I'm interested to gauge the excitement level of the active posters on this board. Why?

Because I think I'm less excited about this season than I have been for any season since I became a fan in 1999. I don't know that I can fully explain why, either.

I like (but don't love) the Mike White hire. He is going to win more than at least the last regime, and likely the last two or three. My lot in life has improved there.

I confess I'm disappointed that there has been no "new hire" recruiting bump. Maybe that's less common than I thought? I see no indication that we're being considered by any big-time 2023 players. I was hoping to see some new momentum there even though I do know recruiting takes time.

I was also hoping, naively, that White would immediately drive some facilities investments and improvements. All I've seen thusfar is another $60MM+ being put into football.

There's no NIL interest at UGA (understandably). No deep-pocketed booster ready to win or die trying.

I dunno. I guess this is a cry for help (lol)! Am I missing something?

I'm renewing my season tickets. I'll be at every game I can be at. Nothing has changed there. I'm just...not quite as jazzed about it as I have been in past seasons...

You make some good points, but I have to say I'm pretty excited. I think can and will do really good things in Athens. I remember his LaTech team that kicked our ass in the NIT with Fox as our coach. He impressed me with his team's preparation, style of play and intensity. I wanted him in Athens 8 years ago. If we can get back to anything resembling what those LaTech teams were doing on the court, everyone will be excited. White was recently interviewed and mentioned playing fast and doing more pressing and trapping. He has put together an athletic bunch that should be much improved defensively over what we have seen recently. The offensive potential remains to be seen. Seeing what the potential is for this team excites me.

As for recruiting, the whole landscape of recruiting has changed with the portal and NIL. We are all used to the traditional way of signing HS kids or JUCOs and letting them mature and try to gel as a team. It doesn't have to be that way anymore. I was looking yesterday, and I think we have 3 5th year seniors - Ingram, Bridges, and McBride. Etter is a senior but not on scholarship. Roberts is a senior but may still have his COVID year remaining. By my count, we only have 11 kids on scholarship. So, barring attrition, we may have 5 spots to fill. White has the one commitment in Mari Jordan from Dacula, who is a holdover from Crean. So that leaves only 4 spots. We have had a number of kids visiting this summer (many from FL), but my guess is that White is going to be pretty selective with these 4 spots. We gotta have at least 1 PG, I would think. I think he wants at least 1 shooter/scorer. I also think we will try to find a big man (with Bridges finishing up). And even if we don't fill the spots with a prep kid, we still have the portal to fill in from. I'm not concerned about recruiting at this point. This is not the recruiting of old where you would peruse Street & Smith, look at the top-ranked players, and hope you can sign some of them....

As for NIL, we are spending some NIL funds, but we are being judicious with our spending. I think there are funds there if we need them. I wouldn't say there is no NIL interest at all.

I wish people would stop talking about our facilities. We have excellent practice facilities and weight rooms and trainer facilities and locker rooms and coaches' offices. So, the only complaint can be about the Steg. But as White pointed out, he added 8-9 kids to our roster in the 4 or so months he has been HC, and in none of those discussions were facilities even remotely a factor. The Steg is fine. It's a great atmosphere when we are playing well (and often even when we aren't). There is no reason to spend money just to spend it, particularly when football gobbles up most of it. (BTW, White said that he has made some suggestions as far as facilities and other program-related things go.) Everyone wants a new gym, but it's just not necessary.

I'll be there when we're playing, and I believe we will see a much better product on the floor than we have the last 4 years and likely a much better product than we have seen since Harrick was our coach. Just play better defense and turn the ball over less, and we will improve a lot. I'm hearing really good things JAR, Roberts and Hill, as well as Moncrieffe. We know Ingram can play if he gets healthy. A motivated Oquendo would be fun to watch. Bridges is solid in the post. There is potential here!

over/under 15 wins, maybe? That's a pure guess, since I haven't seen any of the new players play at all.

I am excited as I've ever been for our future. I've only felt this way three times in my 68 years. When Durham, Harrick and now White was hired. I hope I'm correct on coach White. I've wanted to hire him for over eight years. Let's go!!
I understand why some people will have their doubts. Our history has been more dispointment than success. I honestly think White will change our minds. Let's give him a few years to really see what happens. I'm going to enjoy the ride. And if me and Monk are correct, it's going to be fun, fun, fun!

extremely excited!!

I'm glad to hear I'm an outlier here!

And a few things worth mentioning:

• I was at that game where White kicked Fox's tail, and I also wanted Fox fired and White hired the next day (and I have receipts). If (and this is a big if) White recommits to that style of play, my excitement level ramps up a bit. He even admits that he got away from it at Florida. I hope he finds himself again.
• I mention facilities not because I have any specific problem with our facilities (I really don't), but because, in today's landscape, whether or not you have good facilities is almost immaterial to whether or not you continue spending on your facilities. I equate spending on facilities with desire to recruit and win. Maybe that's not fair?

StevieBuckets said:

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I'm glad to hear I'm an outlier here!

And a few things worth mentioning:

• I was at that game where White kicked Fox's tail, and I also wanted Fox fired and White hired the next day (and I have receipts). If (and this is a big if) White recommits to that style of play, my excitement level ramps up a bit. He even admits that he got away from it at Florida. I hope he finds himself again.
• I mention facilities not because I have any specific problem with our facilities (I really don't), but because, in today's landscape, whether or not you have good facilities is almost immaterial to whether or not you continue spending on your facilities. I equate spending on facilities with desire to recruit and win. Maybe that's not fair?

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White has hinted around that he wants to get back, as much as the roster will allow, to his former style of play. We have a pretty athletic team, it seems to me. He seems to be emphasizing defense (which is necessary) and has mentioned trapping more in interviews. Like you, I hope he means it. Personally, I think you have a style of play, and you recruit to that style. The shorter shot clock plays into a more pressing and trapping style because it shortens the clock for the offense. Many don't handle being rushed on offense.

On facilities, I can understand how fans could perceive that spending on facilities = a greater desire to win. But I don't think players think that way. Auburn is just building a practice facility; Pearl hasn't had much trouble getting players. Duke plays in a dump called Cameron; that hasn't hurt them. UTk has a really old and only partially filled arena, but they are recruiting well. There are many such examples around the country. It's just not about facilities.

As to you being an outlier here, I'm not so sure that you are. So many UGA fans barely notice we have a basketball program - it has long been the "red-headed stepchild of our athletic department. Many fans take a really surface/shallow view of the program. Many are the "if you build it, we will come" kinda fans - by that, I mean "win and we will support you". White was very solid, if not spectacular, at UF, and our program, I would argue, has really been in the doldrums for 20 years. We have has a huge roster turnover (necessary IMO) It's hard to keep fans, who are pretty uninterested in the program to begin with, excited for a new season after so much disappointment. White knows what it takes to win in the SEC; he's done it before. White knows the type of play that gets fans interested; he's done it before. For me, I'm almost always excited about a new season starting, but I'm particularly excited for this season to wipe the slate clean of Crean and Fox and Felton and move on to something better.

Monkdawg said:

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StevieBuckets said:

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As to you being an outlier here, I'm not so sure that you are. So many UGA fans barely notice we have a basketball program...

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You are, of course, 100% correct here. I just meant I hope I'm on outlier amongst the rabid fans, a club I have definitely belonged to for 20+ years now!

I wouldn't say I'm excited in a"we're gonna have a special season" kind of way but very intrigued.

I think this current team is better -maybe a good bit better - than their record last year. I want to see if White can spackle over the easy fixes and maybe coach up to lessen the deficiencies.

Play defense. Even a little bit. Eliminate the self inflicted turnovers. See if we can improve shooting and rebounding. Hold those half time leads.

This could be fun.

I think infrastructure improvements will come but we won't roll them out half ass and give White a chance to stabilize program short term.

Brooks ain't playin' around. It's gonna be good.

I am excited. I don't have huge expectations for this year, but I think the team will improve through the year and start to take on the flavor of what we can expect longer term.
I'm impressed with the approach of the staff and their recruiting energy and skills. Looking forward to seeing who they can attract next year.

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Brooks ain't playin' around. It's gonna be good.

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This is all I want. More than a specific coach or a specific player, I want an administration that believes the basketball program can be elite.