Interesting Question

#76
#76
There aren't many opponents that will have much to gain by playing the Vols in the near future. Perhaps we will have to look to Huggy, Izzo, or Pitino for a shot.
 
#77
#77
(hatvol96 @ Jul 23 said:
We could do with Kansas what Bob Knight did when he was at IU. Four game series-Kansas City-Nashville-Lawrence-Knoxville. If Memphis comes on the schedule permanently, that would alleviate the need to lock anyone else in on an annual basis. I keep hearing talk about a Big East-SEC challenge. That would add a quality game on a yearly basis.
Click to expand...

As a Kansas native, I would love to see that match-up. However, I cannot see KU signing on to anything more than a home-and-home until UT proves they are for real. Once that happens, it could be a great game to open up the new Sprint Center in downtown KC.
 
#78
#78

Its difficult to schedule annual alternating home and away contests with the likes of UNC or Duke or Kansas because they always play in those early season tournaments. The one in Maui, Coaches v. Cancer, the New York preseason NIT. What you really ought to do is try to get yourself on the short list for that. Florida plays in one every year and the New York tournament -- Maryland, Wake Forest, Syracuse I believe, really made a difference as the season wore on. Winning it also gave the team some confidence and put them on the map. Not that going 17-0 wouldn't have, but they were supposed to be the tournament patsy and walked away with the hardware and if you want good early season competition every year before that stretch of yawners prior to SEC play, these tournaments are the best way to do it.

 
#79
#79
(lawgator1 @ Jul 24 said:
Its difficult to schedule annual alternating home and away contests with the likes of UNC or Duke or Kansas because they always play in those early season tournaments. The one in Maui, Coaches v. Cancer, the New York preseason NIT. What you really ought to do is try to get yourself on the short list for that. Florida plays in one every year and the New York tournament -- Maryland, Wake Forest, Syracuse I believe, really made a difference as the season wore on. Winning it also gave the team some confidence and put them on the map. Not that going 17-0 wouldn't have, but they were supposed to be the tournament patsy and walked away with the hardware and if you want good early season competition every year before that stretch of yawners prior to SEC play, these tournaments are the best way to do it.
Click to expand...
Tennessee is in the preseason NIT this year.
 
#80
#80
(lawgator1 @ Jul 24 said:
Its difficult to schedule annual alternating home and away contests with the likes of UNC or Duke or Kansas because they always play in those early season tournaments. The one in Maui, Coaches v. Cancer, the New York preseason NIT. What you really ought to do is try to get yourself on the short list for that. Florida plays in one every year and the New York tournament -- Maryland, Wake Forest, Syracuse I believe, really made a difference as the season wore on. Winning it also gave the team some confidence and put them on the map. Not that going 17-0 wouldn't have, but they were supposed to be the tournament patsy and walked away with the hardware and if you want good early season competition every year before that stretch of yawners prior to SEC play, these tournaments are the best way to do it.
Click to expand...
It was Texas Tech instead of Maryland in the New York tournament Florida played in last year.
 
#81
#81
hatvol, I am curious as to your view of Huggins being such a good coach? Do you have confidence in his full range of "coaching abilities" ranging from X's and O's through player development? Or, do you think he just gets by on his great recruiting abilities? Because I'll give you my opinion (I know you didnt ask though, lol). He is a great recruiter, amazing at it. But, his ability to coach players once he gets them on campus is very minimal. He is part of the "just roll the ball out and let them play" coaching school. Your take?
 
#82
#82
(therickbol @ Jul 24 said:
hatvol, I am curious as to your view of Huggins being such a good coach? Do you have confidence in his full range of "coaching abilities" ranging from X's and O's through player development? Or, do you think he just gets by on his great recruiting abilities? Because I'll give you my opinion (I know you didnt ask though, lol). He is a great recruiter, amazing at it. But, his ability to coach players once he gets them on campus is very minimal. He is part of the "just roll the ball out and let them play" coaching school. Your take?
Click to expand...
You're dead wrong. His peers consider him one of the top 10 tacticians in the game. A guy like Kenyon Martin doesn't go from being an unknown recruit to a National Player of the Year and #1 overall pick without being coached. The fact that he's turned down multiple offers to coach in the League further illustrates the regard basketball insiders hold for Huggs technical acumen. Steve Logan, Corie Blount, Jason Maxiell, etc. The list of guys who made remarkable improvement over the course of their career at UC is as long as Bob's tenure.
 
#83
#83
Noted. I havent investigated the matter at the depth you have. That was the reason I asked. That was always the image I saw.
 
#84
#84
(therickbol @ Jul 24 said:
Noted. I havent investigated the matter at the depth you have. That was the reason I asked. That was always the image I saw.
Click to expand...
I can see why you would think that. The media portrayal of Huggs and his teams could certainly lead one to that conclusion. I have the advantage of having spent a lot of time in Cincinnati, so I've got a little more balanced picture.
 
#85
#85
Graduation has nothing to do with coaching abilities. But, that is certainly one thing that hurts his image. His graduation rate made UTK football look like an Ivy school. (obvious over-exaggaration)
 
#86
#86
(therickbol @ Jul 24 said:
Graduation has nothing to do with coaching abilities. But, that is certainly one thing that hurts his image. His graduation rate made UTK football look like an Ivy school. (obvious over-exaggaration)
Click to expand...
Actually, that's another media creation. The formula used to calculate graduation rates doesn't take into account junior college players and transfers from four year schools. It also doesn't have any way of accounting for guys who go to the NBA, then get their degree after their career is over. For example, Nick Van Exel is finishing up his degree now. Of course, the system of measure the NCAA uses won't give UC any credit for that. I guess they think Nick should have passed on millions in NBA salary and stuck around to finish his degree within their arbitrary five year window. If you look at UC's percentage of players graduating with a realistic, inclusive measure, it wasn't that bad under Huggs, It wasn't great, but it was in line with most other basketball powers.
 
#87
#87
One only has to drive by the UC campus to tell that what Huggins did there was amazing. Kids love Huggs, and he always overacheived considering his campus and recruiting circumstances.
 
#88
#88
(Lexvol @ Jul 24 said:
One only has to drive by the UC campus to tell that what Huggins did there was amazing. Kids love Huggs, and he always overacheived considering his campus and recruiting circumstances.
Click to expand...
Come on, Lex. Clifton is a great neighborhood, if crack houses and boarded up buildings are your thing.
 
#89
#89
(hatvol96 @ Jul 23 said:
1) Few's making plenty at Gonzaga. He's turned down interviews for big money jobs at Indiana and NC State, to name a couple.
$600k...not good for a top 10 program. NCSU..no surprise there...if he turns down a program like IU more than once it may come back to haunt him
2) The Pacific Northwest is home for him.
For 3 to 4 times the pay and a right situation he can call home anywhere
3) He would have to completely change his recruiting strategy at a place like UK. The sleepers and foreign players he brings to Spokane wouldn't satisfy the locals in Lexington.
His name at a top 3 school like UK would bring in any kind of recruit he wants.
4) Let's remember, Few has never made a really deep tournament run at Gonzaga. He can get away with that in Spokane, he wouldn't be able to in places like Bloomington or Lexington.
He's been in the top 10 enough now where the fans expectations have changed and expect more now...especially with better recruiting classes recently.
Click to expand...
 
#90
#90
Come on...I think Few is one of the few men in sports who knows his limits and his faults. He knows he can continue to win and be praised in West Coast Conference. He also understands that as long as he continues to win 25-30 games a season, against nobodys, the Bulldogs will garner a 1-4 seed, and therefore will have a moderate trek to the Sweet 16.
 
#91
#91
(lawgator1 @ Jul 23 said:
1-- Billy Donovan
2-- Billy Donovan's wife
3-- Billy Donovan's next door neighbor
4-- Billy Donovan's cat
5-- tie between Billy Donovan's third grade teacher and Billy Donovan's trash compactor
Click to expand...

I would agree with everyone except #5. That one should be his hairdresser. :birgits_giggle:
 
#92
#92
(hatvol96 @ Jul 23 said:
My five were, in no particular order: Huggins, Calipari, Pearl, Matta, and Gillespie. Just missing my list would be Wright, Lorenzo Romar, Mick Cronin, and Gregg Marshall. Mike Anderson, Greg McDermott, and Brian Gregory are guys I think will be on this list soon.
Click to expand...
Gregg Marshall has done wonders....living in Charlotte, everyone around here loves the guy and can't beleive he hasn't moved on yet.....before BP, he was a guy that i had hoped UT would look at.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.
Advertisement



Back
Top