aggiedrjdub said:

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They have not been great, and even Vic was quoted as saying that he doesn't have a team that can score very many points. They work hard, which is kind of what his teams do. In very little time he took MissState to places they had not been. If he had not left, they would still be a perennial final 4 contender (in my opinion). How many coaches can take their first year teams to the elite 8?

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I don't know. But Texas was a pretty easy turnaround for a good coach. They weren't far off before. IMO.

Vic is not leaving Texas after one season, even if Blair retires. Unsure why this is even a discussion.

And I still don't understand your "lightning in a bottle" comment. If it was that easy to win a national title, how come Vic didn't win one at MSU? Only 7 different teams have won titles in the last 25 years. It's not that easy.

Agree to disagree. Nothing is going to happen on this unless Blair retires. Good discussion!

bball73 said:

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aggiedrjdub said:

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say we are not a blue blood program, that makes me mad. Why can't we be? We have the facilities? We have the traditions? It was your job to hopefully turn us into that. Don't say that crap. Build a blue blood program.

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+1, and we had a strong connection to a coach who gives every indication of being able to do that

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How many blue blood programs do you think there should be ?? And what constitutes a blue blood program ?? Does being in the top ten do that because then we are. We have made it to the Sweet 16 a lot in Blair's tenure. Which just in tourney alone would be tied for ninth.
If some of you think we should change coaches after winning the SEC and making it to the Sweet 16 being a two seed in the bracket then great. I then expect you to change coaches if we don't win the SEC in football and make it to the playoff
Some of you didn't follow this team at all and base everything off of the tourney and the final loss. Any program besides maybe UConn Baylor and SC would kill for the type of consistency we have had.
I am not saying Vic isn't a great coach he is and some people don't like his actions sometimes but we have a great coach and program. And if we can have some of the talented freshman to play next year and maybe one or two stay for an additional year. Add a transfer and we could be Sweet 16 / Elite 8 next year as well

I'm just quoting what our own coach has stated. We are not a blue blood program. I don't think that's something I would publicly state if I've coached a team for as long as he has. I don't think there needs to be a certain number of premier teams. Why can't there be 8? 10? Just because there are only a few doesn't mean we should be content to be on the outside looking in forever? Yes - we won the SEC conference this season. Finally. We crashed out of the SEC tournament after 1 win and out of the NCAA after 2 near losses from much lower seeds. What do I want? I want a coach that can build a program like UConn, like Stanford, like South Carolina, like Tennessee under Pat. I'm not sure why our expectations can't be higher? Are we happy/thankful for GB and how he has built a good program? Yes - do we have enough butts in the seats still? No. What gets butts in the seats? Winning championships or at least competing for them day in and day out. Momentum built for this team from the A&M faithful once they began winning this season. I've supported this team since I was in school and will continue to do so. If our standard is to occasionally win the SEC and strive to make the S16 in the NCAAs, then we've succeeded. If you want to hold our team to higher standards and put the onus on winning actual NCAA championships, besides 2011, we've fallen well short of our goals.

One other thing I would like to point out -- just because we want more doesn't mean we aren't appreciative of where GB has taken us. Many of us think the world of him as a coach and as a person; that doesn't mean you give someone cart blanche based on the past forever. In your mind, has he earned the right to stick around until he wants to leave? A losing season? 2 losing seasons? GB just saying he's done? If he stays, guess what, I'm still going to be here screaming for the team. If he moves on and Ross decides to look for someone else, guess what, I'm still be here screaming for the team (with maybe a little more hope)? I personally do not feel we will go beyond the sweet 16 (maybe elite 8) with GB, and that's frustrating to me. Let me also say, I HOPE 40000% I AM WRONG!! I'm not rooting again him by any means! I just do not feel he has evolved as a coach based on the style he plays (4000 set plays, reactive more than proactive approach to defense).

I think it is so funny that most people who have posted about wanting a change haven't been on this board in years

just because some of us haven't responded does not mean we haven't been on the boards for years (personally, i stopped paying for an account years ago because i don't see the point in paying for a membership to this site when there are other free options out there). it also doesn't make them less knowledgeable about the team, or less qualified to offer an opinion.

Many older folks don't want to retire these days and Gary Blair will stay as long as he wants so best to just get over it.

A bunch of folks who comment on here (not necessarily the author of the sentence above since I don't know him/her) were not season ticket holders nor did they live through the horror of the seasons right before Blair arrived. Several of us were and did. Guys, he has taken umpteen teams in a row to the tournament. We have overwhelming winning records every year. He won a Natty!!! He won an SEC regular season title this year.
We only lost 3 games all year and I went to nearly all the home games and never saw them lose this year. Can't remember the last time I could say that. Give him the credit he deserves.

I personally don't like settling for less than the best we could be. But, I'm not surprised when it comes to bball (especially women's) the Aggie community, especially the powers that be, would.

Having said that, and having been there pre-Blair, less than the best ain't bad, in fact its pretty darn good and provided an experience for which I am quite appreciative.

Seeing Skeletor fuming on the sidelines after a loss is one of the great things in life.....

Crypt keeper wasn't happy.

aginlakeway said:

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Baylor loses. They got hosed on late no call.

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They got Sloaned. See UCLA v. Texas A&M circa 2013.

They were letting them play
UConn got hammered several times with no calls.

Two great coaches!!

A lot of good posts here, good discussion. Most of us long time women's bb fans have huge appreciation for what Gary has done for our program. However I was a long time season ticket holder with courtside seats including the magic 2011 season and in my opinion we would have never won that natty without Vic. I think that is what a lot of you are missing. Gary largely squandered the recruiting opportunity offered by the natty and we had a mysterious series of star players quiting the team for several years there (lost control of team culture apparently).
There is no excuse to win the SEC with one loss all season and be ranked #4 in final pols and not get past sweet 16. Hell we barely won the first 2 games and got beat by an inferior AZ team at least in part because GB got his butt outcoached big time. Our players take some blame too, not sure why we could never develop that killer instinct great teams have. The talent was there. Very disappointing end to a really good season.

Give Vic credit for making the right decisions for his career.

He wasn't getting any younger while he waited indefinitely for GB to retire, so he took a good HC opportunity at MSU, played for two nattys there, and was NCOY in '18 and '19.

He scored major bank taking tu's offer ($13.8MM guaranteed over 7 years) and was able to return to his native state to be closer to family.

His teams will play at the world class Moody Center.

I anticipate that his teams will be steady, top-tier, competitors.

Good for him.