Basketball Issues; Baseball's Young Stars

by Mickey Plyler - Radio Host - Thu Feb 21 09:39:18 GMT-04:00 2019

Email Bag

In this format, we will publish your comments and answer your questions. To submit a comment or questions, please email me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com.

Hi Mickey,

I have a few thoughts/questions on the Brownell program and on the Baseball program. First, I’m a fan of Brad Brownell! I believe he has no pressure on him from the AD. I think he can win games when he has that star player, developed, player like Devoe, Blossingame, and KJ. There is not a player on the roster who looks anything like those three in my opinion. Perhaps, Simms comes the closest. Hopefully, BB can develop Simms, Trapp, or Jemison.

The Tigers lose Reed, Mitchell, Skara, and ET. Those are huge loses. Quality minutes have been played by Simms, Jemison, Newman, Trapp and Tyson. Hopefully, the 2019 kids, Hunter and Dawes can contribute early as Freshman. However, I think the Tigers are in big trouble. This seems to be the youngest team that Brad has had in a long while. Will they develop? I hope! Yet, I think it will be two years down the road. Coach BB’s teams and players have looked and performed the same way consistently. We have a competitive bubble team every two to three years. FSU produces exciting basketball teams these days. They out-athlete us. Other teams simply outshoot us—Miami for example. What will it take for Tiger Basketball to become exciting?

Baseball— Monte Lee seems to have his best pitching staff to date. Spires, Sharpe, Askew, wRobleski, Hennessey, and Crawford, along with several others make the tigers really deep! I’m still waiting for "small ball” and “base running pressure”… but love the fact that almost all of the starters have gone yard! This looks like a really good team that’s even more confident than last year. Thoughts?

Charlotte Tiger

Charlotte Tiger,

I really like Brownell. I think he is the best x and o guy we have had here since I have been watching. However, I think they have to recruit better. The talent level has not been where it needs to be and recruiting is the first step in getting more talented. I do think they have developed players fairly well, but the recruiting must be improved.

Like you I am worried about 2019-2020. Losing four starters is a concern but the lack of experience and depth is a major issue. I don’t have high hopes for next season.

I agree on baseball. Tha freshman class looks like Lee’s best yet. They have depth and versatility. They have a lot of options at several positions. I think his program is on track for bigger and better as soon as this season. This looks like his most athletic team. There may some growing pains but I love the upside of this young team.

Mickey,

Another week and 2 more games that the basketball Tigers could and maybe should have won. Clearly Gabe Devove must have been an All Star because he is the only starter missing from last year's team. Are there issues with the team being so old, do they play as hard as should, were they just fortunate last year? I don't see the teamwork or the urgency but without a doubt change the result of the NC State, Miami and Louisville games and everything changes.

Recruiting is certainly tough at Clemson but last year Virginia was only ranked 60th in recruiting and Clemson was ranked 72nd. There is little comparison between Clemson and Virginia and the primary reason is discipline, fundamentals and of course coaching. One recruiting class does not make a team unless you are Duke or Kentucky but the fact is that last year in recruiting the Tigers were 12th in the ACC and this year are 9th.

I have only been to one game this year and there might have been 2000 people in the $63 million palace. The pep band may have had more members than the total of other students at the game. Winning brings crowds but without better recruiting that will be a tough job. Is there still hope this year, is there hope for the future? The margin for error is thin.

Andy

Andy,

This team has not played up to expectations for most of the year. The only great win was against Virginia Tech who was without its point guard.

This team doesn’t shoot well, the passing is not a strength and the spacing is an issue. This team also has very little depth.

Virginia has a brand and plays defense like no other team in the country.

Recruiting has to improve. This program needs to improve the talent level soon. This can be done. Tennessee’s top seven players were all three stars. So you can win without five stars. This program needs better evaluation, better development, better recruiting, or all of the above.

There is hope this year because the schedule eases up coming down the stretch. I don’t feel good about next season. However, I think you can win here and win at a very high level. I refuse to believe that it can’t be done here.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

src="https://2cic.b-cdn.net/t/ads/plyler/allstate_logo.gif" border=0>

border=0>

Prayer List

The prayer list is a medium for our community to recognize those that are in need. If you would like to add someone to the list, please email me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com. Please let me know when it is appropriate to remove a person off the list.

Those who need our prayers include: Jo Ann Bachman, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got Igers and his family,Leonard Gillespie and his family, Jim S., Daniel Rosborough, the Huffman family, Nancy Winkler, John Reeve, Kaitlyn L., Susan Miller, Joyce Harley, Steve Proveaux, Jeffrey Greene, the Hutto family, Sherl Drawdy, Caleb Kennedy, Teresa O'Connor, Matt Jacobs, Perrin Seigler, Candee Massee, Lindsey Jordan, Sam Catoe, Tyler Felch, the Nicolopulos family, "the Jacksonville, FL guys," Kim Sims, the Coyle family, Ryleigh Tedder, Steve Lee, Kelly Trakas, Jimmy Moore, the Thomas V. family, Emary Claire Young, Kitty Bowers, Julie Locke, the Scheider family, Lauren Kittles' family, Stacey McKeown, Dale Childs, Larry Lentz, Jr., Carl Sharperson, Scott Hannon, William Perry, Tyler Swaney, Lillian, Mark Feit, David Frame, the family of Matthew M. Watson, the Dowis family, Alan Putnam, the Olivers, Lee Tate, Ronnie Abrams, Eddie Greene, the Jackson family, Bill Vader, Jim Taylor, Tina DeWitt, Rock Horne, Bobby Wayne Thomas, Emma and Danielle Carothers, Robert Ditty, Mr. and Mrs. Murray Smith, Millie Heatley, Lynn Martin and family, Michael Pinson, Jake David family, Angie Crowley, Ira, Poly Wells, Dr. Muriel Bishop, Jack Cunningham, Emily Jefford Meister, Aaron Clackum, Pat James, Cortney Moore, William Moore, Angelia and Savannah Anderson, Scott Johns, Frank Carroll, Brandon Thompson, Alvin Sammons, Georgine McAlhaney, Glen Davis, Mike Price, Aaron Knight, Danielle Johnston and family, Nicholas Abrams, Lana Kuykendall, Gary, Gary G., William Huggins, Jim Bennett, Chantz Fowler, Ethel McElveen, Michele Gurganus, William Gentry, Lewis Usher and Tanya Sanders, Shon Cooper, Nick Collins, Amanda Peake, Chip Turner, Nick Collins, Allen Steen, the Sturkey family, the Lance family, Nick Chrisley's family, Allison Williams, Lt. Kyle Walker, Summer and Joel Johnson, Nicole O'Donnell, James O. Johnson, Joy Pruett and family, Bill Schmidt, Jack Bailey, Gardner Family, Charles Turner, Kathy Bartholomew, Ray Sanders, David and Robin Blocker, Kenneth Kowe, Lauren Sielicki, Jenna Phipps, Mark Lawrence, Jonathan and Jacki Sullins, Peter Laboy, Elizabeth Galloway and family, Willard Harryman, Liz Surratt, Molly Senn, Jackie Shearer, Richard Sellers, Tim Drisdelle, Susan and Mike Brown, Julie Goodman Marshall, Willard and Dorothy Harryman, Justin Jernigan, Jack Cunningham, Mia Daughtery, Tee Senn, Skylar, Joseph Thomas, Mrs. Nelis, Sean Rowell, George Parker, Levon Kirkland and family, Catherine Sewell, Randy Davenport, David Vaughn, Keith Dalton, B.T., Bill Hilbig, Rita Elrod Hammond and family, Jim McKeller, Tony Alewine, Sharon Storck, Dustin and Brittany Peurifoy, Jan Allan, Gregg and Sylvia Lewis, Travis Hamrick, Kaki Harmon, Jammie McKellar and babies, Karen Edwards, Cathy Hutson Gregg, Kristin Heckman, Jennifer Johnson, Lyndsie Johnson, Emily Davis, Hayes Davis, Judy Towe, Johnny Towe, Ken Brown, Elaine Brown, Rhonda Thompson, Tim Davis, Jacob Greinke, Jack Finley, Richard and Clara Crawford, Israel, Frankie Allen, Bobby Allen, the Wessinger family, the Parsons family, Todd Price and family, Rosemary A Flynn, Dr. Mickey Shealy family, Mr. Gillespie, Bobbi Nicholson, Dr. Matt Stower, Tyler Kemmerlin, Parks Hutto, Robert Summerville, Michelle Richey, Julie Moore, Ashley Fitch, Kevin Anderson, Lyn Price, John Robert Smith, Allison Williams, Nicholas Wickiser, Hammond Family, Elaine G. Duvall, Addison Grace, Kevin Orcutt, Alan Finley, Keith Wells, Jessica Hernandez, Wayne Mullins, Rita Alexander, Tony Osterman, family and friends of Gary Cooper, Derk Denton, Tim Vacek, Mike Vacek, Alma Jean Sullivan, Lindsey Motley, Riley Cook, Eileen Thomas, Larry Nimmons and Family, Annie Gregory, Amy Black, Will Black, Sam Smith, Dixon Family, Joe Lazorik, Mark Smith, Rene' Nelson, R. Bruce Harnage, Norris Brown and family, Tanner Cain, Avery Cain, Ted Wilson, Sandra Wilson, Leoffels family, Wren Jansen, Gail Culbreth, Jody Sinex, Donald Sikes, Carolyn and Richard Helderman, Jimmy Hutto, Christina M. Facen, John Harrison, Mike Vigdor, Oscar Pullen, John McMahan, Karen Louthian, Samantha Molnar, Lenue Hayes and family, Lamont Johnson and family, Karen Vague, Dwight Clark, Karen Lake, Laura Lake, Blake Holiday and family, Jerrold Collins, Jennifer B. Adkins, Mark Nizolek, Mark Forbes, Lorrie Ahern, Mary Alice Proctor, Elaine Byers, Bob Couch, Mark H, Adam Huckabee, Rich Sizemore, Rusty Wagstaff, Don Testerman, Charlie Jenkins, Jerry Pace,Ken Helms, The Morton Family, Kensington Martin, Mike Magee, Sue Lee, Betty Childers, Roger Kennedy, Robert and Morgan Jenny and their baby girl, James and Carolyn Black, Alan C. King, Stuart Gillespie, and our great country and the men and women in uniform that protect and serve it every day, plus their families.