[Hold My Own]

Just a little food for thought, I agree with yall, a reg. season conference game cannot be held but so high and doesn't touch any of our championship games (but we only have a few of those)...but someone asked me, if you put UVa in the BS that year how would they have done....I'd think they'd win it hands down...so with that way of thinking it's not as close to the UVa win as I thought, but I'm still going to put it in the Top 10, just simply b/c we dont have but so many big games (not to mention some people on this board would have put his head on the chopping block if we didn't make the playoffs)...I really want us to revisit the Top 5 wins of all time thread b/c I really am having trouble naming a Top 10 list of wins while we've been in the NCAA.... ...but I still don't think it was to far off

Something else to think about FSN or someone else; name all the players Coach D lost the year before he got the interim job....White, Peter?, and a few more Tough players, so that makes the UVa win even more impressive

[fsn32]

We lost a lot before that season and even though UVa was down... it was still a huge win, certainly at that point in the year. I think that's why people were a little defensive about putting the Winthrop win near it in the historical perspective.

The good thing is that we are able to have this debate... the next debate is... where does Larry fit in the all-time greats list, and where will he be playing when his college days are done.

[Hold My Own]

No kidding, who ever thought we'd have anything good to come from this year other than the year being over...it's nice to even be able to discuss, let's just hope we can ruffle a few feathers and get in that BS Tourny

[TIMSCAR20]

My opinion is that this was a big win for self esteem and confidence and in terms of just the fun of beating Winthrop. But historically it is not close in my mind to a top 10 win. I agree with FSN (Sorry HMO) because the UVA win and others like beating Tech were on the road and were "money" games and they had to overcome officials, environment etc. This was a home game against the defending conference champs. This happens in every conference just about every year in hoops. Tech beat Duke, Northwestern gets jacked up and upsets Ohio St or Wisconsin etc. Conference games on the road are tough regardless of the records or standings because the teams know each other and the scores start at 0-0. We people that are around the sport and this team in particular know that sometimes it is a fine line between winning and losing. VA Tech was 8-8 last year but were a few points from being 4-12 (Sorry Coach D I know that I stole that analogy from you). My point is that although this was great for the program and this group, it has very little historical significance. We are caught up in the emotion of all of this but looking back we will see that it is not as significant as it might feel now...As far as UVA in 98 winning the Big South? I don't think they would have. You have to remember that they would have to go on the road 8 times that year and Asheville, Radford and even Winthrop would have been tough to beat not to mention a 9th place team with nothing to lose coming out of no where and beating them i.e. what happened to Winthrop on Monday. Just because you have Virginia on your chest doesn't mean you have a better team. The truth is I would take the 98 UNCA team over that 98 UVA team player for player any day of the week. UNCA lost on a buzzer beater that year to a very good Radford team but they were really tough. Kevin Martin, Josh Pittman and a couple of big men in Remko Smits and others. Ask GOAT who he thinks was more talented and I would bet he would say UNCA had a couple of guys that were nightmares to guard. GOAT owned Staples for 3 years in pickup games (I know cause I was there) and our guys were not afraid of UVA that year.

[PAmedic]

This happens in every conference just about every year in hoops. Tech beat Duke, Northwestern gets jacked up and upsets Ohio St or Wisconsin etc. Conference games on the road are tough regardless of the records or standings because the teams know each other and the scores start at 0-0.

hey, I heard OK St. beat TEXAS last Sunday, anyone else notice that? Anyone?

[TallyW]

Now that you mention it Medic... I recall that game too!

Don't mess with texas OKLAHOMA!

[grm]

By the way (or BTW, for the experts) what about Winthrop having a senior, 4 year man, suddenly "missing in action"?
Billy Houston - 6'8" 240, is not on the team. Pretty good source says he quit. Guess we better call for Marshall's head on a platter, that is, if we follow the wisdom of some of our guests. I'm not saying who is right or wrong in these things, just that it's not always easy to maintain a team, even when you're winning. LU basketball, with its direction and determination, will move forward in a positive way, as we see them doing now. Have not arrived, but they have circled the destination on the map, and they're headed in that direction.

Might be others discontented at Winthrop as well.... Not chuckling, just pointing it out.

[PAmedic]

yeah- that was a source of some irritation for them. Just after the Spring semester started that guy left the program to ostensibly "concentrate on his degree". Evidently some sort of committment to an internship program or something. He wasn't playing that much, so it wasn't a huge impact but I know the guys on WEFs board felt like the kid owed the team and the school a little more than that- thats a tough call though.

[TIMSCAR20]

Actually Billy Houston was a key player for most of his career. He started a lot but he also came of the bench. I would say he was a major loss to them even though they are deep. He is the schools all time leading shot blocker with 141. His minutes were gradually being reduced and I think it got to a point where he decided the hard work and time wasn't worth it to him. Talking to a few guys that have played at this level back in the old days, we can't even relate. It is a different generation for sure. Your time in division 1 basketball is so,so, so short. Basically 3 years and a few months if you don't redshirt. LB was a freshman 5 minutes ago it seems and after the tournament next weekend he will be looking at preparing for his senior year! Time flies is not just an old saying, it is true. I am not saying the big fella is going to regret walking away from it because I don't know him that well but I will say that it would have been a regret of mine if I ended my college career even a few weeks pre-maturely. What a priviledge it is to compete at this level, let alone be successful as a team.

[Hold My Own]

I'm not going to lie, I heard he may not be the only one to quit either...some honestly feel like there is some trouble in Rock Hill now

[Sly Fox]

Now if you guys want to rate this among our biggest UPSETS of all time, I put this in the Top 5.

As for anything that those Land Thieves & Dirt Burglars might've done over the weekend I have dismissed it from my memory banks. Its like it never even happened.

[WinthropEagleFan]

I'm not going to lie, I heard he may not be the only one to quit either...some honestly feel like there is some trouble in Rock Hill now

Who else is quitting? I haven't heard a thing...

I remember during the 1999-2000 season, there was a blow-up on the bus on the way back from an embarrassing loss against a previously winless Campbell team and Robbie Waldrop (WU's 6th man, great outside shooter and one of the best dunkers to ever come through the program) quit but asked back on the team after a couple of games...He ended up leaving the program after that year (he was only a junior), and I remember all of the same 'the sky is falling talk' going on when he quit the first time and when he left for good and how the program was in shambles, blah, blah, blah...That team ended up righting the ship and getting a 14 seed, and made the tourney the next year w/o Waldrop...

There's no secret that Marshall isn't fun to be around when the team isn't playing up to its expectations, but I'd rather have that kind of program than the one that WU had previous to Marshall, which had the nice-guy coach who nobody ever said a bad thing about, but couldn't hack it as a Division I coach...Yes, there is probably a middle-ground, but for the time-being, I like where the WU program is at and I can handle a few bumps in the road (unlike some other over-reactionary WU fans that are around)...

[Hold My Own]

That's a good response WEF, a lot of people/fans take it as a personal attack when they hear something negative about their coach on another teams message board, I'll out the name when I hear it again or find out that it wasnt innnnssssidddee innnnforrmattion

[WinthropEagleFan]

Actually Billy Houston was a key player for most of his career. He started a lot but he also came of the bench. I would say he was a major loss to them even though they are deep. He is the schools all time leading shot blocker with 141. His minutes were gradually being reduced and I think it got to a point where he decided the hard work and time wasn't worth it to him. Talking to a few guys that have played at this level back in the old days, we can't even relate. It is a different generation for sure. Your time in division 1 basketball is so,so, so short. Basically 3 years and a few months if you don't redshirt. LB was a freshman 5 minutes ago it seems and after the tournament next weekend he will be looking at preparing for his senior year! Time flies is not just an old saying, it is true. I am not saying the big fella is going to regret walking away from it because I don't know him that well but I will say that it would have been a regret of mine if I ended my college career even a few weeks pre-maturely. What a priviledge it is to compete at this level, let alone be successful as a team.

Billy Houston was a popular player at WU, but he never seemed to get much better during his career...actually, his defense got alot better, but his offensive game never developed...He averaged more as a freshman than he did his junior and senior years....So no, of course none of us were happy to see him leave, but his impact on the court in the last few years hasn't been so big as for the loss to really have much of an impact on the team i think.

[PAmedic]

forgot to post this the other day- found this thread over on the ESPN board: a riot

http://forums.espn.go.com/espn/thread?f ... D=19974371

the opening quote "there is buzz on this" starts the whole mess off just right.

[Hold My Own]

to bad I cant pull the IP address on the guy who started that, b/c I might get another good laugh like I was able to get on here about a month ago...that was great

is it me or have we gotten like 15 new members since our win just 3 days ago? not to mention the guests that have stayed in the dark waiting for their next moment to strike

[PAmedic]

dead on about the nay-sayer guests. They'll be back if we lose another game.

[Stevev]

It would be inexcusable to beat Winthrop and then loose to Coastal. Inexcusable!!

[Hold My Own]

LOL, annnnnddddd heeeerrrrrrreeeeeeees STEVEV!

Stevev, you know as well as I do how good their playin right now and their winning streak doesnt happen by chance, but I do appreciate you trying to ruffle some feathers! I do it all the time

[Stevev]

Our average attendence this year at home was 1,784. During Mel Hankinson's final year it was 1,766. Very close. I am starting to see some resemblance here with student interest. Not good.

[viper30]

Students at Liberty are inexcusably lacking in school spirit. In today's athletic world, they really can make a differenc ein a contest. Even as I don't liek Dunton much, he was here back when student attendance wasat its peak under a good coach in Jeff Meyer. RD could've possibly kept that going, but wasn't given the chance after his interim year and 4 years of Hankinson (best talent scohol has ever seen, just too smart and unwilling to adapt). I think the students this year just got tired, not of losing, but of losing BADLY in many cases. I think they'll come back some next year with the way next seaosn's class shaping up, talent-wise. But it'll have to be a multi-year process, and after the days of Larry Blair are over, let's hope there's still excitement.

[Stevev]

It is hard to get the fans to show up to watch us get blown out and knowing that we lost to the Longwoods and the Mount St. Mary's of the world not to mention our pitiful record this year.

[Hold My Own]

I pulled Vipers IP thinking it would be the same "LU Staffer" that just made an appearance in the vines...

get registered man, your posting to much not to be!

[Hold My Own]

and after the days of Larry Blair are over, let's hope there's still excitement.

yeah b/c A. Smith doesnt show much promise

[TallyW]

Not to mention the best attendance in the Vines were when Larry Blair was in middle school... There will always be another great player. No university is ever going to be built on 1 basketball player.