[LUconn]

Are you thinking of Carl Williams from UVA?

[TallyW]

"Carl Williams, a transfer from West Virginia, looms as the best defender and the most dynamic athlete on the team. A 6-0 senior, Williams could play either shooting guard or small forward. Williams was a junior college transfer at West Virginia, but got caught up in the numbers game there."

From WVU- here is the link http://digstream.go.com/ncb/preview2000/2335.html

I don't know if there were ever more than one... but this is the guy I was talking about. He was a big time defender who had to wait a year with Hankinson before playing for LU.

[Hold My Own]

I remember him, he was one of the better players he brought in...but anyways, I think i'm just chasing my tail at this point b/c the answers to the questions of why we're at the point we are right now are all listed from pages 1-4, so unless someone like Agent has another question or something I'm going to let this thread RIP like it should have awhile ago....but I'll be keeping a close eye on this

[Sly Fox]

Good ... this thread was giving me a headache.

[LUconn]

No, it's the same guy. I always say UVA. That was before I was at LU so I just have some false memory of UVA and I always say it. Anyway, he led the country in steals. Well, at least through much of the season.

[Hold My Own]

Good ... this thread was giving me a headache.

You!!! try having educated answers for a ton of uneducated questions
But your people had questions/concerns and they had to be answered

[PAmedic]

some of our newer members aren't aware that there are quite a few guys on here that are TRUE insiders with LEGIT info- if they post something- its probably golden, whether you w/ it agree or not!

I know that from experience!

[givemethemic]

Thanks Medic... I will not take all the credit for it... When you coming back down here again?

[PAmedic]

I have to ask! (no, really- I do.)

there's a big date coming up toward the end of May which is taking up a lot of our time and energy. ok- mostly Her time and energy. But I'm hoping to get down, maybe baseball season?

[flameshaw]

it was rushed b/c they didnt want to give anyone time enough to form a "committee" which was the biggest joke in LU history

OK... you are losing credibility...you have one bad committee choice and you scrap the idea? "The last election didn't go well... so let's just let Joe pick the next president." Same concept. From what I remember, there were good people on that committee...they just made a bad decision. Mel had good credentials, just not a good Head coach. So that was no reason to have a Mickey Mouse system in choosing the next coach.

There wasn't even a day between the firing of Mel and the hiring of RD. What if there was some outstanding candidate who would have stepped forward? They may not have even heard Mel was fired before they heard he had been replaced.

This is nothing against RD personally...but that is just bad business. Whether athletics or on Wall Street... you can't do things like that. Whether you have a committee or hire a firm or just have one person spearhead the process... you have to at least take applications for a week. What if Dean Smith wanted to come out of retirement to coach Liberty? He wouldn't have had time to send in an application. (That is obviously an exaggeration... but a good analogy.)

I was just saying that some of the people, that remember that situation, might be less forgiving than people who were not around then. A Soph or Jr., would have only been 11 or 12 years old when all that happened and probably somewhere else in the country. So I'm guessing the students are more forgiving. You got to think that RD may have rubbed a few people the wrong way back then and they may still be in Lynchburg. That's my guess as to your "grudge" people. I had nothing to do with the situation back then but I remember that emotions were high and bridges burned. Although they apparently were built back... maybe L-burg City Council forced LU to build that bridge too.

Say what you will, the reason RD is back is because of his relationship with Terry Falwell. They are big buds and to some extent Jerry listens to Terry. Terry does not always get his information right, but he is certainly an insider. He also came back without the blessing of Chuck Burch. Chuck told me himself that Meyers asked him for advice when things were not going well the last couple of years. Chuck told him the best thing he could do was fire RD because there was significant disloyalty going on behind the scenes. Disagree if you will, but these are the facts. If anyone but RD had this poor showing and a RPI rating at the bottom of D1, he would be gone. RD will survive a little longer than most, because of this relationship, but ultimately he will be gone becuase he is not a D1 coach and lacks the personality that endears him to most fans. Just the length and interest in this thread speaks volumes. He is losing support daily and it will take a major turnaround for him to survive.

[LUconn]

2-1-2

This is season 4

No coach with the above being true would be fired short of a scandal. (it seems as though some are trying to create one)

[PAmedic]

I have a feeling some of those whose names are being tossed around read this board regularly and may have closer ties than some of you know!

it might be wise to temper our remarks a little, no censorship mind you- just be a little careful with how we connect some dots.

(gentle admonishment!) now, back to the fighting!

[Sly Fox]

flameshaw - Its great to have you over on this board. You bring a different perspective based on your decades around our school. I do feel we need to walk a fine line in not bringing too much hearsay into the disussion.

Coach Dunton is our coach and I intend to support him as long as he holds that title and does not dishonor the school.

I take the Tylenol and still my headache remains regarding this thread.

[guest forever]

Flameshaw writes "Say what you will, the reason RD is back is because of his relationship with Terry Falwell. They are big buds and to some extent Jerry listens to Terry."


Well, that certainly should get a reaction from HoldMyOwn...which I'm sure will be amusing and entrtaining. I do think it is interesting that there are over 1,000 views on this topic in a very short time.

[nickrichard]

Flameshaw has his facts right...don't know where he gets them, but they are factual.

[Rocketfan]

While the individuals Flameshaw mentions are signifcant they are not the reason Coach D was hired, bottomline. I covered both the Hankinson freefall and the hiring of Coach D while on campus (if fact i got the first interview with him(dunton) after his hire, i believe i still even have it on tape). The reasons Coach D was brought on is because of the one opinion that matters, no matter what a committee decides or who is asked there opinion, Jerry has and always will have the final say in all hirings.
For this thread to even start is an absolute joke and the fact that people are actually calling for his job is why i wrote many articles in college on the defintion of a "True Fan". Many people in this town hold grudges from the Meyer era and need to get over it and support the guy who got this program to the tourney just a short time ago. Seeing the transformation of the Vines Center go from 6 people in the stands when Hankinson was here to being a part of the athletic department and getting to watch our boys play live vs. Saint Joe's was an absolute joy( not to mention the distruction of High Point, i have never heard the Vines loader than that day). However it amazes me how quickly we can switch to a " what have you done for me lately" attitude. The day that mentality changes is the day LU moves in the directions in wants to go.

[bigsmooth]

the what have you done for me lately attitude is an everyday deal in the world of college athletics. there will always be "dunton haters". i fully support coach and know next year will be much better. this topic is one i can refer to down here on tobacco road of the NC State "herb haters" club. herb has taken the pack to five straight NCAA appearances, and at least two ACC finals. he gets quality recruits, runs a clean program unlike his predecessor, but many still think jimmy v is the greatest thing since sliced bread, and will never be happy unless a marquee name coach comes to raleigh. this is a forum for free speech, so the dunton haters will always exist. but he is not getting fired and his big south record speaks for itself at this point.

[Sly Fox]

Welcome to the board, Rocketfan. I have to ask based on your user name are you a fan of NASA, the Houston Rockets or Roger Clemens. Any of the above would point you toward being/having been a Houstonian. Just curious.

Despite the varying opinions on the performance of Coach Dunton on the board, I believe this thread demonstrates how passionate most everyone is about the program.

[Guest]

flameshaw - Its great to have you over on this board. You bring a different perspective based on your decades around our school. I do feel we need to walk a fine line in not bringing too much hearsay into the disussion.

Coach Dunton is our coach and I intend to support him as long as he holds that title and does not dishonor the school.

I take the Tylenol and still my headache remains regarding this thread.

First of all, there is no hearsay (unless I am lying), since i got my information first hand. I do not enjoy posting comments that may be considered somewhat controversial, I was attempting to answer the question as to why RD was hired so quickly without the benefit of a search team/committee. Especially since he was not interviewed prior to Hankinson getting the job. There was a major campaign amoung some Flame Club members to petition the committee to consider RD for the job that was not successful. ( I was called at least three times to lend my support to the cause).

Bottom line, RD is our coach, I will support the program both financially and with my butt in the seat at the Vines Center. I will watch every game possible and follow the scorebard every game, just like I did in football. I am not a fair weather fan. I can clearly state that with the team making continuous improvement every year, you have to support the coach. However when we are really no better off then we were 4 years ago, have one D1 win in the weakest conference in D1, the question has to be asked; are the people in charge capable of doing the right things, or are they in deed doing the right things? No scandels, no improprities, just results.

[Sly Fox]

I assume that is you not signed in listed as Guest, flameshaw. I wasn't speaking directly of you in regard to the hearsay comment. I was speaking in general to this thread which as been full of it. And you'll notice I prefaced the hersay comment by saying we need to walk a fine line. That's all I was stating to everyone on this thread that has grown entirely too large over an original premise that isn't seriously being considered by anyone.

[givemethemic]

I talked with Coach D last night and the team is physically and mentally drained from a very long road trip.... As a student I want to see this team be successful and after talking to a few players yesterday, they and Coach D need our support more than ever. Of course no one is pleased with the results but let's even look across the whole board of men's b-ball... Arizona, Wake Forest, UNC, and Kansas are certainly not having there normal type of years... it's a cycle every team has one year that is below expectations and below the norm... It is known that help is on the way, patience my friends... Be there on Thursday if you a real fan!

[A.G.]

I don't think there would be as many haters out there if there had been a real search, and RD had gotten the job. Some have the impression that, seeing him on campus at times the last couple of years of Mel's reign, that Dunton had been campaigning for the job for quite a while. Then, with the quick dismissal and rehire, there is the perception of good ole fashioned back room dealings. Again, if the hire had been on the up and up, most folks would realize what a good hire it was.

[givemethemic]

I know that and my family has been great friends with the Meyer's for years but like it was said before... it happen a while ago.. it is what it is let's move on deal with the present...

[LUconn]

However when we are really no better off then we were 4 years ago, have one D1 win in the weakest conference in D1, the question has to be asked; are the people in charge capable of doing the right things, or are they in deed doing the right things? No scandels, no improprities, just results.

But what many don't understand is that we are better off than 4 years ago. While I know it's all opinion, I'm not really sure how you can disagree unless there's something else besides winning. We could very well be the WORST team in D1 at the end of year and still be in better shape than 4 years ago.

• 4 years ago we had a coach that hadn't shown us anything but failure and his icing on the cake was the worst team in the country. His last recruiting class was a joke and I hadn't heard about anything better on the horizon.

• This year we have a stuggling team with many holes, but a coach who has shown us nothing but winning since he's been here up until this year. His last recruiting class, despite some injury, has shown a lot of promise. And next years is shaping up so far too.

I'd say that puts us worlds ahead of where we were 4 years ago. WE ARE HAVING A VERY BAD SEASON THIS YEAR. Nobody can deny that. It is probably one of the few facts brought forth in the entire 7 pages of this thread. But it is not indicative of where this coaching staff is taking things. That is what is different than 4 years ago.

[Rocketfan]

First, four years ago we nearly lost to Division II Tusculum( i think we won by one point in OT) and we recruited players like Travis Eisentrout who coach Hankinson praised " as one of the best shooters in the conference" - i dont' even have words to express how wrong that statment was.
I think Larry Blair is a small step up from a guy(Eistentrout, our prized recruit) who couldn't find another D I school to take him after he left here (or at least to my knowledge)
Hankinson followed that with saying about 75% of his defense was in place right before the first round Big South Tourney game (thats on tape as well)
While i know we are struggling, we are recruiting better, we have a coach whom when he speaks people listen as this board has shown, and we can look forward to a pretty decent class coming in next year. So to say we are in the same place is ridiculous.
I am not saying all or any particular Flames Club members are fair weather fans, but i attended everyone(flames club) for nearly 5 years while attending LU and working in a capacity to promote athletics. i know during the Hankinson era during Christmas breaks games there were less than 100 people at some of those games, so not many people stuck with the Flames during the tough times, obviously.

With the logic you are going on i can only imagine you next post will reveal either you are trying to bring Mel Hankinson back or you are Mel Hankinson himself, cause ( as referenced above) only he can exaggerate like that.


Sly - Rocketfan is for Clemens, i am a huge fan. Not from Texas though, he is just my favorite athlete.