What needs to be said in three weeks

[lawgator1]

The one thing that Florida teams of recent years have not been able to get through their thick heads is that tournament time gives no quarter for a bad game. Both this year's UT and UF squads need to understand that they start the NCAA at 0-0. As cliche as that sounds, the reality is that if you get into the tournament and lose first or second round, it totally sucks. You cannot have a bad shooting night and get away with it because someone will come in and clobber you and you are going home for 7 months. You cannot get outmuscled underneath and you cannot give up ten 3-point shots. There is no shame in building a lead and crushing your opponent. Do not coast. Do not plan for the next round. Do not make excuses. Do not blame the officials. Suck it up at every turn. Be obnoxious. Be arrogant. Do not be intimidated. Run. Run. And then run some more. Press the whole time. If it means you can't breathe, so be it. If it means you are going to throw up, bring an extra uniform.

When Gators get in there this year I want to see some slammin' and some jammin' and some run and gun. When UT gets in there, what was it Pearl said? Act like you've been here before? That's what you need to make a run deep into the tourney.

Getting beat by a better team is one thing. Not showing up and getting beat because of that will piss you off all summer long.

 

[jakez4ut]

Getting beat by a better team is one thing. Not showing up and getting beat because of that will piss you off all summer long.

agree 100%. why do you think we are all so pissed off about football season? we left plenty out on more than one feild last season.

Here's to everyone learning their lesson, and if you get beat, you get beat. the worst team to lose to, is when you beat yourself.

Go Vols...can't wait til the date in gainesville.

 

[orangetd88]

Couldn't agree more.

That last statement has been UT's problem when they have made it to the postseason. They had some terrible losses under Green and Buzz.

 

[lawgator1]

Yup. My whole point is that both teams deserve major kudos for having the season's they have had. Really remarkable. But when it comes to tournament time, got to put that behind you and realize its a whole new season and no one cares if you won the SECE, the SEC regular season crown, the SEC tournament, whatever. Would love to see both UT and UF make big runs and get to the second weekend (or even beyond, with a little good fortune). Thing about being a bit of a Cinderella in the regular season is that if that ends early in the tournament, it can hurt that much more than if you squeak your way in.

 

[orangetd88]

True.

Right now, I'm just happy the Vols have a winning record. LOL

 

[Freak]

Good points lawgator. I am sure those are things that we don't even begin to think about since we have not been in this position in several years.

 

[lawgator1]

Good points lawgator. I am sure those are things that we don't even begin to think about since we have not been in this position in several years.

Well, when the SEC torunament is over, be proud and grateful that you are. For ten minutes.

Then box that up and save it for a reason to toast the team in early August, when there's not much going on.

And immediately turn your attention to getting to week two of the NCAAs.....

 

[orange+white=heaven]

I've said this before, but it seems to bear repeating so...

I'm under no illusion that we are a FinalFour team or even Elite Eight.
But the higher our seed in the show, the better our chances of a first round win.
And then, playing us with just two days to prepare is a second round task that no team would relish. Sweet sixteen would be one dadgum whale of an accomplishment for these guys.

 

[volfan2024]

The one thing that Florida teams of recent years have not been able to get through their thick heads is that tournament time gives no quarter for a bad game. Both this year's UT and UF squads need to understand that they start the NCAA at 0-0. As cliche as that sounds, the reality is that if you get into the tournament and lose first or second round, it totally sucks. You cannot have a bad shooting night and get away with it because someone will come in and clobber you and you are going home for 7 months. You cannot get outmuscled underneath and you cannot give up ten 3-point shots. There is no shame in building a lead and crushing your opponent. Do not coast. Do not plan for the next round. Do not make excuses. Do not blame the officials. Suck it up at every turn. Be obnoxious. Be arrogant. Do not be intimidated. Run. Run. And then run some more. Press the whole time. If it means you can't breathe, so be it. If it means you are going to throw up, bring an extra uniform.

When Gators get in there this year I want to see some slammin' and some jammin' and some run and gun. When UT gets in there, what was it Pearl said? Act like you've been here before? That's what you need to make a run deep into the tourney.

Getting beat by a better team is one thing. Not showing up and getting beat because of that will piss you off all summer long.

Well said Coach LG. I say "FULL ALL OUT PRESSING DEFENSE" is really separating teams headed places!

 

[Gatorhater]

There is no shame in building a lead and crushing your opponent. Do not coast. Do not plan for the next round. Do not make excuses. Do not blame the officials. Suck it up at every turn. Be obnoxious. Be arrogant. Do not be intimidated. Run. Run. And then run some more. Press the whole time. If it means you can't breathe, so be it. If it means you are going to throw up, bring an extra uniform.

Getting beat by a better team is one thing. Not showing up and getting beat because of that will piss you off all summer long.

What he said!

Excellent post, Lawgator1 - you're firing me up for tourney time!

 

[chipcwmddh]

Yup. My whole point is that both teams deserve major kudos for having the season's they have had. Really remarkable. But when it comes to tournament time, got to put that behind you and realize its a whole new season and no one cares if you won the SECE, the SEC regular season crown, the SEC tournament, whatever. Would love to see both UT and UF make big runs and get to the second weekend (or even beyond, with a little good fortune). Thing about being a bit of a Cinderella in the regular season is that if that ends early in the tournament, it can hurt that much more than if you squeak your way in.

I don't really agree with your theory here. One thing to remember about basketball teams is that they are far more susceptible to hot and cold streaks. The way a team is playing at the end of the season and how hot they are playing at the end of the year can help push a team into the sweet sixteen. I think once you get into the sweet sixteen and elite eight, that your thesis holds a lot more water. At that point the high level of talent of all the teams involved makes up for some streak play between opponents.

When a team is shooting the lights out at the end of the season and carries that into the tournament, they are a lot more dangerous than a really good team that is cold shooting at the end of the season. In my opinion, the Vols play in the SEC tournament is extremely important to their NCAA tournament success. If they happen to stumble between now and then at FL for example, I am not nearly as worried that the loss would carry into the NCAA tournament. One bad shooting night wouldn't kill the momentum of a team with a few games left to stay hot. But, getting dropped from the SEC tournament due to poor shooting and lazy defensive play could kill the team's momentum going into the Big Dance.