Penders Stepping Down at UH

[Third Coast]

In reply to:

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[orangecat]

okay, Collie over Myers. The point is not one person can say why an offensive assistant who was supposedly the architect of one of the greatest offensive overachievements in NCAA basketball history failed to land a top job somewhere.

I'll tell you why, because the rest of the country didn't believe it, maybe because Jamie and Tom worked together? Maybe Jamie had the idea, but Tom gets a lion's share of the credit because his teams put it in high gear come tournament time.

Look at this year's UH team. If Tom had nothing to do with it, how do they win those 4 or 5 games in a row in their tourney and lead a #3 seed almost halfway through the first half?

I'll tell you why, it's Tom Penders. Put it this way, could you see us leading any of the #3 seeds at any point in a NCAA game?

This is a great coach, notice I didn't say a great coach and a better person, like they always say, just a great coach. period.

 

[Third Coast]

I always considered Penders to be a good, but not great coach. I also think he was a better coach when Ciampaglio was on his staff.

 

[orangecat]

How about this for the difference between good and great. Of the three BMW stars, which ones were McDonald's all-americans, or the equivalent?

I don't have total recall, but I think the answer is 0. A team within one shot of the final four, 0 all-americans? That's not great coaching?

How many coaches have taken four different teams to the tourney? four or five, and Tom is one.

How about this thing "well his teams just get hot at the end of the season". Somebody has to get the credit for that because it crosses all of his teams. The credit goes to Tom.

One more thing, if Jamie C. was that great of an assistant coach, which I agree he was very good, who gets the credit for hiring that assistant coach? Why Tom of course. That's one of the strengths of a great coach, he hires extremely well.

People don't want to remember how great of a coach Tom is because of the bad ending, I understand, but to say he was only a 'good' coach, you're not looking at the entire picture, you're looking at the last what, two or three years at Texas only.

 

[Third Coast]

People obviously have differing interpretations of greatness. For me it isn't a couple of runs in the tournament sandwiched between several early exits over a ten year span. Sure, getting to the tournament consistently is an accomplishment for a team that had little, or no recent history of doing so, but a great accomplishment? Not in my book.

Penders' contribution to the evolution of the Texas basketball program is undeniable, but he took it as far as he could, just as I am beginning to feel Barnes has. While both coaches have done a good job and have distinguishing attributes, I don't consider either to be a great coach and it certainly isn't my intent to diminish what they have done here in saying that. It simply is what it is.