I remember saying that without Troy or Wendell on the team, the Aggies would be 2-5. How is this team going to compete in the WAC now?
Just for argument sake, I'll give Menzies a pass on the in-game side of coaching because it's one part of running a program. Albeit a significant one.
The other big part of being a college coach seems to be recruiting.
I thought it was hard to understand the fire Menzies passions of NMSU fans, but if a bad conference season follows a bad non-conference schedule, how much time does he have seriously? He's not bringing in the talent that can carry a program. The two that he did bring in aren't playing and unless something drastic changes, who knows if or when they will return. He already walked into an APR nightmare and he's down a scholarship. To me, Wendell McKines and Troy Gillenwater are two of my favorite guys on the team in terms of candidness in interviews and how they play and it's unfortunate what they are going through. Jonathan Gibson and Jahmar Young probably could have left but elected to stay. Hamidu Rahman put in a lot of work to get better and he's posting some good numbers.
But are the rest of the Menzies guys anything to build on once JY and Gibson graduate?
To bring in one or even two project guys such as Sy, N'Doye, Nephawe next year...great. But these are the guys that are being called on to help win games. At a place like NMSU or any other WAC school, I think you need to mix in a JC guy or a D-I transfer to keep a high level throughout, but either Menzies isn't interested in building like that or those players won't play for him. It's unfortunate because it puts a ton of pressure on guys like JY and Gibson and pretty much asks them to sacrifice a year here or there while the younger guys get their feet wet.
There is a third factor to being a good college coach which is leadership. You can't blame a 32 point loss on a lack of prep time nine games into the season because if they are tired now, what is it going to be like in the thick of WAC play?
28 comments:
Bandja Sy, and Nephawe are not project players. Bandja Sy will start playing good whenever Menzies starts uses his talent right. Sy is as talented than anyone on the team. Nephawe is a very good inside player. He is big and strong, and pushes people around. I can't wait to see him play. Nephawe who will come to NMSU at 240. N'Doye is a project. He isn't going to ever make any impact at NMSU.
Didn't Hal Dumme gamble his career on one recruiting class?
Menzies is doing the same thing.
He's going to have to hit the JUCO ranks for a quick fix...IF he's still around after this year.
Unm & Utep were admiring our program only four years ago.
All three schools made coaching changes around the same time and both our rivals have steadily gotten better, while NMSU has gotten worse.
Now were the ones admiring our rivals, pretty sad.
As you can see by attendance, there is no confidence in the program and a change is needed.
I think NMSU scheduled all of the California games because we were going to fight for recruits out there. Now we got killed by St Mary's and UCLA, and Fullerton came back and beat us easily. We are not beating anybody for recruits out there now.
I used to give a pass to Menzies for not being a good x's and o's guy because he was supposed to bring in a ton of talent. Somehow I thought talent would compensate for poor coaching. Its obvious that he hasn't recruited well either. Two academically ineligible players, a ton of project players, and it seems like everyone has clearinghouse issues. its time for him to go.
I'm not savy enough, but can somebody please start a FIREMENZIES.COM website like you did for Mumme. Please add links to Boston and the new President if you can.
It is no coincidence that we beat a better UTEP team with Durham calling the shots and Menzies listening from the locker room. Menzies has shown his ineptness as a leader and on-floor coach. I hope Boston realizes the mistake he made, owns up to it, and lets Menzies go. We may lose a few players, but this program is going nowhere with Menzies.
MM hasn't proved to be much of a recruiter in my opionion. He has proved to be much of a program leader in my opinion. He has't been a good in game coach in my opinion. Basically he has been our richie mckay. Now lets go find our Steve Alford.
Time will tell on the new guys.
The surprise to me on McKinnis and Gillenwater is that the coach didn't seem to know where they were with their grades. I'd think it was in the coach's best interest to 1) give the best help with their schoolwork possible, even if it meant paying someone to do so, and 2) keep track of where they were with their schooling and apply as much pressure as possible to keep them in line.
I know the student athlete has to make the effort to learn, but sometimes they need to be ridden hard to do so.
PJ
One last thing...Rahman deserves some props for his improved play. He's looking more and more like a center. If he keeps , he'll be one of the better centers in the conference by the time he is a senior.
Plus, he makes grades and is a good student.
In PJ's comment (9:28), he says hire someone to help WM and TG academically. Trouble is, that is considered benefits not offered to other students and is a violation.
Simple things sometimes aren't so simple!
Not much to say anymore!!!!
Ask yourself a question? Can we be any worse with Menzies gone?
NO,,,,,,,,,
It is time to make a change NOW!!
Hand the team over to Durham, and lets start moving in, at least a different direction!!!
DM
A player who doesnt know that there is no backcourt violation on an inbound pass is a project player anon 12:34.
I was listening to the game last night and was surprised that we were playing so bad but this has been no suprise in the past three years. Menzies has been unable to provide us with a team that plays consistently. Each of the past three seasons we have been treated to teams that disgust us, illusion us and disgust us again. Or any other order. Maybe that is consistency, at least we know that we shouldnt expect a good season or a bad season. We should expect a roller coaster ride every time the Aggies take the floor.
Jason, what about the other players that Menzies has brought in?I agree with what you say about recruiting and am surprised that in three seasons we havent brought in a Juco player. Hamidu and Ernst if choose to stay will be four year starters. Tyrone seems to be someone who will become much better as time goes on and BJ West hopefully is ok. JY has next year still and if Wen and Troy ever come back they each have two years left. If Menzies stays for some reason and the other players show the same amount of growth that Hamidu and Ernst did after their freshman season this team in my opinion should be a good one. Big IF's
GS
My recommendation:
Brad Brownell
Brownell, who turned 40 in November, is (6-3) this year in his third season at Wright State. He took the Raiders to the NCAA tournament in 2007. Before that, he spent four seasons at UNC Wilmington and led the Seahawks to two NCAA appearances. He has won 44 games at Wright State after winning 83 at UNCW, and has had four 20-win seasons in his six seasons as a head coach.
Everyone wants to be a hero! The recruits have to contribute something juco transfers always have worst attitudes because of the lack of discipline at a jc. I still think Marvin brought in a good freshman class thats has a alot of maturing to do Sy almost got a technical before tha game and has a really bad attitude, Deshawn Gomez needs to face reality and realize he is only a freshman and his minutes will be poor until he realizes that. West needs to get stronger and make better decisions. The other guy Standley is redshirting so he should mature and we know there arent to many players that can make better decsions than Gibson I think this is goin to be a good class once they get a more discipline coach
I sat three rows behind the NMSU bench last night at Pauley Pavilion. Words can not describe how big of an embarrassment we were last night. I have watched UCLA lose this year to CS Fullerton, Long Beach St., Concordia (props to anyone who can tell me where the hell Concordia is), and almost lose to CS Bakersfield. That's right Bakersfield.
I have never been so embarassed to have been wearing my NMSU shirt in support of my school. This of course isn't because we lost to a storied program, it's HOW we lost.
You sit there and watch Menzies coach and can't help but think the guy sincerely is lost. You would think, calling a time out to set up a play would show at least some kind of basketball IQ.
We had nothing. You can see it in the eyes of the assistants who he consults, you can see it in Menzies himself. How do we have no damn offense to go with an even worse defense.
We have size, we have a legit shooting guard in Young, we have an outside threat in Castillo, we have size that matches with most, and yet we are a complete embarassment.
Dr. Boston, I beg you to manage this. NMSU is a storied program and I am sure Menzies is a great person... but please ad value to our degrees, give us something to take pride in, and hire an up and coming energetic, charismatic, high basketball IQ coach that can return our program to a level of respect we are all acustomed to.
Disgraced Alum
DA, if Im not mistaken Concordia I am assuming the CA school, is in Irvine. As for the team, they just look bad, no the coaching makes them look bad. Everything from their lack of rebounding to the terrible zone defense to calling timeouts when the teams talent starts to shine and kills any momentum. It's time people, cut ties and start over. I have yet to see 1 pro MM post. He has had some pretty ardent support on here in the past.
Anon 9:28 I can say with 99% certainty that with regards to one of the players with academic issues...effort, attending classes and generally taking care of business this past semester all took place.
From my understanding, there is a HUGE disconnect between the MBB staff and the general academic institution.
Anon 12:23--if effort, attending classes, generally taking care of business and putting in the required 8 hours of study hall were there for one of these players, then how come he is still ineligible? It's doubtful that a player can put in so much work and effort and still remain ineligible, especially at NMSU.
even with a huge disconnect between the MBB staff and the academic institution, if the player is doing things right, it shouldn't be a problem. These two guys knew since May that they will be ineligible. They had summer and fall semesters to straighten things out. They didn't. That's the bottom line. Time to move on. Maybe we will see them in an Aggie uniform again next season, maybe not. Right now, that's irrelevant.
12:23, you said "From my understanding, there is a HUGE disconnect between the MBB staff and the general academic institution."
My question is, when did this problem start? I dont ever recall losing two players to grades in one year. Or I guess over two years since they obviously didnt do the job in the classroom to get on the court in Nov/Dec.
Hey, Mikey V.
Save your smug recommendations for 610 am call-in talk show. If Ags played you guys ten times I'd say they win at least three. NMSU ain't got the dough to pay a base salary like Alford gets. Aggies were pretty good while McCarthy was recruiting JUCO transfers, but junior college does not guarantee you'll get a good student, either. That's what ultimately ran a winning coach out of town on a rail and brought NCAA sanctions down for Lou Henson to deal with (for $1 per annum). I'm sure Brad Brownell wants to be paid. Mikey V, wasn't UNM on probation for the same thing after their best coach, Norm Ellenbuger, was forced out? NMSU's about academics and that's why their two best guys are out.
What gives any fan the idea they are entitled to a winning team anyway? Support your team or you are by definition no fan. Calling for the coach's head? It's so simple that Mick Durham could make all the right calls on Sunday? J.G., I'm sorry but this is bunk. Lou had Dick Nagy and Jimmy Collins recruiting for him back in the heyday when he'd meet UCLA in the tourney semi's. He'll tell you recruiting got more and more complex over the years and of course the tournament expanded with bball popularity. WAC is a big step above the Sun Belt if you ask me. A JUCO transfer now would make sense but I don't think Marvin came here expecting to stir up instant milk for a fickle fanbase. Menzies can clearly get bodies to compete in the WAC, but I don't think that UNM at #19 in the country is going to waltz in to Pauley Pavillion come out of there with their heads held very high! War UNM. War UTEP. War the PAC-10. War the Mtn West.
I am going to say it now. Menzies is holding this team back. NMSU needs to fire him now. Menzies has lost this team. The entire team hates him. We have a lot of talent on this basketball team. We shouldn't be getting blown out.
Menzies should start Laroche at point guard, Castillo at shooting, Watson at Small Forward, West at Power Forward, and Rahman at Center and have Gibson, Young, and Sy coming off the bench. No more Lumpkins or Merker unless we get into foul trouble. It is time to develop our young scholarship players for the future.
Anyway we can Boston to re-assign Marvin Menso and let Durham run the team after the California trip??
Boston's got to do something before we have another 6 win season in our hands!
UNM couldn't meet Tim Floyd's asking price last go-round but his stock is way down now. Boston's actions are sound... buy low and hope to sell high. Don't buy on a bubble. Don't look for a successful coach, look for a cast-off.
If you dump Menzies, Boston will need to find a Norman Dale out there who punched a player on the east coast 15 years ago or reform a lout like Dennis Hopper's "Shooter." Playing a game of coaching Whack-A-Mole won't advance any athletic program. Alford was run out of Iowa after what, like 9 years? Examine the Hawkeye's record under Steve there ... In general, Mtn West teams don't hire coaches away from the Big 10. Not sure a WAC school wants to test the market for high profile coaches in these tough economic times.
I wonder if Dr. Boston reads this. I hope he is thinking the same thing everybody else is. I wonder what his rational would be if he DID keep Menzies ... any thoughts or insight into Dr. Boston's thinking?
JG - you know how Gallup asks the same poll question periodically to track public sentiment over time?
Maybe it's time to ask, Would the team be better with Herb Pope, again? ...and get everybody off of Menzies back.
It's Christmas, so how about; What would Jesus do? Critics should walk a mile in Menzies shoes. And those of you casting these first stones might consider moving out of your glass houses...
Here ya go,,,,,,,,
boston@nmsu.edu or 6461211
Let him hear it!!!!!!
We all have to let him know that Aggie Basketball is not FUN anymore!!
he can't stand me,,,,,,,
dm
Read the article on the 'Pasring the WAC' website entitled our take on NMSU. http://parsingthewac.blogspot.com/
I think it is a fair assessment on what is happening at NMSU.
Theus did not hand over a perfect situation by any means. Theus created a ticking time bomb and then left the second something else came along.
Menzies might not be as good as any coaches does. But he is the worse than ever. lol. His a Sell out Mofo. The team need to do by their own.
Basketball Coach Gifts
The Aggies have great talent, even without McKines or Gillenwater. Talent has never been the issue. Menzies is a horrible coach, that's the issue and it's proving to be a fact now too.
Boston is doing the politically correct thing by publicly supporting Menzies, but it's pretty obvious Boston knows Menzies is not doing a good job.
UCLA is an awful team this year and the Aggies got blown out big time. I don't see much hope for WAC play.
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