The SEC is on the verge of being the best conference in college basketball

[GatorJ]

Might be two years away. But I was watching the SEC coaches roundtable on the SEC network. There is some coaching talent in the league. I haven't really followed the off-season so I didn't know the depth that we had in coaches.

Calipari Kentucky. White at UF. Avery Johnson at Bama. Rick Barnes at Tennessee. Ben Howland at Miss St.

I don't think the SEC has ever been this deep in coaching talent. With talent developers like this, recruits will come.

 

[ATXGator]

You are insane.

The SEC is nowhere close to the ACC or Big 10 in basketball. With Billy gone and Florida down the SEC is a one basketball school conference until somebody can consistently challenge UK again. Barnes won't do it, Pearl at Auburn won't... we have no idea what we have in White, nobody knows of Avery Johnson can recruit at Bama consistently and Ben Howland couldn't succeed at UCLA so why do we think he will be great at Miss ST?

 

[GatorJ]

You are insane.

The SEC is nowhere close to the ACC or Big 10 in basketball. With Billy gone and Florida down the SEC is a one basketball school conference until somebody can consistently challenge UK again. Barnes won't do it, Pearl at Auburn won't... we have no idea what we have in White, nobody knows of Avery Johnson can recruit at Bama consistently and Ben Howland couldn't succeed at UCLA so why do we think he will be great at Miss ST?

Barnes - One of the best coaches Texas ever had. Maybe the best. I don't know Texas' basketball history. What I do know is that Texas routinely fought for number one seeds under Barnes.

Pearl - I don't know how I forgot about him… He had Tennessee playing it's best basketball underneath him and maybe forever. Sure he is sloppy looking, and a bit douche-y, but the guy can recruit and he can coach. I don't know what Donovan's record was against him but I don't believe that it was a dominant one if it was a winning record at all. Not saying that he was a better coach than Donovan by any stretch of the imagination. Just that he's a really good one.

Howland made USC relevant for the first time in forever. Unfortunately they ran up against who I think is the greatest college basketball team of the last 30 years in our Florida Gators. It's really, really, really, difficult to make it to the NCG.

The jury is out on Avery and White. I have no idea about our coach. I'll know a lot more once the season gets underway. I have no assessment at all. As far as Avery is concerned, he did a really solid job in the NBA. And of course he played at the highest level. How will that translate? I don't know. But I think it's intriguing.

If the coaching talent translates the way that it should, and with the national exposure of the SEC, I think you could see a big rise in basketball. It's not anything like football where it could take 5 to 6 years to build a program.

Fewer players, quicker turnover, and a bigger impact by young players can lead to quicker success IMO.

 

[MJMGator]

You are insane.

The SEC is nowhere close to the ACC or Big 10 in basketball. With Billy gone and Florida down the SEC is a one basketball school conference until somebody can consistently challenge UK again. Barnes won't do it, Pearl at Auburn won't... we have no idea what we have in White, nobody knows of Avery Johnson can recruit at Bama consistently and Ben Howland couldn't succeed at UCLA so why do we think he will be great at Miss ST?

Lotsa truth in this post. I'd say the SEC isn't even close to the Big12 either. None of those coaches have ever won anything of consequence, other than Ben getting UCLA to the finals...and losing. While they all MIGHT turn out to be great hires, we simply don't know at this point.

 

[Gator Fever]

I have heard quite a few talking heads saying Vandy will be real good this season.

 

[rogdochar]

Just care about us playing really good basketball. Worried about TOs and FTs ??

 

[GatorJ]

Lotsa truth in this post. I'd say the SEC isn't even close to the Big12 either. None of those coaches have ever won anything of consequence, other than Ben getting UCLA to the finals...and losing. While they all MIGHT turn out to be great hires, we simply don't know at this point.

Yeah that's right. UCLA. Think I put USC. I like what the conference is doing though. They're investing their money in their coaches. They already have the TV exposure. And Kentucky is actually good for the conference from an exposure standpoint as well.

That's why I said the verge. I like that they're not sitting on their hands and they're trying to push the conference to an elite level. The biggest issue with the SEC, in my opinion, is that they don't have the skill players to match other regions of the country. I grew up in colder climates. People play basketball outside all the time. You just don't see that in the Southeast. It's too effing hot. I put a basketball hoop up on my driveway for my kids and we can't even shoot hoops here in Tampa. Within 10 minutes we can't breathe due to the heat and humidity.

There is size and length down here. But skill is greatly lacking. Since you can't depend on your region to supply you the players that you need, you'll need to be able to recruit in other areas of the country. And good coaching will facilitate that.

 

[lagator]

League is loaded. 2 of 5 first team all americans from SEC. Should have strong representation in top 25 and kick ass in intra-divisional schedule. Should have up to 6 teams in NCAA. Gator J is right. SEC BB on the rise.

 

[MidwestChomp]

Seth Greenberg picked Vandy in the final four this year, and Stallings as national COY. VANDY?

But, I have to agree with ATX. Too many unknowns. However, I think coach White will be a great coach at UF.

 

[alcoholica]

Might be two years away. But I was watching the SEC coaches roundtable on the SEC network. There is some coaching talent in the league. I haven't really followed the off-season so I didn't know the depth that we had in coaches.

Calipari Kentucky. White at UF. Avery Johnson at Bama. Rick Barnes at Tennessee. Ben Howland at Miss St.

I don't think the SEC has ever been this deep in coaching talent. With talent developers like this, recruits will come.

 

[gardnerwebbgator]

Barnes is a colossal tool, just see how he acted at Clem Tech while in the ACC. He'll fit in fine in Knoxville.

 

[ChiefGator]

Coaches are one thing, but players are something else. Without the talent it is difficult to have success from top to bottom in a league. I hope we at least get back to where we were previously, I don't worry about the rest of the league. In fact having them not premo is better.

 

[gingerlover]

College basketball is still like football before all the tv deals and scholarship limits. With how small recruiting classes are it will be a long time if ever before the big legendary programs like Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, UNC, Syracuse, etc stop getting most of the talent and there only being 10 legitimate teams that could win it all every year. Don't get me wrong some team might have a once in a lifetime class like the 04's or a senior loaded team and win it all, but that is not the norm anymore. Chances are if you get a good player these days they are gone after a year, want to play at a school and with others that can win that first year, and you are left with guys that can only play in Europe if not.

 

[MatthewM.]

Ha OP is an idiot

 

[t-gator]

Its definitely on the uprise. The notion that Rick Barnes and Ben Howland haven't done anything is hilarious.

 

[Captain Sasquatch]

Rick Barnes couldn't make it out of the first weekend of the tournament with Kevin Durant. Think about that for a second.

Howland had a nice run at UCLA, but subsequently buried the program in 0.0 seconds flat.

Someone please explain how Pearl is going to get any kind of basketball talent to go to MFing Auburn. Same with Avery Johnson at Bama.


SEC just isn't a basketball conference.

 

[GatorJ]

Just thought I should bring this up again with Barnes and Pearl at 1 and 2 in the SEC tournament.

Coaching is deep. We’ll see how this all plays out in the tournament.

 

[Captain Sasquatch]

Rick Barnes couldn't make it out of the first weekend of the tournament with Kevin Durant. Think about that for a second.

Howland had a nice run at UCLA, but subsequently buried the program in 0.0 seconds flat.

Someone please explain how Pearl is going to get any kind of basketball talent to go to MFing Auburn. Same with Avery Johnson at Bama.


SEC just isn't a basketball conference.

Nailed it!

 

[Jbossgator8]

Great post from the past! Very prophetic!

 

[AugustaGator]

Nailed it!

I think you right.