Cal suddenly coaching much better

Dec 30, 2002
10,641
20,618
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The only thing Cal is doing better is allowing them to play.

When he does call the play on offense, and he has done it about 3-4 times, we end up getting no shot, a turnover, or a last second prayer from a non shooter.

The one thing I will give Cal credit for is he has finally figured out who needs to be on the floor for the most part.

Praying he doesn't take over the offensive play calling in the second half when the team is right in front of him on offense..

If he does, Vols will come back and win this game too.
 

GoNoles111

All-American
Dec 31, 2007
36,304
5,552
0
Like Van Gundy says, its a make or miss game. Phil Jackson all of a sudden wasnt a genius with those bad Laker teams until they added Gasol.
 
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Wunky

Heisman
Jan 16, 2021
4,340
17,997
78
I know the original post is in jest, but surely you see that it’s more than simply shots falling that weren’t falling before. Kentucky is getting better QUALITY shots now because they are moving the ball better and quicker, and also moving without the ball better. Furthermore they are shooting a lot more threes instead of stupid 20-foot two-pointers. So basically all things the fan base was screaming for for months. The question is why did it take a HOF coach almost 20 games to figure out that the offense needed major changes.
 

SmedMoley

All-American
Nov 14, 2020
3,690
7,959
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I know the original post is in jest, but surely you see that it’s more than simply shots falling that weren’t falling before. Kentucky is getting better QUALITY shots now because they are moving the ball better and quicker, and also moving without the ball better. Furthermore they are shooting a lot more threes instead of stupid 20-foot two-pointers. So basically all things the fan base was screaming for for months. The question is why did it take a HOF coach almost 2 games to figure out that the offense needed major changes.
This. Some need to look a bit deeper and see the spacing differences, and guys like Jackson not shooting threes. Amongst the other things.
 

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
38,815
60,838
113
Said from the start.. Cal is not a great strategy coach.. but I think getting freshman into form is a far bigger task than we realize. I think he has to dumb things down for these young teams and the optics of it are "hes terrible". I think some of this, at least, is by design.
 

Kats23

All-American
Nov 21, 2007
8,683
5,913
63
Let the horses run for now, spreading the floor, and the shots are dropping. It be quite a feat if they could go on a run, still skeptical but I prefer this basketball over the slop fest we’ve been playing
 
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SmedMoley

All-American
Nov 14, 2020
3,690
7,959
0
Said from the start.. Cal is not a great strategy coach.. but I think getting freshman into form is a far bigger task than we realize. I think he has to dumb things down for these young teams and the optics of it are "hes terrible". I think some of this, at least, is by design.
And that design is what many of us are done with. It doesn't work without the elite kids.
 

TBCat

Heisman
Mar 30, 2007
14,317
10,332
0
Nobody denied that the team wouldn't be better in Feb. Of course we were always going to improve. The problem is that we are still not on schedule. We are still playing beneath the level in Feb that we should have been at back in Oct. This thing still isn't fixed. The concept of trashing 3/4 of the season just so that we can improve to the point of being the best team to not make the field of 64 is not the goal. As fixed as you think it is we are still not in the field of 64 and it's still very likely that we won't have a winning record. The system is still broke.
 

cats#1again

All-Conference
Nov 27, 2011
8,011
4,587
0
I know the original post is in jest, but surely you see that it’s more than simply shots falling that weren’t falling before. Kentucky is getting better QUALITY shots now because they are moving the ball better and quicker, and also moving without the ball better. Furthermore they are shooting a lot more threes instead of stupid 20-foot two-pointers. So basically all things the fan base was screaming for for months. The question is why did it take a HOF coach almost 20 games to figure out that the offense needed major changes.
Lol.
Coach cal stuck with his coaching plan no matter if we won or lost. He knows that when his team gets what he's teaching, they will become a good team
 

cats#1again

All-Conference
Nov 27, 2011
8,011
4,587
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Again, it’s about getting quality looks where we weren’t before. When you get good looks you will knock down a higher %. Anybody trying to simplify this to a “luck” kind of thing is a Cal apologist.
This team had wide open shots all year and couldn't make them. If you really believe cal implemented something the past 10 days that made them move the ball better, there's no hope for you.
We've seen this exact movie 11 years running. It's a process. When they become comfortable with that process they gain confidence. Start looking like a different team.
It usually happens around jan15-20
Everything is about a month behind this season
 
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Dec 30, 2002
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Cal absolutely ground the offense to a screeching halt in the second half. Fortunately Vols sucked, thanks to our stellar defense, but the offense was putrid.

Why Cal thinks he has to force the ball inside EVERY DAM TIME makes no sense to me. Cal single handedly took our best offensive player from the first half completely out of the game the second half. Mintz didn't have a prayer the second half. Ugh.
 
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ala_kat2

Heisman
Jan 4, 2003
11,163
10,508
103
Well, Cal coached the 2 nd half in stall-ball fashion as usual. He coached the first half great thanks to Mintz 5-5 from 3.
 

ala_kat2

Heisman
Jan 4, 2003
11,163
10,508
103
Cal absolutely ground the offense to a screeching halt in the second half. Fortunately Vols sucked, thanks to our stellar defense, but the offense was putrid.

Why Cal thinks he has to force the ball inside EVERY DAM TIME makes no sense to me. Cal single handedly took our best offensive player from the first half completely out of the game the second half. Mintz didn't have a prayer the second half. Ugh.
I agree, but to UTs credit, they shut down the open looks from 3. This team, however, rarely ever plays inside-out.
 

ala_kat2

Heisman
Jan 4, 2003
11,163
10,508
103
This is where the team would of been by Jan. 1 if they would of had the chance to practice and play summer ball together
Or if they had more Soph.and Junior/Senior stars. Freshmen just take a long time to mature. Kids are so much better at 21 than at 18.
 

jameslee32

Heisman
Mar 26, 2009
33,663
22,359
83
Doesn't have to be perfect when you defend and rebound. In the 2nd half it wasn't but the outcome was also never in doubt.
 
Dec 30, 2002
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LOL. Jackson isn't a freshman, Askew did alright with a lot of pressure on him for 31 minutes, take Jackson away and we lose the game.
You are absolutely right. Jackson playing so well, I forgot he was a freshman. Was focused on Boston and Askew. Both struggled again today.
 

RACdad

All-American
Mar 8, 2005
9,891
9,893
113
Spacing is so much better on offense. Now that some 3s are falling, defenses can't sag in as much. The lane has opened!
 
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Dec 30, 2002
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Cal so badly wants to play point guard for KY. He called every play in the second half the problem is we got 45 in first half and 25 in the second half with him at point guard.
And Cal was 10 feet out on the floor most of the time when we had the ball. I was sure that knucklehead was going to get a technical and turn the game around for UT. Refs could have teed him up several times today.
 
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katwest

Heisman
Feb 16, 2003
39,834
13,689
113
With what they are asked to do I thought Boston did struggle but I will give Askew a pass 7 points, 4 assists and 1 turnover along with 3 out of 4 field goals in 31 minutes. He don't have to score much just get everybody else the ball and don't make turnovers along with hitting a few open shots and that's what he did. Tennessee put a lot of pressure on him today and he was a little shaky at the end but still done what he was supposed to do.
 
Dec 30, 2002
10,641
20,618
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With what they are asked to do I thought Boston did struggle but I will give Askew a pass 7 points, 4 assists and 1 turnover along with 3 out of 4 field goals in 31 minutes. He don't have to score much just get everybody else the ball and don't make turnovers along with hitting a few open shots and that's what he did. Tennessee put a lot of pressure on him today and he was a little shaky at the end but still done what he was supposed to do.
I agree on Askew. He just plays so shaky against pressure and that resulted in a 6-0 run by UT in about 40 seconds of play to end the game. Glad they didn't pressure us the whole game.
 
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Dec 7, 2020
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And Cal was 10 feet out on the floor most of the time when we had the ball. I was sure that knucklehead was going to get a technical and turn the game around for UT. Refs could have teed him up several times today.
He definitely wore out a pair of shoes today. If he ever quits coaching he would make a great traffic cop, with all those hand and leg gestures. Forgot the yelling.