Carolina Basketball Discussion Thread

• hoops23

  

  Roy has a great history of coaching and he turned around UNC after he took the job to the tune of 2 National Championships.
  
  Coach K had some down years recently and his last title before last season was way back in 2001. To assume Roy will be on the hot seat is FOOLISH.
  
  Roy is his own hot seat. when he's ready to go, he'll go. Not anytime before that.
• swamisez

  

  I think what Dynasty was trying to say is, in regards to x's and o's Roy has been a little suspect. He has won because of superior talent, and the times he has lost he has superior talent and yet still lost (which calls into question his ability as an x's and o's guy). Many people in the triangle have long felt he has but rolled the ball out on the floor with his 5 guys and let them play. Only the last two years has that not worked as well for him.
  
  People in Kansas wondered the same thing when he lost in 97 and again in 98 and then in 2003 to teams that seemed destined to win.
  
  Granted you can make the argument that virtually any coach has won because of talent, and when they don't it is their fault as a game manager. But I was just echoing some popular opinions regarding Huckleberry Hound
• centralbucksfan

  swamisez;641691 wrote:Granted you can make the argument that virtually any coach has won because of talent, and when they don't it is their fault as a game manager. But I was just echoing some popular opinions regarding Huckleberry Hound

  
  This. Except for maybe Wooden...what great coach has won every single big game they have been in? Hell, many people think Izzo is the next coming...6 final fours is it? Oh wait, but he has ONLY won one title and that was over 10yrs ago. Yet I dont' hear people criticizing him as they do Williams. Coach K has been to 11 final fours? 4 titles...yet still lost 7 of those..many when he had the better talent/teams. Bottom line is this with Williams...2 titles and un anbelievable overall record. He is playing at the highest level in terms of big time college basketball at Kansas and UNC. Those two places have a BULLSEYE on their back nite in and nite out. It can make a season for many teams by upsetting those schools. To do what he has overall, is IMPRESSIVE to say the least.
• ironman02

  Roy is already taking heat from the fan base, boosters, and such. Carolina fans support their team with every fiber of their being, but they're also spoiled by success. Last year, and this season as of this moment, have been very frustrating as a Carolina fan. There are those of us who realize that things will get better, but there are also plenty of people who lay ALL the blame on Roy. The loss of the Wears completely destroyed Carolina's interior depth, and the loss of Will Graves took away perimeter shooting that the Heels desperately need. To make matters worse, the last two recruiting classes have not performed up to expectations thus far. Roy has admitted that he hasn't done a very good job of coaching the last couple seasons, but the players haven't been performing, and the losses to transfer, dismissal, and graduation have taken their toll.
  
  Last year's struggles, and this year's rocky start, have destroyed the confidence of the players in the program. It's also making recruiting that much more difficult, even though Roy is one of the very best recruiters in the game. Carolina has two 5* recruits coming in next season in McAdoo and Hairston, but the 2012 class is very key for the future of the program. Marcus Paige, a 4* PG out of Iowa, has already committed and looks to be turning heads around the country. He's more of Roy's typical PG...a speedy guy who can push the ball up the court and score. After that, though, the 2012 class seems very shaky. Roy's top big man target, Cameron Ridley, has already committed to Texas. The #1 priority in this class, wing Shabazz Muhammad, seems to be favoring dook and UK after being considered a Carolina lean for quite a while. Roy desperatley needs a scorer and some big men in that class, and it's looking like he might not get any of them. An offer might or might not have been extended to PG/SG Rodney Purvis in the near future, but his sudden commitment to Louisville shot that down already. There are guys like JP Tokoto, Alex Murphy, Rasheed Sulaimon, and LJ Rose (who may not be in the picture after the Paige commitment) who have offers, but only Tokoto seems like a real possibility.
  
  Roy Williams is one of the best coaches in the game. His record and accomplishments prove that. However, I do think he leaves a little to be desired as an in-game coach. I love Roy as my team's coach, but he's not the best at making adjustments on the fly, and his X's and O's, and substitution patterns, can leave you scratching your head sometimes. Obviously I don't know as much as Roy Williams, and it's easy to question decisions after the fact, instead of in the heat of the moment, but it appears that Roy needs to step up his game to compensate for the struggles that the team is facing. It's going to take one of the best coaching jobs of his career to get this team into the NCAA Tournament. We'll see if he can do it. He could start by planting Larry Drew II on the bench for about 25-30 minutes a game, because Kendall Marshall has been very impressive other than a few mistakes in the 2nd half of last night's game.
• ironman02

  And by the way, I agree with several other people in this thread. Roy Williams has won two national championships and been to another Final Four since coming back to Chapel Hill. He may get criticized if things don't improve, but his job is certainly safe. He'll be done at Carolina when he wants to be. Hopefully that's in another 7-10 years.
• reclegend22

  

  I agree. Roy isn't going to be fired. He has four Elite Eight finishes or better in addition to two national titles in seven seasons. That's not exactly vindication for dismissal of duties. However, as I said earlier, in the event of another spring spent in New York City, the catcalls and fury radiating from the Carolina faithful won't be pleasant. It will be a nightmare in Chapel Hill.
  
  A win against Duke on Franklin Street, I hate to admit, would absolve a lot of problems. That's an idea I fear considerably.
• ironman02

  rec,
  
  Looks like I was wrong about that undefeated season for your team. It's nice to know that they'll have at least one blemish on their record as they hoist yet another NCAA Championship trophy in April. I won't like the 5th championship, but I certainly wouldn't have been able to handle a perfect season for the dark side.
• slingshot4ever

  Izzo doesn't get heat like Williams because even in his down years, MSU still makes the big dance and doesn't fall to the NIT
• slingshot4ever

  Duke will not win theNC
• reclegend22

  

  slingshot4ever wrote:Duke will not win the NC

  Try not to upset yourself, Marhsall Applewhite.
  
  By "I won't like the 5th championship," iron actually meant "Duke will not win the NC." Lol.
  
  iron,
  
  I've been quite courteous, I think, in not commenting in any of the Carolina threads as of late, whether directly or indirectly through reverse pop culture or whatever Considering Carolina has the opportunity to do something really special for me once again this season, I might have to go to the easel, get out some magic markers, and draw up a plan, seeing as how you are bringing your best -- I'm quite confident that it was not Chris Singleton's commanding play in the pivot, but, rather, your undefeated Duke parade early in the year that led to our first blemish. I crafted an NIT season for the second-winningest program in basketball history last season, so take it as a compliment when I say job well done.
  
  I cannot wait for Feb. 9. Where is it! Until then, feel free to pass the time by counting to 50. And then to 82.
• ytownfootball

  

  Marshall Applewhite, too much short term memory loss in targeted demographic for this to be effective...SMH
• reclegend22

  

  True, but the Nostradamus card is played too often here. And I was considering joining Heaven's Gate when I was 12, so I thought I'd try and revive it.
• ytownfootball

  

  Never a big fan of flamboyant prognostications myself, or of any kind for that matter.
• reclegend22

  

  That's exactly why I didn't join in the end. That and Applewhite forced his entire congregation into suicide to escape an alien spacecraft that he believed was traveling in the tail of the Hale-Bopp comet.
  
  
• wildcats20

  

  reclegend22;642216 wrote:Try not to upset yourself, Marhsall Applewhite.
  
  By "I won't like the 5th championship," iron actually meant "Duke will not win the NC." Lol.
  
  iron,
  
  I've been quite courteous, I think, in not commenting in any of the Carolina threads as of late, whether directly or indirectly through reverse pop culture or whatever Considering Carolina has the opportunity to do something really special for me once again this season, I might have to go to the easel, get out some magic markers, and draw up a plan, seeing as how you are bringing your best -- I'm quite confident that it was not Chris Singleton's commanding play in the pivot, but, rather, your undefeated Duke parade early in the year that led to our first blemish. I crafted an NIT season for the second-winningest program in basketball history last season, so take it as a compliment when I say job well done.
  
  I cannot wait for Feb. 9. Where is it! Until then, feel free to pass the time by counting to 50. And then to 82.

  
  You take your shenanigans elsewhere sir!!
• reclegend22

  

  wildcats20 wrote:You take your shenanigans elsewhere sir!!

  [This would have made a lot more sense if I actually knew my pop culture lol. Nevermind.]
  
  Iron started something I will have no choice but try to finish. However, I really do feel that Carolina is going to get into the dance. Wes Miller may not be walking through that door, but the foundation is there and it keeps me up at nights. That's the honest truth. Well, that and pepsi.
• Heelz

  

  I've been pretty frustrated watching this team and sitting on the edge of my seat even when we are ahead but I dont think Roy is on the hot seat. Like Hoops23 said he is on his own hot seat if anyone thinks that he isnt as pissed off as a person can get then they are crazy. I think Barnes gets some slack, he is a freshman expected to put UNC on his shoulders and put the team back on the road to the NC. They just need to focus and we will be ok ( also get KM more playing time, im tired of watching LDII throw the ball off teamates heads and into the crowd)
• wildcats20

  

  Looks like Henson is OK.
  
  http://www.shelbystar.com/sports/carolina-52879-notebook-coach.html
  
  Also, Roy has recently contacted 7 footer Kaleb Tarczewski from Massachusetts for the class of 2012.

  Could Kaleb Tarczewski (St. Mark's/Southborough,Mass.) find his way to Chapel Hill and be the next Eric Montross? According to Evan Daniels of Scout.com, UNC recently raised its recruiting efforts in pursuit of the coveted 7-foot center. Tar Heels coach Roy Williams called Tarczewski this past week and helped put UNC in the race for the high-level talent.
  
  "It's North Carolina, so obviously I'd be pretty interested, but we will see what happens," Tarczewski told Scout.
  
  Tarczewski -- rated the No. 24 player in the class of 2012 by ESPNU -- doesn't have an offer from UNC yet, but one could be coming soon. He tells Scout.com that West Virginia, Kansas and Connecticut are the schools recruiting him the hardest, also mentioning Boston College and Wake Forest.
  
  - Joe Kaiser
  
  Insider
  ESPNU Evaluation
  
  Best playing days are ahead of him
  
  "Tarczewski has great size and tremendous upside. He runs the floor extremely well and has great mobility for a 7-footer. He has excellent hands and finishes drop off passes and clear paths above the rim. He has a good left shoulder hook and his good hands allow him to catch tough passes and turn them into baskets. He is a excellent area rebounder, especially on the offensive end. He is also a decent on-ball shot blocker."
  

• ironman02

  rec,
  
  I have no idea what you're talking about. dook is going to win the national title and there's nothing I can do about it.
  
  There's no need to launch a counter offensive...this Carolina team is already awful enough.
  

  reclegend22;642216 wrote: I cannot wait for Feb. 9. Where is it! Until then, feel free to pass the time by counting to 50. And then to 82.

  And I laughed out loud at this. Instead of being depressed, I just laugh now.
  
  
  Now, back to business. Tonight is a MUST WIN game for the Heels. I want that streak to continue, but falling to 12-6 at this point in the season CANNOT happen. The way I see it, Carolina basically has no chance of beating dook, even in the Dean Dome. That automatically gives them 7 losses, so they can really only afford three more in addition to those. That means they would need to go 8-3 against the rest of the ACC from this point on. It's possible, but it all starts tonight. A loss at home to Clemson would be devastating, in more ways than one.
• ironman02

  wildcats,
  
  Tarczewski seems like a pretty good big man. No doubt that Roy will turn up the heat on him now that Ridley is off the table. I really wish DaJuan Coleman and Andre Drummond would get an offer from Carolina, but it seems like they are Syracuse and UConn bound. They're great prospects, but it seems as though Roy doesn't feel they're a good fit for the program. Roy knows best, so if they don't receive an offer, hopefully Carolina can land another solid big man.
• wildcats20

  

  Leslie McDonald will not be playing tonight because of back spasms.
  
  That could hurt.
  
  
  Even so, I think the streak continues and Carolina gets a tight, tight win tonight.
• ironman02

  Damn. Even though he's streaky, Leslie is about the only guy on the roster that can knock down a jump shot.
  
  Do you have a link to an online stream for tonight?
• wildcats20

  

  ironman02;643122 wrote:Damn. Even though he's streaky, Leslie is about the only guy on the roster that can knock down a jump shot.
  
  Do you have a link to an online stream for tonight?

  
  It will be on ESPN3, but my cable doesn't have that. I'll have to look around closer to game time.
  
  
  
  http://www.theacc.com/live/index.html?&rsrc=frontpage
  
  Says it's only available in "ACC Territory" but I'm in Columbus and it's working lol
• wildcats20

  

  And I have the best news of the night for Tar Heel fans....
  

  @UNC_Basketball
  Marshall starting for Drew tonight vs Clemson. Rest of starting lineup is the same.

  Hallelujah
• ironman02

  Glad that Kendall is getting the start.
  
  Thanks for the link. Not working for me right now though. Looks like I'm gonna be very nervous following updates for the next couple hours.