Basketball

[ashenesey]

While having the court named after him (which is about 10 years overdue):
You have to take Billy’s temperature.

The roster is here to win right now (and next year)..

after that:

1. billy

2. Chris beard (make him turn you down)

3. Greg Marshall (someone is going to get him eventually)

4.Wojo/Bobby Hurley (which ever you think is not in line for the duke job). I would prefer WOJO.

4 Anthony grant (?))

5. NBA

 

[Countygator1]

...and sadgator will admit now we have a problem...no excuse for that...Blackshear’s regression is sad...really thought we would start to see them coming together. They aren’t. Still think we make the tourney, but it’ll be razor thin close.

The first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem...your journey has begun....just kidding of coarse....at the end of the day it's just basketball and a nice escape from reality...and at times I take it way too serious....

 

[sadgator]

Trolls or not, "they" could spot real problems. Some can spot the danger when it's just smoke, others can only see it when it's a fire.

....just saying...

How insightful...thanks...

 

[sadgator]

Oh, and by the way, anybody who thinks Mike White is in danger of losing his job after this season is living in fantasy land...but, proceed if you must....

 

[Justpeachy7]

How insightful...thanks...

No problem. Maybe next time your eyes will be open quicker like everybody else's. Its doubtful, but at least I have a little more confidence in that than the basketball team turning a corner this season.

 

[instaGATOR]

Sorry, didn't read the tripe that I knew would follow that game.
I'll leave all of the B-Ball genius types to chat and whine among themselves.
While I will just continue to drive the Mike White bandwagon...
So yawl have fun now,,, ya-hear....
ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz

 

[GatorNation79]

Oh, and by the way, anybody who thinks Mike White is in danger of losing his job after this season is living in fantasy land...but, proceed if you must....

Maybe he wont, Sad not sure why you keep defending this guy so much.

 

[GatorNation79]

Sorry, didn't read the tripe that I knew would follow that game.
I'll leave all of the B-Ball genius types to chat and whine among themselves.
While I will just continue to drive the Mike White bandwagon...
So yawl have fun now,,, ya-hear....
ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz

We're not on an upward projection...actual experts thought we were top 10 preseason but Insta is going to straighten us all out because a homer. I'm a homer too but this team isn't playing great. We got the talent. If we dont make the tournament then you and Sad are going to have to change your tune. We'll know in a few weeks. I'm not bagging on you but show up and say you're actually wrong for a change. I dont wish it but this is team is underachieved big time.

 

[instaGATOR]

I'll leave the 'always shallow' reasoning to you guys, on the how and why any season ends up the way it does.. --- I'm busy and content to be the bandwagon driver...

BTW, last night ESPN projected UF as an NCAA 10 Seed.

 

[GatorNation79]

ESPN? Come on dude. We will probably make the tourney but can lose to anyone. If we have the talent everyone thinks we do we should look better. Just my opinion when it comes to BB buddy.

 

[PacoGator19]

Since when is just making the tourney a successful season?? That is what is mind-boggling to me.
The fact of the matter is White has had 1 good season out of 5. Does anybody disagree with that?

 

[sadgator]

Sad not sure why you keep defending this guy so much.

Can’t tell ya...it’s odd, sadgator just likes the guy...

Recruiting is good, SEC COY (2017), Tourney appearances have been ok. Elite 8. Second round last year. Seems to know his stuff, presents well, not an asshole...

sadgator isn’t all that unhappy with the hoops team performance under him. sadgator’s stated at nauseam that his expectation in hoops year to year is more reasonable and realistic than others. The truth is, you just can’t go to the Sweet Sixteen every year...it doesn’t work like that...not even for Billy...

That being said, sadgator will reluctantly acknowledge that Florida is underperforming in the regular season with the talent we have. We should be a lock for the tournament this year, not fighting for a spot. We play well at times, but have been pretty disappointing as far as toughness in the latter second halves of games. Despite some of the comeback wins we’ve had, we seem soft and passive. The team doesn’t appear to play with the type of passion and fire that a team needs to transcend and break through in the post season. You can only get so far on talent, and this team seems content with that (or too young to be aware of it).

sadgator supposes that those things are a result of coaching...and it is troubling...

but sadgator still thinks White is good and will figure it out...not sure why...

 

[instaGATOR]

Since when is just making the tourney a successful season?? That is what is mind-boggling to me.
The fact of the matter is White has had 1 good season out of 5. Does anybody disagree with that?

That's pretty easy to answer, since there is only 4 season's results to look at so far.
(unless you believe that season 5 has already come to a conclusion)

Shallow, as in not considering injuries, depriving Mike of a true center in the last 2 seasons, and the fact that Gak is gone this season, forcing true Fr to attempt to fill the gap.

As I've already said, I'll leave it to other to continue to whine and snivel over the job that Mike White has done, while following the only HoF B-Ball coach that UF has ever had.

PS
Why don't you ask BillyD what he thinks of the job that Mike has done and is doing...
We already know what the AD thinks, i,e. a raise and a contract extension....

 

[sadgator]

Since when is just making the tourney a successful season?? That is what is mind-boggling to me.
The fact of the matter is White has had 1 good season out of 5. Does anybody disagree with that?

sadgator begs to differ. It IS good enough. If you break through from time to time...

 

[instaGATOR]

HoF BillyD only made 4 Final-4 in 19 seasons.
HoF BillyD only won 2 NC's in 19 seasons.

So if Mike White hasn't do so yet in his first 4 seasons, then he's a poor coach....
Also, list for us all of the past B-Ball coaches, including BillyD, that won 20+ games in their 1st 4 seasons at UF.... (crickets)

 

[PacoGator19]

sadgator begs to differ. It IS good enough. If you break through from time to time...

IMO there is a big difference between sneaking into the tourney as a 10 or 11 seed versus getting in as a 4 or 5 seed, etc. It also gives you favorable matchups to go further.

White has broken through once in 5 years. That once time we got to the elite 8 is the only good team we have had. I don’t think the other 4 years were very good or up to UF standards.

 

[ocalaman]

Billy Donovan won the SEC regular season championship in his 4th, 5th & 6th seasons and won 7 total SEC regular season titles, plus 4 SEC tournament championships during his tenure. He was national runner-up in his 4th year, won 20+ games in 16 of 19 years, 25+ wins 9 times, 30+ wins 3 times. Mike White has won NOTHING in 4+ years and the only chance he has to win anything this year is the SEC tournament title and I highly doubt that's going to happen. I've said this before - at THE University of Florida, we have the right to expect our coaches to win titles, not just a bunch of games. And any coach in any program who has not won some kind of title by year 5 has usually been under pressure of being replaced and often has been. Why should this program and this coach be treated any differently than other coaches and programs? Because he's a nice guy?

 

[PacoGator19]

HoF BillyD only made 4 Final-4 in 19 seasons.
HoF BillyD only won 2 NC's in 19 seasons.

So if Mike White hasn't do so yet in his first 4 seasons, then he's a poor coach....
Also, list for us all of the past B-Ball coaches, including BillyD, that won 20+ games in their 1st 4 seasons at UF.... (crickets)

You may want to check how Billy did in Years 4 & 5 vs how White has done in years 4 & 5. Look at overall record, SEC record and NCAA tournament record. White in year 4 & 5 it is his team.
That Elite 8 run in White’s 2nd year is looking more and more like a fluke and winning with Billy’s players not his own. White has not done good with just his players making up the entire roster.

 

[Gator Fever]

Oh, and by the way, anybody who thinks Mike White is in danger of losing his job after this season is living in fantasy land...but, proceed if you must....

I agree but if this was football he would be in big time danger unless he won a few in the tournament. That will actually be the case next season even with it not being football.

 

[PacoGator19]

Billy Donovan won the SEC regular season championship in his 4th, 5th & 6th seasons and won 7 total SEC regular season titles, plus 4 SEC tournament championships during his tenure. He was national runner-up in his 4th year, won 20+ games in 16 of 19 years, 25+ wins 9 times, 30+ wins 3 times. Mike White has won NOTHING in 4+ years and the only chance he has to win anything this year is the SEC tournament title and I highly doubt that's going to happen. I've said this before - at THE University of Florida, we have the right to expect our coaches to win titles, not just a bunch of games. And any coach in any program who has not won some kind of title by year 5 has usually been under pressure of being replaced and often has been. Why should this program and this coach be treated any differently than other coaches and programs? Because he's a nice guy?

This and look at White’s record. In 4 of the 5 seasons he’s barely broken 20 wins. Really not that impressive IMO. To your point Billy D was reeling off 25+ and 30+ win seasons. Now I don’t expect him to be as good as Billy D but IMO just barely getting 20 wins and your going like 21-15 isn’t that good. In fact during the Billy Donovan days and during that time in college basketball if your going 21-15 during the regular season you aren’t getting in the tournament.

I mean we went 20-16 last year and 21-13 the year before that and here we sit at 12-8. Does anybody really think that is good?

 

[instaGATOR]

You may want to check how Billy did in Years 4 & 5 vs how White has done in years 4 & 5. Look at overall record, SEC record and NCAA tournament record. White in year 4 & 5 it is his team.
That Elite 8 run in White’s 2nd year is looking more and more like a fluke and winning with Billy’s players not his own. White has not done good with just his players making up the entire roster.

BillyD went a LOSER 16-17 in his last season.
After losing many starters, Mike White won 20 games and went to the NIT Quarter-Finals (with none of his earned home games due to O'Dome renovations) with mostly BillyD's reaming non-starter players, obviously a fluke...

You continue to ignore the loss of starting 6-11 centers due to injury in years 3-4-5.
While you ignore that Mikes Fr recruits last year, had to take over for BillyD's slumping Sr's. Mike also has had to bolster his roster holes with xfers, which like Dan, he's done an excellent job of,,, Barry, 3-Gor, etc...

So very tiring, so just go ahead and fire Mike. Then I can stop paying any attention at all to the Gator B-Ball team.

 

[ashenesey]

Expectations are a lot higher at Florida now vs when billy took over (thanks to billy)

25 years ago.... white’s UF resume’ would be good enough for an extension and a raise (it’s just not that way now)

If white can’t make the tournament and go far with this roster, that’s not a good sign for the future.... there’s probably 4-5 guys on the tens right now that will have NBA careers
KB, Lewis, johnson, Payne, nembhard (maybe)

like USC delaying the inevitable by keeping muschamp for another year.... I think it would be the same thing here....

Hope he gets it turned around and makes a run (would love to be wrong)....I just don’t see it.

 

[Countygator1]

Oh, and by the way, anybody who thinks Mike White is in danger of losing his job after this season is living in fantasy land...but, proceed if you must....

I agree with this. Unless the team totally melts down and losses their remaining games, he will be the coach next season.

 

[PacoGator19]

BillyD went a LOSER 16-17 in his last season.
After losing many starters, Mike White won 20 games and went to the NIT Quarter-Finals (with none of his earned home games due to O'Dome renovations) with mostly BillyD's reaming non-starter players, obviously a fluke...

You continue to ignore the loss of starting 6-11 centers due to injury in years 3-4-5.
While you ignore that Mikes Fr recruits last year, had to take over for BillyD's slumping Sr's. Mike also has had to bolster his roster holes with xfers, which like Dan, he's done an excellent job of,,, Barry, 3-Gor, etc...

So very tiring, so just go ahead and fire Mike. Then I can stop paying any attention at all to the Gator B-Ball team.

You do realize that the year before Billy D’s last season he went 36-3 with a final four appearance right? Yes the following year it was a very young team and then by White’s 2nd year he had Billy D recruits. White’s 2nd year he did good. Year 3, 4 & 5 not very good

 

[sadgator]

IMO there is a big difference between sneaking into the tourney as a 10 or 11 seed versus getting in as a 4 or 5 seed, etc. It also gives you favorable matchups to go further.

White has broken through once in 5 years. That once time we got to the elite 8 is the only good team we have had. I don’t think the other 4 years were very good or up to UF standards.

That is totally fair.

 

[sadgator]

It is totally true that we are not playing as well as we should. sadgator keeps hopefully waiting for signs that the lights are coming on, and he still hasn’t given up hope on White, but games like last night are very problematic if you are looking for positive momentum. You can’t deny the inconsistency that everyone has pointed to. It is a real thing.

At the same time, 20 wins and tournaments are better than losing records and no tournaments, so sadgator really hopes that White’s ability to coach them up can somehow catch up to his recruiting.

Anybody who lived through Don Devoe can tell you how bad things can get...

sadgator just really tries to appreciate even the small joys in hoops...we don’t have to win the title every year to make it fun and enjoyable.

 

[ashenesey]

I REALLY like the way Will Wade’s teams play....

He’s on a rocket ship heading straight to the top.

Donovan
Beard
Wade
WOJO..

I’d make all of them turn down my cash and my banners before I moved down down the list.
Provided that it gets to that point

 

[sadgator]

...like sadgator was saying....beware...

 

[bradleygator]

Why do people keep talking about a return for Billy D? Guy has got to be on the short list for coach of the year in the NBA. Lost Westbrook and George, and has his team playing better than last year. He’s in the NBA to stay.

and White’s not going anywhere soon. He’d have to miss the next two tournaments to get fired.

 

[Countygator1]

Why do people keep talking about a return for Billy D? Guy has got to be on the short list for coach of the year in the NBA. Lost Westbrook and George, and has his team playing better than last year. He’s in the NBA to stay.

and White’s not going anywhere soon. He’d have to miss the next two tournaments to get fired.

It's actually quite remarkable what the Thunder have done without the star power.

 

[Countygator1]

It is totally true that we are not playing as well as we should. sadgator keeps hopefully waiting for signs that the lights are coming on, and he still hasn’t given up hope on White, but games like last night are very problematic if you are looking for positive momentum. You can’t deny the inconsistency that everyone has pointed to. It is a real thing.

At the same time, 20 wins and tournaments are better than losing records and no tournaments, so sadgator really hopes that White’s ability to coach them up can somehow catch up to his recruiting.

Anybody who lived through Don Devoe can tell you how bad things can get...

sadgator just really tries to appreciate even the small joys in hoops...we don’t have to win the title every year to make it fun and enjoyable.

Captain Ahab?

 

[Gator Fever]

Why do people keep talking about a return for Billy D? Guy has got to be on the short list for coach of the year in the NBA. Lost Westbrook and George, and has his team playing better than last year. He’s in the NBA to stay.

and White’s not going anywhere soon. He’d have to miss the next two tournaments to get fired.

Donovan might eventually leave the NBA as you aren't getting a title without the players there. He had a shot a little while after he was hired before they came up short but I never see him getting that situation again there.

White doesn't have to miss the tourneys with the talent we have. He has a warm seat going into next season with this crappy regular season if we fail to make the Sweet 16.

 

[PacoGator19]

It is totally true that we are not playing as well as we should. sadgator keeps hopefully waiting for signs that the lights are coming on, and he still hasn’t given up hope on White, but games like last night are very problematic if you are looking for positive momentum. You can’t deny the inconsistency that everyone has pointed to. It is a real thing.

At the same time, 20 wins and tournaments are better than losing records and no tournaments, so sadgator really hopes that White’s ability to coach them up can somehow catch up to his recruiting.

Anybody who lived through Don Devoe can tell you how bad things can get...

sadgator just really tries to appreciate even the small joys in hoops...we don’t have to win the title every year to make it fun and enjoyable.

White’s teams are fun and enjoyable? I hate the type of basketball we play under White. It’s slow and prodding and poorly coached. We’ve only been good on offense in 1 of his 5 years as well.

 

[sadgator]

Any win is fun...ISO...

 

[sadgator]

Why do people keep talking about a return for Billy D?

sadgator has a better chance of having mrs. sadgator turn into a nymphomaniac than Florida does of having Billy return to coach the Gators...

 

[GatorNation79]

Since when is just making the tourney a successful season?? That is what is mind-boggling to me.
The fact of the matter is White has had 1 good season out of 5. Does anybody disagree with that?

100% I'm a huge homer but come on. This program isnt headed in a real positive direction. MW did a great job recruiting a year ago and there are years that Billy D...NC and Duke did make it but we just look bad. This season and the 4 before have to be the measuring stick.

 

[ocalaman]

I remember when people wanted Spurrier back when his time with the Redskins was ending. But that ship sailed just like it has with Billy Donovan. Mike White is a good guy and has proven he can bring excellent talent to UF. he just hasn't shown that he know what to do with what he has and just making it to the NCAA tournament as a 10 seed ain't cutting it. I really good year in 5 seasons isn't good enough. And using the loss of Egbunu as an excuse is not valid because we made the Elite 8 without him and using the loss of Gak is even more stupid because he never was and never would be a real force as a big man. Our team has regressed under White as the talent has gotten better. That's a fact.

 

[Justpeachy7]

Vandy did better than I expected away at UK. Despite that, this was their 25th straight SEC loss....a record. Hoping that UF isn't the team that they break the losing streak on.

Play like we did vs miss state- lose by 5
Play like did vs Auburn - when by 10+

 

[bradleygator]

Donovan might eventually leave the NBA as you aren't getting a title without the players there. He had a shot a little while after he was hired before they came up short but I never see him getting that situation again there.

White doesn't have to miss the tourneys with the talent we have. He has a warm seat going into next season with this crappy regular season if we fail to make the Sweet 16.

He should have won his first year with Durant and Westbrook going full blast. They were up 3-1 against Golden State and up 13 in the fourth quarter!

But they can probably be very good in OKC for a long time. Team is young, except for Paul, they're already playing like a top-4 seed and they've got like 7 first round picks in the next two years.

 

[gatordad3]

It is totally true that we are not playing as well as we should. sadgator keeps hopefully waiting for signs that the lights are coming on, and he still hasn’t given up hope on White, but games like last night are very problematic if you are looking for positive momentum. You can’t deny the inconsistency that everyone has pointed to. It is a real thing.

At the same time, 20 wins and tournaments are better than losing records and no tournaments, so sadgator really hopes that White’s ability to coach them up can somehow catch up to his recruiting.

Anybody who lived through Don Devoe can tell you how bad things can get...

sadgator just really tries to appreciate even the small joys in hoops...we don’t have to win the title every year to make it fun and enjoyable.

Luckily we only had 1 season with Don Devoe. We're talking about 4-5 seasons of garbage with Mike White.