Simmons Speaks

[E-Villan]

There is plenty of evidence for those of us that have been around this program for a long time. What I have no idea of, is how this will translate to actual wins or losses in the coming years. You're correct that we have no head coaching history on Walter and there is no question he has a rebuild on his hands. It will take time, absolutely.

We have a coach with a wonderful personality, who is talking to anyone and anytime about the Aces program. Follow him on twitter. Just this last week, he walked campus with boxes of donuts to hand out to students, he and the AD cooked late night breakfast for the students, and he did a caravan in Owensboro, KY with a very nice turnout. More are planned throughout the region. He is very accessible to the local media, and he is getting their attention. Marty refused to do any of this.

The non-con schedule alone is light years ahead. I wont reveal anything until it is public, but can tell you this isn't the annual SWAC Invitational that Marty loved to host.

The bench Walter put together. Marty's qualifications when he was hired here would only have him in the 3rd chair with this group. This is better than even the most optimistic fan could have hoped for.

Our incoming president, and his wife were both NCAA officials, with strong athletic backgrounds. This should give us much more leadership support from the top than we have had in the past.

Over 1,000 NEW season tickets have been sold, and we are still in April. People everywhere are talking about the Aces. I haven't anything close to this in over 20 years.

The Learfield Network, this is huge to exposing us to the casual fan 50-75 miles out. It has been a long time since you could pick up an Aces game outside the immediate metro area.

None of this was happening two months ago. Our 11th season coach just crapped another play-in game in St. Louis, despite having what is apparently P5 talent. Attendance hit an all time low mark, and Murray State was generating a better atmosphere on our home court than the Aces could. I don't think you guys understood how dismal it was getting. So yes, we are light years ahead.

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

I completely disagree. Simmons guided a team decimated by injuries to a 17-15 season in a top 8 league. Everyone has injuries but Evansville had a lot more than average. If the injuries were on an average level Evansville would have won 21/22 games and made the NIT. I don't think the program is light years ahead of that.

[MissouriValleyUnite]

Question is why do you care what he says? It's not like anything he says is hurting the program.

I really don't care what he says. My original point was that it appears that he and his wife were actively encouraging Dru to Mizzou. I never said I cared what he says, rather that it tarnishes this perception that he is such a stand up and ethical guy. It's not like he has a vested interest in Mizzou. He isn't employed there. The only motive to do such a thing is to attempt to inflict damage on the program. Sorry, IMO, that is bush.

No, he can't hurt it. Even with Dru and Taylor gone, the program is light years ahead of where it was just two months ago.

Let's be honest. You have no idea where the program is. You can hope its light years ahead but there is no evidence that is the case. Walter McCarthy has never coached an NCAA game.

The coach a month ago would be the 3rd assistant today. Evansville has added 4-digit STH’ers in a month.

[GoAcesgo]

I completely disagree. Simmons guided a team decimated by injuries to a 17-15 season in a top 8 league. Everyone has injuries but Evansville had a lot more than average. If the injuries were on an average level Evansville would have won 21/22 games and made the NIT. I don't think the program is light years ahead of that.

I would have agreed with you 2 years ago, but after 11 years there is no proof and if he could not make the NIT in DJ and Mock's senior year with 25 wins, he was not going to make it this year, he moved us up a little past where Merfield left us, but just always came up short.

[E-Villan]

I completely disagree. Simmons guided a team decimated by injuries to a 17-15 season in a top 8 league. Everyone has injuries but Evansville had a lot more than average. If the injuries were on an average level Evansville would have won 21/22 games and made the NIT. I don't think the program is light years ahead of that.

Since you didn't bother to read the points I made above, I probably shouldn't even bother with a reply, but this is laughable. The only way 21 wins, if that is even true, would have gotten us in the NIT would have been if Duke was one of those wins. We were healthy in St. Louis, how did that work out?

I guess it's safe to assume if Dan ever leaves, you will be openly campaigning for Marty to get the job?

[MissouriValleyUnite]

I completely disagree. Simmons guided a team decimated by injuries to a 17-15 season in a top 8 league. Everyone has injuries but Evansville had a lot more than average. If the injuries were on an average level Evansville would have won 21/22 games and made the NIT. I don't think the program is light years ahead of that.

Evansville was healthy for the Thursday night Purple Party in STL. Instead, we saw Jacobsen ISO #50 to death in a double digit drilling.

[tribecalledquest]

The coach a month ago would be the 3rd assistant today. Evansville has added 4-digit STH’ers in a month.

Not at all true about Marty being the third assistant. Come on now. I realize its easy to piss on people no longer around. That's the fan M-O.

[tribecalledquest]

There is plenty of evidence for those of us that have been around this program for a long time. What I have no idea of, is how this will translate to actual wins or losses in the coming years. You're correct that we have no head coaching history on Walter and there is no question he has a rebuild on his hands. It will take time, absolutely.

We have a coach with a wonderful personality, who is talking to anyone and anytime about the Aces program. Follow him on twitter. Just this last week, he walked campus with boxes of donuts to hand out to students, he and the AD cooked late night breakfast for the students, and he did a caravan in Owensboro, KY with a very nice turnout. More are planned throughout the region. He is very accessible to the local media, and he is getting their attention. Marty refused to do any of this.

The non-con schedule alone is light years ahead. I wont reveal anything until it is public, but can tell you this isn't the annual SWAC Invitational that Marty loved to host.

The bench Walter put together. Marty's qualifications when he was hired here would only have him in the 3rd chair with this group. This is better than even the most optimistic fan could have hoped for.

Our incoming president, and his wife were both NCAA officials, with strong athletic backgrounds. This should give us much more leadership support from the top than we have had in the past.

Over 1,000 NEW season tickets have been sold, and we are still in April. People everywhere are talking about the Aces. I haven't anything close to this in over 20 years.

The Learfield Network, this is huge to exposing us to the casual fan 50-75 miles out. It has been a long time since you could pick up an Aces game outside the immediate metro area.

None of this was happening two months ago. Our 11th season coach just crapped another play-in game in St. Louis, despite having what is apparently P5 talent. Attendance hit an all time low mark, and Murray State was generating a better atmosphere on our home court than the Aces could. I don't think you guys understood how dismal it was getting. So yes, we are light years ahead.

Comparing what McCarty is doing his first month on the job to what Marty would do after eight years isn't at all fair.

The continued talk of Marty would have been the third assistant is, again, ridiculous. Your current head coach had less head coaching experience than Marty and Matthew Graves was a trainwreck at South Alabama.

[uniftw]

Lickliter was also a complete dumpster fire at Iowa. Much like Marty he insisted on recruiting his son, who was D2 at best quality.

He was fired after 3 years of his initial 7 year deal. He was 20 games under .500 in 3 years. He did that while taking over a Hawkeye team that had been to 4 NCAA tournaments and 3 NITs in the previous 9 seasons. It was literally the worst 3 year run in Iowa basketball history. He hasn't been in D1 basketball in 8 years. I can't say I'd be real excited about him being involved in the UNI staff in any way, shape and or form.

I get the excitement of something other than Marty, but damn it might be time to reign it back just a tad.

[MissouriValleyUnite]

The coach a month ago would be the 3rd assistant today. Evansville has added 4-digit STH’ers in a month.

Not at all true about Marty being the third assistant. Come on now. I realize its easy to piss on people no longer around. That's the fan M-O.

Graves was Associate HC for 2 consecutive national title games.
Lickliter took a program that had never made a Sweet 16 to 2 of them.

That’s not fan M-O. That’s facts.

And that’s why Evansville is a different program today than a month ago. Just put the 1k+ new STH’ers in a room and ask if that’s not significant.