[Hold My Own]

I just left practice and for the first time I was able to see RM in action....I'm now a believer. He's truly the real deal. He's not content just having them be good at running an offense but rather challenges them on a regular basis mentally. They have memorized his focus points to offense and other areas of basketball. IMO the mental aspect of all sports is as important or even more important than physical assets.
(My fav book is the mental game of baseball! )


I left practice today fired up for basketball. Not to mention RM is the KING of one liners....he had a couple of lines that were some of the best lines I've ever heard.


I have been a supporter of all previous coach's...Ok...maybe not Hank...I was waiting until the team learned all of the offense until I'd support him...(those around back remember him saying the team doesnt know 45% of the offense a week before the Big South Tourny!!!! LOL) But it's a new era and it's time to support our leader...he's the right man for the job!

[SuperJon]

Uh, they can't practice til Friday, can they?

[Hold My Own]

I dont know the exact time, but I believe they are allowed 4 hours this week....in fact one of his funny lines was saying they were going to hate him on Friday when he has more time in reference to running for an offensive blunder...LOL

[Chris Lang]

Yeah, the first day of "official" practice is Friday. These are still individual workouts, so to speak.

BTW, I know that there was a note in the paper saying I'd have more from Big South media day in the N&A sports blog, but I've been swamped today getting football, soccer and baseball interviews in. Will update the blog after dinner and then again tomorrow with more loose ends from the media day.

http://nasports.wordpress.com

[Hold My Own]

The NCAA's fall-practice rules used to permit individual and small-group work with each player, but were amended last year to allow for full-team workouts up to twice a week.

So during this period you're allowed twice a week for maybe 2 hours per practice...I'm guessing

[JK37]

You're permitted 2 hours this week (and the last couple) to work with the whole team. It's part of the "Individual Workout" period. What you saw today was that. Then on Friday, they get to begin 2 hours of practice per day for six days per week (one off day per week, required).

So, they get 4 total this week.

[SuperJon]

The NCAA makes things harder than they have to be.

[JK37]

The NCAA makes things harder than they have to be.

True.

[jcmanson]

I can't wait to see RM in action, and for the season to begin.

[checkmate]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/b ... nal01.html

Time will tell how it all works out at LU.

[SuperJon]

If you don't like anything Liberty, why are you on here?

[El Scorcho]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/b ... nal01.html

Time will tell how it all works out at LU.

Translation: I think too highly of myself to support the program before they've proven themselves worthy of my support.

[checkmate]

I am a big fan of Liberty and look forward to progress. The facts remain the facts I didn't manufacture the story. And will be the first to give credit when it is due. However no major recruits were signed for the upcoming year, we are pre-season 6th in the poll, Hold my Own is a big believer and let's all go to the games and cheer on the team! It may be unprecedented success. I think the Big South's basketball and baseball is better than advertised. Looks like Coastal added a 6'8" 270 and 6'10 post. It will be exciting to see.

[Sly Fox]

I understand skepticism, checkmate. But rehashing a story that we posted on this board back in March from a writer who clearly had an axe to grind is not productive on any scale.

I'm excited to meet Coach McKay in person in a couple of weeks and see the energy I've been hearing so much about form folks on campus.

[Hold My Own]

Whelp there goes me trying to be positive....


Bottom line is I was a RD fan...in fact to the point that I was not thrilled by the hire of RM b/c I was reading these articles with tainted glasses...but I'm also not the type that drinks ANY koolade so I did my own research and realized Sly is correct and those negative articles stemmed from people with axes to grind...either way I challenge all of you to do your own fact finding meet the man and watch him work...also watch him off the court...try to get a glimpse into the way things are being done if you do....then your decision will be made and nobody else has to talk you into what you believe.

If I can become a fan after being a big RD supporter than anyone can....promise

[Purple Haize]

HMO you ARE a KoolAid drinker, you just switch flavors, and lets be honest, you can only drink so much KiwiStrawberry before you start to wonder what the Mountain Berry Blast tastes like. Nothing wrong with that.
I REALLY hope that RM does well, and will give him the benefit of the doubt. However, objectively at this point we don't have anything to go on but past performance which is not chock full of championships. Having seen what I have seen in workouts etc, I have optimism that this will be different, but I have also seen enough (not with RM specifically) to be a tad skeptical. A great case in point WAS brought up about blockbuster recruits. While it doesn't appear we brought any big time players I am not sure how much that matters at this point. What does matter is what he gets out of what he has, and I BELIEVE that he will get more out of the talent then we think.
See I just can't decide betweeen Kool Aid and Wylers

[jmdickens]

checkmate???

I am the most critical person on this board....I back McKay and will be at every home game just as I was for RD....


you just like to get the ball rolling, which I think there is nothing wrong with that. If you were here at all during RD's crap, you would realize McKay is truly a blessing

for the record so everyone knows....I was not an RD fan

[LUconn]

wow, it's really not gonna be a close race for "worst new poster" at the flamies this year.

[El Scorcho]

wow, it's really not gonna be a close race for "worst new poster" at the flamies this year.

We don't have a Chili's, so we'll need to decide on a restaurant to host them. Anyone got a karaoke machine? Sly wants to emcee.

[TIMSCAR20]

wow, it's really not gonna be a close race for "worst new poster" at the flamies this year.

That would be fun to actually have an awards ceremony. We could all get to meet Paradox

I like RMK and I think he will do well. I don't like how we at Liberty tend to hype things before we win though. I have been around for over 20 years now and it is not anything new. I was kind of hoping RMK would be able to avoid it but HMO had to open this thread . Just messin with ya man. But really I am excited about this year's team and I think they will do much better than 6th place

[hurricane fan]

I can tell you one thing, I have seen a major upgrade in the attitude of the players and I'm not the only one. I've spoken to faculty and staff who have witnessed a major turnaround. I am a believer in discipline off the court leading to discipline on the court. We had neither the last 8-10 years. That's enough for me to give RMK the benefit of the doubt.

[TDDance234]

I know Anthony Smith is incredibly happy with Coach McKay and the offense that he has put in to place for the Flames this year. That doesn't speak for the rest of the team--but this is now Anthony's team, so if he's happy, I'd imagine it's an indication of the rest of them.

[Hold My Own]

HMO you ARE a KoolAid drinker, you just switch flavors, and lets be honest, you can only drink so much KiwiStrawberry before you start to wonder what the Mountain Berry Blast tastes like. Nothing wrong with that.

If your definition of drinking koolade is supporting the leader of the program then I'll give you that...but the reason I refuse to believe I do is simply b/c when I heard something about RD off the court I dont automatically say "it cant be true" I'll talk to RD find out what he says and make my mind up from there. There are SEVERAL things that took place during the last era that RD really wont talk about but we all know happened

I much rather people drink whatever kind of koolade I'm drinking...it ultimately helps the program rather than going around drinking whatever it is that keeps people from going to WBB games b/c they dont like the coach and MBB b/c they dont like the coach and VB games....what sports are left after the bitterness of the koolade keeps people from going to all those sports.

More should try my flavor

[Hold My Own]

I know Anthony Smith is incredibly happy with Coach McKay and the offense that he has put in to place for the Flames this year. That doesn't speak for the rest of the team--but this is now Anthony's team, so if he's happy, I'd imagine it's an indication of the rest of them.

Tyler Baker is happy with the way everything is going right now as well. He's said the team would complete and possibly beat the team from last year at the end of the year. Even TB and RM come from the same neck of the woods he was a little hesitant as well with RM coming in, it didnt take long to tell what he was all about.

[Schfourteenteen]

Ya know itd be cool to do something like the flamies at the homecoming tailgate next year. Thats the time most of us would be there, and maybe by that time stevev will feel that we are worthy of a trip

About the stellar recruits, which 1st year coach from the other side of the country ever has a great 1st class with a new team? If there are any Id like to know. Second, McKay has talent coming in next year(or we are pretty sure - Libertine would be all over me by now) Now Im not saying theyll finish in the top 3, but we are headed in a much better direction and thats all that matters. If you want to tick all over everything, checkmate, go right ahead. But I really dont think youve been around long enough to understand how much better off we are.