Always Near The Surface

[RockyMTblue2]

We are rolling along enjoying ourselves and somebody has to remind us. I stumbld into it and misery loves company, so:

 

[HuskyNan]

Me waiting for this dude to say something positive about the program…..

 

[Zarathustra]

We are rolling along enjoying ourselves and somebody has to remind us. I stumbld into it and misery loves company, so:

Well, he did say " If you have Paige... you have a chance." He threw a BONE to the Boneyard.

 

[Next 12]

I don't pay attention to posters like him as they post to create controversy.

 

[Bone Dog]

I think he's insightful, and he's not saying anything in this video that we all don't worry about. We tend to speak about Ice Ayanna and Jana in the mode of optimism, but we also harbor worries. It's the same for Azzi and Caroline. When we talk about next season, we are usually in full-optimism mode. But we also have our doubts. It's just that as fans we tamp those doubts down.

This guy is actually a fan, too, but in this video series he attempts to be more objective. Perhaps he thinks if he says all this stuff out loud it will keep the worst things at bay. To us here, it all seems old hat just because there's nothing new to us in any of this. But maybe it will work as a talisman and protect the health of the team next season.

The one thing he might have changed if he'd watched the DePaul game is his remarks about Amari.

 

[msf22b]

Me waiting for this dude to say something positive about the program…..

Rocky or the gent that made the vid?

(btw, I didn't think it was so negative...realistic, yes)

 

[cohenzone]

Pretty objective overall. While a height difference if the big is talented certainly helps a team. It guarantees nothing. Griner’s teams lost key games. In 1991, the UConn men trounced LSU who had some guy named Shaq. He had a lot of points but Calhoun’s design was to basically let Shaq be Shaq and nobody else would hurt them. UConn’s stars were Chris Smith and Scott Burrell. In other words, a height disadvantage against a talented big is not necessarily fatal.

 

[oldhusky]

I thought it was more realistic than negative. Some of our bigs might turn out to be good, but they might not too. The fact is we have nobody we know is coming back that we can pencil in at the 4 or 5 and know they will be good.

Ayanna may or may not have an ongoing issue with her knee, and her first year was not impressive, granted playing with a bum knee and having concussion issues herself. Maybe this surgery enables her to come back and achieve what we would normally expect a #5 pick to do. Same with Ice, already recovering from a knee injury herself and not yet meeting expectations, but as they say constantly, she has lots of skills. Jana with high hopes but also coming off an injury, and like the others unproven. She was the one player I think this commentator was overly negative on, as I see more quickness and potential than he does.

All three of those could blossom as very good players or fall short of expectations. All with potential, all with injuries, and none that have yet matched expectations, although all potentially could. The closest thing to a known proven player that could play upfront would be if Aubrey returned, and she is coming off her third surgery and probably wouldn't be ready until well into the season.

Obviously if we sign Sarah, and or Aaliyah decided to return, or Ice starts to play like we hope, that would reduce much of the uncertainty, but right now there are many unanswered questions. It helps that small ball has worked as well as it has, but I hope it becomes a strategic part time option next year, not a necessity because we don't have enough effective bigs. The guards and wings should be terrific and hopefully our bigs will be too, but it will be a major question heading into next season.

 

[HuskyNan]

I thought it was more realistic than negative. Some of our bigs might turn out to be good, but they might not too. The fact is we have nobody we know is coming back that we can pencil in at the 4 or 5 and know they will be good.

Ayanna may or may not have an ongoing issue with her knee, and her first year was not impressive, granted playing with a bum knee and having concussion issues herself. Maybe this surgery enables her to come back and achieve what we would normally expect a #5 pick to do. Same with Ice, already recovering from a knee injury herself and not yet meeting expectations, but as they say constantly, she has lots of skills. Jana with high hopes but also coming off an injury, and like the others unproven. She was the one player I think this commentator was overly negative on, as I see more quickness and potential than he does.

All three of those could blossom as very good players or fall short of expectations. All with potential, all with injuries, and none that have yet matched expectations, although all potentially could. The closest thing to a known proven player that could play upfront would be if Aubrey returned, and she is coming off her third surgery and probably wouldn't be ready until well into the season.

Obviously if we sign Sarah, and or Aaliyah decided to return, or Ice starts to play like we hope, that would reduce much of the uncertainty, but right now there are many unanswered questions. It helps that small ball has worked as well as it has, but I hope it becomes a strategic part time option next year, not a necessity because we don't have enough effective bigs. The guards and wings should be terrific and hopefully our bigs will be too, but it will be a major question heading into next season.

Sarah is a 6-2 wing/forward, like Caroline. I’m not sure why people are looking at her as a post solution.

 

[Bone Dog]

Sarah is a 6-2 wing/forward, like Caroline. I’m not sure why people are looking at her as a post solution.

Why are people thinking of her as a post player? Because she is much stronger than Caroline. A more obvious comparison may be Ayanna, also 6'2" and similarly strong, and it's not like Geno didn't have her playing the low post last season.

The difference I imagine you're hinting at is that Sarah is a much better perimeter shooter than Ayanna and a talented high post passer. In that sense she combines some of Caroline's skills with some of Ayanna's.

Since Geno likes to use bigs to pass from the elbow and beyond, and Sarah's dad says she doesn't want to get stuck in the post, I'd think she'd find UConn attractive. But that's maybe more thinking than is necessary.

 

[WiseWillie]

Byers way too much thinking on this topic.

Let's keep it positive. There are several options for the 5 position and we need to wait and see what Geno and the coaches come up with. Does anyone remember a certain post player from Ohio State who transferred in? If I recall at the time everyone was worrying what would happen when Liv graduated.

Athletic ability and skill is not determined by height. Knowledge of the game and basic talent is much more important than height requirements. I think the Coach has a winning recruiting formula that is tried and true. Let's give it time.

 

[Rowdy831]

Pretty objective overall. While a height difference if the big is talented certainly helps a team. It guarantees nothing. Griner’s teams lost key games. In 1991, the UConn men trounced LSU who had some guy named Shaq. He had a lot of points but Calhoun’s design was to basically let Shaq be Shaq and nobody else would hurt them. UConn’s stars were Chris Smith and Scott Burrell. In other words, a height disadvantage against a talented big is not necessarily fatal.

When all you have is one talented tall person you have issues too. Shaq made that LSU team competitive but didn't make the role players better shooters or defenders. With a team like UConn this year your post needs to be long and disruptive, but really doesn't need to score at all. UConn is the opposite of the teams you cited, they have tons of talent around the "missing" post player. They could win every game playing any player on the roster as the 5th player that they have won so far.

 

[cohenzone]

When all you have is one talented tall person you have issues too. Shaq made that LSU team competitive but didn't make the role players better shooters or defenders. With a team like UConn this year your post needs to be long and disruptive, but really doesn't need to score at all. UConn is the opposite of the teams you cited, they have tons of talent around the "missing" post player. They could win every game playing any player on the roster as the 5th player that they have won so far.

Griner played with Oddysey (sp?) Sims for at least 2 years along with other good if not great players and were not indestructible. Shaq could not dominate all by himself. UConn had a more complete team but not enough. The point being, a top notch big doesn’t assure anything. I’m not saying bet against South Carolina.

 

[cohenzone]

Why are people thinking of her as a post player? Because she is much stronger than Caroline. A more obvious comparison may be Ayanna, also 6'2" and similarly strong, and it's not like Geno didn't have her playing the low post last season.

The difference I imagine you're hinting at is that Sarah is a much better perimeter shooter than Ayanna and a talented high post passer. In that sense she combines some of Caroline's skills with some of Ayanna's.

Since Geno likes to use bigs to pass from the elbow and beyond, and Sarah's dad says she doesn't want to get stuck in the post, I'd think she'd find UConn attractive. But that's maybe more thinking than is necessary.

How about Anersha Morrow as a rebounder? She is smaller than Sarah Strong. .

 

[Dynastic]

I don't pay attention to posters like him as they post to create controversy.

Where is the controversy? I mean he is a bit of doomsy boomsby… it’s a lazy take trying to stoke the flames of discontent. Injuries are an issue and have been for years, height/experience are an issue now and the future. I seriously think Geno or Chris need to YouTube a plea to the youth of today and say, “hey we have DEVELOPED many young women of a certain vertical structure (tall women) into phenomenal basketball players and rich$ portfolios that can start YOUR brand and enrich your future. I have said it before a few times… the transfer portal is quicker, we did it with Dorka and we can do it again.
We all can’t be positive all the time… the plot thickens the more its stirred.