I Will Go Out On A Limb

#26
#26
We say this every...single...year. Even back when we had Pearl.

In our defense though, we have had a series of freak accidents/mistakes. When you really look at it, this team has been hit by so many crazy circumstances over the past decade. I mean think about it...

-Chris Lofton, team leader and best player on the team, gets cancer before his senior season
-Tyler Smith gets kicked off the team
-5-star recruits Scotty Hopson, Ramar Smith and Duke Crews don't come anywhere close to living up to the hype
-Best player, Jeronne Maymon, ends up missing the entire year after a random injury where we still don't know all the details
-A player many thought to be an all-sec guy in Trey Golden, just totally falls off the map his junior season
-Bball coach who leads us to our first ever #1 ranking and elite 8, commits a minor recruiting violation. Then he lies about it. Things spiral out of control and the university is forced to fire him.
-Aaron Craft...'nuff said
-Josh Selby...'nuff said
-Skyler McBee, a so-called "money" shooter in practice, has a terrible stroke during the game

I mean we could go on and on and on...

On paper, the OP is exactly right. Next year's team should be an absolute force. But judging by UT's past, I really see no reason to think things will work out as we see them now. And it makes me sad. Very very sad.
 
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#28
#28
bleedingTNorange said:
Landry doesn't start for HP? WRONG.
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I recall someone (I think you) posting that he was not starting, and then we discussed that perhaps he was not available for the game for some reason, because he was not in the box score.

Do you know the story? Did he just miss a game or more because of injury, suspension, etc?
 
#29
#29
Chris4Vols22 said:
You know Andrew Wiggins plays there, right?
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I don't follow recruiting enough to know that. I'm at the point with basketball and football recruiting that I pay no attention unless it's a player we're targeting and may get.

I was just remarking that if it's true (and apparently it isn't) that Landry is not starting, then either it's crazy to project him as a freshman starter, or we have fallen way behind a high school's backcourt.
 
#30
#30
ukvols said:
Martin is going to have to not only win next year, but also use it to improve recruiting. There are a lot of juniors and seniors on the current roster who will be gone by the end of next season, and no one knows when Stokes will turn professional. I am a lot more nervous about 2014-15 than 2013-14. If the next season is not a success, the season that follows will truly be rock bottom.

Official Men's Basketball Roster - UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics
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I've addressed this before, should've saved the post lol...I'm not all that worried about 14-15. If next year is good it'll only help recruiting...if we have a good enough year that Hubbs and stokes are gone then that means we had a helluva year which will only help recruiting.

If I had to guess stokes and Hubbs will be back. That'd leave you:

SO-Landry
JR- Moore
SO- Hubbs
SR-Richardson
JR-Reese
SO-Davis
SR-Yemi
SR- Stokes

I think we'll add atleast one more to this signing class, probably a PG, so add a SO PG. That leaves 4 scholarships open, if we have a good year if expect a good class. There's a couple class of 14 kids who have Tennessee as their favorites right now.
 
#31
#31
vols 30 said:
I hope you are right. If this happens, then I Will gladly admit I was wrong about CM. he needs to win a game or 2 in the tourney to call it a successful season. Just making the dance is not good enough anymore.
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This is where how the season plays out will decide how I feel. Say he goes 25-5 gets us a 2 seed and we get upset in round 1. Hey, great year things are looking up we just got upset at a bad time...I wouldn't ask for his head.

However, stumble into th NCAA and barely get in as a 11 seed and lose 1st round, I'd ask for a change.
 
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#32
#32
ukvols said:
I recall someone (I think you) posting that he was not starting, and then we discussed that perhaps he was not available for the game for some reason, because he was not in the box score.

Do you know the story? Did he just miss a game or more because of injury, suspension, etc?
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I don't recall being the first to post it...I remember someone posting it and me saying maybe he missed a game...but to the best of my knowledge he's been the starter.

Ahead of 2 highly rated PGs as well fwiw
 
#33
#33
bleedingTNorange said:
This is where how the season plays out will decide how I feel. Say he goes 25-5 gets us a 2 seed and we get upset in round 1. Hey, great year things are looking up we just got upset at a bad time...I wouldn't ask for his head.

However, stumble into th NCAA and barely get in as a 11 seed and lose 1st round, I'd ask for a change.
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I have a feeling that the ultimate mind-f*** will happen...

Something like we lose 10 games, get to the SECt champ game (lose it), leave after the field of 64, but we sign Looney, Lyle, and someone else awesome haha.

People would not be happy, not a superb season, but it wasn't a failure, and we got some dope signees? I don't know what would happen haha.
 
#34
#34
UT should be pretty good next year, but they still don't have a proven PG. They'll be lucky to win 2 games in the NCAA tourney without a PG.

Right now, what can anyone say that this team does well? Rebounding? That's about it. I can't find anything else. They are not consistent enough in the critical phases of the game.

When you get beat by an average to below average team at home, even missing two of your best players, that is cause for concern to me. UGA has been playing good lately. However, they aren't a NCAA team. This is the first truly bad loss on the year IMO. Martin better hope he doesn't have more like it or he's going to start feeling the heat. As he should. You don't lose to garbage programs at home and not feel any.
 
#35
#35
Would like to see Tennessee bring someone in that is quick and can handle the ball.And bring in someone that can shoot the ball.Tired of McBrick.Also.Bring in a True post player.Someone to block shots and rebound on both ends of the floor.If we had a real center that could do just those two things that would be great.
 
#38
#38
bleedingTNorange said:
This is where how the season plays out will decide how I feel. Say he goes 25-5 gets us a 2 seed and we get upset in round 1. Hey, great year things are looking up we just got upset at a bad time...I wouldn't ask for his head.

However, stumble into th NCAA and barely get in as a 11 seed and lose 1st round, I'd ask for a change.
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I agree with this. He's not getting fired if scenario two occurs, but it will tell us exactly what Cuonzo has, or in that case, doesn't have.
 
#39
#39
supersmo18 said:
^^^ Ignorance.
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Whatever.

I'm so sick of hearing "why we can't" and "why it's so hard" and "he inherited this" etc.

At some point, you have to win in spite of that stuff. Good coaches don't make excuses. They get it done. I haven't given up on Martin. But it makes me sick to see fans already making excuses for next year. I know how to temper my expectations. I have done it with this years team. I realize Maymon was a big loss. I also realize that Martin has done a lousy coaching job this year in a SEC that is as down as I can remember.
 
#40
#40
Did I just time warp back into an "if Justin Hunter didn't get hurt" thread?
 
#41
#41
TennesseeFan07 said:
And say that Cuonzo Martin will not only turn Tennessee basketball around next year, but he will most likely have Tennessee competing in the top three of the SEC in the final standings. Regardless of what I think, next year will tell the tale for Cuonzo and company.
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Next year they will likely be fine. It is the year after when reality will strike imo. With possibly Stokes and all of Pearls guys gone - you will be left with what Cuonzo has brought in and to this point it isn't pretty. He needs to start having some bar b q's or something to get some talent up in this house. As always - imo.
 
#42
#42
Fullfillmer said:
Next year they will likely be fine. It is the year after when reality will strike imo. With possibly Stokes and all of Pearls guys gone - you will be left with what Cuonzo has brought in and to this point it isn't pretty. He needs to start having some bar b q's or something to get some talent up in this house. As always - imo.
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How many of "Pearl's guys" have contributed this season in a meaningful way?
 
#44
#44
I want to be optimistic, but after watching last night's game I have little confidence. The team plays hard, but unlike last year they are not improving.
 
#46
#46
Clemvolsince54 said:
"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence".
John Adams,
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Facts they may be, but they are still excuses. I'm tired of excuses, valid or not.

Most of the excuses made on here are completely valid and completely true. I'm just saying I don't care.

I said this in another thread: either you're winning, or you're making excuses as to why you aren't. I'm tired of making excuses for Tennessee athletics.

All that said, next year is the year. Another phrase I'm completely sick of, but a true one nonetheless.
 
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#47
#47
bleedingTNorange said:
This is where how the season plays out will decide how I feel. Say he goes 25-5 gets us a 2 seed and we get upset in round 1. Hey, great year things are looking up we just got upset at a bad time...I wouldn't ask for his head.

However, stumble into th NCAA and barely get in as a 11 seed and lose 1st round, I'd ask for a change.
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This. Well said BTO.
 
#48
#48
guys the vols just do not have the talent to win games.in the past they atleast had one guy who could take control and hit shots to help win games.i actually believe this team has alot less talent than some of don devoe,s UT teams had.golden is a good player but as a pg i do not remember the Vols having a worse pg and i have been going too and watching games since the early 70,and mcbee is the worst 2 guard ever at ut.mcrae is descent butgaain not even top 5 at his position in last 40 years at UT and hall was better as a freshmen than now and stokes had good freshmen year but with out maymon teams can shut him down.armanie moore has the best upside to me than anyone else on the roster .he will be a baller before he leaves UT when i watch other teams play and i see the good shooter and the athletic players it makes me woner how we ever beat anyone.got to do better recruiting hubbs is great davis could be a good plai wonder if the vols had put more effort into johnathon williams instead of austin he would have came to Tennessee.got to bring in guys that can shoot the ball.
 
#49
#49
BigZiti09 said:
Whatever.

I'm so sick of hearing "why we can't" and "why it's so hard" and "he inherited this" etc.

At some point, you have to win in spite of that stuff. Good coaches don't make excuses. They get it done. I haven't given up on Martin. But it makes me sick to see fans already making excuses for next year. I know how to temper my expectations. I have done it with this years team. I realize Maymon was a big loss. I also realize that Martin has done a lousy coaching job this year in a SEC that is as down as I can remember.
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Well said man.

So sick of the excuses, valid though they may be. I've been making my own/listening to others' excuses for Tennessee sports for the last 3 years. I'm done listening to them and I'm done making them.

Cuonzo doesn't have to win this year. But he should be showing progress. This team shouldn't be getting worse as the season goes along, nor should it be this much worse than last year's team.
 
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#50
#50
volfan414life said:
you are crazy landry will be lucky to play 10 minuets a game there is no way he starts.
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I think he'd play significant minutes for this team. If he can dribble and defend and not be completely inept on O, he's our best point guard from day 1.
 
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