2018-2019 Predictions Thread

[calban]

The topic though was realistic. By your own admission, comparing talent against Charlotte, Vandy, and Mizzou, ours is better. That's 6 wins. Then, you either have to beat USCe or UK, who has beaten us twice in the last 33 years, even when we had bad teams. Will it happen? I don't know. Do you and I differ on opinions? Sure. Is it unrealistic based on all variables? No.

To bring it back full circle, comparing the UK football team to our basketball team is probably a good one. But now we have basketball fans who are predicting (and some maybe even expecting) a FF appearance. I would love to see it. Is that realistic? High percentage that it isn't happening.

Don't think we can beat KY. but, they could possibly beat themselves as they did against the Aggies.

 

[VolGee4]

Don't think we can beat KY. but, they could possibly beat themselves as they did against the Aggies.

Their QB is not a great passer. Are they good? Sure. Is it unrealistic that UT beats UK? No.

 

[VolGee4]

According to many people the team also had more talent than WVA and better coaches then UF....

Not going to get in this debate. I generally don't mind your posts, but you do try to chew people up and are obstinate with your positions.

I still stand on my original statement. You relied on Twitter users for an argument, and this team going 7-5 is not unrealistic. Will it happen? I have no idea.

 

[cncchris33]

The topic though was realistic. By your own admission, comparing talent against Charlotte, Vandy, and Mizzou, ours is better. That's 6 wins. Then, you either have to beat USCe or UK, who has beaten us twice in the last 33 years, even when we had bad teams. Will it happen? I don't know. Do you and I differ on opinions? Sure. Is it unrealistic based on all variables? No.

To bring it back full circle, comparing the UK football team to our basketball team is probably a good one. But now we have basketball fans who are predicting (and some maybe even expecting) a FF appearance. I would love to see it. Is that realistic? High percentage that it isn't happening.

Talent is subjective, though, and often, the team perceived to be the “more talented” team doesn’t win. We have arguably been more talented than Missouri every year for the last six seasons, and they have beat us four times, twice in Knoxville. Same thing with Vandy, who we’ve lost to four out of six years, including twice in Knoxville.

I’m not calling it unrealistic to think it could happen, but it may be unrealistic to expect it to happen. You are correct though, it isn’t unrealistic or impossible.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Not going to get in this debate. I generally don't mind your posts, but you do try to chew people up and are obstinate with your positions.

I still stand on my original statement. You relied on Twitter users for an argument, and this team going 7-5 is not unrealistic. Will it happen? I have no idea.

What did I say that wasn’t true? People said we were more talented than WVU, how did that work out? That’s all I was saying, simply being more talented doesn’t always mean you win.

I am sure I can venture over to the FB forum and find similar posts, is there a predictions poll over there like there is here? That would be an easy tell.

7-5 is not a realistic expectation is my point, the same way I don’t feel the F4 is a realistic expectation for the hoops team. Could either one happen? Sure. But I don’t think either is a fair expectation to place on those teams and I sure as heck wouldn’t go and bet the house on it to happen, would you?

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Talent is subjective, though, and often, the team perceived to be “more talented” team doesn’t win. We have arguably been more talented than Missouri every year for the last six seasons, and they have beat us four times, twice in Knoxville. Same thing with Vandy, who we’ve lost to four out of six years, including twice in Knoxville.

I’m not calling it unrealistic to think it could happen, but it may be unrealistic to expect it to happen. You are correct though, it isn’t unrealistic or impossible.

Exactly my thoughts, it’s not unrealistic or impossible to happen but I thought the discussion was about expectations, so I don’t feel that those are realistic expectations. Whether that be 7-5 for football or a Final Four for basketball.

 

[VolGee4]

Exactly my thoughts, it’s not unrealistic or impossible to happen but I thought the discussion was about expectations, so I don’t feel that those are realistic expectations. Whether that be 7-5 for football or a Final Four for basketball.

It's semantics. I think the word "expectation" can get overused or blurred sometimes. "Realistic" literally means having or showing a sensible and practical idea of what can be achieved or expected. There are things that I don't expect to happen, but realistically, they do.

All I was saying was that last Saturday changed some realistic outcomes with the rest of the schedule. Will it happen? I have no idea. Would I be surprised at 6-6? No. But, 7-5 is back into play realistically, and you just totally dismissed it, referring to preseason predictions. If you don't agree, then so be it. We don't agree.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

It's semantics. I think the word "expectation" can get overused or blurred sometimes. "Realistic" literally means having or showing a sensible and practical idea of what can be achieved or expected. There are things that I don't expect to happen, but realistically, they do.

All I was saying was that last Saturday changed some realistic outcomes with the rest of the schedule. Will it happen? I have no idea. Would I be surprised at 6-6? No. But, 7-5 is back into play realistically, and you just totally dismissed it, referring to preseason predictions. If you don't agree, then so be it. We don't agree.

I guess agree to disagree, seems like semantics to me...my OP that you took exception to was stating how this fanbase routinely talks themselves into unrealistic expectations, and that is a fact. Whether it be twitter or this forum there are plenty of examples, go check out the talk leading up to the WVU game, plenty of people predicting Tennessee was going to win that game.

Could it have happened? Sure it’s posisble. Could Tennessee have scored 100 points? Theoretically that is also possible. Could WVU have ran naked on to the field and been disqualified? Also a possibility. However none of those things were very realistic, and that was my point all along.

42% of voters think 27-3 or better is going to be the record for the basketball Vols, literally almost half the fanbase is saying we are going to be ranked #1 for almost the entire season, get a 1 seed, and be the likely favorite to win the national championship in basketball. That is realistic to you? Not to me no matter what the definition is.

 

[VolGee4]

I guess agree to disagree, seems like semantics to me...my OP that you took exception to was stating how this fanbase routinely talks themselves into unrealistic expectations, and that is a fact. Whether it be twitter or this forum there are plenty of examples, go check out the talk leading up to the WVU game, plenty of people predicting Tennessee was going to win that game.

Could it have happened? Sure it’s posisble. Could Tennessee have scored 100 points? Theoretically that is also possible. Could WVU have ran naked on to the field and been disqualified? Also a possibility. However none of those things were very realistic, and that was my point all along.

42% of voters think 27-3 or better is going to be the record for the basketball Vols, literally almost half the fanbase is saying we are going to be ranked #1 for almost the entire season, get a 1 seed, and be the likely favorite to win the national championship in basketball. That is realistic to you? Not to me no matter what the definition is.

Your middle paragraph makes no sense. Possible and realistic are not the same. Stretching everything that I stated. Par for the course.

I never commented on our basketball season. The fact is that many fans were discussing anywhere from 5-7 to 7-5 as realistic. Guess what? That's becoming true.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Your middle paragraph makes no sense. Possible and realistic are not the same. Stretching everything that I stated. Par for the course.

I never commented on our basketball season. The fact is that many fans were discussing anywhere from 5-7 to 7-5 as realistic. Guess what? That's becoming true.

Notice my post you quoted and took exception to stated 8-4.

It’s the same fanbase, that is my point. Is as a poll similar to this one done for the football side, would be very curious if most were 7-5+ like I imagine.

 

[VolGee4]

Notice my post you quoted and took exception to stated 8-4.

It’s the same fanbase, that is my point. Is as a poll similar to this one done for the football side, would be very curious if most were 7-5+ like I imagine.

Then the next post you said 7-5/8-4. We should have been 7-5 last year, so it's not that off base. I would agree if people said 9-3 or better.

I don't venture into the FF very often. I don't know. I am almost exclusively in the RF and BF.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Then the next post you said 7-5/8-4. We should have been 7-5 last year, so it's not that off base. I would agree if people said 9-3 or better.

I don't venture into the FF very often. I don't know. I am almost exclusively in the RF and BF.

Here’s your original reply..

Big generalization. Many said we could/should probably win 6 games and if the ball bounces right, you might add a win or two. But I think most had it pegged as a 6-6 team.

Found this one..

How Many Wins This Fall?

63% of fans voted 7+ wins...yet not a single analytics site was saying 7+ iirc, so yea that is pretty much my exact point..most didn't peg this as a 6-6 team, most pegged it as a 7-5 or better team.

If Pruitt gets this team to 7 wins he deserves some very serious praise and recognition, to me while 7 wins was obviously possible it definitely shouldn’t have been the expectation...the same way 27 wins shouldn’t be the expectation for the hoops team.

Idk what the football sites are like I do hoops, but my guess is you would find projections of Tennessee going 8-4 very low, same for Tennessee basketball going 27-3.

 

[VolGee4]

Here’s your original reply..



Found this one..

How Many Wins This Fall?

63% of fans voted 7+ wins...yet not a single analytics site was saying 7+ iirc, so yea that is pretty much my exact point..most didn't peg this as a 6-6 team, most pegged it as a 7-5 or better team.

If Pruitt gets this team to 7 wins he deserves some very serious praise and recognition, to me while 7 wins was obviously possible it definitely shouldn’t have been the expectation...the same way 27 wins shouldn’t be the expectation for the hoops team.

Idk what the football sites are like I do hoops, but my guess is you would find projections of Tennessee going 8-4 very low, same for Tennessee basketball going 27-3.

If you include 7 with that, then the numbers are obviously going to be higher. Take 7 out of it, and I wonder what the percentage is. I am willing to bet that a majority of the guesses were most likely between 5-7 and 7-5. That's the range. Any others above or below are outliers.

I stick to the RF, which has a pretty good pulse on what's going on. There were many predictions within that range. Nothing changes what I originally stated.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

If you include 7 with that, then the numbers are obviously going to be higher. Take 7 out of it, and I wonder what the percentage is. I am willing to bet that a majority of the guesses were most likely between 5-7 and 7-5. That's the range. Any others above or below are outliers.

I stick to the RF, which has a pretty good pulse on what's going on. There were many predictions within that range. Nothing changes what I originally stated.

It does, you stated most had this team pegged as 6-6...just because what you follow maybe had it pegged at 6-6 doesn’t mean “most” did, and that was my point. I initially stated twitter and you said you don’t go there, now I say this same message board and you say you don’t like that forum...like I said maybe the group you associate most with felt 6-6 was majority but that doesn’t mean everyone else outside there did and that was my point.

Yes 7-5 is more realistic than 8-4, 6-6 also would be more realistic than 7-5...point being analaytics and most experts were saying 5-7/6-6 while majority of fans were saying 7-5 or better...that is again evidence to my original point in which you didn’t like, this fanbase (that’s what most fans do) easily y’all themselves into overhyping every season...and this exact thread we are in is further evidence of that.

Simple question...almost half this forum feels 27-3 or better is arealistic expectation, do you?

 

[VolGee4]

It does, you stated most had this team pegged as 6-6...just because what you follow maybe had it pegged at 6-6 doesn’t mean “most” did, and that was my point. I initially stated twitter and you said you don’t go there, now I say this same message board and you say you don’t like that forum...like I said maybe the group you associate most with felt 6-6 was majority but that doesn’t mean everyone else outside there did and that was my point.

Yes 7-5 is more realistic than 8-4, 6-6 also would be more realistic than 7-5...point being analaytics and most experts were saying 5-7/6-6 while majority of fans were saying 7-5 or better...that is again evidence to my original point in which you didn’t like, this fanbase (that’s what most fans do) easily y’all themselves into overhyping every season...and this exact thread we are in is further evidence of that.

Simple question...almost half this forum feels 27-3 or better is arealistic expectation, do you?

I am not going to caught up in the difference between 6-6 and 7-5. I thought 8-4 was a bit ambitious (but still not outrageous), but my point to you was that a majority of people were right in the middle of 5-7 and 7-5. Sure, there were 8-4 predictions, but I didn't believe that to be the majority. The only reason that I really even commented was because 7-5 has become realistic now.

I have never stated an opinion on our record this year in basketball. I would probably predict 22-24 wins, but I have barely even looked at the conference schedule. I haven't even looked at the poll either. People are fans for a reason, and UT fans aren't the only ones who "overhype" their team.

Let's be done. No need to waste another page on this discussion.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

So using the SEC media poll this is our schedule...

1. Kentucky: @, H
2. Tennessee
3. Auburn: @
4. Mississippi State: H
5. Florida: @, H
6. LSU: @
7. Alabama: H
8. Vanderbilt: @, H
9. Missouri: @, H
10. Arkansas: H
11. South Carolina: @, H
12. Texas A&M: @
13. Georgia: H
14. Ole Miss: @

 

[cncchris33]

Seems pretty manageable. 4 H and 4 A against the top half of the conference. 5 H and 5 A against the bottom half.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Seems pretty manageable. 4 H and 4 A against the top half of the conference. 5 H and 5 A against the bottom half.

Yea looking at it assuming that is how it indeed shakes out it’s a pretty balanced schedule we got, can’t complain about it.

I think 11.5 is what I would set the O/U at, 12-6 is definitely doable but hard to say 11-7 is out of the question.

OOC I think 10.5 is what I would set the O/U at, 11-2 is definitely a possibility but I think that would have to be considered a huge success given that 2 of those losses are to likely Top 5 teams leaving a matchup with Top 20 West Virginia.

So that puts it imo O/U at 22 wins on the season, which is right about where I predicted them so no surprise. I think our ceiling is probably more game over 22 than our floor is under, obviously assuming no major injuries.

 

[cncchris33]

Yea looking at it assuming that is how it indeed shakes out it’s a pretty balanced schedule we got, can’t complain about it.

I think 11.5 is what I would set the O/U at, 12-6 is definitely doable but hard to say 11-7 is out of the question.

OOC I think 10.5 is what I would set the O/U at, 11-2 is definitely a possibility but I think that would have to be considered a huge success given that 2 of those losses are to likely Top 5 teams leaving a matchup with Top 20 West Virginia.

So that puts it imo O/U at 22 wins on the season, which is right about where I predicted them so no surprise. I think our ceiling is probably more game over 22 than our floor is under, obviously assuming no major injuries.

I think I had 23-8 predicted, so that’s close to where I had them, too. I would agree our floor is higher than our ceiling is low. Too much experience and depth for us to fall flat, barring injury.

 

[calban]

When's the last time we had 3 returning players on watchlists. Bone, Schofield and Williams. I'm not predicting a Final 4 but when has it ever been this possible?

 

[bleedingTNorange]

When's the last time we had 3 returning players on watchlists. Bone, Schofield and Williams. I'm not predicting a Final 4 but when has it ever been this possible?

I would guess pretty rare, and only 1 is a senior...staff has done an amazing job rebuilding this program.

 

[vols 30]

Don't think we can beat KY. but, they could possibly beat themselves as they did against the Aggies.

If JG plays like he did against Auburn, then Vols could win the rest besides Bama

 

[calban]

If JG plays like he did against Auburn, then Vols could win the rest besides Bama

They might have won some others if they'd let him play like they did this last game. It was like they didn't trust him to throw it farther than 10 yards. Or maybe the Oline wasn't protecting like they did in this one. Hard to throw downfield off your back.

 

[calban]

I would guess pretty rare, and only 1 is a senior...staff has done an amazing job rebuilding this program.

And the key guy is still being overlooked by most. Alexander could be the guy that puts them over the top. Hoping for good health all around all season.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

And the key guy is still being overlooked by most. Alexander could be the guy that puts them over the top. Hoping for good health all around all season.

Yea I just mentioned similar in a new thread, Alexander is the guy that NBA guys like the most of that group. Add in the fact that Lamonte Turner was 6th MOY in SEC and it’s pretty crazy to think how down some were on this roster not too long ago.