Absolutely Pathetic

[cascade11]

Some people need to step back from the ledge. This team wouldnt have been in the NIT a couple months ago. They have a very good chance to be a top 25 team next year if Golden, Maymon, McRae, and Stokes continue to improve.

 

[johnnybravo]

Unless we add a player or two who can consistently shoot the freakin' ball from 3 pt range, next year will be a sad carbon copy of this year. NIT mediocrity.

I totally agree. I keep hearing about being ranked next year...I just don't see it at all. We will be plaqued with the exact same problems next year.

Is McBee finally going to be able to create his own shot?
Is Golden going to quit making stupid mistakes?
I can't see Maymon improving any more than he already has.
Stokes will improve, but will we take advantage of our post players?
Yemi should improve, but again will we take advantage of it or will he continue to get points off rebounds from jacked up 3s?
Is Richardson going to suddenly become an offensive threat?
McCrea? I will just leave it at that.
Is Cheivous going to take up the slack of Tatum's departure - most definitely!!!

I see the same team. We had a very good stretch in mid Jan and Feb. But I saw the exact same team the last 3 games that played mid Dec. even with the addition of Stokes. Unless we add a player or 2 then we will see some of the same type games next year.

So convince me how we are going to become a "ranked team" next year.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

This is one of the areas that I don't like about CCM playing style. He gives the players free reigns on offense as long as they play hard on defense. You got to give direction at both ends of the court.

I expect it to change some in the off season, especially with our glaring strength in the post. You have to utilize it.

One major thing I've noticed, and attribute some of this to is this...many of our guards have been here for a few years now. Since they're been here that haven't really had true post guys who want to post up and get the ball down low. It seems like they have a lot of trouble trying to make entry passes into the post. I counted atleast 10 possessions last night in which the guard looked inside but couldn't get it in to them, and as a result that possession ended with a guard shooting.

My hope is that maybe this is one of the big reasons that we haven't seen nearly enough post touches. If that's the case, I'd expect that to be a huge point of emphasis for our guards in the off season. And also for our bigs with hi low action, everyone on the team leaning how to get the ball down low to the guy posting up.

IMO, maymon and stokes are both legitimate 16/10 a night guys, and should see atleast 12-15 shots a game EACH.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I totally agree. I keep hearing about being ranked next year...I just don't see it at all. We will be plaqued with the exact same problems next year.

Is McBee finally going to be able to create his own shot?
Is Golden going to quit making stupid mistakes?
I can't see Maymon improving any more than he already has.
Stokes will improve, but will we take advantage of our post players?
Yemi should improve, but again will we take advantage of it or will he continue to get points off rebounds from jacked up 3s?
Is Richardson going to suddenly become an offensive threat?
McCrea? I will just leave it at that.
Is Cheivous going to take up the slack of Tatum's departure - most definitely!!!

I see the same team. We had a very good stretch in mid Jan and Feb. But I saw the exact same team the last 3 games that played mid Dec. even with the addition of Stokes. Unless we add a player or 2 then we will see some of the same type games next year.

So convince me how we are going to become a "ranked team" next year.

I tend to agree with this.

I think the difference is this team next year would be a bit better, because they shouldn't lose to the AP of the world, do ultimately they'll probably make the tourny.

But as far as being ranked and vastly improving, I think the biggest key is adding another guard and one who can shoot. I've been preaching Fabyon Harris for about 3-4 months now, before Tennessee even started recruiting him. Add him and many of these issues are immediately fixed IMO.

 

[volroadwarrior]

I might understand missing some shots, except for 8 full minutes, but MTSU was grabbing all of the offensive rebounds. They just wanted it worse and our guys were sleep walking. They out hustled us 10 to 1. Foul shooting was terrible and would have been a difference maker had we made more of them.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I might understand missing some shots, except for 8 full minutes, but MTSU was grabbing all of the offensive rebounds. They just wanted it worse and our guys were sleep walking. They out hustled us 10 to 1. Foul shooting was terrible and would have been a difference maker had we made more of them.

Last night game should have been won regardless of our poor shooting, we were out hustle plain and simple.

As far as this team getting much better though, they've got to become a better shooting team. IMO

 

[johnnybravo]

I expect it to change some in the off season, especially with our glaring strength in the post. You have to utilize it.

One major thing I've noticed, and attribute some of this to is this...many of our guards have been here for a few years now. Since they're been here that haven't really had true post guys who want to post up and get the ball down low. It seems like they have a lot of trouble trying to make entry passes into the post. I counted atleast 10 possessions last night in which the guard looked inside but couldn't get it in to them, and as a result that possession ended with a guard shooting.

My hope is that maybe this is one of the big reasons that we haven't seen nearly enough post touches. If that's the case, I'd expect that to be a huge point of emphasis for our guards in the off season. And also for our bigs with hi low action, everyone on the team leaning how to get the ball down low to the guy posting up.

IMO, maymon and stokes are both legitimate 16/10 a night guys, and should see atleast 12-15 shots a game EACH.

They can work on it, but with CCM philosophy on offense, the players have free reigns as long as they play hard on defense. That's why we continuously saw the jacked up 3s and the stupid drives by Cam, Golden, and McCrae all year long. We only had 1 formula for success all year long. FEED THE POST. It was simple. I knew it. You knew it. Everyone knew it. But the gameplan was rarely executed.

 

[calban]

They can work on it, but with CCM philosophy on offense, the players have free reigns as long as they play hard on defense. That's why we continuously saw the jacked up 3s and the stupid drives by Cam, Golden, and McCrae all year long. We only had 1 formula for success all year long. FEED THE POST. It was simple. I knew it. You knew it. Everyone knew it. But the gameplan was rarely executed.

I think we've got a lot of hard heads on this team.
It took them half a season to 'buy into' playing defense.
Could be half a season next year before they buy into playing smart offense.
And Zo's teaching style seems to be let them learn the hard way. By losing doing it their way.

 

[Volumnus 2011]

That was just sickening to watch. We don't have a single player who can shoot the ball from outside worth a crap.

Whatever it takes, Martin needs to go out and find some guys who can shoot the freakin' ball. We haven't had anybody who could shoot since Lofton.

McBee - brick after brick after brick
McRae - brick after brick after brick
Tatum - brick after brick after brick
Golden - brick after brick after brick
Richardson - brick after brick after brick

I felt like I was watching a meeting of the United Bricklayers Local #399 tonight.

Some of you speak more with your emotions than with your brain. Come on now. Lofton was called the greatest 3 point shooter of all time by ESPN. Those players don't come around very often at all, and the chances of landing such a player aren't very good. McBee and Golden shot at about 40% from outside, which isn't bad.

Strong post play doesn't win tournament games anyway, great point guard play really does. And we don't have a point guard. Everyone rags on Golden, but the guy isn't a point guard. Like Einstein said, "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."

These players WILL get better. It was Counzo's first year. Look at the strides this team made. They nearly beat Kentucky at home (which is something only one team did in the regular season), they beat Florida twice (a team that is in the Sweet 16 this year), and the team was picked to finish next to last in the SEC and ended up finishing 2nd in the regular season. How can you discredit those accomplishments? Sure Tennessee lost some games it should have won, but be realistic here. The longer this team works together in the style Counzo wants them to play, the more consistent the team will get.

The future is bright. Try to look at it objectively instead of basing the future on your current anger.

 

[Voldemonium]

I think we've got a lot of hard heads on this team.
It took them half a season to 'buy into' playing defense.
Could be half a season next year before they buy into playing smart offense.
And Zo's teaching style seems to be let them learn the hard way. By losing doing it their way.

I just don't understand how you leave Mcrae in the game when you're up by 8 with 7min to play and he starts jacking 3's 4seconds into the shotclock. Mabey he gets away with the the first one but after the second one he's gotta be benched. It's not intelligent basketball. That rediculous fall-away jumper of his needs to go. Confidence in one's abilities is one thing but he's playing pickup basketball. He needs to leave that part of his game for the summer rec league.

I don't even know where to start with Golden. His defense is turrible. I know you can't teach speed but you can teach footwork. He get's blown by quite easily. It seems like any guard 6'3 or shorter is invariably quicker than he is. I think if he simply played within his abilities he'd be decent but sometimes he tries way too hard and it usually works out worse when that happens. Last night Counzo probably should've put Wes Washpun in for his defensive abilities on Massy. Trae could've guarded MTSU's #2 PG instead. McBee didn't really provide anything last night.

This team needs a PG who can create assists, protect the ball, defend an opponents PG, and score 8-10 per night. UT doesn't need a superstar but it's gotta have someone who's more consistent than what we've got. It also needs an actual shooting guard that can score 10-12 every night. At best McBee is a streaky spot-up shooter that can't create a shot for himself and can't create shots for his teammates. He hustles but often he's chasing defenders around screens and often gets blown by on drives to the basket.

Priorities for this offseason:

- Conditioning. I realize we had some hurt players last night but there's plenty of college players that play 35-40min per night. Mabey not every night but when required they're more than capable. If Counzo used TO's more liberally this shouldn't be a problem particularly with all the free tv timeouts.

- Shot Selection Discrimination - Certain players need to learn the difference between a good shot and bad shot. If they can't tell the difference pull their greenlight to shoot. Megan Simmons on the women's team has this problem too.

- Help Defense - I give Stokes a pass since some of the more exotic screens that teams throw at him are probably new to him. But this team has to get better off the ball help.

- Identifying what's working and sticking with it. How many games this year has Maymon gotten on a roll and then gone 8-10 min without so much as a touch in the post. Counzo's assistants need to help him out during those scoring droughts.

 

[bebecerveza]

Don't think it was so much the outside shooting as Golden just got worked the last 5 mins of that game. MTSU ran the same play 4 times in a row the last 2+ mins and he couldn't stop it.

 

[Volview]

The shot selection in the last 8 mins made me scream several times.

 

[Volumnus 2011]

I just don't understand how you leave Mcrae in the game when you're up by 8 with 7min to play and he starts jacking 3's 4seconds into the shotclock. Mabey he gets away with the the first one but after the second one he's gotta be benched. It's not intelligent basketball. That rediculous fall-away jumper of his needs to go. Confidence in one's abilities is one thing but he's playing pickup basketball. He needs to leave that part of his game for the summer rec league.

Honestly, I think this needs to be addressed. Is the Rocky Top League hurting these players? It's really non-competitive and no one plays defense. Look at the people that flourish in these leagues. Cam Tatum? Jordan McRae? They've gone off for about 50 some nights.

I don't know if it hurts the players, but I think it's at least worth addressing.

 

[Volumnus 2011]

Don't think it was so much the outside shooting as Golden just got worked the last 5 mins of that game. MTSU ran the same play 4 times in a row the last 2+ mins and he couldn't stop it.

From Mike Strange's article this morning:

"My teammates and Coach Davis came to me," Massey said, "and told me, 'Golden is getting tired. When you get the ball, look to attack.' "

Read it here.

 

[imbubbaspitcup]

Unless we add a player or two who can consistently shoot the freakin' ball from 3 pt range, next year will be a sad carbon copy of this year. NIT mediocrity.

Why in the Hell do we need 3 point shooters? We need guards that can feed the big men,take it to the hole & hit FREE THROWS!!!!!!!! The missed FREE THROWS cost us the game last night!!!!!!

 

[johnnybravo]

Honestly, I think this needs to be addressed. Is the Rocky Top League hurting these players? It's really non-competitive and no one plays defense. Look at the people that flourish in these leagues. Cam Tatum? Jordan McRae? They've gone off for about 50 some nights.

I don't know if it hurts the players, but I think it's at least worth addressing.

Well maybe we should tweet CJ and tell him not to play in the RT league anymore. Seems to be hurting his game also

 

[LynxVol]

Couldn't care less about losing in the NIT. No one will care down the road. CCM worked wonders with this team. This team overachieved by miles. We should be grateful if anything. Some of you are just crazy.

 

[Volumnus 2011]

Well maybe we should tweet CJ and tell him not to play in the RT league anymore. Seems to be hurting his game also

Really? You're comparing a professional athlete that earned his way into the league by hard work and perseverance with the Vols in the Rocky Top League? The same Vols that average over 40 points in the summer, but can't score during the REAL season?

I think you have to look at the psychology of it all. One night during the Rocky Top League, McRae scored 50-something points and McBee hit 10 threes. Does the Rocky Top League make the players over-confident?

So are you insinuating that CJ Watson would become over-confident by outplaying a bunch of players that won't even sniff the NBA.

And by the way, I didn't say it was hurting the players, I said it was worth looking into.