Tubby made the below statements in a 4/26/17 press conference and I seek Tiger fans input on it:

A. "I know we’ll be a very good team.”
B. " we’ll be one of the most competitive teams” in the AAC.
Source

What do the above statements mean to you (e.g., NCAA Tourney bid and wins, NIT appearance, finishing 5th in the AAC, etc)?

Coach speak.

I assume he means a top 4 team in the AAC. Competitive with SMU, Cincy, and Wichita State. That's our expectations of competitive. We won 19 games this year and I doubt many Tiger fans wouldve called us competitive this year.....especially to end the season.

At this moment, coach talk. No one can have any expectation of a top 4 team in the AAC next year at this moment. There are too many new guys who haven't played together or at this level before. Perhaps they can gel together and a few of the jucos are stars....but you can't honestly assume that to happen yet.

If Tubby equals last year's win total and the team actually finishes the year better than it started, that will be considered successful and we can reasonably expect the same nucleus and a couple of recruits to allow us to challenge for a spot in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.

Looking at Tubby historically, it wouldn't surprise me that much if we end up better than last year's team. It also wouldn't surprise me that much if we only win 10 games.

those comments make me happy

(04-27-2017 08:35 AM)k2tigers Wrote:  those comments make me happy

Extremely happy

(04-27-2017 07:36 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote:  I assume he means a top 4 team in the AAC. Competitive with SMU, Cincy, and Wichita State. That's our expectations of competitive. We won 19 games this year and I doubt many Tiger fans wouldve called us competitive this year.....especially to end the season.

At this moment, coach talk. No one can have any expectation of a top 4 team in the AAC next year at this moment. There are too many new guys who haven't played together or at this level before. Perhaps they can gel together and a few of the jucos are stars....but you can't honestly assume that to happen yet.

Absolutely!

He also was asked how difficult it would be with so many new guys. His reply was something like - in some ways, it will be easier. That is very telling.

I think the good team and competitive talk was that he realized he gaffed with the "flavor of expectation" comment last month. So he was not going to make that mistake again, even though the questioner was leading him down that path. I think that obviously means that he feels we can be in every conference game we play. We will not concede anything and should compete for a top-4 spot in the AAC which would put us on the bubble.

Now reality is, he has to say that. If we're in the hunt for an NIT spot going into the AAC tourney, and have had no 30-40 point blowouts - then that's probably realistic competitive. I still want NIT next year.

(04-27-2017 07:36 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote:  We won 19 games this year and I doubt many Tiger fans wouldve called us competitive this year.....especially to end the season.

I disagree, to an extent. We were competitive for the majority of the season. We lost a couple of headscratchers, but won a few more that we probably shouldn't have. We played SMU in a good game here. We were competitive.

Then came the Florida road trip. We were not competitive at UCF and many of us immediately recognized something was wrong. We went 2-7. Even during that stretch, though, we were competitive sometime - close loss at UConn, tight game with Houston here, revenge win with Tulsa. But then there were the 2 blowouts. Not competitive.

It was a complex, confusing season.

(04-27-2017 08:50 AM)Tiger87 Wrote:  He also was asked how difficult it would be with so many new guys. His reply was something like - in some ways, it will be easier. That is very telling.

I think the good team and competitive talk was that he realized he gaffed with the "flavor of expectation" comment last month. So he was not going to make that mistake again, even though the questioner was leading him down that path. I think that obviously means that he feels we can be in every conference game we play. We will not concede anything and should compete for a top-4 spot in the AAC which would put us on the bubble.

Now reality is, he has to say that. If we're in the hunt for an NIT spot going into the AAC tourney, and have had no 30-40 point blowouts - then that's probably realistic competitive. I still want NIT next year.

Quote:He also was asked how difficult it would be with so many new guys. His reply was something like - in some ways, it will be easier. That is very telling.

It was indeed. Seems Tubby is not above being petty. He basically gave local players the middle finger.

Quote:I think the good team and competitive talk was that he realized he gaffed with the "flavor of expectation" comment last month. So he was not going to make that mistake again, even though the questioner was leading him down that path. I think that obviously means that he feels we can be in every conference game we play. We will not concede anything and should compete for a top-4 spot in the AAC which would put us on the bubble.

Your paranoia with the press is crazy. That is not a leading question in the least. Matter of fact, a reporter should be fired if they are not willing to ask that question.

Quote:Now reality is, he has to say that. If we're in the hunt for an NIT spot going into the AAC tourney, and have had no 30-40 point blowouts - then that's probably realistic competitive. I still want NIT next year.

Exactly. He knows they are going to struggle to compete for the postseason next year (or he is actually as stubborn as he comes across) but what is he going to say? As mentioned earlier --- coach speak.

(04-27-2017 08:01 AM)Stammers Wrote:  If Tubby equals last year's win total and the team actually finishes the year better than it started, that will be considered successful and we can reasonably expect the same nucleus and a couple of recruits to allow us to challenge for a spot in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.

Looking at Tubby historically, it wouldn't surprise me that much if we end up better than last year's team. It also wouldn't surprise me that much if we only win 10 games.

If we win 10 games someone fell on their face on the talent evaluation front...

But if we win 20 games next year Tubby deserves to be in consideration for Coach of the year.

(04-27-2017 09:01 AM)Tiger87 Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 07:36 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote:  We won 19 games this year and I doubt many Tiger fans wouldve called us competitive this year.....especially to end the season.

I disagree, to an extent. We were competitive for the majority of the season. We lost a couple of headscratchers, but won a few more that we probably shouldn't have. We played SMU in a good game here. We were competitive.

Then came the Florida road trip. We were not competitive at UCF and many of us immediately recognized something was wrong. We went 2-7. Even during that stretch, though, we were competitive sometime - close loss at UConn, tight game with Houston here, revenge win with Tulsa. But then there were the 2 blowouts. Not competitive.

It was a complex, confusing season.

I keep hearing about the Florida trip. Is that when Keelon was left behind at the hotel?

coach speak, shut up and show me Tubby

(04-27-2017 07:36 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote:  I assume he means a top 4 team in the AAC. Competitive with SMU, Cincy, and Wichita State. That's our expectations of competitive. We won 19 games this year and I doubt many Tiger fans wouldve called us competitive this year.....especially to end the season.

At this moment, coach talk. No one can have any expectation of a top 4 team in the AAC next year at this moment. There are too many new guys who haven't played together or at this level before. Perhaps they can gel together and a few of the jucos are stars....but you can't honestly assume that to happen yet.

The truth is that the Coach is basing these statements on his evaluation of the players that are coming in to play here as well as the players he has remaining. He has seen them play. He has the experience to be able to evaluate the talent and put together a team he likes. I do trust his judgement more than that of internet posters who have not seen the players yet. I don't think that is merely coach talk.

(04-27-2017 09:44 AM)SouthernBlue Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 07:36 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote:  I assume he means a top 4 team in the AAC. Competitive with SMU, Cincy, and Wichita State. That's our expectations of competitive. We won 19 games this year and I doubt many Tiger fans wouldve called us competitive this year.....especially to end the season.

At this moment, coach talk. No one can have any expectation of a top 4 team in the AAC next year at this moment. There are too many new guys who haven't played together or at this level before. Perhaps they can gel together and a few of the jucos are stars....but you can't honestly assume that to happen yet.

The truth is that the Coach is basing these statements on his evaluation of the players that are coming in to play here as well as the players he has remaining. He has seen them play. He has the experience to be able to evaluate the talent and put together a team he likes. I do trust his judgement more than that of internet posters who have not seen the players yet. I don't think that is merely coach talk.

That's cool. You can trust him. He also told us last year that we'd be a postseason team and compete for conference titles in season 1. Ill believe it when I see it now and will will be happily surprised if it does.

(04-27-2017 09:30 AM)FUT Wrote:  I keep hearing about the Florida trip. Is that when Keelon was left behind at the hotel?

I could very well be wrong, but I thought that was at Temple in January.

(04-27-2017 09:44 AM)SouthernBlue Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 07:36 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote:  I assume he means a top 4 team in the AAC. Competitive with SMU, Cincy, and Wichita State. That's our expectations of competitive. We won 19 games this year and I doubt many Tiger fans wouldve called us competitive this year.....especially to end the season.

At this moment, coach talk. No one can have any expectation of a top 4 team in the AAC next year at this moment. There are too many new guys who haven't played together or at this level before. Perhaps they can gel together and a few of the jucos are stars....but you can't honestly assume that to happen yet.

The truth is that the Coach is basing these statements on his evaluation of the players that are coming in to play here as well as the players he has remaining. He has seen them play. He has the experience to be able to evaluate the talent and put together a team he likes. I do trust his judgement more than that of internet posters who have not seen the players yet. I don't think that is merely coach talk.

I think it's a bit of both. Coaches always offer "coach speak" to some degree. But your other points are very valid. I think with the troubles of last season being gone, Tubby feels more comfortable and feels confident with the group he'll have.

(04-27-2017 10:15 AM)Hoots Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 09:30 AM)FUT Wrote:  I keep hearing about the Florida trip. Is that when Keelon was left behind at the hotel?

I could very well be wrong, but I thought that was at Temple in January.

Yes, pretty certain that was Temple.
Never heard what actually happened on the Florida trip, but something went down.

(04-27-2017 09:05 AM)FUT Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 08:50 AM)Tiger87 Wrote:  He also was asked how difficult it would be with so many new guys. His reply was something like - in some ways, it will be easier. That is very telling.

I think the good team and competitive talk was that he realized he gaffed with the "flavor of expectation" comment last month. So he was not going to make that mistake again, even though the questioner was leading him down that path. I think that obviously means that he feels we can be in every conference game we play. We will not concede anything and should compete for a top-4 spot in the AAC which would put us on the bubble.

Now reality is, he has to say that. If we're in the hunt for an NIT spot going into the AAC tourney, and have had no 30-40 point blowouts - then that's probably realistic competitive. I still want NIT next year.

Quote:He also was asked how difficult it would be with so many new guys. His reply was something like - in some ways, it will be easier. That is very telling.

It was indeed. Seems Tubby is not above being petty. He basically gave local players the middle finger.

Quote:I think the good team and competitive talk was that he realized he gaffed with the "flavor of expectation" comment last month. So he was not going to make that mistake again, even though the questioner was leading him down that path. I think that obviously means that he feels we can be in every conference game we play. We will not concede anything and should compete for a top-4 spot in the AAC which would put us on the bubble.

Your paranoia with the press is crazy. That is not a leading question in the least. Matter of fact, a reporter should be fired if they are not willing to ask that question.

Quote:Now reality is, he has to say that. If we're in the hunt for an NIT spot going into the AAC tourney, and have had no 30-40 point blowouts - then that's probably realistic competitive. I still want NIT next year.

Exactly. He knows they are going to struggle to compete for the postseason next year (or he is actually as stubborn as he comes across) but what is he going to say? As mentioned earlier --- coach speak.

Quote:

Quote:He also was asked how difficult it would be with so many new guys. His reply was something like - in some ways, it will be easier. That is very telling.

It was indeed. Seems Tubby is not above being petty. He basically gave local players the middle finger.

Couldn't be farther from the Truth. Tubby talked for 8 minutes on how the team over achieved last year and how it was because how well the local kids performed.
It doesn't a genius to understand he's talking about the depth of the team, and better distribution of positions.

We had 6 DI players who all basically played the similar positions. In some ways, it's going to be easier because we have guys who are actually want to play the 4-5.

(04-27-2017 09:38 AM)fsquid Wrote:  coach speak, shut up and show me Tubby

Actual transcript of the press conference.
press conference transcript