Barkley...
- Thread starter ShortCreek
- Start date
Their style is maybe half their problem, maybe more maybe less.
The ACC allowing them to get away with murder is their real problem.
They are gifted so many non calls during the season, they're not going to know how to react when they get into a more standard officiated game.
The ACC allowing them to get away with murder is their real problem.
They are gifted so many non calls during the season, they're not going to know how to react when they get into a more standard officiated game.
The style sucks. It sucks to watch. It sucks to play. It sucks to play against. Bennett might be a terrific guy but he is not a great coach. He proved that tonight when he couldn't even win 1 game with the #1 team in the country, and the overall #1 team in this tourney. Talk about frauds. His style is a fraud.
It's not so much a fraud as blatantly obvious. They are great when they get you to play their ball and take away everything you like to do. The huge weakness they have always had is playing fast and well. I said it in another thread, everybody knows how Virginia goes. They advance till they meet a team that goes hot on the 3 in spite of their defense and boom over. To win a championship, you have to be able to win outside of your preferred style of play and gut one out...Tony has never been good at this.
West Virginia sped em up as well and was able to beat them.
Kenny Smith said you have to be able to “win uncomfortably” to win a title, UVA doesn’t do uncomfortable!
I agree - that's a very good take.
The problem for them is, they are kind of "gutting out" all their wins with smoke and mirrors.
It's just a gimmick brand, that the ACC has been complicit with building. I think they want to throw a bone to the school due to academic prowess.
I'm heavy on conspiracy in sports.
Nope. It's been Tony's biggest weakness for a long time. He is a brilliant defensive coach but he just doesn't have the instinct to say...screw everything we scouted...lets just go win it. You can just sense it if you watch his tourney losses, he isn't willing to move outside what he knows
What I noticed last night from Bennett in particular was a "deer in the headlights" look when things started to unravel in the second half. The game was still in reach halfway through the second. Down 10 with 10 to go and his guys started coming down and jacking up 3 after 3 as opposed to going to high % shots in the post. Salt wasn't even in there for some reason. Then the 2 guards started panicking and going 1 on 1. And what does Bennett do? He just stands there with a blank stare on his face. I know CRP is gone, but I could just see him jerking players left and right with that type display until they calmed the hell down and ran the offense. As much as Bennetts coaching put Virginia where it was this year, his coaching, or lackthereof, took them out last night. I really think our game with them at the Yum was a catalyst for what happened last night. They were sure that no lead late was insurmountable. Thought they could switch a gear and take the game back over AS WELL AS have the opponent help give it away as well. A loss at the Yum would have served them better going into the dance as it would have taken the pressure off of them. I saw a pressured team and coach there last night. First time I had seen it from them.
Said same thing to a buddy last night watching the game. They aren’t used to not getting every call all game long.