Men At what point ... we have got to stop Benedict puffery

[ASweet3781]

AD David Benedict really lives in your head rent free

Updated weekend:

Football: Holy Cross- 38 UConn-28

All of these losses at home.

Sorry if reporting the facts on the ground bother you.

 

[hardcorehusky]

Updated weekend:

Football: Holy Cross- 38 UConn-28

All of these losses at home.

Sorry if reporting the facts on the ground bother you.

Blaming the Athletic Director for individual losses is odd at best. Do you give him credit when the teams win?

 

[ASweet3781]

It's odd to blame the Athletic Director for his athletic dept. (including 2 coaches HE hired) not performing at all.

Got it.

 

[hardcorehusky]

It's odd to blame the Athletic Director for his athletic dept. (including 2 coaches HE hired) not performing at all.

Got it.

No it's odd to pick out individual games and not seasons or programs in general. That is the AD's job. The coaches and players own the individual games.

PS Did you list men's soccer's win over Bryant or did that not fit your narrative?

 

[ASweet3781]

Once upon a time, we expected to beat Bryant in any sport we played them in. Apparently in your mind that is good enough to warrant ignoring the trends of the men's soccer "narrative" 1-6-1 record last year scoring 2 goals in 7 Big East contests.

The AD owns the seasons and programs? Well, many UConn seasons and programs are very very bad right now so I guess he owns it. But don't worry. If we manage to beat Yale in football I'll "list it".

 

[dbmill]

No it's odd to pick out individual games and not seasons or programs in general. That is the AD's job. The coaches and players own the individual games.

PS Did you list men's soccer's win over Bryant or did that not fit your narrative?

UConn fans were on Ray Reid's case long before Benedict became athletic director at UConn. Reid did win a men's soccer national championship at UConn many years ago, but UConn fans have been critical of Reid for a number of reasons, including what many thought were a bunch of early exits from the NCAA tourney when it was thought that UConn had superior talent to the the opponents they were facing in the tourney. Ray Reid did have a long consecutive run of making the NCAA tournament, making the tourney every year from 1998 up to and including 2013. Those days seem to be long gone, as UConn has only made the NCAA tourney twice since then, in 2015 and 2018. UConn used to be considered one of the big powers in NCAA men's soccer, and as stated before, has long been one of the consistent attendance leaders in men's soccer for many, many years. Only making the NCAA tourney twice from 2014 onward pretty much shows the recent decline in UConn men's soccer in recent years under Ray Reid. Winning a national championship will buy any coach some good will, but Reid seems to have used his up some time ago. I suspect having had a big part in getting the new soccer facility built will also buy Reid some time (as in allowing him perhaps a year or two to coach UConn in the new facility). Still, at this point it is looking like Ray Reid's best years and teams are well in the past, sorry to say.

 

[hardcorehusky]

UConn fans were on Ray Reid's case long before Benedict became athletic director at UConn. Reid did win a men's soccer national championship at UConn many years ago, but UConn fans have been critical of Reid for a number of reasons, including what many thought were a bunch of early exits from the NCAA tourney when it was thought that UConn had superior talent to the the opponents they were facing in the tourney. Ray Reid did have a long consecutive run of making the NCAA tournament, making the tourney every year from 1998 up to and including 2013. Those days seem to be long gone, as UConn has only made the NCAA tourney twice since then, in 2015 and 2018. UConn used to be considered one of the big powers in NCAA men's soccer, and as stated before, has long been one of the consistent attendance leaders in men's soccer for many, many years. Only making the NCAA tourney twice from 2014 onward pretty much shows the recent decline in UConn men's soccer in recent years under Ray Reid. Winning a national championship will buy any coach some good will, but Reid seems to have used his up some time ago. I suspect having had a big part in getting the new soccer facility built will also buy Reid some time (as in allowing him perhaps a year or two to coach UConn in the new facility). Still, at this point it is looking like Ray Reid's best years and teams are well in the past, sorry to say.

I agree with the above, this poster was using individual games to make his point against DB. I truly believe Reid bought himself another year when he donated money to the facility.

 

[gtcam]

If this is not RRs last year (he bought that with his donation), the AD does not give a rats arse about the soccer program
Thank you coach for the NC but the game and the recruiting process has past you by
Thanks for the memories and try to take this year's young team to evident improvement and enough wins to make some noise in the NBE tournament

 

[ASweet3781]

Women's Soccer tonight

Brown- 5 UConn- 0

Ok. For real. What is going on?

 

[Fairfield_1st]

Women's Soccer tonight

Brown- 5 UConn- 0

Ok. For real. What is going on?

Ouch. Good question. I thought Mags had things pointing in the right direction.

 

[dbmill]

Women's Soccer tonight

Brown- 5 UConn- 0

Ok. For real. What is going on?

Ouch. Good question. I thought Mags had things pointing in the right direction.

My impression is that while the jury (so to speak) is still out on her, before this season Mags had been making decent progress in improvement with the women's soccer team since she had taken over as head coach. I can understand one bad loss to Boston College (which has had some solid teams in recent past), but losing 5-0 to Brown at home is indeed pretty brutal.

 

[Pudge]

here's the point ... particularly for the younger AND more hoop/football fanboys

WE should be great. National Championship conversation. Yes ... in Women's Soccer. We should have a dominating BE soccer championship caliber Men's program. Competitive for titles in Hockey. And Penders.

We aren't gonna be unrealistic (volleyball or football) ... just expect our teams to be excellent in sports we should win. We have the facilities.

 

[hardcorehusky]

here's the point ... particularly for the younger AND more hoop/football fanboys

WE should be great. National Championship conversation. Yes ... in Women's Soccer. We should have a dominating BE soccer championship caliber Men's program. Competitive for titles in Hockey. And Penders.

We aren't gonna be unrealistic (volleyball or football) ... just expect our teams to be excellent in sports we should win. We have the facilities.

While I agree with you - it won't be as easy as it was years ago. Back in the day, with women's soccer- it was UNC as the big dog, Santa Clara, Stanford, UConn, and Portland I believe as the powers. Now the SEC and more southern schools, have thrown money at Women's Soccer- so it will be more difficult. Doable as Jim Calhoun says.

Same with men's soccer - just different players back in the day.

 

[dbmill]

While I agree with you - it won't be as easy as it was years ago. Back in the day, with women's soccer- it was UNC as the big dog, Santa Clara, Stanford, UConn, and Portland I believe as the powers. Now the SEC and more southern schools, have thrown money at Women's Soccer- so it will be more difficult. Doable as Jim Calhoun says.

Same with men's soccer - just different players back in the day.

One should note that the SEC and the Big 12 do not offer men's soccer as a league sport.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

As a soccer game from way back, Connecticut's smaller high schools in the 90s had great soccer teams. East Granby had one of the natiothrns top soccer teams back in the late 80s early 90s.

East Hartford and Penny were great soccer schools and RHAM was, also. East Granby and RHAM, at the time, didn't have football. (Now, I believe the only school without Football is Parish Hill). When UConn went big time, I think the high schools focused on Football instead of soccer, either by starting football or co-op with other schools.

That said, I believe, Reid is going the international route. CIAC focused on FB now, so CT schools aren't ranked nationally anymore.

 

[Glastonhusky]

If this is not RRs last year (he bought that with his donation), the AD does not give a rats arse about the soccer program
Thank you coach for the NC but the game and the recruiting process has past you by
Thanks for the memories and try to take this year's young team to evident improvement and enough wins to make some noise in the NBE tournament

I agree, depending on how the season goes, this could be RR's last year. I'll play the same game as the football board. Who is on your list for possible replacements? I don't follow college soccer close enough to know who the up and coming coaches are, but I noticed that Chris Gbandi is the Northeaster coach. Not sure what his overall record is but they're 4-1-1 this year. Also New Hampshire is currently ranked #4 in the nation. Anyone who can get New Hampshire ranked should be looked at.

 

[ASweet3781]

Was at the women's soccer game today. Buffalo led from start to finish. Nice stadium. Although it appears it was built on 50 bees nest as there are bees everywhere. If we are gonna continue to get punked at home by mid majors I'd have preferred Rizza make that big donations to the UConn football coaching fund.

 

[How Sway?!]

Was at the women's soccer game today. Buffalo led from start to finish. Nice stadium. Although it appears it was built on 50 bees nest as there are bees everywhere. If we are gonna continue to get punked at home by mid majors I'd have preferred Rizza make that big donations to the UConn football coaching fund.

Funny how you were quiet when the women's team beat Syracuse 3-0 last weekend.

 

[ASweet3781]

Funny how you were quiet when the women's team beat Syracuse 3-0 last weekend.

Funny. I was also quiet when St. John's came into the new palace and beat the crap out of them 3-0 (in a game UConn visibly quit in the 2nd half). You see I actually go to the games and talk to people in the know. Men's and women's. It's why I don't let a win vs Syracuse distract from the clear troubling downward trends. Was at the Wyoming football game today too. And went to women's ice hockey last night. Will be at UConn baseball alumni game tomorrow I'm sure you were too.

I will not be quiet though with the horrendous 2-1 men's soccer loss to DePaul today. That's bad. Really bad.

A brand new soccer palace. And both programs not even top 60 right now. There's a lot of reasons for that. If some of you would put down the pom poms and actually you know...go to the games you might see what I see and hear what I hear.

 

[How Sway?!]

Funny. I was also quiet when St. John's came into the new palace and beat the crap out of them 3-0 (in a game UConn visibly quit in the 2nd half). You see I actually go to the games and talk to people in the know. Men's and women's. It's why I don't let a win vs Syracuse distract from the clear troubling downward trends. Was at the Wyoming football game today too. And went to women's ice hockey last night. Will be at UConn baseball alumni game tomorrow I'm sure you were too.

I will not be quiet though with the horrendous 2-1 men's soccer loss to DePaul today. That's bad. Really bad.

A brand new soccer palace. And both programs not even top 60 right now. There's a lot of reasons for that. If some of you would put down the pom poms and actually you know...go to the games you might see what I see and hear what I hear.

 

[ASweet3781]

Always gotta trust the posters who have "limits who may view their full profile" when you click on them. Wonder why?

 

[hardcorehusky]

Funny. I was also quiet when St. John's came into the new palace and beat the crap out of them 3-0 (in a game UConn visibly quit in the 2nd half). You see I actually go to the games and talk to people in the know. Men's and women's. It's why I don't let a win vs Syracuse distract from the clear troubling downward trends. Was at the Wyoming football game today too. And went to women's ice hockey last night. Will be at UConn baseball alumni game tomorrow I'm sure you were too.

I will not be quiet though with the horrendous 2-1 men's soccer loss to DePaul today. That's bad. Really bad.

A brand new soccer palace. And both programs not even top 60 right now. There's a lot of reasons for that. If some of you would put down the pom poms and actually you know...go to the games you might see what I see and hear what I hear.

As a fan of all UConn sports, I am interested to hear about the downfall of both soccer programs. If you can't put it out here, I would be interested in a pm if you would be so kind.

 

[gtcam]

As a soccer game from way back, Connecticut's smaller high schools in the 90s had great soccer teams. East Granby had one of the natiothrns top soccer teams back in the late 80s early 90s.

East Hartford and Penny were great soccer schools and RHAM was, also. East Granby and RHAM, at the time, didn't have football. (Now, I believe the only school without Football is Parish Hill). When UConn went big time, I think the high schools focused on Football instead of soccer, either by starting football or co-op with other schools.

That said, I believe, Reid is going the international route. CIAC focused on FB now, so CT schools aren't ranked nationally anymore.

CT has always had and continues to have some really nice soccer talent in the high school age bracket. You really only hear about those kids outside of Fairfield county because most of the best players from that Fairfield area attend prep schools out of state.
I have been around CT soccer since the late 60s and never remember the East Hartford schools having any consistent quality teams. Bloomfield (Lou Magno), EO Smith (too many to mention), Ellington, Rockville HS, Avon, Simsbury, Hall and Conard, Glastonbury, RHAM Burlington, Old Saybrook, the Granbys and others were consistently very strong
Now, many of the best talent doesn't play HS soccer, they gravitate to the Premier clubs, national prep squads etc
You have to remember that RR came from SCSC where he could recruit and play guys in their mid 20s and international kids that couldn't go D1 due to grades/scripts in the late 70s and 80s so his attention was in a different direction.
RR has always recruited with skill set and athleticism in mind vs finding players that were a much better fit for certain positions and roles. He was forced to place kids into positions that were not to their liking or skill set and promoted much transfer activity. Sometimes, like his late 80s and early 90 teams, the kids just happened to accept and blend so they had some nice success.
RR has great soccer acumen and always felt that he is better suited for the professional game but his demeanor has a tendency to be his worst enemy.
He won a NC and has played in a few Final Fours so you can't say he hasn't been successful but consistency has not been kind to him. Losing John Deeley was a huge loss on his staff, John was/is a great coach and tactician and was a favorite of so many players.

 

[ASweet3781]

As a fan of all UConn sports, I am interested to hear about the downfall of both soccer programs. If you can't put it out here, I would be interested in a pm if you would be so kind.

Simple. If UConn wanted to turn around soccer or be respectable in football or build another sport to a higher level...they could. When men's basketball was in serious trouble they did everything possible to turn it around. 1. Fire Ollie w/ cause 2. hire the best available up and coming head coach with proven history of winning at a school with less resources and 3. Moved all sports to the Big East. Pretty dramatic and correct actions to return the program to relevance. It saved it. They wanted it to be saved.

If they wanted to remain winning in men's and women's soccer they could. Just like if they wanted football respectable (winning 5-6 games a year w/ a schedule that includes Holy Cross, Yale, and UMASS) they could.

It takes identifying and recruiting good coaches and paying them. Not just hiring a current UConn assistant on a losing team or a washed up former UConn football coach. Those aren't recipes for success.

Just take a look at this week's men's soccer national rankings:

1.) The University of New Hampshire is currently ranked 6th in the country. New Hampshire. They were ranked last year too.

2.) The defending national champions...Marshall (who knew West Virginia was a soccer hot bed?)...are ranked 5th.

3.) How about our Big East rivals? Georgetown is ranked #1 in the country. Providence #22nd. UConn has a superior soccer facility than both.

So it would appear there are several good coaches out there who would love to go to a school with a brand new soccer facility and incredible fan support. If that school is committed to winning in all sports right now. Are they?

 

[hardcorehusky]

Simple. If UConn wanted to turn around soccer or be respectable in football or build another sport to a higher level...they could. When men's basketball was in serious trouble they did everything possible to turn it around. 1. Fire Ollie w/ cause 2. hire the best available up and coming head coach with proven history of winning at a school with less resources and 3. Moved all sports to the Big East. Pretty dramatic and correct actions to return the program to relevance. It saved it. They wanted it to be saved.

If they wanted to remain winning in men's and women's soccer they could. Just like if they wanted football respectable (winning 5-6 games a year w/ a schedule that includes Holy Cross, Yale, and UMASS) they could.

It takes identifying and recruiting good coaches and paying them. Not just hiring a current UConn assistant on a losing team or a washed up former UConn football coach. Those aren't recipes for success.

Just take a look at this week's men's soccer national rankings:

1.) The University of New Hampshire is currently ranked 6th in the country. New Hampshire. They were ranked last year too.

2.) The defending national champions...Marshall (who knew West Virginia was a soccer hot bed?)...are ranked 5th.

3.) How about our Big East rivals? Georgetown is ranked #1 in the country. Providence #22nd. UConn has a superior soccer facility than both.

So it would appear there are several good coaches out there who would love to go to a school with a brand new soccer facility and incredible fan support. If that school is committed to winning in all sports right now. Are they?

These is all present and moving forward. You are not wrong. Normally the commitment goes to the money. Soccer programs aren't revenue generators like football and basketball, but you are right. However, in previous posts, you had alluded to the downfall of each program. What happened to the women's program under Len Tsantiris that was a Final 4 team quite regularly and what happened to Ray's program that both took a downhill slope so fast? Did the coaches lose their energy, was money cut from recruiting budgets?