Comments by jonathan81254
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Posted on April 4 at 12:20 p.m.
Well, we know Tyler has a kid, and we keep hearing that Tyler and his family REALLY need the money. Therefore, even a second round pick or even playing in Europe might be worth it to Tyler. No one can blame him for leaving if he needs the money that much. However, if he has the luxury of planning for more than a year ahead, it would make the most sense to stay in school for another year or more unless or until he is projected to be a lottery pick. If he can afford to defer the jump until the best time to do it, anything less than a lottery pick would be a strong argument to stay in school.
When I first read what the anonymous scout had to say about TS's game, I considered becoming a scout myself because he was saying what I've been saying for months. But then I realized that everyone else on this site has been saying it just as long as I have, too. And if all the posters and I can say the same thing about Tyler's game (great desire, great leader, very athletic, needs jump shot, is a tweener in size and game) and then have it supported by an NBA scout, then I'd say it would be best for him to stay in college for as long as he can and as long as his game keeps improving. And with the notable exception of this year's point guards, Pearl has a great record of helping players improve. Too many UT basketball Vols have thought they had the pro game when they didn't, and the list is long and sad....
As far as what it would do for UT, I'd say that he's very important, but not CRITICALLY important, for UT's success next year. Without him, UT would have to do more playing by committee, but with UT's depth, that wouldn't be the end of the world. But if all the vets return, including Tatum and Childress, and if the newcomers, especially the Mich. point guard and Hopson stay with their commitments, UT will be AWESOME, in its depth, chemistry, versatility, and athleticism. They could improve on every positive team record they set this year. Plus, in that case Tyler could play small forward much more than he did this year (perhaps even off guard, if UT wants to go with a giant backcourt with Prince), which would help his NBA status.
So all the evidence seems to say that the best move for UT and Tyler Smith would be for him to stay unless he projects as a lottery pick, which seems to be highly unlikely.
Posted on March 28 at 11:12 p.m.
Very proud of these players and coaches. Nobody let anyone down, J.P., and you didn't let anybody down either, and neither did Lofton or Howell or anyone else on the team; you all did the best you could for each other, the coaches, and for UT. Louisville was just the better team on Thursday, and might well end up national champions. If the players and coaches keep on improving, everything will be fine. Feel the pain of the loss only as it helps you stay hungry for next year, but don't forget to celebrate the many wonderful accomplishments you created this year. Go Vols!
Posted on March 28 at 6:49 a.m.
Louisville just plain beat the Vols, unfortunately, and they did all the things they had to do. I couldn't believe their foul-shooting; they were supposed to be worse than the Vols, and they never missed. I've never seen so many rebounds taken away from UT without fouls called. The officiating was horrible, brutal, but when you lose by the margin UT did, it didn't decide the outcome. UT has a way to go to get better, especially at point guard, but I loved the way this team played this year, and the way Bruce coached. One tough loss doesn't change the fabulous season these guys had. They weren't always pretty, and sometimes they were puzzling, but they always played as hard as they could, and that was fun to watch every minute of the game. Thank you, seniors, thank you, Bruce, for a season you'll be able to reflect upon with great pride, even though it hurts very bad right now.
Posted on March 18 at 11:25 a.m.
Extremely good analysis, and it calms me down a bit about feeling jobbed. (Which of course is extremely ironic, as Pearl pointed out.) Of course, I'm also still in shock that Hill hit a shot, and that Lofton's final shot didn't go in, so maybe that's the shock talking. Nah, that's not it; Pennington just did the analysis and arrived at defensible conclusions based on evidence. Nice to see that happen anywhere, but especially nice to see happen in sportswriting.
Posted on February 22 at 9:30 a.m.
Well said, Coach Fulmer. I've supported you from the beginning, just as I supported Johnny, and Coach Dickey and Coach Battle. But I'm not sure any of them have had to endure the type of perpetual scrutiny you have. For those who felt that it was sad or weak that Coach answered Adams, I think you've missed his main point, which is his answer to the charge that a player's position on the depth chart determines Coach Fulmer's discipline. I think that's a very good point to answer, and Phil answers it eloquently. I love having our coaches like Phil. We're going to reap the benefits next year, too.
Posted on February 19 at 12:30 p.m.
I don't agree with Adams at all, and I'm a died-in-the-wool Fulmer supporter. However, the personal attacks on Adams are out of place. Within his reasoning, he has points and he makes them. Whether we agree with him or dislike his timing, he makes an argument which is within his job to present. I've read Adams for years, as have many of you, and I disagree with him more than I agree with him, but I don't think he is unethical or a muckraker, and the personal attacks say more about the attackers than about him.
Having said that, I think he is completely wrong about Fulmer and the football program. I'm in Clarksville, not close to the program, and my only UT official connection is that I'll start graduate school there in the Fall. However, I AM from Sewanee, taught at Franklin Co. HS, know Johnny Majors and knew his mother and father. I know many people who know coach Fulmer, either as contemporaries in school or the county or who know him now. They all say he is a good man, and I think they're right. I also think he's a very good coach and wins the right way. I think Fulmer has as much control of his program as a head coach can have. I think he hates the things his players have been up to, and I don't know enough about the details to accuse him of inconsistency, and I don't think many posters here do either. I think the future will prove we're very lucky to have him. In fact, I think next year will prove he can win with changes and a bit less talent than he's had at other times, and despite the widespread parity in the country and the county. We're going to win big next year, and you heard it here, well, thousandth. You can accuse me of being a homer, and drinking orange koolaid, and you'll be right. Go Vols!
Posted on February 16 at 11:53 a.m.
I think it's a good thing for the team and the coaches to have these meetings; it certainly helped last year. Because the coaches need to get the team to the next level, to the successful defense of the NC level, I also think it's good to tell the team about their disappointment. However, although the coaches and players know much more about this than I do, I disagree a bit with them. For example, I watched the game and I did not think that the Lady Vols lacked effort. It's true that the guards didn't play all that well, but it wasn't because they didn't TRY to play well. And you're never going to have Alex Hornbuckle not putting out the effort. To me, saying your team showed a "lack of effort" is coachspeak for the other team putting our MORE effort than did the team of the coach who's talking. THAT might be correct -- LSU might have put out MORE effort than the LVs -- but that doesn't mean that the Lady Vols didn't put out a lot of effort or enough effort to win. I think it is more a combination of factors. First, LSU is a VERY good team that plays great defense. Second, they are both quick and fast enough to make even the Lady Vols look slow (which the commentators noticed) even when the LV's are not in fact slow. Third, the particular lineup that LSU can put out there created matchup problems for Tenn, such as for Fuller, as noted, or for anyone having to play Fowles (and that's not to mention their depth, which matches up badly for UT). And finally, fourth, their coach isn't exactly chopped chicken liver, having much experience and some championships -- he's certainly as good a coach as Vivian Stringer, for example. It was a tough loss, but to me it wasn't so bad a loss that it makes me think the Lady Vols cannot successfully defend their championship. The SEC is just very tough, and women's college basketball at the highest level is also very tough. Go Lady Vols!
Posted on January 30 at 8:47 a.m.
Man, I love to watch this team and this coach. That record Pearl has for finishing when he has a lead at the half or however many minutes left in the game is well earned; only a couple of times in the last three years has someone successfully come back on them -- Ky last week, OSU last year. Can't believe the talent, the great coaching, the team attitude. Of course, with the ups and downs of the game and the history of Coleman to overcome, this was a very exciting game to watch, but I've noticed that because of their great effort, this team is always fun to watch no matter what because of how they play. I'd take it and enjoy it if they stalled for 35 minutes if they won, but this team is just fun to watch. There are no dull spots in their games. Winning plus fun to watch plus guys enjoying playing with each other -- what a great combo!
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Posted on April 17 at 5:55 p.m.
With all those ex-coaches and ex-players who've become coaches (80-something do I remember?), somehow I doubt that Pat will have a hard time finding the best person for the job. It's going to be a great opportunity for someone.
On Caldwell named coach at UCLA, leaves void at UT