I'm watching the Armed Forces Classic tonight.

Indiana and Kansas are going at it. Other schools started their season tonight as well.

I like that the networks publicized the start of the season a little better this year. College ball is a good product, but it needs the right promotion to get the attention it deserves. It's been so haphazardly structured in the past that I think that limits its potential.

BTW, Bama signed the #2 class in the country this week. I'm a little excited about that.

If Avery Johnson can do that sort of thing on even a semi-regular basis then we might have something special.

I can't believe someone representing a non-Kentucky member of our conference started this thread but I am happy about it

I am excited for Alabama's class too, as someone who continually roots for the improvement and betterment of our conference as a whole. Petty is a really, really good player, and UK was hot after him, it was a great get for Bama. I really like Avery Johnson as a coach too.

Yeah, I'm pumped about Auburn's future as well.

The SEC looks to be moving forward in basketball. A lot of talent coming into the conference and some great coaching hires over the last few years.

(11-12-2016 09:37 PM)Blue Dynasty Wrote:  I can't believe someone representing a non-Kentucky member of our conference started this thread but I am happy about it

I am excited for Alabama's class too, as someone who continually roots for the improvement and betterment of our conference as a whole. Petty is a really, really good player, and UK was hot after him, it was a great get for Bama. I really like Avery Johnson as a coach too.

Wonders never cease...lol

I'm truly stunned we got Petty with Kentucky going after him, but I'm sure that sort of thing isn't going to happen with regularity. Avery Johnson has brought such a great deal of enthusiasm and energy to the program. If he can brings wins with it then we'll have something worth writing home about for the first time in a long time.

There is no excuse for the SEC to be as bad as it is in basketball. On a side note, I've gotten turned off by these Armed Forces games. Military triumphalism just rubs me the wrong way.

I feel like the SEC has been better the last two years but we just don't get the love from the committee.

South Carolina has a lot of young guys but is more talented than it's been. Excited to see how things go.

(11-14-2016 11:56 AM)Gamecock Wrote:  I feel like the SEC has been better the last two years but we just don't get the love from the committee.

South Carolina has a lot of young guys but is more talented than it's been. Excited to see how things go.

I do agree the league made some strides last year. I think this year will be even better.

Frank Martin is a huge asset to this league, it's just taken him some time to alter the culture and get some talent in there. Johnson, Barnes, and Howland have really added to the depth of the league. It may take a couple more years, but this could be one of the better leagues soon.

(11-14-2016 01:31 PM)AllTideUp Wrote:  

(11-14-2016 11:56 AM)Gamecock Wrote:  I feel like the SEC has been better the last two years but we just don't get the love from the committee.

South Carolina has a lot of young guys but is more talented than it's been. Excited to see how things go.

I do agree the league made some strides last year. I think this year will be even better.

Frank Martin is a huge asset to this league, it's just taken him some time to alter the culture and get some talent in there. Johnson, Barnes, and Howland have really added to the depth of the league. It may take a couple more years, but this could be one of the better leagues soon.

Frank's teams play hard. The difficulty is and has been getting some top tier guys in. He's had a few (Sindarius Thornwell, PJ Dozier, Chris Silva) but we've had some tough luck with guys leaving the state.

The current group of big men is really exciting though, I can't wait to see how those guys grow over the next few years.

I think South Carolina and Auburn will both be better than expected, relative to their preseason conference rankings, based upon what I've seen of the teams, and the high amount of respect I have for the coaching abilities of Frank Martin and Bruce Pearl.

Not feeling LSU as much as some people are, but I've never been a Jonny Jones fan as coach.

Coaching is so important, and our league is definitely on the rise, with Martin, Pearl, Johnson, Howland, Barnes, all excellent additions as coaches to the league, and I feel both Kennedys, Andy and Billy, are among the most underrated coaches in the country. It's still early on White at Florida, but I think he's had a very solid first season-plus on the job. I think Mark Fox is a good coach too, and Mike Anderson, while perhaps hasn't done as well as expected so far, certainly has proven himself to be a worthy coach in years past.

We'll see more as the year goes on, but I think Bryce Drew was a really good hire by Vandy, I was pleasantly surprised they got him. Missouri has a ways to go, but they have shown more dedication to basketball than many schools, so I feel they could bounce back anytime.

I think we are on the way up in basketball, it's been a long time coming.

(11-14-2016 07:00 PM)Blue Dynasty Wrote:  I think South Carolina and Auburn will both be better than expected, relative to their preseason conference rankings, based upon what I've seen of the teams, and the high amount of respect I have for the coaching abilities of Frank Martin and Bruce Pearl.

Not feeling LSU as much as some people are, but I've never been a Jonny Jones fan as coach.

Coaching is so important, and our league is definitely on the rise, with Martin, Pearl, Johnson, Howland, Barnes, all excellent additions as coaches to the league, and I feel both Kennedys, Andy and Billy, are among the most underrated coaches in the country. It's still early on White at Florida, but I think he's had a very solid first season-plus on the job. I think Mark Fox is a good coach too, and Mike Anderson, while perhaps hasn't done as well as expected so far, certainly has proven himself to be a worthy coach in years past.

We'll see more as the year goes on, but I think Bryce Drew was a really good hire by Vandy, I was pleasantly surprised they got him. Missouri has a ways to go, but they have shown more dedication to basketball than many schools, so I feel they could bounce back anytime.

I think we are on the way up in basketball, it's been a long time coming.

This year I expect to see development and improvement. Next season with more depth and 6'11 Wiley in the middle I expect to make a huge move. Bruce Pearl will have so much depth and talent next season it's insane and the season after will be even better. We've just been so bad, that it's been a slow crawl to get better.

2016-2017: Improve, develop talent make the NIT would be good.
2017-2018- Sweet 16 type team. Yes, I think with Wiley and what we return we'll be good enough. Making the Sweet 16 is a different story but sweet 16 type talent we'll definitely have.
2018-2019- Auburn should be on the map to challenge for the SEC and possibly a deeper run in the NCAA Tournament.

Future- Depends on if Pearl stays, if so I expect him to keep it rolling with good seasons. We're still in my opinion, 2 more full seasons of development and recruiting to really put our name into the competing for the SEC talk. Kentucky for the most part is always really good. Even when they lose 10 games they make the National Championship game lol. Since Cal has been there Kentucky has missed the NCAA's 1 time and that was when Noel was injured and out.

Not to mention Texas A&M, Alabama with Avery Johnson, Florida, Arkansas and so on. This conference is better than we get credit for.

From an outsiders perspective I think that the SEC is definitely improving. It is without a doubt trending up. It seems that the conference has refocused on basketball & have made some good coaching hires. This has enhanced recruiting in the SEC. Kentucky won't have an easy walk to the SEC championship anymore. There's some good basketball tradition in the SEC beyond the Cats.

(11-15-2016 07:55 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  From an outsiders perspective I think that the SEC is definitely improving. It is without a doubt trending up. It seems that the conference has refocused on basketball & have made some good coaching hires. This has enhanced recruiting in the SEC. Kentucky won't have an easy walk to the SEC championship anymore. There's some good basketball tradition in the SEC beyond the Cats.

Yeah for sure, we're not the ACC or anything but I believe season after season we could rotate around with some of the other conferences for #2-3-4 once we get rolling just pending the season.

(11-14-2016 11:56 AM)Gamecock Wrote:  I feel like the SEC has been better the last two years but we just don't get the love from the committee.

SEC teams crashed out early the past 2-3 NCAA tournaments. Besides U.K., we need to prove ourselves