Are we to believe Bama is suddenly recruiting lottery picks simply on old fashioned recruiting and coaching? Feels like they are using their football bagman model in basketball now.
I don't know how they're doing it, but the broadcast dudes said last night that Nate Oats had pulled in 4 straight top-15 classes. Not sure how he's doing it, but he's doing it. We need to remember that his first Bama team went 16-15 overall and 8-10 in conference. This success was instantaneous.
God help college fans if Bama were to start doing in basketball what they’ve done in football, all while the media pretends they aren’t paying players.
You misspelled “NIL Collective”. Lol! Kidding aside… aren’t “bagmen” now obsolete with the advent of “pay-for -play”? Also- I don’t know what or how Oats did it, but two points: 1) billy had a similarly remarkable time around, and I pushed back on the assumption he had to be cheating. 2) Collection of talent aside, Oats is coaching em up. We’ve seen plenty of coaches do less with more. Nate has great players - playing great, team basketball. That’s not easy.
7 more games b4 SEC's. (I think) If I am reading the board correctly a number of posters seem to be suggesting an NCAA bid is on the table? That would imply going 6 - 1 down the stretch and winning a game or two in the SEC tournament. While I appreciate the positivity, so far the team has shown no such indication of putting a run like that together.. Frankly, my biggest hope at this point is CC. I am rooting for CC to make first team all SEC. His last 2 games proves he is at that level. I do not see UF making the NCAA this year. Hope I'm wrong.
I remain so puzzled about our first half starts... Jones has an easy layup and somehow misses. 90%+ of high schoolers can make that- yet our 5th year senior can't? Really? Kugel had something similar in another game and also blew it. It's like we don't feel worthy of the moment or of the opponent. I really think that's it- we are intimidated. The numbers are inescapable and brutal... 23 vs Bama. 2nd half 46! 22 vs UK. 2nd half 45! 16 vs K State. 2nd half 34. 12!!! vs TAMU. 2nd half 40. 23 vs TAMU. 2nd half 40! 27 vs UT. 2nd half 40. (and we won this one!!) Just looking at the losses- the most we scored was 23 and also had a 12 and a 16. Watching those games- we were like the Keystone Cops. Missing layups, Lofton missing the front end of the 1 and 1 vs UK, off balance and horrible 3 point shooting. I'd say high school stuff- but most high schools play more disciplined and focused than our first halves. If the opponent was a great deal better than us, I'd say we are just not that good. Yet look at those 2nd halves!! 46, 45, 34, 40 and 40. That's fantastic. We are a good team!!! Golden is a big analytics guy i'm told. Ok- well if I can see this pattern from my couch, then surely he is aware of these slow starts. Yet it keeps happening- over and over and over. He's got to fix it. If he does- if he can convince our guys to start the game focused and strong, we can go 6-1 in our final 7 (if not 7-0), get into the tourney, and pull a few upsets. That may sound crazy now- but if we play 2 halves like our 2nd halves against these great teams, we will win a lot of games. I just remain puzzled as to why he hasn't fixed it yet. Maybe he doesn't think it's a problem??
Bama’s bag men are the people who have traditionally ask the program who do we need. Then they do whatever it takes to get the player, when I say this, I mean whatever…. an example moving a QB and family from Hawaii, jobs, rides and make sure no one can track their efforts. Just making sure what the kid and family want and get it done, kind of like the mafia. My question would be, who from the NCAA enforcement staff is brave enough to investigate any allegations in Tuscaloosa. Answer none, they have families. LOL but true!
Recruiting enough quality depth to be able rotate guys I. Who can pick the team up. This was Mike Whites problem and now it is his. The key is quality and not just taking projects. I would say the answer lies in the NIL collective, but at this time we are a mess. The state of Florida making unrealistic restrictive laws when others can do what they want and using young attorneys to lead they way has been a cheap way to feel our way through it. We need clarity from the states and the NCAA which are also feeling their way through it and it is going to use the Rashada deal to change it sad to say.
Lol..yea because nothing screams basketball tradition like Alabama...what a joke and hopefully we will finally overpay like Bama has been doing for great players. Dont look at me funny, we all know that is exactly what is happening
Yup and then we turn a blind eye because they are winning and say....but...but...but Nick won rings. Maaaan whatever...he had a half a national championship with LSU before doing what he is doing at Bama. Same thing with Oats...its all about getting thr best players AND THEN coaching them up. Period. Sigh...oh well.
Hard to tell cause of the portal. I think at a minimum we need Richards, Kugel, Fudge, Bonhem, and JJ back. Not sure what the hell is going on with Reeves but if he could find that end of the year freshman form again I would take him back next year. Recruiting class for ‘23 is wrapped up basically unless a major coach gets fired (Like Kugel last year). Will have to land a starting C and PG out the portal
Well, there are too many unknowns to know. We won't have CC so we'll have to adjust the style. Alex Fudge might become a phenom if he improves his shot and IQ. Riley Kugel gets better every game. Will Richard is going to be very good. So there's a likely 3 starters right there that will form a good nucleus. Bonham and Reeves may work out yet. Will Aberdeen will almost certainly break into the rotation. And I'm pretty sure we'll bring in a couple of guys through the portal. There might be a Johni Broome out there we can pick up. Have no idea how Sxysziymcyxx and the new guys (Haugh and Condon) already signed or committed will do, but there's potential there and good height. I assume they'll have a learning curve. Do JJ and CJ have any eligibility left? On my portal wish list are: a talented big and a 3-point sharpshooter from the midmajors. There have to be some that are ready and able to test the high-major waters and would love to become Gators.
We just can’t whiff in the portal again. Need to hit on our first targets. This year is probably a lot of better had we landed one of Johni Broome, Noah Carter, or Terry Robert’s (all went to other SEC teams)
Most of what you say is inarguable, of course, better players means better outcomes no doubt. But if our problem is depth, why is the FIRST HALF so bad? If it was depth, then wouldn't we start out strong and then fall off in the 2nd half? But thats' not what the data shows. No- this problem is mental, and it is within the team. Therefore, this team CAN do better if it figures out how to start games. I just don't understand how Golden hasn't figured this out yet. 12, 16, 22,23 points in a half SCREAMS for a solution. Esp since we go for 40+ in the 2nd half even against good teams.
Golden knows all of that. He knows there needs to be a solution, as you say. I think the guys are all intimidated and tentative for whatever reason. I'm sure TG has plays to get out of the gate quickly but they aren't being executed early on. except for a couple of guys the stage is too big for them at the start of games.
which is why we need to get away from relying on recruiting mid-majors and role players. How the hell is Castleton going to be replaced next year?!
