Quote :

"Martin is making Vols better KNOXVILLE — The workout could leave the Energizer Bunny gasping for an I.V. and an oxygen mask. For 30 minutes straight, Tennessee men’s basketball players run around the Pratt Pavilion practice court shooting jumper after jumper while occasionally being shoved in the torso by an assistant coach wielding a giant, flat cushion. There are no water breaks, no referee’s whistle, almost no pauses in play. For 30 minutes. And did we mention there are no water breaks? “It’s the closest thing I’ve seen to a pro workout, especially the intensity,” said former Vol Wayne Chism, who has been encouraged to join the drills by new UT coach Cuonzo Martin. “It’s definitely going to make them better.” Two weeks does not a program make. Especially when it’s replacing one that looked so much better from the outside than within these past six years under former coach Bruce Pearl. After all, Martin can’t improve on Pearl’s six NCAA tournament appearances in six years. He might be hard-pressed to duplicate Pearl’s three Sweet 16 runs in his first five years or his landmark Elite Eight run one year before he was run out of town for NCAA violations. But something rising sophomore Tobias Harris said about these workouts — especially if the gifted Harris eventually shuns NBA green to become a sophomore — shouldn’t be ignored when evaluating Martin’s first 15 days of employment. Said Harris: “He’s pushing me not only in these workouts, but as a person, too.” As a person, too. Those words weren’t often heard from the UT hoops men the past two years. They’d rave about Pearl the tactician, Pearl the motivator, Pearl the innovator. Yes, he could beat No. 1 Kansas with four key players suspended. But why was he forced to win that way? Why were those four players driving around Knoxville at high noon on New Year’s Day toting guns and alcohol and drugs? Because Bruce Almighty was pushing them to be better people? To watch Martin and his assistants work with persistence and precision is watch a staff devoid of nonsense. This is the Purdue way, the Gene Keady way, which is to somewhat say the Marine Drill Sergeant way. And while he never exactly said it, perhaps that’s why UT athletic director Mike Hamilton snapped up Martin from Missouri State before Missouri or North Carolina State or Georgia Tech or UNLV moved in. Because while he could never openly criticize Pearl’s questionable discipline — since Pearl remains Hamilton’s best hire — deep down he knew the Vols needed a major course correction. Just as important, Martin understands such 180-degree turns take time. “I don’t think we’ll use all 13 scholarships [next year],” he said. “I don’t want to sign someone for one year, then have them be unhappy when we recruit over them the following year. We’re already evaluating the next recruiting class. We’re already looking at 2012, 2013, 2014.” Martin also said of the change of recruiting from Missouri State to Tennessee: “There’s a different reception [in the home] — different level of basketball. But it’s still about hard work, building relationships.” Building relationships is usually most difficult with the players left behind. So it came as a slight surprise to hear rising sophomore Jordan McRae, generally regarded this past season as having some allergic reaction to defense, say of next week’s defensive workouts: “I’m not looking forward to it. But I know I’m long and athletic and can do a lot to help the team by being a better defender.” Still, it was what former player Chism — long Pearl’s favorite — said that impresses the most. Having spent the past season playing both overseas in Turkey and in the NBA’s developmental league, Chism wasn’t around Knoxville when Pearl was let go. Yet he found Martin welcoming him with open arms when he returned to campus a few days ago. “Some [new] coaches don’t let the older guys work out,” Chism said. “But he opened that door. That meant a lot to me. Coach Martin and his staff are a bunch of really good guys.” But what about the old coach, his coach, the man who often called Chism “like my own sons”? What have those conversations been like of late? “I haven’t talked to him,” Chism said in a softer voice. Day after day, in so many ways, Martin replacing Pearl seems a change for the better."

4/13/2011 7:35:17 PM

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"High-flying guard Washpun a Vol Point guard Wes Washpun made his future in the Tennessee men’s basketball program official, signing his National of Letter Intent on Wednesday morning. “It’s official,” Washpun said in a phone interview Wednesday morning, “I’m a Vol!” Washpun, who played at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, chose Tennessee over Iowa even though his high school teammate, Josh Oglesby, signed with the Hawkeyes. The spring signing period began Wednesday and runs through May 18. As one might expect, Washpun faced pressure to stay with the home-state school. “It was really hard, especially with my teammate and good friend Josh Ogelby going there,” Washpun said. “But I think I made the right decision to come to Tennessee.” Washpun is a 6-foot-1, 170-pounder with a 43-inch vertical leap who UT coach Cuonzo Martin began recruiting when he was coach at Missouri State. Martin did not comment on Washpun’s signing on Wednesday because UT had yet to process Washpun’s paperwork. Washpun averaged 18 points, 5.5 assists, six rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots per game and set his school’s record for steals last season. Washpun said his relationship with Martin led to him signing with the Vols despite having never been to Knoxville. “The big part of my decision was definitely Coach Martin and how he has been recruiting me throughout this whole process,” Washpun said. “He’s a man I trust.” The Vols have one other signee in the Class of 2011, Chris Jones of Melrose High School in Memphis. Jones is a 5-10 guard ranked 39th nationally by Rivals.com. UT also has offered a scholarship to Josh Richardson, a 6-5 combo guard out of Santa Fe High School in Edmond, Okla., who is Rivals’ No. 121 overall player. Richardson is expected to make an official visit to UT on Friday and Saturday. The Vols still are recruiting one-time signee Kevin Ware, of Rockdale County High School in Conyers, Ga. Ware, a 6-5 wing ranked No. 56 nationally by Rivals, tentatively is scheduled to visit UT on Sunday. Washpun received a three-star rating from Rivals.com, but he is not ranked in Rivals’ top 150 players. “It doesn’t bother me,” Washpun said. “It just motivates me to work on my game and prove the people that do the ratings wrong.” Washpun said he needs to work on his perimeter shooting. “I definitely will be doing lots of reps on my shot, trying to get it down,” Washpun said. “I don’t think I’m a totally bad shooter. It’s just inconsistent moments I have. I think that is one of the biggest areas of concern about my game.” The good news for Vols fans is that the left-handed Washpun has many strengths, and he’s anxious to use them in what Martin has told him will be an exciting style of play at Tennessee. “They’ll play very fast and very energetic and get after it on the defensive end,” Washpun said. “It’s going to be very up-tempo, a lot of pressure, getting up and down, making it hard for the other teams’ guards.” Washpun made it hard on North Carolina guard Harrison Barnes last season when the pair met in the first round of the Iowa high school state tournament. “It was definitely a good experience,” Washpun said. “Me and Harrison played in the first round of the state tournament last year, and it was going pretty well until the third quarter when I got in foul trouble and had to sit down. “When I sat down, he had six points . . . ” Barnes scored 20 points after Washpun exited the contest. “I like challenges, and going up against (SEC) guys will be challenging,” he said. “But I think I’m up for it.” The Vols will sign between two and six players in the Class of 2011, depending on the futures of Scotty Hopson and Tobias Harris, who have said they are testing the NBA draft waters. The players have until May 8 to decide if they will return to UT for another season. Martin said Tuesday he doesn’t think the Vols will use all of their allotted scholarships this season. “I don’t think we’ll use all 13 scholarships,” Martin said. “I don’t want to sign someone for one year, then have them be unhappy when we recruit over them the following year. “We’re already evaluating the next recruiting class. We’re already looking at 2012, 2013, 2014.” Martin said he is aware UT is facing the possibility of scholarship reductions when it goes before the NCAA Committee on Infractions on June 10-11 in Indianapolis for a hearing involving recruiting improprieties that occurred under former coach Bruce Pearl."

Thank god, someone that can play D

4/13/2011 7:37:33 PM

I'd like to think someone like you would know better than to gunzz up the first post of a thread that figures to be active for at least the next 11 months.

4/13/2011 7:38:47 PM

yeah, they both pasted in pretty shitty. Not sure what happened.

4/13/2011 7:42:41 PM

who'd have thought words would turn into words

4/13/2011 7:43:31 PM

4/13/2011 7:45:25 PM

thanks guys!

4/13/2011 8:06:44 PM

anyone need a cheap shirt?

4/17/2011 7:44:02 PM