TONIGHT

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

I am over blaming Capel. Had Fox come in to a similar situation at a school like Wake, and after two soon to be three years had nothing to show for it...He would be updating his resume waiting for that termination. Were we the greatest before Fox? No. Did he have to deal with some off the court moves and issues? Yes, but so do other coaches put in similar situations. He was hired to win. We aren't watching all of Capel's players stink it up. We are watching a mix. And some of the problem comes from players he recruited. You have to find a way to win with what you're given. I honestly feel as though we've only got worse with Fox. Dude is a nice guy, but damn.

[bigdaddyg]

From a financial standpoint our basketball team must be getting really expensive when considering coaching salaries, scholarships, travel costs and Holmes Center costs. If we aren't selling very many tickets to games we must be hemorrhaging money

[AppDawg]

I am over blaming Capel. Had Fox come in to a similar situation at a school like Wake, and after two soon to be three years had nothing to show for it...He would be updating his resume waiting for that termination. Were we the greatest before Fox? No. Did he have to deal with some off the court moves and issues? Yes, but so do other coaches put in similar situations. He was hired to win. We aren't watching all of Capel's players stink it up. We are watching a mix. And some of the problem comes from players he recruited. You have to find a way to win with what you're given. I honestly feel as though we've only got worse with Fox. Dude is a nice guy, but damn.

I think that is a harsh view. No way this is a worse team today than when Fox took over.

Also not appropriate to compare to an ACC team. Recruiting to the ACC has much higher upside than a one bid SunBelt.

Let's also not forget about the timing of Fox's hire in relation to Signing day and the APR restrictions in place that limited practice time for the 1st season or two. this is really just the 2nd year of Fox recruits. It is very frustrating, no doubt. But I have to remind myself to Look at the play of the Freshman and Sophomore's as the future and not the stop-gap Transfer players.

I have to think Fox wants to rely less and less on transfers and build a solid foundation of players that grow and progress through 4-5 years in the system.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

I am over blaming Capel. Had Fox come in to a similar situation at a school like Wake, and after two soon to be three years had nothing to show for it...He would be updating his resume waiting for that termination. Were we the greatest before Fox? No. Did he have to deal with some off the court moves and issues? Yes, but so do other coaches put in similar situations. He was hired to win. We aren't watching all of Capel's players stink it up. We are watching a mix. And some of the problem comes from players he recruited. You have to find a way to win with what you're given. I honestly feel as though we've only got worse with Fox. Dude is a nice guy, but damn.

I think that is a harsh view. No way this is a worse team today than when Fox took over.

Also not appropriate to compare to an ACC team. Recruiting to the ACC has much higher upside than a one bid SunBelt.

Let's also not forget about the timing of Fox's hire in relation to Signing day and the APR restrictions in place that limited practice time for the 1st season or two. this is really just the 2nd year of Fox recruits. It is very frustrating, no doubt. But I have to remind myself to Look at the play of the Freshman and Sophomore's as the future and not the stop-gap Transfer players.

I have to think Fox wants to rely less and less on transfers and build a solid foundation of players that grow and progress through 4-5 years in the system.

Their performance leaves me little doubt that this thing can/will be turned around. I have little to no positives to direct me in thinking this will be better after 4-5 years. Should we wait that long and risk driving the program into a deeper hole? That's a decision the man who gets paid more and has a cooler job than me to decide.

[appfanjj]

You can have a winning basketball program at App. That has been proven in the past. Just saying.

[WVAPPeer]

No one has come out and said this but I will address my feelings - give up any thoughts of getting a new staff - Fox has to be given YEARS to turn this around - he had a solid background as an assistant at a quality program - do you guys think APP could find anyone better? ---

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

No one has come out and said this but I will address my feelings - give up any thoughts of getting a new staff - Fox has to be given YEARS to turn this around - he had a solid background as an assistant at a quality program - do you guys think APP could find anyone better? ---

Fox was supposed to be the "better" that succeeded Capel

[appfanjj]

He needs at least 2 more years after this one. Then start taking a hard look at it. Really hoping he can turn it around by then. What I was saying above is that you can win here. Others have.

[ah59396]

We are bad enough and the bar is so low that Fox has more or less free reign to be as bad as he wants. What else are we going to do? Hire a high school coach?
What really effects the attendance with our team isn't just that we are bad, we aren't even fun. I went to App during our "Bracket Buster" year when DJ was there (I think we lost to Wichita State if I recall). We weren't incredible by any stretch, but we were fun and at least competitive. We had relatively decent fan support from students and locals and I can recall a packed convocation center as we hosted a Steph Curry led Davidson and some decent ACC teams. And we held them close! That was only a decade ago.

You can't blame Capel forever. This program needs to do something ASAP.

[proasu89]

We are bad enough and the bar is so low that Fox has more or less free reign to be as bad as he wants. What else are we going to do? Hire a high school coach?
What really effects the attendance with our team isn't just that we are bad, we aren't even fun. I went to App during our "Bracket Buster" year when DJ was there (I think we lost to Wichita State if I recall). We weren't incredible by any stretch, but we were fun and at least competitive. We had relatively decent fan support from students and locals and I can recall a packed convocation center as we hosted a Steph Curry led Davidson and some decent ACC teams. And we held them close! That was only a decade ago.

You can't blame Capel forever. This program needs to do something ASAP.

We beat Wichita St. in their gym.

[EastHallApp]

I am over blaming Capel. Had Fox come in to a similar situation at a school like Wake, and after two soon to be three years had nothing to show for it...He would be updating his resume waiting for that termination.

Jeff Bzdelik would disagree. Sidney Lowe too for that matter.

[Apppstate]

A good coach will improve his players. The players Fox has brought in have not been showing any indication of improving. This is squarely on the coaching staff for not there being any improvement. You guys say he is a good coach, but his record and the lack of improvement from year to year proves otherwise. The team has actually gotten worse each year since his first.
At some point you have to look at his record and the performances on the court. Based on those factors, yes, I think we could do much better. The past 2 years MBB has been a flaming dumpster.

[Goapps15]

I don't doubt Capel had his many flaws but you all make it sound like he got App the Death Penalty.

Fox has got to start showing some signs of promise on the court. The team goes through spurts in games where they cannot complete fundamental passes. Off the court is night and day which I am thankful for.

[ncman071]

I think we are lucky to have Fox. He is a very good coach hands down. Capel took a decent team and made them horrible fairly quickly. Fox took over a team where the cupboard was bare and brought them into a new more challenging conference. It has been a difficult transition and he needs a chance to get all of his recruits in to really faily judge how well he is performing. Personally, I think this year will be better than last. The only bad loss so far is to Western Carolina. We faced an NCState team that is finally at full strength and we had no answer for them.

I believe we will play well today against JMU and get the "W"...I predict about a .500 finish in the sunbelt this year which would be a decent step up from last year.