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re: Mike White Named UGA Basketball Coach
Posted on 3/14/22 at 8:54 am to GurleyGirl
Posted on 3/14/22 at 8:54 am to GurleyGirl
Based on my unscientific research, he seems to be able to recruit the IMGs and other prep mills. He is solid X and O guy. Gonna come down to if he can do it here and while adapting to the portal and NIL.
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Posted on 3/14/22 at 10:29 am to djrichiep
This is a rough row to hoe for whomever Georgia hired. The program is about as low as it can go. Time will tell if it is/was a good hire.
Posted on 3/14/22 at 10:54 am to FirstCityDawg
quote:
I read something that said White was going to be fired Mon or Tues. Is that real?
There was certainly a possibility that Florida would axe him, but no guarantee either.
Not trying to grade the hire at this point (as I think HC is simply one component of getting this right), but he certainly fits the bill for what Brooks said he wanted... established HC with P5 experience... maybe not so much "building a program" though (at least at the P5 level).
Posted on 3/14/22 at 11:04 am to fibonaccisquared
As the days went on I found myself cheering more and more for matt mcmahon as the guy I really wanted (realistically), but I'm definitely on board with white since he's far more of a known entity. He may not have the POTENTIAL high ceiling of a guy like mcmahon but he's likely got a MUCH higher floor. At this point in UGA basketball history a high floor is exactly what we need.
Posted on 3/14/22 at 11:22 am to WG_Dawg
Seems like an out of left field, underwhelming hire. I'm willing to see how it plays out instead of overreacting. It's not like the program can get any worse.
Posted on 3/14/22 at 11:31 am to WG_Dawg
quote:
As the days went on I found myself cheering more and more for matt mcmahon as the guy I really wanted (realistically), but I'm definitely on board with white since he's far more of a known entity. He may not have the POTENTIAL high ceiling of a guy like mcmahon but he's likely got a MUCH higher floor. At this point in UGA basketball history a high floor is exactly what we need.
I'm not mad at the hire at all. Kind of with you... McMahon or a couple of the other mid major folks might have had higher potential ceilings, they also carried a fair amount of risk (lower floor in your words).
I know it's not equivalent, but I do worry a bit that he's possibly Mark Fox redux... I believe he is a better coach, and certainly has been more successful making the tournament (and winning there), but I believe the UF name brand made that a little easier. 21 win seasons at UF make the tournament, while Mark Fox wins 20 at UGA and ends up in the NIT...
It's part of why I'm not trying to grade the hire by itself. Land Jonas as AHC or some excellent recruiters and I'll call it a win. If not... it's probably a solid B hire. At worst, he should get you back to respectable (in a more competitive SEC than when Fox was here) and can revisit down the road hopefully as a more attractive landing spot.
Posted on 3/14/22 at 11:37 am to WG_Dawg
Mark Bradley is against the hire, which means it will be successful. 
Anything that guy says, go the opposite way.
Anything that guy says, go the opposite way.
Posted on 3/14/22 at 11:41 am to SteelerBravesDawg
Who he brings in to help coach and what commitment we see given from the AD as far as how much off court growth and upgrades to the program we see will be important. Never really felt that under Crean
Posted on 3/14/22 at 11:58 am to fibonaccisquared
quote:
I know it's not equivalent, but I do worry a bit that he's possibly Mark Fox redux.
Honestly I don't think they're comparable at all. Most of the success mark fox had was on the back of Nick Fazekas and fox didn't have any experience in the south. Mike White has had success without only having to rely on 1 guy and has spent most of his time in the south.
quote:
21 win seasons at UF make the tournament, while Mark Fox wins 20 at UGA and ends up in the NIT...
THere's always more to the story when you dive into it. Hell look at this year, Texas A&M just 23 games and they didn't make the tourney. fox's first NIT team won 18 regular season games and 1 in the SECT for 19 prior to postseason. His second won 17 regular season and 2 in the SECT for 19 again. His third was 18 + 1 in SECT. Every NIT visit for fox he failed to win 20 games entering tourney time. The 2 years he did win 20 prior to tourney time...we made the tourney. Your record and resume are who you are, we didn't get slighted because we're lil' ole uga. We simply didn't win enough.
Posted on 3/14/22 at 12:00 pm to fibonaccisquared
See, I think he’s objectively better than Fox which… is an absolute win. Just a win a lot later than we initially wanted after moving on from Fox.
Needs to be some acceptance from the fanbase that we lost ground as a program with Crean and it’s likely best to have an experienced HC with a decent track record course correct us.
Also need to accept that everyone outside the program is going to shite all over this hire for at least the next year. I agree with Andy Staples assessment of what this program can be given it’s available resources but I think the expectation that we just make that happen next season is ham fisted. We’ve got to first build a place transfers/HS players want to come to and aren’t going to up and leave for greener pastures after a year. I think White has enough to repair that foundation
My measure for success the next 2 years is to make this program watchable again. I would love to win 15-17 games again and at least feel like tuning in is worth it. Years 3-4, I want us in the tournament. I don’t those are unreasonable expectations, especially for Georgia basketball.
Needs to be some acceptance from the fanbase that we lost ground as a program with Crean and it’s likely best to have an experienced HC with a decent track record course correct us.
Also need to accept that everyone outside the program is going to shite all over this hire for at least the next year. I agree with Andy Staples assessment of what this program can be given it’s available resources but I think the expectation that we just make that happen next season is ham fisted. We’ve got to first build a place transfers/HS players want to come to and aren’t going to up and leave for greener pastures after a year. I think White has enough to repair that foundation
My measure for success the next 2 years is to make this program watchable again. I would love to win 15-17 games again and at least feel like tuning in is worth it. Years 3-4, I want us in the tournament. I don’t those are unreasonable expectations, especially for Georgia basketball.
This post was edited on 3/14/22 at 12:04 pm
Posted on 3/14/22 at 12:14 pm to tylerdurden24
Transfer portal is eother going to make us or kill 2023.
Posted on 3/14/22 at 12:27 pm to lewis and herschel
Agreed. Going to put some unprecedented pressure on White, too, as the portal makes it possible to field a somewhat competitive squad (especially if Kario and Bridges return). But can certainly demonstrate his capability, too. Shouldn’t be considered a throw away season, that’s for sure
Posted on 3/14/22 at 12:33 pm to tylerdurden24
quote:
Needs to be some acceptance from the fanbase that we lost ground as a program with Crean and it’s likely best to have an experienced HC with a decent track record course correct us.
This is a good point. Unfortunately from reading around there seems to be a lot of shrugging of shoulders and people wanting a bigger name hire.
And the Atlanta media isn't exactly thrilled either.
Posted on 3/14/22 at 12:52 pm to tylerdurden24
Any idea of any Gators that could follow? What about the Gator bball played who got roasted for cheering on our football natty?
Posted on 3/14/22 at 1:13 pm to FirstCityDawg
The guy won in our conference. What we needed.
Posted on 3/14/22 at 1:20 pm to WG_Dawg
quote:
THere's always more to the story when you dive into it. Hell look at this year, Texas A&M just 23 games and they didn't make the tourney. fox's first NIT team won 18 regular season games and 1 in the SECT for 19 prior to postseason. His second won 17 regular season and 2 in the SECT for 19 again. His third was 18 + 1 in SECT. Every NIT visit for fox he failed to win 20 games entering tourney time. The 2 years he did win 20 prior to tourney time...we made the tourney. Your record and resume are who you are, we didn't get slighted because we're lil' ole uga. We simply didn't win enough.
Definitely fair. I'm not saying he definitely is Fox part deux or anything, just that it's a potential concern. I'll feel a lot better once I see the staff he builds. If the recruiting chops are there on the staff, I like his ability as a ball coach to far exceed what we've been able to do.
quote:
See, I think he’s objectively better than Fox which… is an absolute win. Just a win a lot later than we initially wanted after moving on from Fox.
Needs to be some acceptance from the fanbase that we lost ground as a program with Crean and it’s likely best to have an experienced HC with a decent track record course correct us.
Also need to accept that everyone outside the program is going to shite all over this hire for at least the next year. I agree with Andy Staples assessment of what this program can be given it’s available resources but I think the expectation that we just make that happen next season is ham fisted. We’ve got to first build a place transfers/HS players want to come to and aren’t going to up and leave for greener pastures after a year. I think White has enough to repair that foundation
My measure for success the next 2 years is to make this program watchable again. I would love to win 15-17 games again and at least feel like tuning in is worth it. Years 3-4, I want us in the tournament. I don’t those are unreasonable expectations, especially for Georgia basketball.
I want to believe that you are correct. I also believe I am scarred for life by UGA basketball.
The transfer portal definitely makes it easier to build than in years past, but as we've seen makes it really easy to lose what you've built as well. On the upside, White seems to be substantially more likeable than Crean. If the rest of the staff comes together, I definitely can see him having success. I agree with your last part especially... Years 1-2 are about normalizing quality play and showing progress. Years 3-4 tournament expectations shouldn't be unreasonable.Posted on 3/14/22 at 5:06 pm to fibonaccisquared
quote:
I saw this post on another board.. sums up what I feel as well.
I wasn't really sure about the hire so I looked at Florida's basketball history for the last couple years. It seems to me that people (including Florida fans, if you can call them people) have some very selective and weird memory about Donovan and White.
Donovan had unprecedent success at UF. The football analogy would be Urban Meyer's run at Florida but Spurrier didn't happen in the 90's. He caught lightning in a bottle in '06-'07 around the same time Meyer was winning.
But while Donovan's program had the back to back titles he wasn't a final 4 machine. Florida did a 2 year rebuild in 08-09 and missed the NCAA tournament. They went to 3 straight Elite 8's in 2011-2013 but lost to lower seeds twice. They got back to the final 4 in 2014 but got bounced by 7 Seed UConn by 10 points (Florida was a 1 seed).
Florida then had a losing record in 2015. Donovan leaves for the NBA and White comes in from La Tech. White turns around a losing record into a NIT semi-final. Then makes 5 consecutive NCAA tournaments (Here I'm counting the COVID cancelled tourny, they would have been in the field).
So a few take always:
1. Donovan was a unbelievably good coach. Elite during his time in the college game. To criticize someone by say "Well he isn't as good a college BB coach as Billy Donovan" is hardly ****ing.
2. The Florida program had "declined" from 2006-2007 titles to having its first losing record in 17 years by the time White took over in 2015.
3. White reversed that losing record trend promptly and then made the tournament on a regular basis.
4. White's best teams are probably not as good as Donovan's teams.
5. Its probably worth noting that Donovan's best teams occurred in the same time period as the "Urban Meyer free for all in Gainesville."
6. Florida fans are delusional about the history of their basketball program. Donovan was a huge outlier. White's performance is well above average.
7. The SEC is better at basketball now than it was when Donovan making his teams.
In conclusion, White is good basketball coach with a proven track record of success in the SEC. Is he Billy Donovan? No he is not.
If you had told me last week that Georgia would hire a "good basketball coach with a proven track record of success in the SEC" I'd have though you were nuts because no such coach would want to come to UGA in its current condition. I have a difficult time imagining that there were many, if any, better options available
Posted on 3/14/22 at 8:40 pm to SteelerBravesDawg
Good shite. 
Posted on 3/14/22 at 10:32 pm to tylerdurden24
quote:
My measure for success the next 2 years is to make this program watchable again. I would love to win 15-17 games again and at least feel like tuning in is worth it. Years 3-4, I want us in the tournament. I don’t those are unreasonable expectations, especially for Georgia basketball.
Seems reasonable.
FWIW, the fanbase is starved and any modicum of success will find the Steg packed to the gills.
Posted on 3/15/22 at 12:32 pm to GoldenDawg
I was reading some comments some Florida fans made on a Youtube post. There were some split reactions but it seemed to favor his leaving and wasn't capable of winning championships. Those in favor said that he is not a great recruiter. Those who wanted to keep him thought he was a furious competitor and that he can coach x and o's well; basically win without superior talent. The recruiting part concerns me. If recruiting was hard for him at Florida, I think it's extremely hard at UGA. We need this turnaround to be rather fast. I'm not really sure what to think but White really has his work cut out for him here.
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