superstars don't want to play 28 min a game and have to play the defense he wants. Most coaches say that when they are recruiting against Mike...

[wheelspigharvey]

I like Mike and want him to succeed but most superstars don't want to play 28 min a game and have to play the defense he wants. Most coaches say that when they are recruiting against Mike...

I agree that can be framed as a knock, and my rebuttal to someone who would say that that would be his rebuttal, which is that Qualls didn't play every minute but he had how many SC Top 10 plays this year? 

[UNCLE BACK]

I agree that can be framed as a knock, and my rebuttal to someone who would say that that would be his rebuttal, which is that Qualls didn't play every minute but he had how many SC Top 10 plays this year? 

I talked to John Brady and he really likes Mike, he said the biggest knock on Mike was that he has never put a Point Guard or two Guard in the NBA. I had never thought about that but he is right...

[HoopS]

As long as Mike is here, we can go 8-24 every year and I will be giddy with memories of '94. Frankly, I'm disappointed we won 27 games this season as it was the best year since the 90's and it brought memories of better days. Let's ban together and hope for a steady dose of 8-12 wins per year. Mike can make all the mistakes thinkable as long as he sticks around and gets us to the bubble once a decade.

[UNCLE BACK]

As long as Mike is here, we can go 8-24 every year and I will be giddy with memories of '94. Frankly, I'm disappointed we won 27 games this season as it was the best year since the 90's and it brought memories of better days. Let's ban together and hope for a steady dose of 8-12 wins per year. Mike can make all the mistakes thinkable as long as he sticks around and gets us to the bubble once a decade.

The sad thing is, we were in the top 25 most of the year and we might have had a full house one time at the BUD...

[MikePiazza]

Hogsanity, this team won't win 20 games next year and could have a losing SEC record by seasons end with a birth in the CBI tournament. NIT at best but might have to win 20 games for the NIT

Surely this post was a joke.

[King Kong]

   With Mike Anderson's lackluster performance, his supporters keep setting the bar for success lower and lower. So much so that it's apparently now underground so far that Chilean miners can't even find it. The goal of our program is in fact not, win enough games for Mike Anderson to keep his job. The goal is to win Championships

What is this lackluster performance you speak off? Your realize this program had won less than 19 games 7/10 seasons before MA took over and we just won 27 games and 2 players off that team will probably get drafted (one in the 1st other 2nd) Which is great news to show recruits since Arkansas hasn't had a player drafted in the 1st since Ronnie Brewer JR.

[HoopS]

The sad thing is, we were in the top 25 most of the year and we might have had a full house one time at the BUD...

well. That was pushing the envelope. Folks want us to only remind us of good times, not try to replace the memories with new ones. I don't blame them for holding out.

[hawginbigd1]

Surely this post was a joke.

Not sure why it is a joke, the way this roster is currently, I see 18-12 type season being the ceiling.

[hogsanity]

27-9 is a record we should be firing him over?  Your welcome to your opinion, but as of right now, his record has improved every year he has been here.  If he has a run of bad season, I'm sure the fans will start flocking to your corner.

Where did I say he should be fired?  But the end of your post is what I am talking about. He makes the tourney it will take " a run of bad season" before fans start talking about maybe he won't get it done.

[hogsanity]

What is this lackluster performance you speak off? Your realize this program had won less than 19 games 7/10 seasons before MA took over and we just won 27 games and 2 players off that team will probably get drafted (one in the 1st other 2nd) Which is great news to show recruits since Arkansas hasn't had a player drafted in the 1st since Ronnie Brewer JR.

Yea, it is really paying off on the recruiting trail. Whiff after whiff, and then he gets a 2nd shot at a highly regarded in state kid, and whiffs on him a 2nd time.

Last season was a good year, but lots of teams have a good year.

[wheelspigharvey]

Yea, it is really paying off on the recruiting trail. Whiff after whiff, and then he gets a 2nd shot at a highly regarded in state kid, and whiffs on him a 2nd time.

Last season was a good year, but lots of teams have a good year.

But was he allowed to talk to Kevaughn at all anyway?  Would we rather him have bent the rules?

[MikePiazza]

I still think next year's team can win 21-22 games and be on the right side of the bubble. Jimmy Whitt, Ted Kapita and Dusty Hannahs are great additions and they already have some returning players who have been through the wars (Beard, Bell, Durham, Kingsley, Watkins, Williams). Maybe Trey Thompson will take a Delvon Johnson step in year two. Maybe Keaton Miles will turn into a solid player.

It's a good mix of experience and an influx of young talent. Will they be as good as they would have been with Portis & Qualls returning? No, but the wheels aren't going to fall off.

[hogsanity]

But was he allowed to talk to Kevaughn at all anyway?  Would we rather him have bent the rules?

Well, he was allowed to talk to him for three years, and it did no good, so whether he was allowed to last week or not is not likely to have changed anything.

[latrops]

Good enough is kind of relative, IMO.  Going to the NCAAT 8 out of 10 years would be great, but never making a Sweet 16 or better would stink.  Only going to the NCAAT 4 out of 10 years would be disappointing, but if a National Championship and a couple of Sweet 16s are in there, it would actually be pretty good.

What I want is to consistently have hope...and not blind homer fan hope, but genuine perpetual hope based on the personnel available and the coaching that something special is coming in the next year or two.  You can deal with a down year or two when you have confidence (again, not based in homer fan emotions) in what is being built and that it is near completion. 

[Breems]

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

[UNCLE BACK]

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

KA did not come to Arkansas because he didn't want to! Even if Bill Self was here, he would not have signed right Breems?

[Deep Shoat]

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

Way to engage the subject at hand...

[Breems]

Way to engage the subject at hand...

I don't engage chameleons.

[Kevin]

going into year five, new practice facility, from here on, it should be ncaa's 9 out of 10 years, playing the second weekend 4 of those 5 years.

[Hawg Red]

going into year five, new practice facility, from here on, it should be ncaa's 9 out of 10 years, playing the second weekend 4 of those 5 years.

Reasonable. Time to keep babying things and continually bringing up how bad things were. That's over now. Time to be a competitive program.

[SexyBeast77]

What is this lackluster performance you speak off? Your realize this program had won less than 19 games 7/10 seasons before MA took over and we just won 27 games and 2 players off that team will probably get drafted (one in the 1st other round) Which is great news to show recruits since Arkansas hasn't had a player drafted in the 1st since Ronnie Brewer JR.

1 Tournament appearance is 4 years in lackluster. I can call it below average if you want. NCAA Basketball determines its champion by the Tournament, so if you want to be relevant you need to be in the Tournament. Success is not NBA players drafted or number of 4 star recruits or regular season wins. It's Conference and National Championships. How did you do there. All these other metrics do not make a Hall of Fame Coach.

[wheelspigharvey]

Well, he was allowed to talk to him for three years, and it did no good, so whether he was allowed to last week or not is not likely to have changed anything.

Actually I was talking about this:

and then he gets a 2nd shot at a highly regarded in state kid, and whiffs on him a 2nd time.

I think most are under the impression that there's not supposed to be communication, so calling it a whiff seems like you're saying we should be doing something that skirts the rules.  Either that or you're setting up a catch-22 sitch.

[hogsanity]

Actually I was talking about this:

I think most are under the impression that there's not supposed to be communication, so calling it a whiff seems like you're saying we should be doing something that skirts the rules.  Either that or you're setting up a catch-22 sitch.

I did not follow it that closely, if he was never given a release, then no they could not communicate. But, regardless, there was nothing compelling enough about his in state flagship school that, when given the opportunity to change his mind, leave FLA and come home, drove him to do so.

[jjdlc]

going into year five, new practice facility, from here on, it should be ncaa's 9 out of 10 years, playing the second weekend 4 of those 5 years.

Agreed.

[King Kong]

Yea, it is really paying off on the recruiting trail. Whiff after whiff, and then he gets a 2nd shot at a highly regarded in state kid, and whiffs on him a 2nd time.

Last season was a good year, but lots of teams have a good year.

Jimmy Whitt and Ted Kapita are excellent recruits. We will see what Dustin Thomas can bring year after next, but he was a 150 type player out of HS.

But that really doesn't even matter. What matters is winning games. The last 2 season have been very good years. At most 2 wins from being in the tourney (win at UK) and this year a 5 seed never even considered a bubble team. Outside of Portis MA hasn't ever got a superstar recruit. He does have more highly ranked players than he had at UAB or Mizz and he took them to the Sweet 16 and Elitle 8.

[TheRazorbackGuy]

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

Totally disagree Breems. I think Hogsanity looks at this objectively. He isn't putting the coach before the program like most do in jump ball.

[HoopS]

I did not follow it that closely, if he was never given a release, then no they could not communicate. But, regardless, there was nothing compelling enough about his in state flagship school that, when given the opportunity to change his mind, leave FLA and come home, drove him to do so.

wait. So you didn't even follow this close enough to know he never officially got released? Haha. Wow. Ok. Pretty telling.

[HF#1]

If we win 20 Games next season, I'll be happy.

[Kevin]

If we win 20 Games next season, I'll be happy.

Sad

[MikePiazza]

I'm fully behind Mike Anderson, but I can see hogsanity and other posters' point to their views.

Like it or not, Mike was absolutely a nostalgic hire. Last season was a fantastic ride, but I understand why some might be skeptical as to how his program projects long-term.

The 2016 recruiting class is huge for him. There is going to be a drop-off next year. I don't know how steep it's going to be (I'm inclined to believe it won't be as bad as some think), but if he doesn't land a solid class in 2016, it's likely that his program isn't ever going to take off.

We've never seen him coach anywhere more than five years. He had four at UAB and five at Mizzou. This is his fifth year. It's going to be uncharted ground for him after next March.

I'm hopeful that he will deliver another tournament team next season and lands a top 15 class in the spring, but if he doesn't, then there should definitely start to be some worry.

[UNCLE BACK]

To me, we have to understand that thinking a Coach is not doing a great job doesn't mean we want him to fail or that we are not fans. I have had season tickets for 16 years and I will continue to. I thought Heath and Pel were poor choices for coach. I think Mike was a great choice but now that he is here, I feel like he is lazy in recruiting and his staff are all inadequate recruiters. I know for 100% certainty that Zimmerman is not allowed on recruiting trips. Mike needed to fill the shoes of Portis and Qualls in the worst way this Spring because next years class is very important. Do we really expect to land a Great class next year if we win about 17 to 20 games in 2015...?   

[Kevin]

To me, we have to understand that thinking a Coach is not doing a great job doesn't mean we want him to fail or that we are not fans. I have had season tickets for 16 years and I will continue to. I thought Heath and Pel were poor choices for coach. I think Mike was a great choice but now that he is here, I feel like he is lazy in recruiting and his staff are all inadequate recruiters. I know for 100% certainty that Zimmerman is not allowed on recruiting trips. Mike needed to fill the shoes of Portis and Qualls in the worst way this Spring because next years class is very important. Do we really expect to land a Great class next year if we win about 17 to 20 games in 2015...?   

Are you saying we have a full time assistant coach who does not leave campus to recruit?

[rude1]

I say winning 22+ games, having a winning record in the SEC and going to the NCAAT every year is not asking too much.  I think there are 68 teams winning spots each year to the T so why cant we be there?  To me going to the NCAAT is like going to a bowl in football.  Just good enough.

I also think we should go above just good enough and be ranked in the top 10 and going deep into the T every so often.  How often, I don't know but lets say 3-5 times every 10 years.   I expect the same in football also. 

We have top 20 facilities, pay our coaches top 20 pay so shouldn't we expect top 20 results??

Your thoughts?

LOL, I get what you are saying I really do. But if that is the standard around here we were failing to meet it long before CMA signed on board to try his hand at it. At some point yes that needs to be the standard but I don't believe this is a program that can demand that right now, and if we replaced CMA tomorrow I doubt we hire anyone who produces that. We had the best season in 20 years last season, how about we slow our roll and let's see how this next season plays out before we declare what this program should be producing?

[Hawg Red]

LOL, I get what you are saying I really do. But if that is the standard around here we were failing to meet it long before CMA signed on board to try his hand at it. At some point yes that needs to be the standard but I don't believe this is a program that can demand that right now, and if we replaced CMA tomorrow I doubt we hire anyone who produces that. We had the best season in 20 years last season, how about we slow our roll and let's see how this next season plays out before we declare what this program should be producing?

You think winning at least 22 games and having a winning conference record in the SEC each year is asking too much? Wasn't that a selling point of Anderson? That he gets programs turned around and makes the NCAAs every year once he does so? He just won 27 games and got us into the tournament. Hasn't he turned it around enough to have the relatively meager expectation of at least 22 wins each year and an NCAA birth? I mean, that's not outlandish by any stretch of the imagination. It's not even all that successful.

[UNCLE BACK]

Are you saying we have a full time assistant coach who does not leave campus to recruit?

He may get to ride the plane... He is not in Living Rooms ever ever ever!