UCAFANS.COM | GO UCA BEARS!

I don't follow stAte too closely these days ... does Brady cry like a little bitch on radio every time somebody turns him down for a game, or just when he sees he could try to spin it into some positive PR since he thinks it makes him look like the great champion for intrastate play? Or is it just when it's a coach who is getting more (and more positive) publicity and one who people outside Jonesboro actually like?

You're right about Brady being able to get good players, though. That Brandon Reed kid's got some game.

ASU does support basketball well, when I went there they had a little guy named Chico Fletcher that was awesome. Good post old bear, I always enjoy your posts. Houston would be fun also, but the ASU game would be an explosion of excitement. Brady is an awesome coach, no doubt anybody with sense knows that. I have to respect Coach Williamson for his decision, he knows what he has got and he will know who and when to schedule.

Dickey is a UCA alum and has MANY friends in the area. Actually, no offense to A-State but ATU would be a huge draw.....should play women's game first then men's...FC would be rocking for that.

As to A-State, where did they end up in the Big Dance this year? I lost track.

I'll go with CW's judgement on these things.... I could see where he wants two years to get the players in place under his system...the goal is to win the Southland, not play A-State.

Chico was the man. 2 time Sun Belt player of the year. Super quick.

C'mon guys, i know we've blasted ASU and their fans before for not playing us in football so for us to turn around and avoid them when offered a home and home series (when as you know home bball games haven't been the easiest to come by lately) seems kinda fishy. The series would draw state coverage, sell out the FC, and make a short road trip to a real nice facility in Jonesboro for a return game. How the heck does UCA come out on the short end of the stick here????

From the elite programs around the nation UCA has played the past several years, I didn't think this institution was scared to take the field or court against anybody in any sport. IMO, this change in mindset in regards to facing competition is disappointing to say the least.

Speaking of crying....

No, he just speaks his mind and it's refreshing. This all happened months ago and he was working with the AD at UCA to get it together. His first public comments on the situation are probably a sign that the months of trying to get the games back on didn't work out.

If he was looking to get PR he would have gone outside an AM morning show in Jonesboro that isn't even the largest sports station in that town. He's advocated intrastate play since he got here.

I really think he was taken by surprise at Corliss's refusal.

Reed's good, but he's got plenty of guys behind him that can fill his shoes.

There are other teams that would draw well (you noted an in state team which is what I said), but you can play more than one of them and have several games that are well attended you know. There's no rule that you can only play one or that you can't play any at all. ASU vs. UALR has drawn as many as 12K for a game in recent years. I am not predicting anything like that, but people love to show up and support their team when it's against a local team.

After all the talk on here, I am just disappointed in Williamson like I was when our AD decided to stop playing you guys for a couple of years in baseball, women's BB, etc.

Ditto, I agree Crump.

Over the past few years ASU has been called out in public by UCA and UAPB for not playing (even though we play in several sports) and in the past 10 months UAPB has turned down a football game, UCA wasn't able to clear the date, and UCA has turned down home/home basketball.

Crow is being served in the cafeterias at UCA and UAPB and hopefully all who deserve to partake will.

Basically agreed.

I am disappointed.

put the shoe on the other foot. if you were a new coach, brand new to Division I, would you want to play an established in-state D-I school in your first season, before you had anything established at your school? I think not. you could lose recruiting ground before you ever got started.
Nobody is ducking anybody. It's just not the right time.

May or may not "be the time" but the fact remains ASU and UALR have been receiving grief from UCA fans and administration for not playing us.

Did they not risk losing recruiting ground should they lose to us?

It's a game, not nuclear war.

That is part of the problem with college sports, it has become too important to win and who you lose to.

I like our chances to compete with both UALR and ASU in all sports. It just makes sense, for the overall good, to play in-state teams whenever possible.

I would think we could sign virtual lifetime home and home with both of them.

We will win our share.

I have for a long time said I am all for lining up any in-state (although UAPB needs to clean up their past due bills if they have not done so) , anytime, anywhere....I think most of us were surprised with Coach W's decision but I will give him some leeway as a new coach....he may want two years but my guess is many hard core Bears fans will only go one year.....I would be fine if he changed his mind about next season.....I agree that being wiling to play a Mizzou (or other establised program) on the road and not being willing to play A-State does not set well....agreed we can do more than one in-state game each year.....

Crump1, you are correct that the gap is very WIDE in these early years, but ASU and particularily UALR have an uncanny knack of playing up or down to the level of their competition. Two years ago, TX Arlington beat UALR handily in LR and then UCA opened the conference season with an OT win at the Ferris Center. UTA went to the Tournament that year. I think it would be more of a competitive game than you/I might think. That is not the argument. We need to play that game period and thank you and your program and coach for offering.

As to Brady, he can coach but he is irritating to a home crowd. I thought he and Shields might get into it at the game this year in LR. However, I do love the way Brady gets after his players for sloppy or lackadasical play. Good luck and thanks for your comments.

The only thing about waiting on playing ASU, is that when it does happen we'll have to bring it for sure, because if not then why were you waiting.