Right off the bat. If you think Pastner is a good coach...I disagree. But maybe I am wrong. I am actually interested in what you see as the upside going forward. To others that fell like me this is not intended as a thread for argument, or putting out the negative outlook (plenty of threads on that). Thanks in advance.
Maybe he'll figure it out. Who knows? I can't see it, but a number of things have caught me by surprise in my lifetime. Maybe this'll be one more.
Maybe we'll get in a power conference that remains a power conference after we get in. I don't see it -- at least, not any time soon -- but, again, I've been wrong before, and I would love it if this were one more instance.
I don't know what's going to happen, but what choices do I have? I can either give up college basketball completely, or I can hang in with the Tigers. It's a little too late for me to enroll in some other university so I can become an alum somewhere else. That's my outlook. Maybe everything will work out well, maybe not.
My expectations are that we'll either have Pastner back as coach or have someone else in his first year as coach. Either way, the stable doesn't have many horses left in it.
Marshall and Lawson could be a heck of a one-two punch, potentially. Martin has impressed me. Woodson improved a good bit in his second year here. If he improves half as much next year, he'll be a good scoring option. We have a four-star point guard who has given us a verbal. Two of those are pretty certain to be back. Maybe the rest will. If they are and if they mesh, we could win 20 games.
Too early to say because roster is very much in flux. If everybody with eligibility returns and Charlie moore actually shows up, we could win 15-17 games. If there is mass exodus, I just don't see the players who will *want* to come into the program being better than what we're losing. In that case teams will be lining us up as their Homecoming opponent. "Hey let's kick the s*** out of the once mighty Memphis Tigers!" (Sigh)
lots of empty seats; thats my prediction
I spoke to my father yesterday who doesn't like to talk about Memphis basketball anymore. He told me this past year was the first year, the first season, in over 40 years he didn't watch even one Memphis Tigers basketball game.
Best case possible: 22 wins and a double digit seed in the tourney
Realistic: 18 wins and no post season
Dumpster fire: 14 wins and Pastner retained for another year
Pain.
As usual, I expect everything and nothing.
Depends tremendously on Dedric. And to a lesser degree Woodson. Bring those two back, have no surprise player losses...note something like 800 kids transfer now...and team could be pretty good. Team was pretty good this last season but had three inexplicable and really inexcusable losses. As has been mentioned, by me as well, the cumulative effect of that, should it had resulted in a coaching change, was all right by me.
It did not...so, looking to basketball, suspect the above team will button up those issues and improved both on the court and in the record book...quite a bit.
Player losses aren't excusable.
(03-20-2016 01:31 PM)Mimi Wrote: [ -> ]Depends tremendously on Dedric. And to a lesser degree Woodson. Bring those two back, have no surprise player losses...note something like 800 kids transfer now...and team could be pretty good. Team was pretty good this last season but had three inexplicable and really inexcusable losses. As has been mentioned, by me as well, the cumulative effect of that, should it had resulted in a coaching change, was all right by me.
It did not...so, looking to basketball, suspect the above team will button up those issues and improved both on the court and in the record book...quite a bit.
Marshall combined with a grad transfer would have to approximate Shaq's numbers, and Moore/Martin would have to be equal to Tarrant/Martin. Not to mention replacing Burrell. Even with substantial improvements to the lawsons', crawford and woodson's games, it will be a struggle to match this year's 19 wins IMO. Only hope is that JP can work his magic and get at least two very good grad transfers, which to his credit he's historically done well with.
(03-20-2016 01:48 PM)HoopDreams Wrote: [ -> ]Player losses aren't excusable.
Especially if the ones transferring out are > the ones that come in.
Our center won't be as good as Shaq, there isn't one out there that is that's a senior and will transfer
We won't have anyone like Burrell
And our pg situation will not have Ricky Tarrant in it
So, in what world could we actually be pretty good?
(03-20-2016 02:59 PM)Dylan Wrote: [ -> ]Our center won't be as good as Shaq, there isn't one out there that is that's a senior and will transfer
We won't have anyone like Burrell
And our pg situation will not have Ricky Tarrant in it
So, in what world could we actually be pretty good?
With a real coach.
(03-20-2016 02:28 PM)TigerTodd72 Wrote: [ -> ] (03-20-2016 01:31 PM)Mimi Wrote: [ -> ]Depends tremendously on Dedric. And to a lesser degree Woodson. Bring those two back, have no surprise player losses...note something like 800 kids transfer now...and team could be pretty good. Team was pretty good this last season but had three inexplicable and really inexcusable losses. As has been mentioned, by me as well, the cumulative effect of that, should it had resulted in a coaching change, was all right by me.
It did not...so, looking to basketball, suspect the above team will button up those issues and improved both on the court and in the record book...quite a bit.
Marshall combined with a grad transfer would have to approximate Shaq's numbers, and Moore/Martin would have to be equal to Tarrant/Martin. Not to mention replacing Burrell. Even with substantial improvements to the lawsons', crawford and woodson's games, it will be a struggle to match this year's 19 wins IMO. Only hope is that JP can work his magic and get at least two very good grad transfers, which to his credit he's historically done well with.
I admit, I have mixed feelings about how things may go next year. If Lawson is gone and Woodson is gone (I don't expect to see him back) with the normal attrition, that makes for a roster with very little experience in regard to consistent playing time. Even if grad transfers come in, they'll need time to find some chemistry. If CJP can pull it together, maybe ...
I'll also admit I believe CJP is in over his head in regard to coaching at this level. However, I do believe he has improved as a coach every year and I expect he'll continue to improve. Looking at the current and incoming roster, I don't feel optimistic about how things may end up next year.
(03-20-2016 01:11 PM)tigerjamesc Wrote: [ -> ]Best case possible: 22 wins and a double digit seed in the tourney
Realistic: 18 wins and no post season
Dumpster fire: 14 wins and Pastner retained for another year
Under what scenario do we have a better year next year than this year? I can't see it for the life of me
(03-20-2016 02:59 PM)Dylan Wrote: [ -> ]Our center won't be as good as Shaq, there isn't one out there that is that's a senior and will transfer
We won't have anyone like Burrell
And our pg situation will not have Ricky Tarrant in it
So, in what world could we actually be pretty good?
We do lose much talent with Shaq and Burrell. But their leadertship and chemistry problems that they created will not be missed. Lawson can step up and fill some of that role. We badly need someone that has a real will to win.
(03-20-2016 04:07 PM)jgardne Wrote: [ -> ] (03-20-2016 01:11 PM)tigerjamesc Wrote: [ -> ]Best case possible: 22 wins and a double digit seed in the tourney
Realistic: 18 wins and no post season
Dumpster fire: 14 wins and Pastner retained for another year
Under what scenario do we have a better year next year than this year? I can't see it for the life of me
I would agree. Just not seeing it. I'd be more hopeful if we had a hefty recruiting class coming in, but with our senior losses, possible transfers, and (at this point) only one significant recruit coming in, we just don't have the horses unless a few grad transfers come in and save the day. And even then JP is going to have to show significant prowess as a strategist, which is probably his biggest weakness.
I am predicting the worst season in Memphis tiger basketball history.
(03-20-2016 05:07 PM)TigerTodd72 Wrote: [ -> ] (03-20-2016 04:07 PM)jgardne Wrote: [ -> ] (03-20-2016 01:11 PM)tigerjamesc Wrote: [ -> ]Best case possible: 22 wins and a double digit seed in the tourney
Realistic: 18 wins and no post season
Dumpster fire: 14 wins and Pastner retained for another year
Under what scenario do we have a better year next year than this year? I can't see it for the life of me
I would agree. Just not seeing it. I'd be more hopeful if we had a hefty recruiting class coming in, but with our senior losses, possible transfers, and (at this point) only one significant recruit coming in, we just don't have the horses unless a few grad transfers come in and save the day. And even then JP is going to have to show significant prowess as a strategist, which is probably his biggest weakness.
How do grad transfers save the day? A grad transfer should be used to fill a need on an already established team that exists due to an injury, transfer, or recruiting miss. Maybe a player to get your existing roster 'over the hump'.
If we are down to grabbing 2-3 grad transfers every year that will then be gone the next year what does that build? It means one year rental players are stifling the development of your freshmen and sophomores.
Even JUCO players should be limited due to the same effects. JUCOs that come in generally take a year to adjust and then you get one really good season out of them.
Josh is weak in just about every conceivable coaching measurable.
He shouldn't have been here this year much less next year.
What a mess.
I don't know but I'm not dropping my tickets. Everyone else can make their own decisions but, since so many people have written or said they are, I just thought I'd write that I am not.