Coach Frank Martin

[PreecherJenkins]

this is a bad look IMO - how long has he been coaching? He was actually around when the A-10 got 4-5 at large bids so if he's saying he didn't realize how good the A-10 is - really?

this is not a bad look but a realistic one that coaches do not watch every game they can. During the season the head man is watching his or her teams practice, and probably film on their next five games. After that, they may catch a game that their friends coach but as the esteemed inv said, they really do have blinders on.

[dennisdent]

Martin's been on social media looking up his name for the past 15 years, doesn't leave much time to watch the A - 10.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

The A10 had 6 total bids in 2014. 5 bids in 97, 98 and 2013. 4 bids in 93, 96, 04 and 2012. The A10 has averaged 3.67 bids since it's founding in 1976-7.

Careful talking about averages here... some people really don't like that.

[inthescoop]

Look at that. We got a win and there have been no posts in this thread aka no complaining about Frank.

I think that maybe... we like to win! Ayyyyyy

[MakeMullinsGreatAgain]

this is a bad look IMO - how long has he been coaching? He was actually around when the A-10 got 4-5 at large bids so if he's saying he didn't realize how good the A-10 is - really?

this is not a bad look but a realistic one that coaches do not watch every game they can. During the season the head man is watching his or her teams practice, and probably film on their next five games. After that, they may catch a game that their friends coach but as the esteemed inv said, they really do have blinders on.

ok so maybe me saying it was a bad look was a bad choice of words - but my overall point is - and I think someone was kind enough to do some research and back me up - the A-10 is a pretty damn good conference and has been for many years - for anyone - not just Frank to say he didn't realize just how good a conference they were - thats a little surprising to me.

[Marty Peretz]

I ran into Frank by chance yesterday and I basically apologized to him for what the fans of this team have been doing to the program since the beginning of December. I’m very aware from some people associated with the team that the Twitter fans are hurting the players and their ability to play their best as a team and that is what’s bothering FM and I let him know there are fans out there that get that and are behind him. He said he appreciated that and he is about building a foundation here that can be strong for a long time. It was a quick conversation. Everyone that says they care about this team and wants them to succeed should consider how their social media thoughts affect the players. Whether you believe it or not you do not know more about this team than FM does so you are not going to change his thoughts on the team. There was no foundation being built by MM, it was a program that tried something that didn’t work so they tried something else and that didn’t work and then 4 yrs later they were in the same situation…that goes for everything from how they practiced, how they recruited, how they played and on down. FM is experienced enough to build something the right way…the players are not experienced enough to look at their fan base and realize the loudest voices have never played, coached or evaluated in their life, they are just people who follow the team who have fooled themselves into thinking they can watch a game twice a week and think they know everything that is going on. The fan social media controversy started when the team was in a pretty good place as far as record goes and it has been getting worse since then. This isn’t a coincidence. FM is not about quick fixes. I don’t agree with everything that is happening on the court but rotations are not what I’m seeing as the problem. I discuss things with friends and I may or may not be right since I have no access outside of what I see on tv.

Respectfully, this is a garbage take that treats kids as if they are incapable of thinking for themselves and insinuates that the head coach is some sort of all-knowing authority figure. The truth is somewhere in the middle. It also suggests, wrongly, that "twitter fans" are somehow "hurting the players" based on what, Frank's rant in a press conference? Frank is doing a perfectly decent job, but to buy his statements hook line and sinker shows a real lack of critical thinking on your part. Take a look at twitter and what you'll see is a VERY small number of people criticizing the play of Frank's son. In VERY rare instances a couple folks have taken it too far by saying he stinks, etc but even that has been pretty damn tame by comparison to most major fan bases. Virtually ALL of the twitter criticism has been directed at Frank. Additionally this notion that "the players are not experienced enough to look at their fan base and realize the loudest voices have never played, coached or evaluated in their life" A) presumes to know what every critic on twitter's basketball history is, which is both dumb and happens to be wrong (some critics know things too) and B) presupposes that these kids, some of whom are 22 or older, have no ability to discern the difference between the cranks of twitter and the well informed on twitter. Lumping them all in the same category is simply lazy. If you think being a blind homer for the coach is what fandom means, by all means, go for it. But Frank Martin is not beyond reproach and the VAST majority of the fan base takes issue with his decisions. Look up any player besides his son and fans are overwhelmingly supportive, even on twitter. Going after the most hardcore fans this program has a wildly dumb idea, whether it's you doing it or Frank doing it.

Respectfully, there are very few of the abundant amount of posts you make about basketball that I agree with. That’s ok because it is not important that we agree. My suggestion would be to take a step back and watch a little more but that’s just a suggestion.


I am done with this thread as many of the posters have had enough and I am with them.

Why do you feel the need to anoint yourself as a voice for "many of the posters." Just speak on your own behalf. This isn't elementary school. And while I'm largely sick of this thread as well I can't help but note that you didn't respond to a single one of my very basic questions (even responding to a different post entirely). You can disagree with everything I've ever said but be specific about which points you're taking issue with rather than trying to sanctimoniously take some imaginary high road by noting that you agree with "very few of the posts I make about basketball." When I criticized your posts, I tried to be very specific about what I took issue with. Anyone who knows me on here knows that when someone makes a good and specific point in response to my post I tend to tip my cap and acknowledge that they were right or at least that I should reformulate my opinion. It's not like I troll on here. So to review, I'd genuinely love to hear your thoughts on either of the extremely straightforward questions I posed earlier.

1) If a fan takes issue with Frank playing the kid too much and says "Frank should pull Brandon for Dominguez or Gapare," is that "rage"?

and 2) Do you believe that ABSOLUTELY ANY CRITICISM WHATSOEVER is out of bounds?

Because regarding one, I don't think that's "rage" and I think your insinuation that there's widespread personal attacks on twitter to be a complete and total misrepresentation of the situation and regarding two, I believe that questioning the coach who is the highest paid state employee for his in-game substitution patterns is eternally reasonable fan behavior. You can say it misses the point or it's counterproductive or it ignores other factors but to just reflexively say "watch a little more" (as if I haven't watched every UMass game for several decades) is not a serious response.

[MikeUMA]

MassLive's coverage of UM has turned to shit recently. They don't have a staffer on our beat anymore, but they do sometimes run photos by longtime photographer J Anthony Roberts. He got a good one of Frank in game-mode (vs Rhody on the 14th)

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Noticed the staff were back to being more formally dressed last night... anything behind that?

[Juice Stand]

I believe it was for the Coaches vs Cancer event. Suits and sneakers.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

^

That would explain it, thanks!

[Floyd]

Not sure where to put this request so I'll put it here. Just got home and watched the post game presser. Could someone tell whoever produces that to provide a mic for the people asking questions? It's like Charlie Brown's teacher, then the coach or players answering. Would help to hear the questions

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Not sure where to put this request so I'll put it here. Just got home and watched the post game presser. Could someone tell whoever produces that to provide a mic for the people asking questions? It's like Charlie Brown's teacher, then the coach or players answering. Would help to hear the questions

I'd suggest outreach to either of these folks:

https://umassathletics.com/staff-direct ... lleran/881
https://umassathletics.com/staff-direct ... jakuba/349

[SignMan]

MassLive's coverage of UM has turned to shit recently. They don't have a staffer on our beat anymore, but they do sometimes run photos by longtime photographer J Anthony Roberts. He got a good one of Frank in game-mode (vs Rhody on the 14th)

Tony's been around a long time...good guy.

[Floyd]

Not sure where to put this request so I'll put it here. Just got home and watched the post game presser. Could someone tell whoever produces that to provide a mic for the people asking questions? It's like Charlie Brown's teacher, then the coach or players answering. Would help to hear the questions

I'd suggest outreach to either of these folks:

https://umassathletics.com/staff-direct ... lleran/881
https://umassathletics.com/staff-direct ... jakuba/349

Thanks IV

[Quann]

Noticed the staff were back to being more formally dressed last night... anything behind that?

They all read UMassHoops