Don't see Temple being that high. I like the Hurley hire. Hurley is an experienced and successful coach. I think UCONN has more upside. I see them making the tourney this year.
RE: espn article on the up-coming aac basketball season + power rankings!
Memphis is going to be much better than 8th this year. The writers are ignorant of the talent and makeup of the team that Penny has assembled. The team finished last year strong, advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament. All of the key pieces return. In addition he added shooters, defenders and shored up the inside presence. The current team is very well put together.
Irrespective of whether Penny can coach, talent and confirmation of the team will mean a top 4 finish, and perhaps much, much better.
(This post was last modified: 08-19-2018 05:51 AM by SouthernBlue.)
Don't see Temple being that high. I like the Hurley hire. Hurley is an experienced and successful coach. I think UCONN has more upside. I see them making the tourney this year.
I agree about UConn. My impression - honed from decades of watching and thinking about college basketball - tells me they will be a pleasant surprise for their fans.
(This post was last modified: 08-19-2018 07:57 AM by Tiger1983.)
RE: espn article on the up-coming aac basketball season + power rankings!
I think we will be better than 8th. We finished 5th last year, and return most of our team, plus 7 new recruits, including 4 Top 150 4-stars. Of course, UCF and SMU had major injuries, so we'll see how much better we can be. But it's not 8th.
Beyond that, I have no expectations for the upcoming season. Just too many unknowns.
RE: espn article on the up-coming aac basketball season + power rankings!
(08-19-2018 05:50 AM)SouthernBlue Wrote: Memphis is going to be much better than 8th this year. The writers are ignorant of the talent and makeup of the team that Penny has assembled. The team finished last year strong, advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament. All of the key pieces return. In addition he added shooters, defenders and shored up the inside presence. The current team is very well put together.
Irrespective of whether Penny can coach, talent and confirmation of the team will mean a top 4 finish, and perhaps much, much better.
I strive to maintain objectivity, although I am pumped just like any other fervent Tiger fan. When objective pundits consistently place Memphis in the lower rankings, it causes me pause.
It is early, but only two of the seven media members pick Memphis to finish better than last season. What are they seeing? Are the issues legitiment? To date, the concerns appear to revolve around the competency of the Tiger coaching staff. If so, I think the concerns are exaggerated, but we will see.
Don't see Temple being that high. I like the Hurley hire. Hurley is an experienced and successful coach. I think UCONN has more upside. I see them making the tourney this year.
Agree 100%. Also believe Memphis and Tulsa will be stronger than projected. We could have a 7 way tie for second place.
RE: espn article on the up-coming aac basketball season + power rankings!
(08-19-2018 05:50 AM)SouthernBlue Wrote: Memphis is going to be much better than 8th this year. The writers are ignorant of the talent and makeup of the team that Penny has assembled. The team finished last year strong, advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament. All of the key pieces return. In addition he added shooters, defenders and shored up the inside presence. The current team is very well put together.
Irrespective of whether Penny can coach, talent and confirmation of the team will mean a top 4 finish, and perhaps much, much better.
Actually coaching is a huge part of the equation, and one Memphis fans just can't seem to get a handle on.
Think of all the great teams out there and name one with a bad coach. You can't. Because coaching IS the most important element out there. Period. A bunch of talent assembled means nothing if they don't know what they're doing. I thought that was pretty obvious. Especially when that talent is comprised of a lot of 18 and 19 year olds.
So yes, coaching DOES matter. Penny may miraculously be a top tier Division I coach. But nobody knows that. And that's why the assumption is being made that Memphis doesn't have a proven coach and are picked accordingly.
Top 4 finish and potentially MUCH MUCH MUCH better? I think that's some decent koolaid in your cup but probably one shared by most of the Memphis fanbase.
RE: espn article on the up-coming aac basketball season + power rankings!
(08-19-2018 11:11 AM)ShockerFever Wrote: Top 4 finish and potentially MUCH MUCH MUCH better? I think that's some decent koolaid in your cup but probably one shared by most of the Memphis fanbase.
Nah, I think most of us are really just excited to finally see some fast-paced, high flying, entertaining basketball for the first time in many years. I certainly think we have enough incoming/returning talent and experience to finish in the top half of the league, but highly doubt anyone realistically (bravado aside) expects to challenge for a league title. That's still a year away, depending on what Wiseman ultimately decides.
Penny's ability at this level is anyone's guess, but I feel much more secure handing him the keys to the kingdom at this point in his career than I did Josh Pastner.
RE: espn article on the up-coming aac basketball season + power rankings!
(08-19-2018 11:11 AM)ShockerFever Wrote:
(08-19-2018 05:50 AM)SouthernBlue Wrote: Memphis is going to be much better than 8th this year. The writers are ignorant of the talent and makeup of the team that Penny has assembled. The team finished last year strong, advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament. All of the key pieces return. In addition he added shooters, defenders and shored up the inside presence. The current team is very well put together.
Irrespective of whether Penny can coach, talent and confirmation of the team will mean a top 4 finish, and perhaps much, much better.
Actually coaching is a huge part of the equation, and one Memphis fans just can't seem to get a handle on.
Think of all the great teams out there and name one with a bad coach. You can't. Because coaching IS the most important element out there. Period. A bunch of talent assembled means nothing if they don't know what they're doing. I thought that was pretty obvious. Especially when that talent is comprised of a lot of 18 and 19 year olds.
So yes, coaching DOES matter. Penny may miraculously be a top tier Division I coach. But nobody knows that. And that's why the assumption is being made that Memphis doesn't have a proven coach and are picked accordingly.
Top 4 finish and potentially MUCH MUCH MUCH better? I think that's some decent koolaid in your cup but probably one shared by most of the Memphis fanbase.
Memphis will be alright. Definitely better than 8th though
RE: espn article on the up-coming aac basketball season + power rankings!
(08-19-2018 11:11 AM)ShockerFever Wrote:
(08-19-2018 05:50 AM)SouthernBlue Wrote: Memphis is going to be much better than 8th this year. The writers are ignorant of the talent and makeup of the team that Penny has assembled. The team finished last year strong, advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament. All of the key pieces return. In addition he added shooters, defenders and shored up the inside presence. The current team is very well put together.
Irrespective of whether Penny can coach, talent and confirmation of the team will mean a top 4 finish, and perhaps much, much better.
Actually coaching is a huge part of the equation, and one Memphis fans just can't seem to get a handle on.
Think of all the great teams out there and name one with a bad coach. You can't. Because coaching IS the most important element out there. Period. A bunch of talent assembled means nothing if they don't know what they're doing. I thought that was pretty obvious. Especially when that talent is comprised of a lot of 18 and 19 year olds.
So yes, coaching DOES matter. Penny may miraculously be a top tier Division I coach. But nobody knows that. And that's why the assumption is being made that Memphis doesn't have a proven coach and are picked accordingly.
Top 4 finish and potentially MUCH MUCH MUCH better? I think that's some decent koolaid in your cup but probably one shared by most of the Memphis fanbase.
Talent level is the most important single factor in winning games.
Marshall only won one NCAA Tourney game in nine years at Winthrop. Pastner won two NCAA Tourney games in seven years at Memphis
Why? Option one: because talent level matters more than any other single factor. Option two: Pastner is a better coach than Marshall. I choose option one.
RE: espn article on the up-coming aac basketball season + power rankings!
(08-19-2018 05:06 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote:
(08-19-2018 11:11 AM)ShockerFever Wrote:
(08-19-2018 05:50 AM)SouthernBlue Wrote: Memphis is going to be much better than 8th this year. The writers are ignorant of the talent and makeup of the team that Penny has assembled. The team finished last year strong, advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament. All of the key pieces return. In addition he added shooters, defenders and shored up the inside presence. The current team is very well put together.
Irrespective of whether Penny can coach, talent and confirmation of the team will mean a top 4 finish, and perhaps much, much better.
Actually coaching is a huge part of the equation, and one Memphis fans just can't seem to get a handle on.
Think of all the great teams out there and name one with a bad coach. You can't. Because coaching IS the most important element out there. Period. A bunch of talent assembled means nothing if they don't know what they're doing. I thought that was pretty obvious. Especially when that talent is comprised of a lot of 18 and 19 year olds.
So yes, coaching DOES matter. Penny may miraculously be a top tier Division I coach. But nobody knows that. And that's why the assumption is being made that Memphis doesn't have a proven coach and are picked accordingly.
Top 4 finish and potentially MUCH MUCH MUCH better? I think that's some decent koolaid in your cup but probably one shared by most of the Memphis fanbase.
Talent level is the most important single factor in winning games.
Marshall only won one NCAA Tourney game in nine years at Winthrop. Pastner won two NCAA Tourney games in seven years at Memphis
Why? Option one: because talent level matters more than any other single factor. Option two: Pastner is a better coach than Marshall. I choose option one.
I don't want to hop into a Penny debate, but I disagree as to which is more important. The way I see it, if talent were the most important factor in determining a teams success, then UT basketball wouldn't be getting outworked by a school like SFA. We all know you need both for a program to really be successful but if I had to choose between one or the other, I'm taking the great coach. At least in college. You could even look at UH's recent history to see why. James Dickey was a solid recruiter at UH. Landed several 4 stars and even a 5 star in Danuel House, but we only made the CBI during his four year stay. Sampson on the other hand, has been able to make 2 NIT's and the NCAAT once in the same amount of years, mostly through juco players. Now obviously there have been some diamonds in the rough in his recruiting classes but even still, its pretty obvious that he's getting a lot more out of his players than Dickey ever did.
Of course the other part to why you want a great coach is because great coaches often attract talented players.
(This post was last modified: 08-19-2018 05:30 PM by WhoseHouse?.)
RE: espn article on the up-coming aac basketball season + power rankings!
(08-19-2018 05:06 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote:
(08-19-2018 11:11 AM)ShockerFever Wrote:
(08-19-2018 05:50 AM)SouthernBlue Wrote: Memphis is going to be much better than 8th this year. The writers are ignorant of the talent and makeup of the team that Penny has assembled. The team finished last year strong, advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament. All of the key pieces return. In addition he added shooters, defenders and shored up the inside presence. The current team is very well put together.
Irrespective of whether Penny can coach, talent and confirmation of the team will mean a top 4 finish, and perhaps much, much better.
Actually coaching is a huge part of the equation, and one Memphis fans just can't seem to get a handle on.
Think of all the great teams out there and name one with a bad coach. You can't. Because coaching IS the most important element out there. Period. A bunch of talent assembled means nothing if they don't know what they're doing. I thought that was pretty obvious. Especially when that talent is comprised of a lot of 18 and 19 year olds.
So yes, coaching DOES matter. Penny may miraculously be a top tier Division I coach. But nobody knows that. And that's why the assumption is being made that Memphis doesn't have a proven coach and are picked accordingly.
Top 4 finish and potentially MUCH MUCH MUCH better? I think that's some decent koolaid in your cup but probably one shared by most of the Memphis fanbase.
Talent level is the most important single factor in winning games.
Marshall only won one NCAA Tourney game in nine years at Winthrop. Pastner won two NCAA Tourney games in seven years at Memphis
Why? Option one: because talent level matters more than any other single factor. Option two: Pastner is a better coach than Marshall. I choose option one.
RE: espn article on the up-coming aac basketball season + power rankings!
(08-19-2018 05:50 AM)SouthernBlue Wrote: Memphis is going to be much better than 8th this year. The writers are ignorant of the talent and makeup of the team that Penny has assembled. The team finished last year strong, advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament. All of the key pieces return. In addition he added shooters, defenders and shored up the inside presence. The current team is very well put together.
Irrespective of whether Penny can coach, talent and confirmation of the team will mean a top 4 finish, and perhaps much, much better.
so it doesnt seem like im a hater: i have said this before "memphis can win the aac if penny can coach"
with that said, the notion that memphis is top 4 irregardless of coaching ability is flat out wrong..
1) i can make a debate memphis isnt even top 4 in talent...
2) uconn had a bigger talent gap in the aac than memphis will this upcoming season and uconn hasnt been top 4 in the aac the last 5 years
this isnt a league were talent alone can win.. without massive injuries to some team, best believe 1-9 is on the table for memphis and that number will depend on how good a coach penny is ..
/
espn article on the up-coming aac basketball season + power rankings!
