New Blood

[Amb3096]

Really? Louisville has a stacked team and SC has AA's also.

The Louisville team that beat Tennessee in the E8 had a far less talented team on paper. As I stated, last year was the first time that SC brought a similarly talented team as Tennessee to the court, and they won. Previous seasons, Tennessee had a significant talent advantage.

In the past several years, Tennessee has failed to beat teams with more talent , but has lost their fair share to teams with lesser talent. Would you say, given the players on the team, they have underachieved, met expectations or exceeded expectations?

 

[vol66]

Not making the FF and not finishing in the top 2 of the SEC would be an underachievement for a team that was preseason #4 and has a NFOY and 6 McD AAs on their roster.

Wow, thanks.

 

[Amb3096]

Wow, thanks.

Are you suggesting that those goals are too lofty for a team of this caliber?

 

[vol66]

Are you suggesting that those goals are too lofty for a team of this caliber?

Goals? No. I'm sure the goal is to win the whole thing.

I'm sure the goal is to win the SEC.

I'm sure the goal is to be a 1 seed.

All of that is still attainable I think.

Can I ask a question, did we have injured players to begin the season? Diamond sat out all last year anybody else? TIA

 

[Amb3096]

Goals? No. I'm sure the goal is to win the whole thing.

I'm sure the goal is to win the SEC.

I'm sure the goal is to be a 1 seed.

All of that is still attainable I think.

Can I ask a question, did we have injured players to begin the season? Diamond sat out all last year anybody else? TIA

Well...my preference of course is to win everything. They could well win it all, but being realistic (Stewart is still here and SC for a change has the more talented team...this is without mentioning the hot mess the team has been so far), anything less than a FF and 2nd in the SEC would be disappointing for a team with this much talent.

As for injuries, Nia and Jaime were the two that I recall. A few others (Dunbar, Middleton, Jones) went on the DL later, but none of the key core players had injuries that prevented them from playing.

 

[vol66]

Well...my preference of course is to win everything. They could well win it all, but being realistic (Stewart is still here and SC for a change has the more talented team...this is without mentioning the hot mess the team has been so far), anything less than a FF and 2nd in the SEC would be disappointing for a team with this much talent.

As for injuries, Nia and Jaime were the two that I recall. A few others (Dunbar, Middleton, Jones) went on the DL later, but none of the key core players had injuries that prevented them from playing.

I was not suggesting that I think we will win it all. There's a difference between a goal and reasonable expectations. I don't buy all of the All AA junk, I may not follow recruiting in WBB, but I certainly have watched 4 and 5 star football players wash out every year.

Mercedes Russell and Diamond DeShields did not play last year. We lost two good leaders in Massingale and Burdick and Graves and Carter have got to step up in that regard and I honestly don't know if Graves has that in her. She's a great player and seems like a very nice person, but not everyone is built to lead.

IMO we're also missing the "spark" of a person like Simmons, whether starting or off the bench.

There is still plenty of time, it's all still there to be had, but I refuse to ignore that there are a lot of really good basketball teams, with talented coaches and players, it's not like it used to be.

 

[Amb3096]

I was not suggesting that I think we will win it all. There's a difference between a goal and reasonable expectations. I don't buy all of the All AA junk, I may not follow recruiting in WBB, but I certainly have watched 4 and 5 star football players wash out every year.

Mercedes Russell and Diamond DeShields did not play last year. We lost two good leaders in Massingale and Burdick and Graves and Carter have got to step up in that regard and I honestly don't know if Graves has that in her. She's a great player and seems like a very nice person, but not everyone is built to lead.

IMO we're also missing the "spark" of a person like Simmons, whether starting or off the bench.

There is still plenty of time, it's all still there to be had, but I refuse to ignore that there are a lot of really good basketball teams, with talented coaches and players, it's not like it used to be.

Then I should re-phrase that the reasonable expectation is FF and 2nd in the SEC.

I agree that losing Massengale and Burdick was hard, but the old saying used to be that Tennessee doesn't rebuild; they reload. One would think that gaining DeShields, Russell, and Cooper should have been enough to offset the loss of two solid but not spectacular players. Other teams have done more with less. Kentucky lost 4 starters, but has exceeded expectations with how they've started off the season based on how they were expected to do (and that's before the 2 transfers were announced).

The landscape of WCBB has changed and there is more depth than there used to be...but there is no excuse for Tennessee to lose to FL and VT at TBA. None. They should have dismantled a watered down Stanford team, but instead got routed. They simply are not playing as well as they should be, and if it's because the players are still adjusting to one another, then that's on the coaching because that isn't an issue for the rest of the top teams.

I also agree that there is plenty of time left in the season. However, if there isn't visible progress in how the team is playing...particularly on the offensive end...then there's little reason to expect that they'll magically get their games together to make a run for the NC.

Diamond was supposed to be the 2nd coming of Candace Parker to restore glory to the Tennessee program. If she can't provide a spark, I don't think anything would help this program.

 

[vol66]

Then I should re-phrase that the reasonable expectation is FF and 2nd in the SEC.

I agree that losing Massengale and Burdick was hard, but the old saying used to be that Tennessee doesn't rebuild; they reload. One would think that gaining DeShields, Russell, and Cooper should have been enough to offset the loss of two solid but not spectacular players. Other teams have done more with less. Kentucky lost 4 starters, but has exceeded expectations with how they've started off the season based on how they were expected to do (and that's before the 2 transfers were announced).

The landscape of WCBB has changed and there is more depth than there used to be...but there is no excuse for Tennessee to lose to FL and VT at TBA. None. They should have dismantled a watered down Stanford team, but instead got routed. They simply are not playing as well as they should be, and if it's because the players are still adjusting to one another, then that's on the coaching because that isn't an issue for the rest of the top teams.

I also agree that there is plenty of time left in the season. However, if there isn't visible progress in how the team is playing...particularly on the offensive end...then there's little reason to expect that they'll magically get their games together to make a run for the NC.

Diamond was supposed to be the 2nd coming of Candace Parker to restore glory to the Tennessee program. If she can't provide a spark, I don't think anything would help this program.

That's not fair. They aren't asking her to be a spark, they are asking her to carry the load and because she and Russell didn't play last year they are the "new" players, they won't step immediately into a leadership role without a push and if they aren't productive the push won't matter anyway.

The thing that I don't get I guess is that when I come here after a loss, it's as if we are never supposed to lose. Like teams don't have bad games and lose to an inferior opponent sometimes.

Pat only had one undefeated season.

 

[Pat4life]

That's not fair. They aren't asking her to be a spark, they are asking her to carry the load and because she and Russell didn't play last year they are the "new" players, they won't step immediately into a leadership role without a push and if they aren't productive the push won't matter anyway.

The thing that I don't get I guess is that when I come here after a loss, it's as if we are never supposed to lose. Like teams don't have bad games and lose to an inferior opponent sometimes.

Pat only had one undefeated season.

Dat Part. But sometimes the play has been poor, subpar, not good, bad, inadequate, hmmmm

sometimes it is the way, we lose. I don't mind our ladies losing a fight (game), but they wasn't even (playing) fighting..., Dat part I will never tolerate, **** you got to at very least fight, which is effort.

 

[Amb3096]

That's not fair. They aren't asking her to be a spark, they are asking her to carry the load and because she and Russell didn't play last year they are the "new" players, they won't step immediately into a leadership role without a push and if they aren't productive the push won't matter anyway.

The thing that I don't get I guess is that when I come here after a loss, it's as if we are never supposed to lose. Like teams don't have bad games and lose to an inferior opponent sometimes.

Pat only had one undefeated season.

Diamond's role is no different than Meighan's; she had to carry the team as well. I don't think expecting her to come in and be as good as she was as a freshman was too much to expect.

As for the reaction to losing...at least in the past, losses to inferior teams (which meant a top 20 team) were offset by wins against top 5 teams. Those wins have been harder to come by, and they've started to lose to some pretty bad teams as of late.

If they beat Notre Dame and SC, then no one will remember FL and VT. If they lose to both and finish with no signature wins, but loses to significantly lesser teams at home...well, it's hard not to be disappointed with that.

 

[vol66]

Dat Part. But sometimes the play has been poor, subpar, not good, bad, inadequate, hmmmm

sometimes it is the way, we lose. I don't mind our ladies losing a fight (game), but they wasn't even (playing) fighting..., Dat part I will never tolerate, **** you got to at very least fight, which is effort.

I agree with this and I understand this completely. Where I differ from many is where the responsibility lies. Now certainly the head coach has to share some. But, there has to be leadership on the floor and Graves, Carter and Reynolds have to bring Diamond, Russell and Cooper along, not just in practice but during the games.

When they mess up, it needs to be addressed, when they do well it needs to be addressed. I'm quite confident that you know more about it than me, but I'm not seeing it. I've seen Graves play with passion in the past, I'm not seeing it this year, though I think she's owned up to it.

Obviously benching a player that is not doing what is expected is an easy answer if you don't have any skin in the game, but it's not as easy when you do.

 

[vol66]

Diamond's role is no different than Meighan's; she had to carry the team as well. I don't think expecting her to come in and be as good as she was as a freshman was too much to expect.

As for the reaction to losing...at least in the past, losses to inferior teams (which meant a top 20 team) were offset by wins against top 5 teams. Those wins have been harder to come by, and they've started to lose to some pretty bad teams as of late.

If they beat Notre Dame and SC, then no one will remember FL and VT. If they lose to both and finish with no signature wins, but loses to significantly lesser teams at home...well, it's hard not to be disappointed with that.

I think it is completely different. Simmons grew into her role and she had an intensity and fire that I would call rare. Fierce comes to mind.

Tagging her the next Candace Parker is setting one's self up for disappointment. They don't come along that often.

As for the rest, and maybe I'm different, but all that matters is the finish. It's a tournament sport, anything can happen.

 

[Amb3096]

I think it is completely different. Simmons grew into her role and she had an intensity and fire that I would call rare. Fierce comes to mind.

Tagging her the next Candace Parker is setting one's self up for disappointment. They don't come along that often.

As for the rest, and maybe I'm different, but all that matters is the finish. It's a tournament sport, anything can happen.

I thought Simmons had it rough because she came onto a team full of upperclassmen none of whom wanted to carry the team...therefore, she ended up being their go-to player from day 1. I don't know if you watched Diamond at UNC, but she was not lacking in on court swagger in the least bit. She probably had too much at times.

My reference to Diamond and Candace was a bit tongue in cheek, I admit...simply because I don't think that Diamond will ever be as good as Candace. Some on this board were comparing her to Stewart, which I disagreed with. I think she's a great player, but not a game changer like a Parker or Stewart.

I agree anything can happen, but if we wait until the games have all been played, then there's only something to talk about at the end of the season.

 

[vol66]

I thought Simmons had it rough because she came onto a team full of upperclassmen none of whom wanted to carry the team...therefore, she ended up being their go-to player from day 1. I don't know if you watched Diamond at UNC, but she was not lacking in on court swagger in the least bit. She probably had too much at times.

My reference to Diamond and Candace was a bit tongue in cheek, I admit...simply because I don't think that Diamond will ever be as good as Candace. Some on this board were comparing her to Stewart, which I disagreed with. I think she's a great player, but not a game changer like a Parker or Stewart.

I agree anything can happen, but if we wait until the games have all been played, then there's only something to talk about at the end of the season.

I think Russell and DeShields sitting out last year has a lot to do with things, not only the experience they missed, but chemistry too.

The truly great teams we've had in the past played for each other and they did it out of love that's only earned by hard work and a mutual respect for each other. While on paper, and recruiting rankings, we should be good, we lack some experience.

I believe the best is yet to come for this team but there's gonna be some adversity along the way. I'm cool with it.

Appreciate your civility, I know I don't post much over here. :hi:



GBO!!!

 

[Amb3096]

Appreciate your civility, I know I don't post much over here.

Ditto. I'm pretty well mannered when other posters aren't ***holes.:hi:

Have a good night.

 

[madtownvol]

I thought Simmons had it rough because she came onto a team full of upperclassmen none of whom wanted to carry the team...therefore, she ended up being their go-to player from day 1. I don't know if you watched Diamond at UNC, but she was not lacking in on court swagger in the least bit. She probably had too much at times.

My reference to Diamond and Candace was a bit tongue in cheek, I admit...simply because I don't think that Diamond will ever be as good as Candace. Some on this board were comparing her to Stewart, which I disagreed with. I think she's a great player, but not a game changer like a Parker or Stewart.

I agree anything can happen, but if we wait until the games have all been played, then there's only something to talk about at the end of the season.

I was a big fan of Simmons. If you look at her career, owing to other shortfalls in the team, she was moved to the PG position in her sophomore year. Let's think about that. The team took a player who was potentially the LVs most gifted scorer since Candace and put in a facilitating play maker role. Rather than continuing to develop as a shooting guard, she took a one-off detour as a PG. Overall, I don't the coaching staff really new how to get the most out of her.

I agree with your assessment of Diamond. She has the potential to be an elite player, in the class of say Alana Beard, but not Candace (who had an equal or better skill set with a lot more size).

 

[Pat4life]

I agree with this and I understand this completely. Where I differ from many is where the responsibility lies. Now certainly the head coach has to share some. But, there has to be leadership on the floor and Graves, Carter and Reynolds have to bring Diamond, Russell and Cooper along, not just in practice but during the games.

When they mess up, it needs to be addressed, when they do well it needs to be addressed. I'm quite confident that you know more about it than me, but I'm not seeing it. I've seen Graves play with passion in the past, I'm not seeing it this year, though I think she's owned up to it.

Obviously benching a player that is not doing what is expected is an easy answer if you don't have any skin in the game, but it's not as easy when you do.

Hopefully, all those (alumni) post players coming back sparked something, like gurl the way you playing your senior year, nobody ain't talking about as a prospect for the WNBA. Graves need to be consistent no more no shows.

Hopefully this is the start of something beautiful, or here's to a confident and aggressive Graves. She makes us better team when she in attack mode.

Nice post!

I think our ladies will figure it out, cos I know fa sho Diamond hates to lose.

 

[Pat4life]

I think Russell and DeShields sitting out last year has a lot to do with things, not only the experience they missed, but chemistry too.

The truly great teams we've had in the past played for each other and they did it out of love that's only earned by hard work and a mutual respect for each other. While on paper, and recruiting rankings, we should be good, we lack some experience.

I believe the best is yet to come for this team but there's gonna be some adversity along the way. I'm cool with it.

Appreciate your civility, I know I don't post much over here. :hi:



GBO!!!

Nice post!

 

[MsSportsGuy]

I was a big fan of Simmons. If you look at her career, owing to other shortfalls in the team, she was moved to the PG position in her sophomore year. Let's think about that. The team took a player who was potentially the LVs most gifted scorer since Candace and put in a facilitating play maker role.

Simmons played more 2 guard during her sophomore year since Massengale arrived that season. Simmons did play point off and on her freshman season and brought the ball up a lot because she got rebounds off misses. Simmons won some games for the LVs but also lost some as well. DeShields and Simmons comparisons are fair at this stage based on performance.

I've posted this before, but the lack of recruits for 2016 combined with the at times dismal effort this season has raised my eyebrows and led me to believe some change needs to be made soon with the coaching staff or how players are evaluated and handled. Teams have off nights and that is to be expected, but I cannot see how anyone who follows the sport can look at this squad and not see some significant problems with their performance. I hope the course is corrected soon and the LVs are in the Final Four.

 

[PineyBluff Vol]

I just don't see the fire in this team, whether it is player or coach, not sure the reason...Nicky is the player, I wish these girls would emulate...

 

[gule]

they already clank their layups...

 

[armchair]

I agree with PineyBluff about emotion: we need more of it--and more toughness. This group is very buttoned-up and a bit passive, based on what I've seen so far. I don't see a lot of enthusiasm on the court--and that is a worry. Graves is far too quiet for a senior; she has always seemed to lack confidence--plays hard, but lacks confidence. Carter can be a leader and needs to be. I view DeShields as someone who must be our D. Taurasi--both as a player and a tough-minded leader. She's got Taurasi-like talent--but not sure she has that Taurasi toughness. We need it.

 

[LVJeff]

The team needs somebody that can shoot the ball consistently at a 40% clip from the 3 point line. And hopefully not turn the ball over the other 60% of the time.

 

[gule]

In the history of Lady Vol bball, who does DD most closely resemble, talent/play wise?

 

[Rickster]

In the history of Lady Vol bball, who does DD most closely resemble, talent/play wise?

She reminds me a little of Bridget Gordon.