If holly really love lady vols she need to step down!!

[Amb3096]

everybody puts up dd against Tn, not a big deal anymore.

True, but that was actually a decent Tennessee team. If she can do it against them, then how is it that she can't be used in a positive way against low level scrub teams like PSU and VT?

 

[mlindsay]

Nunn put up a double double against Tennessee. I'm not saying that she's an All American or anything, but she was clearly good enough then to play even with Bashaara Graves, so I'm not buying that she's not a good enough player to log significant minutes against the likes of PSU and VT.

Exactly! The person that it seems the coaching staff wants to be the star of the team doesn't want to be the star and that is the core of the problem.

Nunn on the block was stronger than Russell on the block and if she had the same belief in her that the staff seems to have in Russell who knows how well she would perform

 

[lvocd]

A couple of months ago I expressed my concern that, once again, DeShields was making a huge mistake by being so publicly overconfident about how she thought she'd be having, this year, the All-American-type season that eluded her last season.

There was too much "I" and "me" in her pre-season statements last season, and then turned right around and made the same predictions prior to this season.

I hate being right sometimes. But when I see some of the sour glances being shot toward teammates after turnovers, it speaks volumes.

There are players who need to get over themselves, and quick.

 

[Amb3096]

A couple of months ago I expressed my concern that, once again, DeShields was making a huge mistake by being so publicly overconfident about how she thought she'd be having, this year, the All-American-type season that eluded her last season.

There was too much "I" and "me" in her pre-season statements last season, and then turned right around and made the same predictions prior to this season.

I hate being right sometimes. But when I see some of the sour glances being shot toward teammates after turnovers, it speaks volumes.

There are players who need to get over themselves, and quick.

If you have to tell people how good you are, you might not actually be that good. Clearly, that is biting her in the behind.

But I'm not going to pin this start on her. The rest of her teammates have been far from good, and there has been no shortage of commentary on the coaching (or lack thereof). This is a perfect storm that is coming together all at once.

 

[lvocd]

As I have said before, there is no amount of weight training that will make Mercedes Russell have a strong grip. Her particular muscle and bone structures prevent it. So everyone may as well forget the idea of her ever being able to take full advantage of her size. It ain't happening. Sorry.

 

[mike099]

And you don't think Holly had a good gameplan today? VT shot 10% from 3 they normally make 7 a game. If certain players weren't sloppy or didn't miss layups, TN wins

Is it that the game plans are solid, but adjustments are not made or maybe this group of players do not care. I can not believe all of the missed shots. I almost lost when Russell missed those first two shots.

 

[Amb3096]

Is it that the game plans are solid, but adjustments are not made or maybe this group of players do not care. I can not believe all of the missed shots. I almost lost when Russell missed those first two shots.

Both Nared and Russell missed wide open, uncontested layups in the 2nd half. Maybe it was something in the air, because VT was doing the same on the other end.

 

[lvocd]

If you have to tell people how good you are, you might not actually be that good. Clearly, that is biting her in the behind.

But I'm not going to pin this start on her. The rest of her teammates have been far from good, and there has been no shortage of commentary on the coaching (or lack thereof). This is a perfect storm that is coming together all at once.

I agree! This start is on everyone, but mostly on Holly IMO. Since 2012 every year so many fans conclude that the players aren't listening and not doing their part, and Holly also says that after every humiliating loss.

Well, if after 4 years there are STILL no "tough" players or no players who will consistently play "Lady Vol basketball," whose fault is that? It takes quite a bit of naiveté to believe that the same problems could be happening year after year after year and that in all those years and all those highly-ranked recruits that it's always THE PLAYERS that aren't doing their part time and time again.

I love the Lady Vols. That's why this new normal mediocrity hurts so bad.

 

[lvocd]

Is it that the game plans are solid, but adjustments are not made or maybe this group of players do not care. I can not believe all of the missed shots. I almost lost when Russell missed those first two shots.

Sloppy games spring from mentally sloppy practice habits. It's up to the coaching staff to get control of this team and not let them keep drifting further and furthervaway from excellence.

Does ANYONE think that if Geno Auriemma were coaching this group of players that they would have been beaten by either Penn State or Va Tech? If you say "yes," then I don't think you really believe that deep down.

 

[creekdipper]

To be quite honest, I've just about ceased to care any more.

Still love to see Kellie (Jolly) Harper back on the sidelines.

Or Becky Hammon. Here's what Popovich had to say about her last year:

"Obviously she was a great player. As a point guard, she's a leader, she's fiery, she's got high intelligence. Our guys just respect the heck out of her and so she's out on the court coaching with us, she's running drills. So that's why we made her a full-time person and that's why we gave her the opportunity to coach in the Summer League.

"I don't even look at it as 'she's the first female that and the other.' She's a coach. And she's good at it. Some people thought this was some sort of gimmick, 'they are just trying to be cool' or whatever. I'm glad she's there. I respect her opinion. I enjoy the give-and-take with her."

 

[IPleadInsanity]

Same problems as last season, too many turnovers, low shooting percentage lax defense. Coach goes to presser and has no answers.

 

[sisaq]

I know Holly will be trashed, BUT to me THIS loss is solely on the players.

The fact is lady vols will not win any rank team this yr and us going to be the worst ever in their history. They will loose over 20 games.

 

[mlindsay]

A couple of months ago I expressed my concern that, once again, DeShields was making a huge mistake by being so publicly overconfident about how she thought she'd be having, this year, the All-American-type season that eluded her last season.

There was too much "I" and "me" in her pre-season statements last season, and then turned right around and made the same predictions prior to this season.

I hate being right sometimes. But when I see some of the sour glances being shot toward teammates after turnovers, it speaks volumes.

There are players who need to get over themselves, and quick.

Could it just be that these players just aren't on the same level as Diamond? Diamond as many people pointed out had similar stats her freshman year at NC under a interim coach while their Hall of Fame coach was out and still performed and lead her team.

She had players like MaVunga, Gray, and Washington who from the looks of it is far better than Nared, Reynolds, and Russell!

MaVunga dominates both sides of the floor, Gray Attacks the rim and doesn't settle for 3's and Washington gets her teammates involved but also scores when she has to.

Call Diamond what you want be she isn't all of the problem, she just has her feeling written on her face and what she does and is capable of frankly seems like the other girls just aren't capable of doing the same.

 

[FrozenLVFan]

Same problems as last season, too many turnovers, low shooting percentage lax defense. Coach goes to presser and has no answers.

Maybe the reason the coach has nothing to say is because she doesn't want to throw individual players under the bus for not taking care of the ball, missing layups, or playing crap defense.

 

[armchair]

If you compared a week of UConn practices with a week of UT practices, you'd probably see why they are UConn and we are UT. I have no doubt that Geno drills them far more rigorously in every facet of the game than our coaches drill our players. He's a hard-ass and doesn't put up with half-assed effort or lack of focus, AND he has a great understanding of the fundamentals of the game. I've said this more than a few times: One of the very first times I watched UConn--20 years or so ago, before they were good. They were playing us: We had far more talent--yet what was immediately noticeable was how much faster and better they moved the ball; how much better they passed the ball. They were less talented but better coached. We are not well coached. We need a smart, charismatic, dynamic taskmaster as coach--and we aren't going to be a serious contender until we get that person.

 

[Amb3096]

Could it just be that these players just aren't on the same level as Diamond? Diamond as many people pointed out had similar stats her freshman year at NC under a interim coach while their Hall of Fame coach was out and still performed and lead her team.

She had players like MaVunga, Gray, and Washington who from the looks of it is far better than Nared, Reynolds, and Russell!

MaVunga dominates both sides of the floor, Gray Attacks the rim and doesn't settle for 3's and Washington gets her teammates involved but also scores when she has to.

Call Diamond what you want be she isn't all of the problem, she just has her feeling written on her face and what she does and is capable of frankly seems like the other girls just aren't capable of doing the same.

I still think that a lot of it has to do with the coaching. Nared has size, athleticism and speed...so why is she so inconsistent? I can't just say that she's not that good when she might have been an AA-candidate this year playing under a coach who was able to develop her. Sure, it would be nice as a coach to have a roster full of WNBA-caliber players, but then you wouldn't really be coaching.

Diamond's frustration seems to stem from a gameplan that is rigid, teammates that don't know by know that when Diamond drives they should have their hands up ready to catch a pass, and probably a coach that isn't coaching. It's like she's expected to carry this team on her own without any leadership on the sideline, and frankly, I don't blame her if she's frustrated. At this rate, I see the likelihood of her bolting to the WNBA after this season increasing with each week, and then there will be no one left to blame...until it starts becoming the fault of the "overrated freshmen."

 

[FrozenLVFan]

Could it just be that these players just aren't on the same level as Diamond? Diamond as many people pointed out had similar stats her freshman year at NC under a interim coach while their Hall of Fame coach was out and still performed and lead her team.

She had players like MaVunga, Gray, and Washington who from the looks of it is far better than Nared, Reynolds, and Russell!

MaVunga dominates both sides of the floor, Gray Attacks the rim and doesn't settle for 3's and Washington gets her teammates involved but also scores when she has to.

Call Diamond what you want be she isn't all of the problem, she just has her feeling written on her face and what she does and is capable of frankly seems like the other girls just aren't capable of doing the same.

DD tried to be the star on that team, and when she found she had teammates who were as good or better, she sulked and then took her ball and left. From what I can see, she's not happy whether she plays with better or inferior players. And if it's the latter, she ought to be more accountable for team play instead of throwing the ball away.

 

[Amb3096]

DD tried to be the star on that team, and when she found she had teammates who were as good or better, she sulked and then took her ball and left. From what I can see, she's not happy whether she plays with better or inferior players. And if it's the latter, she ought to be more accountable for team play instead of throwing the ball away.

There was a sequence in the third quarter when Diamond made a drive to the basket, got stripped amidst a whole lot of contact but no whistle, then hustled to the other end to block the VT layup attempt off the fast break. A few possessions later, Nared missed an uncontested layup, got the rebound, got stripped as she went up for the putback, and threw her hands up in the air as she jogged at a glacial pace to the other end where VT scored before she made it past halfcourt.

Diamond doesn't always play well, but she always plays hard. The same cannot be said of her teammates. She has a lot of improvement to do, but she's not alone in that camp.

 

[mlindsay]

DD tried to be the star on that team, and when she found she had teammates who were as good or better, she sulked and then took her ball and left. From what I can see, she's not happy whether she plays with better or inferior players. And if it's the latter, she ought to be more accountable for team play instead of throwing the ball away.

All of them left so she didn't just take her ball and leave. I am starting to hope she goes pro as well to see who will some of you be able to blame next year like Amb said.

She had 10 turnovers and still manage to grab 9 boards and score 15 points and there were a few of the passes that ended up as turnovers that were once again right on the money for Russell and Nared and they couldn't handle them.

If I was her I would look at sitting out the rest of the season and preparing myself for the WNBA since it seems like it's all her fault. There is plenty of blame to go around and many are seeming to place it where it doesn't belong.

Did she look bad today, yes, but she competed the entire game unlike some others who made mistakes and never seemed to sit on the bench.

 

[mlindsay]

There was a sequence in the third quarter when Diamond made a drive to the basket, got stripped amidst a whole lot of contact but no whistle, then hustled to the other end to block the VT layup attempt off the fast break. A few possessions later, Nared missed an uncontested layup, got the rebound, got stripped as she went up for the putback, and threw her hands up in the air as she jogged at a glacial pace to the other end where VT scored before she made it past halfcourt.

Diamond doesn't always play well, but she always plays hard. The same cannot be said of her teammates. She has a lot of improvement to do, but she's not alone in that camp.

Thank you!

 

[Amb3096]

From the post-game write up:

Guard Chanette Hicks was the best player, scoring a game-high 24 points for Virginia Tech (6-0), which won its second consecutive game in the series. She contributed three points, an assist and a steal to the aforementioned scoring run. Her driving basket with 30.7 seconds left and two subsequent free throws thwarted the Lady Vols' final rally.

"If they're McDonald's All-Americans," said Brooks, comparing Tennessee's players to Hicks, "then she's a Five Guys All-American. I know Five Guys costs double."

No one respects the Tennessee uniform anymore.

 

[mlindsay]

From the post-game write up:

Guard Chanette Hicks was the best player, scoring a game-high 24 points for Virginia Tech (6-0), which won its second consecutive game in the series. She contributed three points, an assist and a steal to the aforementioned scoring run. Her driving basket with 30.7 seconds left and two subsequent free throws thwarted the Lady Vols' final rally.

"If they're McDonald's All-Americans," said Brooks, comparing Tennessee's players to Hicks, "then she's a Five Guys All-American. I know Five Guys costs double."

No one respects the Tennessee uniform anymore.

If this doesn't motivate them (although they should already be motivated) nothing else will

 

[Amb3096]

If this doesn't motivate them (although they should already be motivated) nothing else will

If I were Holly, I would print this on banner size lettering and hang it on the locker room wall. Taunt the hell out of them with this and remind them that all of the other teams are laughing at them and think that they're ****. Get them to play with a chip on their shoulder. But I don't think that's her style.

 

[FrozenLVFan]

All of them left so she didn't just take her ball and leave. I am starting to hope she goes pro as well to see who will some of you be able to blame next year like Amb said.

She had 10 turnovers and still manage to grab 9 boards and score 15 points and there were a few of the passes that ended up as turnovers that were once again right on the money for Russell and Nared and they couldn't handle them.

If I was her I would look at sitting out the rest of the season and preparing myself for the WNBA since it seems like it's all her fault. There is plenty of blame to go around and many are seeming to place it where it doesn't belong.

Did she look bad today, yes, but she competed the entire game unlike some others who made mistakes and never seemed to sit on the bench.

There was a sequence in the third quarter when Diamond made a drive to the basket, got stripped amidst a whole lot of contact but no whistle, then hustled to the other end to block the VT layup attempt off the fast break. A few possessions later, Nared missed an uncontested layup, got the rebound, got stripped as she went up for the putback, and threw her hands up in the air as she jogged at a glacial pace to the other end where VT scored before she made it past halfcourt.

Diamond doesn't always play well, but she always plays hard. The same cannot be said of her teammates. She has a lot of improvement to do, but she's not alone in that camp.

The rest of the UNC team left the year after DD defected.

15 points vs 10 TO's is very possibly a net negative in points.

You're right, there's a lot of blame to go around. I didn't say that DD was the only one, however, she doesn't "always play hard" either. How many times have we seen her stand there with her hands on her hips scowling or rolling her eyes when something doesn't go her way?

As for minutes played,
Russell....37
DD..........37
Reynolds..27
Middleton.32
Nared......38
Jackson....23
Nunn.........3
Dunbar......3

Would we have been better off to sit Russell when she made a mistake and put Nunn in? Or sit Nared in favor of Dunbar? There's not a lot of leeway with this roster to sit people when they make a mistake. And for the most part, I don't think sitting them would be half as useful as giving them a kick in the ***.

 

[Darth_Vol]

From the post-game write up:

Guard Chanette Hicks was the best player, scoring a game-high 24 points for Virginia Tech (6-0), which won its second consecutive game in the series. She contributed three points, an assist and a steal to the aforementioned scoring run. Her driving basket with 30.7 seconds left and two subsequent free throws thwarted the Lady Vols' final rally.

"If they're McDonald's All-Americans," said Brooks, comparing Tennessee's players to Hicks, "then she's a Five Guys All-American. I know Five Guys costs double."

No one respects the Tennessee uniform anymore.

Great job Holly, you've officially made this program a joke! lol: