....I have basically been fairly quiet since the December derailment. I've watched them most of the time, but I was less emotionally attached because we all knew it was over before it began.
- I read one of Marcello's blog entries the other day that said something like "Bulldogs need wins to get to the NIT." And it hit me all over again how horrible this team has been this year and what kind of job Rick has done. The whole thing has been massive underachievement from the day that we lost to the heels at home last year. Everything about the offseason was a failure. Everything about the season was a failure, save one win on Rocky Top for Jack's last game. We're on the NIT bubble, folks. The NIT bubble. Let that sink in. It happens every year, but we start out so badly that when we show a little bit of improvement and hustle down the stretch, people want to start giving Rick credit. Well, he dug the freaking hole. Every year, the hole gets deeper and more impossible to dig out of.
- On a related note, it's funny how the cycle usually goes. We usually finish the season strong. Depending on our circumstances, the finish is enough to appease some people. Last year it was making a run to Sunday and getting screwed out of an NCAA bid. Whatever it is, Rick always kinds of finds a way to leave a good enough taste in people's mouth before the offseason storm hits and uses up most of his favorability rating.. I don't know about the rest of you, but 17 wins and a game one flame out in the SEC tourney is nothing at all to be proud of. Another horrid offseason might do him in.
- I kept quiet because I didn't want to be Debbie Downer, but this team had no chance to win the SEC tournament. We were the sexy pick because of the last two years, but those two teams had a couple of things that this team doesn't have: 1) Guts and 2) Defensive effort. The majority of that came from Varnado and Stewart. Bost is the only player that seems to understand what it takes. Sidney, despite his obvious talent, is a million miles away from that. A million miles. And I very seriously doubt that he will ever have it. The fatness and laziness is a symptom.
- I am convinced that Rick got a little lazy around the time he recruited and evaluated the three senior starters. Last year, it felt like we were undermanned somewhat, but scrappy with Varnado and Stewart out there. But they were gutsy players and gave it everything they had. This year, probably due to Sidney's presence, it feels like we are wasting a ton of talent.
- Kodi Augustus - Had the build and athleticism to come in and be a Brandon Vincent type player that played defense and rebounded. Instead, he wanted his whole career to shoot thee pointers, made more bone head plays over 4 years than any player since the Feces, and in general wasted his career. He played well in his last 5 or 6 games. So the guy is eligible to play 120+ games over the course of a career and he finally shows up in his last 5 or 6? That reflects extremely poorly on the player AND the coach. And yet, everybody is patting themselves on the back for it. That's another Rick staple. Highly hyped player does nothing his whole career, and shows up for half a season and everybody wants to say "great job with that kid." He should've been playing that way his whole career.
- Ravern Johnson - The defining moment in his career was missing the crucial Kentucky game last year. By playing and getting close to his average, we are a NCAA tourney team as an at large and Rick's seat is considerably cooler. So, thanks, Ray. Same goes for you as Kodi. Way to try for 3 weeks out of 4 years.
- Riley Benock - I always wanted to try to like him. I wanted him to be the Jimmy Chitwood of the team. The lunch pail guy who hustles and plays good defense and can shoot lights out. He was never any of those things. My memories of Riley will be of him turning it over against KY last year in that game. Taking big, wide open shots at the end of crucial games and never hitting one, and giving up a 4 point play last night. He's supposed to be the heady player who doesn't make mistakes. He's kind of like Tyson Lee. You can't really blame the kid who doesn't have the ability. But hell. At least make a good decision. Knock down a big shot every once in a while. Don't turn the ball over. And don't foul a 3 point shooter in a tight game.
- Anthony Grant took a year and a half to turn around a program that had been dismal for several years. That's not very long. Partially, he was able to do it because there was little to no resistance in his own division. The West is full of chump coaches, except for Grant. The next thing you are going to see is Arkansas dump Pelphrey and get some new life. They are due for a good hire and they've paid their dues with Heath and Pelphrey. Then, we'll be third in the division consistently. We should be fine there as long as LSU doesn't decide they want to play basketball. And plenty of people will be fine with being 3rd.
- As the criteria for making the tournament and getting seeding eases further and further away from favoring the big conferences, we are going to have a harder and harder time with Rick at the helm.
- We are wasting a lot of talent and a huge opportunity to build a program in a down division in a down league. The door is wide open for us to surge ahead and we are staring at that open door, blinking at it.
- Anybody who gives a crap about the NIT just doesn't get collegiate athletics. The NIT is like going 5-7 or 4-8 in SEC football. It is failure, plain and simple, and the only time it's not failure is if you were expected to be really bad and ended up barely missing the big dance. For us this year, and last year, it is pure and unadulterated underachievement and there is nothing redeeming about it.
- It's time, Rick.
