Home › Columns
Adams: A second chance to prove committee wrong
Brackets & More
- Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament bracket
- PDF printable version of men's NCAA Basketball Tournament
- NCAA Men's Tournament Preview
- More college basketball from AP
- AP Video: AP College Basketball Writer Jim O'Connell analyzes the top seeds in the NCAA basketball tournament, UCLA, North Carolina, Kansas and Memphis. (Mar. 17)
STORY TOOLS
More Columns
- Adams: Tony P's is SEC of West
- Strange: UT 0-3 in SEC by mid-October?
- Adams: Hangover from UCLA loss will linger
Share and Enjoy [?]
Get Reprints
Maybe it was a makeup call.
In 2006, coach Bruce Pearl's first Tennessee team earned a surprisingly high No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. On Sunday night, his fourth-ranked Vols received another No. 2 seed.
Based on UT's RPI, strength of schedule and regular-season dominance of the SEC, you could make a strong case for a No. 1 seed.
But after this weekend, it's hardly shocking that the Vols were seeded second. They lost in the semifinals of the SEC tournament, and Kansas beat top-10 Texas for the Big 12 tournament championship.
So make Kansas the No. 1 seed - and fourth seed overall - in the Midwest regional, and make UT the No. 2 seed - and fifth seed overall - in the same regional. That would have made more sense than what happened.
The NCAA tournament selection committee seeded the Jayhawks first in the Midwest but placed the Vols second in the East behind overall No. 1 seed North Carolina. Not only do the Vols have to play the highest seeded team, they have to play it in Charlotte, N.C.
Given that scenario, you have to wonder if the Vols were adequately rewarded for a brutal schedule that included three non-conference road games against No. 1-seeded Memphis, second-seeded Texas (at a neutral site) and third-seeded Xavier.
My guess: UT didn't get enough credit for what it accomplished in the SEC.
The national perception of the conference has been that it's a down year in the SEC. That's based, in part, on how the league's two marquee programs fared.
Kentucky lost non-conference games to the likes of Gardner Webb and San Diego before rebounding in conference play. Two-time defending national champion Florida lost its last four games and eight of its last 11.
Although six SEC teams ended up making the tournament, some of their seeding reflects the national view.
For example, Georgia is a 14th seed in the West regional. That's not out of line for a team with a 14-15 regular-season record.
But in a whirlwind SEC tournament championship run, Georgia won four consecutive games against teams that won 18 or more games. Three of those teams made the NCAA tournament.
As surprising as the Bulldogs' tournament play was, it's almost just as surprising that they played so dreadfully in winning only four of 16 regular-season games. You won't find any other 14th seed with Georgia's combination of size and athleticism.
Third-seeded Xavier, which draws Georgia in the first round, likely would vouch for that. The tournament's other 14th seeds are Boise State, Cal State Fullerton and Cornell. And Xavier probably would prefer to play any one of them over Georgia.
Mississippi State, an eighth seed in the South regional, could be a troublesome match-up for No. 1-seeded Memphis if the Bulldogs get past Oregon in the first round. Mississippi State is an unorthodox opponent because of its shot-blocking prowess. And don't think it wouldn't be motivated by a shot at a more heralded program from just across the state line.
Arkansas got the attention of UT athletic director Mike Hamilton with its seeding.
"Arkansas, a ninth seed?" Hamilton said. "Wow! As athletic as that team is."
The strength of the SEC was a factor in UT's subpar showing in the tournament. The Vols barely beat South Carolina in the second round and lost to Arkansas by a point in the final seconds of the semifinals.
In fact, both South Carolina and Arkansas played closer to their potential in the tournament than they did during the regular season. So did Georgia and Alabama, which beat Florida before losing a second-round game to Mississippi State in overtime.
Watching those teams play in the tournament, you couldn't help but wonder why any of them lost as many games as they did during the regular season.
As usual, the SEC is a talented, athletic league. It was good enough to put six teams in the NCAA tournament and keep Florida out.
The Vols won 14 of 16 regular-season games in that conference. Half of their victories were by 16 or more points.
That body of work, coupled with what UT did outside the league, made it worthy of a No. 1 seed. If not that, then it at least deserved the easiest path of the No. 2 seeds.
Two years ago, UT proved the selection committee wrong by losing in the second round. Now, it can prove the committee wrong by winning all the way to the Final Four.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
- UT report card for UCLA
- Game film makes Fulmer madder
- Crompton suffered concussion in fourth quarter against UCLA
- UT to play UConn in football (not women's basketball)
- Craft ready to go 'all-out' for Pearl, Tennessee
- Next Bradshaw? UT gets commitment from combo guard Craft
- Call into the Vol frustration line
- It's a Hollywood disaster, but Fulmer says it's 'fixable'
- Strange: UT 0-3 in SEC by mid-October?
- Adams: Tony P's is SEC of West
Please download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player, or enable JavaScript for your browser to view the video player.
Posted by knoxsingle on March 16, 2008 at 11:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry, don't read anything by Adams.
Posted by yabadabadoo1026 on March 17, 2008 at 12:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
after you read it----you're an idiot
Posted by TommyJack on March 17, 2008 at 12:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow. Adams really beat us up in this one, huh?
Posted by DA4BigOrange on March 17, 2008 at 1:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/ncaatou...
According to the chairman, SEC Tourney losses meant NOTHING. They threw the entire tourney out the window. If what he's saying is true then Tennessee was a #2 seed BEFORE the tournament, John....
Posted by cdldoc on March 17, 2008 at 2:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Was this any good? I didn't read it. I don't read this guy. I like Phil Fulmer and his players and staff and Tennessee sports, not Adams.
Posted by BillVol on March 17, 2008 at 2:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Keep up the good, award-winning writing, John. These people who say that they don't read you are lying. They read you because you speak the truth.
Posted by anthony on March 17, 2008 at 3:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We read these quotes because we are bored. A lot of slick people, LIE, while the rest are working. Slick people like to pardon prisoners when they can for money. And lie under oath in office. When someone says on this little newspapers posts that a writer is telling truth, what a joke, everybody knows the truth, he is just reiterrating it. The CIA (lies) when it withholds the truth. That's what newspapers are for, to keep us safe from people who hide things from us and then spy on us, and "lie" to us, like we accuse Bush of and suspect his spy program when in reality the opposite is truth. But so you should hear people taking up for Bush like people take up for Adams, but you don't. Why? So you see where words take us, to poverty(insanity). We strain at gnats and swallow camels, all in the name of what? So what does John Adams do? He leads us on, plays with us, the truth has nothing to do with it. He just sees what he does as a job, and if he's good enough at it, he keeps it. But watch out for these people who take up for him in the name of reason, you have been pushing their buttons for a long, long, time. To them it's personal, to us John Adams is just another journalistic hack in a long line of abusers. And he continues to lighten that up. Like a big cigar he lits up and blows smoke all over the room, and grins all over at the whole picture. So Adams' of th eworld really hate us, and laugh at the dumb people who take up for him. Just like the devil laughs at his stupid followers. So to us john adams is a lot like th e devil. Have a great day!! And remember the color Orange is a lot like FIRE!!
Posted by innocuous_infidel on March 17, 2008 at 5:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"That's what newspapers are for, to keep us safe from people who hide things from us and then spy on us, and "lie" to us, like we accuse Bush of and suspect his spy program when in reality the opposite is truth. But so you should hear people taking up for Bush like people take up for Adams, but you don't. Why? So you see where words take us, to poverty(insanity). We strain at gnats and swallow camels, all in the name of what?"
Hmmm……an opinion column on how Tennessee’s basketball program got a #2 seed in the NCAA tourney spurs a rant on conspiracy theories about the lack of respect for Geo. Bush. Strain at gnats and swallow camels? What happened, did you forget the obligatory diatribe about legalized abortion and illegal immigration? Oh yeah, and don’t forget, Obama is a closet Muslim and Hillary is the female version of Satan. I like to read the sports columns in the newspaper – I may not always agree with what I read, but it is informative. However, we seem to be endowed with an incredible idiot/nutbar percentage here in the Volunteer State. Whether listening to Sportstalk or reading the sports blogs, I enjoy listening to the experts discuss Tennessee sports, but when the locals start calling in or blogging, the discussions take a downward turn. Anthony, I wouldn’t drink any more of that kool-aid if I were you.
Posted by slovog on March 17, 2008 at 5:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This Adams thing is being carried a bit too far. He is a writer. I don't think we, as fellow human beings, should be equating him with Satan. If you don't like him, then that's fine. But let's get real.
Posted by gillblog on March 17, 2008 at 6:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Threw the entire tourney out the window"??
Well, well. Why have them then?
This is the third time I have said this on the site since the SEC tournament began; NOTHING good for teams, fans, or schools (well, except for somemore money) comes from these conference tournaments. If you happen to be a cinderella (UGA this year) you CAN gain a little respect and possibly a recruiting edge, but cinderellas don't win in the NCAA and people begin to seriously question why you played so poorly during the regular season.
Nothing good comes from these conference tourneys, nothing.
Posted by General_Watermelon on March 17, 2008 at 7:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Johnny, did you have dinner with Fulmer and kiss and make up? Just remember, we are very fortunate to have CPF as the leader of our young men. He will hold up the Sears Trophy at the end of the year - Fritter Logic is more powerful than Orange Koolaid.
Posted by threehundredbowler on March 17, 2008 at 7:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Busybody(Anthony)It's good to see your posts.You are always good for a laugh.Why did you not become a comedian instead of whatever you are?You rarely make sense.
Posted by pdhuff on March 17, 2008 at 8:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
True - Fritter Power is what we'll need to go far in the dance. I'll try to select the 3/4 pounders over the 1/2's.
Its just an educated guess, seedings. Our last outing wasn't exactly stellar. so play the hand you're dealt. Worry about American Pie or who ever we're playing. Be careful.
Wildcat fans don't bring up Texas Western too often........
Posted by 55Vol on March 17, 2008 at 8:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
pdhuff... a fritter a day keeps the Adams' columns away.
Posted by ect1983 on March 17, 2008 at 8:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
All right---The column is an OPINION column and, for you guys that say you didn't read it(RIGHT), it is about basketball.today Not Phul Filmer..If you dont like JA's opinion, read someone else's column, or listen to "State Run Radio " as Tony B. says, for the orange tinted viewpoint. JA----You are a GREAT writer, and ,I daresay most of the responders aren't the best at what they do in the state, as you so often are. Frankly, I wish you would irritate them more often
Posted by glennwgordon2 on March 17, 2008 at 8:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I too am tired of everyone's incessant whining about John Adams. We get your point. Actually, we got your point a long time ago. I enjoy reading everyone's comments (usually), but not of late. Now please pull up your diapers and stop crying.
Posted by Bigger_Al on March 17, 2008 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
John Adams cheats at 4-way stop sign intersections.
Posted by lempga on March 17, 2008 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
slovog, we are entitled to our opinions. I don't read Donkey Adams articles either. So there! Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
Posted by rabidvolfan on March 17, 2008 at 9:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Adams is the best. You Adams haters are pro Fulmer. John is pro UT.
Posted by arkyvol on March 17, 2008 at 9:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
i hope the vols go all the way. i don't like how they got treated by the committee but i think i understand why. duke, kansas, and georgetown all have championship banners. the vols have never come close to the final four. until a school establishes some 'cred', that's the way it is. there's always the feeling that this bunch shouldn't be here. win it, and this won't happen again. it'll be kind of like having a major winner's exemption in the pga.
Posted by Pullingguard on March 17, 2008 at 9:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
John,s snaffu about Fulmer should be water over the bridge, for on occassions he does write on things which he has no clue about.. He defintely is not a football knowledgeable person and he also dislikes Fulmer because Fulmer does not cater to him. Now on basketball, come to think of it he knows nothing about basketball either. He should concentrate on sports within his level of knowledge, swimming, racketball, soccer, rowing, and similiar sports. Just quit that battering of poor John for he does have talent if properly focused.
Posted by VolnFlorida on March 17, 2008 at 10:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This tournament will go a long way to prove if Tennessee is good in just the "down" years or if they are a true basketball school. If UT goes out,
which Butler will take care of, then UT will need to start from scratch regarding any credit as a program. This is the worst seeding UT could have received. UT should have been in the midwest.
Butler is the last team anyone wants to play.
Posted by pdhuff on March 17, 2008 at 10:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Pullingguard-9:47 would you be a little clearer how you really feel about ol' John A?
Posted by TheVolMan on March 17, 2008 at 10:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good post BillVol. The boycott weenies just don't get it...
Posted by nicksjuzunk on March 17, 2008 at 10:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I heard John Adams re-dips his chips in the salsa after he has already taken a bite!!!
Posted by tmartin1 on March 17, 2008 at 11:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Just thought everybody might be interested in what the Greensboro News & Record said about North Carolina being at home in North Carolina.
"It might not be quite as cozy as first thought, though, because the No. 2 seed in the East is Tennessee, which likely will bring hordes of orangeclad fans over the Appalachian Mountains should the Volunteers make it to Charlotte."
Please Vols, make it to Charlotte. I guarantee I'll be there decked out in every orange thing I can get my hands on.
Posted by snowvol on March 17, 2008 at 11:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Some of you people really need to consider if the effect one sportswriter has on your daily psyche is healthy. Honestly, John Adams is a writer, period.
He's a writer who is a columnist, not a beat writer. He's paid to state an opinion...not a pansie opinion, like so many of you offer. No, he's paid to call it like he sees it. If you don't like what he has to say, seeing that he refuses to tow the UT party line like so many of you folks desperately want him to do, why not make an attempt to offer a cogent response instead of some of the sophomoric, downright juvenlie responses that come off your keyboards.
It's astounding how many of you mention Phil Fulmer. This is basketball, not football. Bruce Pearl, not Phil Fulmer. For Heaven's sake, get over your Adams-obsession. Then again, that may be asking too much. You people obsessed with John Adams are the same ones who believe ESPN and most of the free world are out to get Tennessee.
Posted by cat54 on March 17, 2008 at noon (Suggest removal)
You're a lot of angry Vol fans who need someone to blame for UT's loss in the tournament. John Adams just happens to fill that need for you. He is only writing the truth. You just can't face the truth! Get over yourselves! I'm sure John Adams doesn't care whether you read his column or not.
Posted by pdhuff on March 17, 2008 at 12:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I blame global warming and I'm casting a wary eye at ol' Al Gore.
I'm not sure if that load of limbs I picked up and carried to the hills was caused by John Adams or not. Get back to you on that.
Ernie the Lab seemed to think it might have been the 60+ winds the other day.
Posted by littleorange on March 17, 2008 at 12:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I see many comments defending Adams as a "writer or columnist" ...Keep in mind that he is the SPORTS EDITOR of the News Sentinel......
He is a small man in my eyes......
Posted by tractoronthepole on March 17, 2008 at 12:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Guys its time to get your heads right, take maybe out of your comments. You are a number 2 seed, do you want to win the tournament or not. Ok, so you have to beat North Carolina, perhpas Lousiville. Are you scared, I think not. What matters is how you think. IMHO we haven't seen your complete game yet, I don't think we saw it in the SEC Tourney. Those games get you sent home by America. Time to rise and shine, prove something. There are two places to go from here, justification of your seeding or turn the anger into something positive and recommit. What will it be Vols?
Posted by yemmusdarb on March 17, 2008 at 1:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
glennwgordon/yabadaba: we're on the same page.
As for the rest of you John Adams whiners. Don't pretend you hate him so bad when you just got finished reading his column. And don't pretend you DIDN'T read it because we all know you did. Noone wants to hear your womanly crying. Get over it and move on. Drink a beer, mow a lawn, change the oil in your truck.... go do SOMETHING manly so that maybe your b@lls will drop again.
Otherwise, stay off the message boards and stay in the kitchen. Because noone really cares about your boycotts, hatred, and ranting about why you think John Adams should be fired. You don't have a leg to stand on girls.
Posted by beachdvs on March 17, 2008 at 1:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Forget about John Adams. Even forget about the draw we got. Ultimately, to be the man, you gotta beat the man.
Posted by rockyknox on March 17, 2008 at 1:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
For all you John Adams boot lickers out there, can't you see that he is just a hack pedaling paper for the KNS? He tries to drum up controversy so people will buy the newspaper. But the joke is on the KNS. GoVolsXtra used to be a paid website. Now it is free. They don't make a dime off out of town Vol fans like me anymore.
Posted by kdaff51 on March 17, 2008 at 1:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
After the Vol loss and the Kansas win this is no surprise to me. Besides what could be better than the Vols going into the tourney with a chip on their shoulder? Im happy and Ill take the Vols!
Posted by UTByrd on March 17, 2008 at 2:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How many times has coach Williams failed to win the big game while he was at Kansas? Zero? Talent can take you a long way. However, coaching wins the National Title. It is very nice to have a deep bench for the ride. It takes every ounce of energy for any team to go all the way.
I still feel that CBP way saving his team's stamina in the SEC tourney by NOT using his patented full-court press. Everyone is talking about UT's RPI and SOS. UT has every right to get some much needed rest. I predict we will see our A game for the tournament and take down NC (if NC makes it there).
Arkansas should beat Indiana, either team will give NC all they want. This is a very dangerous 2nd round match-up for NC.
The bottom line is to play your game to the best of your ability, coach to the best of your ability and see where the chips fall. There are no easy brackets.
Here's looking toward a truly exciting and hopefully rewarding NCAA March Madness.
Go Vols!!!!!
Posted by GoVol on March 17, 2008 at 2:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
John - no one is reading...still.
Posted by dvol on March 17, 2008 at 2:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey Vol Men, Welcome to life in the NCAA tournament. The committee has proven once again that its not what you do on the court. It's your team name N.C. Kansas, UCLA, Duke and so on. All you had to do was ask Pat Summit. Year after Year they stack the odds against her teams. Wait till later today and look at UConn's bracket vs Tennessee's bracket. I'd bet UConn once again will not have to leave their state until the final four. This happens every year just like Duke or N.C. in the east bracket of the mens tournament.
Posted by qwerty6969 on March 17, 2008 at 2:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why was John Adams let go from his job in Pittsburgh?
Posted by knoxsingle on March 17, 2008 at 5:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Anyone who puts "John Adams" and "truth" in the same sentence. Lord.
Posted by TommyJack on March 17, 2008 at 6:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Qwerty6969: Was that a rhetorical question or do you have an answer?
Posted by murrayvol on March 17, 2008 at 11:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes we are GoVol. Every damn day. Guess I need to revisit John's bio. Didn't know he'd done time in Pittsburg.
Posted by dash727 on March 17, 2008 at 11:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Adams sucks, the boycott is working against turd-man and any sponsor who supports this idiot and the KNS. To bad LSU sucks in BB and baseball for the incompetent sports editor. Time to move on Johnnie Racoon Adams. Move to Tuscallooser or Deadthens since you aren't welcome back in Looseriana! Don't listen to silly Dave and negative John on the animal every morning unless you need a bowel movement!
Posted by stevefrommemphis on March 18, 2008 at 7:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
NCAA says they used geography to allow fans to get to the games close to home. How are Tennessee fans supposed to get tickets in Charlotte when the games are sold out? The best hope is that UNC loses in the 2nd round. More Tennessee fans would get to see the games in Detroit than in Charlotte!
Coaches poll shows UT #5 in country, Kansas #4. Georgetown and Vandy should have been placed in the East, and UT and Washington State to the Midwest.
If the SEC is so lousy this year, how did Kentucky get into the tournament at all? Answer: Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina, UCLA, and Kansas get preferential treatment from the NCAA, when necessary, because they are Duke, Ky, UNC, UCLA, and Kansas. What did Kentucky do to deserve a spot? They did win at home at corRUPPt Arena, where they have a 20 point home court advantage. They beat Ga, Auburn, LSU, and one other on the road by 3 or 4 pts. Their best player is injured. They lost at home to Gardner-Webb and San Diego. They lost at the SEC Tournament to a team that won four regular season conference games.
(Requires free registration.)
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.