Does this make up for a disappointing season?

#126
#126
Ive said it all along...the regular season was a learning curve for coach martin. Most coaches dont need a whole season to figure their team out, but ccm did. Now he is applying what he learned and we are seeing the results. It also helps that josh richardson has come to play.....go vols
 
#127
#127
sjsmith87 said:
He actually didn't say that at all. He defended CCM in his response to Nichols by saying he really cares for the players, but he never said they were rallying because of the negativity directed at CCM from some "fans."
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Her question was about the negativity. He responded as you said. Saying he has our back, we love playing for him blah blah blah. He didn't bring up the negativity but she did and he answered it.
 
#128
#128
darkgable said:
He's such a bad coach that he just game planned and shut down three teams in a week. Richardson has gone from a defensive only player to an offensive threat. jarnel is breaking rebounding records. McMcrae scores at will and their in the 16. But you're right, he's not a good coach.
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Josh is a big feather in his cap...shows the development side of his coaching acumen...we still haven't seen the stellar x's and o's side though...right?...not saying it's not there but it hasn't been displayed...I say three year extension and a raise to find out.
 
#129
#129
cncchris33 said:
Very well-thought and reasonable response. Welcome back into the fold.
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Thanks! That is quite the compliment and it's good to be here.

I've always known this team was exceptionally talented, but I was always concerned with their apparent lack of motivation and/or preparation. It was an odd place to be, intellectually and spiritually, to love my Vols, really like Martin as a man, but also thinking that a change should be made in favor of a former coach who probably would have taken the job in a minute. I really think that the worst thing for Martin was that Pearl was still unattached as a coach (it's like having a basketball Gruden, I mean he owns land in Knox county and all). Now that Pearl is clearly out of the equation, fans can start looking at Martin as a stand alone man, instead of comparing him to what Pearl might have done (and its unlikely that Pearl could have done more in this tournament than Martin).

As far as I am concerned, it is all settled for me. I hope that I can undo the negative effects of my nay-saying, with even louder praise and appreciation for Coach Martin and this team.
 
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#132
#132
vol75 said:
So, how did CCM make it to the Sweet 16 since he's not a good coach? Josh Pastner has way better talent, but couldn't get past Virginia.
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There's still a troll or three lurking, just overlook them and they usually go back under their bridge. Go Big Orange!
 
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#133
#133
No - I'm still not sold on him - I want to see what he does next year when his big 3 are gone (if stokes leaves) - that will show what kind of coach he is. If he has a winning season next year - than that really shows what kind of coach he is. Its easy to win with top talent lets wait and see how he does next season
 
#134
#134
One Sweet 16 every three years isn't exactly setting the world on fire.

If this is the "moment" that Tennessee basketball starts the upswing, then yes, it makes the regular season struggles fade.

There should be zero calls for Martin's job. He has earned our silence regarding that topic.

Hopefully Coach Martin takes this momentum into the recruiting season and brings in more talent to keep the ball rolling.
 
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#136
#136
I didn't sign the petition but I was a doubter because the poor performance of the team. We win and I am happy. Even though I didn't sign the petition, I do believe it sent a clear message and fired up the team. They are on a mission to protect their coach. Whatever works. Go Cuonzo and GBO!!!!!!!!!
 
#137
#137
dathcha said:
No - I'm still not sold on him - I want to see what he does next year when his big 3 are gone (if stokes leaves) - that will show what kind of coach he is. If he has a winning season next year - than that really shows what kind of coach he is. Its easy to win with top talent lets wait and see how he does next season
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So, all he has to do to gain your confidence is to lose his three best players and win anyway.

Ok then. :good!:
 
#138
#138
BaldBiker said:
So, all he has to do to gain your confidence is to lose his three best players and win anyway.

Ok then. :good!:
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To answer you question YES!!!! Its easy to coach when you have great players making the game easy but a GREAT coach can coach average player and make a great team. Sorry I haven't seen him do that yet. AND YES - I held Bruce Pearl to the same standards. All I have to do is look at Coach K, Coach Summit, Coach Pitino, etc... they don't always have the great player
 
#139
#139
dathcha said:
To answer you question YES!!!! Its easy to coach when you have great players making the game easy but a GREAT coach can coach average player and make a great team. Sorry I haven't seen him do that yet. AND YES - I held Bruce Pearl to the same standards. All I have to do is look at Coach K, Coach Summit, Coach Pitino, etc... they don't always have the great player
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Coach K, Summit, and Pitino didn't always have great players?! Lmao wow. I bet if you looked at the average recruiting class for those three for the past 10-20 years. You'd change that.
 
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#141
#141
This team finally bought in full time Coach Martin's philosophy.. very simple intense defense and get the ball into Stokes.. when they started doing these games these things during the entire game,. they became a very dominant team.. Examples: Virginia, LSU, second Vandy game, second Missouri game...Heck, nearly beat Florida in SEC tourney, went to the wire, even though Tennessee scored only 14 points in second half.. during the bad games, Tennessee did not have the intensity for the whole game.. Examples: both Texas A&M games, first Vandy game, NC State, UTEP..
 
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#143
#143
dathcha said:
To answer you question YES!!!! Its easy to coach when you have great players making the game easy but a GREAT coach can coach average player and make a great team. Sorry I haven't seen him do that yet. AND YES - I held Bruce Pearl to the same standards. All I have to do is look at Coach K, Coach Summit, Coach Pitino, etc... they don't always have the great player
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lol. . .you're fooling yourself. A Coach without talent is soon a Coach without a job.
 
#144
#144
WillisWG said:
lol. . .you're fooling yourself. A Coach without talent is soon a Coach without a job.
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If that was the case then we would never have any Cinderella teams - and everyone could pick highest seed in the tournament every year. For that fact we wouldn't have any mid-majors either.

Look all i'm saying is he hasn't impressed me that much and that my opinion. He let team with AVERAGE players beat us way to many times this season and seasons past. Why did it take a petition to light a fire under this team and him? I will hold judgement on him after next season. If he has another great season i'll be sold but I truly believe you don't know what type of coach you have until he gets his players and his system in place, which usually takes 3 years for his type of style (not Calipri's). So if that doesn't make me a VOL fan I guess i need to take my 30 years supporting this program and go somewhere else.
 
#145
#145
Voltopia said:
... I think UT is too good a program to be going to the NCAA tournament once every 4 years. ...
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Well said. I know you get no guarantees in the NCAA (ask Duke), but the Sweet 16 is exactly where I expected us to be before the season. Overachieve to a E8/FF. I think as inconsistent as we were, that this run looks even better. But, I'm seriously not shock and awed by our run. I believe we have the horses this year to expect it.

The emergence of JR, energy of May on, gelling of Barton, Martin's inside/out offense & improved defensive schemes have finally gotten us where we expected.

This is a deep, talented, and experienced team that comes together just right every so often. No reason we are not equal to UM who is a good team. Getting to the 16 does not make me believe Martin is a great coach. But it shows me he's not over his head in this league. If he wins one or two more, the season is an over achievement IMO. Forget the season. This is where we need to peak.

I say don't stop until we get redemption over KY and UF (Villanova style).
 
#146
#146
bowlinggreenvol said:
The players would disagree with you. In a nutshell, J Rich said today they've been playing for CCM because of all the negativity he was receiving, when asked about it by Rachel Nichols post game.
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Well crap, if that's the deal, somebody get a petition to BBB v2.0. Bring Back Buzz that is.
 
#147
#147
patrick said:
And I will add that I liked seeing CCM show some emotion in the post-game interview. Been waiting and wanting to see that.
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How @ that 1st Half ending lockdown defense. Looked like coach was about to come on the floor! That was awesome too. They did not even get off a shot.
 
#148
#148
I was a doubter and my view on Zo's philosophy has changed a little. I'm buying the defensive philosophy. But offense not so much. I know we have been scoring in bunches in the tournament but still can't get past the fact that when the offense gets stagnant Zo basically does nothing about. If we hit shots great. If we don't we lose. That seems to be Zo's offensive philosophy. And yes I know the snarky reply will be something along the lines of "well what do you want Zo to do? Run on to the floor and do all the scoring himself?" So say what you must.
 
#150
#150
Jazzy#10 said:
CCM was also accused of not being able to recruit anything above a mid-major player. Josh Richardson was one of them. How far has this guy climbed? This guy has climbed into a possible draft pick. Chris Lofton, Weezie Chism and the rest went undrafted.
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Richardson was ranked 124th in the nation. So he's a high major recruit imo. He was recruiting by Georgia Tech, Penn State and Oklahoma.

The problem with mid-major level recruits isn't that they have no potential, it's that they aren't likely to impact a program strongly until year 3 or 4. That's why mid-majors tend to have 1 or if lucky, 2 good years every 4 years. Much like the Mercer team we just played who has 5 senior starters.

The problem gets worse as a high major because you're playing against teams who are getting 4/5 star top 100 type players and playing OOC games against teams with similar players. It becomes an issue just making the tournament when you're out talented 2-3 out of every 4 years.

The issue with CCM is that he has taken players that look like they'd be a reach even for a good mid-major team. The players you reach on at this level are those guys ranked in the 150 range. Essentially the team were winning with is a core group of guys ranked in the top 75 in high school and Josh, who was as I said, 124th.

I know rankings aren't the be all, end all, but if you look at the top 20 in basketball recruiting most years, they're your teams who make NCAA's most every year and tend to advance more often than not. It's always got names like Kentucky, Florida, Michigan State, Arizona, North Carolina, Duke, UConn etc. I know his name is mud here to many of you, but it's not a coincidence that Pearl signed top 25 classes after his first year for the most part and for the most part we were a consistent top 25/NCAA team that had a few good runs in the tourney.
 
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