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in response to billythekid: (This comment was removed by the site staff.)
in response to billythekid:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
I know at age 9 you're not old enough to remember the Bama years between Stallings and Saban but it seems they "tolerated" quite a bit of losing for a much longer period than TN has experienced lately. But I know, you don't mind be laughed at for being stupid. It's a shame because it doesn't have to be like that.
"I don't enjoy being laughed at for being a UT fan."
So are we to understand that you'd rather be laughed at for posting stupid nonsense?
billy! stop posting these fantasies and pay attention to the teacher! you DO want to go to 4th grade don't you??
in response to laraccoon: whats your beef with Hart ? give me a little detail so ill have a better understanding of you disdain for him .
in response to laraccoon:
whats your beef with Hart ? give me a little detail so ill have a better understanding of you disdain for him .
let me know if you figure out how to understand this idiot...all I can guess is his name is Billy and he's a kid.
do you really know so little about everything? Baseball isn't even a legitimate argument. First they play alot more games therefore have much greater flexibility with scheduling. Second, they have much less budget therefore travel must be managed much tighter. FYI, it costs a lot less to take a bus to Cookeville, Murfreesboro, JohnsonCity, etc. Third, the pre-conf and mid-week games are mostly in state to reduce lost class time and - at least for good programs - to rack up wins. Many more reasons yours is an idiotic comparison but given all you've posted on this topic (and others) it's apparent you have no ability to understand so we'll just continue to laugh at you.
in response to volnavy4life: Stupid is as stupid posts...you are flat wrong on this RW. Tony Harris, JP Prince, Wyane Chism, Dane Bradshaw, Jarnelle Stokes ring a bell? Tony Harris broke Memphis's heart in 97 when he chose UT and then beat them 4 years in a row at UT and was All-SEC. As far as football...we aren't in Memphis to steal recruits from U of Memphis, we want to be there to steal them from Bama, Ole Miss, AR etc. As far as traveling, the teams we would replace Memphis with are teams like Wyoming...last time I checked Memphis is closer than Wyoming. Don't be so shortsighted it's a benefit to UT in many ways.
in response to volnavy4life:
Stupid is as stupid posts...you are flat wrong on this RW. Tony Harris, JP Prince, Wyane Chism, Dane Bradshaw, Jarnelle Stokes ring a bell? Tony Harris broke Memphis's heart in 97 when he chose UT and then beat them 4 years in a row at UT and was All-SEC. As far as football...we aren't in Memphis to steal recruits from U of Memphis, we want to be there to steal them from Bama, Ole Miss, AR etc. As far as traveling, the teams we would replace Memphis with are teams like Wyoming...last time I checked Memphis is closer than Wyoming. Don't be so shortsighted it's a benefit to UT in many ways.
well you certainly proved your first phrase correct. Learn to read though. Never said TN doesn't get ANY players out of Memphis. Of course they've had a few. But the the list of those better than the ones you name is only about 10 times longer and they ALL went elsewhere. Now tell me how many Memphis kids have been great in football at TN? Again the list going elsewhere is ridiculously longer. How many Memphis kids are on the current roster? How many Memphis kids have even started for TN in the last 10 years? And scheduling? Hell, MTSU is better than Memphis! Last time I checked UAB and Troy and Monroe and Western KY and about 25 others are better than playing Memphis too! So rather than prove your stupidity, tell us FACTUALLY what all those benefits to TN are!
Absolutely stupid! There is ZERO benefit to UT to play Memphis in ANYTHING! TN hasn't been able to get the best hoops players out of Memphis - EVER! - and CCM sure isn't going to be the first to do so. Football? Yeah right. Like a top player in Memphis is going to choose the Tigers over the SEC?? I'm sure Butch is much more worried about Memphis kids going to Bama, Ole Miss, Arkansas, etc than he is Memphis. Playing there means nothing either except a handful of fans don't have to drive 6 hours. Great...better off buying them all a bus ticket! For TN to treat Memphis as any level of rival is ridiculous - why reduce yourself to that Memphis level! Ignore them, they'll go away!
in response to OwensboroVol: You are so right. With the talent available this year Coach Pearl's goal would have been to make the final four not just getting into the tournament. I think that after this year, unless we are willing to accept continued mediocre Basketball teams, the University needs to make a move. We should never just hope to get into the Tournament, that is phooey. We should go into each and every season with a goal to win the National Championship.
in response to OwensboroVol:
You are so right. With the talent available this year Coach Pearl's goal would have been to make the final four not just getting into the tournament. I think that after this year, unless we are willing to accept continued mediocre Basketball teams, the University needs to make a move. We should never just hope to get into the Tournament, that is phooey. We should go into each and every season with a goal to win the National Championship.
Actually you're dead wrong. First of all, the "talent" on this team is about 3 players - Maymon, Stokes and McCrae - not exactly a trio that has anybody staying up nights. If you want to include Hubbs, so be it...but an unproven freshman on a not so good team usually turns out to be a not so good freshman. After that = NOTHING! Secondly, Pearl would not have a national championship goal with this group because he would NEVER have this group! Again, the big 3 are all Pearl recruits and the rest are Zo's - slight difference I'd say. Did Pearl EVER recruit a guy from JUCO that averaged 2 freakin' points and rebounds??? I would say not. Did Pearl go into year 3 with NO PG?? I don't think so?? Bottom line this team will NOT make the tourney AGAIN and then what will all the VFL faithful be saying to justify their blindness???? I'm as orange as anybody on the planet but I'm also a realist and the reality is this was a bad hire from the start and has only gotten worse!
It is an absolute shame that this program is in the "NCAA or bust" mode! Seriously??? Not to long ago this program argued about what seed they would be - NOT whether they would even be in it!! But let's presume that somehow somebody will bestow some actual coaching ability in ole Zo and they do make the tourney. What then? Subtract those that will leave after next season from the roster and look at what's left! NOTHING!!!! In the best of circumstances it will be back to the drawing board - and the NIT if really lucky. So somebody PLEASE tell me what this man and his staff of incompetents has done to deserve keeping this job!! Please! Make your case!
Before all of you clowns get on your moral high horses, ask this question: Will all students who have ever attended UT and never once - in even the slightest shape, form or fashion - cheated on a paper, test, quiz, project, etc. please raise your hand? See all those hands up people??? That's right, you don't because there aren't any!! So shut up and get over it!
in response to traderjoe: Just more evidence regarding the degradation of our society. We no longer have standards. The fact that any university would accept a repeated cheater shows you they value their commercial interest more than upholding any kind of academic or moral standard. Look at Columbia U. hiring a cop killer to be a professor of our future leaders. Look at the affirmative action standard the press holds Obama to..he's above criticism and any kind of negative judgment by the left.
in response to traderjoe:
Just more evidence regarding the degradation of our society. We no longer have standards. The fact that any university would accept a repeated cheater shows you they value their commercial interest more than upholding any kind of academic or moral standard. Look at Columbia U. hiring a cop killer to be a professor of our future leaders. Look at the affirmative action standard the press holds Obama to..he's above criticism and any kind of negative judgment by the left.
you forgot to mention that you are a moron....
Tobias....just shut up...unless of course you want to tell the world what YOUR price was! Yeah, didn't think so!
so....CCM is back too...nothing's changed and neither will the result...5 guys trying to impress the NBA and NONE with a real chance is not a good thing.
in response to TheFuj: I think it is more about him not winning than attitude or off field stuff. The NFL is a business. A business of winning or you are gone. Bray just could not win. He really had 2 very good receivers and another experienced slot. Throw in a good TE and a decent line, and add all of that together should have got us more wins. He usually choked in the pressure.
in response to TheFuj:
I think it is more about him not winning than attitude or off field stuff. The NFL is a business. A business of winning or you are gone. Bray just could not win. He really had 2 very good receivers and another experienced slot. Throw in a good TE and a decent line, and add all of that together should have got us more wins. He usually choked in the pressure.
you conveniently forgot to mention a defense that couldn't stop a lingerie team and a coaching staff that didn't have a clue how to motivate guys. But despite all that Bray led the 2nd best offense in a league that just had 63 players drafted! So PLEASE do tell us which games TN lost but should have won if Bray hadn't "choked"...and remember he averaged 30 points per game IN THE LOSSES!!!
in response to bigdisbig: Hey Tyler, you need to go home and slap your mommy and daddy for the way they raised you. Your punk attitude contributes to your failure as a quarterback and leader. The Knoxville News Sentinel needs great paper throwers since you threw your education in the dirt maybe a good paper route is in your future.
in response to bigdisbig:
Hey Tyler, you need to go home and slap your mommy and daddy for the way they raised you. Your punk attitude contributes to your failure as a quarterback and leader. The Knoxville News Sentinel needs great paper throwers since you threw your education in the dirt maybe a good paper route is in your future.
why are you inviting him to take your job? #anotherorangeidiot
LMAO!! A lot of life philosophers on here playing Dr. Phil - and just as ignorantly as Dr. Phil himself. Fact is...Bray had the best physical skills of anybody in this draft. What he lacked was coaching. KC is a great choice for him. Andy Reid is one of the best QB coaches in the league. And KC currently doesn't have a guy anywhere close to Bray's talent. Bray will be the KC starter by this time next year. Bank on it.
in response to ReeseHallRelic: None of us has even seen Ndiaye... but you "know" enough to "doubt" his ability to see the floor. You're wasting your skills: get yourself a D-1 head coaching job!
in response to ReeseHallRelic:
None of us has even seen Ndiaye... but you "know" enough to "doubt" his ability to see the floor. You're wasting your skills: get yourself a D-1 head coaching job!
actually I have seen him - a bunch. He's a low major player at best. The way CCM's statement reads it was suggested that Yemi go somewhere else. Fine. Replace him with someone better if you're gonna run him off. CCM didn't. Thus nothing changes. Including improvement in the downward spiral CCM has this program on.
Has anybody ever figured out the purpose of the spring "game"?? If I were a college coach I would do away with it. Nothing more than a chance to get guys hurt for no reason. Of course all of my spring practices would be non-contact as well. Nothing but on field classroom type stuff. They have a whole month in August to find out who wants to hit April is about learning where to be when so you actually CAN hit somebody when the lights go on. This is a complete waste of time.
For anybody that cares, David Blackburn has been hired as AD at UTC. Formal announcement could come today - Monday at latest. Great hire for the Mocs!
I"ve seen this guy play the last three years. There is a reason Western Carolina was the best offer he had out of high school and there is a reason he had nearly non-existent numbers 2 years later for an average juco team - he can't play! CCM recruiting has gone from bad to awful in three short years. The good news is he will soon be following "his guys" out the door! Dave Hart needs to put an end to this mess before it becomes a complete renovation project. This staff is terrible at talent evaluation, incompetent as recruiters, and far too willing to take guys that have no ability to play in the SEC. CCM this is THE University of Tennessee - not some mid-major wannabe school that has to take whatever falls in our lap! Understand and perform as such or get the hell out!
wow...slow news day I guess. First, McRae and Stokes aren't going anywhere - if they're smart. Neither is NBA ready and both may never be. TN had several players in the prior regime that are MUCH better than these two and none of them have made it. Second, for all you blind loyalists, this is EXACTLY why Martin should be gone. To even remotely consider signing Landry is solid evidence of either incompetent evaluation, inability to recruit real D1 players, or both. And to sign him EARLY only compounds the sin! Other than Stokes, this roster is filled with this level of talent - and CCM fell into Stokes given that he wanted to leave HS early and nobody else had any spots open. This guy is recruiting this program directly into being Missouri State. What? CCM ruined them too? Case rested.
in response to rockypop: The concern I have with this team is that they are by college standards today, a veteran team - starting two seniors, two juniors and one super-hyped sophomore. And, they are all playing in their second season under the same coach. In spite of having to play without Maymon, they seemed to be way too delicate to have sustained any consistency. I can't buy the argument that they needed more time to "gel." Case in point - Kentucky's teams for the last three years. Yeah, we all hate Cal, yada, yada, yada, but when you can bring in brand new FRESHMEN teams every year and do progressively better in the tournament until in your third year, you win it all with basically a team of freshmen, then that tells me you ought to be able to get a group of guys on the same page who have been with the program at least two years. There's no doubt that Martin's biggest challenge is recruiting. He's got one more year with Pearl's best recruits, and then he's on his own. And, it doesn't look promising. He needs to make a statement next year, because UT could be returning one of the most talented and experienced teams in the conference (although minus the depth). Hubbs will be under considerable pressure to contribute right away, and the veterans will absolutely HAVE to perform consistently. Then Martin better find the new McCraes, Goldens, Maymons and Stokes. And, find them in a hurry.
in response to rockypop:
The concern I have with this team is that they are by college standards today, a veteran team - starting two seniors, two juniors and one super-hyped sophomore. And, they are all playing in their second season under the same coach.
In spite of having to play without Maymon, they seemed to be way too delicate to have sustained any consistency. I can't buy the argument that they needed more time to "gel."
Case in point - Kentucky's teams for the last three years. Yeah, we all hate Cal, yada, yada, yada, but when you can bring in brand new FRESHMEN teams every year and do progressively better in the tournament until in your third year, you win it all with basically a team of freshmen, then that tells me you ought to be able to get a group of guys on the same page who have been with the program at least two years.
There's no doubt that Martin's biggest challenge is recruiting. He's got one more year with Pearl's best recruits, and then he's on his own. And, it doesn't look promising. He needs to make a statement next year, because UT could be returning one of the most talented and experienced teams in the conference (although minus the depth).
Hubbs will be under considerable pressure to contribute right away, and the veterans will absolutely HAVE to perform consistently. Then Martin better find the new McCraes, Goldens, Maymons and Stokes. And, find them in a hurry.
careful there cowboy...too much truth will get you banned from here...or at least called a troll!
in response to emailnodata: @johnlgHere's the deal, to me, with CCM. He inherited a team from Bruce that knew how to defend inbounds plays with utter tenacity, and how to create points on its own inbounds plays (of screw them up, of course). He walked in, and just tossed all that, rather than building on something that had been proven to get 3-4 baskets per game. I see stuff such as that, and I being questioning his basketball IQ. When I see a team rejecting his on-court coaching, then I have to question their respect for him. The ultimate difference between he and Bruce as coaches is that Bruce game plans far, far better. Neither man adjusts worth a s##t, but Bruce has the superior basketball mind.
in response to emailnodata:
@johnlgHere's the deal, to me, with CCM.
He inherited a team from Bruce that knew how to defend inbounds plays with utter tenacity, and how to create points on its own inbounds plays (of screw them up, of course).
He walked in, and just tossed all that, rather than building on something that had been proven to get 3-4 baskets per game.
I see stuff such as that, and I being questioning his basketball IQ. When I see a team rejecting his on-court coaching, then I have to question their respect for him.
The ultimate difference between he and Bruce as coaches is that Bruce game plans far, far better. Neither man adjusts worth a s##t, but Bruce has the superior basketball mind.
You are absolutely correct IF you believe that BP actually did the game planning. He didn't. The difference between the BP program and the CM program is two very simple things. First, Steve Forbes and Jason Shay. Forbes was (and is) one of the top 5 recruiters in the country. Shay was (and is) one of the top 5 tacticians in the country. Between the two, it was simply a matter of BP taking the players and the game plan mixing it with some good old emotion and "chip on the shoulder" attitude and turning guys loose. It was never about the mistakes. It was always about the next play and the process under BP. When the lights went on guys would run through walls for that staff. Average players became very good or great players. JaJuan Smith, Dane Bradshaw to name two. Could CM take a 6'4" (at best) kid with zero hops and win 20+ games with him at PF???? I think we all know that answer. The recruiting has been terrible under the CM staff as has the development. In the meantime Forbes/Shay are playing for a national title for the second straight year with a record of about 58-4 and have sent a total of 11 players to D1 in 2 years. TN can't even get in the tourney after finishing 5th in one of the weakest SEC's in memory. TN can spend another two years letting this thing deteriorate until it's a complete rebuild job or they can take their medicine NOW! We all know that answer too!
in response to samvol: The players came out and played with the same attitude as the head coach, dry. The coach was negative from the start of the NIT and the players just followed his lead. Well if Jarnell and Jordy stay we should make some noise, but I don’t see it. Why should a five star Jarnell stay with a team that can’t make the big dance two years in a row, oh yea, next year….:/
in response to samvol:
The players came out and played with the same attitude as the head coach, dry. The coach was negative from the start of the NIT and the players just followed his lead. Well if Jarnell and Jordy stay we should make some noise, but I don’t see it. Why should a five star Jarnell stay with a team that can’t make the big dance two years in a row, oh yea, next year….:/
If Jarnell and Jordy stay???? LMAO!!! Unless they decide they like Turkey or Greece or China, where would they possibly be going???????
in response to yeavols#228407: I said it at the beginning and say it again, we should have accepted NCAA sanctions and kept Bruce Pearl. If Bruce is reading this: PLEASE HAVE A "HART" AND COME BACK!!
in response to yeavols#228407:
I said it at the beginning and say it again, we should have accepted NCAA sanctions and kept Bruce Pearl. If Bruce is reading this: PLEASE HAVE A "HART" AND COME BACK!!
yo idiot! how the heII was that supposed to happen when the ENTIRE STAFF was banned from recruiting??????
in response to volschick22: If I were coaching this team,I would sit ANYONE on the bench for lack of effort, stupid shot selection and unnecessory fouls. It's the same phooey we saw last year with no improvement. I want to support CCM, but I can no longer tolerate rookie coaching. He is a great guy but just TN material.
in response to volschick22:
If I were coaching this team,I would sit ANYONE on the bench for lack of effort, stupid shot selection and unnecessory fouls. It's the same phooey we saw last year with no improvement. I want to support CCM, but I can no longer tolerate rookie coaching. He is a great guy but just TN material.
Unfortunately you are right. Martin consistently gets outcoached, out prepared, and out recruited. He is a nice guy but that only makes him the second coming of Derek DoLittle and we all know how that turned out!
in response to shipperman#280095: Hart will not bring Pearl back because Pearl is a liar who almost cost us a death penalty
in response to shipperman#280095:
Hart will not bring Pearl back because Pearl is a liar who almost cost us a death penalty
You are an idiot! The death penalty was NEVER on the table during the Pearl saga so I guess that makes you the same as Pearl. TN folks should forget BP - he isn't EVER coming back. In fact, his next stop will be Clemson and it will happen after next season. Bank that!
Pathetic! Someone needs to get Cuonzo out of his state of denial. A good season???? 13 losses ending with an "I don't care" effort in a postseason tournament??? This game reflected the same attitude HE had since last week and particularly Sunday evening! The man is getting paid megabucks to be a LEADER - not an excuse making poor-pitiful us sulker! And 4400 fans in the house????? This program is headed right back to where it was 9 years ago and Dave Hart had better realize it before it becomes the reclamation project that football became!
in response to ReeseHallRelic: Not liking the comments from the players. You want to complain on Monday, the day after, about how you think the NCAA screwed you? OK. Fine. Get it out of your system. But still complaining about it on Tuesday, the day before your game with Mercer? Doesn't bode well. Now, it's possible that KNS selected the quotes that would make our kids look bad. Maybe a lot more players were saying (and hopefully thinking) the right things, and it just didn't make for good newspaper copy. But McRae and Hall sure don't sound like their hearts and/or minds are in it. And... I hope I'm wrong.
Not liking the comments from the players. You want to complain on Monday, the day after, about how you think the NCAA screwed you? OK. Fine. Get it out of your system. But still complaining about it on Tuesday, the day before your game with Mercer? Doesn't bode well. Now, it's possible that KNS selected the quotes that would make our kids look bad. Maybe a lot more players were saying (and hopefully thinking) the right things, and it just didn't make for good newspaper copy. But McRae and Hall sure don't sound like their hearts and/or minds are in it.
And... I hope I'm wrong.
why so surprised...they're just following their coaches lead! He's been whining since Sunday night too....they may win tonight (if they somehow figure out how to play well) but they aren't long for this tourney.
in response to BIVOLAR_BEARE: Well, you're not welcome here, POS..Hit the trail like the rest of the horse shirt..GBO!!!!!!!!!!
in response to BIVOLAR_BEARE:
Well, you're not welcome here, POS..Hit the trail like the rest of the horse shirt..GBO!!!!!!!!!!
Oh so now you're the freaking sheriff of the site eh??? Congrats!! It of course is painfully obvious that the one single thing you absolutely do know ALOT about is being a POS!!!
in response to LSG410EC83: If you are not a fan, and do not want to be called a troll, why comment. As for the definition of internet troll: "In Internet slang, a troll (pron.: /ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is someone who posts inflammatory,[1] extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as a forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[2] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion". When you come on here posting such as you have, you are a troll according to this definition from Wikipedia. So, don't be suprised when your called one. As for this UT FAN, IT IS GREAT TO BE A TENNESSE VOL. GO BIG ORANGE. Class of 83
in response to LSG410EC83:
If you are not a fan, and do not want to be called a troll, why comment. As for the definition of internet troll: "In Internet slang, a troll (pron.: /ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is someone who posts inflammatory,[1] extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as a forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[2] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion". When you come on here posting such as you have, you are a troll according to this definition from Wikipedia. So, don't be suprised when your called one. As for this UT FAN, IT IS GREAT TO BE A TENNESSE VOL. GO BIG ORANGE. Class of 83
what's your next post gonna say - nanny nanny boo boo??? What makes you think anybody cares what someone on here calls them???? Get a clue jerk!
Uh Coach...please stop embarrassing yourself with all the whining. And Bobinski IS correct...look at your record coach - 4-7 on the road with wins against SCarolina, Vandy, TXAM, and Auburn - not exactly the cream of the crop. And that stretch run...well, HOME wins over FL and Mizzou were certainly offset by TWO losses to GA!! All the other wins were against nobody that mattered. So what do you need to do? Schedule up and BEAT somebody!! You LOST to OKST, GTOWN, VA and MEMPHIS!! And what may have looked like good wins at the time against Xavier and WichitaSt, well turns out they were just a couple of also rans too. Seems really odd that for SIX STRAIGHT YEARS THIS PROBLEM DIDN'T EXIST!! But now instead of getting the job done the coach just wants to whine.
with all due respect to the new Pope, a whole bunch of folks on here just need to "lighten up, Francis"...it is absolutely insane for anybody to get all worked up over a kid that is still just a junior in high school simply because a bunch of other fools want to try to make a living assigning stars to someone's name! Remember a couple of things....(1) a whole lot can happen between now and signing day - right Nick? (2) the road to greatness is littered with star covered bodies that just never were very good and, (3) can you say Bryce Brown?
in response to FanNotSheep: Being a Pearl fan doesn't make you a troll. Being skeptical of new coaches until they prove their ability is natural if you ask me. I was skeptical of Pearl until he took the Vols to Texas. Jimmy Hyams was saying if they could keep it respectable, say lose by 15 or 20, it would be a good showing. Pearl's Vols won by 17 if I remember correctly. So that made a believer out of me and lots of other fans. Martin has done well so far, but there was a time early in both of his seasons as UT head coach that the team looked clueless. What impresses me most is how they get better as the season wears on, and if they can avoid a one-and-done SEC Tournament I think we should get back in the NCAA field. I hope they do, and I hope next year's team is a Final Four squad, with Maymon healthy again, Stokes, Golden and McRae better than ever, and the new kid playing up to everyone's big expectations. But if you ask me my favorite time in my personal UT basketball history (I saw Bill Justus and Tom Boerwinkle in the mid-late 60s) I'd tell you Bruce Pearl's first couple of years, the win over Memphis that made us Number 1 for a day, and the Elite 8 that almost became a Final 4. After that would come Bernie and Ernie (Mears), the Dale Ellis years (DeVoe), and the Justus, Jimmy England era (Mears). Maybe Martin will crack that next season. But would I take Pearl back if given a choice? Heck yes, because I would have had the guts to tell the NCAA they weren't going to decide who my coach was in the first place -- and I'd have taken my lumps and kept my coach.
in response to FanNotSheep:
Being a Pearl fan doesn't make you a troll. Being skeptical of new coaches until they prove their ability is natural if you ask me. I was skeptical of Pearl until he took the Vols to Texas. Jimmy Hyams was saying if they could keep it respectable, say lose by 15 or 20, it would be a good showing. Pearl's Vols won by 17 if I remember correctly. So that made a believer out of me and lots of other fans.
Martin has done well so far, but there was a time early in both of his seasons as UT head coach that the team looked clueless. What impresses me most is how they get better as the season wears on, and if they can avoid a one-and-done SEC Tournament I think we should get back in the NCAA field. I hope they do, and I hope next year's team is a Final Four squad, with Maymon healthy again, Stokes, Golden and McRae better than ever, and the new kid playing up to everyone's big expectations.
But if you ask me my favorite time in my personal UT basketball history (I saw Bill Justus and Tom Boerwinkle in the mid-late 60s) I'd tell you Bruce Pearl's first couple of years, the win over Memphis that made us Number 1 for a day, and the Elite 8 that almost became a Final 4. After that would come Bernie and Ernie (Mears), the Dale Ellis years (DeVoe), and the Justus, Jimmy England era (Mears).
Maybe Martin will crack that next season. But would I take Pearl back if given a choice? Heck yes, because I would have had the guts to tell the NCAA they weren't going to decide who my coach was in the first place -- and I'd have taken my lumps and kept my coach.
ok you were doing pretty well til that last little part about keeping BP and Co.....fact is, there was no way to keep them....they were all banned from recruiting! the asst's for a year each and BP for 3...and I'll just tune in to my NIT network and listen to how well CCM has done.
in response to underthehill: John..you are wasting your time responding to any nut who thinks Stokes is not a NBA talent..his rebounding alone will get him there..and his continued improvement will keep him there a long time..when Stokes gets a bit of a mean streak ..he is going to be another Wes Unseld..and like you..I think UT can be a much better team next year..especially if Maymon comes back as good as he was..
in response to underthehill:
John..you are wasting your time responding to any nut who thinks Stokes is not a NBA talent..his rebounding alone will get him there..and his continued improvement will keep him there a long time..when Stokes gets a bit of a mean streak ..he is going to be another Wes Unseld..and like you..I think UT can be a much better team next year..especially if Maymon comes back as good as he was..
ok...just remember everybody raved about what a talent Tobias Harris was and he's already been booted from one franchise...might have 2 or 3 years left before he heads to Europe...do you really think Stokes is better??? surely not...
in response to tennlions: So given your logic, any coach who has never made the dance sucks? Pearl had made the dance just once before coming to UT...too bad he was a lying cheater and that's as bad as there is. So they were 11-10..big deal. Isn't the point to improve? Most of the tournament field after the top 5 seeds have lost nearly 10 games.
in response to tennlions:
So given your logic, any coach who has never made the dance sucks? Pearl had made the dance just once before coming to UT...too bad he was a lying cheater and that's as bad as there is. So they were 11-10..big deal. Isn't the point to improve? Most of the tournament field after the top 5 seeds have lost nearly 10 games.
reading comprehension not your strong suit, eh? Don't get it all twisted...nobody said anything about coaches not making the dance sucking. The post being replied to advocated a major long term contract for CCM. My OBVIOUS point was that that was pretty much an ignorant statement given his LACK of notable achievement at TN and previously. Nobody mentioned Pearl...totally irrelevent. As for improvement...CCM has an EXPERIENCED team that has lost far too many games they had no business losing and is hoping to squeek in the dance coming out of a BAD league...middle of the road teams in weak leagues are nothing to write home about - or hand out long term contracts for.
in response to utvolfan1955: JERK
in response to utvolfan1955:
JERK
oh I see....inconvenient truths make the messenger a jerk...I'm truly hurt to the core.
in response to tennlions: Funny...when people tell you they're not haters, that generally means they're haters.
Funny...when people tell you they're not haters, that generally means they're haters.
that's it? that's all you can think of? Funny, when people can't debate the facts, it's usually because they're stupid.
in response to johnlg00: Good comment. I think McRae is a more versatile and mentally tougher player than Scotty. If Scotty ever got off to the kind of start McRae had today, he would have sulked and packed it in. Jordan kept battling, rebounding, passing, and defending, thus helping keep the Vols in the game until his shot came around. However, as Jimmy Dykes said, there is a difference between being ready for the draft and actually making an NBA squad. For that reason, he and Stokes should both come back next season. Right now, I would have to say that they both have NBA potential, but both need to get better in some crucial areas to be the pro players they could be, Stokes perhaps even more than McRae. The Vols could be a genuine contender for the national championship next year--yes, I said it!--if those two get just a little more efficient, Maymon comes back strong, and Hubbs is the player everybody seems to think he is. And, yes, I know some people will say that Golden at PG will be that team's Achilles heel even with all that other talent and experience. Well, ball-handling is one area in which I hope McRae will improve and Maymon's ball-handling and the defensive attention he will draw will go far in covering for any of Golden's perceived weaknesses as a PG. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
in response to johnlg00:
Good comment. I think McRae is a more versatile and mentally tougher player than Scotty. If Scotty ever got off to the kind of start McRae had today, he would have sulked and packed it in. Jordan kept battling, rebounding, passing, and defending, thus helping keep the Vols in the game until his shot came around.
However, as Jimmy Dykes said, there is a difference between being ready for the draft and actually making an NBA squad. For that reason, he and Stokes should both come back next season. Right now, I would have to say that they both have NBA potential, but both need to get better in some crucial areas to be the pro players they could be, Stokes perhaps even more than McRae.
The Vols could be a genuine contender for the national championship next year--yes, I said it!--if those two get just a little more efficient, Maymon comes back strong, and Hubbs is the player everybody seems to think he is. And, yes, I know some people will say that Golden at PG will be that team's Achilles heel even with all that other talent and experience. Well, ball-handling is one area in which I hope McRae will improve and Maymon's ball-handling and the defensive attention he will draw will go far in covering for any of Golden's perceived weaknesses as a PG. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
LMAO!!! Can I get you another cup of kool-aid??? First, there is nobody on this roster that will ever make a dime in the NBA. Second, NC contender next year? Seriously? This team - even as you project it for next year - isn't anywhere near as good as Pearl's best team that went to the Elite Eight yet you wanna talk NC???? That pure delusional - funny, but delusional!!
in response to volspaws: Cuonzo Martin is a heck of a basketball coach....this team was dead in the water a month ago and now might be the best in the conference...it's obvious that his players leave blood and guts on the floor for him. The powers that be need to do what it takes to assure that he's our coach for a long time
in response to volspaws:
Cuonzo Martin is a heck of a basketball coach....this team was dead in the water a month ago and now might be the best in the conference...it's obvious that his players leave blood and guts on the floor for him. The powers that be need to do what it takes to assure that he's our coach for a long time
Seriously? Isn't he the same guy that "led" them to 11-10 at one point???? If CCM was all that he wouldn't (a) be looking for his first EVER trip to the dance as a head coach and (b) wouldn't be sweating it out as a bubble team in a conference that is no better than 8th best in the country!
Anybody that thinks this team is in the Dance because of today's win is delusional...Jimmy Dykes included! There's a whole list of things still either unknown or against TN...including:
1. They still don't have 20 wins. Check the history of how many at-larges there have been with less than 20 wins. Even if they beat SC/MissSt to get to 20, they still have to beat Alabama in a "bracketbuster" game to have a shot. And even if they do that, and then lose to FL, they're only 21-12 which is still not a good thing in a bad league!
2. Nobody knows what upsets may occur in conf tourneys by teams that won't get in otherwise. Those upsets in leagues with a team or two that are already locks will knock out bubble teams from bigger conferences - aka TN.
3. History hasn't been kind to at large teams with RPI's above 40...in fact, it's been VERY unkind. TN will not get below this number. The SOS doesn't help and the mix of quality wins vs bad losses isn't favorable.
4. The committee isn't going to be favorable to the SEC. 4 of the 9 members deciding (not counting the SEC member that must recuse himself) on SEC teams are from the west coast, 1 is from the Big 10 (which is well-known to hate the SEC), and 3 others are from the ACC, Big12 and CUSA - all with biases of their own. This is the one time each year that others can get a little payback for the SEC football arrogance and there is no doubt they aren't going to give any SEC team the benefit of the doubt.
5. They're in SIXTH place in a league that is not strong and will likely not get more than 3 or 4 bids. They have zero WOW factor, no stars, no star coaches, and were a .500 team just a month ago! Don't believe all that nonsense about the last 10 games - the committee isn't going to ignore the 2/3 of the season with some of the losses this team had.
6. With 37 at-large spots, you can go through top 6-8 conferences and make a solid argument for 30-34 that are better cases than TN. Add in the next tier with solid 2nd place teams - assuming their best wins the conf tourney - and you quickly run out of room for not just TN but several others in the big boy conferences.
Bottom line, TN must make it to Saturday in the tourney to have ANY chance and may even need Sunday! Not hating, just the facts.
don't mistake boring and uncertain for cool....the man has never taken a team to the dance.
Unless they win through to the SEC tourney final, they have no chance...RPI, BPI aren't good enough, two bad losses to Memphis and GA, only one quality win vs FL and the conference is pathetic! A loss to Missou in the final regular season game will virtually eliminate them as will a 1st or 2nd rd loss in the SECT. The mid-majors could hurt them as well if a few upsets occur in those conference tourneys by teams that otherwise wouldn't get in. Looking at a 1 or 2 seed - in the NIT!
the only thing dumber than Wills doing these things is the amatuer sleuths on here that keep adding 1 and 1 to get 3! What a bunch of idiot a**h***s on this site!!
There are some real morons on this site!
pretty embarrassing when TN fans on this page sound an awful lot like KY fans when they beat TN in football once every 30 years.....just sayin'...flukes happen.
Shocking! Just shocking and even earth-shattering that these kinds of rules could be broken! The UTAD should be under heavy consideration for complete shutdown with these unsavory practices! The purity and integrity of the NCAA should never be stained with outright cheating of this high and aggravated nature!!
standing ovations only matter when you're in the Victory formation with a minute left on the clock against FL, BAMA, GA....hell, even Vandy or KY would do at this point....til then, it's all petty feel good nonsense.
Rating these classes is for fools! The real question is can this staff develop them quickly?? The clock has started.....
in response to 1968Vol: -Too slow to man-up on defense. Need to employ a zone to prevent paint points.-Must move the ball faster(watch Fl pass quickly) Too much time wasted dribbling outside the 3point line this gives the defense time to adjust-Dont get trapped bringing the ball down court. Dont bring it down the side-the line acts as another player! Quick passes! Speed kills the trap and the zone!-Stay under control
in response to 1968Vol:
-Too slow to man-up on defense. Need to employ a zone to prevent paint points.-Must move the ball faster(watch Fl pass quickly) Too much time wasted dribbling outside the 3point line this gives the defense time to adjust-Dont get trapped bringing the ball down court. Dont bring it down the side-the line acts as another player! Quick passes! Speed kills the trap and the zone!-Stay under control
brilliant! just brilliant there coach! LMAO! All that nonsense might have worked in 1968 but here's some tips:
- a team shooting 11 of 20 from 3 will kill your zone even worse.
- moving the ball faster just means they'll turn it over faster because the B_S they run won't work regardless of how fast the ball is moving.
- There is nothing wrong with bringing the ball up the sideline IF you know what you're doing. It is absolutely ridiculous that ANY major college team can succumb to a press or a trap. A pure sign of bad coaching.
- If this team gets any more controlled, they'll be embalmed! They have much difficulty scoring 50 points for lawd sakes! They play way too mechanical (reflection of coaching), get in way too many late clock situations without a solid go to player or set, and put absolutely zero pressure on good opponents defensively. It's dang near treason what this man has done to what was built here in the prior regime!!
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