Game thoughts

[EagleDore]

Just watched the game on tape. A few thoughts:

- Shooting well, "stepping up," and tenacious D were keys. I think our shot creation and selection was much better tonite than earlier games. Also, we contested every possession and fought hard all game.
- Guys stepped up when needed. Lawrence 1st half scoring and last shot of course, Liam 1st half scoring and 2nd half D, Wright getting going finally in 2nd half and sinking shots and Manjon stepping up with some key shots in the second half, plus 5 assists including the key one at the end. How about Smith calmly draining 3 foul shots at the end? When somebody cooled off from scoring another player stepped up to keep the mo going.
- CJS managed the game really well. Last play was great. Foul strategy too. Obviously our guys never quit and believed they could win even when it seemed certain they would not. Credit coach for having the team ready in all ways and keeping them on target all game
- Thankfully a UT mistake on the passed up layup / dunk at the end helped, but that shouldn't take away from the way we fought and played ... the magic was back tonight and it was so great to see.

[alathIN]

Fantastic accomplishment.
I have been disappointed in this season and not confident in this coaching regime.
This was a "statement" win.
Much needed

[dore74]

Stack really seems to have taken a step forward in the past few weeks. I hope I'm not just reacting to the recent wins. He seems more open with the media and us fans. He seems more hands on during the games, and not just in calling more time outs. Maybe I'm just noticing, but we do seem to be running more plays. Good to see a lot of this noise dissipate.

While winning cures a lot, I was throughly impressed by the intensity and focus of the team for the full 40 minutes. That was an exhausting game and the team. The core and the support players kept their focus and intensity up, arguably more than UT was able to maintain. Hopefully our guys can bring the same to gator ally on Saturday.

Interesting that we had so few fouls called against us in such a physical game. The fouls we were bummed that weren't called likely weren't called on both sides. Resulted in a really good basketball game. Hope I'm not banned on giving the refs a thumbs up for this game, but letting them play where the fouling is within reason is not a bad way to ref.

Its been so long since I've watched a game like this, and an ending like this, wow, amazing. Thanks team and coaches. This is what will get more and more fannies in the seats at Memorial.

Will take a good run to get into the NIT let alone the NCAA. But with this win under our belt, who knows.

[EagleDore]

Right, very few penalties called which is interesting in itself. Hopefully, we "turn a corner" with this win and finish the season strong and make post season play.

[commadore]

Just watched the game on tape. A few thoughts:

- Shooting well, "stepping up," and tenacious D were keys. I think our shot creation and selection was much better tonite than earlier games. Also, we contested every possession and fought hard all game.
- Guys stepped up when needed. Lawrence 1st half scoring and last shot of course, Liam 1st half scoring and 2nd half D, Wright getting going finally in 2nd half and sinking shots and Manjon stepping up with some key shots in the second half, plus 5 assists including the key one at the end. How about Smith calmly draining 3 foul shots at the end? When somebody cooled off from scoring another player stepped up to keep the mo going.
- CJS managed the game really well. Last play was great. Foul strategy too. Obviously our guys never quit and believed they could win even when it seemed certain they would not. Credit coach for having the team ready in all ways and keeping them on target all game
- Thankfully a UT mistake on the passed up layup / dunk at the end helped, but that shouldn't take away from the way we fought and played ... the magic was back tonight and it was so great to see.

As I stated in another post, I was listening on the SEC Network to the eutee announcers. When the player backed out from the shot, they said it was absolutely the right play and was smart for him to do it. Didn't hear what they said AFTER the game.

[3rdFloorDyer]

Clear path to goal for dunk or lay up TO WIN THE GAME. Have to take that.

[OldDude]

Clear path to goal for dunk or lay up TO WIN THE GAME. Have to take that.

Worth every dollar I gave him and........Oooops, how do I delete this ..... dang, never mind....ignore that man behind the curtain !

[Foreverhopeful]

I am so thrilled with this win and with how Stack has responded the last 10 days or so. I think he is a true mentor to Tyrin (remember that Tryin lost his father AND has his own 2 year old) and really cares about these players. He does have the support of Ingram and Lee (he made sure we all know that) and he has my support as well.

[EagleDore]

Just watched the game on tape. A few thoughts:

- Shooting well, "stepping up," and tenacious D were keys. I think our shot creation and selection was much better tonite than earlier games. Also, we contested every possession and fought hard all game.
- Guys stepped up when needed. Lawrence 1st half scoring and last shot of course, Liam 1st half scoring and 2nd half D, Wright getting going finally in 2nd half and sinking shots and Manjon stepping up with some key shots in the second half, plus 5 assists including the key one at the end. How about Smith calmly draining 3 foul shots at the end? When somebody cooled off from scoring another player stepped up to keep the mo going.
- CJS managed the game really well. Last play was great. Foul strategy too. Obviously our guys never quit and believed they could win even when it seemed certain they would not. Credit coach for having the team ready in all ways and keeping them on target all game
- Thankfully a UT mistake on the passed up layup / dunk at the end helped, but that shouldn't take away from the way we fought and played ... the magic was back tonight and it was so great to see.

As I stated in another post, I was listening on the SEC Network to the eutee announcers. When the player backed out from the shot, they said it was absolutely the right play and was smart for him to do it. Didn't hear what they said AFTER the game.

UT Freshman Phillips had a clean layup or dunk for a 4pt lead...I think it would have been harder for us to win if they go up by 4. Not sure how many secs would have been left (12s or so?) but we'd have to bring the ball up court, make a shot, foul and hope they miss the front end of the one and one and then bring the ball back up court if we get the rebound. I think more time gets burned in this scenario. Barnes seemed to be pretty clear after the game, “I am not sure what was going through his head there,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. “I don't think he will ever make that mistake again.”

[commadore]

Just watched the game on tape. A few thoughts:

- Shooting well, "stepping up," and tenacious D were keys. I think our shot creation and selection was much better tonite than earlier games. Also, we contested every possession and fought hard all game.
- Guys stepped up when needed. Lawrence 1st half scoring and last shot of course, Liam 1st half scoring and 2nd half D, Wright getting going finally in 2nd half and sinking shots and Manjon stepping up with some key shots in the second half, plus 5 assists including the key one at the end. How about Smith calmly draining 3 foul shots at the end? When somebody cooled off from scoring another player stepped up to keep the mo going.
- CJS managed the game really well. Last play was great. Foul strategy too. Obviously our guys never quit and believed they could win even when it seemed certain they would not. Credit coach for having the team ready in all ways and keeping them on target all game
- Thankfully a UT mistake on the passed up layup / dunk at the end helped, but that shouldn't take away from the way we fought and played ... the magic was back tonight and it was so great to see.

As I stated in another post, I was listening on the SEC Network to the eutee announcers. When the player backed out from the shot, they said it was absolutely the right play and was smart for him to do it. Didn't hear what they said AFTER the game.

UT Freshman Phillips had a clean layup or dunk for a 4pt lead...I think it would have been harder for us to win if they go up by 4. Not sure how many secs would have been left (12s or so?) but we'd have to bring the ball up court, make a shot, foul and hope they miss the front end of the one and one and then bring the ball back up court if we get the rebound. I think more time gets burned in this scenario. Barnes seemed to be pretty clear after the game, “I am not sure what was going through his head there,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. “I don't think he will ever make that mistake again.”

If you watch the replay, even the announcers said it was a good play. I thought they were nuts.

[UltimateVUFan]

I am so thrilled with this win and with how Stack has responded the last 10 days or so. I think he is a true mentor to Tyrin (remember that Tryin lost his father AND has his own 2 year old) and really cares about these players. He does have the support of Ingram and Lee (he made sure we all know that) and he has my support as well.

Hear, hear.

I know this isn’t a popular take for many on this board, but as a mid-career professional educator, I have come to view priorities for coaching a team in a much different light than I did 20 years ago. Winning games isn’t everything. Raising young men and women to have strong character and work ethic is more important.
Doing things the right way matters.
Instilling a growth mindset and self-discipline matters.

In my opinion, at the end of the day, the players are the ones who should have the biggest voice when it comes to coaching change decisions. Ty stated his support and admiration for Stack publicly and called him a father figure. There are no tangible signs that this team has quit on Stack. In fact, I haven’t seen evidence of that from ANY of his teams, as they’ve all improved throughout the season each year of his tenure.

This program was in an absolute tailspin when he took over. You can’t expect him to work a miracle overnight. There is very clear progress occurring.

Inevitably someone is going to bring up Franklin’s miraculous football turnaround as a counterpoint for VU athletics success stories. However, (again, unpopular take coming) the fact that he instructed players to conceal evidence of a rape, thereby violating laws and presiding over the biggest VU scandal I can remember in 40 years of fandom, was reason enough to terminate him if he didn’t choose to take the PSU gig. That type of unsavory leadership model has zero place at Vanderbilt. I have little doubt that Stack would take a zero tolerance approach to a player involved in those circumstances.

Assuming he maintains the positive upward trajectory we’ve seen each season and gets VU back to the level we saw in much of Stallings’ tenure within a few more seasons at the helm, I see no reason to run him off. He is a strong role model for his players and seems to be building fierce competitors. He will (and has) learn(ed) from the mistakes he has made, and I’d wager he will continue to develop this program back into an SEC contender.

[commadore]

I am so thrilled with this win and with how Stack has responded the last 10 days or so. I think he is a true mentor to Tyrin (remember that Tryin lost his father AND has his own 2 year old) and really cares about these players. He does have the support of Ingram and Lee (he made sure we all know that) and he has my support as well.

Hear, hear.

I know this isn’t a popular take for many on this board, but as a mid-career professional educator, I have come to view priorities for coaching a team in a much different light than I did 20 years ago. Winning games isn’t everything. Raising young men and women to have strong character and work ethic is more important.
Doing things the right way matters.
Instilling a growth mindset and self-discipline matters.

In my opinion, at the end of the day, the players are the ones who should have the biggest voice when it comes to coaching change decisions. Ty stated his support and admiration for Stack publicly and called him a father figure. There are no tangible signs that this team has quit on Stack. In fact, I haven’t seen evidence of that from ANY of his teams, as they’ve all improved throughout the season each year of his tenure.

This program was in an absolute tailspin when he took over. You can’t expect him to work a miracle overnight. There is very clear progress occurring.

Inevitably someone is going to bring up Franklin’s miraculous football turnaround as a counterpoint for VU athletics success stories. However, (again, unpopular take coming) the fact that he instructed players to conceal evidence of a rape, thereby violating laws and presiding over the biggest VU scandal I can remember in 40 years of fandom, was reason enough to terminate him if he didn’t choose to take the PSU gig. That type of unsavory leadership model has zero place at Vanderbilt. I have little doubt that Stack would take a zero tolerance approach to a player involved in those circumstances.

Assuming he maintains the positive upward trajectory we’ve seen each season and gets VU back to the level we saw in much of Stallings’ tenure within a few more seasons at the helm, I see no reason to run him off. He is a strong role model for his players and seems to be building fierce competitors. He will (and has) learn(ed) from the mistakes he has made, and I’d wager he will continue to develop this program back into an SEC contender.

I would like to see your source for these allegations. Without iron clad resources, you have just opened yourself to libel.

[jpmando]

I have to strongly agree about Franklin, I would need to see evidence of this coverup. Im not sure we have all the details . I feel sure that if he were clearly complicit in the crime after the fact, that he would have been charged.

I for one give him benefit of the doubt. And I also appreciate his significant accomplishments.

[jpmando]

I have to strongly agree about Franklin, I would need to see evidence of this coverup. Im not sure we have all the details . I feel sure that if he were clearly complicit in the crime after the fact, that he would have been charged.

I for one give him benefit of the doubt. And I also appreciate his significant accomplishments.

[OldDude]

This whole episode should be laid to rest, but, since it has become a bit of a thread, we have to accept some realities. It does appear that , at the least, Franklin behaved very foolishly and may even have attempted to conceal some facts. A simple internet search will yield a lot of matches from professional news sources. I have attached just one below:


https://deadspin.com/report-james-frank ... 1569639738

[VandyPhile]

From your article:

Update: Deputy district attorney Tom Thurman said that Franklin's contact with the victim did not tamper with the case, and "there's no indication that Coach Franklin had any improper involvement in this case."

Would the involved DDA maybe be an authority on this? I’m tired of this being repeated again and again.

[UltimateVUFan]

Fair enough points re: my reference to xCJF. In hindsight I probably shouldn’t have brought him up at all. I was working from memory of reading many articles being pumped out at the time surrounding the controversy, and an anonymous source stating that Franklin had seen a cell phone video and told players to delete it. It also didn’t help that he admitted to lying about having seen the video but later testified in court that he only said that to note the seriousness of the matter in a team meeting to address players after the fact. I could certainly post the SI article and some others that indicated sources who were critical of Franklin’s handling of the case, but probably best just to drop it. All-in-all, the entire situation really soured my opinion of Franklin as a leader of young men. Whether or not he contributed to the alleged destruction of evidence, that whole fiasco was a bad look for the program. My original point was simply that winning shouldn’t be the only metric of program success, nor does it excuse one from running a program the right way. I apologize for the lack of sound judgment in referencing Franklin at all.