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Post-Maui stuff...

We have the returning ACC POY in his 5th season, a sophomore PG who was the top PG in his class, and 2 freshmen who were top 10 recruits and will likely end up being 1st round picks. And were arguing Hubert doesnt have enough talent to win. LOL
First, anyone saying we don't have enough talent to win is simply wrong, but there ARE legit issues as to how that talent is distributed across the roster. It's not as dire as some make it out to be, but for obvious example, this is a roster that doesn't have a board-cleaner like Mando or a wealth of physicality in the trenches.

Second, to say that Hubert can't coach is also wrong, BUT he faces challenges as to how to best deploy that talent (there are precious few rosters with which you can just roll out the ball and win 25 games) whlle covering deficiencies. There are ways to do that, and if he does not make effective moves, well, then it is fair to criticize.

In other words, the discussion shouldn't be binary. It is nuanced. And December is typically when adjustments to approach are made. Other than basic corrections, I dunno how much or what will be changed before Weds, but I have no problem saying there defintiely needs to be some made by January...

Now we wait

Just reading between the lines and the proverbial tea leaves it seems as if ol Mack was leaning towards leaving anyway so he should’ve said so instead of getting fired
Nope he had to be fired…He is just lying and was trying to Bully Bubba….He did the same thing at Texas…Embarrassing himself and ruining his legacy…Fact is Bubba should have pulled the trigger after JMU when Mack quit…

Fact is Mack has been on a PR tour since JMU about him coming back…Then he won 3 games…He was trying to undermine Bubba…If he was going to retire after the State game why not say it on the Monday press conference that week…Instead he says he is coming back while Bubba was with the BBall team…

RJ Davis coming back wasn’t a good idea

Manek could move and cut. You think Washington can move and cut to be a 4 with this unit? You can trigger your offense through Manek. He wasn't a great passer or handler, but he could do enough of those 2 things without destroying your offense. For me, it looks like Washington can really do one thing well and that's face up and shoot. And even that, he doesn't seem too confident in game to consistently shoot the ball in that situation. Apart from that, I don't know what he does well. He certainly doesn't move like Manek.

The other issue is this team has a really small backcourt. When you have a really small backcourt, you typically need some rim presence. If you think Lubin can be a rim presence, then you can play Washington at the 4 theoretically. However, again, Washington moves like a 5 so asking him to defend some 4s... Idk. If I were the opponent, I'm always at an advantage because I can always put Washington in ball screens.

For this to work, I think Washington needs to just play better at the 5. Everyone will be quick to blame Hubert and that probably has some validity to it. But I'm sorry, this is year 3 for Washington. Play better and figure it out. He's been the same player in year 3. He has a pretty jump shot. I do wonder if Lubin is just better suited as a starter. Some guys just operate better starting vs off the bench (or vice versa). Washington looks lost to me right now and idk if that's because he's not accustomed to starting the last two seasons.

Overall, this team needs to find an identity around some toughness. I'm probably looking too much into this, but this program doesn't have a "40 minutes of intensity" brand behind it. At least to me, it doesn't. And I know everyone will come at me about this, but Brice Johnson literally said on a podcast that his team would play with their food for a half and then get serious. This team obviously can't afford that mentality. It isn't good enough. But I think there are signs that this team does lack consistent intensity and focus throughout the game.

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Great clip.
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Post-Maui stuff...

So have you ordered your 10,000 Big Blue Natty t-shirts yet, lined up your tattoo artist for your 40-0 Kentucky tattoo? Surely they are your PERFECT team, they shoot all those treys AND they like 5 out?

Now of course, you have every right to believe a 5 out offense for NCAA teams is the perfect attack, maybe they will work on that % of treys they take for ya, so your Ky love can reach higher levels!

But this is a discussion of UNC and the team UNC has right now, in the event you didn't realize it. Aside from your multiple years position that all UNC needs to do is shoot a ton of treys, it isn't just defense you seem to have no comment on, you don't seem to have a rational solution to the offense either.
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RJ Davis coming back wasn’t a good idea

Not signing someone to truly fill the 5 was our biggest mistake. JW has played only a handful of minutes the last few games and clearly isn't trusted and will be in the portal come summer- mark it: every kid his age, his size has it in their head they will be in the NBA and it's why kids end up at 4-5 schools by the time they finally end up realizing maybe their hoop dreams aren't going to happen and maybe they should have quit listening to all the so-called fiends and family freeloaders around them hoping to cash in on their over hyped eventual success.

We blew it not replacing Bacot and not bringing in a true 5. Regardless of how long he is- Lubin is not a 5 and Withers isn't either.

I'm disillusioned by all of it- it's just not fun like it used to be when you could watch a kid go from questionable talent to crowd favorite 3 years later (Marcus Paige anyone?). Now kids transfer a season in if it isn't going their way- rinse repeat. No more work for your place or hone your game- just transfer to a mid major and get more PT- regain that big head swagger that you had in high school when in reality you are just playing lesser competition.

Starting to think the whole "keep it in the family" coaching deal is a bygone notion as well. Love Hubert- but without the bags of NIL money behind him it's not happening recruit wise. Also- he's not a cut throat and that seems to be what it take these days- nice guys don't cut it anymore.

Our TRUE mistake? Thinking "The Carolina Way" could do anything but wither and die in the era of NIL.

F--K NIL - it has 100% killed college sports.
I think I have been VERY clear on how I see NIL, don't like any aspect of it.

Do want to speak to the "All UNC" coaching staff there are some rewards for it. Nearly every recruit mentions they are impressed that our entire staff is former players. It would, maybe better said SHOULD lead to a continuation of what we know as UNC basketball, the style of play that has made UNC in to a Blue Blood but has it? Yeah, we run tempo but much of the time it does not look like they know how to run a secondary break like UNC teams have for so many years successfully.

I believe, for the coaching staff just as the head coach, if it is a close call I go with the Tar Heel but I very much believe in hiring the best person for the job, ,my first filter would not be did he play for UNC. My filters are can he teach the position he coaches, is he effective in developing raw talent to add skill. Time and again Gut for example would take a raw freshman big man and develop that kid to the extent the NBA was begging for him 3 years later, now Bacot plays 5yrs and the NBA was not interested? Remind me again what season Gut played UNC basketball, maybe remind me of when Dean Smith played UNC basketball? Neither Dean nor Gut would even get an interview today if we had an opening, they didn't play for UNC so they can't coach here? How would you feel about a requirement that the only players that could ever play for UNC would have to have parents that were UNC alums, would you be down for that? Yet that is the deal for our coaches, isn't that a bit hypocritical?
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OOTB's Political Thread . ..

No it doesn't.

What it confirms is what we already know - because Trumps said he would pursue more charges against Hunter and the whole Biden family.
You're just lying to yourself on this because it undermines the entire support that was thrown behind your peeps. Unless someone has committed crimes, there would be no reason to make this language so broad, regardless of Trump's statements of intent (which is not an agreement to your summary of it). Either Hunter engaged in stuff that was going to be a big problem, or it would at least be a problem for Joe. I made it clear above that I had no problem with Joe pardoning his son on a personal level. I probably have a bigger issue with him if he hadn't is the truth. There was just no need to make it so broad unless there is a worry. Pardon him for his pleas/guilty findings and be done with it.
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RJ Davis coming back wasn’t a good idea

Why aren't we using JWash like we used Brady Manek? Is that a stupid question?

He seems to have a good outside shot. He has height to make it hard to block his shots. And if he draws out their rim defender to cover him, we have guys who can drive.

Manek also used to keep them honest by sometimes going inside and taking a dish (usually from RJ) for an easy dunk or layup. JWash can do that, too.

Now sure, if JWash is playing as a stretch 4, we don't have Armando inside. But you know what? Even if JWash plays in the post, we still don't have Armando inside. So why not give him a try in the Brady Manek role?

Heck, even if JWash is only like Dawson Garcia as a stretch 4, that would be an improvement.
Manek could move and cut. You think Washington can move and cut to be a 4 with this unit? You can trigger your offense through Manek. He wasn't a great passer or handler, but he could do enough of those 2 things without destroying your offense. For me, it looks like Washington can really do one thing well and that's face up and shoot. And even that, he doesn't seem too confident in game to consistently shoot the ball in that situation. Apart from that, I don't know what he does well. He certainly doesn't move like Manek.

The other issue is this team has a really small backcourt. When you have a really small backcourt, you typically need some rim presence. If you think Lubin can be a rim presence, then you can play Washington at the 4 theoretically. However, again, Washington moves like a 5 so asking him to defend some 4s... Idk. If I were the opponent, I'm always at an advantage because I can always put Washington in ball screens.

For this to work, I think Washington needs to just play better at the 5. Everyone will be quick to blame Hubert and that probably has some validity to it. But I'm sorry, this is year 3 for Washington. Play better and figure it out. He's been the same player in year 3. He has a pretty jump shot. I do wonder if Lubin is just better suited as a starter. Some guys just operate better starting vs off the bench (or vice versa). Washington looks lost to me right now and idk if that's because he's not accustomed to starting the last two seasons.

Overall, this team needs to find an identity around some toughness. I'm probably looking too much into this, but this program doesn't have a "40 minutes of intensity" brand behind it. At least to me, it doesn't. And I know everyone will come at me about this, but Brice Johnson literally said on a podcast that his team would play with their food for a half and then get serious. This team obviously can't afford that mentality. It isn't good enough. But I think there are signs that this team does lack consistent intensity and focus throughout the game.

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