2014 F Kevon Looney

[volbeast33]

I did, in May. And completely forgot about the UCLA cheerleaders. Never would've happened before. Ever.

I'm married and I think about them more now lol

 

[ranradVOL]

I'm married and I think about them more now lol

Haha. Maybe it's so new that I'm treading lightly. Idk.

 

[VolGee4]

Never really anticipated he would come to UT. Martin has yet to show any ability to recruit elite talent out of state. And to anyone claiming recruiting rankings only matter superficially, please look where Duke, UK, Kansas, etc. have been ranked in the last decade as well as first round draft picks rankings coming out of high school. Butler is the exception, not the rule.

He is going to need a successful year to get there. To be fair, Pearl only got Tobias Harris after some success. I am not sure that I can truthfully count Duke Crews and Ramar Smith as elite out of state talent. I would rather have a 3 star for four years than a 5 star bust. Pearl had some success in Georgia, but CCM has had some success there and the talent is abundant.

Bottom line is that an NCAAT this year will go a long way in getting more talent.

 

[jknox33]

Don't forget Leslie McDonald

Or Chris Singleton

 

[iKrager]

Based on what? Most people who took education seriously enough in high school to be honor students aren't going to burn out in a year and a half in college. I could be wrong in Stokes' case, but I've seen nothing to suggest he's itching to move on because of the rigors of undergrad. Now it is well-documented that he wants to leave to go to the NBA, but we all know that.

Based on Stokes making a huge deal about leaving after a year and a half of play. He put in the hard work over the summer in hopes of getting drafted this year. I'd say the $500,000+ paycheck is enough to itch Stokes out of the undergrad program. If he wants to finish his degree, there's a program for students who go professional to finish up their degree while pursuing sports. I remember there was an article in the Tennessee Basketball magazine about Tobias doing something similar.

Of course this is all speculative, but what would make Stokes want to stay and finish up a "Communication Studies" degree and risk a year of getting hurt and losing a hefty paycheck? If Jarnell can get in the high 2nd round or 1st round he's gone.

If his degree had significant value, I could see him staying and finishing up. Also realize that Stokes is still a sophomore (and a half) when it comes to classes. So unless he's done extra school work in the summer, he still has 5 semesters left of class hours (including this fall/spring).

 

[cncchris33]

Since I have followed the Vols since Ray Mears arrived I try to look down the road always. Its about where the program is and not a specific year. I believe we will do very well this year and I am sure going to enjoy it but a program has to sustain itself. I do not consider it to be b====ing to try to get a picture of where we will be and what we will need. That being said I still wonder who our second and third options will be in 14-15. Some folks assume Stokes will still be here but I just don't see it. Now if he is that solves part of the problem but I don't see why he would be here.

You missed my point. A year from now, Darius Thompson and/or AJ Davis may seem like obvious answers to your questions. Your post seems to discount their existence before you've ever seen them play. If none of the returning players for 14-15 impress or show signs of talent in 13-14, then you'll have a fair point. You just seem to have a jaded point of view to already be questioning our roster two seasons out without seeing what the current underclassmen have to offer.

 

[WRE3]

Wait 'til Swiperboy meets him across the middle.

 

[cncchris33]

I agree these young posters don't understand how we think bc they haven't lived through the bad times.

Lol...young posters. Been rolling since the DeVoe days my man. I've seen my share of crappy basketball.

You are half right though, because I will admit I don't know how you think sometimes.

 

[iKrager]

Never really anticipated he would come to UT. Martin has yet to show any ability to recruit elite talent out of state.

You need a good track record for putting talent in the NBA and/or win in the tournament for program spotlight. If he can put McRae and Stokes in the NBA after this year, he'll have a better track record. If Martin can get Hubbs in the NBA as an underclassmen, that'll be even better.

 

[10ASEEVOLSFAN]

THIS IS NOT A MARTIN VS PEARL. The sad part is Martin suffer the success Pearl had. It's like most poster take it out on Martin for what Pearl did.

 

[cncchris33]

Based on Stokes making a huge deal about leaving after a year and a half of play. He put in the hard work over the summer in hopes of getting drafted this year. I'd say the $500,000+ paycheck is enough to itch Stokes out of the undergrad program. If he wants to finish his degree, there's a program for students who go professional to finish up their degree while pursuing sports. I remember there was an article in the Tennessee Basketball magazine about Tobias doing something similar.

Of course this is all speculative, but what would make Stokes want to stay and finish up a "Communication Studies" degree and risk a year of getting hurt and losing a hefty paycheck? If Jarnell can get in the high 2nd round or 1st round he's gone.

If his degree had significant value, I could see him staying and finishing up. Also realize that Stokes is still a sophomore (and a half) when it comes to classes. So unless he's done extra school work in the summer, he still has 5 semesters left of class hours (including this fall/spring).

Maybe I misunderstood you originally, but it sounded as if you were implying that he was tired of class and school in general. I don't agree with that necessarily, and if that wasn't your intention, then I misunderstood.

I agree he wants an NBA contract more than a degree right now. The same can be said for 99% of college players. If you meant to say that he was more interested in making the NBA than staying in school, I'd agree. I understood your post as saying he was just generally disinterested in going to class and school as a whole. I don't see anything to suggest that.

 

[VolGee4]

THIS IS NOT A MARTIN VS PEARL. The sad part is Martin suffer the success Pearl had. It's like most poster take it out on Martin for what Pearl did.

I agree with this- I was only using Pearl as a past example about having to achieve success to recruit out of state 5 star talent.

When you are a mid-major coach that gets promoted, you will not recruit 5 stars overnight. It takes time and success. That is what I was trying to achieve.

I probably need to quit for the day and get ready to take my kids out. I have been put on ignore for the first time in the Recruiting forum, and now getting misunderstood for my posts. Let's try it again another day.

 

[volbeast33]

Lol...young posters. Been rolling since the DeVoe days my man. I've seen my share of crappy basketball.

You are half right though, because I will admit I don't know how you think sometimes.

That's right bc I definitely don't share your opinions

 

[volbeast33]

What? Buzz Peterson wasn't 30 years ago, guys.

That's not the bad yrs....mediocre yrs in between two of our best runs.

 

[SJAVol32]

Wow this thread isn't in total meltdown. Hate that we were second. I think UCLA getting that last visit sealed it smh.

 

[wtorange]

You missed my point. A year from now, Darius Thompson and/or AJ Davis may seem like obvious answers to your questions. Your post seems to discount their existence before you've ever seen them play. If none of the returning players for 14-15 impress or show signs of talent in 13-14, then you'll have a fair point. You just seem to have a jaded point of view to already be questioning our roster two seasons out without seeing what the current underclassmen have to offer.

I have seen Thompson play and at this point he does not translate into a scorer at this level. By scorer I mean someone who you can count on putting up 15 a night. I have not seen the other guys play but based on their evaluations, and I admit that's all I can go by, none of them have bigtime scorer evaluations. I am not trying to be a downer but am trying to be realistic at this point. We needed the big threat to go along with what appears to be a real athletic class who can be contributors, run the floor well, and have the ability to play good defense.

 

[wtorange]

It's a legitimate concern but probably a bit of an overreaction. When Pearl left and left the roster bare, I remember wondering where our scoring would come from. We had ZERO returning scorers. But sometimes guys just step up. It seems to work itself out. Going into Martin's first year I remember thinking "There's no way we finish about 10th in the conference because we don't have a soul who can score." But then Golden and Maymon came on, we added Stokes and McRae improved somewhat.

So imagine Hubbs is a scorer and Richardson continues his steady improvement. Then all we need is a guy or two to step up. It will happen.

When Pearl left we had little experience but we had a bunch of highly regarded guys on the roster. McRae, Golden, Maymon, and Hall were all 4 star players out of HS. McRae, Golden, and Maymon were all big time scorers in HS. Hall never developed under two staffs.

 

[whocaresgobobcats]

Sam Gilbert still affiliated with UCLA?

 

[wtorange]

Sam Gilbert still affiliated with UCLA?

I think Sam has passed. I wonder who on this board remembers Wooden's Godfather.

 

[BigZiti09]

When Pearl left we had little experience but we had a bunch of highly regarded guys on the roster. McRae, Golden, Maymon, and Hall were all 4 star players out of HS. McRae, Golden, and Maymon were all big time scorers in HS. Hall never developed under two staffs.

Believe me, I know. But to that point they hadn't shown much at all. Not even flashes of their potential.

 

[cncchris33]

I have seen Thompson play and at this point he does not translate into a scorer at this level. By scorer I mean someone who you can count on putting up 15 a night. I have not seen the other guys play but based on their evaluations, and I admit that's all I can go by, none of them have bigtime scorer evaluations. I am not trying to be a downer but am trying to be realistic at this point. We needed the big threat to go along with what appears to be a real athletic class who can be contributors, run the floor well, and have the ability to play good defense.

I caution you to wait until they've played at least played one game in college to make those judgements. Feel free to disagree though.

 

[ShowSomePride]

What makes me mad is most people UCLA people had written him off weeks ago, and then all of sudden they land him. I have a buddy who is from out west and he's a fan and when I told him he said "oh, I didn't even know we made his final cut of schools. That's nice."

 

[cncchris33]

That's not the bad yrs....mediocre yrs in between two of our best runs.

Wade the Fade's final season (5 total wins) was about as bad as I can remember.

 

[volbeast33]

Wade the Fade's final season (5 total wins) was about as bad as I can remember.

I was there at every home game....horrible basketball but great seatslol

 

[cncchris33]

I was there at every home game....horrible basketball but great seatslol

Me too. Season tickets at midcourt, row 19. I now appreciate that my dad never gave them up and kept the faith. I saw some really good basketball as a result years later.