Bruce Pearl looks to avoid post-Kentucky letdown

by Joel Hollingsworth on Mar 2, 2010 7:48 AM EST in Rocky Top Talking Points

Talking Points for 3/2/10:

I'm constantly amazed at Pearl's ability to find motivation in any scenario. This week, of course, the danger is the Dreaded Letdown ($?) after the big win over Kentucky and avoiding the same fate that befell South Carolina ($?) after they beat the Wildcats, so Pearl trots out this gem:
I know that down the stretch, you can talk all you want about the body of work, but when it comes to seeding, I think it comes down to your last couple of games,'' Pearl said. "We were told (in 2008) we didn't get a (No.) one seed because we didn't beat Arkansas (in the SEC tournament semifinals). "We were told last year we didn't get a (better) seed because we lost to Alabama (in the final regular-season home game)."
Having seniors Wayne Chism, J.P. Prince, and Bobby Maze on the team should help, as there appears to be a correlation between senior leadership and post-season play.

John Calipari is poo-pooing the effect of the zone defense that Tennessee has used with great effect against the Kentucky Wildcats, saying it's not so much the zone that beats them, it's their poor outside shooting. Which, of course, is what the zone is designed to force. So when Pearl somehow figures out a way to force Kentucky to take all shots by bouncing them off their heads soccer-style, it won't be an amazing strategic ploy, it will be that they don't shoot well with their noggins.

Big "job interview" for Eric Berry today at the NFL Combine, as everyone will be expecting him to run a sub-4.4 forty.

Videos of the day: Weezy and Pearl.

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I have never been able to watch a video on UTSports TV

When I click on the play button, it asks me if I want to download the file (.flv I believe). If I do download the file, there’ still no way to play it.

As far as letdowns go, I’ve never thought avoiding them has been one of Pearl’s strengths. I hope he comes up big this week though. A nice little winning streak here would do wonders for our seeding. This actually might be the only point where other UT coaches could learn something from Kiffin, as I think letdown avoidance was his biggest strength, between the black jersey game against USC (after Bama) and the first half onside kick against Memphis (between USC and Ole Miss).

by Incipient_Senescence on Mar 2, 2010 9:59 AM EST reply actions

Yeah

I agree with the fact that following up on big wins have been a problem, but it’s not for a lack of finding the motivation. Getting it to resonate with the players may be where it falls apart.

Rocky Top Talk

by Joel Hollingsworth on Mar 2, 2010 10:41 AM EST up reply actions

I have that download problem as well.

The only difference is that I have one of the Adobe Suites, which runs the .flv for me. They’re huge files, though.

Do you run FF? I do, but I haven’t thought of trying IE on it.

by David Hooper on Mar 2, 2010 11:42 AM EST up reply actions

Problem solved

I do run Firefox. I hadn’t even dreamed this would work, so I hadn’t tried it, but it works in Safari. I’d imagine then that it runs in IE. It could be Flashblock too that causes the problems.

by Incipient_Senescence on Mar 2, 2010 11:58 AM EST up reply actions

I bet it's Flashblock then. I run it too.

Adblock Plus, perhaps?

by David Hooper on Mar 2, 2010 12:32 PM EST up reply actions

Not adblock

As I have that, and I’ve never had a problem with the utsports.tv videos.

Tennessee Fans: We win at teh Internet!

by bobo_the_vol on Mar 3, 2010 1:05 AM EST up reply actions

Calipari...

is such a whiny loser. Such a whiny, whiny loser. And he’s full of poo.

"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti

by sddbaker on Mar 2, 2010 10:36 AM EST reply actions

Eric Berry

ran a 4.46 and a 4.40 on the nose…I think that’ll do.

Rocky Top Talk

by Will Shelton on Mar 2, 2010 10:39 AM EST reply actions

The NFL just needs to get one of those suck-o-meters from the stop smoking commercials.

Just hook up two players to it and see which one ‘sucks less’. It’d save a lot of time and hassle, really.

But of course, Al Davis would refuse to believe it. ;-)

by David Hooper on Mar 2, 2010 11:45 AM EST up reply actions

They're giving him an official of 4.47

Still faster than his main competition of Haden and Thomas. Workout Warrior Mays was clocked at 4.24, but it came in officially as a 4.43.

Berry also did 43" on the vertical jump and 10’-10" on the broad.

I believe this qualifies as a good day.

...just apologize for not thanking me.

by kidbourbon on Mar 2, 2010 1:03 PM EST up reply actions

Workout Warrior Mays was clocked at 4.24, but it came in officially as a 4.43.

Let the fake 40 time memes commence!

by David Hooper on Mar 2, 2010 2:11 PM EST up reply actions

Wayne Chism is my favorite

Just seems like such a good guy. He also hit the nail on the head when he was talking about how even when he doesn’t make plays on offense, just being there on the court for inspiration and drawing defenders helps the rest of the team step up.

by Incipient_Senescence on Mar 2, 2010 12:35 PM EST reply actions

The Chism Headband is starting to catch on

I’ve seen players from two different teams this year (now I forget…one was out of the ACC…not sure about the other) wear the headband up high like he does.

He is truly a trailblazer.

...just apologize for not thanking me.

by kidbourbon on Mar 2, 2010 1:05 PM EST up reply actions

But can anyone else's headband levitate?

So Sayth King Zach I

by kingofzachland on Mar 2, 2010 1:26 PM EST up reply actions

I LIKE HAM !!!

Gonna have a Bar B Que after the Arkansas game, BQ Hogg, yall drop on by Old Smokeys Dawg House gonna be great, Go Vols Beat the Hoggs, Old Smokey

volman

by volman1 on Mar 2, 2010 3:20 PM EST reply actions

it would be nice for florida to win this game

by golfballs03 on Mar 2, 2010 8:57 PM EST reply actions

If I'm understanding this right

we can clinch third in the East with a win tomorrow night. Even if we lose to MSU and Florida beats UK so we both finish 10-6, after the head-to-head split the next tiebreaker is record vs. division…we’re 5-5, Florida is only 3-6.

Rocky Top Talk

by Will Shelton on Mar 2, 2010 9:07 PM EST up reply actions