MBB: American Southwest Conference

[Ralph Turner]

McMurry 100 Concordia-Wisconsin 75, 6:53 left.

[Ralph Turner]

Final-- McMurry 115, Concordia-Wisconsin  99.

[Titan Q]

You're welcome, Ralph. 

Not sure what to make of Texas-Dallas.  I think they have a lot of talent, but that Alma team they lost to Saturday is not very good at all.  To be honest, after Friday's games at the Wabash tourney, I thought the Comets would blow Alma out.  (Alma did play very well Saturday though, and maybe they're better than I think.)

[Ralph Turner]

What I like about the box score of the McM/CU-W game is the distribution of points and minutes:

11 players with 9 or more minutes and 9 players with 8-17 points (6 in double figures).  That is the Holmes-Vanlandingham style of ball that we saw in the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons.

I was also glad to see the 33-41 from the FT line and the FG accuracy.  They scored 82 points on 72 FG attempts.   

[321inandout]

When Vandlandingham left McMurry they changed their style of play, now Vanlandingham is back and so is the McMurry style.  Why are they paying Ron Holmes?  Sounds like Vanlandingham is the coach and Ronnie is his Toadie!  Also, McMurry went down as a team when Vanlandingham was gone, now you are saying they are strong again.  Oh, if I was Ron I would get rid of Russell he is making him look bad!

Sorry Ralph I know it hurts your feelings to talk about about the beloved Ron Holmes and the Tribe!

[Ralph Turner]

321, wow!  What did Coach Holmes do to you?  I have never heard Coach Holmes speak vindictively about either his mentor, Coach Kimbrell, or his likely protege, Coach Vanlandingham.

More accurately, we have the successes of the Athletic Department.  Coach Nichols obtained an NCAA Grant to hire Asst Coach Densman.  The administation has added funds to allow the hiring of a full-time men's assistant for the first time since Coach Van left.  Coach Holmes has taken on fundraising activities in conjunction with the new athletic field and track.  The colleges finances are in the best shape we have had since before the stock market downturn in March of 2000 and 9/11.

No one on the campus denies that Coach Van isn't extremely talented.  I am very happy that he is back from West Texas A&M.  I hope that he stays a long time!  To run the "system",  we will need 2 talented coaches who have a proven record and great chemistry and very little in the way of "egos" between them.

We have been out of the playoffs way too long.  I am ready to get back!

[mcmfan]

I'd have to agree with Ralph on this.  A lot of factors contributed (and contribute) to the success of any college program.  We had a good mix of coaches when we were running the playoffs; I think we were better coached with both Ron and Russ than we would have been with either of them alone.  We had more money; the last few years have seen very tight budgets.  We had Veronica Snow, the assistant women's basketball coach, who I suspect was something of a mother figure to the guys after Ron and Russ pushed them to the limit.   One thing that Russ brings to the table, by the way, which no one's mentioned, is his recruiting ability.  He wrote his masters thesis at HSU on recruiting techniques.  And finally, after losing one game and winning one, is there really enough evidence to form any kind of judgments at all about how the McM team is going to be for the rest of the season?

[Ralph Turner]

mcmfan, I ready for the full-fledged return of the Kimbrell Krazies!

Over on the Indian Nicknames board, the Yakama Indians bought the Yakima Sun Kings from the CBA.  They are changing the team name to Yakama to reflect the tribe not Yakima the city.

The new logo is a basketball with a band around it and 2 feathers.  If they market that as a baseball cap, I would like to have one!

[etbualum]

From the McNeese Website

McNeese 98  LC 46

http://mcneesesports.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2005-2006/mcnlc.html

[McM Blue Devil]

When Vandlandingham left McMurry they changed their style of play, now Vanlandingham is back and so is the McMurry style.  Why are they paying Ron Holmes?  Sounds like Vanlandingham is the coach and Ronnie is his Toadie!  Also, McMurry went down as a team when Vanlandingham was gone, now you are saying they are strong again.  Oh, if I was Ron I would get rid of Russell he is making him look bad!

Sorry Ralph I know it hurts your feelings to talk about about the beloved Ron Holmes and the Tribe!

"MCMurry went down as a team when Russell was gone."  I believe McM still won ASC division titles and went to the Conference tournaments.  What Russell brings is the energy, help in recruiting and expertisie in a particular system.  What Holmes brings is experience, immense knowledge and also great recruiting. 321, Coach Holmes is still one of the best coaches in all of D3, if you doubt that look at the statistics and his winningpercentage.  If you have a problem with Coach holmes and Russell, that is fine I have no problem with that.  But please do not spout off inaccurate and false comments when you bring that problem to the surface.

[321inandout]

I told you I would strike a cord with some of you.  I just ask the question, would Doug Davalos let an assistant change their entire game plan.  Would LC's coach or the coach at ETBU change their game plan for an assistant?  I do understand that assistants can bring some variety to a program and something new, but to change the whole program!  I am just listening to you all talking about the changes back to the old McMurry, well why do they come and go with a coach?  I think it is a good question.

[Ralph Turner]

321, I respectfully answered that!  The changes came with the talent that the newly-hired and -funded assistant coach brings, the coaching skills and personality of this assistant, and the chemistry that brought Elite 8 and Sweet 16 berths to the Holmes-Vanlandingham team.  We have had no other Elite 8 appearances by an ASC team!  Not Coach Davalos and that talented 2004 SRSU team.  Not ETBU, nor LC, nor any of the powerful MC teams!

There are no egos here between these two coaches.  They share an admirable relationship between mentor and protege.

There is a premise in medicine concerning the respect of the student for the teacher found in the Oath of Hippocrates.  This premise is easily transferrable into higher education in general, namely the veneration of the teacher by the student.

...that, according to my ability and judgment, I will keep this Oath and this stipulation- to reckon him who taught me this Art equally dear to me as my parents, to share my substance with him, and relieve his necessities if required; to look upon his offspring in the same footing as my own brothers, and to teach them this art, if they shall wish to learn it, without fee or stipulation; and that by precept, lecture, and every other mode of instruction, I will impart a knowledge of the Art to my own sons, and those of my teachers, and to disciples bound by a stipulation and oath...

I have never heard a coach of any reputation who did not acknowledge the essence of this in respect to his own development.  We are fortunate to see this in Coaches Holmes and Vanlandingham, and we McMurry fans are very excited!

[321inandout]

To get back to basketball.  Which game do ya'll think is the most interesteing for saturday.  I think HSU and UT-Tyler.  I know people are expecting a lot out of both of these two teams.  I want to see what they are made out of!

[mcmfan]

Right now, all the games are interesting.  At this point in the season, no one knows what any of the teams are made of!

[dsc]

Half:

HSU   40

SW    29