I don't see how your 20 wins earning a spot in the Weedwacker Bowl metaphor works in context of college basketball. Either you make the NCAA Tournament or you don't. I also disagree that our season's outcome depends on the pundits. It depends on how well Mike White integrates the new pieces together and if the transfers can make the jump from lesser conferences to the SEC successfully.
You have touched on the critical issue. And from the last that I think I remember hearing, KJ was NOT practicing/participating in Summer voluntary workouts. If we do not hear of him involved by early August, I don’t see any way that he comes back or at least makes a big contribution. And without him, I don’t see this team doing much better than it’s last handful of years performance.
Weedwacker (translation): get to 20 wins (but still plays not that fundamentally sound) with limited bigs play, get into the tourney as a 6-9 seed, win a game (hopefully) and then lose the second game because the other team is better fundamentally and they know you are limited in the front court, with an extra credit ding for their making free throws (especially down the stretch) and your players don't. You see "potential" but in the end "made just too many mistakes to win against a hot Northwest Missouri State team". Rinse and repeat.
I figured that is what you ultimately meant, but the metaphor doesn't add up for me. Still not sure that the term Weedwacker Bowl has any correlation to that scenario. Regardless, in a single elimination tournament, it is very difficult on higher seeded teams. There is a lot of parity in college basketball, and we all know that upsets are common. Whether people believe it or not, the fact is that UF is one of only 5-6 teams that has consistently made the tournament and usually won at least 1 game during Mike White's tenure. Of course I want to win a title again, but I don't believe the coach is the problem. He bears some of the blame, but he was just a player away from a deep run the last couple of years.
Weedwacker is the consolation to the fans so that they can claim "see, we went bowling, it isn't so bad" but in reality it is supposed to be a step eventually towards a "New Years Day/Playoff Spot" scenario, whereas we appear to be stuck in "Consolation Land" until further notice. I don't think that is good enough for the fans of UF Men's basketball, although I can see where it would pacify those who are fans of the women's team. JMHO
But a meaningless bowl game is a dead end. Even a prestigious non-playoff New Year's Six bowl is a dead end. Making the tournament opens all possibilities. They couldn't be more different scenarios. I'd agree with you if you were talking about the NIT. I just wonder why you think that losing your best player, but still almost making the Sweet 16 is not commendable. Did you forget the emotional mindstate of our team and fanbase after FSU? A lot of us were not even able to think straight while we thought KJ's life was in danger. Imagine how the team and staff felt. Coach rallied them and got us back on track and still had a respectable season. I don't think you guys give him enough credit for last season. KJ was our BEST player. Who loses their best player and goes on to win a title?
I was under the assumption that KJ was at least doing light conditioning drills. As has been previously posted, as good as he is, no player can be effective if not in shape. Hopefully Eric or someone can fill us in on when he starts to practice and how that is progressing.
Keyontae's a great player, but it's hard to treat him as a potential savior of the season. He hasn't played real basketball since last fall -- if he was cleared to play tomorrow he'd still have a long way to go. You've got a roster full of guys he's never played with before, and what he's coming back from is not just a torn ACL or rotator cuff -- it was literally a life-threatening medical condition. For both him and for us I hope Keyontae can play this year, but I'm not going to regard him as someone who can singlehandedly swing a season by seven or eight games.
I guess , as it seems on here, no one knows what is going to transpire this year. kJ?. Another big? As a team are we just going to try and play defense to the detriment of learning an offense. Has Castleton’s fling with the NBA going to improve his game? As one gator fan has said, to many moving parts. I hope kawacie can shoot lights out, I thought after seeing Scottie’s highlights, I thought he would be more consistent with his jump shooting. So can he get open and be the man? Can he drive to the basket and finish,this isn’t high school, I am hopeful he can deliver. As for Jason Jitoboh, you better be eating salads and intermittent fasting. These two guys come in this year ready from the start, this could help this team be more consistent. I also hope these two new coaches know some kind of offense which helps team mates get open. I know a lot of if’s.
My largest concern about Kowacie is that his movements appear to be somewhat stiff and robotic. Shot has a little bit of a hitch in its motion as well. Hopefully, I am wrong. I wish him nothing but success going forward.
Last year's good excuse. My take is a long range view. It appears, although not confirmed yet, that Mike has reached his ceiling, a la Mus-take. Is it enough? For the women, yes. For the men, not likely, although I completely agree that we should not expect another Billy to manifest. It is what it is. Please understand I am not a Mike hater, just that I kind of feel that this trip is coming to an end or else the hazard of real apathy is going to raise its ugly head. And just like in football, it is a HUGE task with enormous pitfalls to have an opening at the time a good one is enamored with becoming our coach. I truly want Mike to find the right combination to succeed. Because the alternative(s) are pretty damn bad.
Struggle to make tournament, sneak in, out after 1 win. That’s the norm and I don’t see that changing.
Well, for one the starters won’t look like Ill-nourished twigs. Maybe Castleton will add some lbs and our guards are strong enough to drive inside and not get thrown out of the way. We were the lightest team in the top one hundred schools. As for toughness, the SEC teams treated us like knock them around, they won’t do anything but commit more reach in fouls. Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama will try it again. Keyontae, when he went down, so did our toughness.
The harsh reality is that only a select few of coaches get to a Final Four. Even fewer win a national championship. Gonzaga is considered an elite program and Mark Few has only been recently a top tier team and in 20ish years has no titles. Nobody is calling for his head. I don't understand the expectations for Coach White by some of the fanbase. This isn't football. We want to be clean, but expect him to get the recruits of a dirty program. We want championships, but don't have patience. We want to hold him accountable for losing players to transfer, when all programs are having this issue.
