Good to have you back, BWG. Looking forward to reading more of your analysis and takes. Has been harder to follow the team these last couple seasons with all the new names and faces constantly coming and going.
Looking forward to reading more bitter, but I can't help but feel down when you say "second weekend potential" in regards to a team we'd expect more from. Maybe it's seeing Barnes and Shaka actually have fun (Barnes having fun?????) And Vic taking the womens team to a completely different stratosphere in terms not just in expectations-but in defense and overall level of play. Like am I being too grumpy too early or something?
I think it's fair to note that it took Barnes 4 seasons at Tennessee to make the Sweet 16 & another 4 (not counting the canceled COVID tourney) to make it to the Elite Eight, and that Shaka has made it out of the first weekend once so far at Marquette. I'm happy for both of them that they've found new homes with fanbases who have enjoyed them, but in terms of March success they're not exceeding what Terry has done so far at Texas. All of them want to make a Final Four at their current stop and none of them have done it. (I don't know that I'd make many parallels between the men's & women's game, Vic is doing really well but that's a bit apples to oranges for me.)
P.S. Barnes having fun in December is not new; talk to me when he's having fun in March.
I understand anyone who is still TBD on RT, and I'm not sure that he's ever going to take Texas to the pinnacle, either. That said, he's got an Elite Eight so far and I would be surprised if this squad is near the bubble come selection time, so it's not like he's cratering either. Last year he made a 7-seed out of a squad missing two 1st round draft picks who left him in the lurch for reasons mostly outside of his control, which is not nothing. To put it another way: I hear you, and it's not without merit, but I don't think the sky is falling, either.
Thanks, I know the smart thing is to wait and see how RT does in SEC play, but man it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth when the sky isn't falling but there's nothing here that makes me go "wow!" (I DO think vic is an unfair comparison when him and his staff are a top 4 or 5 in their whole section of college hoops) or that RT can take us to anywhere near where we should be expecting us to be. Here's hoping he makes us happy and that early stretch of sec play gets us securely into the dance
What a treat to see this in my inbox. Looking forward to reading more this season. Good stuff.
My thoughts exactly
SO good to have you back in action!
Good to have you back, BWG. Looking forward to reading more of your analysis and takes. Has been harder to follow the team these last couple seasons with all the new names and faces constantly coming and going.
Looking forward to reading more bitter, but I can't help but feel down when you say "second weekend potential" in regards to a team we'd expect more from. Maybe it's seeing Barnes and Shaka actually have fun (Barnes having fun?????) And Vic taking the womens team to a completely different stratosphere in terms not just in expectations-but in defense and overall level of play. Like am I being too grumpy too early or something?
I think it's fair to note that it took Barnes 4 seasons at Tennessee to make the Sweet 16 & another 4 (not counting the canceled COVID tourney) to make it to the Elite Eight, and that Shaka has made it out of the first weekend once so far at Marquette. I'm happy for both of them that they've found new homes with fanbases who have enjoyed them, but in terms of March success they're not exceeding what Terry has done so far at Texas. All of them want to make a Final Four at their current stop and none of them have done it. (I don't know that I'd make many parallels between the men's & women's game, Vic is doing really well but that's a bit apples to oranges for me.)
P.S. Barnes having fun in December is not new; talk to me when he's having fun in March.
I understand anyone who is still TBD on RT, and I'm not sure that he's ever going to take Texas to the pinnacle, either. That said, he's got an Elite Eight so far and I would be surprised if this squad is near the bubble come selection time, so it's not like he's cratering either. Last year he made a 7-seed out of a squad missing two 1st round draft picks who left him in the lurch for reasons mostly outside of his control, which is not nothing. To put it another way: I hear you, and it's not without merit, but I don't think the sky is falling, either.
Thanks, I know the smart thing is to wait and see how RT does in SEC play, but man it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth when the sky isn't falling but there's nothing here that makes me go "wow!" (I DO think vic is an unfair comparison when him and his staff are a top 4 or 5 in their whole section of college hoops) or that RT can take us to anywhere near where we should be expecting us to be. Here's hoping he makes us happy and that early stretch of sec play gets us securely into the dance
Good stuff as always. Miss seeing and reading you!!