Anyone think # 5 Chris Lofton will be retired ?

#76
#76
Chris4Vols22 said:
If Lofton had a defensive presence, he would probably be in the NBA right now. He was definitely clutch, yes. Not on the defensive end though.
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He couldn't stay in front of his man. That determines his ability to play in the NBA as well as his height. There are more facets to defense than staying in front of your man. He would poke the ball out for a steal before they had a chance to drive by him.

Loften definitely had more clutch plays on defense than smith did.
 
#77
#77
Tyler Smith was useless when he lost Jujuan and Chris on the perimeter. People just started playing zone and crowding the paint. We were probably more balanced when he left because it opened up the paint a bit for Prince's cuts and Chism around the rim.

Lofton might have not been an NBA prospect. But as a college player, he was average to above average at close range shots, mostly because had the touch to shoot from all kinds of wierd positions that got him out of blocking range. Either pull backs close, or tough layups. And as Bassman said, he was no slouch on defense and provided clutch steals. Decent passer. And as mentioned, one of the best pure shooters in the college game, ever.

Tyler Smith was pretty useless his senior season, but he was solid his first two years here. I just never saw him as important as J. Smith, Lofton, or Chism.
 
#78
#78
Ok, you guys are turning this into a "who's better" argument. All I'm saying is that Tyler's presence, in one way or the other, caused our team to get more points and the opposition to get less points, in more so of a quantifiable way than Lofton. No one can say that Lofton isn't one of the best shooters of all time, but I don't see how you can say that Smith didn't make more of an overall impact on the game.
 
#79
#79
VolsFan4Ever-11 said:
Honestly, Tyler Smith hurt this team more than he helped it. The team stood around for 30 seconds, and waited to see what he would do. Definitely one of the most overrated guys during Pearls time here.
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I believe that actually was the offense
 
#81
#81
VolsFan4Ever-11 said:
Honestly, Tyler Smith hurt this team more than he helped it. The team stood around for 30 seconds, and waited to see what he would do. Definitely one of the most overrated guys during Pearls time here.
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That was definitely the case in Tyler's senior year. But when he was playing with Jajuan and Lofton, the system was much more effective. Absolutely terrible coaching by Pearl in Smith's senior year though.
 
#82
#82
Chris4Vols22 said:
Ok, you guys are turning this into a "who's better" argument. All I'm saying is that Tyler's presence, in one way or the other, caused our team to get more points and the opposition to get less points, in more so of a quantifiable way than Lofton. No one can say that Lofton isn't one of the best shooters of all time, but I don't see how you can say that Smith didn't make more of an overall impact on the game.
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Because he didn't. Teams schemed to stop loften. Take him away and the defenses job just got a million times easier. Tyler smiths are a dime a dozen in the SEC. Jenkins is the only player remotely close to Loften in the past 10 years in the SEC and he still doesn't have the ability to make such clutch and man draped all over you shots that Loften had.

He seems to be a bit more consistent though - only because Loften was so unorthodox.
 
#83
#83
VolsFan4Ever-11 said:
This is true! After he was kicked off, the "team" looked a lot better.
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That was such a crazy effect. I'm still pissed off that Chism never tried his hardest until Smith was booted. What if he were playing that hard in his other 3.5 years at UT?? That would have been the difference between a good and STELLAR collegiate career.
 
#84
#84
Chris4Vols22 said:
That was definitely the case in Tyler's senior year. But when he was playing with Jajuan and Lofton, the system was much more effective. Absolutely terrible coaching by Pearl in Smith's senior year though.
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besides the whole turning it around and taking that team to the elite 8 and all
 
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#85
#85
Chris4Vols22 said:
That was definitely the case in Tyler's senior year. But when he was playing with Jajuan and Lofton, the system was much more effective. Absolutely terrible coaching by Pearl in Smith's senior year though.
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While I mostly agree with that, I still think that Tyler was just an average SF. JMO.
 
#86
#86
The more I think about it, the more I think I'm cheapening Tyler Smith's sophomore and junior year because of his senior year. He was good, but I never saw him as the great player that Lofton was although statistically and by accolades he could be considered that way. But if I was putting together a college team, he would be a solid 4th behind those three mentioned (Lofton, Jujuan, Chism).
 
#87
#87
VolsFan4Ever-11 said:
This is true! After he was kicked off, the "team" looked a lot better.
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hmmm I never saw the "there's 7sec left in the shot clock and we need to get a shot off" offense truly disappear. To put the blame on TS is kinda stretching the truth
 
#88
#88
Chris4Vols22 said:
That was such a crazy effect. I'm still pissed off that Chism never tried his hardest until Smith was booted. What if he were playing that hard in his other 3.5 years at UT?? That would have been the difference between a good and STELLAR collegiate career.
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100% agree with this. To this day, I still don't know why Chism never played that hard till then. I think a lot of it had to do though with Tyler just holding the ball, and everybody standing around.
 
#89
#89
Bassmanbruno said:
Because he didn't. Teams schemed to stop loften. Take him away and the defenses job just got a million times easier. Tyler smiths are a dime a dozen in the SEC. Jenkins is the only player remotely close to Loften in the past 10 years in the SEC and he still doesn't have the ability to make such clutch and man draped all over you shots that Loften had.

He seems to be a bit more consistent though - only because Loften was so unorthodox.
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Well, that is your most compelling argument. Good points. Smiths are dime-a-dozen, yes, but it's because it's necessary. You don't win SEC games without players like Smith. Players like Lofton are almost just for gravy on top (not literally that boiled down, you know what I mean). Again, in my mind, I see us being better off without Lofton than Smith if Pearl had to go Sophie's Choice on our team...
 
#90
#90
utvolpj said:
hmmm I never saw the "there's 7sec left in the shot clock and we need to get a shot off" offense truly disappear. To put the blame on TS is kinda stretching the truth
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Not really. I guess what I'm trying to say is that they seemed to click more as a team after Tyler was off the team. For whatever reason, we don't know. They just seemed to play different and better after he was gone.
 
#91
#91
VolsFan4Ever-11 said:
100% agree with this. To this day, I still don't know why Chism never played that hard till then. I think a lot of it had to do though with Tyler just holding the ball, and everybody standing around.
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Such a strange season...at least Chism is a VFL and a good guy. Can't really fault him for anything else.
 
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#93
#93
If it were up to me I would retire Lofton's jersey not necessarily because of what he did on the Basketball court alebit it was a great career, but because he stands as a fabulous role model and unbelievable and applaudable person and story

Can you begin to imagine how much national attention he would have received if they had went public with his story right before his senior season started? He would have been the golden boy of ESPN. Instead they did something beyond respectable and didn't announce it. Says a lot about the kid and says a lot about Coach Pearl that people don't like to admit

Hang his jersey in the rafters as a reminder of the kind of person a lot of us could only hope to be like and for the kids growing up to want to be like
 
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#94
#94
but lofton on this years team and see what happens.we wouldnt be seeing zone every game and then stokes and maymon would get one on one down low.now put t smith on this years team and tell what changes.
 
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#95
#95
omghulkhands said:
If it were up to me I would retire Lofton's jersey not necessarily because of what he did on the Basketball court alebit it was a great career, but because he stands as a fabulous role model and unbelievable and applaudable person and story

Can you begin to imagine how much national attention he would have received if they had went public with his story right before his senior season started? He would have been the golden boy of ESPN. Instead they did something beyond respectable and didn't announce it. Says a lot about the kid and says a lot about Coach Pearl that people don't like to admit

Hang the his jersey in the rafter as a reminder of the kind of person a lot of us could only hope to be like and for the kids growing up to want to be like
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Well said.
 
#96
#96
Must say that this thread is going surprisingly well. Hardly ever do you see a thread on here where people disagree, and it doesn't turn into a full blown argument. It's nice to see people with different opinions and be able to discuss it!
 
#97
#97
Chris4Vols22 said:
Lofton did not make a first team All-America. He made 2nd team 3 times. Has to be coach's, has to be POST-season. All-Wooden is obviously not the same thing as All-American.
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Show me where it says this. In the official UT media guide they list Lofton as having earned 1st team All-American honors. Who to believe? You or the UT media guide?
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#98
#98
He was pre-season, but I don't think that's one of the marks.

edit: Again, another reason why the cancer thing changes things. He was predicted to be first team AA, but nobody knew he had went through chemo.
 
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#99
#99
Bassmanbruno said:
Please tell me one category Tyler smith ranks top 5 in alll time other than most illegally owned guns by a college athlete.
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Has only recorded Triple Double in recorded school history. That in no way means he should have his jersey retired but thats a pretty great category to hold all to yourself.
 
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#100
#100
I'll say that in his Junior year Lofton worked to add a slashing move to his game. Had the cancer not happened, I think he would have been a much more versatile player in his 4th year (and definitely taken SEC POY again, as well as garnering 1st team AA honors)
 
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