Atlanta Braves Thread XI (Gary Sheffield edition)

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#9,577
#9,577
Vercingetorix said:
The starters are better this year. I love Chism, but Stokes would bludgeon him. The bench back then was obviously better -- except again, for the what the hell is going on with Armani Moore question. Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like he should be the best player on either bench.

Again, though, my point was not that this is the most talented roster in Tennessee history -- it's that this is about as good as it ever gets. At the very least it's comparable. It's way too talented to be sitting there at 6:30 on Sunday sweating out whether they were going to play in Dayton or fall all the way out.
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I need to do a more final analysis, but on Sunday I looked over the past two years. Each late Tennessee run had two things in common: The point guard play stabilized and Armani Moore received more minutes than in the previous games.
 
#9,578
#9,578
What really hurt was losing Trae Golden. He was worth 3-5 extra wins this season.
 
#9,580
#9,580
zjcvols said:
I need to do a more final analysis, but on Sunday I looked over the past two years. Each late Tennessee run had two things in common: The point guard play stabilized and Armani Moore received more minutes than in the previous games.
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I don't pretend to be any kind of basketball expert, but it seems like every time Moore comes in, he makes plays. Then he disappears again for two games. Maybe he skips class or mouths off in practice or something.
 
#9,581
#9,581
zjcvols said:
What really hurt was losing Trae Golden. He was worth 3-5 extra wins this season.
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Trae Golden = Justin Worley? Easy to focus on his considerable shortcomings, but provides a baseline of minimally competent offense management.

You guys hear Jimmy Dykes talking on Saturday about how the coaches finally got around to teaching Barton to play PG just a few weeks ago? Amazing.
 
#9,582
#9,582
Vercingetorix said:
The starters are better this year. I love Chism, but Stokes would bludgeon him. The bench back then was obviously better -- except again, for the what the hell is going on with Armani Moore question. Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like he should be the best player on either bench.
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I have to step in here and defend my namesake...Actually just read through a bunch of old box scores. Chism was really good. And during his time UT beat a lot of good teams, 06/07 Florida, 08 Memphis, 09 Kansas, Kentucky, etc. But I suppose he never really dominated (although as a freshman he did lead in the Florida win).

But has Stokes done that much more? How much are we hurting Chism for being on better teams? I mean, UT was never as much as an underdog during that run.
 
#9,583
#9,583
Vercingetorix said:
I don't pretend to be any kind of basketball expert, but it seems like every time Moore comes in, he makes plays. Then he disappears again for two games. Maybe he skips class or mouths off in practice or something.
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Moore is like that roving safety you don't box in. Part of why Troy Polomalu's success is because Dick LeBeau had the foresight to not put Polomalu at a position. He told him to just play ball. It's the same thing with Moore, except Martin has tried to box him in. They tried to make him a PG to start, then a small ball 4, then a wing. He doesn't need a position. You roll the ball out and tell Armani to ball.

He's like J.P. Prince. When Pearl started using Prince as a jack of all trades after the New Year's Eve incident during the 2009-2010 season, he thrived. That's exactly how Martin should be using Moore.
 
#9,584
#9,584
Vercingetorix said:
Trae Golden = Justin Worley? Easy to focus on his considerable shortcomings, but provides a baseline of minimally competent offense management.

You guys hear Jimmy Dykes talking on Saturday about how the coaches finally got around to teaching Barton to play PG just a few weeks ago? Amazing.
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Golden is a better talent than Worley IMO.

People forget how good Golden was his sophomore year. His shoulder injury set him back and screwed his shot up his junior year. He was asked to do too much at Georgia Tech.

BTW, this was Barton's first full year at PG. He was a combo guard at Memphis and played exclusively the 2 his junior year. People thought it was an improvement from Trae, which was stupid.
 
#9,585
#9,585
Weezy said:
I have to step in here and defend my namesake...Actually just read through a bunch of old box scores. Chism was really good. And during his time UT beat a lot of good teams, 06/07 Florida, 08 Memphis, 09 Kansas, Kentucky, etc. But I suppose he never really dominated (although as a freshman he did lead in the Florida win).

But has Stokes done that much more? How much are we hurting Chism for being on better teams? I mean, UT was never as much as an underdog during that run.
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Chism is my favorite Vol ever, but he was not exactly a physical presence inside. At all.
 
#9,589
#9,589
GreatWhiteNorth said:
Reg, how are you feeling about the prospect of matching up with Iowa State in the second round?
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Not Reg but.. My view is by Sunday night I'll trying to convince myself that Joel Berry, Theo Pinson, and Justin Jackson will fuel a big run the next few years.. So yea, not confident, I really like Iowa State


All that being said, beat them and it will get interesting... Villanova doesn't scare anyone and they are familiar with Virginia
 
#9,593
#9,593
GreatWhiteNorth said:
Reg, how are you feeling about the prospect of matching up with Iowa State in the second round?
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Iowa State likes to get out and go, which is the style that suits Carolina the best. If they were a team of bruisers that defended like crazy, I'd be more worried. Should be a good matchup. Meeks needs to refind his groove. When he's been right this year, he's been a beast on the offensive glass and this team generates plenty of offensive rebound opportunities. He's a bigger key than McDonald, IMO. Crashing the boards and being efficient in the paint (along with Marcus from the perimeter) is what makes this team go, not outside shooting.

If, IF Carolina gets past the Cyclones and Villanova, an Elite Eight matchup against Michigan State looms. Michigan State has been playing much better lately, but they were pretty healthy when Carolina handled them in East Lansing and Ol' Roy seems to have Izzo's number, for whatever reason.
 
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#9,594
#9,594
UNC has to get a solid scoring performance from someone not named Marcus Paige. Brice Johnson or JMM need to step up and have good outings and stay out of foul trouble. Would also like to see Kennedy Meeks reemerge like he was doing earlier in the year.

I know a little about Berry coming in next year, but not as much about the other two.
 
#9,596
#9,596
GreatWhiteNorth said:
UNC has to get a solid scoring performance from someone not named Marcus Paige. Brice Johnson or JMM need to step up and have good outings and stay out of foul trouble. Would also like to see Kennedy Meeks reemerge like he was doing earlier in the year.

I know a little about Berry coming in next year, but not as much about the other two.
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Berry should start at PG from the outset. He knows how to run a team and make his teammates better. Supposedly, he's already a superior defender and will be better defensively than both Paige and Britt the minute he steps on campus. A true "flood general", if you will. Pinson is highly regarded athletically, more polished than Tokoto, and is expected to be a defensive force as well. Justin Jackson has the best pull-up and mid-range game of the '14 class, per many experts, and has three-point range as well.
 
#9,598
#9,598
Regulator said:
Berry should start at PG from the outset. He knows how to run a team and make his teammates better. Supposedly, he's already a superior defender and will be better defensively than both Paige and Britt the minute he steps on campus. A true "flood general", if you will. Pinson is highly regarded athletically, more polished than Tokoto, and is expected to be a defensive force as well. Justin Jackson has the best pull-up and mid-range game of the '14 class, per many experts, and has three-point range as well.
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How will Berry's arrival affect Nate Britt? He's not going to look to transfer is he?
 
#9,599
#9,599
GreatWhiteNorth said:
How will Berry's arrival affect Nate Britt? He's not going to look to transfer is he?
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You never say never, but I wouldn't think so. However, this could impact Stillman White's decision about coming back to Chapel Hill once his Mormon mission is over. With how Paige has prospered at SG this season, I could see him getting most of his minutes there next season with Berry and Britt being the primary PGs. I don't know for certain, but Berry could probably play off the ball and be effective as well.

There should be enough minutes for all three next season. I like Britt, but he's got one of the ugliest forms on his jumper that I've ever seen. Even I have better form. He's better suited for running the team and the drive and dish.
 
#9,600
#9,600
Grady Sizemore making plays this spring. Career revival?

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