No going for spiel

There's still something that doesn't ring clearly in what's to be the hiring of a new UTEP defensive coordinator.

To hear coaches, Osia Lewis is leaving New Mexico for UTEP — a lateral move at best — because New Mexico Head Coach Rocky Long puts his fingers into the defense much more than does UTEP's Mike Price. Lewis can be the boss here, which will help his resume as he moves toward becoming a head coach someday.

And Long is saying Lewis' leaving has absolutely nothing to do with the NCAA investigation into the New Mexico football program.

Maybe all this is true. I'm not saying it isn't. But having been around coaches since 1966, it's clear to me that they can weave really convincing reasoning when there's really something else that lurks below the public's line of sight.

Also,we've known for quite a few days now that Lewis is to become the new UTEP defensive coordinator, but he has yet to be officially named by Price.

Speculation — all the conspiracy theories, if you will — usually end shortly after official decisions are announced. Could it be UTEP is doing its own investigation into Lewis "not being involved in the NCAA deal at New Mexico" before making the hiring final?

Comments

[Stillen]

Why should it matter if the DC was involved or not. As long as he doesn't pull anything at UTEP, we should keep him? The NCAA won't punish UTEP if he was involved with UNM's issues.

[Stillen]

Why should it matter if the DC was involved or not. As long as he doesn't pull anything at UTEP, we should keep him? The NCAA won't punish UTEP if he was involved with UNM's issues.

[Stillen]

Why should it matter if the DC was involved or not. As long as he doesn't pull anything at UTEP, we should keep him? The NCAA won't punish UTEP if he was involved with UNM's issues.

[liebestraum]

I might buy the "let's not announce the hiring until we're satisfied he's OK" line if UTEP had been busy announcing all the other new FB coaches they've hired - OL, DL, DB, - whatever. They've yet to make any of those names public.

One of the new coaches is supposed to be from UCLA. No one is going to argue that's a lateral move and yet we've heard nothing from the MIner office.

Of course, conspriacists will come back with, "Well, of COURSE they're not naming the others - that's so the omission of the new DC won't stand out!"

And I am reminded once again why people love to think that Elvis is still alive, that JFK had Marilyn Monroe killed, and that the DaVinci Code is a work of non-fiction.

lieb

[Who's your Mumme]

Stillen,
If he was involved in the grade scandal at UNM. It could affect Utep.

A good example is Calvin Sampson at Indiana.
While at Oklahoma he got in trouble for contacting prospects via phone.
You can use the phone but, there are limits...Coach Sampson went WAY over the limit.

Oklahoma was punished slightly and so was Sampson.
He was not allowed to visit recruits in his first year at Indiana.

We have no way of knowing if Osia Lewis did anything wrong at UNM but, Utep is making sure he is clean or the NCAA punishments will follow him.
Let's see how it works out.

[Joe Cole]

I've seen reports of fans spotting Lewis at the airport picking up recruits as well as other examples of him being involved in the recruiting process for UTEP already. If he was not hired yet, why would he be doing that? Would that not be a violation of some kind of NCAA rule? Why would he even be working yet if he were not getting paid? All indications are they Lewis is in town hard at work. If UTEP were 'investigating' I am sure they would not be letting him have contact with players or recruits.

[Joe Cole]

Can someone please get a message to Ramalho. If you roll the ball off your fingertips and put a little more arch on your shots, you will make a lot more or those little jump hooks. I swear he puts top spin on those shots.

Jeebus, who's watching that kid?

[Joe Cole]

I was about to write a scathing commentary as to why coach Barbee was insisting on the full court press while the Blazers were running up a 14 point lead. However, that press seems to have worn the Blazers down. Props to coach Barbee and the Miners for playing hard down the stretch. Hopefully they will pull it out. They deserve this one.

[RJ]

that's the problem, we always deserve to win on the road, but we never do!! 3 big missed free throws within the last minute, easy lay up on the other end...i like the resiliency, but this is unbelievable, we cant get over the hump on the road. The only silver lining i see in this is that the womens team learned some tough lessons last season and they are rolling this year winning every close game that comes their way.
Why did it take so long to get culpepper into the second half? Its official: we will never win on the road against a good team, at least not this year.

[marcusg]

they didnt pull it out but its nice culpepper maturing these last couple of games. he used to just shoot threes and dunk on a fast break every once in a while. now he's driving and pull up and taking shots inside. culpepper britton and stone are going to be the rock of this team. someone said mcculley but he hasnt impressed. some guys are just role players and i think he is going to be one of them

[Redrum]

The Miners played well, but not well enough to win. They are a young team and it shows.

Next year will be better for them. This year, probably no post season.

[Jon]

Not to make excuses for this team but 3 out of UTEP's first 4 conference road games have been against the top 3 teams in C-USA and the one team that wasn't in the top 3, UCF, shot lights out against UTEP at home. I have to say that up to this point the Miners conference road schedule has been brutal.

UTEP's remaining road games are against the bottom half of C-USA teams. I'm calling for it right now, the miners win their remaining 4 road games and finish with a conference road record of 4-4. They also get rematches against Houston and UAB. Those teams got the luxury of home cooking the first time around. Things should be different the second time around at the Don.

UTEP needs to win 6 out of their last 7 games to get 20 wins and thats exactly what I think will happen. UTEP will drop 1 home game and like a mentioned before win their remaining road games. 20-9, I don't know if thats good enough record for post-season play.(NIT)

[Lowercase Ray]

UTEP was out rebounded 51-32; UAB got almost as many Off rebounds (17) as UTEP got Def rebs (25). Coach Barbee would later lay into his team about this problem. Taken from the EP Times, "Barbee said on the post-game radio show", "We don't have a power forward. We have a guy who plays forward (Victor Ramalho), he played 28 minutes and had one rebound. Our starting center (Tavaris Watts), two rebounds. What do you want me to do? Give you some tissue to wipe your tears? It was disgusting to watch."

Not being able to get over the proverbial hump has caused a lot of frustration to have built-up on this club. When a coach criticizes team members in public, only one of two outcomes can come of it. They either take it as a challenge and meet the challenge or egos get hurt and fail to respond. I hope that Barbee is taking on some of the responsibility on himself, for it is he who manages the makeup of the team.

Ramalho simply hasn't made the grade. Claude Britten has had a couple of good prior games; it's time to make the change. Sit Ramalho down move Watts to Forward and give Britten the Center job. Claude's inexperience may lose you some games, but at this point I am not optimistic of any post season play anyways. The described changes I believe will be incorporated into next year's team. It's time to give them the remainder of this year to meld together into what will be next year's team. What do you have to lose? He's got to try something!

[RJ]

I agree that the conference road schedule has been brutal, but what makes things worse is that we have had a chance to win three of these games and have been unable to get one.
Dont get me wrong, I like the fact were competing, but like LRay said, you can tell the frustration level is on high alert right now.

I read those Barbee post game comments and was pretty shocked...he's heading into Jim Mora, Bill Callahan level with that one, but in Barbee's defense, their rebounding last night was atrocious.

Now I like the idea of Britten starting, but either way Ramalho's still getting his minutes because britten doesnt have the conditioning right now.
You just never what your going to get from Ramahlo and Kilgore, both are seniors, but are way too inconsistent to be leaders.

Some more quick thoughts:

I love Jackson, but for the love of God, please make some clutch free throws.

When Julyan gets a shot, he will be impressive
and a triple double threat every night.

And finally Culpepper should have been in the second half earlier, I blame Barbee for that one.

Im still stickin with my prediction of 9-7 in league play. I dont see us beating Tulsa or Southern Miss on the road. And I see us losing to either UH or UAB at the DHC. UH will be gunning for an NCAA berth in that home finale.

With a win today, women will probably be in top 25 because two other teams ahead of them lost. Support the ladies-

[maven]

I'm agree with Jon, almost, on the Miners record going forward. The game ahead are winnable against the lower level of CUSA. I think UTEP will either go 3-1 or 4-0. Post season is tough. Certainly no NCAA unless we win the championship, which could happen if we get help. NIT is possible at 20 wins, but we'd need to be in 3rd place in conference to do that.

About the DC. Unless he did something pretty bad, and I haven't heard anything to indicate he did anything at all, he'll be on the sidelines for the Miners next year.

As for the team up the road (Aggies)...all I can say is wow. My Cruces friend spotted me a ticket for yesterday's game. I can't believe the difference between before Christmas break and now. With those two freshman who are now playing and getting their center back, the Aggies should win their conference and tournament.

[Lowercase Ray]

RJ, the ladies should make the Top 25 as long as they win today. Maybe more important, winning today would give UTEP a two game lead in the CUSA standing; seeing that Houston lost yesterday. With Houston being up next after the ECU game, a two game lead would give them a little more breathing room. Of course if they become #25, every team will be gunning to try and beat the rated team. They are going to have to raise their game to another level if they want to remain in the Top 25 club. Gentlemen take your ladies and daughter to watch history being made and support our MINERS.

[OMAR DOMINGUEZ]

Its done lady Miners won a game that will put them tomorrow at either 25 or maybe 24! Awesome to see the ladies step it up like they have nobody saw this one coming, and unless a disaster happens they are headed to the Big dance! now lets hope coach Adams gets a nice deserved salary increase next year because she has done wonders for UTEP has always been a nobody in womens college basketball.

Lowercase r. is right History has been made and it will continue to happen for them, cuze the sky is the limit Congratulations and GO MINERS!

[Lowercase Ray]

Yeah Omar, definitely a good day for UTEP sports. The women's BB team has done EP proud and UTEP needs to make sure Kietha stays here.

[Joe Cole]

Did the ladies put on a show or what? So did the fans...what an electric atmosphere. That is what a well played basketball game should be like. I'd almost forgotten. When the ladies were firing on all cylinders in the second half, it was basketball at its very best. I will be at the next game when the lady Miners are top 20 even if I have to pay for the tickets.

Kudos also to Nancy Lieberman who said the Miners are a top 20 team and that Keitha spends lots of time talking to Don Haskins. R u listening Barbee? Calipari is a great guy but there is only one genius of B-ball and that's the Bear.

[Who's your Mumme]

I heard Brabee's post game conference.
Man did he cut into those kids!

Utep will have to make a heck of run in the C-USA tournament!
Those Utep women are something else. I'd be nice to see a local team w/ a national ranking.

[RJ]

For all the bickering and complaining about our affilitaion with C-USA instead of the WAC, I think its important to note C-USA has four teams in the top 100 RPI(including UTEP).
The WAC has one...
C-USA also just leap frogged the Horizon league and is rated as the 10th best conference right behind the Mount. West.
The WAC is rated 19.
I know things go in cycles, but C-USA continues to improve.
Now I am one of the big advocates of moving back into the WAC, but the numbers are hard to ignore...Houston and UAB are even in ESPN's bubble watch.
It would be nice
to see a second team from
C-USA get in the tourney.
The C-USA second half race should be really interestng and fun to watch.

One more thing...are the Miners ranked now?
I keep reading they are, yet I dont see any type of confirmation on any sports website--I'm assuming the rankings come out later today.
What a job by Keitha though, she litearally built this team from six feet below the ground.

[Austin]

Good points RJ, and I think Houston will have a great shot at making the tourney should they make it to the C-USA tournament championship game against Memphis.
In basketball it is obvious that C-USA is having a better year than the WAC, but you really can't discount the disparity in football with Hawaii and Boise State both playing in BCS bowls in consecutive years. A BCS bowl appearance brings in 15 million dollars to the conference, thats quite a bit more than having a second team in the tournament for a round or two. I just hope UTEP gets hot and makes the NIT.

[Lowercase Ray]

RJ, the truth is that it will be later today when we will know if UTEP has made it into the Top 25. The reason there is an assumption of them being #25 or #24 today, is because #24 Georgia lost to #8 LSU, #25 DePaul losing it’s last two games, and #26 Georgia Tech, with whom we’re tied, also losing it’s last two games. It is clear that we will jump over DePaul and Georgia Tech, but how much Georgia will be punished for losing to a #8 is uncertain.

One thing that worries me is that even though UTEP keeps winning, because some teams they’ve played lose, their RPI and SOS has actually gone down (20 and 86 now). So you have #27 Vanderbilt, with an RPI of 29 and a SOS of 25 who also won it's last two games. Could it be that they might leapfrog us? Could #29 Virginia, because of their high RPI and SOS, also be in play this next ranking. Maybe someone with more clarity of RPIs and SOSs can clue me in. I hope that it happens for us, and would find it a travesty if it doesn’t, but it wouldn't be farfetched to find out that the voters deemed Vanderbilt more worthy of ranking than UTEP. I for one am keeping my fingers crossed.

[Pick Axe]

Can I get a "hell yea" for the Lady Miners?

I have them in the #22 spot but #23 is where they'll be. We will see...

Axe

[Lowercase Ray]

Lady Miners are #24 in the AP ranking. Way to go ladies! Go MINERS!!!!!