2013 F Austin Nichols (Memphis Briarcrest)

#2,403
#2,403
MemphisCanes said:
Pastner's not getting fired this year, and we're not giving you any of our recruiting class. Settle down, vultures.
Click to expand...

You may not be giving it away, but I can guarantee you there will be coaches looking to poach them away and reminded them that Pastner may not be there all 4 years of their time there.

Pastner's in over his head. The only thing giving him time is that he has landed good talent and he has a recruiting pool in his backyard. Other than that, he is clueless.
 
#2,404
#2,404
OrangeBalls said:
You may not be giving it away, but I can guarantee you there will be coaches looking to poach them away and reminded them that Pastner may not be there all 4 years of their time there.

Pastner's in over his head. The only thing giving him time is that he has landed good talent and he has a recruiting pool in his backyard. Other than that, he is clueless.
Click to expand...

That may be possible but for the fact that they've all signed LOIs.

I can't really argue with the second paragraph. He's going to need to show that he can get it done this season.
 
#2,408
#2,408
Stoked4Zo said:
First time I've heard you say that ever?
Click to expand...

I follow UT basketball regularly and have since I started living here. I don't call myself a "fan" because I don't really support the program financially in any way.

I don't deride Martin and although I may have said some negative things about the UT program, it's usually in the midst of a heated discussion and in defense of Memphis. I have genuine respect for Coach Martin and while I may take some shots from time to time, the shots are at fans and not the program.
 
#2,410
#2,410
MEMPHIS - The problem, of course, is that there is nothing Josh Pastner can say.

The Memphis basketball coach has his first radio show of the season Monday night. He'll meet the media at some point, to talk about the crushing Bahamas trip.

But there is no way to spin the disaster. No words to make it all right.

Pastner tried, after the third game of the trip, the too-close-for-comfort win over Northern Iowa. He said it's still early in the season. He said the Tigers were just one missed rebound away from being in a one-possession game with VCU. He said — OK, nobody cares what he said.

That's the problem. Or, one of them.

The Tigers went to the Bahamas for Thanksgiving and all they got was a lousy win over Northern Iowa. They lost to two unranked teams, VCU and Minnesota. They looked miserable in the process.

How bad was it?

Some fans are thinking Pastner should take the names off the front of the jerseys, this time around.

How bad was it?

The only Memphis area recruit who exceeded expectations (Andre Hollins) is the one who decided not to play for Pastner.

How bad was it?

In his post-tournament comments, Pastner joked about "snipers" waiting for him back home.

Which is unfortunate, really. Nobody in this city wants Pastner to fail. He is gracious and generous and honest and warm. In a college basketball world filled with miserable human beings, Pastner is a breath of fresh air.

A Memphis basketball fan texted me Sunday, asked me to "be nice."

"Why?" I texted back.

"I want the good guy to win," she said.

And that about sums it up, doesn't it?

Everyone wants the good guy to win. I want the good guy to win. But after three-plus years in Memphis, the good guy still has no answer for the question people are asking with increasing frequency: Where's the evidence he can coach?

This isn't about X's and O's, either, though plenty would criticize Pastner for his. This is about Pastner's ability to lead and reach and inspire a team.

There are good coaches who press and good coaches who play a slowdown game. There are good coaches who love the zone and good coaches who would never play anything other than man-to-man.

But all good coaches have one thing in common: They get their players to play hard and together and well.

Pastner does not. Or has not, with any consistency. And don't blame the players, either. Pastner recruited every one of them. It is his team, from the first man to the last. There is nobody to hold responsible but the coach.

Of course, what does that even mean at this point? How do you hold Pastner responsible? Nobody is saying there should be a coaching change. At least, not yet. But if the season continues to go off the rails, is it possible that Memphis athletic director Tom Bowen will have some hard decisions to make? Yes, it is. Maybe Pastner should be encouraged to hire an assistant coach with more tactical experience, a former head coach who demands immediate respect.

But that's a discussion for March, not November. There is still a season left to play. The problem is that the season doesn't contain many chances for redemption. There's Louisville and Tennessee, and that's about it. If the Tigers beat Louisville, all will be forgiven. If they lose to Louisville and Tennessee, they may have to win the Conference USA Tournament just to get into the NCAAs.

It all feels grim and deflating. Memphis hosts UT-Martin Thursday night. How does anyone get pumped for that one? The game will be seen as meaningful only if the Tigers somehow lose.

That is what the Bahamas trip has done to the season. The expected joyride has become a dirge.

"We can be a really really good team," said Pastner, ever the optimist.

But everyone is weary of the words.
Click to expand...

- Commercial Appeal
 
#2,411
#2,411
Pastner's problem is that he benefits from growing up in the AAU circuit with his dad, so his recruiting advantage is pretty strong. However, that environment isn't conducive to learning how to coach, which he can't. So, he'll continually use his connection to garner the talent, but have no idea how to use it.
 
#2,418
#2,418
MemphisCanes said:
Then wouldn't UT fans want to see Pastner gone? If he's done anything right, it's recruit.
Click to expand...

Like most things in life, I don't think you can bucket all of UT's fans together on this.

There are some that enjoy Memphis' coaching problems just because they don't care for Memphis.

There are some that likely believe that Pastner's ability to coach will eventually affect his recruiting ability and would want him to stay.

There are some that are just interested in who is coaching as it is a barometer on the potential for UT to recruit Memphis talent. If Pastner continues to be an excellent recruiter, then yes they'd want him to go (the assumption being that his replacement would be a step down as a recruiter).

There are some that want Memphis & Pastner to be successful except when competing with UT on the floor or for recruits. I would fall into this bucket.
 
#2,421
#2,421
Pastner at Memphis for as long as possible is the best thing for UT. I know Memphis fans want to defend himi but he continues to prove he can't coach. IMO, I think that gets exposed even more next year when he plays stiffer competition. Memphis has too much tradition and money to settle for a middle tier coach so they'll get someone more deserving. I'm hoping by then, Martin has been through Memphis enough to establish plenty of relationships and plenty of inner city players.
 
#2,422
#2,422
Shaun1985 said:
Pastner at Memphis for as long as possible is the best thing for UT. I know Memphis fans want to defend himi but he continues to prove he can't coach. IMO, I think that gets exposed even more next year when he plays stiffer competition. Memphis has too much tradition and money to settle for a middle tier coach so they'll get someone more deserving. I'm hoping by then, Martin has been through Memphis enough to establish plenty of relationships and plenty of inner city players.
Click to expand...

Memphis fans defend Pastner because he's a nice guy and a hard worker, but just about everyone is ready for some results.

I think Martin, like Pearl, will have trouble recruiting the city of Memphis no matter who coaches for the Tigers. I've never understand the fixation with Memphis when ATL is closer and produces more bball talent.
 
#2,423
#2,423
MemphisCanes said:
Memphis fans defend Pastner because he's a nice guy and a hard worker, but just about everyone is ready for some results.

I think Martin, like Pearl, will have trouble recruiting the city of Memphis no matter who coaches for the Tigers. I've never understand the fixation with Memphis when ATL is closer and produces more bball talent.
Click to expand...

Martin has already shown he can recruit the Memphis/West TN area better than Pearl. Pearl got Chism and that was pretty much it. Martin has already gotten Stokes and Hubbs and he has only been there a year and a half.
 
#2,424
#2,424
OrangeBalls said:
Martin has already shown he can recruit the Memphis/West TN area better than Pearl. Pearl got Chism and that was pretty much it. Martin has already gotten Stokes and Hubbs and he has only been there a year and a half.
Click to expand...

While Hubbs is a great get for Martin, he has no bearing on the City of Memphis.

I'm not opening the Stokes can of worms. You shouldn't use him as evidence that Martin can out recruit people for Memphis kids.

This still doesn't address my confustion as to why you guys focus so much on Memphis and not on ATL.
 
#2,425
#2,425
OrangeBalls said:
Martin has already shown he can recruit the Memphis/West TN area better than Pearl. Pearl got Chism and that was pretty much it. Martin has already gotten Stokes and Hubbs and he has only been there a year and a half.
Click to expand...

So what is your point? Since you are the first on here to compare CBP and CCM which wasn't being discussed?
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top