How good can we be?

[TRest]

Chief launch past your sorry butt and never looked back.

Keep passing the mirrors too.

 

[80shusky]

I think we are better. Miss the dance though. Maybe win 20 games? Based on:
Adams is a plus, better even than last year.
Gilbert can play, even just 10-15 mins a game and can finish season.
New guards Smith and B. Adams can contribute.
Vital is Vital, maybe a little better.
Carlton is key. Get him the ball early in the post. Throw him the damn ball!
Diarra improves with more focus on front court, hopefully.
Slight improvements at minimum from Polley and Whaley.
Sid can be a scorer for us.

 

[champs99and04]

There are a lot of variables. We could be as good as almost anyone or we could still be pretty bad.

I mean, if you're taking best case scenario for every player? Or even most of them? We could win the conference outright. Why couldn't we? All you need is a precedent and one exists for all of our players. We're talking about a team with a couple five star guards and a relatively talented nucleus beyond that. Which team in this league is head and shoulders above us talent wise? UCF and Memphis are being talked about as dark horses and they were nearly as bad as us last year. SMU is being talked up and I think they opened as a dog against us in the conference championship. Cincinnati and Wichita both lost a lot. Houston will have to replace Rob Gray and possibly their coach.

Then again, it's Jalen and a bunch of question marks. We don't really know if Christian Vital is good. We don't know if Tarin Smith can play at a high level. Gilbert, Wilson, Carlton, Diarra, Polley, and Whaley are underclassmen. There is still room for this train to go off the rails without too much consternation.

But I refuse to call it a rebuild and I don't feel that much differently about this than any other UConn season. We should show up every night, improve incrementally, and put a scare in a team or two that is supposed to be in a different weight class. If we get, say, 2015 Rhode Island or even 2016 Rhode Island, where we're frustrated but things are still pointing up, I'm OK with that.

 

[BlueDogs]

16-17 wins would be a solid turn in the right direction
18-19 wins would be a great turn around.
20 would be miraculous
21+ - Hurley is the next coming

 

[jibsey]

16-17 wins would be a solid turn in the right direction
18-19 wins would be a great turn around.
20 would be miraculous
21+ - Hurley is the next coming

16 wins is a failure. We are in the AAC not the ACC.

 

[Sphinx]

16-17 wins would be a solid turn in the right direction
18-19 wins would be a great turn around.
20 would be miraculous
21+ - Hurley is the next coming

Add two wins to every category, and you pretty much have it.

 

[mauconnfan]

16 wins is a failure. We are in the AAC not the ACC.

And this year will be weaker on top of the league have to agree as well as OOC schedule. 18-20 min, maybe with some better shooting, defense and chemistry 21-22.

Maybe Dan can get the UConn swag back again in the league so teams get nervous about playing UConn. Wait, were they ever nervous - so how can it be "again"?

 

[metsfan2323]

We have more talent than last year's Rhode Island team. Nuff said.

Health will be key. If Jalen is special the team could surprise big time.

I expect Hurley to beat the stink out of them the first week of practice.

If they are smart Gilbert won't play until January, then break him in slowly, Unleash him in February and hope he makes it to March.

 

[Rico444]

I don't think the "rust" will be an issue. I think you all have unrealistic expectations for this guy. I am hoping that he can actually play a few games and not get hurt again. Him and Jalen? How about He and Jalen?

Maybe try re-reading my post (preferably without your pompous English professor's glasses on). I said IF HE IS HEALTHY Alterique could make a huge difference. I also qualified that by saying that's a big "if."

You must be a ton of fun at parties.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Maybe try re-reading my post (preferably without your pompous English professor's glasses on). I said IF HE IS HEALTHY Alterique could make a huge difference. I also qualified that by saying that's a big "if."

You must be a ton of fun at parties.

Even after I took dozens off Ignore, he remains. No regrets. Eternal post handle mismatch.

 

[Rico444]

Even after I took dozens off Ignore, he remains. No regrets. Eternal post handle mismatch.

I think it's a good post/handle, actually. I have been passive-aggressively calling people "buddy" forever.

 

[rip7774]

I think if u have ever worked/played for a bad leader or in a toxic environment, u should be expect dramatic improvement. Would have likely been a mass exodus 2 years in a row. These assistants are big time too and i think help exponentially vs what we had. Throw in Rique and the conference falling off a cliff, and i expect a ton of improvement.

 

[Huskybass]

Not very. Too much dysfunction from tire fire. Cupboard is bare. Starting from scratch. Worst roster in UConn history. We will be lucky to improve over last season and anything beyond that is a bonus. Hurley needs at least three to four seasons before we can be expected to sniff the NCAA.

@JMick and @Huskybass , do I have the talking points down?

Sorry but that's just a b******* post. I once stated that I would be okay with Hurley having UConn back to a perennial NCAA tournament team within two to three seasons. I think that's entirely fair given the total dysfunction that we saw the last two seasons.

I am optimistic that we can make the NCAA tournament either this year and/or next year. However I'm not going to be down on Hurley if he doesn't make it in his first season coming off of two losing seasons.

 

[8893]

b********

Brilliant?

Why, thank you. Thank you very much.

 

[Rico444]

Brilliant?

Why, thank you. Thank you very much.

I can't for the life of me figure out what word he meant in that post.

 

[UConn990411]

I have high expectations for Jalen now that he’ll have the luxury of competent coaching, but I’m going into next season with zero expectations for the team.

This sounds kinda lame, but I’m just looking for steady improvement over the course of the year.

 

[TRest]

I have high expectations for Jalen now that he’ll have the luxury of competent coaching, but I’m going into next season with zero expectations for the team.

This sounds kinda lame, but I’m just looking for steady improvement over the course of the year.

I would like to see a team that doesn't get bogged down the first time a cupcake throws a zone at them.

 

[superjohn]

I can't for the life of me figure out what word he meant in that post.

b^tch arse.

 

[mauconnfan]

Sorry but that's just a b******* post. I once stated that I would be okay with Hurley having UConn back to a perennial NCAA tournament team within two to three seasons. I think that's entirely fair given the total dysfunction that we saw the last two seasons.

I am optimistic that we can make the NCAA tournament either this year and/or next year. However I'm not going to be down on Hurley if he doesn't make it in his first season coming off of two losing seasons.

Of course you won't be. LOL Go figure.

 

[buddy]

I think it's a good post/handle, actually. I have been passive-aggressively calling people "buddy" forever.

I am an old man. I was trying to help you. The way one speaks and writes goes a long way in determining their career success. UConn taught me that.

 

[auror]

We have more talent than last year's Rhode Island team. Nuff said.

Rhode Island had 5 seniors in the rotation (4 starters), all of whom had played in Hurley's system before the year.

We've got 0 players that have played in his system, 5 that haven't played more than 5 games with anyone else on the team, and are likely to have 1 senior in the starting lineup. There's a bit of a development gap.

 

[metsfan2323]

Hurley's system

What exactly is Hurley's system?

From what I saw of Rhode Island the offense doesn't seem very complicated, it's not like the players have to learn the finer points of the triangle offense. They need to get in great shape and learn how to man up on D. I don't think were talking about a multi-year learning curve.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

Hey, anything is possible. The Red Sox won a damn World Series after dropping Bobby Valentine, even with an idiot like John Farrell in charge.

Seriously, though. There’s a difference between “how good can we be” and “how good can we do.” The two may not correlate. I want to see tougher defense, better rebounding, smarter shots and passes, and no bad losses. I think all of those things are likely. And if I see all that for this year I’ll accept the record, whatever it is. For “how good can we do,” if the line is 19 wins I’m taking the over. There’s more potential with this team than many are crediting.

 

[intlzncster]

3. For everyone saying we basically have the same team. Gilbert being back would be MASSIVE. We were 4-0 with him last year, and down only 1 at halftime to a Top 5 team. He immediately would make a huge difference.

And that's just it. There's a large amount of 'ifs' this year. If all or most of them hit, then we could be pretty damn good. But a few of those could easily derail this campaign. tbd

To piggy back on Gilbert, having a guy like Smith as that 3rd ball handler has so many positive follow on effects. He's a good step up from a guy like Anderson. Lack of quality guard depth killed us last year.

The big achilles heel is outside shooting. How guys improve, and a number will need to, determines the team's ceiling imo.

 

[intlzncster]

I'm all for the Chief caricature but when you're trying to live up to your rep in a thread that has zero connection to what you just posted and had actually generated on-topic discussion to this point,

But that is the Chief caricature...