UConn Press Conference (Tuesday 9/2) Quick Hits

[businesslawyer]

Do you regularly resort to ad hominem abusive attacks in your practice of law or do you base your practice, and presumably legal opinions, on what people say in a public forum? At this point, who knows his rationale? I don't and you don't so we can base our opinions on his press conferences. You, me and a whole lot of people want him to succeed. He needs the fan base, he needs the press. So why not say we want to win the game? What is so hard about that? Instead we get process, pre-season, optimism despite poor on field results, self improvement, etc. How does this build the relationship with the casual fan base who have an expectation of trying to win games?

You say you believe BD wants to win the game and I don't disagree with you because ultimately that is his job. But then when he frames the first 3 games as less important than the other 9, when process is more important than results and when he won't say that winning matters or is part of the first 3 week process, I question why I believe it as any sane and rational person might.

You may want to look up the definition of an ad hominen attack and then quote me the attack I made on you.

 

[Dizzy21]

I think you are likely right. And that is a problem. When your head coach takes the position that "the other guys are too good so I'm not gonna put much effort into trying to win," that is a bad mistake, in my opinion. Sets the expectations far too low.At some point he has to change the calculus. He just has to. But how do you do that once you've set expectations that you don't care about winning? A guy misses a block against Army, certainly a winnable game, do you say, "that's ok Bob, your footwork is getting better? Or worse, when you call him on it, he says, "I know coach, but my footwork was getting better so it doesn't matter?" I've been around lots of coaches as a former college level athlete and watching other college level athletes over more than a few years now. I have never, ever heard a coach beyond little league say "I don't care whether we win or lose just that we improve every game." Never. Ever. Even when they know in their hearts they have no chance. If the head coach doesn't give the message that winning is important, part of the culture we are trying to build, then there is a real problem that "improvement" will become the message and an easy excuse to pull out when you lose.

The other point is that UConn wants people to come watch them play. At least I presume they do since they are selling tickets and running ads and such. Why on earth should any borderline fan make any effort to show up when the coach won't even say he wants to win, is trying to win, he intends to win? I think if he starts 1-2 with this same kind of language, same approach, it will be a problem. If he goes 0-3 last year's Memphis will look like New Years Eve in Times Square compared to the crowds we'll draw for Temple and beyond. How can you even get excited about a team that doesn't care whether it wins or loses?

The coach did not say "The other guys are too good, so I am not gonna put much effort into trying to win" He said "no matter who the other guys are, in the scheme of things, a win or loss against whoever they are does not matter as much as getting better for our conference games" The fact that he has the same exact plan going into next weeks game, against a clearly beatable team should show you that by any logic, he took no consideration into his plan as to whether or not the game was winnable. He has a plan and is sticking with it, and whether you agree or not, don't represent it any different than it actually is.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Other than the fact that the QB situation will continue I have no problem with anything that he said. I'm all for developing for the future but that's exactly why the two headed QB situation makes zero sense....one guy is a Senior.

Maybe he thinks it will help with the development of the WRs???

I have no idea, I just hope it ends soon.

This is the most obvious reason why I wonder how long Diaco can keep this up with the whole "process" and development thing. Chandler Whitmer has no eligibility left after this season, what is he getting reps for? Why not give him all the reps if he is capable of getting us wins? Why switch? Why is there not a clear decision about who the best player at any position is?

The same applies for any of the upperclassmen and seniors.

My guess is that certain aspects of playing time as the season goes on, was discussed with the entire roster of players, all position groups, prior to the season starting, and that each position group was told that players would get snaps early on in the season, and the coaching staff is sticking with that plan, and simply maintaining a consistent public message about development, and having a plan, and all that. That would be consistent with everything that's happened. The question that arises is: what about actually winning games? and that's exactly where we're at in week 2 against Stony Brook. The fact that we're worried about Stony Brook, and I am, is enough to identify the state of the program after game 1. Do we actually intend to win this game against Stony Brook? Shocking that the question is valid.

If we're still playing 2 QB's come end of September, and claiming victories by having 50+ players getting game time reps, then I will be perplexed, to say the least. For now, I get it. I don't agree with it, but I get it.

 

[Husky25]

Where, on a scale from -0- to HFD, is Freescooter?

If Former "Coach" Pasqualoni actually did the job for which he was paid, we wouldn't have to be parsing Diaco's words or if he wanted to win. He's trying to re-build something here and wins are a by-product of the process.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Look, I've said in other threads that I have no philosophical problem with you or anyone else saying that a coach should play every game to win. I am saying that criticism should be tempered by the fact that not every coach/manager treats every game as a championship. Closers are given days off in June, even when they could go out. Freshman big men start games in November, even when there are guys on the bench better, because the coach thinks the team will be better for it in March. Football players are suspended for a quarter or a half where it might hurt the team but the coach thinks sending a long term message to his players is more important. Rudy Gay and Andre Drummond aren't ever benched to see if chemistry will improve because if they get benched Calhoun fears he'll never get a top five recruit again.

So I understand your point, but you're overstating it as a concern big time. Diaco wants to win, and the players are trying to win. He just isn't making his substitutions with these games only in mind. Just like every coach and manager makes tons of decisions thinking about short, intermediate and long term issues. It's just more noticeable here because of how far away we are from being a competitive program again (and, in part, because HCBD seems to be stumbling over his explanations a bit).

A great point - short term, intermediate and long term decision making. Absolutely part of it all. The key to it all working though, is balance and priorities, and aside from one decision, among the many, many that happen in a game - that I am 100% certain of put long term priorities over short term - the short term, being actually winning the game at hand - the late FG, that I've discussed elsewhere - there really isn't much I'm comfortable concluding about decision making priorities. I'm concerned about the defensive game plan against BYU seemingly built to evaluate our own players, in our own systems, rather than an actual strategy that was designed to stop the BYU offense, and I'm concerned that our offense was the same way, designed to evaluate our own players in our own system, rather than the best ways to attack the BYU defense - but I have no knowledge of any of that.

The simple fact, is that until we are actually above .500 in the W/L columns, no amount of coach speak, and little victories, amounts to a winning program, and my biggest concern was the fundamnetals break downs of the basics of blocking and tackling. We had penalties, but not the procedural stuff that indicates lack of team discipline, we had personal fouls, illegal physical acts on the field, that need to get cleaned up, and that goes to training of the basics of blocking and tackling.

I'm just concerned we have a young coach that is way over thinking things, and I hope that the PLAN, has us widdled down to a roster of 22 starters on O & D, that are what the staff deems the best players we've got, and that they are getting the majority of the reps, and the backup QB, remains undoubtedly the best player on the team for the fans, because he's on the sideline and not on the field. If you get what I mean.

 

[Dizzy21]

This is the most obvious reason why I wonder how long Diaco can keep this up with the whole "process" and development thing. Chandler Whitmer has no eligibility left after this season, what is he getting reps for? Why not give him all the reps if he is capable of getting us wins? Why switch? Why is there not a clear decision about who the best player at any position is?

The same applies for any of the upperclassmen and seniors.

My guess is that certain aspects of playing time as the season goes on, was discussed with the entire roster of players, all position groups, prior to the season starting, and that each position group was told that players would get snaps early on in the season, and the coaching staff is sticking with that plan, and simply maintaining a consistent public message about development, and having a plan, and all that. That would be consistent with everything that's happened. The question that arises is: what about actually winning games? and that's exactly where we're at in week 2 against Stony Brook. The fact that we're worried about Stony Brook, and I am, is enough to identify the state of the program after game 1. Do we actually intend to win this game against Stony Brook? Shocking that the question is valid.

If we're still playing 2 QB's come end of September, and claiming victories by having 50+ players getting game time reps, then I will be perplexed, to say the least. For now, I get it. I don't agree with it, but I get it.

I think Diaco's words in the latest press conference were that they need to get better, not earth shattering better. He also split the season into quarters, with the first 3 games as the preparation phase. This would lead me to believe that along with building the program for years to come, his version of the long haul may refer also to the long haul of the season. This would explain CW playing and the others, in order to find the best players for the last three quarters of the season, where the games that will really count this year are.

 

[06029]

You may want to look up the definition of an ad hominen attack and then quote me the attack I made on you.

BTW, I did not say you attacked me nor am I using that to discredit your opinion. It was a carry on from an assumption you made about me that I projected to you. And you did not answer how you practice nor the part about how his press conferences are not going to reach the casual fan.

I always forget that you are one of the posters that has never been wrong and that your assumptions and opinions based on those assumptions are more valid than others.

But until BD says that the process for the game in any given week has the goal of a win, then I will continue to question what his process is about. Right now, he has set the expectation of improvement as being a positive result of the process. Nothing else.

 

[sdhusky]

Dear Warde,
Please refund my ticket payments for the 3 pre-season games. You really should make it clear next year that these games don't count. I also would like to suggest that since these are only exhibitions why not schedule Southern, Western, and Eastern? PS I know Eastern doesn't have a football team, but just think how many guys Diaco can play when there is nobody on the other side!
PPS, Stay away form Trinity by all means. They actually take their football seriously. In fact, you might want to contact Coach Devanney and ask him what that means. Stay away from Central, too. they seem to have a coach who actually tries to win games, too. How embarrassing would that be? Lose to both Central & Trinity. Yipes!

What a d&uchebag. Why don't you go back to demanding that Warde fire Ollie?

 

[PPKChamp]

Dear Warde,
Please refund my ticket payments for the 3 pre-season games. You really should make it clear next year that these games don't count. I also would like to suggest that since these are only exhibitions why not schedule Southern, Western, and Eastern? PS I know Eastern doesn't have a football team, but just think how many guys Diaco can play when there is nobody on the other side!
PPS, Stay away form Trinity by all means. They actually take their football seriously. In fact, you might want to contact Coach Devanney and ask him what that means. Stay away from Central, too. they seem to have a coach who actually tries to win games, too. How embarrassing would that be? Lose to both Central & Trinity. Yipes!

I dont argue on this site, but I think you are taking the wrong approach. The goal is to win long term. HCBD beleives that it will take him some time to build this team up to compete with whoever is standing on the other sideline, and if that means we get an butt kicking from BYU and Boise so be it, as long as the result is that we are a better team every week, week in and week out. I will stand with HCBD as long as we get better because in the long run, I root for the team, win, loose or god forbid draw.

 

[sdhusky]

I always forget that you are one of the posters that has never been wrong and that your assumptions and opinions based on those assumptions are more valid than others.

BS.

BL has always been one of the most willing posters to admit when he is wrong. However, he doesn't say nearly as much stupid stuff and is more even handed so he doesn't usually have to.

You are the one with their panties in a bunch.

 

[businesslawyer]

BTW, I did not say you attacked me nor am I using that to discredit your opinion. It was a carry on from an assumption you made about me that I projected to you. And you did not answer how you practice nor the part about how his press conferences are not going to reach the casual fan.

I always forget that you are one of the posters that has never been wrong and that your assumptions and opinions based on those assumptions are more valid than others.

But until BD says that the process for the game in any given week has the goal of a win, then I will continue to question what his process is about. Right now, he has set the expectation
of improvement as being a positive result of the process. Nothing else.

There are a lot of things you can criticize me for. But over the years I admit to being wrong as much as any regular poster here. (Which means that on a percentage basis I must do it much more frequently. )

 

[businesslawyer]

BS.

BL has always been one of the most willing posters to admit when he is wrong. However, he doesn't say nearly as much stupid stuff and is more even handed so he doesn't usually have to.

You are the one with their panties in a bunch.

Wish I simply waited for you to respond.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

BTW, I did not say you attacked me nor am I using that to discredit your opinion. It was a carry on from an assumption you made about me that I projected to you. And you did not answer how you practice nor the part about how his press conferences are not going to reach the casual fan.

I always forget that you are one of the posters that has never been wrong and that your assumptions and opinions based on those assumptions are more valid than others.

But until BD says that the process for the game in any given week has the goal of a win, then I will continue to question what his process is about. Right now, he has set the expectation of improvement as being a positive result of the process. Nothing else.

Where did he say winning was not the goal? I would think it is just assumed but he is just trying to temper expectations.

 

[Carl Spackler]

BTW, I did not say you attacked me nor am I using that to discredit your opinion. It was a carry on from an assumption you made about me that I projected to you. And you did not answer how you practice nor the part about how his press conferences are not going to reach the casual fan.

I always forget that you are one of the posters that has never been wrong and that your assumptions and opinions based on those assumptions are more valid than others.

But until BD says that the process for the game in any given week has the goal of a win, then I will continue to question what his process is about. Right now, he has set the expectation of improvement as being a positive result of the process. Nothing else.

I don't want to get involved in the personal 1-1 going on here, but I have to agree with the zip code. Until Diaco establishes winning as priority #1, for now, the goal and top priority he has established is "improvement". I personally, am not happy with this, and it makes me question the process as well, and I don't agree with it, but it's a 12 game season, and it's his program, not mine. I also agree with the counselors views on balancing short term, intermediate term, and long term goals. It's something that needs to be done with regards to the program. I find a lot of irony in it though, that Pasqualoni and Co, came in and essentially did the same thing, with rotating players, specifically on offense. Tells you something. Their failure was in actually developing the players, and coaching them up. We'll see if Diaco and co, can.

For now, just kick the crap out of Stony Brook. If there is any doubt that the rotation system, and development plan and all that, will not be successful, then that plan needs to scrapped in favor of a plan that has great chance of success this week. No amount of small victories, amounts to the success that develops when a team actually wins, and even the best plans in the world, sometimes, need to get tossed in the trash, and new plans initiated on the fly, when you're actually in motion.

Hopefully, we've got enough on this team, to beat Stony Brook handiliy, given the same plan and approach we had with BYU - because that's what it seems we're going to do.

 

[freescooter]

I guess I just don't buy this approach. He didn't try to win. We got the football back with 1:03 remaining in the first half. Not at our own 5 yard line. At the 17. Not great field position, but not the worst, either. So what did we do? Run the hurry up and try to get into field goal position? Run it down to under 10 then try to hit Davis on a bomb? Nope, a short incomplete to Abrams then 3 runs by our slowest back up the gut. We were down 28-7. Who cares if Whitmer (it was his turn) throws a pick 6? Try to make something happen to shake up the game. Who cares if we have to kick it back to them? We're already down 28-7! Maybe we catch lightening in a bottle. We were down 28-7...maybe we get into field goal range and go off 28-10 and all pumped up. Don't run up the white flag half way through the first game. If we can kick a figgie with 11 minutes left down 28-7 because the kicker needs the practice, I would argue that we can try to run the hurry up at the half because we sure hope we are going to need to drive late for a score sometime.

 

[RedStickHusky]

I think BizLaw has the more accurate take here but I also think that a factor we're missing is that he doesn't want 'losing' to stink up the locker room with failure. These guys have seen plenty of failure, it feeds itself the same way success does. He's giving the players achievable metrics they can build on with, ready for this,... positive energy. All that being said, Fishy has it right when he says that no amount of 'process focus' rationalizes a loss to Stony Brook.

 

[businesslawyer]

I don't want to get involved in the personal 1-1 going on here, but I have to agree with the zip code. Until Diaco establishes winning as priority #1, for now, the goal and top priority he has established is "improvement". I personally, am not happy with this, and it makes me question the process as well, and I don't agree with it, but it's a 12 game season, and it's his program, not mine. I also agree with the counselors views on balancing short term, intermediate term, and long term goals. It's something that needs to be done with regards to the program. I find a lot of irony in it though, that Pasqualoni and Co, came in and essentially did the same thing, with rotating players, specifically on offense. Tells you something. Their failure was in actually developing the players, and coaching them up. We'll see if Diaco and co, can.

For now, just kick the crap out of Stony Brook. If there is any doubt that the rotation system, and development plan and all that, will not be successful, then that plan needs to scrapped in favor of a plan that has great chance of success this week. No amount of small victories, amounts to the success that develops when a team actually wins, and even the best plans in the world, sometimes, need to get tossed in the trash, and new plans initiated on the fly, when you're actually in motion.

Hopefully, we've got enough on this team, to beat Stony Brook handiliy, given the same plan and approach we had with BYU - because that's what it seems we're going to do.

P inherited the defending conference champ with a great D, albeit with no QB. HCBD inherited a steaming pile. If this was 2012, I would have a totally different reaction to what HCBD did Friday. Just like its fair for a Maryland fan to ask if FHCRE needed to rip everything apart at Md before rebuilding.

 

[businesslawyer]

I think BizLaw has the more accurate take here but I also think that a factor we're missing is that he doesn't want 'losing' to stink up the locker room with failure. These guys have seen plenty of failure, it feeds itself the same way success does. He's giving the players achievable metrics they can build on with, ready for this,... positive energy. All that being said, Fishy has it right when he says that no amount of 'process focus' rationalizes a loss to Stony Brook.

Great post

 

[Colt house75]

Look, I've said in other threads that I have no philosophical problem with you or anyone else saying that a coach should play every game to win. I am saying that criticism should be tempered by the fact that not every coach/manager treats every game as a championship. Closers are given days off in June, even when they could go out. Freshman big men start games in November, even when there are guys on the bench better, because the coach thinks the team will be better for it in March. Football players are suspended for a quarter or a half where it might hurt the team but the coach thinks sending a long term message to his players is more important. Rudy Gay and Andre Drummond aren't ever benched to see if chemistry will improve because if they get benched Calhoun fears he'll never get a top five recruit again.

So I understand your point, but you're overstating it as a concern big time. Diaco wants to win, and the players are trying to win. He just isn't making his substitutions with these games only in mind. Just like every coach and manager makes tons of decisions thinking about short, intermediate and long term issues. It's just more noticeable here because of how far away we are from being a competitive program again (and, in part, because HCBD seems to be stumbling over his explanations a bit).

Where, on a scale from -0- to HFD, is Freescooter?

If Former "Coach" Pasqualoni actually did the job for which he was paid, we wouldn't have to be parsing Diaco's words or if he wanted to win. He's trying to re-build something here and wins are a by-product of the process.

Where did he say winning was not the goal? I would think it is just assumed but he is just trying to temper expectations.

At the end of bitching work day here....so very entertained today by the BY....

Sometimes, we get caught up in semantics.
From day one, HCBD has said his GOAL is to win championships, thus WIN...in every aspect. I don't question that as some have today (????)
To achieve and get to that point, he has objectives and those objectives are the PROCESS..... he has a dial down approach. It's real simple to me.
Many of you are upset. I can understand your being upset. But, I put my faith in him, unquestionably. completely.

Do I want to see an annihilation of Stony Brook??. Absolutely. Do I care if we croak them? NO!!!
I care about the end result. To do so, every day he achieves victories through his process and objectives. It isn't visible to the naked eye.
...and to that end, gents, we saw it on the sidelines and with a group of young pups who are jazzed, thrilled and working their asses off and they never quit....
because of the engine in their hearts and souls that is being fueled by a power house HC.
Sit back and enjoy the PROCESS because in my lifetime I will never have a chance again to see it so greatly executed.....
In HCBD I trust. Husky Up...35 young pups need us!!

 

[Carl Spackler]

P inherited the defending conference champ with a great D, albeit with no QB. HCBD inherited a steaming pile. If this was 2012, I would have a totally different reaction to what HCBD did Friday. Just like its fair for a Maryland fan to ask if FHCRE needed to rip everything apart at Md before rebuilding.

Yikes. I was talking about rotating offensive players. There was a lot of uproar about red-shirts - freshmen linemen - etc. Diaco and co, burned two redshirts on true frosh OL's on Friday night.

 

[businesslawyer]

Yikes. I was talking about rotating offensive players. There was a lot of uproar about red-shirts - freshmen linemen - etc. Diaco and co, burned two redshirts on true frosh OL's on Friday night.

Way to early to say if a redshirt should have been preserved yet. That's something u ask at the end of the season.

To HCBD's credit, offensive personnel got on and off the field really well, as opposed to the total clusterfu@@ it was Ps first two seasons

 

[Husky25]

Way to early to say if a redshirt should have been preserved yet. That's something u ask at the end of the season.

To HCBD's credit, offensive personnel got on and off the field really well, as opposed to the total clusterfu@@ it was Ps first two seasons

Correct. If they're ready, they should play. I love red shirting offensive linemen because typically they haven't grown into their bodies as true freshmen. But if the depth is thin, he doesn't have that luxury and if a few big uglies aren't recruited (I can't imagine that will remain the case), Diaco will need experience up front next year.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Way to early to say if a redshirt should have been preserved yet. That's something u ask at the end of the season.

To HCBD's credit, offensive personnel got on and off the field really well, as opposed to the total clusterfu@@ it was Ps first two seasons

I just find it ironic that we played two true freshmen OL's for a handful of snaps, and it doesn't seem to be a big deal now, yet it was in the past. I was clear, that the failure in the past was in developing the players, and by extension developing the team.

I do agree that the lack of procedural penalties, is a good sign of team discipline and disciplined coaching. I think that the personal foul penalties, illegal physical acts on blocking and tackling, go to the heart of our problem right now, and that is that we haven't practiced to as close to perfection as possible, the basic fundamentals, and it concerns me, because the longer we wait to settle decision making on a solid 22 man starting lineup and 2-deep rotation that makes sense, the longer it will take to get to the point of drilling those fundamentals. YOu simply can't do it in practice, perfect the fundamentals, if you are in a maximum rep for maximum number of players mode.

I'm really not interested in discussing the past and I'm sorry I brought it up, I just found the OL true frosh situation ironic. I will drop it.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Don't apologize Carl, the past is relevant in so far as it defines the present. I will add to this conversation the observation that our discussion at this point is all about HCBD and his process (minus a little qb talk which is the standard background noise in here). It's a nice 180 from "not my fault, the players suck."

 

[Husky25]

Depth was different in the past than it is now. When Samra was a freshman, the arm-chair coaches thought UConn had more depth and if Samra was that good, why didn't he play in any other game than against a FBS transition team.