A difficult ending to watch to an even more difficult season. Hoping Lawson and Bryant come back or next year could be similar.
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*** SECT USC (4-12/6-14) vs. Ole Miss (10-8/15-10) Game Thread ***
- Thread starter kingofnerf
- Start date
Difficult season is an understatement. I don't think Lawson will come back. I think Frank was expecting him to go pro because Frank recruited more players than we have scholarships for. I don't think Frank would do that unless he was expecting some guys to leave. I also would not be surprised if Bryant decided to play for money somewhere.
So...in the last game of the season...in the SEC tournament...Frank Martin is still having to send 'messages' and 'punish' players who still haven't 'bought in' to what ever the hell he is trying to 'coach'...again....punitive benching's and leaving 'starters'...not on the bench...but not with the team....their teammates...in the last game...of the worst season of Gamecock Basketball in twenty years...bottom 5 all time...and people want to extend Martin's contract while he is openly blaming HIS players for HIS team's performance?
Mind blowing!
Mind blowing!
What a disappointing end to a disappointing season. I'm not in the "fire Frank Martin" corner but I do think he needs a short leash. It just doesn't feel fair to judge him on this season and I think it will put the program in a negative light if we fire him now. But, if he can't turn the ship around next season, then he's gone IMO.
I have to agree. Frank laid all the blame on the players all year and I just cannot understand how he never thought they needed to coach differently. The most glaring thing that I saw this year was the lack of defense, which has less to do with reps, but more with effort. I understand that poor offense effects defense to a certain extent, but this team was run out of the gym on several occasions by total lack of effort on defense and I do not know how you cannot lay any blame on coaching and having players in the right mindset. It seemed like Frank was struggling health wise this year and that really impacted his ability to coach this team the way they needed to be coached. I am not sure if he has other things going on with this health that will impact next year as well, but this year was really ugly. I know Frank does not get into the dirty side of what basketball has become with all of the corruption at the AAU level, but there are other coaches that do not that were able to put a quality product on the court this year.
Straight up, I am just not into the NCAAT like I would have been last year if we had somehow made it and there was no Covid stuff going on.
Frank's teams have always been very quirky.
Covid, just like injuries, can highlight talent development deficiencies for a program.
Frank's system is difficult and the fan presence has always helped offset his frustration with players not executing his system at times. Knowing he would get support from the fans has been probably one of his motivators for getting the team back on course over the years.
He didn't have that this year and I remember him saying in December that he and the team were having trouble staying motivated and focused even back then.
I think the fans will wake up and get back into the CLA once the wins start coming again no matter who are coach is next season.
Frank's teams have always been very quirky.
Covid, just like injuries, can highlight talent development deficiencies for a program.
Frank's system is difficult and the fan presence has always helped offset his frustration with players not executing his system at times. Knowing he would get support from the fans has been probably one of his motivators for getting the team back on course over the years.
He didn't have that this year and I remember him saying in December that he and the team were having trouble staying motivated and focused even back then.
I think the fans will wake up and get back into the CLA once the wins start coming again no matter who are coach is next season.
I honestly think you ought to catch at least the first round...you are going to be amazed at how well all those teams actually play the game of basketball itself. Not to mention how hard they will compete for their school, teammates and coach...win or lose...its fun to watch!
Yes, the first weekend of the tournament is always entertaining, regardless of who is playing.
Now that our season is done, I'm throwing all my support to Winthrop, my secondary team.
Now that our season is done, I'm throwing all my support to Winthrop, my secondary team.