OneVolNation
All Vols All The Time
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Everything happens for a reason.
We saw from the fall of Virginia in the first round to Loyola's upset of us, that nothing's guaranteed and everything from the tip off to the final horn is a new game, independent from all before or after it when it comes to what the result will be. It's its own opportunity for a W determined by more points on the scoreboard than your opponent when it ends.
As thrilling as the late, final minutes comebacks were in the tournaments and games last season, we saw how costly it can be when they turn out not to be enough ie., Kentucky and Loyola.
That underscores the importance of playing like that consistently for a full forty minutes, not allowing strings of missed ill-selected shots aka standing on the perimeter and only passing it outside then jacking up a rushed 3 before the shot clock expires instead of sticking to the game plan of feeding it inside.
Coach Barnes said the identity of the team is an "Inside- Out" team, so when you only stay "out" for several possessions without going "Inside" (at least enough to stretch your opponent's defense and keep them honest with the threat to buy more space for your outside shot) and preferably going inside for most shots for higher percentage opportunities, you aren't being true to the team and its core philosophy. Then when the other team grabs the rebound from the bricked 3 attempt and drives for the easy 2, you start seeing their lead pile up bigger and bigger with more points on the scoreboard with less time left to close the gap and you are at that point forced to shoot 3s just to survive.
Why risk the success you work so hard for all season on a style of play that is statistically proven to convert a lower percentage of field goals?...especially when it's not even consistent with the team identity the Coaching staff and players worked so hard to develop?
It reminds me of a commission-only sales job for your whole career. Man, you'd feel like a hotshot when you close that big deal, but then get to the point where you must sell or starve most months out of the year.
It's just not consistent enough and eventually the cracks begin to show, most often when you need that solid dependability the most.
I believe that's the one big thing that was evidently hard to recognize enough to correct and most costly in terms of the games lost that could have been won.
That is to take nothing away from one of the best teams I've ever seen play at Tennessee, yes ever! They deserve to feel so proud of their success. I'm not a hater, I'm a lover and a fighter! I love this team. That's why it hurts to see them hurt when they don't have to. So in that spirit of tough love, I do think that is the one single area I'd like to see most improved for next season.
It seems ironic, because this team is known for being consistent, and they are for the most part. That's why they won for the most part. It's just that one key area I believe can help the team accomplish anything they want next year without the anxiety that comes from having to play catch up late in games because they'd still be carrying the lead instead.
We saw from the fall of Virginia in the first round to Loyola's upset of us, that nothing's guaranteed and everything from the tip off to the final horn is a new game, independent from all before or after it when it comes to what the result will be. It's its own opportunity for a W determined by more points on the scoreboard than your opponent when it ends.
As thrilling as the late, final minutes comebacks were in the tournaments and games last season, we saw how costly it can be when they turn out not to be enough ie., Kentucky and Loyola.
That underscores the importance of playing like that consistently for a full forty minutes, not allowing strings of missed ill-selected shots aka standing on the perimeter and only passing it outside then jacking up a rushed 3 before the shot clock expires instead of sticking to the game plan of feeding it inside.
Coach Barnes said the identity of the team is an "Inside- Out" team, so when you only stay "out" for several possessions without going "Inside" (at least enough to stretch your opponent's defense and keep them honest with the threat to buy more space for your outside shot) and preferably going inside for most shots for higher percentage opportunities, you aren't being true to the team and its core philosophy. Then when the other team grabs the rebound from the bricked 3 attempt and drives for the easy 2, you start seeing their lead pile up bigger and bigger with more points on the scoreboard with less time left to close the gap and you are at that point forced to shoot 3s just to survive.
Why risk the success you work so hard for all season on a style of play that is statistically proven to convert a lower percentage of field goals?...especially when it's not even consistent with the team identity the Coaching staff and players worked so hard to develop?
It reminds me of a commission-only sales job for your whole career. Man, you'd feel like a hotshot when you close that big deal, but then get to the point where you must sell or starve most months out of the year.
It's just not consistent enough and eventually the cracks begin to show, most often when you need that solid dependability the most.
I believe that's the one big thing that was evidently hard to recognize enough to correct and most costly in terms of the games lost that could have been won.
That is to take nothing away from one of the best teams I've ever seen play at Tennessee, yes ever! They deserve to feel so proud of their success. I'm not a hater, I'm a lover and a fighter! I love this team. That's why it hurts to see them hurt when they don't have to. So in that spirit of tough love, I do think that is the one single area I'd like to see most improved for next season.
It seems ironic, because this team is known for being consistent, and they are for the most part. That's why they won for the most part. It's just that one key area I believe can help the team accomplish anything they want next year without the anxiety that comes from having to play catch up late in games because they'd still be carrying the lead instead.
