The Memphis Tigers

[shadow_operative 15932]

Penny Hardaway, Rasheed Wallace, and Larry Brown all on the coaching staff, plus a top 5 recruiting class. This might be the most exciting program storyline-wise in college hoops since The Fab Five. I hope ESPN has already begun filming for the 30 for 30 that will surely come of this. 

[Zepol87 9186]

I agree. Gonna be entertaining

[Underdog 28645]

OT:  Watched a bit of the '73 NCAA Finals on YT the other day, the game Big Red went 21-22 for 44pts. and the Bruins won their zillionth title in a row.  But that MSU team was pretty damn good, Larry Finch and Larry Kenyon on their roster and Bartow's a very underrated/under-appreciated coach.  

[Nolacycling 893]

Old, white Larry Brown? He cheats in recruiting, right? Hardaway already pulled mucho shenanigans with some stud two years ago. Looks like a recipe for disaster. But that basically describes the city of Memphis anyway.

-former resident

[HtownHorn 14682]

Hardaway is a shit coach. He's slightly better than Shaka Smart. Sampson will coach circles around him despite the talent difference.

[shadow_operative 15932]

Bates is on board. wow. shit is gonna be in-te-res-ting. i cannot wait for the Tennessee game. 

[ztejas 43452]

On 8/19/2021 at 6:45 PM, Nolacycling said:

He cheats in recruiting, right?

Most coaches would have gotten away with what he did at SMU at most schools. But because he's Larry and because we're us, that was a disaster waiting to happen. Not sure about his past transgressions. 

No idea what the AAC will look like this year but it seems like it's UH and everyone else. Not sure what's going on at WSU and SMU and Cincy are kind of question marks as well. I'd think Memphis should at least make the tourney. 

[TaxMaster 6]

As a Memphis fan, I'm not shocked, perhaps pleasantly surprised, by Penny pulling off the number 1 recruiting class. I still have some doubts about his coaching abilities, but hopefully all the coaching help he has brought in can remedy his shortcomings.  My biggest concern going into this season is not the coaching or players' ability, but the very real possibility that the Infractions Referral Committee brings the hammer down and guys quit (literally or figuratively). I'll be at the forum either way, I guess. 

[realgreggym 835]

On 8/19/2021 at 8:46 AM, Underdog said:

OT:  Watched a bit of the '73 NCAA Finals on YT the other day, the game Big Red went 21-22 for 44pts. and the Bruins won their zillionth title in a row.  But that MSU team was pretty damn good, Larry Finch and Larry Kenyon on their roster and Bartow's a very underrated/under-appreciated coach.  

Underdog, we beat that MSU team at Mid South that year. If I remember, Larrabee hit a couple of free throws to win the game at the end. Finch came back to coach the tigers but I think that he had a medical problem and he passed away. A helluva player as was Kenon. Bartow was one of the best coaches in those days.. When they came to Austin, they had a 6'10 kid that could move. I think his name was Washington. When they played zone, his area was from the top of the circle to the hoop and he would rotate up and down the lane depending where the ball was. Some really good teams back in the day.

I think after Wooden stepped down, they had a former UCLA player try to take over but that didn't work. Bartow was their next pick but replacing Wooden wasn't easy for anyone.

[Sbbruin 21853]

Sheed can impress upon these young men the importance of keeping your cool on the court.

[SL Xpress 7515]

It's not cheating any more. It's NIL. There's no real enforcement mechanism for money going to players any longer. And yes, Memphis is doing it better than anyone else at the moment. At least in basketball. FedEx is a key player there.

Also, I don't believe there's a highly competitive basketball program in the country that hasn't done plenty outside the rules over the last 30 years or so. Singling out either Memphis or SMU at this juncture doesn't make sense to me.

The NCAA is still obviously enforcing impermissible contact with players and recruits, but I highly doubt we'll see any more punishments handed down for compensation.

[Brothahorn 10087]

Rasheed will have more techs than the players combined. 

[HtownHorn 14682]

Memphis should petition for the Big East and go indy in football. Losing Houston, Cincinnati, and UCF to the Big 12 is going to turn a decent league into a single bid league.

[Jhawk 1075]

When you think about it, this is the perfect era for Penny and Brown to be coaching. I love Larry and think he might be the best XO coach of all time but damn that guy doesn’t give a shit about the (old) rules in recruiting. He just wants to coach and doesn’t care who you put on his court or how he got there. He will coach hard as hell. 

[TKthunder2 4991]

On 9/3/2021 at 9:25 PM, HtownHorn said:

Memphis should petition for the Big East and go indy in football. Losing Houston, Cincinnati, and UCF to the Big 12 is going to turn a decent league into a single bid league.

The Big 12 said it may not be done expanding and Memphis was the next school on its list.  If the B12 loses a school like Kansas, Tech or Okie St then they’ll get their invite.  Without UH, Cincy, and UCF in the AAC, Memphis should be able to dominate.  No reason to join the Big East, just win.

[ztejas 43452]

Since when is UCF a relevant basketball school?