This last game is a symbol of the entire K3 era

[LAUte]

@ZonaUTE

All these responses to the original post prove my point: The Oregon game was a symbol of the K3 era.

“If only we had not lost a recruit.” “If only we had not had bad luck with the pandemic.” “If only we weren’t in Utah.” (What!!!) “If only this that or the other.”

“If only we had not traveled with 5 seconds to go.” “Oh, actually that was not real traveling.” “If only we had not had an injury.” “If only this that or the other.”

I’m tired of this same old garbage, round and around and around. Year after year after year. I’m willing to gamble with the head coaching position just to get out of this Groundhog day. Blow this sucker up, and start over.

I wish I had more stars to give.

[concerned]

@ZonaUTE

All these responses to the original post prove my point: The Oregon game was a symbol of the K3 era.

“If only we had not lost a recruit.” “If only we had not had bad luck with the pandemic.” “If only we weren’t in Utah.” (What!!!) “If only this that or the other.”

“If only we had not traveled with 5 seconds to go.” “Oh, actually that was not real traveling.” “If only we had not had an injury.” “If only this that or the other.”

I’m tired of this same old garbage, round and around and around. Year after year after year. I’m willing to gamble with the head coaching position just to get out of this Groundhog day. Blow this sucker up, and start over.

I wasnt makeing excuses. I agree with you. I just said I feel bad for LK. I think he deserved better from Lohner, but it is what it is.

[Daedalus]

I haven’t watched enough lately to speak with “authority” but I feel like it’s only ethical to give people a free pass for not doing their jobs well in 2020-21 when they had to balance with COVID-19. I certainly didn’t do a great job and part of the problem was my coworkers not doing a great job either.

Except politicians. They don’t get a free pass.

[LAUte]

I was just thinking…if Harlan gives Larry another year, I will be back in my seats watching them next season. I’ve missed going this year, even with the mediocre play. But it’s still in my blood, and I’ll go watch, and just experience Utah basketball history as it unfolds, for better or for worse. But I would not be unhappy at all to see somebody new take over and lead us into the post-pandemic era.

[sancho]

@UteBrave

You make some great points. There are a lot of excuses. That said, the two hires before K were much, MUCH worse and I fear another one of those fiascos. Not that I want this to continue but it feels like we’re closer to success under K than hitting rock bottom.

But what do I know?

That’s the gamble. Do you stay where you are, or do you risk the setback of a new coach? A new coach brings a certain chance of success and a larger chance of locking us into mediocrity forever. The breaking point occurs when you figure that we are already locked into mediocrity forever. It would be easier if we weren’t always so close to being good.

[sancho]

@Buhbye

because the cougs will in all likelihood slip back into severe mediocrity at best in a conference of Gonzaga and a collection of nobodies.

You are giving Pope too much credit. BYU will be what they are with any coach. They are the #2 program in a conference that will usually send 2 teams to the tournament. As a program, they’ve been basically the same my entire life. Reid, Cleveland, Rose, Pope - it’s always the same team.

BYU is a program that benefits from the new style of basketball. They’ve never had a great big man or an amazing above-the-rim athlete, but the Mormon Church will forever be able to crank out little white dudes who are happy to chuck up three pointers.

College basketball is different than college football. It can actually be easier to make the tournament and to build a program as a mid major. Gonzaga could have never had its rise to power in a P5 conference.

[LAUte]

@Buhbye

Good chance that Pope is gone after this season if not next…

Since I don’t follow them, this is news to me. What’s up?

[arizonaute]

We are not stuck in mediocrity forever. WE are stuck there now.

also with either Giac or Boylen have you ever seen the fanbase as apathetic as right now vs either of those two guys. reign ??

Perhaps i might be the only apologist for Boylen. He was not the anitchrist. He showed with other recruits he could do fine. He had a hard time recruiting. I heard he made some local coaches mad. He did leave Clyburn who could score and jj something that ended up playing for the jazz in the d league.
WE saw his ceiling and Hill acted quickly . But for me, in both giac and boylen years i didnt miss too many games. Used to at least record them nd watch them later in the evening. Followed the team with zeal, especially here at UFN.

Today the only way i know a game is happening is someone starts a thread. I don’t find long stretches of not scoring interesting. I dont like the changing rosters every year while being told " i just need to bring in my guys" . I dont like the style of turnovers ball they play. I want to support Utes. But i am out on basketball til something changes.

[arizonaute]

also i may not know anything about basketball. I should check twitter

[sancho]

There’s been a clear improvement in our past few hires:

Giac << Boylen << Larry

If trends continue…look out!

[concerned]

@LAUte

Since I don’t follow them, this is news to me. What’s up?

I think he’s saying the pope will get hired by a bigger program likely in the SEC or ACC

[UteBrave]

@sancho

That’s the gamble. Do you stay where you are, or do you risk the setback of a new coach? A new coach brings a certain chance of success and a larger chance of locking us into mediocrity forever. The breaking point occurs when you figure that we are already locked into mediocrity forever. It would be easier if we weren’t always so close to being good.

Change is going to have to happen. I just hope it’s an improvement instead of a disaster which seems likely.

[Greginslc]

“The Pope” to the SEC or ACC?

But he would have to give up the Vatican.

[NewbombTurk]

@Greginslc

But he would have to give up the Vatican

You can fool some of the papal some of the time…

[Chuck]

@sancho

Lohner averages just fewer minutes than Battin (just over 20 mpg), yet he averages more points and rebounds and shoots better from outside (35% vs 29%). He would have taken Battin’s time here at a minimum. That’s a pretty significant loss, enough to think that we would have won some of the 7 close conference games that we lost.

I think losing Lohner will be the big difference in Larry losing his job.

Larry didn’t have a job for his dad.

[Greginslc]

Here is a thought…

Why not go to the well of former players to get the new HC to replace LK? Lord knows there are a boatload of them from the Rick Era who already have coaching cred. Hell, Michigan hired Juwan Howard off the street with basically no coaching experience and are doing just fine.

All I know is I am sick of the “wash…rinse…repeat” cycle of poor performance in the basketball program we have seen since Jordan Loveridge graduated. We have had success here before. Maybe bringing in a HC that is a part of that tradition might get us back there.

[Ute_In_Texas]

My first choice would be Thad Matta.

[Carolina_Cycling_Ute]

@UteBrave

Change is going to have to happen. I just hope it’s an improvement instead of a disaster which seems likely.

“Change is going to have to happen. I just hope it’s an improvement instead of a disaster which seems possible.”

FTFY. I’m in the boat that the next hire could be better, or could be worse. We won’t know immediately, but we will know within a year or 2. I hope that the next coach will be an improvement. It’d be great to get another Majerus, but another PImm would be a step up right now.

[The_Jim_Fassel_Era]

@Greginslc

Here is a thought…

Why not go to the well of former players to get the new HC to replace LK? Lord knows there are a boatload of them from the Rick Era who already have coaching cred. Hell, Michigan hired Juwan Howard off the street with basically no coaching experience and are doing just fine.

All I know is I am sick of the “wash…rinse…repeat” cycle of poor performance in the basketball program we have seen since Jordan Loveridge graduated. We have had success here before. Maybe bringing in a HC that is a part of that tradition might get us back there.

Jimmy Soto would take us to The Final Four

[sancho]

@Carolina_Cycling_Ute

another PImm would be a step up right now.

I’m not sure about that.