Lady Vols can be great?

[CocoHusky]

Now that the Lady Vols moniker applies to all women's team at TN and we are talking about "greatness" this thread is obviously about the TN women's soccer team which is currently ranked 11th nationally.
No issues with wishing these Lady Vols well in the upcoming game against Florida. Those are some gaudy socks though.
Anyone else with me?

 

[Bayareahusky]

A couple of thoughts..... First, the LVs seem to be depending a lot on the success of the recruiting class coming in.... and while i understand why they are excited about this group, we all know that freshmen typically do not jump into the heat of battle and immediately produce.....

And of course Holly.... a dog doesn't learn new tricks after 35 years. For Tennessee's sake, you would think that she would acknowledge that the game has changed from a generation ago.... it is not just defense rebounding and hustle.... offenses in particular have become more sophisticated..... and this is a part of the game she has never emphasized in her time as HC

 

[Alydar]

• Anyone who has been following the LV's over the last 4 or 5 years knows that unlike Geno, Warlick has had nothing but praise for her team in the summer and during preseason practices. So I ignore anything she has to say during this time of the season.
• During the last 2 preseasons the presence of DeShields on the team was the number 1 reason given by Tennessee for having hopes of a final four. Suddenly it's her absence that will make them better? If anyone who posted on an LV site in the last 3 years suggesting that DD wasn't the best team mate in the world got tarred and feathered. Now on those same boards her departure is being compared to the successful removal of a tumor.
• In '14, '15 & '16 the LV's were ranked 4th in the AP preseason polls. That's a prediction for being a final four team. After being fooled 3 times the AP ranked the LV's 13th last season. They got 413 votes so some of the writers still thought Parker was still on the team. But going into postseason they were unranked, getting 3 votes (Did Sally Jenkins or Sue Favor have a vote?) and lost in the second round. Despite losing 3 starters from that team and also losing their projected starting pg, they will once again be a top 20 team in the initial preseason poll based solely on the name on their jerseys. Looking at their November schedule they could easily be 9-0 since all the games will be at home. The only teams that don't suck are Marquette & perhaps S Dakota but they should win all 9. That means that by the time they play Texas they could easily be ranked somewhere between 10th and 14th because several of the teams ahead of them will lose games to really good teams and drop. And once a team with a name like Tenn gets that high in the polls they can lose a lot of games and still only fall very slowly.
• The trial by fire they face is a 2 week stretch in January when they play @TAMU, @SC, @ND and home vs Miss St. Those games come right about the time that freshmen "hit the wall".

In a more positive vein, I remember that UNC made it to the NCAA's as a 3 seed with a team that started 3 or 4 freshmen, (one of whom has since been verified to be a detriment to team chemistry) and without a head coach and who still made it to the E8.

So who knows.

 

[stwainfan]

The games start real soon. So we will see how the team looks.

 

[nwhoopfan]

During the last 2 preseasons the presence of DeShields on the team was the number 1 reason given by Tennessee for having hopes of a final four. Suddenly it's her absence that will make them better? If anyone who posted on an LV site in the last 3 years suggesting that DD wasn't the best team mate in the world got tarred and feathered. Now on those same boards her departure is being compared to the successful removal of a tumor.

Exactly. She had a mercurial descent from savior to goat.

This does sound like the same kind of optimism and high hopes that come out of Knoxville every year. I don't expect anything different from the team this season.

 

[mbr33ct]

Quick, name the sports team in this state with the best chance of winning a major championship this season. And no, a “Champions of Life” joke will not be accepted.
The first instinct is to say the Nashville Predators

Always go with your first instict.

But that conference is the best in college basketball.

The PAC-12 would like a word with you.

UConn actually is mortal (for now)

Nobody told him about Stevens or the incoming recruits, did they?

There’s no telling for sure what freshmen will be until they actually play in games, but there’s plenty of YouTube evidence that these four are for real.

I don't have a quip for this - I just want to point out how stupid it is to reference YouTube highlights as "evidence" of anything.

Warlick said Hayes is quicker than she realized, Kushkituah is more physical and Westbrook is a better passer.

Welcome to Lake Wobegon University where all the players are above average.

When one uses YouTube for evidence, we're indeed done for...

 

[mbr33ct]

The games start real soon. So we will see how the team looks.

I feel pretty good to how the team will look like....something like this?

 

[Bestiarius]

When one uses YouTube for evidence, we're indeed done for...talk about "fake news"!

I've seen the 4 freshmen on YouTube, and based on that, I predict they will all shoot 100% for the season. I'd also like to see an unedited video of Holly. Wonder what was deleted in the cut and splice of the presser?

 

[HoopsFan21]

The Vols could get back to prominence if they cut the boat anchor around their neck loose. If Coach Warlick retires and they bring in a good young coach, like a Jim Jabir type from a mid-major, they would quickly get back to the Coach Summitt heyday and then some. The SEC would have huge Tennessee-South Carolina showdowns every year on the level of the UConn-ND ones we saw at the tail end of the Big East.

 

[stwainfan]

For this year my biggest concerns are health and guard depth.

 

[cbraarj]

I’m not buying that. As a Texas fan I’m glad that she’s not on the team anymore because Texas doesn’t have anyone that can consistently guard her this year. I’m really glad that Texas will be guarding Westbrook instead of Diamond this year. IMO the chemistry issue and the let’s blame Diamond for everything talk is just a crutch and an excuse used to try and justify the fact that Tennessee lost two of their best and most experienced players.

You are right it wasnt just Diamonds fault. As coach Holly should have put her in her place freshmen year and not just her but her family also! Make her run sprints, make her watch on the sideline, throw her out of practice, sit her out of games in street clothes or my favorite option, have her stand next to you while her teammates are doing suicides until you get tired! After a few of the last option the team will police themselves! I hope Tennessee wins the Sec regular season and tournament title! Gets a No.1 seed and plays Uconn in the final! Of course with Uconn beating them for a 5th NC! Sorry Lady Vols Fans but that is the way it is supposed to end! Holly has chance to prove herself this year. Last thing, Holdsclaw is the best player tennessee ever had! Dont compare until the end of career because will not win 3 NCs in a row again!

 

[cbraarj]

The games start real soon. So we will see how the team looks.

WCBB will benefit greatly if the Lady Vols produce some of their past glory!

 

[nwhoopfan]

Holly would have had a difficult time doing any of those things during Diamond's freshman year, because DD was in Chapel Hill playing for North Carolina.

 

[donalddoowop]

You are right it wasnt just Diamonds fault. As coach Holly should have put her in her place freshmen year and not just her but her family also! Make her run sprints, make her watch on the sideline, throw her out of practice, sit her out of games in street clothes or my favorite option, have her stand next to you while her teammates are doing suicides until you get tired! After a few of the last option the team will police themselves! I hope Tennessee wins the Sec regular season and tournament title! Gets a No.1 seed and plays Uconn in the final! Of course with Uconn beating them for a 5th NC! Sorry Lady Vols Fans but that is the way it is supposed to end! Holly has chance to prove herself this year. Last thing, Holdsclaw is the best player tennessee ever had! Dont compare until the end of career because will not win 3 NCs in a row again!

If Uconn beats UT in the NC game it will be a 12th NC, not a 5th.

 

[Rixxx]

And while Diamond's name keeps coming up, she is off to a good start in Turkey. She is averaging +20 points in two games. Might be making a case for a top 5? in the 2018 WNBA draft. Just sayin.....

 

[pinotbear]

The dislike for the LVs program is high on this board by some posters and I understand why. However, I will again state UT isn't LA Tech or ODU...yet.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Last thing, Holdsclaw is the best player tennessee ever had! Dont compare until the end of career because will not win 3 NCs in a row again!

I agree with that. Pretty unfair to throw that kind of comparison on a freshman. Catchings was pretty darn good too. Maybe just let the new players be themselves and not hold them to almost impossible to live up to standards.

 

[cbraarj]

If Uconn beats UT in the NC game it will be a 12th NC, not a 5th.

5th time beating Tennessee!!!

 

[Bestiarius]

The Vols could get back to prominence if they cut the boat anchor around their neck loose. If Coach Warlick retires and they bring in a good young coach, like a Jim Jabir type from a mid-major, they would quickly get back to the Coach Summitt heyday and then some. The SEC would have huge Tennessee-South Carolina showdowns every year on the level of the UConn-ND ones we saw at the tail end of the Big East.

Back in Summitt's heyday, Tennessee had first pick of the best recruits in the land. There weren't that many great players back then. After Pat finished recruiting, there were few good players left for the other teams. Rebecca Lobo going to Connecticut broke through Tennessee's recruit domination.

More recently, there are too many excellent players for any one, two, or more teams to corner the market. In today's game, coaching is more critical than ever in producing wins. Geno might have an advantage now because of his record of success, but Tennessee with a new coach will never again reach the past pinnacle of success. Just isn't the same playing field. Such high expectations by Lady Vol fans are doomed to engender disappointment.

 

[stwainfan]

About the comment about Holdsclaw. I don't the it was made saying that Davis will put up the same numbers. That's hard to do 4x AA, 3.000 plus points, 3x NCAA Champion. I think it was more some similarities in the game between Davis and Holdsclaw.