Dear Trae...

[Hayezb]

Thank you for being our only option at PG.

Thank you for being the teams leading scorer.

Thank you for leading the team/SEC in assists.

Thank you for playing more minutes than anybody else, because yet again, you are our only option at PG.

Thank you for working your ass off in the off season to improve everything about your game and be front runner for most improved in the SEC.

Oh, and thank you again for being our only option at PG.

After every game I get on here and read all these posts bashing Trae. You want someone to blame? Go blame your lover Pearl for not recruiting a true PG. He's a shooting guard playing PG because we have no other option.

:good!:

 

[cncchris33]

Thank you for being our only option at PG.

Thank you for being the teams leading scorer.

Thank you for leading the team/SEC in assists.

Thank you for playing more minutes than anybody else, because yet again, you are our only option at PG.

Thank you for working your ass off in the off season to improve everything about your game and be front runner for most improved in the SEC.

Oh, and thank you again for being our only option at PG.

After every game I get on here and read all these posts bashing Trae. You want someone to blame? Go blame your lover Pearl for not recruiting a true PG. He's a shooting guard playing PG because we have no other option.

:good!:

I was with you all the way till the end there. Pearl recruited Aaron Craft, Josh Selby, and Chris Jones. It's not his fault that two decommitted and one didn't get into school. He attempted to address the situation. Leave Pearl out of threads. Love him or hate him, his inclusion in peoples' posts don't strengthen the argument. They just make you look bitter.

 

[cncchris33]

Aside from that, I agree.

 

[Hayezb]

I was with you all the way till the end there. Pearl recruited Aaron Craft, Josh Selby, and Chris Jones. It's not his fault that two decommitted and one didn't get into school. He attempted to address the situation. Leave Pearl out of threads. Love him or hate him, his inclusion in peoples' posts don't strengthen the argument. They just make you look bitter.

I'm glad he attempted to recruit a PG, but that doesn't help us because nobody committed.

Look, I wish Pearl never would have lied and he was still our coach to be honest. But he's not, and I'm more than happy with his replacement.

But he has to be brought up when talking about our current PG situation.

 

[Hayezb]

Aside from that, I agree.

:hi:

 

[Spartacavolus]

Just because he is the only option, doesn't mean his game can't be critiqued. I'm pulling for him, but he's played ball a long time and had it in his hands through HS, aau and now in college.

Trae, go to Steve Nash's ballhandling camp this year, and get vocal with your team. Point, yell, direct traffic, get guys in the right spots, clear out, get Stokes on the block, get in your teammates faces, call a TO if you don't like the look, etc, etc. Regardless of playing out of position or whatever, he is the pg, and many of the above things I listed are simple to fix and just take awareness and effort.

 

[Shaun1985]

Selby was a nightmare. Thank God he didnt' come to UT. Then if Pearl was still here, you'd have to deal with the "good players go to tennessee to watch their career die" crowd lol

 

[volbeast33]

I'm glad he attempted to recruit a PG, but that doesn't help us because nobody committed.

Look, I wish Pearl never would have lied and he was still our coach to be honest. But he's not, and I'm more than happy with his replacement.

But he has to be brought up when talking about our current PG situation.

It shouldn't be brought up bc there is no proof what Pearl could or could not do with this same team. Zo has alot to prove and I hope he can get the job done.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Thank you for being our only option at PG.

Thank you for being the teams leading scorer.

Thank you for leading the team/SEC in assists.

Thank you for playing more minutes than anybody else, because yet again, you are our only option at PG.

Thank you for working your ass off in the off season to improve everything about your game and be front runner for most improved in the SEC.

Oh, and thank you again for being our only option at PG.

After every game I get on here and read all these posts bashing Trae. You want someone to blame? Go blame your lover Pearl for not recruiting a true PG. He's a shooting guard playing PG because we have no other option.

:good!:

+1

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I was with you all the way till the end there. Pearl recruited Aaron Craft, Josh Selby, and Chris Jones. It's not his fault that two decommitted and one didn't get into school. He attempted to address the situation. Leave Pearl out of threads. Love him or hate him, his inclusion in peoples' posts don't strengthen the argument. They just make you look bitter.

He didn't bring them in though so it means nothing. Shelby decommitted as did craft when pearl was still here so they weren't coming to Tennessee no matter what. Chris jones wouldn't be playing here either if he had honored hi commitment, he cant get in school. So even with pearl golden is our PG, he failed to bring in a pg simple as that.

 

[volinbama256]

Thank you for being our only option at PG.

Thank you for being the teams leading scorer.

Thank you for leading the team/SEC in assists.

Thank you for playing more minutes than anybody else, because yet again, you are our only option at PG.

Thank you for working your ass off in the off season to improve everything about your game and be front runner for most improved in the SEC.

Oh, and thank you again for being our only option at PG.

After every game I get on here and read all these posts bashing Trae. You want someone to blame? Go blame your lover Pearl for not recruiting a true PG. He's a shooting guard playing PG because we have no other option.

:good!:

This.....:lolabove: But McBee got owned/blown by 50 times last night that equaled at least 10pts for GA. Guy needs to sit and stay sat....

 

[SlyStone]

Trae is in a tough position, but is doing the best he can. Get use to it because this fall he'll be starting out at the point again until the transfer is permitted to play. One glaring problem on this team is perimeter quickness. McBee can't guard his shadow but can knock down the 3, Richardson is way ahead on the defensive scheme, but offers no offense, Tatum is just turnover prone and Washpun ball handling when being pressed is horrific. Hopefully Coach Martin will address these areas through practice and recruiting. He doesn't have much of a choice.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Trae is in a tough position, but is doing the best he can. Get use to it because this fall he'll be starting out at the point again until the transfer is permitted to play. One glaring problem on this team is perimeter quickness. McBee can't guard his shadow but can knock down the 3, Richardson is way ahead on the defensive scheme, but offers no offense, Tatum is just turnover prone and Washpun ball handling when being pressed is horrific. Hopefully Coach Martin will address these areas through practice and recruiting. He doesn't have much of a choice.

I honestly think if we are a good team next year it's because ccm has developed the guys we have on the roster and made them better. The roster will look very much the same so we either better improve those guys or be ready for another average year.

 

[Hayezb]

It shouldn't be brought up bc there is no proof what Pearl could or could not do with this same team. Zo has alot to prove and I hope he can get the job done.

Sigh. You missed the point.

I wasn't comparing Pearl to Zo with coaching abilities and this team. I was referring to Pearl not recruiting a point guard.

 

[Hayezb]

Just because he is the only option, doesn't mean his game can't be critiqued. I'm pulling for him, but he's played ball a long time and had it in his hands through HS, aau and now in college.

Trae, go to Steve Nash's ballhandling camp this year, and get vocal with your team. Point, yell, direct traffic, get guys in the right spots, clear out, get Stokes on the block, get in your teammates faces, call a TO if you don't like the look, etc, etc. Regardless of playing out of position or whatever, he is the pg, and many of the above things I listed are simple to fix and just take awareness and effort.

I have no problem with critiquing him at all. I bet you I've read 30-40 different posts from people saying "Trae Golden is to blame for this loss" or "put this whole loss on Trae Golden". Yes, he has pulled a LBJ in crunch time some this year but without him there wouldn't be a crunch time in most of those games.

At this very moment, he is our best and most important player imo. Slightly more so than Maymom even. Now, give Stokes 2-3 more games and that will be a mute point.

 

[Chris4Vols22]

I don't understand why it's so hard for people to comprehend that Golden is our best option at PG and probably our best overall player. If you're leading the team in scoring and assists, that means you have talent and you are a team player.

I have never disagreed with Golden having the ball on the last possession until AFTER last night's game. After that, I don't want to see him drive into the paint unless it's the only option. The ball should still go through his hands because he's easily the best distributor.

People, stop bashing our best player. Sure, things could have gone better, but there's not really anything else anyone could have done. Let's support our team and enjoy the ride. Even though we have a losing record, this has been one of the most fun seasons to watch. GO VOLS!!

 

[Plateauvol]

:salute:

Just because he is the only option, doesn't mean his game can't be critiqued. I'm pulling for him, but he's played ball a long time and had it in his hands through HS, aau and now in college.

Trae, go to Steve Nash's ballhandling camp this year, and get vocal with your team. Point, yell, direct traffic, get guys in the right spots, clear out, get Stokes on the block, get in your teammates faces, call a TO if you don't like the look, etc, etc. Regardless of playing out of position or whatever, he is the pg, and many of the above things I listed are simple to fix and just take awareness and effort.

Agree 100x:thumbsup:

 

[Spartacavolus]

I have no problem with critiquing him at all. I bet you I've read 30-40 different posts from people saying "Trae Golden is to blame for this loss" or "put this whole loss on Trae Golden". Yes, he has pulled a LBJ in crunch time some this year but without him there wouldn't be a crunch time in most of those games.

At this very moment, he is our best and most important player imo. Slightly more so than Maymom even. Now, give Stokes 2-3 more games and that will be a mute point.

Him being the only option is understood. Explain to me why he can't do some of the things above. That's his job and the coaches job.

Jeronne! Here. Not left! Other side! Cam! Corner. Hall! Get out of the way!

That's a potential winning play with a pick and roll and spot up shooter waiting for his man to leave as Trae is going to his right side. It takes no time to call it out and it involves basic basketball knowledge. Physically, if he's not a pg, he gets a break. I don't give him one for lack of voice and taking charge. He has the ball in his hands.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I don't understand why it's so hard for people to comprehend that Golden is our best option at PG and probably our best overall player. If you're leading the team in scoring and assists, that means you have talent and you are a team player.

I have never disagreed with Golden having the ball on the last possession until AFTER last night's game. After that, I don't want to see him drive into the paint unless it's the only option. The ball should still go through his hands because he's easily the best distributor.

People, stop bashing our best player. Sure, things could have gone better, but there's not really anything else anyone could have done. Let's support our team and enjoy the ride. Even though we have a losing record, this has been one of the most fun seasons to watch. GO VOLS!!

Facts, rationalization and common sense are 3 things lacking extremely on this board.

 

[SlyStone]

I don't understand why it's so hard for people to comprehend that Golden is our best option at PG and probably our best overall player. If you're leading the team in scoring and assists, that means you have talent and you are a team player.

I have never disagreed with Golden having the ball on the last possession until AFTER last night's game. After that, I don't want to see him drive into the paint unless it's the only option. The ball should still go through his hands because he's easily the best distributor.

People, stop bashing our best player. Sure, things could have gone better, but there's not really anything else anyone could have done. Let's support our team and enjoy the ride. Even though we have a losing record, this has been one of the most fun seasons to watch. GO VOLS!!

Good point, but if you go back an look at that drive and awkward shot he took he had Stokes going to the basket on the baseline. A nice drop off pass would have gotten Stokes a dunk,lay up or foul. Trae just wanted to make the last shot count and get the win. Can't fault him for that.

 

[mgv]

Golden is at PG like my 2 year old fitting a square peg in a round hole..it not his natural fit. He is a SG trying to play PG so none of this is on him. And Pearl didn't recruit this year so not sure how he is even in the conversation. If anything, be asking why CCM is finding a way to reduce the turnovers.

 

[cncchris33]

He didn't bring them in though so it means nothing. Shelby decommitted as did craft when pearl was still here so they weren't coming to Tennessee no matter what. Chris jones wouldn't be playing here either if he had honored hi commitment, he cant get in school. So even with pearl golden is our PG, he failed to bring in a pg simple as that.

Well, I fail to how I stated otherwise. My point was, its not as if he simply neglected the PG position. He made attempts to fix it and had three different guys committed. Bad luck on his part that none of them made it to UT. The point is, he didn't intentionally sabotage the program by neglecting to attempt to recruit a PG.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Well, I fail to how I stated otherwise. My point was, its not as if he simply neglected the PG position. He made attempts to fix it and had three different guys committed. Bad luck on his part that none of them made it to UT. The point is, he didn't intentionally sabotage the program by neglecting to attempt to recruit a PG.

no im not trying to say that he sabotaged us intentionally by not bringing in a pg. the fact though that he was here for years knew the team better than anyone and could not get a true pg in here should tell you something about the guy. you have to have a backup plan if your big guys dont come through.

 

[Hayezb]

Good point, but if you go back an look at that drive and awkward shot he took he had Stokes going to the basket on the baseline. A nice drop off pass would have gotten Stokes a dunk,lay up or foul. Trae just wanted to make the last shot count and get the win. Can't fault him for that.

He could have found Stokes... and I'll prob get called every name in the book for questioning our holy child, but stokes had some serious butterfingers in that game on a couple of occasions.

 

[cncchris33]

no im not trying to say that he sabotaged us intentionally by not bringing in a pg. the fact though that he was here for years knew the team better than anyone and could not get a true pg in here should tell you something about the guy. you have to have a backup plan if your big guys dont come through.

You're not getting it. He tried. He can't physically make someone come to UT. A backup plan would have likely been someone of Washpun's level, which would have just been another player to complain about and another reason to blame the old coach. I admit, PG recruiting was Pearl's achilles heel. He never physically brought in a true PG. Not just this year, but every year he was there. The one true PG he had committed, bailed on him when tOSU came calling.