A Milestone Unworthy of Note

[RockyMTblue2]

At least on the eve of it to my knowledge there has been no discussion of it. Are we all emulating Geno et al? As Kia notes: “It’s what you understand because the coaching staff and people around us don’t talk about numbers like people think they do,” Nurse said. “We focus on, ‘did we have a good game? Did we win by a lot? OK, but did we play well? Maybe not, so what do we have to fix?’ That is the beauty of what we deal with.”

And it's just 100 regular season wins if the Huskies prevail over UCF tonight. There are 2 losses sprinkled into the last 5 seasons so this is a stat minders milestone unworthy of celebration?

I beg to differ. Name me who is in second place with what kind of a number.

So I'm celebrating:

 

[eebmg]

I do not like the 100 game regular season stat.

It is reminder of what the MSU loss did to our overall streak which could have
been at 130 and continuing (to 200+ ??).

The same goes for any AAC stats being bandied about. Sorry, I only care about NC wins, total win streaks, AA numbers and true measures of greatness such as our style of play.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I do feel the tug of the sentiment you express @eebmg, but a very large portion of that 100 win streak is comprised of AAC regular season games. So I chose to look at this streak as but one component of an unrivaled legacy of excellence and commitment. And, yes, it may be the AAC, but the streak bespeaks a discipline which is at the heart of Geno's coaching: there is only one way to play and we don't play to score or opponent. And every regular season ranked opponent has fallen too, don't forget.

 

[Sonny44]

Reminds me of an old saying: "Money isn't everything, but it's way ahead of whatever is in second place."

 

[BroadwayVa]

I do feel the tug of the sentiment you express @eebmg, but a very large portion of that 100 win streak is comprised of AAC regular season games. So I chose to look at this streak as but one component of an unrivaled legacy of excellence and commitment. And, yes, it may be the AAC, but the streak bespeaks a discipline which is at the heart of Geno's coaching: there is only one way to play and we don't play to score or opponent. And every regular season ranked opponent has fallen too, don't forget.

Damn---we are spoiled! When we don't think 100 regular season wins are not worthy of note--what does that say about Uconn fans---spoiled.
90 percent of other Men or Women's teams are thrilled to have 20 wins in a year---that's less than ho--humm at Uconn, 39 is the expectation.
Which games--gets a real fans blood moving?? The almost losses, even during the games Uconn loses--no I don't think we should love them--but that's a part of every other WBB team's daily life.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Reminds me of an old saying: "Money isn't everything, but it's way ahead of whatever is in second place."

Money isn't anything---unless you don't have it..

 

[Phil]

I have absolutely no problem that we as fans may want to talk about and celebrate accomplishments such as 100 consecutive regular season wins while Nurse may wish to focus on other things. Some may think that if Nurse doesn't think it's worth spending time thinking about we shouldn't as well — here is why I see it differently:

What is Nurse going to think about today at practice? Actually, I don't have a clue but it might be something like — how do I set a screen better, how can I improve my free-throw shooting, maybe I need to practice that pick and roll move? Here is what she's not thinking about — how cool is it that we're going to get 100 consecutive regular-season victories if we win tonight?

Here's the difference — if she thinks about the first type of things, she can work on the first type of things and make this incredible team a tiny bit better. If she spends time thinking about how cool it is to win hundred consecutive regular-season games, she won't improve her game one whit (amd might even regress).

Now as fans, we equally have the choice to think about those two sets of things. And frankly, (myself included), we may spend too much time on the first set of things, even though every minute spent figuring out how to improve Kia Nurse's free-throw shooting is a wasted minute. Okay, thinking about the consecutive win streak isn't going to make the team better but we are fans, and it is fun to think about such accomplishments. Plus, we don't have to go to practice, so we have more time to think about more thngs.

So I'm perfectly fine with searching out and celebrating every little accomplishment. I get the team will value things slightly differently (with a lot of overlap). They value a game well played (as do we), although they probably have a deeper appreciation of what it means. They celebrate winning conference titles, conference tournaments and national championships (as do we), and my guess is they spend less time valuing that Kia Nurse is one of the leading three point shooters in the country, that we've gone almost forever without losing back-to-back games, and we never lose to teams in states that end in a vowel on Thursdays.

 

[Biff]

I was noted yesterday ... in a couple since merged threads.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I was noted yesterday ... in a couple since merged threads.

Noting, noting ... you call that noting??

 

[Biff]

Noting, noting ... you call that noting??

Yup. It was noted...but not really discussed.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Yup. It was noted...but not really discussed.

I want it:

 

[OfanMan]

RockyMt, I wholeheartedly feel this statistic is worthy of notice and celebration. Thanks. Then again, I’m a sucker for any statistical demonstration of UConn sustained greatness.

If I may, while we're on this topic, one statistic that I wasn’t aware of and haven’t seen noted here really surprised me at the end of Mike Anthony’s piece in the Courant today.
UConn Women Ride Strong Defensive Efforts Into Tuesday's Game Vs. UCF
“Only one UConn opponent in the past 510 games has shot 50 percent or better — Notre Dame, at 51.9 percent, in a national semifinal victory over the Huskies in 2011.”

Could that possibly be true? Not one team has shot 50% against UConn since ND on April 3rd, 2011? That’s (I think) 245 games ago. Which means the 510 games he writes of goes back another 265 straight games to a 70-73 loss against Boston College on March 8, 2004. Almost 14 years!

I haven’t studied 510 box scores so I’ll just say I trust him on this but it seems an astounding record of defensive prowess and consistency. Since I started following the Huskies they’ve averaged over 50% shooting for the entire season every year except the first (for me -2012-13 – 49.6%), so I just assumed that at least one team would make half their shots against us perhaps one game a season. Definitely not one time every 14 seasons.

I’ve only been following UConn for 6 years so am I just too much of a newbie in thinking that: 1 – this is an amazing defensive statistic even for UConn - and 2 – This is an amazing record of sustained defensive consistency that should be better known?

Every team talks about playing good defense being key. I think that allowing 1 good shooting performance in 14 years shows that UConn walks the talk like no other team.

Oh, and I’m more than fine that the coaches and players are focused on always improving play, and leaving obsession with numbers to people like me.

 

[Phil]

... it’s clear that if the veteran players spent time pondering their accomplishments, there wouldn’t be much time to prepare for the next opponent.

Even Jim Fuller agrees.

 

[Rsna]

So if we are only counting NC Geno is only 11 wins in 30+ years and we can’t count the 6 FF appearances in a row in 2004. Guess Geno not iconic after all. Guess DT and Maya come down too since only Stewie &. Moriah fulfilled their potential.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

A few factoids to ponder from Fuller's article cited above updated this AM:

• 8 Games trailing by more than 6 points
• 12 Largest deficit faced (vs. Notre Dame on Dec. 3, 2017)
• 30 Games against teams in the top 25 in at least one of the two national polls
• 57 Games UConn hasn't trailed
• 69 Games trailing for less than a minute

 

[BroadwayVa]

I was noted yesterday ... in a couple since merged threads.

AWWW---you were "note" before that!

 

[Longtime fan]

I have absolutely no problem that we as fans may want to talk about and celebrate accomplishments such as 100 consecutive regular season wins while Nurse may wish to focus on other things. Some may think that if Nurse doesn't think it's worth spending time thinking about we shouldn't as well — here is why I see it differently:

What is Nurse going to think about today at practice? Actually, I don't have a clue but it might be something like — how do I set a screen better, how can I improve my free-throw shooting, maybe I need to practice that pick and roll move? Here is what she's not thinking about — how cool is it that we're going to get 100 consecutive regular-season victories if we win tonight?

Here's the difference — if she thinks about the first type of things, she can work on the first type of things and make this incredible team a tiny bit better. If she spends time thinking about how cool it is to win hundred consecutive regular-season games, she won't improve her game one whit (amd might even regress).

Now as fans, we equally have the choice to think about those two sets of things. And frankly, (myself included), we may spend too much time on the first set of things, even though every minute spent figuring out how to improve Kia Nurse's free-throw shooting is a wasted minute. Okay, thinking about the consecutive win streak isn't going to make the team better but we are fans, and it is fun to think about such accomplishments. Plus, we don't have to go to practice, so we have more time to think about more thngs.

So I'm perfectly fine with searching out and celebrating every little accomplishment. I get the team will value things slightly differently (with a lot of overlap). They value a game well played (as do we), although they probably have a deeper appreciation of what it means. They celebrate winning conference titles, conference tournaments and national championships (as do we), and my guess is they spend less time valuing that Kia Nurse is one of the leading three point shooters in the country, that we've gone almost forever without losing back-to-back games, and we never lose to teams in states that end in a vowel on Thursdays.

I think the " desperate search" for meaningless records is easy sustenance for the media. Seriously, I cringe when the courtside reporters inform me ( us ) that " if UConn wins tonight it will be their 1067th straight win against teams who have never broken .500 in a season." I find it stupid and embarrassing. And it is inspired laziness on the part of the reporters. Nothing else to say? How difficult was it to source this stupid fact? It would be more interesting to know how many pair of sneakers Katy Lou uses in a season.

I commend the coaching staff and the team for maintaining focus on improving their play, not on
these " towering, precarious and meaningless" claims of consecutive something or other. It is like reporting that " Kansas has won the last four games they played here at Madison Square Garden, and suggesting that they will (therefore) win the next one.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I think the " desperate search" for meaningless records is easy sustenance for the media. Seriously, I cringe when the courtside reporters inform me ( us ) that " if UConn wins tonight it will be their 1067th straight win against teams who have never broken .500 in a season." I find it stupid and embarrassing. And it is inspired laziness on the part of the reporters. Nothing else to say? How difficult was it to source this stupid fact? It would be more interesting to know how many pair of sneakers Katy Lou uses in a season.

I commend the coaching staff and the team for maintaining focus on improving their play, not on
these " towering, precarious and meaningless" claims of consecutive something or other. It is like reporting that " Kansas has won the last four games they played here at Madison Square Garden, and suggesting that they will (therefore) win the next one.

I'm convinced that many are enthralled by certain sports because the sport is beset with numbers trivia; the most shining example being baseball. Did you know that Hughie Jennings holds the record for most times hit by a pitch at 287?

 

[Phil]

I'm convinced that many are enthralled by certain sports because the sport is beset with numbers trivia; the most shining example being baseball. Did you know that Hughie Jennings holds the record for most times hit by a pitch at 287?

I thought that record was held by Coach (wondering who will get the reference).

 

[Fightin Choke]

I thought that record was held by Coach (wondering who will get the reference).

Cheers!

 

[Bronx23]

This thread reminds me of one of the most important lessons in my 68 years. It took place probably forty years ago.
I was a social worker back when and applying for a job representing a wide variety of social service agencies. They received 100 applicants and interviewed 30 people of which I was one. Two women who were social work professors interviewed me. Their recommendation led me to be one of the final five candidates.
I walked into the final interview room where 18 people interviewed the five candidates one at a time. I received a lot of positive feedback from some of them and felt the interview went well.
It turned out it came down to someone else and me and they got the job and I was crushed.
I was in psychotherapy at the time and at my next session was explaining how upset I was. My therapist said you know there's another way to look at this. I looked at him like he had three heads and wondered what he could possibly mean. Winning the job and the approval of others was the only thing I could see had any import.
He proceeded to tell me I needed to learn to "savor" the good things. I beat out 98 candidates and one got the job. Of course, I had reason to be upset but I also should have been very proud of getting to that point. He explained when something meaningful happens you need to stop and truly feel it and let it set in. It's like when you're having a special meal or dessert you want to truly enjoy it (sort of roll over in your mouth) so it doesn't end
I still struggle with this issue but have gotten better with it and will try to continue to do so, as the opportunities arise.
As it relates to U Conn wbb is the players, coaches and even CD and Geno need to stop occasionally "savor" those special moments and accomplishments. I am not talking specifically about each or any win but 100 straight regular season wins of last years season. Yes, they are artificial #'s, but they and some of the other stats some of you mentioned demonstrate the truly unbelievable nature of these accomplishments. Geno has mentioned previously how he felt winning his first game; the first Big East championship; the first final four appearance and then the first championship. Now many championships and records later one can easily become jaded and just move on to the next goal or championship.
I'm just suggesting that everyone connected in any way to this unique program should truly allow themselves to relish these milestones.
There should always continue to be the focus on individual and team improvements and corrections but if one doesn't or can't stop, slow down and smell the roses, then it all doesn't truly matter because then it's just another goal or step and you're on to the next one.
Bronx23