James Blackmon torn meniscus. Surgery--out 6 to 8 weeks

[UK_Johnny24]

That sucks. I hope he's 100% by the start of the season. Indiana's gonna be back up this year I think. They wont be top 10 or nothing but they should be a legit top 25 team all year long. Ferrell is a really good PG, then Blackman is a really good scoring 2guard. Troy Williams is a beast. Then they finally have what they were missing the last couple years. A true low post scorer. Thomas Bryant gives them that. Robert Johnson will prolly start and they'll roll with Williams at the 4. IU's gonna be tough. But yeah I like JB. I hope he's alright.

 

[UK_Johnny24]

When you look at JB's recent year and Lofton's senior year they are really close.

Blackmon 15.7 ppg, 38.7% 3pt, 81% FT

Lofton 15.5 ppg, 38.4% 3pt, 84% FT

Blackmon the better rebounder, Chris the better defender (although not a great defender, but everyone is better than JB on defense).

Of course Chris didn't have a Yogi playing next to him and by his senior year every defense was designed to stop him.

Amazing freshman year he had hitting 47% from 3 and followed up with a sophomore year hitting 44% from 3 and 92% from the FT.

It still kills me that we didn't get Lofton lol.

 

[brianpoe]

It still kills me that we didn't get Lofton lol.

Not really. We just signed Rondo, Bradley and Crawford. He would have been a great addition but UT let him showcase his skills.

 

[kyfan606]

I hope he has a speedy recovery. I might hate most programs and their fans, but I would never wish harm on a kid chasing their dreams.

 

[.S&C.]

When you look at JB's recent year and Lofton's senior year they are really close.

Blackmon 15.7 ppg, 38.7% 3pt, 81% FT

Lofton 15.5 ppg, 38.4% 3pt, 84% FT

Blackmon the better rebounder, Chris the better defender (although not a great defender, but everyone is better than JB on defense).

Of course Chris didn't have a Yogi playing next to him and by his senior year every defense was designed to stop him.

Amazing freshman year he had hitting 47% from 3 and followed up with a sophomore year hitting 44% from 3 and 92% from the FT.

Im merely speaking about Lofton's ability from long range, and long, LONG range. Lofton was a special player because he completely changed everything about his team. His impact was far greater.

Blackmon isn't there yet, if ever.

 

[.S&C.]

It still kills me that we didn't get Lofton lol.

You mean, it kills you that TUBBY didn't WANT Lofton?

 

[UK_Johnny24]

You mean, it kills you that TUBBY didn't WANT Lofton?

Ha Ha. Yeah either way you wanna put it. As bad of a recruiter as Tubby was you'd think a 3 star would've been right up his ally wouldn't you.

 

[.S&C.]

Ha Ha. Yeah either way you wanna put it. As bad of a recruiter as Tubby was you'd think a 3 star would've been right up his ally wouldn't you.

It's always blew my mind. When you consider he wanted Stockton but not Lofton, it's just another wtf tubby moment.

I'm sure Katwatcher will be here any minute to tell us the REAL reason we didn't want Lofton.

 

[UK_Johnny24]

It's always blew my mind. When you consider he wanted Stockton but not Lofton, it's just another wtf tubby moment.

I'm sure Katwatcher will be here any minute to tell us the REAL reason we didn't want Lofton.

And from seeing Brandon Stockton play a few times in high school I can tell you he was overrated as hell by people in this part. I wasn't impressed with him at all the times I watched him at Glasgow.

 

[anon_9qtxg60vqzy0y]

When you look at JB's recent year and Lofton's senior year they are really close.

Blackmon 15.7 ppg, 38.7% 3pt, 81% FT

Lofton 15.5 ppg, 38.4% 3pt, 84% FT

Blackmon the better rebounder, Chris the better defender (although not a great defender, but everyone is better than JB on defense).

Of course Chris didn't have a Yogi playing next to him and by his senior year every defense was designed to stop him.

Amazing freshman year he had hitting 47% from 3 and followed up with a sophomore year hitting 44% from 3 and 92% from the FT.

Lofton wasnt the same after his junior year when he underwent chemotherapy for cancer. It drained him and he spent the better part of his senior year playing catchup.

 

[.S&C.]

Chris wasn't the same after his junior year when he underwent chemotherapy for cancer. It drained him amd he spent the better part of his senior year playing catchup.

Wasn't that just a portion of his senior year?

 

[.S&C.]

Not really. We just signed Rondo, Bradley and Crawford. He would have been a great addition but UT let him showcase his skills.

Ya know, if it were just a few blunders I would write it off as exactly that. But the problem is Tubby had this problem of losing out on recruits he BADLY needed down the stretch. Kids that should have been. Look at it for the entirety of the situation, and it's just more smoke to the fire.

 

[brianpoe]

Ya know, if it were just a few blunders I would write it off as exactly that. But the problem is Tubby had this problem of losing out on recruits he BADLY needed down the stretch. Kids that should have been. Look at it for the entirety of the situation, and it's just more smoke to the fire.

The Lofton scenario seems to get worse over time.

He was not a highly rated player.

He had no major offers. Pitino nor Huggins looked at him.

UT took him due to a late schollie opening, don't remember the whole story. But they didn't expect much.

It was looking like he was headed to Georgetown to play with Happy.

Tubby signed his best class ever that year.

Love Chris, great family, was fantastic at UT, but Tubby gets a pass on this one.

 

[.S&C.]

The Lofton scenario seems to get worse over time.

He was not a highly rated player.

He had no major offers. Pitino nor Huggins looked at him.

UT took him due to a late schollie opening, don't remember the whole story. But they didn't expect much.

It was looking like he was headed to Georgetown to play with Happy.

Tubby signed his best class ever that year.

Love Chris, great family, was fantastic at UT, but Tubby gets a pass on this one.

No major Offers? Tennessee is a pretty good offer man. He was recruited heavily by a few big east teams as well. I don't remember Tennessee taking him late, but not saying it didn't happen.

Lofton was known as a damn good shooter and there were people who wanted him to be signed. Tubby was asked about Lofton back then on more than one occasion and he just played if off each time. Lofton could have saved his career. It was a big loss, whether there's some monday morning quarterbacking or not. I can name 3 players that Tubby SHOULD have had and his career might be totally different and Lofton is one of those.

 

[brianpoe]

No major Offers? Tennessee is a pretty good offer man. He was recruited heavily by a few big east teams as well. I don't remember Tennessee taking him late, but not saying it didn't happen.

Lofton was known as a damn good shooter and there were people who wanted him to be signed. Tubby was asked about Lofton back then on more than one occasion and he just played if off each time. Lofton could have saved his career. It was a big loss, whether there's some monday morning quarterbacking or not. I can name 3 players that Tubby SHOULD have had and his career might be totally different and Lofton is one of those.

You kill me sometimes.

People always want a KY boy signed, I'd love to have seen Chris here.

Chris did not have any big offers. Know the situation well. UT was a very late offer. Cincy was rumored to come in late as well, but actual offer was never confirmed.

Chris would in no way have saved Tubby's career, WTH? He would not have started over Joe. Add in Rondo, Bradley, and Sparks...

Tubby had several misses but you are way off on this one, perhaps because you are in Tennessee and saw a lot of Chris which is understandable.