Serious basketball question

[Creek Walker]

I can only remember back to the Wade Houston era. The Devoe days are only a very, very distant memory. Some of you have been around the block a few more times than I have. Can you ever remember a non-conference loss generating as much negative feedback as last night's loss? Ever?

Because I can't. Not even close. Mark Pancratz was on Twitter last night bashing UT fans for being negative (and so was that arrogant SOB Wes Rucker, who I do not follow but who is always showing up on my feed because people I follow love to RT him for some reason), but this issue isn't going away. I think it shows a few things:

1.) We're light years removed from the state of this program just a few short years ago, when most people wouldn't have even known the Vols were up the road in Cincinnati playing a season-opener, let alone care enough to watch it. Credit Bruce Pearl for that.

2.) There's a much deeper underlying sentiment against Cuonzo among this fanbase than I really would've imagined...a sentiment that was no doubt brought about by two straight NIT berths.

3.) Cuonzo isn't getting any passes from the fans this year like he got the last two years.

I think from last night's reaction it's safe to say that Cuonzo's seat is pretty darned warm right now.

[SmokeyJoe]

Should be. The staff looked matter of fact & indifferent!

[volsboy]

Austin Peay come to mind.

[VinnieVOL]

I have another serious question.  Hart's job is to fix football.  Do you guys think the sense of urgency is even there for men's bball?  I know we all have expectations for Cuonzo this year, but I wonder if it's really a NCAA tourney or bust situation in Hart's eyes.

[73Volgrad]

Coach Devoe was a defensive genius coach that taught and demanded discipline from his players. They were well-coached and rarely made mistakes to get beat. His teams had a hard time scoring most of the time and could rarely outscore a team that could hit outside shots.  He lost his job because his teams were not the flashy, high scoring teams that were coming into vogue.  The NCAA field was smaller so UT got left out.

Wade Houston was a good, honest man that could not coach or recruit worth a flip.  His teams were all offense, but did not have a clue how to stop the other team from scoring.  As I remember, he only had two really good players on the team at a time.  The rest were second team or scout players at best. Wade was an assistant coach that became a head coach and never learned how the be a head coach.

Cuonzo impresses me as a good, honest man that is not a SEC-caliber head coach. He was a successful mid-major coach out of his league in SEC. IMO, he will never lead UT into the elite level.  In basketball, your teams have to outscore the other side. You have to have an offensive scheme other than pass the ball around until a big is open or someone jacks up a three from Vonore.  It will be a miracle if UT make the NCAA this year. I just have seen nothing this coach has done to convince me otherwise.  

[SmokeyJoe]

I have another serious question.  Hart's job is to fix football.  Do you guys think the sense of urgency is even there for men's bball?  I know we all have expectations for Cuonzo this year, but I wonder if it's really a NCAA tourney or bust situation in Hart's eyes.

Good question, and IMHO that is precisely how Devoe was able to slowly grind the program into mediocrity. No sense of urgency.

[Creek Walker]

I have another serious question.  Hart's job is to fix football.  Do you guys think the sense of urgency is even there for men's bball?  I know we all have expectations for Cuonzo this year, but I wonder if it's really a NCAA tourney or bust situation in Hart's eyes.

I've wondered the same. But given our excellent attendance numbers since Pearl took over, and the overwhelming reaction from last night's game, Hart may have to address the situation whether he wants to or not.

Allowing this program to slip back to where we were in the '90s would be disastrous, IMO. We struck gold with Pearl and he put the program back on the map. I wouldn't count on it to happen twice.

[SmokeyJoe]

I've wondered the same. But given our excellent attendance numbers since Pearl took over, and the overwhelming reaction from last night's game, Hart may have to address the situation whether he wants to or not.

Allowing this program to slip back to where we were in the '90s would be disastrous, IMO. We struck gold with Pearl and he put the program back on the map. I wouldn't count on it to happen twice.

Nope. Program looks wobbly frankly. Maybe Ernie will pull another diamond in the rough suggestion. Won't count on it. Even if we limp into the tournament, and we might, I have no faith in next year's roster.  It's early, but...