Did the Stewie years ruin the fun

[SCyankee]

Apparently winning 4 consecutive championships during the Stewie years developed an expectation that we would never lose, win by double digits and play pretty bb. Since that expectation is impossible we are never satisfied. Someone said " Satisfaction equals experience minus expectation. "

This year's team is talented but young, inexperienced and neither long nor big. We have no returning senior All American, like we frequently do. We miss MW.
There is no one to blame for being imperfect. Let's be fanatics and enjoy the experience.

 

[Jeff H]

Apologies if this was mentioned in post game thread, but I don't feel like going there to look. Out of 200 minutes of playing time, we had 84 minutes of freshmen on the floor. Seems to me like some growing pains are to be expected and the future is pretty bright.

 

[Centerstream]

Apparently winning 4 consecutive championships during the Stewie years developed an expectation that we would never lose, win by double digits and play pretty bb. Since that expectation is impossible we are never satisfied. Someone said " Satisfaction equals experience minus expectation. "

This year's team is talented but young, inexperienced and neither long nor big. We have no returning senior All American, like we frequently do. We miss MW.
There is no one to blame for being imperfect. Let's be fanatics and enjoy the experience.

If I recall correctly, in the 2 seasons after Stewie et al left, we lost 1 game in each of those seasons. So I can understand the lingering expectations, even after last season's "terrible" team.

 

[Oldbones]

Yeah, and that summer I spent touring Cinque Terre with Elle MacPherson sure spoiled my next summer. Lousy luck.

 

[SCyankee]

Yeah, and that summer I spent touring Cinque Terre with Elle MacPherson sure spoiled my next summer. Lousy luck.

It did if you expected her to show up again ?

 

[BostonBay]

Way too much talent on one-team! In a perfect world, we could spread out the talent over more years.

 

[Dokey]

With all players, Anna and Paige especially, healthy, a shorter line up would be interesting. Anna, Paige, Evina, Nika, and Aubrey. I would pay to see that.

 

[baggerbob]

If I recall correctly, in the 2 seasons after Stewie et al left, we lost 1 game in each of those seasons. So I can understand the lingering expectations, even after last season's "terrible" team.

It's becoming more obvious to people who are open minded, that Stewie was a special player we might never see again. 4 national championships, and in the WNBA, 2 Championships in 4 years. This after joining the worst team in the league.
She makes all the players around her better.

 

[ScottCT]

Even stewie and that group lost 4 games their freshman year.

 

[southofnorth]

UConn’s history in general is really to blame for the expectations. UConn has had 6 (I think) undefeated seasons, 11 NCs, transcendent & outrageously great players, and UConn rarely has a “down” year. What other team has been able to sustain that kind of dominance for as long as UConn has? Who else has more than 1 or 2 undefeated seasons? Honestly though, there were some years where UConn lost 1 or more games and still managed to win a NC so maybe this is the season changer that sparks a fire on the team.

 

[MD#12Fan]

Apologies if this was mentioned in post game thread, but I don't feel like going there to look. Out of 200 minutes of playing time, we had 84 minutes of freshmen on the floor. Seems to me like some growing pains are to be expected and the future is pretty bright.

The freshmen were the best players on the floor except for E. What about the upperclassmen. As far as I'm concerned, I'm thrilled with the freshmen.

 

[Blueconn]

Apparently winning 4 consecutive championships during the Stewie years developed an expectation that we would never lose, win by double digits and play pretty bb. Since that expectation is impossible we are never satisfied. Someone said " Satisfaction equals experience minus expectation. "

This year's team is talented but young, inexperienced and neither long nor big. We have no returning senior All American, like we frequently do. We miss MW.
There is no one to blame for being imperfect. Let's be fanatics and enjoy the experience.

It took literally decades for this old Husky to buy what‘s been peddled about Geno and our staff...it’s always about March. Boneyard slang often gets it shortened : in Geno we trust. We get it either way. This is the most fascinating group he’s had in forever. Be patient. And as for us lifelong Huskies, the journey ahead can be as rich as the past 36 Years. The best is yet to come.

 

[bballnut90]

UConn’s history in general is really to blame for the expectations. UConn has had 6 (I think) undefeated seasons, 11 NCs, transcendent & outrageously great players, and UConn rarely has a “down” year. What other team has been able to sustain that kind of dominance for as long as UConn has? Who else has more than 1 or 2 undefeated seasons? Honestly though, there were some years where UConn lost 1 or more games and still managed to win a NC so maybe this is the season changer that sparks a fire on the team.

I think it is this more than anything. As long as I've been posting here (since 2004ish) the board is usually depressed after a loss. Makes sense when you almost never lose. I dont think it's the Stewart years as much as it is having a championship or bust type of season each year. Tennessee's board used to be the same way but expectations dropped and losses stung less as fans became more accustom to them.

 

[MD#12Fan]

Maybe I'm naive, but I think in sports and in most things in life, it's really about doing the best you can or "reaching your fullest potential". When you do that, few things feel better and when you don't it's frustrating.
Think of something you do yourself. Post being an athlete, I golf. I know what that feeling of satisfaction is like. I remember those rounds.
I was thrilled for the team after those last couple of minutes against Tennessee. Gritty, made a couple key plays down the stretch. Most of this year has been spotty though.
I think we can play so much better. Looking forward to Sunday. Maybe we'll start marching toward "the best we can be".

 

[cferraro04]

No...Stewie set the bar. It is what every incoming recruit can aspire to. Winning 4 consecutive National Championships.

 

[DaConn]

Maybe for those who don't remember we lost 4 games Stewie's freshman year. Let's let the girls grow into "perfection", not expect it to spontaneously appear. Go Huskies!

 

[Centerstream]

It's becoming more obvious to people who are open minded, that Stewie was a special player we might never see again. 4 national championships, and in the WNBA, 2 Championships in 4 years. This after joining the worst team in the league.
She makes all the players around her better.

OK, I give up. I have no idea how this relates to the OP, which I was replying too.

 

[hoopsfan22]

UConn losses are infrequent so of course people freak out over a loss. ND lost as many games last season as UConn has in the last decade. Stanford lost back to back games not too long ago which is something that hasn't happened at UConn in a quarter of a century.

 

[Geew1992]

It's becoming more obvious to people who are open minded, that Stewie was a special player we might never see again. 4 national championships, and in the WNBA, 2 Championships in 4 years. This after joining the worst team in the league.
She makes all the players around her better.

Pretty sure Stewie came to a team that had senior leadership and all Americans.

 

[baggerbob]

Pretty sure Stewie came to a team that had senior leadership and all Americans.

Who couldn't win championships until she got there. Some of them played with Maya in her senior year, and didn't win.
Those players didn' t win 2011 or 2012, With Stewie they won, and so far after Stewie they haven't won.

 

[JellyBean]

Simple answer...No. The Stewie years did not ruin the fun. All of the teams since Stewie and some of the other greats left, has been fun.

 

[fomalhaut]

Connecticut's dominance started long before Breanna Stewart. I started following them in 2000 when they won their 2nd national championship; in half of those 20 years they lost one game at most, and also won the national championship in half of those years. They've also been one of the most statistically dominant teams in the history of sports over the last 25 years or so.

 

[wolfe613]

not even Stewie years, Maya Moore and Taurasi. Were blessed with alpha type players who were not afraid of the big moment. Since that miss st loss I feel there hasn't been someone like that. Samuelson one of my fave players and so is Nurse but I never felt either was the lead alpha and shyed away from the moment. Similar now to the new faces on the team, Geno has definitely said this team is soft and lacks toughness