I certainly hope you are right, Jumper. We'll soon find out, as it'll be easy to tell whether there have been any significant changes (for the better, hopefully) in how the program was handled the months and weeks before the season. I feel like there needed to be a fresh approach to jolt the program out of complacency.
Every year, with only a few exceptions, Tennessee has started pretty well, but the competition gets a little stronger right about the time the slightly better competition on the schedule has now seen everything Tennessee has, and then they can devise a simple plan to easily shut down the "offense" and make our players look like they have no idea how to handle it.
THAT is what I hope never to see again if I am expected to believe that the program has made great strides. I have seen NO other program, not in any division, ever give off quite the same type of "clueless" vibe like Tennessee has too often given off in recent years when an opponent shuts them down.
Now, I will be able to live with -- even accept -- the occasional beat-down by an opponent I feel is simply superior. Losing to a better team is nothing to be ashamed of or angry about. It's the whole looking completely confused and then regressing to the type of junior-high-level individual desperation tactics that make everyone watching cringe with embarrassment for the program that I don't want to see or feel again.
I never again want to cringe and have to look away while watching a Tennessee Lady Vols basketball game.
I can't say never again, but I think it will be a much less occurrence.
They didn't have to shutdown our offense, because the offense WENT into neutral on its own....That won't happen so often this year. I say that because of the floor leadership of this year. You have two upperclassmen (Meme and Cheridene) who play full out every play and WILL NOT disappear, and both are more intent on being a more vocal (Per their pressers) influence. And you have two potential all-SEC Sophomores (Rennia, Evina), determined on bringing the prestige back to this program. Not to mention a MUCH deeper bench than we have had in a while.
Everything's right for this program. Nothing but good news and feelings coming out of the offseason...No offseason drama...No major injuries...Deep roster...Staff, players, all handpicked...... It's the new millennial way of running a business.
Of course, they will go through a rough time or two, but they will in NO WAY be anything like what we've had for the past few seasons.
Teams reflect the personalities of their leaders. Not only the coaches, but the floor leaders as well.
I respect and appreciate the work Jaime and Mercedes did for UT. They are true LVFL's...But they DID disappear, in games, and sometimes, for games.
That won't happen this year.
That was our weakness and the reason we didn't grow after the mid-season last year.
If leaders take a vacation, players will to.
Not this year.
And more importantly, not on my watch!
