Game 12, 2025-26: Kent State (12/20)

[Carl Spackler]

Thanks folks... Carl Spackler brought it up here again and has been called out. Lets give him the opportunity here, or if he wants to create his own thread, to answer his own questions and/or solve his issues.

IV, I don't pretend to have the answers, I have no connection to the team. I watch almost every game on TV, I attend a few games, I read this board and I follow the usual UMass fanatics on Twitter/X. I've been a loyal/fanatical UMass fan since the mid-80's...Gerlufson, to Cal, to Bru, to Lappas, to Ford, to Kellogg, to McCall to Frank.
What I do know is we lost 10 guys to the portal after another disappointing 24-25 season. TEN.
69MG mentioned that the average Division 1 school lost 9 guys to the portal. A quick google search says that the average was 5.5 players.
10 guys leaving tells me there was quite a bit of unhappiness. 8 of the 10 were in their first season at UMass. 5 of those 10 had major roles and I would argue that Walker would have a major role on this year's team. So 6 guys are staring at a major role on the 25-26 team but opt to leave anyhow.

Frank is 47-47 after 3 full seasons at UMass. 24-30 in the A10. Zero A10 tournament wins. We lost to Richmond by 33 in the 1st round of the 22-23 tournament...We lost to VCU by 14 in the 1st round of the 23-24 tournament and we lost to LaSalle by 7 in the 1st round of the 24-25 tournament. Finished 13th, 4th and 11th in the A10. I do not care what he did at KSU and SC. He hasn't earned the benefit of the doubt at UMass.

Each season Frank seems bullish on the season's team. "Team guys, great attitudes, hard workers"...that kinda talk. Then the season ends, we witness a mass exodus and then Frank says something like this.....his quote after the end of last season:

"This team only spoke when it’s time to criticize, and that’s not good. You need guys that are willing to engage and talk to help each other, to elevate each other, to compliment each other. I can probably count on two hands, after 30 whatever number of games, how many times a guy made a shot and he turned around and pointed at the guy that passed him the ball. It never happened, and we encourage that all the time.”

This is not the first time we've heard him lament the character of his teams at the conclusion of a disappointing season. It's a pattern.

As I stated, I am not an insider. I only see Frank on the sidelines. What I see on the sidelines is an inordinate amount of screaming. Much more than the opposing coaches. Some of it is constructive, some of it is well deserved, much of it is counter-productive, distracting and causes players to fear making a mistake. That's my take. I also see spells where Frank seems to pout - sit on the bench, fold his arms and shut it down for a minute or two. If that's who we see during games why would we believe its any different in practice?

Frank is a Bob Huggins disciple. He cut his coaching teeth in an era where the players had very few options. Transfer, sit out a season, lose a year of eligibility. I'm sure many players across the country stayed at places even though they wanted to leave. They didn't want to sit a year and lose the eligibility. The tables have turned. Today's best coaches have adapted. I don't believe Frank has adapted nor wants to adapt.

[tdmass]

^ " Very Disappointing" is the UMass Athletic Department the last 20 years, so if basketball has been disappointing, they're not alone.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Thanks folks... Carl Spackler brought it up here again and has been called out. Lets give him the opportunity here, or if he wants to create his own thread, to answer his own questions and/or solve his issues.

IV, I don't pretend to have the answers, I have no connection to the team. I watch almost every game on TV, I attend a few games, I read this board and I follow the usual UMass fanatics on Twitter/X. I've been a loyal/fanatical UMass fan since the mid-80's...Gerlufson, to Cal, to Bru, to Lappas, to Ford, to Kellogg, to McCall to Frank.
What I do know is we lost 10 guys to the portal after another disappointing 24-25 season. TEN.
69MG mentioned that the average Division 1 school lost 9 guys to the portal. A quick google search says that the average was 5.5 players.
10 guys leaving tells me there was quite a bit of unhappiness. 8 of the 10 were in their first season at UMass. 5 of those 10 had major roles and I would argue that Walker would have a major role on this year's team. So 6 guys are staring at a major role on the 25-26 team but opt to leave anyhow.

Frank is 47-47 after 3 full seasons at UMass. 24-30 in the A10. Zero A10 tournament wins. We lost to Richmond by 33 in the 1st round of the 22-23 tournament...We lost to VCU by 14 in the 1st round of the 23-24 tournament and we lost to LaSalle by 7 in the 1st round of the 24-25 tournament. Finished 13th, 4th and 11th in the A10. I do not care what he did at KSU and SC. He hasn't earned the benefit of the doubt at UMass.

Each season Frank seems bullish on the season's team. "Team guys, great attitudes, hard workers"...that kinda talk. Then the season ends, we witness a mass exodus and then Frank says something like this.....his quote after the end of last season:

"This team only spoke when it’s time to criticize, and that’s not good. You need guys that are willing to engage and talk to help each other, to elevate each other, to compliment each other. I can probably count on two hands, after 30 whatever number of games, how many times a guy made a shot and he turned around and pointed at the guy that passed him the ball. It never happened, and we encourage that all the time.”

This is not the first time we've heard him lament the character of his teams at the conclusion of a disappointing season. It's a pattern.

As I stated, I am not an insider. I only see Frank on the sidelines. What I see on the sidelines is an inordinate amount of screaming. Much more than the opposing coaches. Some of it is constructive, some of it is well deserved, much of it is counter-productive, distracting and causes players to fear making a mistake. That's my take. I also see spells where Frank seems to pout - sit on the bench, fold his arms and shut it down for a minute or two. If that's who we see during games why would we believe its any different in practice?

Frank is a Bob Huggins disciple. He cut his coaching teeth in an era where the players had very few options. Transfer, sit out a season, lose a year of eligibility. I'm sure many players across the country stayed at places even though they wanted to leave. They didn't want to sit a year and lose the eligibility. The tables have turned. Today's best coaches have adapted. I don't believe Frank has adapted nor wants to adapt.

Appreciate the response. You don't like Frank. Understood and appreciate you laying it out.

[RagingCager]

Thank you Carl Spackler for your well thought out assessment… I’ve been around as long as you, and have seen all the ups and downs, up close and personal. I don’t view this as an opinion piece, as it is 100% factual in nature and I share the same sentiments. Frank’s run in the A10 was very disappointing and this is clear for all to see based on the record, A10 tournament futility, attendance, player retention, and so on. One would think that he would have had his guys ready to go in the home opener after stepping down to the MAC to facilitate the disastrous attempt to right the ship with the other major front porch program. His team was completely out classed, out coached, out hustled, and outplayed in a game that should have been a statement game of high urgency under the circumstances. I find it appalling and incomprehensible that many on here pass it off as ok because Kent State is a good team with a few good players….WTF??? We’re the team with the 2 mil$$ coach and well paid staff with 1st class facilities (as far as the MAC is concerned) and we’re dropping down after many years in the A10. Saturday’s no show, underwhelming performance should be infuriating and unacceptable for anyone who has followed and supported this program. The Kent State coach makes less than half of what Frank makes and his team looked like the hungrier, better coached team.

Today’s embarrassing presentation of a Div 1 sporting event in front of 500 fans vs a local D3 tomato can was nothing more than a meaningless exhibition scrimmage resulting in a cheap W, but yet if you listened to the radio guys, including Frank postgame, one would have assumed this was a legit D1 contest! Frank even said that the game was important to right the ship after a very difficult conference game! I have a better idea.., how about showing up and matching the intensity and level of play of the best teams in the MAC…. teams that more than likely have less resources, including coaching and NIL budgets than UMass.

[eldonabe]

Thank you Carl Spackler for your well thought out assessment… I’ve been around as long as you, and have seen all the ups and downs, up close and personal. I don’t view this as an opinion piece, as it is 100% factual in nature and I share the same sentiments. Frank’s run in the A10 was very disappointing and this is clear for all to see based on the record, A10 tournament futility, attendance, player retention, and so on. One would think that he would have had his guys ready to go in the home opener after stepping down to the MAC to facilitate the disastrous attempt to right the ship with the other major front porch program. His team was completely out classed, out coached, out hustled, and outplayed in a game that should have been a statement game of high urgency under the circumstances. I find it appalling and incomprehensible that many on here pass it off as ok because Kent State is a good team with a few good players….WTF??? We’re the team with the 2 mil$$ coach and well paid staff with 1st class facilities (as far as the MAC is concerned) and we’re dropping down after many years in the A10. Saturday’s no show, underwhelming performance should be infuriating and unacceptable for anyone who has followed and supported this program. The Kent State coach makes less than half of what Frank makes and his team looked like the hungrier, better coached team.

Today’s embarrassing presentation of a Div 1 sporting event in front of 500 fans vs a local D3 tomato can was nothing more than a meaningless exhibition scrimmage resulting in a cheap W, but yet if you listened to the radio guys, including Frank postgame, one would have assumed this was a legit D1 contest! Frank even said that the game was important to right the ship after a very difficult conference game! I have a better idea.., how about showing up and matching the intensity and level of play of the best teams in the MAC…. teams that more than likely have less resources, including coaching and NIL budgets than UMass.

What does it say about the current state of affairs when there really isn't that much of what I highlighted above?

Humans run and act off of 3 basic emotions. Love - Hate - Indifference

Love and hate, while opposite in an emotional reaction, are both driven by caring about something.

Indifference is by far the worst of the three as it means you just don't care - apathy - white noise. The growing level of indifference around this Athletic program (Football and Basketball) should be very alarming to people like the Chancellor and our Brain-Dead AD. It does not appear that way however. They have been pissing on the fans and alums for 30 year and continue to tell us it's raining, and people are finally getting to the point of just not caring.



I was full on board when Bamford was hired, Umass was on the upswing, they were making moves, they were looking up not sideways or down. Bamford was young and energetic and he was going to be the catalyst into the big leagues. After year 2 you could tell (if you were paying any attention) that UMass was in some trouble. It was at that point I stared pulling back on support as it was obvious that donations were nothing more that lighting money on fire.

I no longer donate and I gave up my Hoops Season Tickets. I still go to about half of the home games and watch on TV, but my financial support is now limited to game day tickets only, and it will stay that way until Bamford is gone. The conundrum for me is that this place absolutely needs that $$$ support, but I don't care enough any more and I will not until I can get some/any reason to believe that my support is actually being spent wisely.

As for Hoops specifically, Frank was a really good coach 10+ years ago, but his "Bobby Night style" of coaching does not and will not work in today's game. I had a similar problem with Kellogg teams - there were far too many games where that energy wasn't there and the inconsistency in that was mind blowing. Like Carl and Raging cager - I ask why was this team so flat playing in their first game in the new conference (and against one of the better teams). No sense of urgency, no real purpose, no nothing.... Just Frank making his dumb angry faces and barking out one word commands, and players running around in circles with little discipline.

I don't know what exactly will turn this around (if anything), but I do know what will not turn this around. Frank will not, Bamford will not, and the jury is still out on Joe but it doesn't look good for him either.