Chris Beard in the final 4 (do we care?)

[khokhol8]

In hearing interviews with Chris Beard on the radio the last few days it is mentioned that he was the former UNLV coach.

Part of me feels like I need to root for him as a former UNLV coach (albeit very short lived). Part of me is upset at him for leaving so quickly when a "better" offer came around but then I realize it wasn't his fault. It was the administration's fault for taking so long to finalize the contract and then utilizing that mini podium at his press conference. He had to have looked at the whole thing like a bigger dumbster fire than he had bargained for.

In the end I'll probably root for him.

 

[Vegas007]

They were at 100-1 odds to win it all before the season. Now are at 4-1.

https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=9450239a8200915f4d04824235c68ae4&oe=5D4C08D6

 

[lvhiker]

I think that when the Texas Tech job opened up, regardless of what transpired at UNLV, Chris was gone. Just part of the debacle, some of which was caused by incompetence here and some by the random intervention of bad luck.

 

[jdlr33]

In hearing interviews with Chris Beard on the radio the last few days it is mentioned that he was the former UNLV coach.

Part of me feels like I need to root for him as a former UNLV coach (albeit very short lived). Part of me is upset at him for leaving so quickly when a "better" offer came around but then I realize it wasn't his fault. It was the administration's fault for taking so long to finalize the contract and then utilizing that mini podium at his press conference. He had to have looked at the whole thing like a bigger dumbster fire than he had bargained for.

In the end I'll probably root for him.

I don't like what he did and I would love for UNLV to beat TT in the tournament someday while he is still coach. Strangely, though, I find myself pulling for them right now because of the UNLV connection.

 

[j. spilotro]

In hearing interviews with Chris Beard on the radio the last few days it is mentioned that he was the former UNLV coach.

Part of me feels like I need to root for him as a former UNLV coach (albeit very short lived). Part of me is upset at him for leaving so quickly when a "better" offer came around but then I realize it wasn't his fault. It was the administration's fault for taking so long to finalize the contract and then utilizing that mini podium at his press conference. He had to have looked at the whole thing like a bigger dumbster fire than he had bargained for.

In the end I'll probably root for him.

I think any of us would have done the same thing. So I can’t blame him for that. Had the contract been structured more like Otz’s (4M buyout year one vs 1M buyout year one for Bird), maybe? I don’t know what the breaking point would have been for Tech.

But it was a series of controllable missteps and a couple dashes of bad luck and then a terrible choice for head coach. They should have taken a step back and regrouped but Jessup wanted it over so he hired “next”. That whole thing, a midseason firing, not having real targets, chasing the unattainable.... some bad luck and then a grave decision on the hire... it set back UNLV 3.5 years and counting. It was the most unwatchable and unrewarding multi-season/same coach stretch of UNLV basketball I’ve ever witnessed. And the fans, once again, have paid the price.

For all the money UNLV attempts to put together for higher named coaches, less money would be required to make actual solid administrative hires. When leadership is bad, it’s difficult to overcome. That’s not to exonerate the coaches completely, they still have a job to do, but the point still stands. How Tarkanian was able to overcome poor, evil leadership, sabotage, smear campaigns and everything else UNLV threw at the greatest man to ever step foot on campus, is nothing short of amazing. How many of us are even fans without Tarkanian?

I hope Otz can get the job done. The UNLV job isn’t an easy one, tougher than most.

 

[Vegas007]

In the championship game now after being picked to finish 7th in the conference. Incredible.

 

[Knight Rebel702]

I'm convinced if he was still the Rebels Coach he wouldn't of had the success he is having now this soon, the Irony is that he will probably win the Chip. "F" this Delta Bravo with his made up Tark and Jim Rome stories! Go Virginia !!!

 

[Daytonreb]

Most of his players were recruited by Tubby before he got there.

 

[JTthe2nd]

I wonder how his style would've been received by Rice's players. I think McCaw, Morgan, and Carter would've been on board from the start. Pretty sure we would've lost all the recruits except Carlos Johnson (who's doing really well at Grand Canyon). Have to hand it to Beard. He knows what kind of players excel in his system and also knows how to get a lot out of players who weren't handpicked by him.

 

[1Tripoda]

I think that when the Texas Tech job opened up, regardless of what transpired at UNLV, Chris was gone. Just part of the debacle, some of which was caused by incompetence here and some by the random intervention of bad luck.

Over the years, the beauty of your posts are a guarantee the exact opposite what good for UNLV. I just disagree and I am always right.

 

[lvhiker]

I have no idea what you took exception to. When Tubby left TT, for predictable reasons, Beard was going to return there. Tubby stays, Beard coaches at unlv. Nothing nefarious, just plain bad luck.

 

[YellowSpinE]

From VA, so going with the Wahoos.

On another note, seeing what Texas Tech has done maybe there is hope for UNLV to do something.... anything.... in the next few years. Although we will probably be rebuilding, again, from ground zero.

 

[Rebel1986]

I think UNLV will not lose all that many of the current players when the dust settles, and I expect the team will be about the same or better next year then the team was this year

 

[j. spilotro]

I think UNLV will not lose all that many of the current players when the dust settles, and I expect the team will be about the same or better next year then the team was this year

Regardless of how the dust settles, it’ll be “better” because we got rid of the absolute worst.

But at the very least, I expect to see an offense that can score, really put up some points... through an actual offense with some actual shooters. It’ll be more pleasing to the eye than the high ball screen and chuck it at the rim, that’s for sure. You don’t shoot as many three pointers as we did when you are a poor outside shooting team unless you are completely clueless and without flexibility on the sidelines.

Defensively will be the question. It doesn’t seem like it’s a heavy focal point. So who knows where that will take us.

Then again, look at last years defense and the year before and the year before. We were clueless and defenseless, worst we’ve witnessed. So.... I mean, it’ll be hard to be worse than what we’ve seen. If we are and the offense is better, it’s reasonable to say we will be better.

 

[Rebel1986]

The first recruit the new coach brought in will already be the best shooter on the team.

 

[Vegas007]

When was the last time we had a good offense? We didn’t have them with Rice either. His best offense was in his first year with Kruger’s experienced players, and that team got worse as time went on. The Kruger offenses weren’t fun to watch either.