Monday, February 1, 2010
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Quick Hits from the Poker Room
*Poker Tonight @ 7:30. Let's see if Levine returns tonight to continue the power shift.
*Podcast will be Thursday night due to the Vols Basketball Game vs. ETSU on Wednesday. Be sure to check in Thursday morning for thoughts about that game. I have been a bad site manager. Our little Thanksgiving Break is over!
*My math may be wrong, but by my best guesstimate 7-7 is the worst record you could have and still sneak in to the Fantasy Football Playoffs. There is a chance that a 7-7 record won't get you in, but at this point it is still in the realm of possibility. Due to that, 9 of 10 teams are still in the running. Of those 9 teams, 7 of them still have a shot at the Regular Season Champion's Crown. Later today, I hope to post a breakdown of what it will take for each team to make, or not make, the Playoffs, and what it will take for those teams still in the running for Regular Season Champion to be Regular Season Champion.
*It doesn't look as if Fantasy College Basketball is going to happen unless there is a drastic change.
*Fantasy Golf, on the other hand, is right around the corner, and sign-ups should be happening very soon.
*Finally, I leave you with the pictures below so you can answer the poll question.
*Podcast will be Thursday night due to the Vols Basketball Game vs. ETSU on Wednesday. Be sure to check in Thursday morning for thoughts about that game. I have been a bad site manager. Our little Thanksgiving Break is over!
*My math may be wrong, but by my best guesstimate 7-7 is the worst record you could have and still sneak in to the Fantasy Football Playoffs. There is a chance that a 7-7 record won't get you in, but at this point it is still in the realm of possibility. Due to that, 9 of 10 teams are still in the running. Of those 9 teams, 7 of them still have a shot at the Regular Season Champion's Crown. Later today, I hope to post a breakdown of what it will take for each team to make, or not make, the Playoffs, and what it will take for those teams still in the running for Regular Season Champion to be Regular Season Champion.
*It doesn't look as if Fantasy College Basketball is going to happen unless there is a drastic change.
*Fantasy Golf, on the other hand, is right around the corner, and sign-ups should be happening very soon.
*Finally, I leave you with the pictures below so you can answer the poll question.
or.......
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Knoxville's Gameday Experience (An Outsider's View)
Great article about a "Pilgrimage" to Neyland Stadium. I always find articles about our fair city, along with our unique gameday experience to be extremely interesting, especially when done from a tourists perspective. It's also nice to see the BackRoom Barbecue Pit get some props.
To read the article click here.
To read the article click here.
Vols vs. Depaul
This is what I gathered from watching the second half.....
*Tyler F'n Smith once again proves what kind of leader he is. The 2 free throws to seal the win were absolutely huge.
*I may have spoke too soon about Scotty Hopson. You can not be the best player on the team if, when your 3 ball doesn't fall, you completely disappear. Very disappointing.
*Melvin Goins is the point guard we have been looking for. He ran the offense well, made smart decisions, played shut down defense and can his a shot when it was badly needed. Dare I say...Solution?
*We lose this game last year. No doubt about it. Depaul slowed the game down, protected the ball to negate our press, and completely shut down Hopson. Wayne Chism and Tyler F'n Smith are showing great senior leadership against a team who played a Big East style game. I know I'm a glass half full guy, but in my mind, winning close games like this, against a team like this, is a big step towards showing the all of the guys who weren't around for the Lofton, Jujuan years, that they CAN win close games. Good win.
*Tyler F'n Smith once again proves what kind of leader he is. The 2 free throws to seal the win were absolutely huge.
*I may have spoke too soon about Scotty Hopson. You can not be the best player on the team if, when your 3 ball doesn't fall, you completely disappear. Very disappointing.
*Melvin Goins is the point guard we have been looking for. He ran the offense well, made smart decisions, played shut down defense and can his a shot when it was badly needed. Dare I say...Solution?
*We lose this game last year. No doubt about it. Depaul slowed the game down, protected the ball to negate our press, and completely shut down Hopson. Wayne Chism and Tyler F'n Smith are showing great senior leadership against a team who played a Big East style game. I know I'm a glass half full guy, but in my mind, winning close games like this, against a team like this, is a big step towards showing the all of the guys who weren't around for the Lofton, Jujuan years, that they CAN win close games. Good win.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Vols vs. East Carolina
I didn't get to watch the game, but here is what I gathered from listening to the second half on the radio.....
*If radio has a 2-second delay, John Wilkerson turned it into a 5-second one. He seemed so far behind just based on the crowd's reaction. On the other hand, he can make a made free throw sound as exciting as a last second game winning shot. Not sure whether or not that is a good thing or not.
*So much for a sophomore slump. The thing I don't get about Scotty Hopson's incredible play so far this season, is that he has gone from maybe the 3rd best player on the team, to arguably the best player on the team. Are we to really believe that all it took was a slight adjustment to his outside shot? It's easy to see that he is playing w/a ton of confidence. After seeing that, I can't help but wonder if the older guys held him down last year. Tyler F'n Smith made a point to get across in his post-game interview that "his" team does not care how the stats read as long as they get the win. He said it more than once. Hmmmmm......
*Speaking of Tyler F'n Smith, I have one word....Leader. I'm don't know if he knew his role last year. I don't know if the other players accepted his role last year. But both of those things are definitely last year's problem. He repeatedly referred to the team as "my team" in his interview with Wilkerson & Bert. "Whatever I can do to help MY team win". Next Level.
*Speaking of Next Level, A well timed "Money!" from Bert next gets old.
*Can anyone really say after today that Cam Tatum & J.P. Prince are the same player? Tatum is miles beyond Prince.
*Some may think that these blowouts are just blowouts. I disagree. These 30+ point wins are gonna help us a lot as the season comes to a close. Depth is only a predicted possibility when the season starts. In years past, our depth was not used to our advantage because it wasn't actually there. In 2007-2008, UT's greatest year ever. We actually went 9 deep in any game that played. Coach Pearl didn't have to shrink his bench like he would often do last year, and had to do his 1st year. Last season, with essentially the same team, he never went beyond his 8th man. Sure, more than that may have played in every game, but I never believed that the only guys playing significant minutes, sans foul trouble, were Tyler, J.P., Weezy, Maze, Cam Tatum, Tabb, & Scotty Hop. This year Coach Pearl is going to have actual depth because these games are allowing his 9th, 10th, and 11th guys off the bench the opportunity to get real game experience. I can honestly see Kenny Hall, Goins, McBee, & Williams in the game at key stretches. And real game experience for those guys means the press can be run consistently no matter who is on the floor That, in turn, means when February & March get here, we are still going to be running teams out of the gym.
*And finally, Maples should enjoy the ability to speak w/all his new ECU friends about how much more awesome his alma mater is than theirs.
*If radio has a 2-second delay, John Wilkerson turned it into a 5-second one. He seemed so far behind just based on the crowd's reaction. On the other hand, he can make a made free throw sound as exciting as a last second game winning shot. Not sure whether or not that is a good thing or not.
*So much for a sophomore slump. The thing I don't get about Scotty Hopson's incredible play so far this season, is that he has gone from maybe the 3rd best player on the team, to arguably the best player on the team. Are we to really believe that all it took was a slight adjustment to his outside shot? It's easy to see that he is playing w/a ton of confidence. After seeing that, I can't help but wonder if the older guys held him down last year. Tyler F'n Smith made a point to get across in his post-game interview that "his" team does not care how the stats read as long as they get the win. He said it more than once. Hmmmmm......
*Speaking of Tyler F'n Smith, I have one word....Leader. I'm don't know if he knew his role last year. I don't know if the other players accepted his role last year. But both of those things are definitely last year's problem. He repeatedly referred to the team as "my team" in his interview with Wilkerson & Bert. "Whatever I can do to help MY team win". Next Level.
*Speaking of Next Level, A well timed "Money!" from Bert next gets old.
*Can anyone really say after today that Cam Tatum & J.P. Prince are the same player? Tatum is miles beyond Prince.
*Some may think that these blowouts are just blowouts. I disagree. These 30+ point wins are gonna help us a lot as the season comes to a close. Depth is only a predicted possibility when the season starts. In years past, our depth was not used to our advantage because it wasn't actually there. In 2007-2008, UT's greatest year ever. We actually went 9 deep in any game that played. Coach Pearl didn't have to shrink his bench like he would often do last year, and had to do his 1st year. Last season, with essentially the same team, he never went beyond his 8th man. Sure, more than that may have played in every game, but I never believed that the only guys playing significant minutes, sans foul trouble, were Tyler, J.P., Weezy, Maze, Cam Tatum, Tabb, & Scotty Hop. This year Coach Pearl is going to have actual depth because these games are allowing his 9th, 10th, and 11th guys off the bench the opportunity to get real game experience. I can honestly see Kenny Hall, Goins, McBee, & Williams in the game at key stretches. And real game experience for those guys means the press can be run consistently no matter who is on the floor That, in turn, means when February & March get here, we are still going to be running teams out of the gym.
*And finally, Maples should enjoy the ability to speak w/all his new ECU friends about how much more awesome his alma mater is than theirs.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Vols vs. UNC-Ashville
Tate's Take
My thoughts from the first half of the UNC Ashville game because I do not think I can watch much of the second half of this blowout. I have never seen a team up by 52 at the half
First of all, I do not care how good or bad UNCA is the defense played tonight is nothing short of great. Also, the shooting, especially early on, was outstanding. If Scotty keeps shooting like that then he will definitely be gone after this year, which of course goes without saying. I love the way this team came out and fought and played hard the entire half even when they got up really big. I like how Kenny Hall plays and the leadership shown by Tyler Smith. Wayne, Brian, and J.P. did what they needed to. I was happy to see Swiper Boy get some early PT and played fairly well I thought.
Now for some negatives. I know some here do not like JP at all. I know he plays well and then makes a boneheaded play. I just don't get Cam Tatum. To me the guy just looks lost and seems to play with no confidence. Honestly he really looks bad at basketball. My thing is if you don't like JP I get it that’s fine and I clearly understand it but Tatum is worse. Skylar McBee may turn out to be a good player, but right now he kinda reminds me of Dane Bradshaw which is not all negative. I think he is a better shooter, but he hasn't proven it yet in a game. Point Guard play is average I think. Goins seems to be a bulldog on defense, but what can he do on offense. B Maze still seems about like last year which is just OK. Finally, with all he does good Scotty needs to be more unselfish on the break. He almost never gives the ball up.
Fritts' Take
*When I turned the game on it was 25-1. I watched the rest of the game and was completely entertained throughout. I would not have been had it been a Lady Vols game. That is the single biggest difference between the men's & women's game.
*The last time we beat a team like that was 2007-08 when we beat MTSU by 69. The time before that was the 1966-67 season. The 2007 team was #1 in America at 1 point. The 67 team won the SEC all by itself. I'm just saying.
*I don't see how in the world you can say that Cam Tatum & J.P Prince are any where similar. The only thing that is the same about them is that they are both African-American. And they can dunk. Tatum is twice the offensive player J.P. is. He can shoot the three, drive to the basket, and offensive rebound. He is also not a lazy bum who salutes after doing the only offensive move he has. J.P., you are not a f*cking soldier.
*While watching Brian Williams attempt to catch basketball after basket ball last night, I thought to myself, "I wonder if ole' Briany Boy has ever seen a pait of tits when he was in charge of the bra?". He just looks too clumsy to deal with anything like that.
*We need to rebound better. We should not have the same number of rebounds as a team whose tallest guy is shorter than our small forward. We just shouldn't.
*For the people who say, "It was just UNC-Ashville", please note that UNC-Ashville has a Big South Player of the Year Candidate on it's team and is also considered a contender in their Conference. So while UT should have handled the Bulldogs easily, a 75 point margin of victory is a 75 point margin of victory.
My thoughts from the first half of the UNC Ashville game because I do not think I can watch much of the second half of this blowout. I have never seen a team up by 52 at the half
First of all, I do not care how good or bad UNCA is the defense played tonight is nothing short of great. Also, the shooting, especially early on, was outstanding. If Scotty keeps shooting like that then he will definitely be gone after this year, which of course goes without saying. I love the way this team came out and fought and played hard the entire half even when they got up really big. I like how Kenny Hall plays and the leadership shown by Tyler Smith. Wayne, Brian, and J.P. did what they needed to. I was happy to see Swiper Boy get some early PT and played fairly well I thought.
Now for some negatives. I know some here do not like JP at all. I know he plays well and then makes a boneheaded play. I just don't get Cam Tatum. To me the guy just looks lost and seems to play with no confidence. Honestly he really looks bad at basketball. My thing is if you don't like JP I get it that’s fine and I clearly understand it but Tatum is worse. Skylar McBee may turn out to be a good player, but right now he kinda reminds me of Dane Bradshaw which is not all negative. I think he is a better shooter, but he hasn't proven it yet in a game. Point Guard play is average I think. Goins seems to be a bulldog on defense, but what can he do on offense. B Maze still seems about like last year which is just OK. Finally, with all he does good Scotty needs to be more unselfish on the break. He almost never gives the ball up.
Fritts' Take
*When I turned the game on it was 25-1. I watched the rest of the game and was completely entertained throughout. I would not have been had it been a Lady Vols game. That is the single biggest difference between the men's & women's game.
*The last time we beat a team like that was 2007-08 when we beat MTSU by 69. The time before that was the 1966-67 season. The 2007 team was #1 in America at 1 point. The 67 team won the SEC all by itself. I'm just saying.
*I don't see how in the world you can say that Cam Tatum & J.P Prince are any where similar. The only thing that is the same about them is that they are both African-American. And they can dunk. Tatum is twice the offensive player J.P. is. He can shoot the three, drive to the basket, and offensive rebound. He is also not a lazy bum who salutes after doing the only offensive move he has. J.P., you are not a f*cking soldier.
*While watching Brian Williams attempt to catch basketball after basket ball last night, I thought to myself, "I wonder if ole' Briany Boy has ever seen a pait of tits when he was in charge of the bra?". He just looks too clumsy to deal with anything like that.
*We need to rebound better. We should not have the same number of rebounds as a team whose tallest guy is shorter than our small forward. We just shouldn't.
*For the people who say, "It was just UNC-Ashville", please note that UNC-Ashville has a Big South Player of the Year Candidate on it's team and is also considered a contender in their Conference. So while UT should have handled the Bulldogs easily, a 75 point margin of victory is a 75 point margin of victory.
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