Melvin Buckley's last diary entry is enough

[bulls96go]

here here melvin now go out and play like that and we will be better

[tampajo]

Mel Buck also came on THIS BOARD and touted how we'd be at the top of the Big East when HE was finally able to take the floor after sitting out a season.  Not sure I'd put too much stock in his words.

So now you're taking shots at our student-athletes for setting the bar too high..... What a freaking hypocrite.

What shots?  Because I don't take a player's written words to be the reality of the actual situation?  Maybe you should look up the word hypocrite.

As for Velcro, I'm anti mac BECAUSE I'm pro USF.

if your pro-usf, then why don't you support the coaches that the school has hired?  Coach Mac might not have the best record out there, but he was hired by the university, and is a current coach here.  so you are not pro-usf by not supporting one of its coaches.

This logic is beyond absurd. Under this theory, we'd all be sitting around cheering for Eddie C., and enjoying him die on the vine.  Given some accountability, Eddie no longer measured up, Lelo was brought in - and I was a Terry Rupp guy - who has invigorated the school, alumni group and obviously infused some enthusiasm into the recruiting process.  Same theory for Mac, we're all cheering for him but affixing the blinders and watching him drive off the cliff just doesn't work.  Hope I'm wrong, but I'd submit if you performed as badly at your job as he does at his - as objectively measured in wins and losses -  your boss wouldn't be quite so benevolent.....

[Velcro]

and your boss would be fired if he fired you solely on wins and losses if there were other factors.

Its obvious that the powers that be do not look at things in that binary type of way.  Every factor must be considered, good and bad, and interpreted.  I'm happy we don't have you chicken littles running the show.

[Brad]

The new trend of comparing "quarter of a century Eddie" to RMC is ridiculous.  Eddie was in a baseball rich area in a baseball poor conference and couldn't do squat.  RMC has had no where near the opportunity to build a program.  If after 25 years we were where we are now in hoops, I'd have missed the last 20 years after my dive off the SkyWay (Yes, I'd fly to Tampa for that.).

Back off and let the man coach his team this season, just as Eddie had his chance(s).  We all cheered Eddie on despite the painful embarassment year after year...we hoped the good old guy could win some games.  Now, we have a coach in arguably the toughest individual sports conference in the country and we want to ***** that he can't win it.   Good grief.  Please don't compare him to Eddie.

[tampajo]

and your boss would be fired if he fired you solely on wins and losses if there were other factors.

Its obvious that the powers that be do not look at things in that binary type of way.  Every factor must be considered, good and bad, and interpreted.  I'm happy we don't have you chicken littles running the show.

Listen, I'm not here trying to start either a Mac thread or a Mac crusade, but in sports,  WINS AND LOSSES ARE PRETTY MUCH WHAT MATTER.  We are not running a charity here, or a "green" organization trying to save the world, etc. he's running a sports team, which measures accountability by winning percentages.

As to the "other things" you refer to, which I'd assume were the injuries and roster shortages, THAT IS HIS JOB AS WELL TO PLAN FOR AND MANAGE THROUGH.  If he'd recruited more and better athletes, when some inevitably went down with injury, or if he knew he was a hard-nosed disciplinarian - which I like, by the way - and knew he might have a couple of casualties during the year, he should have had some preferred walk-ons available, left fewer schollies for the future, etc.  Not a perfect outcome, but surely not the apocalypse he dealt himself.

Anyways, I, too am cheering for him, I surely don't have the political capital to influence his future, but damned sure am tired of driving me and my 4 kids to the Dome to see them getting their asses kicked....

[Triple B]

Back off and let the man coach his team this season, just as Eddie had his chance(s).  We all cheered Eddie on despite the painful embarassment year after year...we hoped the good old guy could win some games.  Now, we have a coach in arguably the toughest individual sports conference in the country and we want to ***** that he can't win it.   Good grief.  Please don't compare him to Eddie.

How about we at least stop using the players to take shots at Mac?

[beastiebull]

LOL...you can insinuate all you want.  It's plain to see that my comment wasn't a shot at a player.

Will let others decide if it was a shot or not (the caps are yours).....

Mel Buck also came on THIS BOARD and touted how we'd be at the top of the Big East when HE was finally able to take the floor after sitting out a season.  Not sure I'd put too much stock in his words.

Dragging up a comment from a player that came in here before last season with high expectations just to make fun of him to try and make a point is pretty pathetic ..... but it's what we've come to expect from you when it comes to hoops.

OK crusader of all things Mac.  

If Mel Buck was offended and comes on here and voices his displeasure I'll apologize.  That's obviously not your real concern here though.  Gosh for someone who's so concerned about others being insulted you sure do hurl around a lot of insults yourself.  

[mutt]

All I know is good or bad next season,  the PCAC will be there to back our team.

[Dmince]

You can be pro-usf and not be in favor of Mac. Give me a break.

What is wrong with wanting to be good at basketball? The logic is that  since we have been really bad at basketball since Mac got here, maybe a new coach would change that. What's so bad about feeling that way? It's not like these people are sabotaging the program, they just think the coach is not very good.

Coaches come and go, anyways. Mac would leave for the UF job or several others in a heart beat. The only coach that deserves the type of loyalty you are showing Mac is Leavitt.

By excusing Mac, you are contributing to a culture that is not conducive to winning. Im not saying rip the guy, but please do not say he deserves to still be here if he wins 5 conference games in year 4 (doubt he will, but still) and has recruited a roster with the least amount of talent in the BE.

We need to set expectations. He should, and I bet he does, expect to feel some pressuret this year. My view is simple, the last three years have been very dissapointing and I am not happy with the program. If we have a good season (not just a season that is better than last year), all is forgotten and he needs to come back. If we have another pitiful, bad, or mediocore season- I WILL BE SCREAMING FOR HIS HEAD.  And if they keep after a season like that this year I will earmark my donation for football and women's basketball. This is because I love USF basketball and we deserve better. Ill show up this season and hope for the best, but if doesnt turn out that way, and really it looks like an uphill climb when you look at our roster, I am going to lose it. I can only take one more season of this.

THIS IS FREAKING BIG TIME COLLEGE ATHLETICS PEOPLE-WELCOME TO THE PARTY. WIN WIN WIN

[Velcro]

Dave,

You can be pro usf and not pro mac... but has been clear from the moment of his signing, that some people were never going to give him a chance to succeed in their minds.

I have a very similar outlook to you... something needs to happen this year.  I'm not going to scream for anyones head, but I do want success.

I see the potential that is here already, but potential is not success, and may or may not ever be.  At some point, yes, you do cut the cord, but you don't do that until you know what you have, healthy or not... and no one knows that yet.  There have been way too many circumstances that make everything cloudy.  Hopefully this year clears everything up, good or bad.