Has the Bball Program Hit Rock Bottom, Yet?

[seamus]

I like what Frank Martin is doing. He is establishing that he will not "settle" for so-so effort. He is a winner and will build a winner. It took Staley 3-4 years to compete in the very tough SEC. It took Spurrier a few years to get things to where they are now. Given a little time, Frank Martin will have his program where we can compete for the top of the conference, rather than trying to win some games.

[Coulwoodwarlord]

I can hardly believe that this thread is still alive ! Oh ye of little faith, should you not believe that things have already changed.......... or are you toddlers, exempt from knowledge ?

[SECgamecock453]

I just don't want Frank to abandon us.... please help us Frank. HEEEEELP!

[Makindough]

I believe in Frank Martin as much as i believed in SOS when he came...that they WILL turn the program around AND SOS HAS soooooo Coach Martin will as well. They are both cut from the same mold, and will take on any challenge for the simple fact that people say it cant be done. They share the same mentality and it will show in a couple years, I mean hell he has already gotten a commitment from Sindarious Thornwell, thats a big instate keeper!

[Cockhornleghorn]

Originally Posted by Makindough

I believe in Frank Martin as much as i believed in SOS when he came...that they WILL turn the program around AND SOS HAS soooooo Coach Martin will as well. They are both cut from the same mold, and will take on any challenge for the simple fact that people say it cant be done. They share the same mentality and it will show in a couple years, I mean hell he has already gotten a commitment from Sindarious Thornwell, thats a big instate keeper!

We'll see Frank get about 15 wins this season and about 20 next season and probably 22 or 23 in year 3. Frank Martin is not the type of coach that's going to need 5 years to turn it around.

[Travelin]

Taking down tenn today would be a good step toward improvement. I'd like to see improvement this year in the second half of SEC play. The last three years we have regressed this time of year and the last three games hasn't been any indication of progression other than effort, which should be a given on this level.

[uscJustin06]

Originally Posted by Travelin

Taking down tenn today would be a good step toward improvement. I'd like to see improvement this year in the second half of SEC play. The last three years we have regressed this time of year and the last three games hasn't been any indication of progression other than effort, which should be a given on this level.

This is what worries me. This is starting to look like the end of last season. Losing the winnable games and getting blown out against good teams. I thought we played better earlier in the year. We shouldn't be getting worse.

[brat]

Originally Posted by uscJustin06

This is what worries me. This is starting to look like the end of last season. Losing the winnable games and getting blown out against good teams. I thought we played better earlier in the year. We shouldn't be getting worse.

The other teams are also improving over the course of the season. We have less talent and not much quality depth. If our team improves, it still will generally lose against an improved team with better talent.

Subpar talent, little size, a new coaching staff and system to learn, etc., you just shouldn't expect miracles or anything approaching one in year one.

This season has been a success because it looks like our guys care and try hard. They might still screw up some, but this is a vast improvement over last year. Add in a little more talent next year, with the same effort and desire, we'll take another decent step toward respectability.

[markymark550]

Originally Posted by uscJustin06

This is what worries me. This is starting to look like the end of last season. Losing the winnable games and getting blown out against good teams. I thought we played better earlier in the year. We shouldn't be getting worse.

We played better earlier in the year because, for the most part, the teams we played weren't that great. While that OOC schedule was necessary, it wasn't a good indicator (save for the St. John's and Clemson games) of how we would perform in conference games.

[Travelin]

Just because we made what many think is a good hire and have some good recruits waiting in the wings does not change the fact that the bball program is still in the depths of despair. I don't think it's wrong to say that we are still at an all-time low as a program. It's sad, and while I believe that Martin will turn it around, it doesn't change the fact about how bad we are.

[ReadR00ster]

It's a team of role players right now. only maybe one or two of them are worthy to be starters and they should be the worst two starters. That's how far we have to go start contending for an NCAA tournament birth.

[brat]

Last year with Horn has to be worse than it is now because there was still little indication he could recruit well enough to make improvement and that likely would be the case if he had stayed another 10 years.

With Martin, we have more promising kids coming in and are in the running for others than we have been since the best days of Fogler.

While next year, we will have more talent, I still do not expect us do make a major jump in the win column. Needing a bunch of Freshmen to lead the team to wins is not something on which to pin your hopes for a breakout season. They will help, but they will be young and will have to learn Frank's way of doing things and that takes time. At least there is hope for the future with Martin. It was quickly evident Horn was not the one to bring our program back to respectibility.

[Travelin]

We have to remember that our bball program is a business. The management (Martin and Staff) is in place, now it's time to replace the merchandise (players).

When you are in a downward spiral, you have to hit rock bottom before you can make your way up. Knowing that we have now reached rock bottom, I can take solace in the fact that there's only one way to go from here, up.

[TwoNotch Dreams]

Coach K's first three years at Duke:

17-13
10-17
11-17

Just saying. You're bound to run into hurdles when you're breaking new ground. Darrin Horn only did well to start his first year because he was giftwrapped Devan Downey, Sam Muldrow, Zam Frederick, Mike Holmes and Domonique Archie from the Dave Odom. After we went 21-10 Horn's first year, Holmes and Archie didn't play the next season, Frederick graduated, and all we had left was Downey and Muldrow to go 15-16. Downey graduates, then all we have is Muldrow, and the team continues to get worse.

Over time Horn showed zero ability to bring in the quality of players Odom did, and it showed this program was going nowhere. Martin's a better recruiter and over time will bring in big talents to turn this program around. Give it time. Michael Carrera, Sindarius Thornwell and Tyronne Johnson is a good start.

[Cockhornleghorn]

I think the LSU game and the first 10 minutes of the Alabama game represented "rock bottom". It will all get better from here.

[Travelin]

Originally Posted by Cockhornleghorn

I think the LSU game and the first 10 minutes of the Alabama game represented "rock bottom". It will all get better from here.

You could be right. Here's to hoping the worst is behind these guys.

[Travelin]

Another season has come and gone without our basketball team showing much improvement. Yes, we won a couple more games than last year, but is that anything to hang your hat on? Considering our OOC schedule was the easiest in DIV 1 Bball, I say no.

In all honesty, there are two bright spots on the team. Micheal C. and the coaching staff, both of which have yet to fulfill their potential in Columbia and have a long way to go to do so.

When the day comes that moral victories are something to be ashamed of, and this team wins more than it loses and makes an appearance in the NCAA tournament, I'll consider the program on the way up. Until then, we are still the SEC cellar dwellers and stuck in the worst rut in our basketball programs history.

[AtlGAMECOCK]

Things always get worse before they can get better

[cockypanther]

Originally Posted by AtlGAMECOCK

Things always get worse before they can get better

Very true, and at times it is hard to be patient. This season was one of those times. I truly believe the basketball program will become competitive and we will go to the dance in another two years or so.

[Ace Dilcock]

Two problems caused us to hit bottom. One was Horn - just a bad coaching hire. I mean, what coach with any sense would run off Ramon Galloway? The other is the turnover that comes with a coaching change. No Harris, no Gill. Losing Geathers to injury did not help either.

Now we just need stability for a couple of years. We have a man who can coach and recruit and it will get better quickly.