College Hoops Around The Country [TN opponents, RPI, others]

[ZZ13]

Interesting that UT has “lost” several coaches to other P-5s.

Devoe was hired by Florida.
O’Neill scurried off to Northwestern (and then to USCw).
Pearl was hired by Auburn.
Cuonzo left for California (and then to Missouri).

Wade returned to his trucking company.
Buzz coached somewhere beneath mid-majors.
Jerry became a greeter at Kmart.
Donnie went to the NBA junior league.

DeVoe was an emergency interim coach for Florida after Norm Sloan got in trouble. DeVoe said after the fact he should never have agreed to do that limited task. So DeVoe essentially was permanently hired by Navy, not Florida, after getting fired here.

 

[lostsheep]

With all due respect, how could you have hated losing O’Neill? He went 36-47 in three seasons and never had a winning record. His teams also barely averaged 60 ppg. IMO he and Tyndall are the worst coaches we’ve had in the last 30 years.

It's logic that's difficult to explain, honestly.
As you say, his teams were horrible offensively and difficult to watch.
Defensively I thought they were very sound and recruiting seemed to be on the upswing.

Additionally, we were coming out of the Wade Houston era and O'Neill's Marquette team beat a good KY team his last year there. O'Neill seemed to be a guy that had a bright future in coaching and with Doug Dickey's penchant for screwing up basketball hires, I had zero confidence we would replace him with someone better.

 

[walkenvol]

With all due respect, how could you have hated losing O’Neill? He went 36-47 in three seasons and never had a winning record. His teams also barely averaged 60 ppg. IMO he and Tyndall are the worst coaches we’ve had in the last 30 years.

Great recruiter, decent coach, lousy person, the GOAT of curse words!

 

[VolCalls]

It's logic that's difficult to explain, honestly.
As you say, his teams were horrible offensively and difficult to watch.
Defensively I thought they were very sound and recruiting seemed to be on the upswing.

Additionally, we were coming out of the Wade Houston era and O'Neill's Marquette team beat a good KY team his last year there. O'Neill seemed to be a guy that had a bright future in coaching and with Doug Dickey's penchant for screwing up basketball hires, I had zero confidence we would replace him with someone better.

I understand. I was a student at the time and my roommate was doing an internship with the athletic department. His experience around O’Neill was also that he was a first-class jerk.

When he went to Northwestern, he was even worse. 30-56 in three seasons. He caught lightning in a bottle the Sweet 16 year with Marquette. Ironically, the Southeast regional was played in TBA that year and I’m sure the deal was done while he was in town.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

DeVoe was an emergency interim coach for Florida after Norm Sloan got in trouble. DeVoe said after the fact he should never have agreed to do that limited task. So DeVoe essentially was permanently hired by Navy, not Florida, after getting fired here.

I put “lost” in quotes because it’s sarcasm. I understand that Devoe didn’t leave UT for Florida like O’Neill left UT for Northwestern and Martin left for California. My point is that those four left TN and then coached at other P-5s/6s.

O’Neill was the only one that most of the fan base “lost”. Maybe “most” applied to Cuonzo as well, but quite a few were happy to see him leave.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

With all due respect, how could you have hated losing O’Neill? He went 36-47 in three seasons and never had a winning record. His teams also barely averaged 60 ppg. IMO he and Tyndall are the worst coaches we’ve had in the last 30 years.

I’m not trying to argue, but did you watch KO at UT first hand or just read his stats? He was methodically building up the program. Defense and recruiting and disciplined play were his strengths and those things were being done very well. Tony Harris was the highest level recruit at PG that TN had ever signed. He was also one of the best that UT ever pulled out of Memphis. The recruits that KO left behind were very good on the offensive end and the future was very bright.

Tyndall was a good coach, but with a flawed character. KO’s biggest problem was his toxic personality.

 

[ZZ13]

I put “lost” in quotes because it’s sarcasm. I understand that Devoe didn’t leave UT for Florida like O’Neill left UT for Northwestern and Martin left for California. My point is that those four left TN and then coached at other P-5s/6s.

O’Neill was the only one that most of the fan base “lost”. Maybe “most” applied to Cuonzo as well, but quite a few were happy to see him leave.

I figured that. I was just throwing a history lessons and the younger folks that weren’t around then.

 

[VolCalls]

It's logic that's difficult to explain, honestly.
As you say, his teams were horrible offensively and difficult to watch.
Defensively I thought they were very sound and recruiting seemed to be on the upswing.

Additionally, we were coming out of the Wade Houston era and O'Neill's Marquette team beat a good KY team his last year there. O'Neill seemed to be a guy that had a bright future in coaching and with Doug Dickey's penchant for screwing up basketball hires, I had zero confidence we would replace him with someone better.

I understand. I was a student at the time and my roommate was doing an internship with the athletic department. His experience around O’Neill was also that he was a first-class jerk.

When he went to Northwestern, he was even worse. 30-56 in three seasons. He caught lightning in a bottle the Sweet 16 year with Marquette. Ironically, the Southeast regional was played in TBA that year and I’m sure the deal was done while he was in town.

 

[VolCalls]

I’m not trying to argue, but did you watch KO at UT first hand or just read his stats? He was methodically building up the program. Defense and recruiting and disciplined play were his strengths and those things were being done very well. Tony Harris was the highest level recruit at PG that TN had ever signed. He was also one of the best that UT ever pulled out of Memphis. The recruits that KO left behind were very good on the offensive end and the future was very bright.

Tyndall was a good coach, but with a flawed character. KO’s biggest problem was his toxic personality.

Yes - see above post. They were so boring I couldn’t stand to watch them

 

[CornbreadVol]

Stanford up 11 on zona

 

[Willy14]

Stanford up 11 on zona

Would be great for us if they can pull it off.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Yes - see above post. They were so boring I couldn’t stand to watch them

In that era TN fans were far more appreciative of great defense and discipline and efficient offense. Mears and Devoe style. The offense first approach was experimented with when Wade “and” Allan were hired. That style wasn’t winning games. KO was hired and UT reverted to the “boring” brand. But no doubt Tony Harris and Isiah Victor and Brandon Wharton and CJ Black and Charles Hathaway weren’t going to mean TN had an impotent offense going forward. KO was a very good coach with a toxic, unsuitable personality.

 

[DowntownVol]

In that era TN fans were far more appreciative of great defense and discipline and efficient offense. Mears and Devoe style. The offense first approach was experimented with when Wade “and” Allan were hired. That style wasn’t winning games. KO was hired and UT reverted to the “boring” brand. But no doubt Tony Harris and Isiah Victor and Brandon Wharton and CJ Black and Charles Hathaway weren’t going to mean TN had an impotent offense going forward. KO was a very good coach with a toxic, unsuitable personality.

Was Vincent Yarbrough a KO recruit also, or did Uncle Jed land that one?

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Was Vincent Yarbrough a KO recruit also, or did Uncle Jed land that one?

VY was a freshman in Jerry’s 2nd year. He was a senior in Buzz’s first.

VY should get a lot of the credit for CJG finishing the deal on his 4x 20s and 4x NCAATs.

 

[VolCalls]

In that era TN fans were far more appreciative of great defense and discipline and efficient offense. Mears and Devoe style. The offense first approach was experimented with when Wade “and” Allan were hired. That style wasn’t winning games. KO was hired and UT reverted to the “boring” brand. But no doubt Tony Harris and Isiah Victor and Brandon Wharton and CJ Black and Charles Hathaway weren’t going to mean TN had an impotent offense going forward. KO was a very good coach with a toxic, unsuitable personality.

Houston’s style wasn’t winning games and neither was O’Neill’s. I can buy that he was a solid assistant, but he was not a good head coach. In 16 years, KO had:

8 losing seasons
215-241 overall record
14 of 16 seasons with double-digit losses
2 NCAA Tournament wins - both in 1994

Rick Barnes is a good head coach. Kevin O’Neill wasn’t.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Houston’s style wasn’t winning games and neither was O’Neill’s. I can buy that he was a solid assistant, but he was not a good head coach. In 16 years, KO had:

8 losing seasons
215-241 overall record
14 of 16 seasons with double-digit losses
2 NCAA Tournament wins - both in 1994

Rick Barnes is a good head coach. Kevin O’Neill wasn’t.

“Barnes is a good head coach”?

Whoa - let’s not go all cray-cray.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Houston’s style wasn’t winning games and neither was O’Neill’s. I can buy that he was a solid assistant, but he was not a good head coach. In 16 years, KO had:

8 losing seasons
215-241 overall record
14 of 16 seasons with double-digit losses
2 NCAA Tournament wins - both in 1994

Rick Barnes is a good head coach. Kevin O’Neill wasn’t.

KO had Marquette on a roll and had TN turning the corner. After having his hissy fit at TN and running off all butt hurt, his reputation and ability to put together a good program fell off the cliff.

Northwestern might be the worst basketball program in the Big 10. Plus KO bounced around so much taking over failed programs his winning percentage obviously wasn’t going to be impressive.

I witnessed it. He was building a very good program at TN and handed it off to Green. KO would have taken UT further than what CJG stumbled into.

 

[VolCalls]

KO had Marquette on a roll and had TN turning the corner. After having his hissy fit at TN and running off all butt hurt, his reputation and ability to put together a good program fell off the cliff.

Northwestern might be the worst basketball program in the Big 10. Plus KO bounced around so much taking over failed programs his winning percentage obviously wasn’t going to be impressive.

I witnessed it. He was building a very good program at TN and handed it off to Green. KO would have taken UT further than what CJG stumbled into.

It’s obvious we won’t agree on this, but going 11-16, 14-15, then 11-16 again is not my definition of building a good program - at Tennessee or anywhere else

 

[chuckiepoo]

It’s obvious we won’t agree on this, but going 11-16, 14-15, then 11-16 again is not my definition of building a good program - at Tennessee or anywhere else

I think you’ve exposed a chink in my buddy’s (TG-O) armor…

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

It’s obvious we won’t agree on this, but going 11-16, 14-15, then 11-16 again is not my definition of building a good program - at Tennessee or anywhere else

Do you realize that Dickey wouldn’t let KO play Isiah Victor? And how good Tony Harris was? Year 4 for KO was going to be special. He did it at Marquette. It was primed to happen at TN.

 

[ZZ13]

It’s obvious we won’t agree on this, but going 11-16, 14-15, then 11-16 again is not my definition of building a good program - at Tennessee or anywhere else

I like chatting with TGO, but this one I disagree with him on. I never understood why KO kept getting head coaching jobs. Kept losing a lot, kept falling into another job. He was 30-56 at Northwestern and 46-61 at USC, after Tennessee. Even his one interim season at Arizona was a not so impressive 19-15. And his style of play here at UT I found unwatchable.

 

[hUTch2002]

Looks like South Carolina isn’t a fluke. They might not be quite as good as their record currently shows but they should be looked at as a pretty dang good team. Good enough to get a first round bye in the SECT.

They have a shot at winning the conference. My guess is that will be Bama but if Bama falters S.C. will be right there as they have the most favorable remaining schedule of the 4 contenders.

 

[Col_Cathcart]

In that era TN fans were far more appreciative of great defense and discipline and efficient offense. Mears and Devoe style. The offense first approach was experimented with when Wade “and” Allan were hired. That style wasn’t winning games. KO was hired and UT reverted to the “boring” brand. But no doubt Tony Harris and Isiah Victor and Brandon Wharton and CJ Black and Charles Hathaway weren’t going to mean TN had an impotent offense going forward. KO was a very good coach with a toxic, unsuitable personality.

Would you say more Beard or Muss like if we were to compare him to current SEC coaches in terms of toxic personality traits?

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I like chatting with TGO, but this one I disagree with him on. I never understood why KO kept getting head coaching jobs. Kept losing a lot, kept falling into another job. He was 30-56 at Northwestern and 46-61 at USC, after Tennessee. Even his one interim season at Arizona was a not so impressive 19-15. And his style of play here at UT I found unwatchable.

At Northwestern his winning percentage was higher than either of the two coaches before him.

At Marquette he was 42-45 his first 3 years. He was 44-17 the last 2 years. He got the to the NCAAT twice after they missed 9x. The 2nd time was a Sweet 16.

At Arizona Lute Olson stepped down just as the season began.

“Unwatchable” isn’t a measure of how good a coach is. Paris and USCjr was pretty unwatchable a week ago.

He was doing a very good job at TN and had the program trending up. He left Jerry Green a roster with Tony Harris and Isiah Victor with 4 years of eligibility each. Tony Harris was the best PG that UT had EVER signed.

 

[knoxvol52]

Although I enjoy reading the post on whether Kevin O'Neill sucked or not.

How bout the job the Mayor Fred Hoiberg is doing at Nebraska?

Has turned the corner with that team and has an Assassin in Tominga..