A look into the seasons future

[Tonyc]

Todays game will be a preview of whats to come. Our guards should steal the show. There will be alot of questions answered today but remember its only preliminary, its and exhibition game. Our weaknesses will be exposed and critiqued. There will be some fine tuning needed just like after each and every game. I will be focused on ONO and out 5th starter as well as the newbies to see what they have to offer. Folks I dont care what the preseason polls say and those of you who have been around since 1995 know that. I would expect with the growth of ONO as wells as Ania as college players this team could be much better then even I expect. We have options this season which we really didnt have last season. We have fresh bodies so when someone is having an off night there is somebody else who can step in. This is huge. I expect Megan Walker to be great this season. Understand Ania and the other newbies will need some time in a real game to get up to speed. They will make mistakes and by making mistakes thats how you get better. I always remember the tale about Babe Ruth. He struck out over 2000 times but all people remember is his 714 home runs. The more you strike out the more you learn and the better you get. Learning from your mistakes. So this season will be full of surprises and ups and downs and we have a very good nucleaus in Walker Dangerfield and Williams. Todays game will be a look at possibilites. Try not to get to high or too low on todays performance. Its exhibition and a chance to critque the team. Im so-ooo excited about this years team and the prospect of whats to come.

 

[veryolddog]

If I understand what you said it all comes down to defense and scoring as a team. Correct me if I misunderstood you. But, you are right on target.

 

[tomcat]

Great post, but I disagree on one point. In this exhibition game against a lesser opponent, we have to be careful to understand that UConn's weaknesses may NOT be exposed. You can cover up a great deal simply by being so much more athletic than the other guys, and that may well be what happens today. UConn's first test against a team with some athletic players -- now, THAT will be when the weaknesses get exposed.
All that said, Tony's right: It should be a really interesting season.

 

[Carnac]

Great post, but I disagree on one point. In this exhibition game against a lesser opponent, we have to be careful to understand that UConn's weaknesses may NOT be exposed. You can cover up a great deal simply by being so much more athletic than the other guys, and that may well be what happens today. UConn's first test against a team with some athletic players -- now, THAT will be when the weaknesses get exposed.
All that said, Tony's right: It should be a really interesting season.

Even though she’ll send out 5 new starters next month when they come to town, Muffet expects her team to be competitive and play hard for 40 minutes. She's not coming to town to kiss Geno’s rings. She’s coming to compete and believing her team can win.

UConn should win that game going away, but aren’t all games against ND hard fought and contentious? All of Muffet's teams are "conditioned" to think they can win, and beat UConn. THAT may be the game that exposes any weaknesses UConn may have.

 

[huskyd]

Todays game will be a preview of whats to come. Our guards should steal the show. There will be alot of questions answered today but remember its only preliminary, its and exhibition game. Our weaknesses will be exposed and critiqued. There will be some fine tuning needed just like after each and every game. I will be focused on ONO and out 5th starter as well as the newbies to see what they have to offer. Folks I dont care what the preseason polls say and those of you who have been around since 1995 know that. I would expect with the growth of ONO as wells as Ania as college players this team could be much better then even I expect. We have options this season which we really didnt have last season. We have fresh bodies so when someone is having an off night there is somebody else who can step in. This is huge. I expect Megan Walker to be great this season. Understand Ania and the other newbies will need some time in a real game to get up to speed. They will make mistakes and by making mistakes thats how you get better. I always remember the tale about Babe Ruth. He struck out over 2000 times but all people remember is his 714 home runs. The more you strike out the more you learn and the better you get. Learning from your mistakes. So this season will be full of surprises and ups and downs and we have a very good nucleaus in Walker Dangerfield and Williams. Todays game will be a look at possibilites. Try not to get to high or too low on todays performance. Its exhibition and a chance to critque the team. Im so-ooo excited about this years team and the prospect of whats to come.

Your unrelenting pessimism is getting tedious! Try to be a little upbeat, Tony . . .

 

[Longtime fan]

Todays game will be a preview of whats to come. Our guards should steal the show. There will be alot of questions answered today but remember its only preliminary, its and exhibition game. Our weaknesses will be exposed and critiqued. There will be some fine tuning needed just like after each and every game. I will be focused on ONO and out 5th starter as well as the newbies to see what they have to offer. Folks I dont care what the preseason polls say and those of you who have been around since 1995 know that. I would expect with the growth of ONO as wells as Ania as college players this team could be much better then even I expect. We have options this season which we really didnt have last season. We have fresh bodies so when someone is having an off night there is somebody else who can step in. This is huge. I expect Megan Walker to be great this season. Understand Ania and the other newbies will need some time in a real game to get up to speed. They will make mistakes and by making mistakes thats how you get better. I always remember the tale about Babe Ruth. He struck out over 2000 times but all people remember is his 714 home runs. The more you strike out the more you learn and the better you get. Learning from your mistakes. So this season will be full of surprises and ups and downs and we have a very good nucleaus in Walker Dangerfield and Williams. Todays game will be a look at possibilites. Try not to get to high or too low on todays performance. Its exhibition and a chance to critque the team. Im so-ooo excited about this years team and the prospect of whats to come.

I have to agree. I think you would learn more watching a UCONN practice. This is a scrimmage that Geno schedules because he is being kind to a friend. Which is Geno.

 

[Argonaut]

I have to agree. I think you would learn more watching a UCONN practice. This is a scrimmage that Geno schedules because he is being kind to a friend. Which is Geno.

Eh. I think there is more to it than that. Since the exhibitions can't be against D1 opponents, they will (for nearly all D1 schools) always be against lesser opponents. That's just the nature of the beast.

Geno likes for the games to have some kind of meaning (for himself or for one of the players), but I think these really help to mitigate some of the jitters for the newbies that accompany playing in Gampel. It's a big jump from your high school gym and your high school crowd...

 

[MSGRET]

Many people forget that Jefferson City is one of the best Div 2 teams in the nation. Last week Texas played Lubbock Christian, last year's Div 2 Champions and only beat them by 10 points. Many Div 2 teams play these games as it being their National Championship. I don't believe that UConn will have any problems with winning this game, but don't overlook some of these Div 2 teams.

 

[BroadwayVa]

If I understand what you said it all comes down to defense and scoring as a team. Correct me if I misunderstood you. But, you are right on target.

USMC---you just defined the game of Basketball . As I do to every Marine I meet." Thank you for your service--poor words truly meant.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I have to agree. I think you would learn more watching a UCONN practice. This is a scrimmage that Geno schedules because he is being kind to a friend. Which is Geno.

No these are not Div 1 games in the top 10 nor are they practice games. What they do is allow the team to play against people they don't know. When practicing they get to know the moves of all the practice opponents.
While it isn't really great it's good for the team. Confidence get built and nothing compares to playing a real game with real scores and real whistles. Scrimmage's get to stop and go to learn. These games keep moving on by the clock. Not really a scrimmage. If you look at all top 10 teams they have similar games--this isn't Geno just scheduling a sure win.
The teams being beaten so badly learn. They see how a top team plays with intensity on both offense and defense, no let up. A good coach uses that as motivation, as much as it hurt to lose.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Even though she’ll send out 5 new starters next month, Muffet expects her team to be competitive. She not coming to town to kiss Geno’s rings.

She’s coming to compete and believing her team can win. UConn should win that game going away, but aren’t all games against ND hard fought and contentious? THAT may be the game that exposes any weaknesses UConn may have.

I liked the RINGS comment that should be a Tee Shirt. When Geno plays Muffet on any given year I NEVER Expect a WIN. Muffet is that good, intense and dedicated. Oh, I'll throw a stone or grapefruit at her picture once in a while but one must respect her record.
All the above says---I agree.