Things Could Get Better

#1

seaofORANGE22

Eats a lot of peaches
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Jan 15, 2010
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#1
This is a tough basketball year, hell sports year in general. Last season the BasketVols probably should have looked a lot worse than they did, but they overachieved, which probably inflated the current seasons expectations. I could see us closing this year out in a similar fashion, playing well at the end of the season and still missing the tourney. I think we are playing hard, and I still enjoy watching the games (I know some of you don't for some reason). It feels like we are slowly growing, but we just aren't there yet.

I am trying to keep in mind that it's only year 2 in Cuonzo's system. We are a super young team. We don't have a plethora of developed talent yet.

Richardson - sophomore - heart and soul of our defense (tons of potential, still finding different ways to impact the game)
Reese - freshman (playing with poise mostly, sometimes forces things, but has the ability to make shots)
Moore - freshman (plays hard as hell and can make shots)
Stokes - Technically a sophomore, but actually only a freshman and playing like it.
Yemi - sophomore (just a badass - we are lucky we have him on this team)
Golden - junior - clearly either injured or mentally stuck in his own head. So lazy with the ball. (Cuonzo should consider giving Lopez [sophomore] his minutes in my opinion).
McRae - junior who is FINALLY living up to his own offensive potential (IN YEAR 3, when things like that usually happen)
Hall - 4 year underachiever - so out of position on defense sometimes. Cannot be relied upon. He basically eats up fouls. There is no excuse for this. He could be a leader on this team. Very disappointing career up to this point.
McBee - senior (plays his butt off, but its rarely ever enough. He is the least accurate three point shooting three point specialist I've ever seen)

Next year we replace probably the least productive player who contributes in McBee, with 5 star stud Hubbs. Also we will replace the least productive big man who contributes in Hall with Jeronne Maymon. The other players all get at least one more year to work on their game and get better. Which will happen.

And yes, I'm a natural optimist. Put me in the wait til next year crowd. Because things actually could look awesome next year. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy watching this team develop and try to get better.

Thanks for reading.

Go Vols
 
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#2
#2
This is a tough basketball year, hell sports year in general. Last season the BasketVols probably should have looked a lot worse than they did, but they overachieved, which probably inflated the current seasons expectations. I could see us closing this year out in a similar fashion, playing well at the end of the season and still missing the tourney. I think we are playing hard, and I still enjoy watching the games (I know some of you don't for some reason). It feels like we are slowly growing, but we just aren't there yet.

I am trying to keep in mind that it's only year 2 in Cuonzo's system. We are a super young team. We don't have a plethora of developed talent yet.

Richardson - sophomore - heart and soul of our defense (tons of potential, still finding different ways to impact the game)
Reese - freshman (playing with poise mostly, sometimes forces things, but has the ability to make shots)
Moore - freshman (plays hard as hell and can make shots)
Stokes - Technically a sophomore, but actually only a freshman and playing like it.
Yemi - sophomore (just a badass - we are lucky we have him on this team)
Golden - junior - clearly either injured or mentally stuck in his own head. So lazy with the ball. (Cuonzo should consider giving Lopez [sophomore] his minutes in my opinion).
McRae - junior who is FINALLY living up to his own offensive potential (IN YEAR 3, when things like that usually happen)
Hall - 4 year underachiever - so out of position on defense sometimes. Cannot be relied upon. He basically eats up fouls. There is no excuse for this. He could be a leader on this team. Very disappointing career up to this point.
McBee - senior (plays his butt off, but its rarely ever enough. He is the least accurate three point shooting three point specialist I've ever seen)

Next year we replace probably the least productive player who contributes in McBee, with 5 star stud Hubbs. Also we will replace the least productive big man who contributes in Hall with Jeronne Maymon. The other players all get at least one more year to work on their game and get better. Which will happen.

And yes, I'm a natural optimist. Put me in the wait til next year crowd. Because things actually could look awesome next year. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy watching this team develop and try to get better.

Thanks for reading.

Go Vols


Just another list of excuses.
 
#7
#7
The more I think about it, the more I feel like Kenny Halls mediocre play may be one of the biggest reasons why our season hasn't been more successful. He's going to look back on his career and wish he had left more on the court.

We have needed someone to step up in that spot with Maymon out. Yemi has done his part, but he's so limited offensively. Hall could be the real deal. But he won't be.
 
#13
#13
I mean yeah he's a sophomore. But he is the same age as all the other freshman in college basketball.

Guys use to go straight from college to the pros and how many one and dones are there every yr....I dont think you can use that excuse....Hopefully he will improve.
 
#14
#14
Just another poster that has unrealistic expectations and doesn't know what he's talking about.

We are in last place in the SEC with one of the worst overall records in the SEC. Our biggest win is against Wichita State at home. I am pretty sure everyone's expectations are above what has happened so far.
 
#15
#15
This is a tough basketball year, hell sports year in general. Last season the BasketVols probably should have looked a lot worse than they did, but they overachieved, which probably inflated the current seasons expectations. I could see us closing this year out in a similar fashion, playing well at the end of the season and still missing the tourney. I think we are playing hard, and I still enjoy watching the games (I know some of you don't for some reason). It feels like we are slowly growing, but we just aren't there yet.

I am trying to keep in mind that it's only year 2 in Cuonzo's system. We are a super young team. We don't have a plethora of developed talent yet.

Richardson - sophomore - heart and soul of our defense (tons of potential, still finding different ways to impact the game)
Reese - freshman (playing with poise mostly, sometimes forces things, but has the ability to make shots)
Moore - freshman (plays hard as hell and can make shots)
Stokes - Technically a sophomore, but actually only a freshman and playing like it.
Yemi - sophomore (just a badass - we are lucky we have him on this team)
Golden - junior - clearly either injured or mentally stuck in his own head. So lazy with the ball. (Cuonzo should consider giving Lopez [sophomore] his minutes in my opinion).
McRae - junior who is FINALLY living up to his own offensive potential (IN YEAR 3, when things like that usually happen)
Hall - 4 year underachiever - so out of position on defense sometimes. Cannot be relied upon. He basically eats up fouls. There is no excuse for this. He could be a leader on this team. Very disappointing career up to this point.
McBee - senior (plays his butt off, but its rarely ever enough. He is the least accurate three point shooting three point specialist I've ever seen)

Next year we replace probably the least productive player who contributes in McBee, with 5 star stud Hubbs. Also we will replace the least productive big man who contributes in Hall with Jeronne Maymon. The other players all get at least one more year to work on their game and get better. Which will happen.

And yes, I'm a natural optimist. Put me in the wait til next year crowd. Because things actually could look awesome next year. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy watching this team develop and try to get better.

Thanks for reading.

Go Vols


I like reading your opinions on next years team and I would have to agree with you. Nothing but potential and we should be better at every position.
 
#22
#22
Guys use to go straight from college to the pros and how many one and dones are there every yr....I dont think you can use that excuse....Hopefully he will improve.

Yes you are correct. There are players that have done these things. There have also been players that have sipped on milk before tip off. So what? Sometimes players come in as a freshman, play like it, and improve over the course of their college careers.

Just because he was a 5 star recruit doesn't necessarily mean he's a one and done player. Those guys are few and mostly at Kentucky.

Like you, I thought he would be playing better this year than he has. He has to learn to do a better job handling double teams (which I thought he did at UK a couple of times in the 2nd half, playing limited minutes), and staying out of foul trouble. Good grief, fouls are killing him.
 
#24
#24
As I've said I'll wait until after the season to make my judgment...finish with 17 or more wins and I'll feel good about next year.
 
#25
#25
I don't get these points from the OP:

1. Super young team. - How many freshmen do we start?
2. We replace least productive players McBee and Hall next season. - Why not replace them now?
3. It feels like we are slowly growing. - What is the team growth? We're on a 4 game losing streak?
 
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