al wrote:quite often when a new coach comes in...
one, you see immediate improvement in year one.
two, it is typical to have the "sophmore jinx".
three, years 3-5 are the tale of the tape.
gibber has one thing his predecessor did not have...contacts and the work ethic to pound the pavement in search of recruits. he also has a staff that goes out and recruits...and they cover the nation and other peoples' nations to find a player.
hawaii is a tough recruit, but, it could happen.
i give the gibber year one and two.
this third year will be a tough one what with half the squad new but he needs to find 18 wins.
i think he's learned a lot and you could see his courtside demeanor a bit more mellow.
You appear to be saying that last season's mediocre 16-16 (14-16 vs Division I) record was attributable to a "sophomore jinx". That's nonsense. Last year's record and 6th place finish represented a HUGE, BLOWN OPPORTUNITY to win a conference championship and go to the NCAA tournament. The WAC was pathetic last year and did not even require having a real good team to win it all. UH returned 4 players who were starters during the second half of the season, including its leading scorer and 3 of its top 4, its top rebounder and top assist man as well as its sixth man. To top it off, Gib had 6 open slots to land maybe 2 or more solid, ready to play newcomers who could start or fill spots in a solid 7 or 8 man rotation, and Gib flat blew it by going after and signing 4 guys who couldn't get eligible. Being such a "great recruiter" - or so people say - if he had properly assessed the situation and brought in two or so guys like Brandon Spearman, chances are very good that the WAC title would have been Hawaii's.
Likewise, next year, a down Big West conference should present Hawaii with a golden opportunity to win a conference championship and go to the Big Dance. Long Beach has good players, but they lost 4 starters and are rebuilding. Santa Barbara likewise has been decimated by graduation. Fullerton has talent but seems to be in turmoil. All the rest of the teams are mediocre to poor to begin with. One would have to think that with 3 returning starters, including 2 guys who would probably make up the biggest and best front court in the Big West and a promising young scoring guard, plus 3 other returning role players who had contributed a lot of valuable minutes, Hawaii would be one of the favorites to win it all - just like last year. But there have now been 4 defections, and at least 3 of the players leaving would have been important contributors, if not starters. The front court may still end up being good (although I'm not as optimistic as some others), but the back court, despite the addition of Spearman, looks weak with only an unscholarshipped senior who hasn't played in two years and two redshirt freshmen, one of whom started out as a walk-on. Right now, next season is shaping up as another seldom seen opportunity which Gib is about blow - again. The year after, the Beach will be restored, and the big bad boy, San Diego State will enter the scene.
So I agree with you that next season will be a telling one for Gib's future, but if the team is mediocre or worse next season, i do not share your view that he should get another two years (4 and 5) to prove himself after blowing two golden opportunities in a row.
