Cuonzo Martin Puns

Or do Missouri fans really even believe that?

I ask this because yesterday on Kansas City sports radio it's all anyone was talking about. They were talking about final fours and conference championships. How if Martin didn't reach a final four in 10 years he would be a failure. What has Cuonzo Martin done in the past to lead you to believe that these are realistic goals? One sweet sixteen with Tennessee, which was against relatively easy competition, and a first round exit with a top 5 recruiting class and the third overall pick in the NBA draft at Cal. He's never even won more than two games in the NIT or a conference tournament. So what exactly are people around here seeing that I'm not?

I also understand that a lot of these expectations around here hinge on locking up Micheal Porter. Is he really that game changing that he could turn around a program on his own? Isn't that what Ben Simmons was supposed to do at LSU?

Help me understand.

Let's ignore all petitions, all race cards, all calls for rehires, and focus on how Cuonzo became one of the most controversial figures in Tennessee athletics. Cuonzo was always good enough to finish 3rd in a 2 bid league, or 5th in a 4 bid league, but could never show enough consistency, or even enough heart and desire for Knoxville to earn goodwill from us fans.

Enough said, let's count down.

5. A four game losing streak in the 11-12 season, his first, that included losses to Oakland, Pittsburgh (at home), Austin Peay, and Charleston. Three teams that Tennessee had no business losing to, the four had an average KenPom rating of 121.

6. In Cuonzo's final year, Texas A&M's Antwan Space drills 3, stuns vastly more talented Tennessee at home 57-56. Tennessee had over an 85% to win this game for 39:58 according to KenPom (yes, until that shot). From the Tennessean after the game: “We wanted to push the ball,” UT coach Cuonzo Martin said. “But guys were probably more stunned than anything.”

The point guard who sent the ball to Jordan McRae for an errant heave confirmed that.

“There was nothing set up,” Antonio Barton said. “I didn’t even know how much time was left.”

.........what

3. Tennessee's final season with Cuonzo finishes 13th in KP, but features 6 losses to teams with a KP below 60. Two of these losses were against Texas A&M, with the same player hitting the game winning three in the last seconds. Antwan Space, the culprit, was a career 25% 3PT shooter.

4. Cuonzo calls timeout with 2.6 seconds left to play, negating Antonio Barton's game winning three pointer. The Aggies would go on to win in OT after Jarnell Stokes missed a FT following the timeout. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/columns/story/2014/feb/24/vols-martin-cant-catch-a-break/132533/ is a tough-to-read article about the current feelings towards the team at the time.

5. Tennessee blows 18-16 halftime lead, loses to Georgetown by the score 37-36 in a game that set college basketball back 20 years. It look a while to get the national media to quit laughing about this game and was a great case study to how painful it was to watch Cuonzo's Tennessee teams. This game at one time held the record for the longest amount of scoreless time to close a game (over 4 minutes)

Hey UT fans, I'm a UK fan (don't hate me) and I was wondering what coach you would prefer? Thanks!

I love Bruce Pearl. His style of coaching and how he promotes a program just draw people to him, especially me.

The last month of the regular season, I could not stand to watch Tennessee play basketball. They were sluggish, shot too many 3s, missed too many 3s, and missed Freethrows like they were $20 throws. The style we were playing with was miserable, I was frustrated, and I made rash decisions on who to blame. Maybe the players weren't playing hard. Maybe there was stuff going on in the locker room that we will never know about. Maybe there was stuff going on personally with some of the players that we will never know about. Maybe it was a "coaching slump" and you didn't coach the players to the best of your ability.

Whatever it was, I jumped to the quick conclusion that it was your fault that we were playing like that. Miserable basketball, and not going to make the tournament.

Then March happened. You have this team peaking at the right time. I doubted you, but Tennessee Basketball has come together in the last month like I've never seen. Those kids are playing HARD, and I suspect it's because of all the negativity surrounding you. They must love you, and want to keep you around. And if that's the case, then I sure love you, and want to keep you around as well.

So, consider this my formal apology. I jumped on the "fire Cuonzo" bandwagon because I was desperate, frustrated, and hurting for UT to play basketball like it should have been playing all year. I recognize now that it could have been any number of things, but you guys have fought through it. Now, we have a chance at the Sweet 16 and are making noise around the entire country.

Cuonzo, I am sorry. I will not doubt you again. Thank you for being patient and not showing any anger toward the fan base. I know I would have. BEAT MERCER.

TL;DR - Jumped on "Fire Cuonzo" bandwagon. Now regretting it. I am sorry.

I'm a rising freshman at Cal, and I really, REALLY like watching basketball. The thing is I've never really followed NCAA basketball. Can someone tell me who this guy is and how good he is?