For the Martin backers, if UT doesn't make the play-in game.....

[LAZER]

No, I just see too many CRITICAL flaws with Martin.  

I would have liked to see the following:

Closer games/more effort against Florida and Kentucky.
More consistent recruiting - He's all over the map, with the majority of recruits being 2-3 stars.  He's landed 2 -4/5 stars, but has achieved most success with Bruce Pearl's recruits- his haven't had a significant impact. 

My huge concern is that, next year, the Tennessee boards are saying that the team will not be anywhere near 20 wins with the current talent on the roster.  People keep saying..... he's upward trending, but next year, that isn't the case.  

Let's not forget that the 5 stars were instate recruits either......  He doesn't have a great recruiting pipeline across the country which is critical to being a consistent sweet 16 team.    

Who are you backing?  Let's look at the pros/cons of that candidate.

[Jet915]

Interesting - never heard of the overcoming serious health issues. Can you elaborate?

He had lymphoma.

[UticaBusBarn]

Interesting - never heard of the overcoming serious health issues. Can you elaborate?

He had non-hodgkin lymphoma in 1997. He over came the cancer and a fund has been established at Purdue in his name for cancer research.

[Shark]

Why bother playing what-ifs in sports? It's just dumb.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Good knowledge, thanks Jet & Utica

[bilsu]

I am going to back whomever MU hires. I assume they are making the best effort to get the best coach possible. Wishing they hired someone else (unless you know that person would have actually taken the job) is just a waste of time. What is important to me is how many of the returning players he keeps and how many of the new recruits he keeps. What I do not know is whether any hire would result in a player like Hill staying or going. However, 3 or 4 recruits changing their mind would not be a good start. I would be very happy, if all the current players stay.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Who are you backing?  Let's look at the pros/cons of that candidate.

I think in order to select a candidate, you have to eliminate the most doubt about them.  

At this point,

Javall Robinson - very creative with his guards x's and o's, plus can recruit well.  Great guard play will always take you far in the tourney.  Look at Uconn.  Plus, look at MU.  No guards = dismal season.  Whenever we have a had a stud at guard, we have done well.  

Collins - Disciplined coach, runs a clean program and is getting 3 and 4 star recruits @ Northwestern.  That is a very tough thing to do!  2014's recruiting class is the best class Northwestern has ever had!!!  

Recruiting and X's and O's.  Those are my top 2 qualifications.  With Howland and Martin, I can point out flaws concerning those 2 categories.  I would, for the record, take Howland over Martin in a heartbeat.    

[LAZER]

I think in order to select a candidate, you have to eliminate the most doubt about them.  


Javall Robinson - very creative with his guards x's and o's, plus can recruit well.  Great guard play will always take you far in the tourney.  Look at Uconn.  Plus, look at MU.  No guards = dismal season.  Whenever we have a had a stud at guard, we have done well.  
  

Is that supposed to be LaVall Jordan?

[Pakuni]

I think in order to select a candidate, you have to eliminate the most doubt about them.  

At this point,

Javall Robinson - very creative with his guards x's and o's, plus can recruit well.  Great guard play will always take you far in the tourney.  Look at Uconn.  Plus, look at MU.  No guards = dismal season.  Whenever we have a had a stud at guard, we have done well.  

Collins - Disciplined coach, runs a clean program and is getting 3 and 4 star recruits @ Northwestern.  That is a very tough thing to do!  2014's recruiting class is the best class Northwestern has ever had!!!  

Recruiting and X's and O's.  Those are my top 2 qualifications.  With Howland and Martin, I can point out flaws concerning those 2 categories.  I would, for the record, take Howland over Martin in a heartbeat.    

Collins isn't leaving NU after one year.
Plus, all former Duke assistants suck (or so I'm told).
Who is Javall Robinson?

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Is that supposed to be LaVall Jordan?

Thank you for the correction.  JaVall Robinson....lmao.  Cliff Robinson was mentioned on the radio and I typed Robinson. 

LaVall Jordan !!!

[LAZER]

Thank you for the correction.  JaVall Robinson....lmao.  Cliff Robinson was mentioned on the radio and I typed Robinson. 

LaVall Jordan !!!

Honest question - Did you know who Lavall Jordan was before this coaching search began?

[jesmu84]

Not a pre-requisite, but come on... this guy shows up 5 days ago and has been averaging over 60 posts/day pushing Martin.  Something is fishy.

Didn't realize that. Doesn't influence my opinion of a coach. But sure is interesting

[jesmu84]

Why bother playing what-ifs in sports? It's just dumb.

I think CBB is just trying to point out to look at a body of work for a coach vs. short term success.

[LAZER]

I think CBB is just trying to point out to look at a body of work for a coach vs. short term success.

What if Hubbs doesn't get injured early in the season?  Does that petition even start?  Is Martin even an option at this point?

[Tums Festival]

For one, he will start his BEST five players. He is able to recruit 5 star players and hes a better x's and o's coach.

To say Martin recruits 5 star players is stretching the truth to try and fit your argument. Stokes was a Pearl recruit that Martin was able to retain, and Hubbs is a 4 star recruit according to ESPN. He is listed two spots below JJJ in the top 100 for 2013. The vast majority of the players he's brought into the Tennessee program have been 2 and 3 star players. Stop bending the truth when you're trying to make your point.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Honest question - Did you know who Lavall Jordan was before this coaching search began?

LaVall Jordan - Yes, I took notice last year with the phenomenal play of Trey Burke.  Jordan has become more intriguing as that he has helped fill Burke's void, quite nicely.  As I said before, guard play impresses me most.  Jordan seems to know how to develop guards quite well.  He's had a nice 2 year stretch.  Although, I'm curious as to why butler didn't hire him.  

[Pakuni]

To say Martin recruits 5 star players is stretching the truth to try and fit your argument. Stokes was a Pearl recruit that Martin was able to retain, and Hubbs is a 4 star recruit according to ESPN. He is listed two spots below JJJ in the top 100 for 2013. The vast majority of the players he's brought into the Tennessee program have been 2 and 3 star players. Stop bending the truth when you're trying to make your point.

So the dude made the Sweet 16 with a bunch of two- and three-star recruits?
Must be a good coach.

As for Stokes, he only verballed to Pearl as a junior. Martin had to re-recruit him for months, even after Stokes said the firing of Pearl had him leaning against Tennessee. So that was a legit get by Martin.

For the record - just going off Rivals here - none of Martin's Tennessee recruits were two stars.

[Jet915]

So the dude made the Sweet 16 with a bunch of two- and three-star recruits?
Must be a good coach.

As for Stokes, he only verballed to Pearl as a junior. Martin had to re-recruit him for months, even after Stokes said the firing of Pearl had him leaning against Tennessee. So that was a legit get by Martin.

For the record - just going off Rivals here - none of Martin's Tennessee recruits were two stars.

Just did a quick glance for the last 3 years of Martin's recruiting at Tennessee (2012-2014), looks like 2 5 stars (Stokes and Hubbs) and one 2 star (Ndiaye).  Everyone else was 3 star.

[Tums Festival]

So the dude made the Sweet 16 with a bunch of two- and three-star recruits?
Must be a good coach.

As for Stokes, he only verballed to Pearl as a junior. Martin had to re-recruit him for months, even after Stokes said the firing of Pearl had him leaning against Tennessee. So that was a legit get by Martin.

For the record - just going off Rivals here - none of Martin's Tennessee recruits were two stars.

The players that played the majority of time were Pearl's guys. Josh Richardson is the only one if his recruits that's developed into a solid player so far.

[VolFan]

Okay guys, I'm a die hard UT fan and alumni, and watch just about every second of every game and here's my take on Martin:  You will not find a higher quality person with more integrity than him.  You never have to worry about NCAA issues with him and he will say and do all the right things.  He has a great story (cancer survivor) and you cannot help but like him.

As far as coaching ability, I still think it's too early to make a definitive statement on whether or not he is a good coach.  He has some very good wins at UT (inc. beating UK by 30 plus last year and UVA by 35 this year) and some awful losses (TAMU twice this year, UTEP this year, and Austin Peay among others in past seasons).

As a recruiter, I think many of you are underrating him.  Jarnell Stokes was a 5-star, who Pearl initially recruited, but once Pearl left Stokes did not have UT on his list and not only did Martin get him to reconsider, but Stokes graduated high school a semester early and played for UT the second semester of what should have been his senior year of high school, which is unheard of.  The other 5-star is Robert Hubbs, who had a shoulder injury this year and took a medical redshirt, so way too early to judge him.  And although they are both TN guys, they are west TN guys, and for any of you who know the geography of TN, it is not exactly a hotbed for UT recruiting as a lot of these guys end up at Memphis, Ole Miss, Miss. St., Mizzou, etc.  Josh Richardson has also developed into a very good player.  I do have some concerns about some of the other recruits, but I think it is too early to pass judgment.  I will say that this notion that Martin did it almost exclusively with Pearl's players is not true.  The only 2 Pearl holdovers were McRae, who only scored 18 points total as a freshman (he averaged 18+ a game this year) and Maymon, and you guys know his story.  if anything, an argument can be made that Martin actually did well developing these guys.

I didn't sign the petition, but that's not to say that I have always been happy with Martin.  If he leaves for Marquette, then I probably won't lose any sleep as I think UT can hire someone just as good, if not better (early reports are Gregg Marshall would be a top target for UT).  However, I think Marquette could do a lot worse than Martin too (i.e. Wojo or Green Bay's HC).

That's just my 2 cents.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

The players that played the majority of time were Pearl's guys. Josh Richardson is the only one if his recruits that's developed into a solid player so far.

Right on Heavy Gear!!!  But remember though.... the Martin supporters rave how he had a Top defense and Offense via Ken Pom.... 

[/url]

[VolFan]

Right on Heavy Gear!!!  But remember though.... the Martin supporters rave how he had a Top defense and Offense via Ken Pom.... 

[/url]

This is not accurate.  See my email above. 

[Pakuni]

The players that played the majority of time were Pearl's guys. Josh Richardson is the only one if his recruits that's developed into a solid player so far.

Huh?
Tennessee's MPG:
1. Stokes - Martin recruit (see my earlier post and VolFan's post).
2. McRae - Pearl recruit
3. Richardson - Martin
4. Maymon - Pearl
5. Barton - Martin
6. Hubbs - Martin
7. Thompson - Martin
8. Moore - Martin

We must have very different definitions of the word "majority."

[3Mer]

here's my take on Martin:  You will not find a higher quality person with more integrity than him.  You never have to worry about NCAA issues with him and he will say and do all the right things.  

I don't think these attributes can be overestimated for Lovell's first significant hire.  i'm betting it'll be Martin.

[Eldon]

Okay guys, I'm a die hard UT fan and alumni, and watch just about every second of every game and here's my take on Martin:  You will not find a higher quality person with more integrity than him.  You never have to worry about NCAA issues with him and he will say and do all the right things.  He has a great story (cancer survivor) and you cannot help but like him.

As far as coaching ability, I still think it's too early to make a definitive statement on whether or not he is a good coach.  He has some very good wins at UT (inc. beating UK by 30 plus last year and UVA by 35 this year) and some awful losses (TAMU twice this year, UTEP this year, and Austin Peay among others in past seasons).

As a recruiter, I think many of you are underrating him.  Jarnell Stokes was a 5-star, who Pearl initially recruited, but once Pearl left Stokes did not have UT on his list and not only did Martin get him to reconsider, but Stokes graduated high school a semester early and played for UT the second semester of what should have been his senior year of high school, which is unheard of.  The other 5-star is Robert Hubbs, who had a shoulder injury this year and took a medical redshirt, so way too early to judge him.  And although they are both TN guys, they are west TN guys, and for any of you who know the geography of TN, it is not exactly a hotbed for UT recruiting as a lot of these guys end up at Memphis, Ole Miss, Miss. St., Mizzou, etc.  Josh Richardson has also developed into a very good player.  I do have some concerns about some of the other recruits, but I think it is too early to pass judgment.  I will say that this notion that Martin did it almost exclusively with Pearl's players is not true.  The only 2 Pearl holdovers were McRae, who only scored 18 points total as a freshman (he averaged 18+ a game this year) and Maymon, and you guys know his story.  if anything, an argument can be made that Martin actually did well developing these guys.

I didn't sign the petition, but that's not to say that I have always been happy with Martin.  If he leaves for Marquette, then I probably won't lose any sleep as I think UT can hire someone just as good, if not better (early reports are Gregg Marshall would be a top target for UT).  However, I think Marquette could do a lot worse than Martin too (i.e. Wojo or Green Bay's HC).

That's just my 2 cents.

Thanks for the input.

What is Martin's personality like?  Some other Vols fan came on here saying that the guy has no fire in his belly.  Or at least he doesn't show it.  Admittedly I haven't watched a Vols game since he took over as coach, but from the little I have seen of him, he is 100% opposite of Buzz in terms of demeanor and mannerisms.

Not that his personality matters or anything, but I'm just curious.