Are you content with just being good?

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I’m gonna be honest I think some of you are. I won’t mention any names but it does feel that there are posters who care more about overreactive posts then they do about UConn winning.

Do you want UConn to be great again or are you just like ehh UConn is good their in the tournament and I’m content with that.

Those are the only two choices, and they are mutually exclusive?
I think I'll pass.

 

[TRest]

St. Bonnies' is an average A-10 team. The A-10 is a 1-bid league this year. We both played WVU and St. Bonnies. We played Auburn, Michigan State, VCU, and six bottom 100 D-1 programs. Marquette played UCLA, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ole Miss, Kansas State, and four cupcakes. It's not even comparable. They played a much tougher schedule.

We also didn’t get a BE-Big 10 challenge game this year which may have helped.

 

[Valleyfan]

I got blasted last week by suggesting the program and DH are mediocre. I’m a boomer and lived through the championship caliber teams and consistently challenging for league titles and Natties.

IMO 15-5 (now 6) and barely hanging onto a top-25 ranking is mediocre. Some see it otherwise, that’s fine. It sure was fun though being up there with the blue bloods and having a legit argument that we were better.

Here’s to hoping we get there again some day.

Agree 100%

 

[connVA]

We were in the dance last year. We’ll be back again this year. We’re a top 5 BE team. We need some parts obviously, but some of you act like we’re going nowhere. I don’t agree.

We haven’t beaten Providence, Villanova, Seton Hall, or Creighton and, based on Tues and this afternoon, I can’t see us beating Marquette at home or Xavier anywhere. If we are a Top 5 team in the BE at the end of the regular season, it’s by the skin of our teeth.

 

[bendm]

Nope 20 wins “right now” is far different then saying you wanna win 20 games overall.

you said 20 wins before the BE tourney which would be a good not great team....only 1 team in the country has 20 wins "right now" and auburn got it today

 

[gtcam]

I couldn’t disagree more. There is certainly no guarantees and Hurley may never get us to the championship but I think the team is trending in a positive enough direction to think there is a chance. Would you have only given Calhoun 4 years? Or did you know it would take him 13 years so you were ok with it?

Comparing Hurley and Calhoun is a joke at the highest levels
You could see JC had control of the team and had a plan- a leader
I see nothing of this from Hurley so far except promises, rah rah, and an ability to get into kids homes using his name and the NBE

You seem to forget that Calhoun came into a mega league with a program that had little or no history of tangling with the big boys so expectations of short term success was not there. You think the fans of Kentucky, Duke et al would give a new coach 4 years to produce?
DH is getting paid to get UConn to championships

I want this team to succeed badly but I just don't see the degree of success that came with the initial hiring of DH. It's not just these 2 games, it's how he has used his players, the lack of any improvement in the 1/2 court game which you knew was going to be a must heading into the NBE schedule. It's easy to have a running game vs the cupcakes who miss a majority of their shots.

If you are satisfied with the success of the program I am happy for you but I am not sure that is the prevailing feeling among all UConn fans - at this present time. Things can change but in my opinion the change has to start with how DH approaches coaching the players and the game. I am not saying he can't but he has to change certain things- can he?

 

[uc1990]

Calhoun took a program that was much worse off, I certainly wouldn't have run him off in 4 years. Hurley took over a program that had struggled the previous few years but was still considered one of the better college basketball programs around and wasn't going to have to worry about recruiting good players.

So what is your “you get fired in 4 years if you don’t”…. So we can tell the next coach when we hire them. See who we get to come coach.
To me I want our coach and our players to feel like their fan base has their back and wants them to succeed. I hear DH saying this isn’t good enough. I know the players are not happy losing. I believe they are all working hard and trying to get better. I know I’m not happy with the losing but I support them all and can’t wait to see every minute of the rest of the season. We are missing some pieces and the coaching needs to improve but I like our chances of getting better this year and in the future.

 

[Deepster]

The problem here is......Jim Calhoun has 3 titles, only less than Rupp, Coach K and Wooden.

We are good. We can be great. But Hurley is never, ever, ever getting 3 national championships. And that's no slight to him. There ain't a long list of those who have.

 

[UncleSpliff]

The problem here is......Jim Calhoun has 3 titles, only less than Rupp, Coach K and Wooden.

We are good. We can be great. But Hurley is never, ever, ever getting 3 national championships. And that's no slight to him. There ain't a long list of those who have.

I would take the second weekend at this point… but I think realistically that’s a super long-shot.

 

[giddyup]

The problem here is......Jim Calhoun has 3 titles, only less than Rupp, Coach K and Wooden.

We are good. We can be great. But Hurley is never, ever, ever getting 3 national championships. And that's no slight to him. There ain't a long list of those who have.

It’s clear DH isn’t going to be the miracle man we had hoped for. He dug us out of a hole by getting some talent in the door, and we are a credible team. He deserves due credit for that. , However, we are beginning to see the limits of what Yay, Ra, Ra coaching is about when there isn’t much else behind it. The only hope I see is he AD Dave sits down with him and demands he brings in a high IQ assistant HC that can fill the game management and strategy gap Hurley can’t handle. Otherwise, the Wrights of the world will eat his lunch every time.

 

[SouthBayHusky]

Do people not realize right before DH took over we were literally ranked 170 range (Kenpom) 2 years in a row. That’s called the dumpster fire! Just 2 years later he’s got us back in the tournament and ranked in the top 25. This year we’ve been ranked almost the entire season in the top 25 reaching as high as 15 knocking off the #1 team in the country and barely losing MSU to a bad call in final seconds. We are competing in the Big East with 5 TOP 25 teams and another 2 more that are tournament teams. Yes, we likely drop out of the top 25 for another week or so, but likely return again to Top 25 and another NCAA tournament bid. Our biggest problem is we’re in the second best conference and we’re going to take L‘s and roster construction work in progress. The trajectory is only going up.

 

[CL82]

If we don’t win round one this year, you rethink that?

That would be a disappointment. I just like to get out of the first week it this year. Baby steps right?

 

[uc1990]

I’m going to guess your weren’t around at the time, because, and no disrespect, but this is the dumbest post of all time. He took a team that was worse than anything Hurley had, won the NIT in year 2 and went to the Elite 8 in year 4. Won the Big East in Year 4. Hurley has a long way to go to get into Calhoun’s shadow, never mind out of it.

I was around and I am trying to make sense of a fan that says Hurley isn’t the right guy already. The comparison is that giving a coach support and time could pay off big time. The alternative is crappy fans hating their team and particularly the coach if we lose a couple in a row or to Villanova or the team never gels and has a bad season. We didn’t do this to Calhoun thank goodness. Our program became a great one.

 

[Huskybass]

I'm done thinking this team will have any post season success under Hurley. What you see is what you get. A good program coach who NEVER outcoaches any decent coach on game day.

Once Gillespie went out yesterday, Hurley should have had the D press Villanova non stop. Every possession. They would have cracked. Anyone watching could see that.

It's nice to be relevant again, but I think having a team in the Top 15-25 is Hurley's ceiling, at least with this group. Marquette at home is now a huge game for this team. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Marquette comes in and steals a victory. We look great against the Georgetowns of the world, and like crap against real good teams, especially in the final 3 minutes or so.

 

[UConnSwag11]

the problems have been noticeable and voiced for quite awhile but have been brushed off. Specifically in game play play and coaching. I don’t think recruiting is or will be a problem. This year I think Hurley didn’t want to bring in a guard transfer because he thought Gaffney would take the next step and it go backward. I like our front court. Our offense looks like we’re always lost unless we run or dump it into Sanogo.

 

[Matt1010]

We haven’t beaten Providence, Villanova, Seton Hall, or Creighton and, based on Tues and this afternoon, I can’t see us beating Marquette at home or Xavier anywhere. If we are a Top 5 team in the BE at the end of the regular season, it’s by the skin of our teeth.

Understand this completely and it's super frustrating, but for a little additional context we will 100% be favorites over Marquette on Tuesday and Xavier just lost at home to Depaul.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Otherwise, the Wrights of the world will eat his lunch every time.

Jay Wright won his first national championship in his 15th year at Villanova. The six seasons preceding that national championship would have this board in a state of all consuming panic.

As for the question posed in the OP, I guess we message board posters just have to post harder to prove how much we want it.

 

[MexicoHusky]

I’m gonna be honest I think some of you are. I won’t mention any names but it does feel that there are posters who care more about overreactive posts then they do about UConn winning.

Do you want UConn to be great again or are you just like ehh UConn is good their in the tournament and I’m content with that.

I'm probably one of the content fans. I do appreciate the attitude of the "angrier" fans. I've been angrier and more irrational in years past. Frankly, when I was younger. I'm not sure I see the point anymore. The team does what it does with or without my emotion.

I also don't appreciate the posts suggesting everyone should "calm down" or "step away from the cliff". Those may be even more pointless in my opinion. Anyways, I do appreciate your attitude. Wanting more out of the team.

I do have one objection with your post. At least the title of your post.... I'm not sure we are even good. An argument can be made we are in the bottom half of the BE. We have certainly struggled against the upper half teams we've played. The next couple weeks will answer those questions.

 

[mussels]

Need to define "being good."

Spend the majority of most seasons ranked. Go the the dance 85% of the time. Survive the first weekend 35%. Have what it takes to make a deep run (whether or not you make final 4) every four or five years. Odds of ever getting another championship in the next 20 years say 5%.

I'd sign up for that. We'd be talking about a relevant basketball program that is at least part of the national conversation. Is that what we have ? Maybe - well have to see.

Would I like to see better? Yeah of course, but if its what we have I wouldn't take a sledge hammer to it, in an attempt to improve.

 

[Scoe]

I'm probably one of the content fans. I do appreciate the attitude of the "angrier" fans. I've been angrier and more irrational in years past. Frankly, when I was younger. I'm not sure I see the point anymore. The team does what it does with or without my emotion.

I also don't appreciate the posts suggesting everyone should "calm down" or "step away from the cliff". Those may be even more pointless in my opinion. Anyways, I do appreciate your attitude. Wanting more out of the team.

I do have one objection with your post. At least the title of your post.... I'm not sure we are even good. An argument can be made we are in the bottom half of the BE. We have certainly struggled against the upper half teams we've played. The next couple weeks will answer those questions.

I’m just one those fans who always raises the bar. My post referred to the overall state of the program in the big picture not just this year.

If fans are just satisfied playing in March that’s fine but I’m not. I get into these conversations with Yankee fans who are like well we made the playoffs, I always want more.While I’m glad to see my team in the playoffs I consider at least a tournament win a successful season.

If I didn’t believe in Hurley I wouldn’t be raising the bar. I’m one of those fans who is always looking for more.

 

[pj]

I’m gonna be honest I think some of you are. I won’t mention any names but it does feel that there are posters who care more about overreactive posts then they do about UConn winning.

Do you want UConn to be great again or are you just like ehh UConn is good their in the tournament and I’m content with that.

I want UConn to be great, and if I thought I could make them great by complaining on the Boneyard, I would do that.

But since I don't believe that, I'll just settle for rooting for them, and maybe disliking some overreactive posts.

 

[Kitaman]

Not sure why posters fell that winning the BE Title and Championship for this squad is a low bar. I'll take that regardless of our NCAA Tournament performance.

We need a foundation to build on, and winning our Conference outright would be a solid step towards getting back to winning post season. We're young and to go into next season as BE Champions will do a lot for the future.

 

[UCfor3]

The narrative that if you don't throw a hissy fit on a message board every time we lose means people don't care as much if we are ever great again is so outrageous it's hysterical. Besides the fact it has zero bearing on future results, perhaps some people just have better control of their emotions and don't feel the need or find it productive to meltdown after every minor setback. With sports often the journey is sometimes a roller coaster and you have to find the joy in it even if it breaks your heart at times. Only being happy when your favorite team is dominating and competing for championships is a recipe for being unhappy more often than not. It's not something you can control so the "accepting" mediocrity arguments are ridiculous. Ok, I don't accept it. Now what do I do? Express every negative thought about the program I love on a message board? That's been done to death and doesn't seem to be working. We are all disappointed that the process to be legit contenders again has been a slower ascent than we hoped. Some of just try and offer a sliver of support for whatever that's worth. Or we cool off and process the disappointment before blitzing the board with every primal thought. I would be banned in 100 countries if the words that came out of my mouth during games were transcribed on this message board.

 

[uconngb]

We're not going to be the best if we can't recruit the right pieces or have a coach that dominates on GameDay. We need one of those two if we want to get deep in the tournament again. Right now we have neither.

Very well synthesized

 

[UConnSwag11]

We also didn’t get a BE-Big 10 challenge game this year which may have helped.

They're not in the Big 10 but we did play WVU on the road