cant win a close game

[whitelakegator]

Are we really comparing the 05 team to this one?

BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! Seriously? Thank you for the chuckle. This year's team is a good, solid team. Possibly an elite eight team. They have no where near the inside(first)-out game that those title teams did. Not to mention pure talent. You do a disservice to those earlier champions by trying to cookie cutter every down turn into something that happened five years ago...sigh...to somehow rationalize that this team is anywhere close to them. Stop it.

I feel like I am dealing with the Elway first season starting stats vs. Tebow's....like they are somehow relevant. They are not. Please please stop.

[tommyuf21]

Originally Posted by gatordavisl

I think you make a good point about losses of that particular championship team, but my point is about wins. This team lacks a big win away from home. They do not have anything in the line of the appearance of that championship team (all-time best Gator PG, dominating low post game with depth, two guard DEADLY from the 3 pt line, and a three with a 7' wing span). The current team is not physically as gifted as that team was and they do not have the close wins against quality opponents away from home. This team chokes in close games away from home. Do you disagree?

This team is nowhere near the quality of the 04's, yet so many want to compare them to them because of the superlative record to date.

I'm thrilled we're 21-4 at this point. Preseason, I expected a couple more L's in the right hand column.

[WESGATORS]

Some of you have short memories. You don't remember the complaints about "not being able to win the close games" in the 2005-2006 season? Really?

Obviously the comparison is a lofty standard, but isn't that where the margin of expectation falls? (i.e. a Sweet 16 season would be considered somewhat disappointing to most of us here)

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

[WESGATORS]

It should be noted, that to date (and by date), the odds on winning the national championship for the '05-'06 team was never lower than the odds for the '12-'13 team. The comparisons aren't as bizarre as some may think they are. That guarantees nothing, but it serves as a reminder that the comparison is reasonable.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

[mac4lyfe]

The comparisons are very reasonable. In fact the odds for the 05 team was 125 to 1 at the beginning of the season (I won with a $100 wager). This years team was a 14 to 1 favorite at most shops but you could get 25 to 1 in a couple of places. Just yesterday we were the favorite over the field to win at Bovada at 5 to 1. The 05 team was never that high at anytime. I think we were 40 to 1 entering the tourney that year.

[sec1]

just because we have different opinions does not mean we hate our team or do not need to watch them.. i love this team ... we are a good team but not a great team, i do not think we can put a run together and cut down the nets in the ncaa ... we do not have a clutch player and we can not win a close game but i will still watch our gators play

[tommyuf21]

Originally Posted by mac4lyfe

The comparisons are very reasonable. In fact the odds for the 05 team was 125 to 1 at the beginning of the season (I won with a $100 wager). This years team was a 14 to 1 favorite at most shops but you could get 25 to 1 in a couple of places. Just yesterday we were the favorite over the field to win at Bovada at 5 to 1. The 05 team was never that high at anytime. I think we were 40 to 1 entering the tourney that year.

That year, we were picked by many in the preseason to be 4th in the SEC East. The 2005-06 team was replacing their three top scorers and noone expected Noah to develop into the player he became. Taurean Green suprised many as to how quickly he developed into one of the best PG's in the NCAA. I was shocked at how well he played against Wake and 'Cuse.

The reason we have good odds on us this year is because the field is wide open. There are really no dominant teams in the NCAA this season and Billy's tourney success in recent years make him a good bet.

At this time last year, we had just lost Yeguette and had our worst performance of the season in a double digit loss to a terrible Poodle team. It was a loss that had me doubting if we would be one and done or two and barbecue in the tourney.

[mac4lyfe]

I have much higher expectations for this team this year than in 05. Back in 05 we had lost like 4 out of 6 games towards the end of the season but then we won in corRUPP which was a huge mental hurdle for the team. We then won 2 close SEC tourney games and won the SEC then pretty much blew by the field in the tourney (with the exception of a 4 point win over GT).

At this point in the season, this year's team has a much better shot. I will stay encouraged.

[tommyuf21]

Originally Posted by mac4lyfe

I have much higher expectations for this team this year than in 05. Back in 05 we had lost like 4 out of 6 games towards the end of the season but then we won in corRUPP which was a huge mental hurdle for the team. We then won 2 close SEC tourney games and won the SEC then pretty much blew by the field in the tourney (with the exception of a 4 point win over GT).

At this point in the season, this year's team has a much better shot. I will stay encouraged.

The field was much stronger in the two years that we won the tourney. I know we caught a bit of a break in 05-06 when George Mason upset UConn. However, as well as we played down the stretch, I think we would have handled them in any regard.

[sec1]

we win and lose as a team , no one is clutch on this team and that will keep us from winning it all this year ... book it !!

[mac4lyfe]

It's very hard to say. We had a stretch where we lost 6 out of 11 games that year. Folks were dooming and glooming for sure. We then got hot in the SEC tourney and the NCAA. I could see the same thing happening with this team as well. Everything has to come together but it can happen just like it did back then.

I did like our control of the paint back then. Nothing like having guys that can block/alter shots. Our defense this year has been pretty similar to back then with a little more strength from our guards and maybe not as much by our bigs. We have just as much right to a title as any one else. I think we will turn it up at the right time and make a run. My money is on us winning it all, flaws and all.

Originally Posted by tommyuf21

The field was much stronger in the two years that we won the tourney. I know we caught a bit of a break in 05-06 when George Mason upset UConn. However, as well as we played down the stretch, I think we would have handled them in any regard.

[tommyuf21]

Originally Posted by mac4lyfe

It's very hard to say. We had a stretch where we lost 6 out of 11 games that year. Folks were dooming and glooming for sure. We then got hot in the SEC tourney and the NCAA. I could see the same thing happening with this team as well. Everything has to come together but it can happen just like it did back then.

SEC was also a lot tougher that year. We got six bids and had two of the final four.

UT-2 seed
UF-3 seed
LSU-4 seed
Ark-8 seed
UK-8 seed
Bama-10 seed

If we catch some breaks down the stretch and get our power forward back, we could do it.

However, that 04 bunch sure was special and they have some strengths that this team doesn't. It's personnel related, not chemistry, coachability or toughness. I believe that this team will go as far as they are capable of. They'll leave nothing on the court.

[madgator]

Originally Posted by diamondted13

Those of you who scoff at Miami for their ugly wins.....take a look at their end of game execution. They have bigs who can post up and a PG that can create off the bounce and makes great decisions. The irony is that Wilbekin and Rosario can create their own shot, yet we still end up with Boynton's awful 3 pt heaves when the situation doesn't call for it.

or

Kenny Kadji hit a 3 pointer


c'mon man...

[akaGatorhoops]

Originally Posted by madgator

or

Kenny Kadji hit a 3 pointer


c'mon man...

Not to argue your point here, as I may agree with it.
But I have to interject that I find your silence and/or defense of the scenario interesting considering that you made a past time out of crucifying Erv for the exact same play.
I have to presume that if he were our point guard last night, you would have contributed pages of comments about the selfishness of not getting our bigs involved, as well as endless rants about the final shot decision.

[madgator]

Originally Posted by akaGatorhoops

Not to argue your point here, as I may agree with it.
But I have to interject that I find your silence and/or defense of the scenario interesting considering that you made a past time out of crucifying Erv for the exact same play.
I have to presume that if he were our point guard last night, you would have contributed pages of comments about the selfishness of not getting our bigs involved, as well as endless rants about the final shot decision.

Kenny took one bad shot, not a game of 6-10 bad decisions.


so it's not really a silence or defense. Just not an over-reaction. I'm certainly not happy about it as Kenny has done this time and time again over the past 3 years. But I will take one bad decision over a half dozen any day of the week.


But from the outset of the season I did mention that a big concern of mine was the lack of us having a "go to" guy at the end of games if necessary. Not sure if that is going to have this team ultimately not meet my expectations.

at this point, I really don't know what to make of this team in comparison to the competition out there. So much is going to come down to tournament seeding and matchups. I'm confident in knowing who we can beat and who we will have trouble with.

then factor in the situation with Yeguette.

At this point, I am just enjoying the ride. the play has been solid and the future looks bright!

[SmootyGator]

Originally Posted by madgator

At this point, I am just enjoying the ride. the play has been solid and the future looks bright!

Exactly!