Louisville homer propping up Fabio Basili

[Blueisbest]

Circle 11/21 on your calendars if you wanna watch an SEC team drill Louisville before we do. They play Arkansas in Maui. It's looking like three straight gut punches are about to happen to their fanbase. At some point Wagner more than likely commits to UK, they're getting their punishment by late fall which could mean a tourney ban this year, and then they have to watch their team struggle for most of the season as the Blue Bloods continue to load up on talent for the future.

Louisville isn't playing in the post season. They may not even win 10 games.

 

[crawfords corner]

Fabio is 63. WTF is he going to do. Travel back in time?

 

[Fox2monk]

I'm sure I'm a bit of a homer when it comes to my team. Most are bullish on their own team this time of year, when there are many unknowns and no on-court evidence to make a case for a player. However, I don't think I'm quite this bad. I will admit, I'm usually better (less biased) at evaluating the players of other teams than my own. Then again, it's been a while since I've had to make a 3-star previously unknown recruit sound like an elite talent. 😁

Just wait and see! He’s gonna be all ACC.

 

[kyjeff1]

Lucky for Louisville the ACC is down, if it was at it's typical level, UofL might not win a game in conference.
If they have 1 injury to any of their guards, they're really screwed.

 

[Gromcat]

Maybe. Who knows. His top assistant had the same exact rep before getting hired and fired by Wake.

This is the same board that thought Archie Miller and Chris Mack were good hires. It’s like anyone that gets hired is a really good hire unless it’s UK looking for a coach, then all possibilities are trash.

This place is strange. We have no idea if Payne will be a good head coach. None.

I happen to think chances are he won’t be, as I don’t think he ever looked comfortable when in control at UK during games where Calipari was gone. I also question why he was never offered a job anywhere before this. He’s not young. There’s something there.

But this place continues to overstate the guys recruiting ability, developing ability, and coaching ability like I’ve never seen. Payne was a good assistant. Maybe a great assistant, but he’s not special. Better than guys like Barbee sure, but we go way overboard.

 

[IL Wildcat]

Lucky for Louisville the ACC is down, if it was at it's typical level, UofL might not win a game in conference.
If they have 1 injury to any of their guards, they're really screwed.

This is true. The ACC isn't nearly as good as it has been, historically. I can remember when it was the ACC and then everyone else, they were the top conference in men's college ball. Of course, ESPN still acts like that's true every season, even when everyone knows it isn't.

 

[IL Wildcat]

This is the same board that thought Archie Miller and Chris Mack were good hires. It’s like anyone that gets hired is a really good hire unless it’s UK looking for a coach, then all possibilities are trash.

This place is strange. We have no idea if Payne will be a good head coach. None.

I happen to think chances are he won’t be, as I don’t think he ever looked comfortable when in control at UK during games where Calipari was gone. I also question why he was never offered a job anywhere before this. He’s not young. There’s something there.

But this place continues to overstate the guys recruiting ability, developing ability, and coaching ability like I’ve never seen. Payne was a good assistant. Maybe a great assistant, but he’s not special. Better than guys like Barbee sure, but we go way overboard.

Yeah, Payne's strength was in 2 areas primarily, at least in my opinion. He's very relational- and usually had a good rapport with the players, especially black players. This probably means he should be able to recruit. His other strength was in developing post players.

As for his ability to create and run his own system, to game plan and prepare a team, to motivate his players to be their best, and to make in game coaching decisions, I don't think we really know. I will just say this- he has never come across to me as a guy who would make a great head coach. He's not fiery at all, but very soft spoken. He's not very demanding. He seems he would be the players' friend rather than their coach.

But we're all about to find out. Unfortunately for him, this current team is incomplete. Teams that press well could cause this group lots of trouble with their lack of guards. Ball security in general is gonna be tough for this group. Perimeter shooting will also be a weakness. Opponents could probably zone this group and shut down all their interior scoring and that would do it.

Payne will likely struggle this season, even if he is a good coach in many ways.

 

[kyjeff1]

This is true. The ACC isn't nearly as good as it has been, historically. I can remember when it was the ACC and then everyone else, they were the top conference in men's college ball. Of course, ESPN still acts like that's true every season, even when everyone knows it isn't.

It’s going to take ESPN about ten years to realize the ACC isn’t coming back. Losing K and Roy is a death blow.
Plus, the SEC and BIG10 will eventually pick that conference apart for football reasons, so it's just a matter of time.

 

[Bhad Rhabies]

Cayts by 90, literally, if they don’t make an excuse to not play us again, Cats by 90.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

I’ll say this again because most people seem to not understand this. Payne was not a lead recruiter for UK. Lol. I don’t know where this myth got started.

Payne continues to be the most overrated coach I’ve ever seen at UK. He’s a good assistant, he’s just not what people make him out to be.

He was good working with the bigs, but his name held weight more than anything along with other aspects that helped Kentucky