Kevin Durant on Bruce Pearl

#51
#51
Unimane said:
Sweet 16. After that, the tournament is somewhat of a crapshoot based upon match ups.
Click to expand...

IMO, the later rounds are less of a crapshoot as the emotion of the first couple of rounds is over and the cream starts rising to the top.

So if he does not do better than his year 2 and 3, you are happy?
 
#52
#52
lylsmorr said:
Just because we have dominated(minus 2 games in which we struggled early against poor competition) the less talented(much less talented) teams, that shouldn't be cause for praise and declaration that our team is amazing. Why don't we just cheer them on and see how they do against the real teams? That's when we can declare the team a bust or legitimate. I tell you one thing, we cannot play like we did against Wyoming, MTSU, DePaul, etc and expect to compete for titles. Depth wore those teams down, the good teams that we will face from here on out will be able to match our depth, AT LEAST. So let's hope Bruce lights a fire under the entire team's arse. I would take 5 hard workers like Cam Tatum on the floor than hyped up "superstars".
Click to expand...

I don't have a problem with this. I've never said we're amazing or anything, just that I'm happy with where we're at right now and our potential. I've seen enough basketball to not get too high or low depending on a couple weeks of play whether we are winning by 75 or sleep walking through Charleston and Wyoming.

So, I'm not going to sit here and say we're going to the Final Four like some UK fan, but I'm certainly not going to sit here and say we suck, either. Especially, when it's obvious when we don't.
 
#53
#53
VolDad said:
IMO, the later rounds are less of a crapshoot as the emotion of the first couple of rounds is over and the cream starts rising to the top.
Click to expand...

Ok, crapshoot is not the word I was looking for. More like dependent on match ups. We can have a great team like two years ago and still run into a team like Louisville, who was just a bad match up for us.

Happy? Depends. Who do we play? We lose to Kansas by 1, I'm not upset. Someone else, we'll have to see. Still, that would be 3 Sweet 16s in 5 years at a school with 2 in its entire history. I wouldn't see it as a cause to complain or have some meltdown about Pearl (Which is guaranteed to happen if we lose in the Sweet 16 again).
 
Last edited:
#54
#54
VolDad said:
IMO, the later rounds are less of a crapshoot as the emotion of the first couple of rounds is over and the cream starts rising to the top.

So if he does not do better than his year 2 and 3, you are happy?
Click to expand...
If it were really a crapshoot, you wouldn't see the same group of faces playing in the regional finals every year.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#55
#55
Unimane said:
Ok, crapshoot is not the word I was looking for. More like dependent on match ups. We can have a great team like two years ago and still run into a team like Louisville, who was just a bad match up for us.
Click to expand...

So if he achieves the same thing he did in year 2 and 3 (makes the sweet sixteen) you will be happy?

You do not expect improvement?
 
#56
#56
I do expect improvement. I expect improvement over the course of this year and the rest of Bruce's career at UT. Complacency is a dangerous thing.
 
#57
#57
UTLCA said:
So good he's going after transfers.

It's not even about that either. It's about how after his worst showing in the NCAAs with his "most tourney ready team" he shows all of us his desire to commit to getting his team over the hill by coaching his son in Israel.
Click to expand...

This post shows an absolutely hilarious lack of basketball knowledge.

Taking a top notch transfer is something HOF coaches have done for a very long time.
 
#58
#58
hatvol96 said:
I'm going to give Pearl the benefit of the doubt and assume the rumors of Tennessee's pursuit of Maymon are erroneous. If not, UT is attempting to sign a guy who will make Marques Johnson, Tony Passley, and Phillip Jurick look like inspired pickups.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...

Jio Fontan...

Any regular Zagsblog reader should know all about it.
 
#59
#59
Unimane said:
Ok, crapshoot is not the word I was looking for. More like dependent on match ups. We can have a great team like two years ago and still run into a team like Louisville, who was just a bad match up for us.

Happy? Depends. Who do we play? We lose to Kansas by 1, I'm not upset. Someone else, we'll have to see. Still, that would be 3 Sweet 16s in 5 years at a school with 2 in its entire history. I wouldn't see it as a cause to complain or have some meltdown about Pearl (Which is guaranteed to happen if we lose in the Sweet 16 again).
Click to expand...

How many years into his tenure do you disregard his ability to advance past the Sweet Sixteen (assuming he doesn't) or does he always get a pass because we only had 2 in our history before him?
 
#60
#60
VolDad said:
How many years into his tenure do you disregard his ability to advance past the Sweet Sixteen (assuming he doesn't) or does he always get a pass because we only had 2 in our history before him?
Click to expand...

I have said before that with 4 seniors if we do not get to the Elite 8 I would be disappointed. I do not know if you looked at bracketology, but if we had UNLV 2nd game and UNC 3rd which is how they had it slotted I would say the draw sucked. TN would be UNLV, then UNC, then Syracuse on the latest Lunardi (which I know is very much subject to change).

Depending on our seed I may expect a Final 4, an Elite 8 etc. Winning all remaining OOC except Kansas is important for a high enough seed to give us a shot at Elite 8 this year. The SEC is much better than last year, so there are only 4 teams we know we will beat without trying too hard.
 
#61
#61
MikeHamiltonFan said:
I have said before that with 4 seniors if we do not get to the Elite 8 I would be disappointed. I do not know if you looked at bracketology, but if we had UNLV 2nd game and UNC 3rd which is how they had it slotted I would say the draw sucked. TN would be UNLV, then UNC, then Syracuse on the latest Lunardi (which I know is very much subject to change).

Depending on our seed I may expect a Final 4, an Elite 8 etc. Winning all remaining OOC except Kansas is important for a high enough seed to give us a shot at Elite 8 this year. The SEC is much better than last year, so there are only 4 teams we know we will beat without trying too hard.
Click to expand...

I will bet that you said that about Auburn last year.
 
#62
#62
VolDad said:
Over react much skippy?
Click to expand...

no, i just wondered why you brought that up when the guy just mentioned a great game in the last five years? I mean, I'm not a Pearl supporter or anything, I was just curious as to why you had to bring that up when it had nothing to do with what we were talking about.
 
#63
#63
VolDad said:
How many years into his tenure do you disregard his ability to advance past the Sweet Sixteen (assuming he doesn't) or does he always get a pass because we only had 2 in our history before him?
Click to expand...

I think you have to be careful of throwing out the baby with the bathwater. If it becomes a Fulmer situation, where we are in slow downward spiral, then, yes, it's a problem.

However, what if he is consistantly making the Sweet 16, averaging 25 wins, challenging for the SEC yearly, recruiting well, then what? I would, obviously like to make the Elite 8, but it's not all or bust to me even though that attitude seems to prevail here. He gets a "pass" because consistantly making the Sweet 16 actually is a pretty accomplishment and nothing to be laughed at. That sort of entitlement can go pretty quickly if you aren't careful and shouldn't be taken for granted.

However, I will say that "improving" in college basketball is such a loaded term. Teams are not static and will go up and down based upon personel.
 
#64
#64
Unimane said:
I think you have to be careful of throwing out the baby with the bathwater. If it becomes a Fulmer situation, where we are in slow downward spiral, then, yes, it's a problem.

However, what if he is consistantly making the Sweet 16, averaging 25 wins, challenging for the SEC yearly, recruiting well, then what? I would, obviously like to make the Elite 8, but it's not all or bust to me even though that attitude seems to prevail here. He gets a "pass" because consistantly making the Sweet 16 actually is a pretty accomplishment and nothing to be laughed at. That sort of entitlement can go pretty quickly if you aren't careful and shouldn't be taken for granted.

However, I will say that "improving" in college basketball is such a loaded term. Teams are not static and will go up and down based upon personel.
Click to expand...
The best team UT has played en route to the Sweet 16 is Virginia. I'm not sure getting there is some huge accomplishment.
 
#65
#65
tvolsfan said:
The best team UT has played en route to the Sweet 16 is Virginia. I'm not sure getting there is some huge accomplishment.
Click to expand...
The Butler team they beat in Birmingham was much better than the UVA bunch they beat the year before. They were vastly underseeded.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#66
#66
tvolsfan said:
The best team UT has played en route to the Sweet 16 is Virginia. I'm not sure getting there is some huge accomplishment.
Click to expand...

Butler was better than Virginia. Regardless, yes, it is an accomplishment. You don't throw parades for it, but you shouldn't takle it for granted, either.
 
#67
#67
Dammit, you made me agree with hat. I guess, while we're on it, I'll agree with him in saying that I saw Maymon play in high school and I wasn't too impressed as well.
 
#68
#68
Unimane said:
I think you have to be careful of throwing out the baby with the bathwater. If it becomes a Fulmer situation, where we are in slow downward spiral, then, yes, it's a problem.

1) However, what if he is consistantly making the Sweet 16, averaging 25 wins, challenging for the SEC yearly, recruiting well, then what? I would, obviously like to make the Elite 8, but it's not all or bust to me even though that attitude seems to prevail here. He gets a "pass" because consistantly making the Sweet 16 actually is a pretty accomplishment and nothing to be laughed at. That sort of entitlement can go pretty quickly if you aren't careful and shouldn't be taken for granted.

However, I will say that "improving" in college basketball is such a loaded term. Teams are not static and will go up and down based upon personel.
Click to expand...

1) How many banners do we get to hang for that?

2) Regarding Football - Hamilton is on record as saying his expectations at Tennessee are to win at least two SEC championships during a 10-year period and get to the SEC title game every three or four years, as well as play in BCS bowls with some regularity. For the money we pay Bruce, shouldn't we expect similar results?
 
#69
#69
hatvol96 said:
The Butler team they beat in Birmingham was much better than the UVA bunch they beat the year before. They were vastly underseeded.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...

Unimane said:
Butler was better than Virginia. Regardless, yes, it is an accomplishment. You don't throw parades for it, but you shouldn't takle it for granted, either.
Click to expand...
It still doesn't really change much. What's the point in celebrating some big regular season wins if the best win you can muster when it counts is a win over Butler?
 
#70
#70
VolDad said:
1) How many banners do we get to hang for that?

2) Regarding Football - Hamilton is on record as saying his expectations at Tennessee are to win at least two SEC championships during a 10-year period and get to the SEC title game every three or four years, as well as play in BCS bowls with some regularity. For the money we pay Bruce, shouldn't we expect similar results?
Click to expand...

We pay Pearl as the third highest coach in the SEC. Should 3rd be acceptable based on pay?
 
#71
#71
Unimane said:
We pay Pearl as the third highest coach in the SEC. Should 3rd be acceptable based on pay?
Click to expand...
I have no idea what the answer to this is, but who are some other coaches making roughly the same amount that Pearl is making right now?
 
Last edited:
#72
#72
tvolsfan said:
It still doesn't really change much. What's the point in celebrating some big regular season wins if the best win you can muster when it counts is a win over Butler?
Click to expand...

So, don't celebrate anything. Check back in March to complain when we don't meet whatever arbitrary standard you have created.
 
#73
#73
Unimane said:
So, don't celebrate anything. Check back in March to complain when we don't meet whatever arbitrary standard you have created.
Click to expand...

If you don't hold your program to high standards and are fine with 20-10 season with early Tourney exits then how big of a fan are you really? Always strive for better
 
#74
#74
tvolsfan said:
I have no idea what the answer to this is, but who are some other coaches making roughly the same amount that Pearl is making?
Click to expand...
How many coaches who have never advanced past the round of 16 are being paid a salary equal to or larger than Pearl's?
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#75
#75
lylsmorr said:
If you don't hold your program to high standards and are fine with 20-10 season with early Tourney exits then how big of a fan are you really? Always strive for better
Click to expand...

Well, that hasn't even been an average season under Pearl, but it certainly will happen from time to time as it doesn for every program.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top