Press Conference Monday

MrMiagi · Post by **MrMiagi** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 4:14 pm

Are you kidding me?

Penn State players threatened to transfer in the PAPERS all the time.

You guys want to believe that the players hate Lappas as much as you do yet they've never ever ever once said anything in the papers the entire year, zero. Every time I read a school paper up at PSU during the spring, someone had a problem with Dunn.

You know what Bowers, Maxwell, and Freeman are probably thinking?

They are all first year players that finished up the year playing very well and have a very good shot at being a force in the A10 for the next 3 years. Maxwell committed to Lappas when Lappas was getting buried last year, as did Carrier.

I'm sure Lappas has shown these guys videos of his Nova teams, and they know what Lappas coached basketball is capable of doing. Lappas had a winning record in games at Syracuse.

Right now it would be SO SO SO SO SO easy to come out and talk against the coach, and they haven't.

These guys are the ones that deal with Lap on a daily basis, who really know what he's all about.

UMass87 · Post by **UMass87** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 4:35 pm

Miagi - it's funny how you keep bringing up Freeman being rookie of the year and how much promise that holds with Lappas as coach. The funny thing is that you didntt comment on the fact that AA was ROY in Lappas first year and stands out among the last ten ROY's as the only one who played for two more years and never made a single all-conference team. Evidence suggests that Lappas, as with all his players at UMass will show very limited growth with Lappas as coach.

By the way Miagi - why ius it that Lappas could never get to Selection Sunday with more than 20 games at Villanova if he didn't have a Lottery pick on the roster?

MrMiagi · Post by **MrMiagi** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 4:43 pm

AA also has been playing with nothing but inexperienced players over the last two years, something that hurts you when you're a pg. AA is a nice college pg, he isn't Jameer Nelson.

Lappas actually made the tournament without a lottery pick. He made the tournament with a team that had won 12 games the year previous and was predicted to finish in last place in the Big East.

You should get your facts straight. Laps last two teams didn't have a lotter pick either, and Nova fans were watching on Selection Sunday to see if Nova's name would be called.

78 · Post by 78 » Sat Mar 13, 2004 4:44 pm

I can't wait until this time next year. The great Coach Lappas and all of his talent will have just finished limping to the finish line with a 15-15 record. Carrier will be too young, Deli is a project that needs at least another year. Lamoreaux, because he is Canadian, will need another year against better competition because what he played against in Canada does not compare to high school ball in the U.S.

At the same time, Freeman will appear to have regressed slightly, while either Max, Bowers, or both will be transferring out of the program. Anderson will stil be playing the point even though he should be the 2-guard, and will be chuking up 10 threes per game and never driving to the hoop. And, none of the problems will be the coach's fault.

But, the Lappas suck-ups -- VoxPop and Miagi -- will be all over the board touting Lappas for coach of the year. I can see their comments already. "look at how far he took the team this year." "The almost had a .500 record in the A10." "They still have a long of young players and Lappas deserves one more year with them."

You guys are truly a joke thinking that the man who has brought UMass close to its all time low in mens hoops deserves one more year. If he gets one, it will be a sad day in Amherst.

InnervisionsUMASS · Post by **InnervisionsUMASS** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 4:45 pm

EVERYONE.... SHUT UP!!!!!

UMass87 · Post by **UMass87** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 4:46 pm

MrMiagi wrote:AA also has been playing with nothing but inexperienced players over the last two years, something that hurts you when you're a pg. AA is a nice college pg, he isn't Jameer Nelson.

Lappas actually made the tournament without a lottery pick. He made the tournament with a team that had won 12 games the year previous and was predicted to finish in last place in the Big East.

You should get your facts straight. Laps last two teams didn't have a lotter pick either, and Nova fans were watching on Selection Sunday to see if Nova's name would be called.

What is with you and VoxPop and reading??? MORE THAN TWENTY WINS ON SELECTION SUNDAY, moron.

Floyd · Post by **Floyd** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 4:48 pm

I'm glad everyone is happy with the current situation. I'm looking forward to another great season next year.

obg · Post by **obg** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 4:52 pm

Crazier and crazier, there is a rumor that there will be a press conference on Monday. One know it all says the Coach is going. Another says he is staying. One says that he's staying but he has to give up his present contract. Another says he has to go to because people wont go to the games. One says that he will stay because we can't afford to buy him out. Another says he has to go because he is costing us too much money. None of us know what is going to happen. The AD and the Chancellor will announce something after the decision is made.

My feelings have been stated on what I think they SHOULD do. I have no control over what they will do. Why would a press conference be called to announce that they weren't going to fire the Basketbaal Coach? Maybe they are going to make an announcement about the Football situation?
I just don't know. Thank God I don't have to make the decision. Firing someone, unless they were bad people, was the hardest thing I ever had to do.

Why don't we just sit back and wait and see? You can count on that what is posted on the matter before the decision is announced will be mostly guessing. The AD is in a tough spot. He's brand new here. He can't know the people he has to deal with very well. He has to act on hearsay, money and the best long range future of the program. I'll let him do it. It might tell me things about him one way or the other, but doubt that he will lose sleep over that.

fbiman · Post by **fbiman** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 4:55 pm

I nominate this for post of the day.

dingo38 · Post by **dingo38** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 4:57 pm

i agree with you ob. why would they have a press conference now? just announce whatever decision and move on. have hte press conference when they hire a new coach, if that happens. i can't remember hearing of a press conference about removing the coach, except for the colorado mess. maybe i just don't remember all the press conferences but it seems they have one when they hire a coach, not fire one.

MrMiagi · Post by **MrMiagi** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 5:02 pm

Hey loser,

I already said FIVE BILLION TIMES, Lappas should get 4 years and if he can't get it done, get rid of him. You act like the people who are defending him are asking for a 10th year for a guy whose careeer coaching record is 200 games below .500.

Lappas has had to start over every single year that he's been at UMASS.

He doesn't have to start over next year and the first year players next year just need to be contributors, not the guys that carry the whole team.

If this years team consisted of all upperclassmen, I'd be totally invisible on this board and would concede that Lappas is never going to get the job done. That's not even close to the case, he probably had the youngest team in America.

THE YOUNGEST TEAM IN AMERICA.

Lappas has a track record. He's the first coach to turn around the Manhattan program, the program where many coaches now earn their stripes.

In 3 years at Nova, he put the most exciting teams Nova ever had on the floor.

The guy has a track record that you completely ignore. He has had to rebuild everywhere he has been.

You know that Kerry Kittles after his freshman year was going to transfer. He was from New Orleans, had to be convinced by Lap to come when Rollie left the year before, and just played on a team that had to play in the Big East play in game. He kept the faith in Lap, let Lap bring in some players, and a few years later they were SPANKING UCONN.

The turn around at Nova didn't take as long because he had go to guys much quicker in the process, recruited a stud center, and Eberz became a marksman from the outside(after riding the pine his freshman year), something Viggiano hasn't been able to do.

He deserves a 4th year based on the fact that he has a track record of building last place programs and has the best group of young players in the league.

He doesn't have to start over next year, that makes a HUGE difference.

fbiman · Post by **fbiman** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 5:05 pm

I started reading your post and I got to this quote and had to stop.....

[quote="MrMiagi"]

In 3 years at Nova, he put the most exciting teams Nova ever had on the floor.

[quote]

......because it is here where you lose all rationality. How could you possibly make such an assinine statement, when if you're any kind of Villanova fan, you'll know that the 85 team was by far their most exciting.

MrMiagi · Post by **MrMiagi** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 5:09 pm

Are you kidding me?
The 85 team was a 9 seed that almost didn't even make the tournament. I lived in Pittsburgh and watched Pitt beat them by 30 a week before the BET.

They were the most successful, but hardly the most exciting.

Even the biggest Lappas hater admits that on the NOVA board.

Los · Post by **Los** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 5:23 pm

Penn State, Penn State, Villanova, Penn State, Villanova, Young Team, Penn State, Villanova, Too Young, Villanova.

Mass Grad · Post by **Mass Grad** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 5:24 pm

OBG. You silver tounged devil. I agree.