A little perspective is needed

#101
#101
I have seen several posts belittling Tennessee's recent run and suggesting what a break we caught with the Duke loss but the way Duke played against Mercer was typical of how they played away from Cameron over the last month including their 10 point loss to Wake Forest on March 5th. That was a weak defensive team that we would have beaten, imo...Even as is our path doesn't compare to the yellow brick road the Gators had last year (a 14, 11 and 15 seeds on the way to the Elite 8)...I really wonder if some of you enjoy Tennessee's success or is it just more fun to whine?
 
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#102
#102
volgr said:
The next 2 games (if we win the 1st) are where Coach Martin will prove himself. (#10 Michigan and #3Louisville/#13KY). If we win and or compete in those games then it is time to start considering a raise and extension. Until that happens, all Coach Martin has done is what is to be expected.
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Incorrect. Tenn was NOT a pre-season top 25 pick, whereas Michigan was top ten and KY and Louisville were both top five picks. To say that UT was expected to be in this [S16] position is disengenuous.

With 3 wins in the Dance CCM has already met or exceeded the expectations of even the most jaded fans hereabouts. Apparently you are a special case.
 
#103
#103
When: Friday at 7:15 p.m. ET (CBS)

The Betting Line: Michigan -2

The Challenge: Slowing down Jordan Morgan

Last February, Mitch McGary was a nobody. He had one double-double during the regular season and barely accomplished that with 10 points and 11 rebounds in a 93-54 win over Eastern Michigan. But as you may recall, he became an overnight sensation in March.

Enter Jordan Morgan. Morgan had zero double-doubles until March 8 but has three since then, including two in the NCAA tournament. Like McGary last year and Brian Zoubek in Duke's 2010 title run, the senior has developed into a pleasantly reliable source of production after 3.5 years of basically just taking up space.

Of course, Jeronne Maymon and Jarnell Stokes are no ordinary blokes in the paint. The Vols destroyed Mercer in the paint Sunday night. The Bears had 19 total rebounds; Stokes had 18 by himself.



The Noteworthy Numbers


Tennessee has to be the most efficient No. 11 seed in the history of No. 11 seeds. The Volunteers rank 16th in offensive efficiency and 17th in defensive efficiency.

However, they rank 139th in three-point field-goal defense, even though the SEC ranks 28th out of the 32 conferences in three-point percentage.

The SEC's best three-point shooting team was South Carolina. The Gamecocks rank 51st in the country but shot a dismal 7-of-30 (23.3 percent) in two games against Tennessee. Aside from Sunday's game against Mercer—the Bears rank 24th in three-point percentage and shot 36.4 percent against Tennessee—South Carolina was the best long-range team Tennessee faced all season.

Michigan ranks sixth in three-point percentage and relies pretty heavily on those triples, averaging 8.6 made three-pointers per game. With four players on Michigan who shot better than 40 percent and averaged at least one three-pointer per game, Tennessee's guards better be ready to defend as soon as the Wolverines cross midcourt.



The X-factor: Josh Richardson

As if I don't reference his stuff enough, Ken Pomeroy tweeted this Sunday night, "Josh Richardson turning into Gary Harris this week was a surprising development."

Richardson did have his share of 15-point performances during the season, but they were pretty unpredictable—most notably his 20-point game against Virginia.

But the junior guard has averaged 19.3 points per game thus far in the tournament. Maymon, Stokes and Jordan McRae are more than enough for Tennessee to be dangerous. If Richardson keeps up this hot streak, the Volunteers will remain unstoppable.
 
#104
#104
volgr said:
While I appreciate the effort from the coaching staff and team during their current run, I think a little perspective is needed. After a regular season filled with underachievement and bad losses, it is refreshing to see this team playing up to their potential in time for postseason play. Some fans, who just a few weeks ago where ready to can Coach Martin are now ready to erect a statue in his honor. Quite unbelievable. Let's review the teams and their Kenpom ranking that Coach Martin has beaten during this run.

#84 Mercer
#55 UMass
#31 Iowa
#114 South Carolina
#77 Missouri
#129 Auburn
#113 Vandy
#208 Miss State

So why are people rushing to build a statue of this guy for beating a bunch of mediocre teams? These are teams we should be beating. These are things that were expected of this team. Did Coach Martin set the bar so low during the regular season that now any semblance of a pulse from this team is surprising?

The next 2 games (if we win the 1st) are where Coach Martin will prove himself. (#10 Michigan and #3Louisville/#13KY). If we win and or compete in those games then it is time to start considering a raise and extension. Until that happens, all Coach Martin has done is what is to be expected.
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I never doubted this coach like the 27000 that signed the petition for his head. I truly hope he walks. Tennessee fans just keep shooting themselves in the foot when they dont have a coach that turns water to Jack Daniels in his first couple of years. Seen that over and over in football.
 
#105
#105
therealitytheory said:
[/B]

Incorrect. Tenn was NOT a pre-season top 25 pick, whereas Michigan was top ten and KY and Louisville were both top five picks. To say that UT was expected to be in this [S16] position is disengenuous.

With 3 wins in the Dance CCM has already met or exceeded the expectations of even the most jaded fans hereabouts. Apparently you are a special case.
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Some "fans" have such hard time admitting they were wrong. They would rather we lose by 50 to Michigan rather than even win a national championship (just so that they can think of themselves as experts - ridiculous - because even if this run did not happen that would not make Cuonzo any less of a great coach than he is).
Perhaps these guys could move to the Duke forum and start the petition to fire coach K for losing to Mercer :crazy:
 
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#106
#106
volgr said:
While I appreciate the effort from the coaching staff and team during their current run, I think a little perspective is needed. After a regular season filled with underachievement and bad losses, it is refreshing to see this team playing up to their potential in time for postseason play. Some fans, who just a few weeks ago where ready to can Coach Martin are now ready to erect a statue in his honor. Quite unbelievable. Let's review the teams and their Kenpom ranking that Coach Martin has beaten during this run.

#84 Mercer
#55 UMass
#31 Iowa
#114 South Carolina
#77 Missouri
#129 Auburn
#113 Vandy
#208 Miss State

So why are people rushing to build a statue of this guy for beating a bunch of mediocre teams? These are teams we should be beating. These are things that were expected of this team. Did Coach Martin set the bar so low during the regular season that now any semblance of a pulse from this team is surprising?

The next 2 games (if we win the 1st) are where Coach Martin will prove himself. (#10 Michigan and #3Louisville/#13KY). If we win and or compete in those games then it is time to start considering a raise and extension. Until that happens, all Coach Martin has done is what is to be expected.
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Been trying to say this for a week and have been crucified
 
#107
#107
zjcvols said:
People are excited. When people are excited, hyperbole happens. When people are disappointed, hyperbole also happens.

You play who is in front of you. Tennessee has dominated the last two games and had outplayed Iowa the last 35 minutes of the first game. I am enjoying this run anyways. It's been a long time coming for Tennessee athletics. We can worry about the other stuff during the off season.
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That's true I'm just sick of the eat crow threads. Even the biggest cuanzo supporters such as myself were questioning if he knew what he was doing. The people saying eat crow because we pointed out that the team underachieved for 25 games are dumb and why threads like these are happening.
 
#109
#109
volgr said:
You can skew it however you like. The bottom line is, we barely made the tourney. Probably because we lost games to bad teams, but you say that doesn't really matter. I guess it does when you play in a crap conference and don't have many quality wins.
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Partially correct-we did barely make the tournament. Then we kicked every tail in front of us once we got in. Don't leave that out of the equation.
 
#110
#110
therealitytheory said:
[/B]

Incorrect. Tenn was NOT a pre-season top 25 pick, whereas Michigan was top ten and KY and Louisville were both top five picks. To say that UT was expected to be in this [S16] position is disengenuous.

With 3 wins in the Dance CCM has already met or exceeded the expectations of even the most jaded fans hereabouts. Apparently you are a special case.
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Ohh, we are going to go by preseason polls? LOL. Well we were picked to finish 3rd in the SEC by the media in the pre-season, but we finished 4th. Darn that underachieving Martin. :hmm:
 
#111
#111
Lefteye said:
Agree.

On a side note, I bet your glad you didn't ask the mods to let you change your screen name a few weeks ago huh? You went from catching grief to probably gettin offers from folks trying to buy it. :)
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Put it on eBay and it's up to $69...thinking about taking over IE 95's account and bringing it out of retirement. He said I could have it since he's coaching under his daddy at auburn.
 
#113
#113
He's trolling us BTO. We could make the final 4 and he'd say "yeah but we played in a play in game so we shouldn't have even made it"
 
#114
#114
I disagree completely with the premise of the OP. Perspective is not needed, except the perspective to give praise to the team and Coach for a significant accomplishment. The Sweet 16 is the Sweet 16. Period. Here's some perspective for you- the last time we got here was under BP, and we beat... OHIO, who had upset Georgetown, but no one holds that Sweet 16 appearance as any less terrific because we also advanced over the #14 seed at the time. The Dance is the Dance- unpredictable, and without sharp performances, the end of the line. Mercer took down Duke, and we crushed them. Try the "eye test" out- we complain and whine when our team does not play well or seem to produce great effort. Anyone want to argue that the team is not playing well (even peaking) or giving max effort right now? I thought not. Give this team and Coach Martin, their just due. Ponder this perspective- they, along with only 15 other teams, are still dancing. It doesn't matter who they beat, they got the job done with excellence. Enjoy the ride, or please just get off the train, and take your "perspective" with you. I'll see the rest of you in Indianapolis!
 
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#115
#115
We aren't just beating mediocre teams right now, we are demolishing them.

Having said that, I think criticism of CCM was justified for much of this season (and I am merely talking about criticism, not the whole "fire Martin and BBB" crap). Seeing this team finally realize its potential at the tail end of year three only confirms why much of the criticism was justified. It took too long.

Regardless, tangible success in NCAA basketball is predicated on the NCAA Tournament. Fair or not that is just how it is. Making the sweet 16 is a significant accomplishment for Tennessee basketball. It isn't as if we are a team spoiled with great winning basketball tradition.

He deserves a raise and an extension and that is just all there is to it IMO.
 
#116
#116
volshogs said:
I disagree completely with the premise of the OP. Perspective is not needed, except the perspective to give praise to the team and Coach for a significant accomplishment. The Sweet 16 is the Sweet 16. Period. Here's some perspective for you- the last time we got here was under BP, and we beat... OHIO, who had upset Georgetown, but no one holds that Sweet 16 appearance as any less terrific because we also advanced over the #14 seed at the time.
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We beat the #2 seed OSU and then played MSU down to the wire. Let's see what we do this weekend, which was you know part of my original post.
 
#117
#117
omghulkhands said:
He deserves a raise and an extension and that is just all there is to it IMO.
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What happens if you give him a raise and extension and this is the only Sweet 16 he makes? What happens if future results are more like the last 3 years and not the last 3 weeks? What happens if recruiting continues to struggle?

He very well may go on and use this run to jump start recruiting and get this program headed back in the right direction. If you are the AD, how much are you willing to bet that is the case? How much of the last 3 years are you willing to overlook to gamble on the future?
 
#118
#118
volgr said:
What happens if you give him a raise and extension and this is the only Sweet 16 he makes? What happens if future results are more like the last 3 years and not the last 3 weeks? What happens if recruiting continues to struggle?

He very well may go on and use this run to jump start recruiting and get this program headed back in the right direction. If you are the AD, how much are you willing to bet that is the case? How much of the last 3 years are you willing to overlook to gamble on the future?
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What happens if this run is an precursor to Martin being wildly successful, but at a different school, because U.T. refused to lock him up. The "what if" game goes both ways because no one can predict the future. Purdue signed Matt Painter to an 8 year deal 3 years ago and he and his team has been hot garbage since then, even though he had consistent success at Purdue before that.
 
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#119
#119
volgr said:
What happens if you give him a raise and extension and this is the only Sweet 16 he makes? What happens if future results are more like the last 3 years and not the last 3 weeks? What happens if recruiting continues to struggle?

He very well may go on and use this run to jump start recruiting and get this program headed back in the right direction. If you are the AD, how much are you willing to bet that is the case? How much of the last 3 years are you willing to overlook to gamble on the future?
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Wow, so many hypotheticals.

The short answer is that hypotheticals don't matter. You reward based on merit or accomplishments. I said that success in the NCAA is largely predicated on NCAA tournament success IMO, ergo, raise and extension equal to sweet 16. What is that? I'm not sure exactly, but it isn't "go coach for your job next year". He would leave, I guarantee it.
 
#120
#120
volgr said:
What happens if you give him a raise and extension and this is the only Sweet 16 he makes? What happens if future results are more like the last 3 years and not the last 3 weeks? What happens if recruiting continues to struggle?

He very well may go on and use this run to jump start recruiting and get this program headed back in the right direction. If you are the AD, how much are you willing to bet that is the case? How much of the last 3 years are you willing to overlook to gamble on the future?
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Well, considering we are going to the Sweet 16 for only the 7th time in school history, and that is the result of his 3rd year, then I'd take that. Granted, I get your point that we need to erase these bad losses during the season, but you are being a d-bag.
 
#121
#121
Stoked4Zo said:
Put it on eBay and it's up to $69...thinking about taking over IE 95's account and bringing it out of retirement. He said I could have it since he's coaching under his daddy at auburn.
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IE 95 huh, I would have to take that name off ignore. Let me know if you do. :)
 
#122
#122
So....I'm guessing all of you so upset with the "bad" teams we've beaten so far were never impressed with what Pearl did in the NCAAT then? I mean by your logic, he only beat 1 good team (#2 seed OSU in 2010). The rest he either beat teams he should have, lost to lower seeds, or lost to higher seeds.

This has gotten beyond stupid.
 
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#123
#123
Honestly, the only perspective we should have about this year is a positive one, because it has been a successful season. In sports, you mainly judge your team by the postseason, not the regular season. Because, obviously, you have to have a decent reg season to be able to have the opportunity to play in the postseason, which luckily, we did, barely. And now we made it to the Sweet 16, which, for Tennessee, is a HUGE accomplishment!

noun: accomplishment; plural noun: accomplishments
1. something that has been achieved successfully.

If you don't think that making the Sweet 16 (regardless of seeding and opponents) is an accomplishment, and therefore a success, then you, sir, are a dumbass.

How about the perspective coming from WSU fans? Duke fans? How about Syracuse fans? How about the perspective of the 333 basketball teams that wish they were in the Sweet 16 right now?

You do realize that this is only the 7th time we made it this far in school history, right?! I mean, come on, you can't be this dense. Excuse my disbelief, I guess I know that there are people with absolutely no basketball knowledge whatsoever out there, but I guess I just didn't expect them to be starting threads in a basketball forum.
 
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#124
#124
So, volgr, you keep dodging the elephant in the room. You bring up the Pomeroy ratings of the teams Tennessee faced, yet when people mention Tennessee's Pomeroy rating (6th!) you seem decidedly less eager to talk about it.

It's also funny how UT's #1 Fan has an Auburn logo right underneath. GTFO.
 
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#125
#125
UTRavens said:
So, volgr, you keep dodging the elephant in the room. You bring up the Pomeroy ratings of the teams Tennessee faced, yet when people mention Tennessee's Pomeroy rating (6th!) you seem decidedly less eager to talk about it.

It's also funny how UT's #1 Fan has an Auburn logo right underneath. GTFO.
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Put him on ignore, that's what I did. It's been great not having to read his idiocy.
 
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