Florida at UConn

*CatinIL*

Heisman
Jan 2, 2003
24,651
40,237
113
Thanks for the heads up. FL on the road to UConn. Nice road game test for the Gators.
 

Titpwhami2014

All-American
Feb 17, 2018
3,466
8,448
0
I remember being excited when Napier and friends shocked Florida in Dallas in 2014. Of course we lost to them in the title game, but we had already lost 3 times to Florida that season.
 
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jrm693

All-Conference
Jan 14, 2007
12,366
4,208
68
I hope Nick is watching number 25 and see what a 6-11 guy can do if he hustles.
 

caneintally

Heisman
Oct 1, 2002
27,455
17,056
0
We lost to Evansville. He probably chose wisely.
LOL that really is neither here nor there . UK has 2x the chance ( if not more ) then UF to win a title. 1 game doesn't mean much for better or worse despite being damn embarrassing but all teams have those . Duke has their Mercer and Lehigh , UVA has whoever that 16 seed was and so on. Happens to everybody but at least ours happened when it doesn't matter much. We still have all our goals .

Now if Blackshear wanted to have a better shot to score more and play more he made the right decision . If he wants to maybe win a title and go farther in the NCAA he chose wrong. He ain't playing in the NBA either way as he is a total non athlete so that doesn't come into play despite what he might think of himself.
 

Brentutk1

Redshirt
Nov 16, 2019
59
47
0
I think we can all agree that Blackshear should have chosen Tennessee and Rick Barnes over Mike White.
 

LadyCaytIL

Heisman
Oct 28, 2012
32,748
34,112
113
Because they beat.. Washington? Washington with a bunch of freshman?

Beating MSU is worth just as much as losing to Evansville. You shouldn't make too much of either at this point.

But to say that Tennessee is better.. holy ****. lol.
until we come out and look like we know what offense is..... many teams are better than us.
 

dcspurlock

All-Conference
Apr 12, 2007
2,379
1,086
0
I thought Florida was gonna be really good this year and Tennessee was gonna be bad. I really thought the SEC would go through Gainesville. Maybe they turn it around. I’m not sold on us either though really. I don’t think we beat MSU if they are healthy. We’ll be good come March. But I think this year is gonna be wide open. There’s not that one team that stands out above all others like in years past. That team rarely wins the tourney but they’re there. I like our chances come March because of that reason. But there’s 20 teams that could win it this year and I thought UF was definitely one.
 

Brentutk1

Redshirt
Nov 16, 2019
59
47
0
Florida seems like one of those programs, under Mike White, where everything has to be working for the team to be successful. As a Tennessee fan, what's been most exciting is the winning culture that doesn't seem to depend on 1, 2, or 3 guys, and has a significant margin for error. The team expects to win and usually has a well-coached plan to do so.
 

LadyCaytIL

Heisman
Oct 28, 2012
32,748
34,112
113
.. We didn't against the #1 team in the nation?

Again, to think that a largely new Vols team is better than us because they won 3 games is laughable.

that MSU game we shot 38% .. 33% from 3's ... our offense was Maxey and free throws (32 free throws) ... if you dont think we need a fudge ton of work on offense then hate to tell you this... all the basketball gurus... agree with me that our offense is horrible right now.

After tomorrow night I might change my mind .... but as of right now , today. I think Tenn is better than us right now. We have more potential by far but Cal's man love for Whitney and Hagans is beyond me.
 

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,689
71,049
113
I agree, our offense is hot garbage, like it always is in November and December. We're always young.
We won the MSU game because we played great D, we respected MSU, we rebounded and one of our guys made a bunch of crazy shots.

The problem is Maxey cant sustain that kind of performance. Heck, we may not see another performance like that out of Maxey the rest of the year. So we shouldn't get intoxicated by his show out in that game.

However, we aren't as bad as we were in that Evansville game. I mean, it looked like our guys had zero respect for Evansville and thought they could just turn it on late in the game. We got beat at every aspect of the game.

I think these guys will get it, but I fear we're going to have another one of those games in the sweet 16 or E8 where our youth rears its ugly head and we blow it… .. again. We don't have a transcendent guy/Senior leader that we can go to when the heat gets turned up.

I hate the one and done. It has cost us final fours and titles.
 

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
38,908
61,022
113
Our offense this November isnt much different than any other November for the past 10 years.

Not worried. And certainly not worried about a brand new Vols team that beat two cupcakes and Washington.

I mean to sit there and claim them as the SECs best? Very suspect. You want to give them the crown if we continue to lose? Fine. They might nkt have lost, but they still didnt beat anyone like MSU.
 

kl40504_rivals

Heisman
Oct 5, 2018
15,258
11,184
0
I agree, our offense is hot garbage, like it always is in November and December. We're always young.
We won the MSU game because we played great D, we respected MSU, we rebounded and one of our guys made a bunch of crazy shots.

The problem is Maxey cant sustain that kind of performance. Heck, we may not see another performance like that out of Maxey the rest of the year. So we shouldn't get intoxicated by his show out in that game.

However, we aren't as bad as we were in that Evansville game. I mean, it looked like our guys had zero respect for Evansville and thought they could just turn it on late in the game. We got beat at every aspect of the game.

I think these guys will get it, but I fear we're going to have another one of those games in the sweet 16 or E8 where our youth rears its ugly head and we blow it… .. again. We don't have a transcendent guy/Senior leader that we can go to when the heat gets turned up.

I hate the one and done. It has cost us final fours and titles.
And it has got us a title in 2012 and three other final fours. How many titles did Eddie Sutton or Billy G get us. How many did Tubby get us after he won one in 1998 with Pitino's players.
 

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,689
71,049
113
And it has got us a title in 2012 and three other final fours. How many titles did Eddie Sutton or Billy G get us. How many did Tubby get us after he won one in 1998 with Pitino's players.
Are we really going to get into that discussion?
I like your qualifier for Tubby.."after he won one".

So, lets get this straight, I wasn't attacking Cal.

Are you going to deny that losing all these kids to the NBA after one season has greatly affected our title count?

Do you realize how awesome our teams would be every year if we returned more players? I'm not talking about Anthony Davis or John Wall. I'm talking about the Teague's, the Lamb's, the Harrison's, the Vanderbilt's, Keldon Johnson etc…

Hell, most programs get Tyler Herro and SGA type players back for multiple years, us, we lose them and replace them with more 2nd tier 5* kids that "have potential".

If we're going to do this, we have to get the transcendent kids to replenish what was lost or we're just a D-league team feeding players to the NBA that merely showed that they have potential.

As far as our 2012 title, we had a generational player and, due to the NBA lockout, we had Jones and Lamb return from the 2011 FF team. If there wasn't a lockout, those guys jump.

Now you can go back to watching cartoons and eating cheerios.
 

G-PIP

All-American
Mar 14, 2014
5,286
5,964
0
Are we really going to get into that discussion?
I like your qualifier for Tubby.."after he won one".

So, lets get this straight, I wasn't attacking Cal.

Are you going to deny that losing all these kids to the NBA after one season has greatly affected our title count?

Do you realize how awesome our teams would be every year if we returned more players? I'm not talking about Anthony Davis or John Wall. I'm talking about the Teague's, the Lamb's, the Harrison's, the Vanderbilt's, Keldon Johnson etc…

Hell, most programs get Tyler Herro and SGA type players back for multiple years, us, we lose them and replace them with more 2nd tier 5* kids that "have potential".

If we're going to do this, we have to get the transcendent kids to replenish what was lost or we're just a D-league team feeding players to the NBA that merely showed that they have potential.

As far as our 2012 title, we had a generational player and, due to the NBA lockout, we had Jones and Lamb return from the 2011 FF team. If there wasn't a lockout, those guys jump.

Now you can go back to watching cartoons and eating cheerios.
I agree with you. I don’t think you’re attacking Calipari just because you feel that UK would generally be better off if they didn’t have to rely too much on Freshmen – whether OAD players or not. I know I’m certainly not attacking Calipari over the situation. I think there is only so much that Calipari can do to mediate that. He is operating within the system presented. And in that system, doesn’t he have to just recruit the best players he can get and hope some comeback for a 2nd season (or God forbid a 3rd)? And, I think it helps a ton that UK is now supplementing recruiting with graduate transfers.
 

RalphDaltonFan

Heisman
Apr 3, 2002
60,139
41,434
113
I've been on the Mike White is an up and coming great coach....and had high hopes for this UF team but he's really concerning me in regards to his pace of play. Skilled guards need to be allowed to play at a pace that allows them to use their advantage. Steve Kerr when working for CBS doing the UF-UK game back in '12 said it best that if you go small you have to play fast and so many college programs refuse to go to it. Is it fear of giving players too much freedom? I've got same criticism of Cal at times as well.

Most of the evaluation on players is during AAU which is played in a free/open style of play. The NBA is the same. The in between is where control freaks take over and dominate the game/taking away talent and limiting the opportunity to make plays. Guys in suits making big $ feel they need to control every aspect and the freedom of playing offensively is stripped. If you truly want to project NBA development, teach them how to play efficiently fast because that is NBA basketball and it's the way great offensive basketball is played.
 

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,689
71,049
113
I agree with you. I don’t think you’re attacking Calipari just because you feel that UK would generally be better off if they didn’t have to rely too much on Freshmen – whether OAD players or not. I know I’m certainly not attacking Calipari over the situation. I think there is only so much that Calipari can do to mediate that. He is operating within the system presented. And in that system, doesn’t he have to just recruit the best players he can get and hope some comeback for a 2nd season (or God forbid a 3rd)? And, I think it helps a ton that UK is now supplementing recruiting with graduate transfers.
Exactly. He's doing what's best for the kids, I get it.

But it has created an atmosphere where guys leave whether they are ready or not. Briscoe, Wenyen, Skal etc… we lose those guys and it hurts us the next year, but everyone else gets to keep their guys for 4 years.

I get it, our guys have potential, they only have to show that they have potential in their 1 season at UK, so the NBA wants them now. We have to start from scratch the next season, while mediocre programs like Tennessee keep their guys for 4 years (Admiral Schofield, Williams etc… ) and they are now beating us because we're putting young teams out there with no Anthony Davis type players.

It's an out of control freight train at the moment. Cal created the culture, so that's on him, but what's he supposed to do, hold kids back for his benefit? He can't do that, but at some point, it has to be about UK and not the NBA. With the talent we have had the last ten years that has left too early + Cal/KP's coaching abilities, we should have more titles.
I'm not saying what Cal has done from 2010 through 2015 was not impressive, it certainly was, but the combination of Kentucky and Calipari had the potential to absolutely iwn college basketball. I'm talking 3+ titles in 10 years, but early departures have stymied that.

Anyone that denies that, isn't seeing what’s happening.
 

Brentutk1

Redshirt
Nov 16, 2019
59
47
0
Exactly. He's doing what's best for the kids, I get it.

But it has created an atmosphere where guys leave whether they are ready or not. Briscoe, Wenyen, Skal etc… we lose those guys and it hurts us the next year, but everyone else gets to keep their guys for 4 years.

I get it, our guys have potential, they only have to show that they have potential in their 1 season at UK, so the NBA wants them now. We have to start from scratch the next season, while mediocre programs like Tennessee keep their guys for 4 years (Admiral Schofield, Williams etc… ) and they are now beating us because we're putting young teams out there with no Anthony Davis type players.

It's an out of control freight train at the moment. Cal created the culture, so that's on him, but what's he supposed to do, hold kids back for his benefit? He can't do that, but at some point, it has to be about UK and not the NBA. With the talent we have had the last ten years that has left too early + Cal/KP's coaching abilities, we should have more titles.
I'm not saying what Cal has done from 2010 through 2015 was not impressive, it certainly was, but the combination of Kentucky and Calipari had the potential to absolutely iwn college basketball. I'm talking 3+ titles in 10 years, but early departures have stymied that.

Anyone that denies that, isn't seeing what’s happening.

Tennessee keeps some guys 4 years and some we don't, just like most schools. 2 of our 3 major losses from last year (Williams and Bone) went early. We'll have 4 5 stars next year and wouldn't count on keeping them for more than 1-2 years. Obviously UK is at the extreme end of the one and done, but there's really no solution to that other than to take less talented prospects (which is stupid obviously).
 

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
38,908
61,022
113
Tennessee keeps some guys 4 years and some we don't, just like most schools. 2 of our 3 major losses from last year (Williams and Bone) went early. We'll have 4 5 stars next year and wouldn't count on keeping them for more than 1-2 years. Obviously UK is at the extreme end of the one and done, but there's really no solution to that other than to take less talented prospects (which is stupid obviously).

One thing about Tennessee though.. they seem to recruit an awful lot of players that just aren't built for the NBA.

Player A could be better than Player B.. but only at the college level. Player B might actually do better in the NBA because he has pro-level build and speed.

Some schools almost seem to sniff out those "Good, but not quite good enough for the pros" players.
 

G-PIP

All-American
Mar 14, 2014
5,286
5,964
0
Exactly. He's doing what's best for the kids, I get it.

But it has created an atmosphere where guys leave whether they are ready or not. Briscoe, Wenyen, Skal etc… we lose those guys and it hurts us the next year, but everyone else gets to keep their guys for 4 years.

I get it, our guys have potential, they only have to show that they have potential in their 1 season at UK, so the NBA wants them now. We have to start from scratch the next season, while mediocre programs like Tennessee keep their guys for 4 years (Admiral Schofield, Williams etc… ) and they are now beating us because we're putting young teams out there with no Anthony Davis type players.

It's an out of control freight train at the moment. Cal created the culture, so that's on him, but what's he supposed to do, hold kids back for his benefit? He can't do that, but at some point, it has to be about UK and not the NBA. With the talent we have had the last ten years that has left too early + Cal/KP's coaching abilities, we should have more titles.
I'm not saying what Cal has done from 2010 through 2015 was not impressive, it certainly was, but the combination of Kentucky and Calipari had the potential to absolutely iwn college basketball. I'm talking 3+ titles in 10 years, but early departures have stymied that.

Anyone that denies that, isn't seeing what’s happening.
I think we mostly agree. It looks like in using the amorphous word “talent” you define it like I do – meaning future potential. But I completely disagree with those who define talent to mean the best current college player, and then claim UK has had the best “talent” every year and therefore Calipari’s results have been a disappointment or failure. If you define talent the way those people do, then UK absolutely has not had the best talent. Instead, UK has had tons of freshmen with big upside who were drafted by the NBA on their potential, but didn’t get close enough to that potential in their one year in college.

So, I agree that if Calipari could have stacked his recruiting classes by having everyone return for a 2nd season UK would have likely been a dominant powerhouse every single year. But, of course, that didn’t/doesn’t happen – and it shouldn’t. Every player should do what’s best for him – that’s what the other students would/should do in their chosen careers.