Incredible post and very informative. A lot of people talk about how Billy D's teams got bounced in the 1st round several years in a row. The biggest difference was under Billy D, we were a perrenial top 25 team. Something that we haven't even been close to under White and falling further behind in the SEC. The NCAA tournament has a lot of randomness to it, but if you're consistently a top 25 team than eventually you break through and are set up to go far in the tournament. This has never been the case under White from year 4 going forward. Last year, Florida caught a huge break in the tournament to get to the Sweet 16, but we couldn't even win that game. The narrative would be different had that happened but it didn't. Therefore, this should be a make or break season for White. Since his results are mediocre at best in the regular season, better make some noise in the tournament. Unfortunately right now we're on the bubble and a loss tonight and we'll no longer even be on that. Safe to assume if we get into the tournament, it will be another low seed and sweet 16 imo should be the floor to keep his job... which right now looks like no chance but maybe this team will show something for a change tonight.
Those losses were disappointing because a few of those seasons we were really damned good. The perception was that we were “soft” and choked come tournament time. There was probably a bit of truth there during that 5 year stretch, as after that 99-00 final four team, we did have a few years where were didn’t have that “enforcer” on defense or priority on paint scoring. It was all about the 3 ball, even when we had some pretty skilled big guys. Live by the 3 die by the 3 can work most of the year if you have multiple shooters, but if you start to choke in a tight tourney game you might look silly… The 04’s changed that when they got their turn, and Billy D’s next run of greatness (elite 8’s, perfect SEV fun, last final 4) he had a much more balanced and consistent roster that could get it done multiple ways, but they truly won with defense and *EFFICIENT* offense. This team is horrendous at rebounding, that’s a part of defense. So truly we are not good at defense, and we know Whites offense is sketchy at best, at times hard to decipher it’s anything but streetball. That NEVER happened under Donovan even when we were relegated to the NIT during rebuilds. The scheme was always there and being drilled, though in the years when we didn’t have any kind of post man it did struggle (as most do). The years Billy D had a good post man the ball movement was a thing of beauty. High % of baskets off assists with minimal turnover issues. White offenses have low assists and high turnovers and a lot of dribbling. So many plays that are “typical” in Whites dribble offense (guy dribbling into 1 on 3 or dribbling into a corner) Billy D would be immediately be sending the guy to the bench to discipline. Here I guess it’s what they are expected to do, but it doesn’t seem to work. In theory it might work if you always have the better players, then the dribble stuff is a matchup advantage to get easy buckets. It seems crazy to think it works when you have equal players, or (gasp) inferior talent.
If we could bring in the next Lebron and keep him for 4 years, my guess is that our dribble drive offense would be great.
These posts confirm it.............CMW is "feeling it". McCluskey sums it up succinctly. (Well done post!) It's tough, it looked early we were a competitive team. Now, I'm really worried the wheels are coming off. CC at point? Tyree at center?? Seriously, I just don't know how or with whom CMW is going to solve this teams woes this year. I really do like coach and wish him success but the paint is really getting dry and flaking off his overall performance. Well, the next month will tell us if we even have a shot at the dance this year.
Basically even if you are coach cal and have more “1 and done’s” than starting spots, unless you have generational talent it seems to result in “less than the sum of the parts”, rather than what a coach is supposed to do, maximize the talent for wins.
CC is getting beat up and bruised. I hope he can play in every game, if not..........I can’t imagine this team only shooting threes and ft’s. Good lord it’s the big one!
The ladies Gators basketball ball just defeated Auburn something That the coach less men's team under the direction of Mike White couldn't do.
Looking forward to GatorLurker’s reply to this sniper shot of a post - should be epic (or non-existent).
tampa, I generally agree with you on most things but your not being quite fair on this point, IMO. Cheese was frekin INCREDIBLE his last year, under White, If nothing else you could at least acknowledge that White let Cheese play his game relatively unhindered. I mean Cheese was amazing the entire season. Anyway I don't mean to get between you and Lurker, but Cheese was let loose by White and did amazing IMO.
well I really wasn't trying to pick on him specifically, though - I responded to his post but I feel like it was mainly a response to the general argument I've seen on here that "White is getting us to the tournament every year, so that means we're a successful basketball program." six NCAA tournament wins in six years with an average seed of 7th is the very thin wallpaper covering up the giant holes in the walls of Mike White's Gator basketball tenure. And as soon as you start looking past that for the other accomplishments that you'd expect from a successful program, you realize that this guy has done absolutely nothing else since he's been here.
Never got that feeling - it was very well articulated. A post like that would have taken me a year to put together- you did it in a flash. Post of the year!
So player gets better had good year White had nothing to do with it. Player does not get better it's Whites fault. LOL He's like most coaches needs good players. He's had what 4 NBA players since he's been here.
I agree. CMW has had been given ample opportunity to excel and I think he is just unable to crash through that ceiling. Seems like a decent and nice guy. Appears to run a clean program, but the product on the court has gotten boring and unimaginative.
I knew and many of my friends knew Hill could not shoot and was way overrated. Was not hard to see. Mann was first Rd pick, Glover left early Nembhard stats were worse first year at Gon than last year at Fla. No one could make Hill a NBA player. White made CC one of best players in SEC no matter what you say. Reeves getting better every week no matter what you say. Name one player who should be in NBA under White that is not. You cant
