A little perspective is needed

#1
volgr

volgr

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#1
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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#3
#3
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 haven't heard any mention of a statue. How about we all just enjoy the ride. From here on, anything we do is gravy. It's a shame people can't just enjoy it w/out trying to tear it down or downplay it. Regardless of whom we've beaten we are still playing in late March, which has happened far too infrequently in our bball history.
 
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#4
#4
good grief no one is starting a petition to erect a statue. Enjoy the run without trying to play the "realist" and water the damn thing down.

the SEC has always had some bad teams but when was the last time UT ran through 3 straight by an average margin of 30+? There will also be no asterisk on the banners in TBA because some view the NCAAT opponents as weak. Lots of teams wish they were exactly where we are right now yet our fans don't seem to appreciate it.
 
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#5
#5
I hear you...and what you are saying is legitimate. However, the variable you are leaving out is how convincingly Tennessee has won. With the exception of the Iowa game, none of these others have been close. These wins are against average to below average teams...but they are convincing and without any doubt. This communicates that we aren't just winning but playing at a MUCH higher level right now. However, I too am interested to see how things go against a very good opponent in Michigan.
 
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#7
#7
I hear you, but you can't overlook the margin of victory or that this team has clearly taken a turn. Lose to Vandy then beat them by 38? Marked improvement.

And that Mercer team was capable of beating anyone based on that game I saw against Duke. Our defense shut them down.

This team is better and we need to give the coach and the players a tip of the cap. Not analysis of our strength of schedule over the past month.
 
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#8
#8
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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Not an apology/eat crow thread?? Strange.

BTO or VolSportsFan to call you a negavol or request a merge in 3...2...1..
 
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#9
#9
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.
 
#11
#11
utvolpj said:
good grief no one is starting a petition to erect a statue. Enjoy the run without trying to play the "realist" and water the damn thing down.

the SEC has always had some bad teams but when was the last time UT ran through 3 straight by an average margin of 30+? There will also be no asterisk on the banners in TBA because some view the NCAAT opponents as weak. Lots of teams wish they were exactly where we are right now yet our fans don't seem to appreciate it.
Click to expand...

Don't be sucked into the vacuum that is VN message boards. At this point there is only a very small percentage who do not appreciate the run we are on. Our fans DO appreciate this run. Don't get caught up spending your effort combating a few that can't see it.
 
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#14
#14
C-town Vol said:
I hear you...and what you are saying is legitimate. However, the variable you are leaving out is how convincingly Tennessee has won. With the exception of the Iowa game, none of these others have been close. These wins are against average to below average teams...but they are convincing and without any doubt. This communicates that we aren't just winning but playing at a MUCH higher level right now. However, I too am interested to see how things go against a very good opponent in Michigan.
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I agree with that. We are playing good basketball right now and the team/coaches are to be commended for turning it around. A complete 180 from where we were earlier in the season.
 
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#15
#15
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.
Click to expand...

Ugly wife
 
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#16
#16
I thought the goal at the beginning of the season was to make at least the Sweet 16?Now we are there and now we haven't played anyone!It's not our fault Duke lost.
 
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#17
#17
volgr said:
I agree with that. We are playing good basketball right now and the team/coaches are to be commended for turning it around. A complete 180 from where we were earlier in the season.
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And if we'd played this well earlier in the season guess where we'd be right now? Exactly where we are... water under the bridge.
 
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#19
#19
The fans that don't seem to appreciate it are the ones that can't stop whining about fans that were pissed. I'm very happy right now. This was expected too, which is why I'm happy. The I told you so crowd has multiplied 10x and won't stfu. As long as we keep having to explain its about what's on the court instead of some daycare soap opera, maybe the I told you so crowd will enjoy it as the critical ones now are.
Afterall, we have gone from one loss from Martin gone to 3 yr extension talk in 3 weeks. A little perspective is needed.

Only part of the ride that sucks now is I can't get a ticket for Indy. Though we lost when I went to St Louis.
 
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#20
#20
Funny that the OP is using Kenpom's rankings. Pomeroy has Tennessee ranked 6th in the nation.

For the sake of "needed perspective".... it's doubtful the biggest optimist at the beginning of the year ever thought we'd be ranked sixth.
 
#21
#21
40Cap said:
And if we'd played this well earlier in the season guess where we'd be right now? Exactly where we are... water under the bridge.
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Correct...all season it has been said on this board that we have a Sweet 16 team. Well I'll be danged...we are in the Sweet 16. Sure they underachieved during parts of the season. But right now this team is playing up to their potential. I would rather them peak now than pull a Syracuse and tank down the stretch.
 
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#22
#22
If you're going to take into consideration the margin of victory... please also don't forget we almost lost in the first four to Iowa...

Also to those saying... "enjoy the ride..." I am. But there are many that instead of just "enjoying the ride" they're calling the "naysayers” out asking them to eat crow and carrying on with their "I told you so" type attitudes.

Threads like this one are created to put the "I told you so" people in their place and calm down the people that have succumb to the pressure of the “I told you so” crowd by offering up some kind of pathetic apology.

Like the OP said… perspective, let’s keep things in it.
 
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#24
#24
C-town Vol said:
Don't be sucked into the vacuum that is VN message boards. At this point there is only a very small percentage who do not appreciate the run we are on. Our fans DO appreciate this run. Don't get caught up spending your effort combating a few that can't see it.
Click to expand...

For the record I am enjoying the run. The end of the Florida game killed me. They played their butts off in that game. I've enjoyed Richardson upping his play the last few games. The effort, the intensity, it has been fun to watch.
 
#25
#25
Spartacavolus said:
The fans that don't seem to appreciate it are the ones that can't stop whining about fans that were pissed. I'm very happy right now. This was expected too, which is why I'm happy. The I told you so crowd has multiplied 10x and won't stfu. As long as we keep having to explain its about what's on the court instead of some daycare soap opera, maybe the I told you so crowd will enjoy it as the critical ones now are.
Afterall, we have gone from one loss from Martin gone to 3 yr extension talk in 3 weeks. A little perspective is needed.

Only part of the ride that sucks now is I can't get a ticket for Indy. Though we lost when I went to St Louis.
Click to expand...

exactly
 
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