Gates needs to go

[Red7]

Can Gates REALLY recruit? Part of recruiting is putting together a team. Players who complement each other. Players who can and will play in a system, be it offense or defense. So far, Gates has recruited some strong individual players, but very few team players. Of course, when you’re trying to play 12-14 guys a game, they’re going to try and put up numbers in that limited time. Gonna get their’s and the hell with the team.

[Rvrartst]

Is it recruiting or is it SMART recruiting? It seems to me that Gates tries to recruit as many "possibly decent" players as possible, and can't recruit real impact players. He ends up every year with 12 or more guys that on paper are so close together in talent that nobody knows until halfway through the season which of them is going to see major minutes. And that includes Gates, hence the constant juggling of lineups. Most of these guys don't have a defined role. Gates is not recruiting players that can complement each other. He's not recruiting to fill needs so much as to just amass a bunch of mediocre players and hope that a few of them can become better than mediocre.

[rightthinker4]

Too many threads are beating around the bush. Gates needs to be fired. He is not a competent SEC coach.

Gates would be a marvelous lead recruiter as an Assistant Coach for an SEC program.

As Jay Randolph would say, “indeed indeed”.

[Cardinals4Life]

Can Gates REALLY recruit? Part of recruiting is putting together a team. Players who complement each other. Players who can and will play in a system, be it offense or defense. So far, Gates has recruited some strong individual players, but very few team players. Of course, when you’re trying to play 12-14 guys a game, they’re going to try and put up numbers in that limited time. Gonna get their’s and the hell with the team.

Great post! This is 100% spot on! And I will also add, what system? I can't identify what we do on offense or defense!

[Rojo Johnson]

You don’t have 2 major screw ups in 4 years and call yourself a basketball coach. We could have had this garbage from Mar(t)-in (as the young people who don’t recognize that letter in the English language say).

[Lightning Rod]

You don’t have 2 major screw ups in 4 years and call yourself a basketball coach. We could have had this garbage from Mar(t)-in (as the young people who don’t recognize that letter in the English language say).

Drives me crazy, but I'm old.

[dhsux]

Always interesting to take a look back.

Long way to go....but things are looking up for coach.

[Armchair QB]

Just goes to show. It is about X’s and O’s but it’s very much about the Joe’s.

We got back a couple of really good Joe’s (Pierce and Stone) and things look better.

[icon]

Just goes to show. It is about X’s and O’s but it’s very much about the Joe’s.

We got back a couple of really good Joe’s (Pierce and Stone) and things look better.

Yeah, a lot less of Mack and other role players thanks to Stone and Pierce returning. That blowout loss to the Illini even got me in knee jerk mode. I was wrong, but Gates still needs to figure some things out, like how to break a press and defend the 3. The latter looked better against Auburn.

There was a lot more to like than dislike against Auburn. And they are now 3-0 vs. Florida, UK and Auburn. Nobody was expecting that.

[dhsux]

Just goes to show. It is about X’s and O’s but it’s very much about the Joe’s.

We got back a couple of really good Joe’s (Pierce and Stone) and things look better.

Yeah, a lot less of Mack and other role players thanks to Stone and Pierce returning. That blowout loss to the Illini even got me in knee jerk mode. I was wrong, but Gates still needs to figure some things out, like how to break a press and defend the 3. The latter looked better against Auburn.

There was a lot more to like than dislike against Auburn. And they are now 3-0 vs. Florida, UK and Auburn. Nobody was expecting that.

I know the Illini loss was worse but still Auburn jilting Arkansas and now Texas pounding Vandy....no one is safe out there from embarrassment.

[ClassicO]

Always interesting to take a look back.

Long way to go....but things are looking up for coach.

Yeah. This post hasn’t aged well. A it looks like they have three prized recruits for next year.
I’m happy with Gates.

[Armchair QB]

Always interesting to take a look back.

Long way to go....but things are looking up for coach.

Yeah. This post hasn’t aged well. A it looks like they have three prized recruits for next year.
I’m happy with Gates.

And the thing about Gates that’s easy to forget, he’s pretty young. Relatively inexperienced at this level. He really does have a lot to learn. So his success on the court has been pretty good, but his recruiting is really good and that’s most important. Hopefully, he’ll learn the things he’s struggling with on the court.

He has a potentially bright future here. Kind of similar to Drink to be honest, except he’s had a bit more success and is even younger.

[dhsux]

Always interesting to take a look back.

Long way to go....but things are looking up for coach.

Yeah. This post hasn’t aged well. A it looks like they have three prized recruits for next year.
I’m happy with Gates.

And the thing about Gates that’s easy to forget, he’s pretty young. Relatively inexperienced at this level. He really does have a lot to learn. So his success on the court has been pretty good, but his recruiting is really good and that’s most important. Hopefully, he’ll learn the things he’s struggling with on the court.

He has a potentially bright future here. Kind of similar to Drink to be honest, except he’s had a bit more success and is even younger.

Glad you said it regarding Drink...I have made this point about him numerous times.

Coaches have to learn and develop too.

[ClassicO]

Always interesting to take a look back.

Long way to go....but things are looking up for coach.

Yeah. This post hasn’t aged well. A it looks like they have three prized recruits for next year.
I’m happy with Gates.

And the thing about Gates that’s easy to forget, he’s pretty young. Relatively inexperienced at this level. He really does have a lot to learn. So his success on the court has been pretty good, but his recruiting is really good and that’s most important. Hopefully, he’ll learn the things he’s struggling with on the court.

He has a potentially bright future here. Kind of similar to Drink to be honest, except he’s had a bit more success and is even younger.

I live in CoMo and have had the opportunity to meet and even have a little chat with him at speaking events. He's straightforward, honest, and a very good communicator. It's easy to see why recruits love him. I met the previous coaches the past 15 years, and none came close to his authenticity.