Well, This Sucks

I

IndyHorn

250+ Posts
Nothing like playing out the string, when the calendar hasn't flipped to February! Reviewing the Big 12 conference, is it reasonable to think we can really beat anyone but Texas Tech? Truthfully, I am pondering the Kabongo situation, and sort of thinking Barnes should not play him for the entire season. As it is, the kid comes back, we are already 6 or 7 games under 0.500, playing the games for selfish interests, and glaring at Rick Barnes. Insert Myck Kabongo, let him show off any improvement in his jumper, and then let him go pro. Nope, I say sit him and take your medicine. Get the win over Tech to prevent the appearance of any "route 66" beat down to endanger Barnes, and he gets next year to right the ship. And maybe just maybe Myck Kabongo would stay in Austin for his junior year. Then if things don't improve next season, then it is time to open up the coffers all the way, as in ask Mack for a rebate, and go after Shaka Smart or even Brad Stevens. Texas is a plum job, and I am certain there are no shortages of coaches who can get us into the NCAA tournament year after year, only to leave by end of first weekend, and nearly always losing to a worst seeded team. As for crowds, Texas doesn't care about hoops apart from the folks on this board and Orangebloods, and the folks will not support a loser when the offensive style is brutally clanked-filled. There is hope all, just not this season.
 
We've played some pretty good teams close, & beat one to boot.
Youngest team in the nation, & the great thing is that no way anyone except Kabongo even thinks about not coming back.
That's been our main prob for the past decade.
Guys leaving too early.
If everyone who left early would've just stayed one more year, we had some potential final 4 groups.
Although a long shot, if Ricky just happened to get Frazier &/or Randle to play a year or two with this group.........

HOOK 'EM,
Texdoc
smile.gif
 
Watching how some of the guys play, I'm not sure that "he's coming back next year!" is a good enough sell as to why this program will improve on Barnes' dime.

We need someone other than Kabongo to spell the PG position at a bare minimum, and that someone has to be better than Felix. It's tough to discount the contribution that Felix has made to this point, especially since he has looked great against poor teams. But he's not the caliber PG Barnes needs in order to run a system. By the looks of recruits out there, especially in Texas, we're going to need to go the Juco route or something. Maybe a transfer from another state. Isaiah Taylor looks alright, but not like a Division I NCAA starter.

From the "slashers," if you could even call them that, we need consistency. McClellan apparently can't tell the difference between being in Rick's doghouse and just arbitrarily having minutes taken away from him. Papi looked great in a couple games and piss poor in others. You can tell that Lewis and Holland are really and honestly trying to get something going, but they're just not talented enough to lead the program to greater heights.

I don't even want to comment on how poorly Ridley has played. Outside of his occasional block, he's been plain bad. And slow. And lacks any offensive threat whatsoever. And allows far too many offensive boards from the opponent. Ibeh wasn't expected to contribute much, but at least he's not a flop. Lammert is getting wayyy too many minutes compared to what he should be, and it's out of necessity. I have a feeling that Bond was rushed back in to action too soon and that explains why he's playing so poorly.

Getting someone like Brad Stevens wouldn't change the culture of the university. We'd need to win. I don't think he'd be able to with our roster.
 
Not with this roster.

With Butler, he's got 5 guys averaging double figures and all of them only get about 25-30 min/game. This shows their depth. Unless he has magic powers to turn Holland and Lammert into bonafide contributors, then Stevens would be SOL here.

Their team FG percentage is 46.3 (compared to 40.6). This shows that they create good possessions on offense. We don't have anyone capable of creating that, even if Stevens was trying to coach them up to do so. Maybe if Kabongo was playing it would make a difference.

We'd basically need him to turn over the entire roster and win with the new one in order to change the basketball culture at Texas.
 
It is really frustrating as a Texas basketball fan (and Texas sports fan in general). I don't look forward to basketball games anymore. I don't even want to watch them. Not because I am any less of a fan, but just because it is so frustrating to watch these guys that don't seem to care and that don't seem to show any signs of improvement from last year. Lewis and McClellan show flashes of improvement, but there is no general step forward that you can state happened from freshman to sophomore year.

I just can't tell how much the loss of Kabongo set this team back. I am one in the minority that believes it had an absolutely huge impact. It turns McClellan from being "the guy" to being "the complimentary guy," which he is much more suited for. Kabongo would also likely get Ridley better looks at the basket.

I am just generally frustrated and not sure where to turn. The basketball season is almost lost, in my mind, and Kabongo likely leaves after this year anyway so we are stuck with the same lost souls we have this year.

And now I can even write Dear Abbey about it...
 
I would love to have him, but I seriously doubt Brad Stevens would come here anyway. He reportedly has turned down offers from Oregon, Clemson, Wake Forest and Illinois and has repeatedly said he is happy where he's at and will only leave "when they kick him out".

Butler is getting a lot of deserved respect and he doesn't strike me as a guy that would be swayed by a bigger paycheck.

Other than more money, why come to Texas?
Facilities? Well maybe off the court, but the FEC sucks.
Exposure? He has that and more at Butler.
Fan support? Uh, yeah right.
 
What really sucks is 2011 football was irrelevant, 2011-12 basketball missed the tourney, 2012 baseball missed the tourney, 2012 football was only above average and no threat, 2012-13 basketball is awful and will miss the tourney. And 2013 baseball may be decent but not expected to challenge for a CWS spot.

In the recent past we could bury a sport's bad season and painful ending, and shortly move on to the next sport to high hopes and several proud, competitive moments. Now it's all just mediocre garbage and we know the outcome is pretty much lame before we even get there. What the hell has happened to us?
 
Butler has only 2 freshman on their team. One of them has played scarce minutes this season, while the other plays starter minutes. Texas has 7 freshman on the roster, and all but 1 (Danny Newsome) plays at least 10 minutes a game.

Butler has 6 juniors and seniors. 5 of them average 12 minutes per contest. Texas has 2 seniors and 0 juniors. The seniors have combined to play for a total of 6 minutes on the whole season.

This isn't Mack Brown saying the team is young. IIRC, the team is literally the youngest team in the entire NCAA field. Even if your best players are all freshmen and sophomores, it still helps to have juniors and seniors on the team that can help the young guys transition to the college game and help learn the team's philosophy and strategy.

If these players (not Kabongo) stick around for a couple years, they could grow into a dominant force.
 
elface...appreciate the correction of my brain cramp. I have no earthly idea why I thought bball didn't go to the dance last year. And I watched that Cincy defeat. lol
 
Vol, I think Barnes knew full well that the team would struggle this year and necessarily accepted the fact that its record would not be stellar. Add in Kabongo's absence and the injuries to Bond and Holmes and it is a near disaster.

Nonwithstanding the marginal to poor play to date, this season will pay big benefits as early as next season considering every player with meaningful minutes will return (and likely the following year). They will be dramatically improved and stronger players next season. As an example, when Chris Owens went down to injury at mid-season, James Thomas was thrown into the fire and his development was accelerated.

Kabongo's absence this season has a silver lining. It forced Barnes to play the other guards who have shown improvement. Kabongo would have been playing 30 plus minutes only to disappear at season's end, not a positive for building the team for next season and beyond. Frankly, when Kabongo's suspension ends, I hope Barnes keeps him on the pines rather the give him minutes that the other guards deserve and need. If he wants to play college ball, he can return and compete for PT next year. As is, a half dozen games with questionable team chemistry won't sell him to the NBA.
 
Yeah it's weighted too much in the "he's coming back" category and less in the scheming, strength of schedule, etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Weekly Prediction Contest

* Predict HORNS-AGGIES *
Sat, Nov 30 • 6:30 PM on ABC

Recent Threads

Prediction Results Threads

2024 Schedules

Back
Top