Anyone Hear Sue Bird's Comments?

[mlindsay]

Middleton has the best floor vision and seems to be the only guard who can consistently make a post entry pass. On the downside is her reluctance to shoot and related tendency to pass the ball to Diamond with 1 second on the shot clock.

The communication is clearly awful. I already mentioned Andraya passing a ball to Diamond when Diamond was looking the other way directing traffic. There were times where the players were bumping into each other and seemed to have no clue where they needed to be on the floor. It looked like a pickup game at times, and that's 100% on the coaching.

We are on the same page its like they (the players and Holly) look to Diamond as the savior. Holly does the same thing, she benched her most of the 3rd and into the forth (after we got a huge lead) and then when TAMU get back into the game (down by 3 and even took the lead) she inserted her (and Cooper) into the game hoping one of them would save the day.

 

[Martic]

She said the lady vol team looked "out of sorts" and Holly was showing signs of pressure, that you could tell by "her out of sorts substitutions" and lacking team chemistry. She even stated that the team "body language" late in the game was as though they had "already lost". Watch the replay and listen. She also said the difference between "good" teams and "great" teams was in turnovers, can't continue making unforced turnovers and win consistently. This program is imploding and some game commentators aren't afraid to say it.

I watched the game, I also taped it. I thought she made those comments before we went on the run and took the lead,(I'll check it to confirm) when we did I thought maybe we would prove her wrong but of course not!! One thing I didn't like was when she said that was definitely an offensive foul on Nared. She said she should have known better, that was not an offensive foul the player did not give her room to come down.

 

[bobkitten]

Amb3096: Not trying to cast aspersions on the ACC. I think, however, day in and day out, year in and year out, the SEC is stronger. JMHO

I always feel concern about a player who changes her mind, especially more than once. She was going to go to TN. Then, Pat's illness became known. She went to UNC. Wasn't happy there. Now at UT. Doesn't seem happy there. When interviewed after games, uses the word "I" a lot. Basketball is about teamwork.

What do you think of my other point (to establish that no one is "the star" from the get-go?)

 

[Amb3096]

I watched the game, I also taped it. I thought she made those comments before we went on the run and took the lead,(I'll check it to confirm) when we did I thought maybe we would prove her wrong but of course not!! One thing I didn't like was when she said that was definitely an offensive foul on Nared. She said she should have known better, that was not an offensive foul the player did not give her room to come down.

On the replay she said that she thought that Jones did not give Nared room to come down, and that she undercut her. She seemed surprised that a foul was called on Nared. After the commercial break, she said they looked up the rule and that it doesn't state that the defensive player needs to give the offensive player room to come down, so the call was the correct call (the opposite is true in the WNBA).

I think it's a dumb rule, but the call, based on the college rule, was the correct call.

 

[Amb3096]

Amb3096: Not trying to cast aspersions on the ACC. I think, however, day in and day out, year in and year out, the SEC is stronger. JMHO

I always feel concern about a player who changes her mind, especially more than once. She was going to go to TN. Then, Pat's illness became known. She went to UNC. Wasn't happy there. Now at UT. Doesn't seem happy there. When interviewed after games, uses the word "I" a lot. Basketball is about teamwork.

What do you think of my other point (to establish that no one is "the star" from the get-go?)

The SEC is deeper, but the ACC has better players and better teams. They had a lot of star players and high WNBA picks. Not so much for the SEC.

Pat's illness was a huge concern for recruits. They were eyeing Tennessee because they wanted to play for a legend. With her gone, what was the draw? I don't think Diamond changing her mind and signing with UNC was any sort of character flaw. I don't think her deciding she was unhappy at UNC was one either. There are plenty of transfers that thrived where they went to because they knew they made the wrong choice to begin with. Tennessee doesn't win the NC in 1996 without the leadership from a transfer.

And yes, I agree that no one should be annointed a star right from the get go. However, Holly has consistently stated that Andraya's starting guard spot is not up for grabs, despite the fact that she is one of the worst starting guards in the whole SEC. If you are referring to Diamond being named a pre-season AA, I don't see anything wrong with that. It's just a list of a bunch of people's opinions. Besides, most of Volnation was proclaiming her the equal of Breanna Stewart before she took her first jumper.

Diamond has parts of her game to work on, but not nearly as much as some of her teammates.

 

[Martic]

Amb3096: Not trying to cast aspersions on the ACC. I think, however, day in and day out, year in and year out, the SEC is stronger. JMHO

I always feel concern about a player who changes her mind, especially more than once. She was going to go to TN. Then, Pat's illness became known. She went to UNC. Wasn't happy there. Now at UT. Doesn't seem happy there. When interviewed after games, uses the word "I" a lot. Basketball is about teamwork.

What do you think of my other point (to establish that no one is "the star" from the get-go?)

I think when she decide to go to NC she was swept up in peer pressure, she and the other 5 were going to be the "super six" (I recall us having one of those classes). When she got there I think she realized she made a mistake. Nothing wrong with a girl changing her mind is there? Look at KY, Duke,and Maryland they've had their share of transfers lately. She may be unhappy because she's losing and knows they should be doing better. She usually is saying I should have done better, she doesn't throw the team under the bus

 

[bobkitten]

Nor does she say, "My teammates are encouraging and supporting me" or anything positive about the other players out there.

 

[Amb3096]

Nor does she say, "My teammates are encouraging and supporting me" or anything positive about the other players out there.

After the ND game:
"Just going into the rest of the conference and knowing that we are capable, and we are a very resilient team. This has been a very up-and-down season for us, and we know that, but we are going to get through this. We are sticking together and this is making us stronger."

After Cooper's showing vs. Vandy:
"They were huge for us obviously. We were struggling at that particular moment in time and for her to be able to step up and hit that many shots back-to-back it was just huge. I’m just happy for her because being in the slump that she was in; I was really proud that she was able to step up. It showed that she still is that player and she’s still capable.”

 

[cwbytruckers]

The biggest tell with the state of the Lady Vols is in recruiting. How in the name of God do we not have 1. Yes I said 1. Recruit lined up for next year. Lady Vols don't recruit. They reload. At least they used too.

 

[WVU05UT09]

Amb3096: Not trying to cast aspersions on the ACC. I think, however, day in and day out, year in and year out, the SEC is stronger. JMHO

I always feel concern about a player who changes her mind, especially more than once. She was going to go to TN. Then, Pat's illness became known. She went to UNC. Wasn't happy there. Now at UT. Doesn't seem happy there. When interviewed after games, uses the word "I" a lot. Basketball is about teamwork.

What do you think of my other point (to establish that no one is "the star" from the get-go?)

Not even close. You'll see how good our conference is tonight when the torchbearer gets beat like a rented mule. The SEC is "wide" for sure with what looks like the most tournament eligible teams, the question is how many of them survive to the second weekend? Right now I'd say only SC, Mississippi State, and Texas A&M.

 

[Franklin Pierce]

UCONN will defeat Dawn Staley and USC Again tonight.

Holly will be the Lady Vols coach next season.

 

[linkster]

There was no reason to think Diamond wouldn't have picked up right where she left off, unless her injuries are more serious than previously thought.

While there's more to it than simply stats, DeShields' is producing at Tenn in much the same way she did at UNC. She's taking 2 less shots a game and scoring about 4 pts/gm less. And yet her play 2 seasons ago won her FOY while her play this year is being criticized.

When you take 15+ shots a game a pretty impressive string of highlight videos on ESPN can make you look good enough to win votes for NFOY, especially when you are as flashy a player as Diamond.

I also think DeShields is suffering with bad legs. Whether it's shin splints or patella tendonitis, it has limited her minutes and has effected her outside shooting.

 

[willford65]

We're settlers, son:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASyhJ0lRIU0

"We have to live with lower customer satisfaction."

Well said settler.

 

[willford65]

She said the lady vol team looked "out of sorts" and Holly was showing signs of pressure, that you could tell by "her out of sorts substitutions" and lacking team chemistry. She even stated that the team "body language" late in the game was as though they had "already lost". Watch the replay and listen. She also said the difference between "good" teams and "great" teams was in turnovers, can't continue making unforced turnovers and win consistently. This program is imploding and some game commentators aren't afraid to say it.

Also did you hear Andy Landers comment on SEC network that "Lady Vol's take note, the SEC is not afraid of the Big Orange anymore".

 

[bobkitten]

Yes, he also hit the nail on the head in other observations he made during the game when he was a sidelines reporter.

 

[Coffy73]

Also did you hear Andy Landers comment on SEC network that "Lady Vol's take note, the SEC is not afraid of the Big Orange anymore".

What's there to be afraid? It's certainly not the coach, who simply shrugs her shoulders when things go wrong.

 

[Sandvol]

The biggest tell with the state of the Lady Vols is in recruiting. How in the name of God do we not have 1. Yes I said 1. Recruit lined up for next year. Lady Vols don't recruit. They reload. At least they used too.

Because this poor coach doesn't have a clue what she is doing and recruits realize that. She is a disorganized jumbled mess.

 

[I81Exit146]

We're settlers, son:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASyhJ0lRIU0

"We have to live with lower customer satisfaction."

:lolabove: thought the same thing..

 

[Coffy73]

The biggest tell with the state of the Lady Vols is in recruiting. How in the name of God do we not have 1. Yes I said 1. Recruit lined up for next year. Lady Vols don't recruit. They reload. At least they used too.

If you're a good recruit, you want to go somewhere that will help you develop into a better player, possibly one that can go on and earn a living playing professionally. Holly is not the type of coach that will help a young player do that, so why would a top recruit even consider Tenn.?

 

[armchair]

Warlick is a very good whistler. I've always been impressed by her two-fingered whistle, and think she could have a very good future entering whistling competitions around the country, maybe even around the world. Travel to whistling competitions might preclude her coaching UT anymore. That would be, ahem, so sad--but if you have the potential to be a champion two-fingered whistler, you MUST devote yourself to that craft, even if it means walking away from your job. Go Holly--go be the great two-fingered whistling champion you were meant to be! And the UT women's basketball program--well, we will try to get along without you. It won't be easy--but we'll all smile to ourselves knowing you are out there, somewhere far, far away from Knoxville, fulfilling your whistling destiny.

 

[LA Vol]

I just want the LVs to get it together. I don't care if it's with Holly or without her-- whichever helps the team get better needs to happen before the players check out... assuming they haven't already.

 

[MDVolFan14]

Bird was on point and I honestly think that this team is broken. Because the chemistry issue appears to be a lot deeper and it looks like Warlick and her staff are in over their heads.

The body language is very telling of a team that is going through the motions. And at the college level, most likely it's because there is a huge crater in the locker room amongst the players that the coaches don't know how to fix.

It's fixable with a new coach. But Warlick and her staff have played their hand with this team and have allowed whatever is going on to spiral out of control.

But actually they can fix it by going with a smaller rotation and letting them get out and run. By playing who gives them the best chance to win, not who's been there before or who will pout and whine because of lack of playing time. If you cut your rotation down and it starts winning games, those who pout or whine can go kick rocks back in their dorm rooms.

Take advantage of the unique skill sets that Deshields and Cooper bring to the table coupled with Russell and Graves down low and Dunbar and Reynolds shooting threes.

 

[Martic]

Nor does she say, "My teammates are encouraging and supporting me" or anything positive about the other players out there.

who else on the team has?

 

[LVJeff]

Bird was on point and I honestly think that this team is broken. Because the chemistry issue appears to be a lot deeper and it looks like Warlick and her staff are in over their heads.

The body language is very telling of a team that is going through the motions. And at the college level, most likely it's because there is a huge crater in the locker room amongst the players that the coaches don't know how to fix...

You have a total of two posts, both claiming locker room problems. How do you know this?

It's fixable with a new coach. But Warlick and her staff have played their hand with this team and have allowed whatever is going on to spiral out of control...

Exactly what is going on in the locker room that has spiraled out of control?

But actually they can fix it by going with a smaller rotation and letting them get out and run. By playing who gives them the best chance to win, not who's been there before or who will pout and whine because of lack of playing time. If you cut your rotation down and it starts winning games, those who pout or whine can go kick rocks back in their dorm rooms.

I agree with this. I have been wishing Holly would go to a seven player rotation for three seasons. But tell me who is pouting and whining?

Take advantage of the unique skill sets that Deshields and Cooper bring to the table coupled with Russell and Graves down low and Dunbar and Reynolds shooting threes.

Reynolds shooting threes? She's shooting 27% from three for the season. A lineup of Cooper, DeShields, Dunbar, Graves, and Russell puts Dunbar or Graves at the 3 defensively. That lineup had better be able to score because the other team is sure going to rack up some points. Do you think they should play full-time zone?

 

[Pat4life]

Like really who is Diamond Deshields? wuteva.

Sue Bird is a champion and know what it takes and she's not petty. She knows what she sees.

I mean Holly can't really say, this is the laziest team, I ever had, we have to force them get in the gym, even that's a chore, nobody getting better cos they really want too.., this group don't like this group, this player has a poor performance, it can bring down the group whole morale, some players check out and just go punch their time clock, jus to get by, and we have a few player some games who try to get better. I'm trying everything to reach these players, if you have some suggestions please help me out, but this team is talented, but they are stubborn and lazy, and play the game for all the wrong reasons, with an exception of a few players. Right, my clique is the minority, so yes changes will be made, cos something just not working, but hey the show must carry on!

I mean come on, we all know there are problems, we can see them.