21-22 Season

This doesn’t feel like a great tournament team. They simultaneously feel like a “can beat anybody on any given day” and a “can lose to a good opponent by 20 if shots aren’t falling” team.

 

So, a Rick Barnes team.

 

Outside of a few teams, it describes most in March. That's why it's madness.
Srsly what teams does that not apply to. Maybe not 20 but still I'm not sure how many times UT has lost by 20 in 7 years

 

I still think this team has a high ceiling. Doesn't mean they'll get there, but the raw material is there.

 

Most teams do not have the ceiling of a Rick Barnes team, that is what is distinctive. The teams with an equal or higher ceiling "feel like" they have a hire floor/consistency rate. But that is a "feeling," so it may just be that I am thirsting for meaningful success from a Vols team like a flower bulb under the Atacama desert.

 

Ceiling depends on making shots and getting bounces. Loyola and purdue got lucky at the end to win. Those 2 teams would have then gone onto the next round and wouldn't have made Barnes a better coach. Would have just proven he's not jinxed.

 

I like Barnes a lot. Do I get frustrated at time? Gosh, yes, but he's a great guy and pretty dang good coach.

But his rep is his rep. He's made it to the second weekend once in his last nine tourneys. As some point you have to figure out he common denominator. He does not do well in March as his teams talent dictates he should.

 

It’s definitely a thing. Hard to pinpoint a why, but it’s a thing

 

Right. When you have the ability to be a top tier team, you expect your floor and consistency to be higher. But for some reason, that's not the case with this team.

 

Basketball was never meant to be a single elimination sport like football. Way too much luck involved. There’s a reason every round of the NBA postseason is a best of 7.

 

How many times do you have to "not get lucky," before it's on you? I can live with an unlucky roll here or there keeping us from advancing a few times. But how many years in a row does it have to be before you can't necessarily attribute it to luck?

Part of it, too, is not allowing it to come down to luck. A lucky roll doesn't send you home if you're ahead by 5.

 

Fair points. Quite a few articles about lucks role in the tourney. Most teams need a little to advance, regardless of the coach.
Remember UCF lipping out a layup at the buzzer vs Duke when they went on to a title iir. Pure luck

 

But again, that's one time. Duke loses some years as well.

It's just hard for me to attribute the entirety of the body of work to luck. Sure, there have been some teams who got knocked out on luck. But the fact that there's a ceiling he, as a coach, can't seem to break through, is strange to me, and doesn't feel attributable to luck.

 

It'd not just one time and it's not entirety. It's a factor often for many teams. That was just an example.

 

I just don’t think winning is at the top of Barnes’ list. I think he has other things at the top of his list. Which means he’s a good man. I would just rather the head coach of my favorite basketball team have winning at the top of his list. As selfish as that sounds.

I’m not advocating for a change at this time, but that may change in 2-3 years.

 

I've been waiting my entire life for ANY coach who can get a team to the Final 4.

"The Vols have been to the Elite Eight once, in 2010. Tennessee advanced to the Sweet 16 in 1967, 1981, 2000, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2014 and 2019."

"Tennessee has played in the NCAA Tournament 23 times (1967, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1989, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2018, 2019 and 2021)."

I "thought" we had chance with the Ernie & Bernie Show, but alas.

 

Going to be another one of those years. Final 4 capable but first round exit just as likely.

 

Wonder how many true freshman pgs have led a team to a final 4.

 

Taking advantage of an unqualified AD to get money he hadn't earned was at the top of his list.

 

They are not getting what they should out of Chandler. At all.