ACC preview

[TheOldDirtyPanther]

on NBC Sports Talk

15. Pitt: The Panthers went 4-14 in the ACC last season then lost their top five scorers, including all-ACC talents like Jamel Artis and Michael Young. They were the easiest team to pick in these power rankings, easier even than picking Duke to win the league.

 

[Saboteur]

on NBC Sports Talk

15. Pitt: The Panthers went 4-14 in the ACC last season then lost their top five scorers, including all-ACC talents like Jamel Artis and Michael Young. They were the easiest team to pick in these power rankings, easier even than picking Duke to win the league.

Losing top 5 scorers from a 4-14 team ain't losing much is it?
But since you are firm in your conviction, the irony of that probably never occurred to you.

 

[DT_PITT]

Losing top 5 scorers from a 4-14 team ain't losing much is it?
But since you are firm in your conviction, the irony of that probably never occurred to you.

I don't think that's his conviction. He's quoting NBC Sports Talk.

 

[Pittfan85]

Losing top 5 scorers from a 4-14 team ain't losing much is it?
But since you are firm in your conviction, the irony of that probably never occurred to you.

Well, what does it say when you return 6 of your 7 top scorers and go from 9 conference wins to 4?

That was at worst a bubble NCAA team last year with a good coach and stallings turned it into a bottom feeder.

 

[Saboteur]

Well, what does it say when you return 6 of your 7 top scorers and go from 9 conference wins to 4?

That was at worst a bubble NCAA team last year with a good coach and stallings turned it into a bottom feeder.

It says you have 5 fewer wins in conference. What you infer from there is pure speculation.
I am not suggesting that Stallings did a good or great job last year, but the players were not good either.

 

[Pittfan85]

It says you have 5 fewer wins in conference. What you infer from there is pure speculation.
I am not suggesting that Stallings did a good or great job last year, but the players were not good either.

They were much better under the previous coach. That is my point.

 

[Fsgolfdr]

They were much better under the previous coach. That is my point.

Your comparing a team that had a solid 4 yr starting point guard and three grad transfers to one that had no true point guard and no centers . You need to wake up JD would've struggled with this group and most likely won a few more games , but this wasn't a tourament team . It's also a lot easier to continue playing under a familiar system for your entire career to an entirely new and different system . Not excuses just that was the way it was .

 

[Saboteur]

Your comparing a team that had a solid 4 yr starting point guard and three grad transfers to one that had no true point guard and no centers . You need to wake up JD would've struggled with this group and most likely won a few more games , but this wasn't a tourament team . It's also a lot easier to continue playing under a familiar system for your entire career to an entirely new and different system . Not excuses just that was the way it was .

Hey now...facts get in the way of his narrative.
He forgets he hated JR.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

IMO this team has more upside than last years pack of "bums" since this will be a Stalling team, he's their coach, I bet they'll support eachother, max out the talent that they have, and play as a team!

We'll see!

 

[Fsgolfdr]

Hey now...facts get in the way of his narrative.
He forgets he hated JR.

You are greatly mistaken my friend .

 

[Saboteur]

You are greatly mistaken my friend .

I agreed with you.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

no centers

For the one millionth time, the best center on the team two years ago was on the team last year as well. The problem wasn't the player, it was allowing the player to think that he's a two guard and not a center that was the problem.

 

[Fsgolfdr]

For the one millionth time, the best center on the team two years ago was on the team last year as well. The problem wasn't the player, it was allowing the player to think that he's a two guard and not a center that was the problem.

Stallings system was/is different and a 6'7" rim protector isn't his prototype center . There were also two other big body guys on the roster to help Young out two yrs ago . I also think KS felt that Pitts best chance of winning was to maximize his two best players abilities , it just didn't work out very well now did it .

 

[Fsgolfdr]

I agreed with you.

Misunderstood ...sorry

 

[Pittfan85]

Stallings system was/is different and a 6'7" rim protector isn't his prototype center . There were also two other big body guys on the roster to help Young out two yrs ago . I also think KS felt that Pitts best chance of winning was to maximize his two best players abilities , it just didn't work out very well now did it .

I think most of us on here knew it wouldn't work out well. Why didn't stallings?

 

[Fsgolfdr]

I think most of us on here knew it wouldn't work out well. Why didn't stallings?

I think four things impacted last season results with the exception of the coaching change and they were:
1.) injuries to Luther and Young
2.) zero contributions from Kithcart , Manguilt , Wilson and Clark
3.) SJeters inconsistent play
4.) I wanted to see Cam emerge as superstar
Not to beat a dead horse .. but I do believe JD would've won a few more games , however how many more games with Kithcart & Wilson at point do you think Pitt would've won ? I know your going to say JD would've developed those guys better , but I think in three yrs from now none of those players who transferred out other than Cam will be impactful players at there schools .

 

[Pittfan85]

I think four things impacted last season results with the exception of the coaching change and they were:
1.) injuries to Luther and Young
2.) zero contributions from Kithcart , Manguilt , Wilson and Clark
3.) SJeters inconsistent play
4.) I wanted to see Cam emerge as superstar
Not to beat a dead horse .. but I do believe JD would've won a few more games , however how many more games with Kithcart & Wilson at point do you think Pitt would've won ? I know your going to say JD would've developed those guys better , but I think in three yrs from now none of those players who transferred out other than Cam will be impactful players at there schools .

We don't know how many more games Dixon would have won.

What we do know is that stallings had 6 of his 7 top scorers returning, and took the team from 9 wins to 4, and you are giving him a pass.

If Dixon would have been here last year and he even duplicated the previous 9-9 year people like you would have called for his head.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

They were much better under the previous coach. That is my point.

Your comparing a team that had a solid 4 yr starting point guard and three grad transfers to one that had no true point guard and no centers . You need to wake up JD would've struggled with this group and most likely won a few more games , but this wasn't a tourament team . It's also a lot easier to continue playing under a familiar system for your entire career to an entirely new and different system . Not excuses just that was the way it was .

It may not have been a "tournament team" but its likely Jamie gets 4 more wins and makes the NCAAT. Heck, Stallings wasnt even that far from winning those 4.

 

[Seneca_Valley]

We don't know how many more games Dixon would have won.

What we do know is that stallings had 6 of his 7 top scorers returning, and took the team from 9 wins to 4, and you are giving him a pass.

If Dixon would have been here last year and he even duplicated the previous 9-9 year people like you would have called for his head.

Don't feed the troll.

 

[Pittfan85]

Don't feed the troll.

I'm the troll? You're the one that says we should ignore stallings mediocre track record at Vanderbilt and that he deserves a chance here because his previous even years of being a below average coach means nothing.

 

[Fsgolfdr]

We don't know how many more games Dixon would have won.

What we do know is that stallings had 6 of his 7 top scorers returning, and took the team from 9 wins to 4, and you are giving him a pass.

If Dixon would have been here last year and he even duplicated the previous 9-9 year people like you would have called for his head.

I'm not saying JRob was an irreplaceable player in the likes of #7 , but how many games would the Steelers win without him , or how about the Pats w/o Brady or the Cavs w/o LaBron ?
One player makes a difference , how much better would Pitts team have been if Adams or Birch had
stayed ?
JRob was their leader , his loss without an adequate replacement was too much for them to overcome .

 

[JS School]

I think most of us on here knew it wouldn't work out well. Why didn't stallings?

I think Stallings did know that it probably wouldn't work out well. He also probably figured nothing else would, either, so that was his best shot.

 

[JS School]

Losing top 5 scorers from a 4-14 team ain't losing much is it?



Those guys did have some individual talent. But it's sort of like what Branch Rickey told Ralph Kiner: we finished last with you, we can finish last without you.

 

[Pittfan85]

I'm not saying JRob was an irreplaceable player in the likes of #7 , but how many games would the Steelers win without him , or how about the Pats w/o Brady or the Cavs w/o LaBron ?
One player makes a difference , how much better would Pitts team have been if Adams or Birch had
stayed ?
JRob was their leader , his loss without an adequate replacement was too much for them to overcome .

It is hilarious that after watching jrob get absolutely trashed for 4 years, the fanbase now makes him out to be some sort of basketball messiah.

 

[wbrpanther]

Well, what does it say when you return 6 of your 7 top scorers and go from 9 conference wins to 4?

That was at worst a bubble NCAA team last year with a good coach and stallings turned it into a bottom feeder.

Were any of those guys viable point guards or centers? Didn’t think so.

 

[Pittfan85]

Were any of those guys viable point guards or centers? Didn’t think so.

Mike young was an all ACC center.

Also, teams lose players every year. Do you think duke returned 6 of their top 7 scorers, then went from say 14-4 to 9-9 their fans would simply say "well, it's ok. We lost our PG."

 

[Fsgolfdr]

It is hilarious that after watching jrob get absolutely trashed for 4 years, the fanbase now makes him out to be some sort of basketball messiah.

JRob was a solid pg unfortunately as his career progressed he never got much better . Too much was asked of him and with the right supporting cast he'd have been an excellent pg .

 

[DiehardPanther]

It is hilarious that after watching jrob get absolutely trashed for 4 years, the fanbase now makes him out to be some sort of basketball messiah.

A few idiots on a message board do not speak for the entire fanbase. He was a good college PG.

 

[wbrpanther]

Mike young was an all ACC center.

Also, teams lose players every year. Do you think duke returned 6 of their top 7 scorers, then went from say 14-4 to 9-9 their fans would simply say "well, it's ok. We lost our PG."

Mike Young was in no way shape or form a center.

 

[NCanton Panther]

Mike Young was in no way shape or form a center.

Thank you, inspite of all the HOF coaches on here who claim the opposite, I think your assessment is more accurate.

Same goes for all those claiming last year’s team was the equal of the year before because everyone trashed JRob anyway. It can’t be acknowledged that JRob has his limitations but it was still a large setback last year with no adequate replacement available.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

A few idiots on a message board do not speak for the entire fanbase. He was a good college PG.

And most of us realized how good he actually was after the previous coach to Mr Magoo ( Stallings) wasnt able to recruit an adequate or even close to adequate replacement!

 

[TheOldDirtyPanther]

I don't think that's his conviction. He's quoting NBC Sports Talk.

Thank you, I was just relaying it, sorry.

 

[DT_PITT]

Thank you, I was just relaying it, sorry.

Unfortunately, every prediction thus far about where we will finish in the ACC has had us last, and I suspect this notion will be unanimous. More power, though, to anyone who believes we will surpass that expectation.

 

[DT_PITT]

For the one millionth time, the best center on the team two years ago was on the team last year as well. The problem wasn't the player, it was allowing the player to think that he's a two guard and not a center that was the problem.

There was that nice stretch in the second half of the ACC schedule when we focused on Mike playing on offense in the post -- yes as a "center." During that stretch, Mike produced as well as any center in the league. During that same stretch, we played like a tournament team as well.

But not long after, Mike went back to playing like a 2 guard and the Panthers' fortunes were sealed.

 

[Pittfan85]

There was that nice stretch in the second half of the ACC schedule when we focused on Mike playing on offense in the post -- yes as a "center." During that stretch, Mike produced as well as any center in the league. During that same stretch, we played like a tournament team as well.

But not long after, Mike went back to playing like a 2 guard and the Panthers' fortunes were sealed.

Yep. People can say all they want young couldn't play in the post, but there was the stretch starting with the UNC game that pitt actually played some good basketball, and the style they played very much resembled what they played in previous years.

 

[wbrpanther]

Thank you, inspite of all the HOF coaches on here who claim the opposite, I think your assessment is more accurate.

Same goes for all those claiming last year’s team was the equal of the year before because everyone trashed JRob anyway. It can’t be acknowledged that JRob has his limitations but it was still a large setback last year with no adequate replacement available.

JRob would have done a lot to solidify last year’s team. What he brought to the table was sorely missed.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

There was that nice stretch in the second half of the ACC schedule when we focused on Mike playing on offense in the post -- yes as a "center." During that stretch, Mike produced as well as any center in the league. During that same stretch, we played like a tournament team as well.

But not long after, Mike went back to playing like a 2 guard and the Panthers' fortunes were sealed.

Exactly right. This notion that some people have that Young wasn't a prototypical center or the kind of center the coach wishes that he had so therefore it was OK to play his best center as if he was a two guard is absurd.

 

[NCanton Panther]

Exactly right. This notion that some people have that Young wasn't a prototypical center or the kind of center the coach wishes that he had so therefore it was OK to play his best center as if he was a two guard is absurd.

Well we are all definitely entitled to our opinion. I think your notion that Young was a prototypical center is beyond absurd.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

Mike Young was in no way shape or form a center.

Except he was

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

Well we are all definitely entitled to our opinion. I think your notion that Young was a prototypical center is beyond absurd.

Being prototypical is meaningless.
Being productive matters.