Once again Tennessee proves why they'll never be a basketball school

[OrangeWilly]

Some of you may recall that I predicted last year that UT's basketball team would take a step backward when Lofton left and that they would need about 3 years to build into a consistently elite caliber team.

Thats not a very big limb your out on.

 

[Vol423]

Thats not a very big limb your out on.

Why don't you take a quick poll on this site and you'll find that the overwhelming majority of the people (at least those that respond honestly) were predicting that UT would be an Elite 8 or Final 4 team THIS year.

 

[vol4eva]

no matter how you spin it, this team isn't very good. They are young and can improve although I don't think they'll improve into a Final Four team before most leave Rocky Top, but this team isn't very good. Horrible defense, bad shot selection and very piss poor free throw shooting technique. Someone has to become the dominant scoring threat that can bring this team back when they fall behind. I don't see anyone on this team capable of that. Perhaps two or three more recruits will make this team really dominant.

As of right now Scotty Hopson is nothing but overrated.

The two guards, Selby and Mcrae, could make Tenn dominant. From what I've heard Selby is a one and done. The way Tyler is playing he won't sniff the 1st round of the NBA. We could return all of our players next season. I believe we will be much improved next year.

 

[OrangeWilly]

Why don't you take a quick poll on this site and you'll find that the overwhelming majority of the people (at least those that respond honestly) were predicting that UT would be an Elite 8 or Final 4 team THIS year.

I don't doubt that....But when you lose your entire front court that seems a little far fetched to me.

 

[OrangeWilly]

Why don't you take a quick poll on this site and you'll find that the overwhelming majority of the people (at least those that respond honestly) were predicting that UT would be an Elite 8 or Final 4 team THIS year.

.nvm

 

[TIGER DEN]

Its pretty bad when you dog a team that has 5 or 6 first year players who have had major playing time this year....i mean we did lose jajuan smith and chris lofton. Thats about 40 points a game....i think you guys are a little bit spoiled. If anything you should praise bruce pearl for getting the major recruits we have gotten. Hopson is extremely good....dont knock the guy. I love how you old men get on here and talk about how horrible he is when he would run circles around you. Chances are hes not goin to the NBA after his first season. And plus KANSAS has a 30 somethin game win streak at home. Get over the loss. And yes we are a basketball school...have you heard of the LADY VOLS...damn some people are so ignorant...i predict this team to lose seven or eight but its the tournament that matters.....

By some of your own fans admissions this is irellevant.

 

[The Dude]

Why don't you take a quick poll on this site and you'll find that the overwhelming majority of the people (at least those that respond honestly) were predicting that UT would be an Elite 8 or Final 4 team THIS year.

That's incorrect; I remember when those conversations were happening. The majority expected no better than a Sweet 16 trip with anything extra being a bonus.

 

[volfanbill]

The two guards, Selby and Mcrae, could make Tenn dominant. From what I've heard Selby is a one and done. The way Tyler is playing he won't sniff the 1st round of the NBA. We could return all of our players next season. I believe we will be much improved next year.

Tennessee needs a real big man and someone that can shoot the 3 to be dominant.

as for Selby being one and done, I heard the same thing about Hopson. I don't care how young he is, Hopson is awful right now.

 

[Bassmanbruno]

That is an incredibly senseless statement.

Coming from you - I couldn't care less.

So you think Memphis and Florida are elite basketball programs? I assume you still think Sam Gilbert never existed too, right?

Memphis was among the nations elite teams last year - but one year or a few years as great team and no National Titles doesn't make you an elite program like Kentucky, UNC, or Kansas.

 

[allvol21]

We seem to get psyched out anytime we face an elite program and go on to lay an egg.

Are you freakin kiddin me. Dang I wish that this post could have happened about 4 days ago and you could have been handed the STUPIDEST POST OF THE YEAR. Ladies and gentlemen welcome utfantilidie to the stage. The length that our program has came over the past 3 years can't be measuered with buzz peterson's best tape measure. A young team went on the road to a hostle and historically great venue and got beat. Didn't play well early and down 17 at one point late in the second half and clawed back to within 7 to a hungry and efficient jayhawk squad today. There is no hope for our program guys. Lets just turn TBA into the knoxville opryhouse

 

[CALISKING]

Coming from you - I couldn't care less.

So you think Memphis and Florida are elite basketball programs? I assume you still think Sam Gilbert never existed too, right?

Memphis was among the nations elite teams last year - but one year or a few years as great team and no National Titles doesn't make you an elite program like Kentucky, UNC, or Kansas.

It all depends on what you define as elite. Is Memphis a Top 5 program all time? No. Are they a Top 15 program all time? Yes. ESPN did a little countdown on this a few months back and said so. Over last 30 years, Tigers have been to 4 Sweet 16, 3 Elite 8, and 2 FF. That's a deep run every 3 years. Don't forget about the 1973 Runner Up also.

Florida is an elite program. Four Final Four appearances that include a Runner Up and 2 NC. That's 1 less NC than Duke and Kansas, as many as UConn and Louisville, and more than Georgetown.

 

[tidwell]

We seem to get psyched out anytime we face an elite program and go on to lay an egg.

lol:lol:lol:

 

[Bassmanbruno]

It all depends on what you define as elite. Is Memphis a Top 5 program all time? No. Are they a Top 15 program all time? Yes. ESPN did a little countdown on this a few months back and said so. Over last 30 years, Tigers have been to 4 Sweet 16, 3 Elite 8, and 2 FF. That's a deep run every 3 years. Don't forget about the 1973 Runner Up also.

Florida is an elite program. Four Final Four appearances that include a Runner Up and 2 NC. That's 1 less NC than Duke and Kansas, as many as UConn and Louisville, and more than Georgetown.

No, sorry. Florida is not an elite program. They had one of the rarest recruiting classes ever and combination of players that had amazing chemistry - and they happened to all stay an extra year. Two good runs doesn't make them elite.

Would you have considered them elite before their run? Heck no. Their run will never be repeated or anything close to what they did. It was a combination of every star in the universe aligning for Billy Donovan. They were considered chokers with lots of talent before those 2 teams... so no, Florida is not an elite program.

And I'd consider elite top 10 programs of all time.

 

[Big Train]

We seem to get psyched out anytime we face an elite program and go on to lay an egg.

Georgetown, Memphis, Florida (3 out of last 4), and the fact that we are 5/7 against previous years National Champions......

I guess we will never be a Basketball school because we can't beat good teams?:crazy:

We can't be a Basketball school....because we are a FOOTBALL school. Not because we lose a few games on the Road, to one of the best coaches in the game with some of the best young talent in the game.

 

[CALISKING]

No, sorry. Florida is not an elite program. They had one of the rarest recruiting classes ever and combination of players that had amazing chemistry - and they happened to all stay an extra year. Two good runs doesn't make them elite.

Would you have considered them elite before their run? Heck no. Their run will never be repeated or anything close to what they did. It was a combination of every star in the universe aligning for Billy Donovan. They were considered chokers with lots of talent before those 2 teams... so no, Florida is not an elite program.
And I'd consider elite top 10 programs of all time.

Are you talking about Florida here, because this sounds a lot like the Duke team of the early 90s that went back to back also. Recruiting, chemistry, and players staying in school is rare, but that's how you make runs.

UCLA, Kentucky, Indiana, UNC, Kansas, and Duke are the only schools with more NC than Florida. NC State, Louisville, Okla. State, San Francisco, Uconn, Mich. State, and Cincinatti all have 2 NC as well. I would rate Louisville, UConn, Mich. State ahead of Fl.

 

[Bassmanbruno]

Are you talking about Florida here, because this sounds a lot like the Duke team of the early 90s that went back to back also. Recruiting, chemistry, and players staying in school is rare, but that's how you make runs.

UCLA, Kentucky, Indiana, UNC, Kansas, and Duke are the only schools with more NC than Florida. NC State, Louisville, Okla. State, San Francisco, Uconn, Mich. State, and Cincinatti all have 2 NC as well. I would rate Louisville, UConn, Mich. State ahead of Fl.

Yes - I'm talking about Florida.

 

[Big Train]

On the Topic of Elite...I'd say anyone with Multiple National Titles, or 1 National title, with multiple Final Four Appearances. There are "fluke National Champions" such as Loyola-Chicago, Texas Southern, and etc. But teams that have 2 or more national titles, or appearances have proven that they are VERY competetive every year. And you need to remember that only 1 team can win per year, and only 4 teams can reach the final four per year. So saying a team hasn't been there in a while, or has only been there a few times isn't a solid argument against them, it is just a matter of numbers. As long as Tennessee basketball is Winning Conference Titles, and contending in the top 25 I will be happy for the rest of my life. I care SO MUCH MORE about Football, and that will never change. But if basketball is getting a VERY SOLID job done every year, who is complaining?

 

[Big Train]

Are you talking about Florida here, because this sounds a lot like the Duke team of the early 90s that went back to back also. Recruiting, chemistry, and players staying in school is rare, but that's how you make runs.

UCLA, Kentucky, Indiana, UNC, Kansas, and Duke are the only schools with more NC than Florida. NC State, Louisville, Okla. State, San Francisco, Uconn, Mich. State, and Cincinatti all have 2 NC as well. I would rate Louisville, UConn, Mich. State ahead of Fl.

Agreed. I'd put Memphis and GTown above Florida too, but Florida is still pretty high in my mind.

 

[Bassmanbruno]

On the Topic of Elite...I'd say anyone with Multiple National Titles, or 1 National title, with multiple Final Four Appearances. There are "fluke National Champions" such as Loyola-Chicago, Texas Southern, and etc. But teams that have 2 or more national titles, or appearances have proven that they are VERY competetive every year. And you need to remember that only 1 team can win per year, and only 4 teams can reach the final four per year. So saying a team hasn't been there in a while, or has only been there a few times isn't a solid argument against them, it is just a matter of numbers. As long as Tennessee basketball is Winning Conference Titles, and contending in the top 25 I will be happy for the rest of my life. I care SO MUCH MORE about Football, and that will never change. But if basketball is getting a VERY SOLID job done every year, who is complaining?

Congratulations on the bolded statement. But most of us Vol fans would like to see high goals achieved on the hardwood.

And Florida won its two national titles with the same exact team - so its a different situation.

 

[Big Train]

Congratulations on the bolded statement. But most of us Vol fans would like to see high goals achieved on the hardwood.

And Florida won its two national titles with the same exact team - so its a different situation.

Sorry, I remember 4 years ago I was happy that we made a freaking tournament. Let alone Conference Titles under Pearl. I do have expectations, I'm just saying I'm not going to bash my own team when they arn't beating Kansas in the Phog, or going to the final four yearly.

You have no right saying Florida doesn't diserve it's Championships, or that it was a fluke because it was the same team? The fact is they won 2 national titles. It is very hard to win 1, let alone 2. Saying it is a fluke is narrow minded, and biased. They played by the rules, did their jobs, and played amazing basketball for 2 straight years and yet you are saying it's not actual titles? I hate Florida so much, but taking away their titles because "they had the same team" or "it was lucky" is ridiculous.

 

[Bassmanbruno]

Sorry, I remember 4 years ago I was happy that we made a freaking tournament. Let alone Conference Titles under Pearl. I do have expectations, I'm just saying I'm not going to bash my own team when they arn't beating Kansas in the Phog, or going to the final four yearly.

You have no right saying Florida doesn't diserve it's Championships, or that it was a fluke because it was the same team? The fact is they won 2 national titles. It is very hard to win 1, let alone 2. Saying it is a fluke is narrow minded, and biased. They played by the rules, did their jobs, and played amazing basketball for 2 straight years and yet you are saying it's not actual titles? I hate Florida so much, but taking away their titles because "they had the same team" or "it was lucky" is ridiculous.

Please, please, please, PLEASE show me where I said Florida's titles were flukes or they weren't deserving or they aren't actual titles.

My point was that doesn't make them an elite (top 10) program. They had success in a small period of time and haven't made it consistent enough - as I stated earlier... Billy Donovan used to be considered a great recruiter with tons of talent on his teams but they always choked and never lived up to their talent - unless he gets lucky and gets a team together with that kind of talent and chemistry like the title team - he'll go back to that level.

And I understand we were utter crap before he got here - but doesn't mean we should settle for less if we have a decent coach but know we could do better with a change. Many schools do well in both football and basketball.

 

[Big Train]

Again, it wasn't lucky that Donovan put together that team. He is a young coach who might have had trouble using his talent early in his career. You can't say it was lucky or rare that the won championships. I don't care how you win titles, the fact is you win them. Florida has National Championships and that is what it takes to be considered great.

as for being good in both, I understand teams have done it, but If you ask 100,000 Volunteer fans they would say they'd rather have titles in football than in basketball. Even though our Team was won Conference in the past that doesn't mean we are satisfied, but we are contempt. We have very little tradition in basketball, and we are gaining. If you are saying you think we should be better because we are supposed to be a upper tier team, then you are contradicting yourself, because if we suddenly win 2 national titles we won't be considered a big time program still. So not being a big time program we shouldn't have big time expectations right?

 

[CALISKING]

Please, please, please, PLEASE show me where I said Florida's titles were flukes or they weren't deserving or they aren't actual titles.

My point was that doesn't make them an elite (top 10) program. They had success in a small period of time and haven't made it consistent enough - as I stated earlier... Billy Donovan used to be considered a great recruiter with tons of talent on his teams but they always choked and never lived up to their talent - unless he gets lucky and gets a team together with that kind of talent and chemistry like the title team - he'll go back to that level.

And I understand we were utter crap before he got here - but doesn't mean we should settle for less if we have a decent coach but know we could do better with a change. Many schools do well in both football and basketball.

Please name 10 programs better than Florida.

 

[Big Train]

UCLA, North Carolina, Kansas, Duke, Kentucky, Indiana, Georgetown, Memphis.........I can think of 8 until I would put Florida....after 9 though the list really becomes who you like more out of all the 1 Championship teams.

 

[erob3833]

it's obvious we lack the leadership of someone like clo. hopefully the team chemistry starts to build and make a run through sec play. the defense is just horrid. in time things will get right. go vols