Worry Circle now open 24 hours a day

[Stoerner Fumbles]

Since I opened the Worry Circle earlier this year, many have asked if I could extend operating hours to include late nights, Sundays and early mornings. As of last night, the demand was so high, that I’ve changed our policy. We are now open 24 hours a day, for 362 days a year. We will be closed the day after the FCS championship game, the NCAA tournament final, and the final game of the CWS. This will allow Cav to take three showers a year and change his lightbulbs. Please feel free to share all your worries here. Only fire coaches if you can assemble a quorum of three, with a combined IQ over 100. Time travel worry is the only worry forbidden. You may worry about the future, but not the past. Third and Chavis is gone, Buzz Peterson will never make the NIT again, but the worry over our DB’s not turning their heads and Barnes not calling timeouts until after we lose in the first round goes on forever.
Welcome to The Worry Circle. Pull up a rocker and gather round. Pee off the porch. You don’t want to miss a minute. Let the worrying begin!

 

[TheMookieMonster]

I’m worried SF.

 

[NATHAN05]

....... the head around thing does bother me. I can think of about 7 or 8 passes that bounced off our backs and helmets. Hoping this new DB room gets it together.

 

[VolGee4]

....... the head around thing does bother me. I can think of about 7 or 8 passes that bounced off our backs and helmets. Hoping this new DB room gets it together.

Pretty sure they are taught to keep running if they are step behind. If you are even or close, you turn your head. They are taught to rake the arms if they are behind and see the arms coming up to catch. I’m sure it’s taught by many DB coaches. If you are behind and it’s a great pass, you aren’t going to catch it anyway. JMO.

 

[NATHAN05]

Pretty sure they are taught to keep running if they are step behind. If you are even or close, you turn your head. They are taught to rake the arms if they are behind and see the arms coming up to catch. I’m sure it’s taught by many DB coaches. If you are behind and it’s a great pass, you aren’t going to catch it anyway. JMO.

I'm sure you're right......I've heard others say that also......which brings me to another problem, this means we constantly get out of position/get burned.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

I’m worried SF.

It’s going to be ok, Mook. Did that work?

 

[TheMookieMonster]

It’s going to be ok, Mook. Did that work?

Yes. You have a very comforting presence. I feel much better.

 

[VolGee4]

I'm sure you're right......I've heard others say that also......which brings me to another problem, this means we constantly get out of position/get burned.

We have a new group that is more athletic. But naturally, every DB is going to be behind on occasion because the WR knows where he is going.

 

[VolArmy74]

I'm worried we'll draw a South Carolina/A&M clone for a second round match up, because the NCAA loves to throw angst at a team and give it a dose of its weakness early in the tournament.

 

[fear]

i think the better question is will this worry circle be covered by our insurance?

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

I'm worried we'll draw a South Carolina/A&M clone for a second round match up, because the NCAA loves to throw angst at a team and give it a dose of its weakness early in the tournament.

Oddly, my biggest worry is the tournament reality of two games in one weekend on short rest with a small injury prone rotation. We do well scouting and preparing for teams, but can’t keep up our juice for all twelve rounds twice in one week. It’ll be even harder twice in a weekend. If I had to plot a course for success, I’d play our athletic defensive lineups more minutes, and intentionally lose the SEC tournament in the first game. My biggest worry with this team is stamina.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Oddly, my biggest worry is the tournament reality of two games in one weekend on short rest with a small injury prone rotation. We do well scouting and preparing for teams, but can’t keep up our juice for all twelve rounds twice in one week. It’ll be even harder twice in a weekend. If I had to plot a course for success, I’d play our athletic defensive lineups more minutes, and intentionally lose the SEC tournament in the first game. My biggest worry with this team is stamina.

It’s concerning that stamina is an issue with this team. If that’s the case, Barnes needs to play some of the younger guys more minutes in this upcoming stretch of games. You wouldn’t think a bunch of 21-23 year olds would be exhausted already, but the two terrible offensive performances in the last four games certainly suggests it could be a factor.

I made the comment in another thread but players other than Zakai and Knecht need to step up or we’re going to run them into the ground to the point that they’ll be toast by March. You shouldn’t need the two of them to be on the court for all 40 minutes just to have a chance to win games.

Aidoo has been bad since the scorching start to SEC play he has had. He needs to get his head out of his rear end. We basically had two guys show up on offense last night and it feels like that’s been the biggest issue this year when we lose games.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

It’s concerning that stamina is an issue with this team. If that’s the case, Barnes needs to play some of the younger guys more minutes in this upcoming stretch of games. You wouldn’t think a bunch of 21-23 year olds would be exhausted already, but the two terrible offensive performances in the last four games certainly suggests it could be a factor.

I made the comment in another thread but players other than Zakai and Knecht need to step up or we’re going to run them into the ground to the point that they’ll be toast by March. You shouldn’t need the two of them to be on the court for all 40 minutes just to have a chance to win games.

Aidoo has been bad since the scorching start to SEC play he has had. He needs to get his head out of his rear end. We basically had two guys show up on offense last night and it feels like that’s been the biggest issue this year when we lose games.

Sadly we can’t combine Awaka’s strength and drive with Aidoo’s height.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Sadly we can’t combine Awaka’s strength and drive with Aidoo’s height.

Unfortunately, no. But it is frustrating that we have such a veteran team and still have no idea what to expect on offense night in and night out.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

Unfortunately, no. But it is frustrating that we have such a veteran team and still have no idea what to expect on offense night in and night out.

I agree. We won the minutes we committed to small ball. When that wore them down, Knecht came in and got looks. Even with a scorer like him, I still think our defense dictates offensive success. Obviously Kentucky is an exception, but I don’t think we’ll see the offense drive results when we play a team that has the strength down low that allows them to overcommit on our guards. Our offensive presence in the middle was worse with a big lineup than a small one. Our defense really suffered with Knecht holding drivers. This isn’t the kind of adjustment that needs diagrams. We should’ve tried to wear them down earlier. In their end, they played a very physical game and held space outside and inside. Hitting all those threes almost didn’t matter with the offensive rebounds they covered. Man to man, they beat us at every spot.

 

[Special Ed]

Looks like all the recent talk of the Vols being projected as a No. 1 seed went to their heads.
They were reveling in the hype instead of taking care of business.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

Looks like all the recent talk of the Vols being projected as a No. 1 seed went to their heads.
They were reveling in the hype instead of taking care of business.

There’s my worry guy.

 

[NighthawkVol]

It’s going to be ok, Mook. Did that work?

Define ok.

 

[CAVPUT]

Looks like all the recent talk of the Vols being projected as a No. 1 seed went to their heads.
They were reveling in the hype instead of taking care of business.

I'd be disappointed if that's the case. By now this team has had ample experience with what happens in this league if you don't bring your game and intensity each game both home and away but especially on the road. As the saying goes....the wind blows hardest at the top and the fall is the highest.

 

[CAVPUT]

Define ok.

There you go with that lawyer thing again.

 

[Chaz-Vol]

I think 2 big issues are front court getting out toughed on boards with the one TAM guy getting 17 boards and Barnes not realizing until second half this was a Mashack instead of Gainey game. Mashack is such an important piece in these slower half court games with his effort, rebounding, and defense. Gainey has his place especially in faster paced games like bama/kentucky.

Arkansas and Auburn will both be slower physical games and I think Mashack will be huge in those and probably needs bigger minutes to help ZZ too on defense.

 

[sami]

....... the head around thing does bother me. I can think of about 7 or 8 passes that bounced off our backs and helmets. Hoping this new DB room gets it together.

That technique is taught, and if you watch other teams you'll see even the top DB's doing the same thing. You're not supposed to take your eyes off the receiver, but watch his arms and eyes, then react. Maybe some of the elite corners can get their head around faster or react better, but the cardinal sin is losing the receiver by looking around.

 

[CAVPUT]

I think 2 big issues are front court getting out toughed on boards with the one TAM guy getting 17 boards and Barnes not realizing until second half this was a Mashack instead of Gainey game. Mashack is such an important piece in these slower half court games with his effort, rebounding, and defense. Gainey has his place especially in faster paced games like bama/kentucky.

Arkansas and Auburn will both be slower physical games and I think Mashack will be huge in those and probably needs bigger minutes to help ZZ too on defense.

For him to play Gainey so much despite his obvious limitations in a game like that combined with the minutes he got during his slump and that he continues to get, it's pretty obvious that he's doing Coach Gainey a solid. It is what it is.

 

[GoodTimeVol]

It’s concerning that stamina is an issue with this team. If that’s the case, Barnes needs to play some of the younger guys more minutes in this upcoming stretch of games. You wouldn’t think a bunch of 21-23 year olds would be exhausted already, but the two terrible offensive performances in the last four games certainly suggests it could be a factor.

I made the comment in another thread but players other than Zakai and Knecht need to step up or we’re going to run them into the ground to the point that they’ll be toast by March. You shouldn’t need the two of them to be on the court for all 40 minutes just to have a chance to win games.

Aidoo has been bad since the scorching start to SEC play he has had. He needs to get his head out of his rear end. We basically had two guys show up on offense last night and it feels like that’s been the biggest issue this year when we lose games.

You keep pointing to the problem but don’t want to call them out by name…vescovi and jjj.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

For him to play Gainey so much despite his obvious limitations in a game like that combined with the minutes he got during his slump and that he continues to get, it's pretty obvious that he's doing Coach Gainey a solid. It is what it is.

Complaining about Gainey last night when basically the entire team was shooting poorly is certainly a choice. Who else would you play? Gainey had 18 on Wednesday. We had to have some scoring burst out there and no one else was providing anything. Might as well see what Gainey can do.