Auriemma: UConn ranked No. 2 on reputation, not merit

[SVCBeercats]

Auriemma: UConn ranked No. 2 on reputation, not merit
“That’s just by reputation. It’s certainly not because they have a secret video of our practices. We’re No. 2 on reputation. I don’t know that we’re No. 2 on merit, that’s for sure. “We’re like the Sophia Loren of women’s basketball. We’ve looked good for a long time.”

“Whenever you win a national championship and you’ve got everybody back, there’s a pretty good chance you don’t have as much uncertainty as other schools do,” Auriemma said. “When you lose three pros like we did, you’re going to have a lot of uncertainty. When you lose a kid you didn’t think you were going to lose, you’re going to have even more uncertainty.” Z!!!

 

[CL82]

Auriemma: UConn ranked No. 2 on reputation, not merit

“That’s just by reputation. It’s certainly not because they have a secret video of our practices. We’re No. 2 on reputation. I don’t know that we’re No. 2 on merit, that’s for sure. “We’re like the Sophia Loren of women’s basketball. We’ve looked good for a long time.”

“Whenever you win a national championship and you’ve got everybody back, there’s a pretty good chance you don’t have as much uncertainty as other schools do,” Auriemma said. “When you lose three pros like we did, you’re going to have a lot of uncertainty. When you lose a kid you didn’t think you were going to lose, you’re going to have even more uncertainty.” Z!!!

I thought I was on the MBB board and I was like... wait...WHAT?!

 

[WNBA 09]

I forsee this team possibly losing 3 regular season games this year at worse and losing only 1 at best . Final 4 is possible ,but potential wise id say elite 8 is the ceiling this season.

Louisville , Oregon , MSU , Baylor , ND , all have equal amount if not more talent than UCONN this season .

 

[Charliebball]

Auriemma insists this is not a vintage UConn team, partly because he didn’t expect his best post player, 6-foot-6 Azura Stevens, to bolt a year early , left Auriemma — now in his 34th season at the helm — with a thinner lineup than usual. It’s caused him to question whether the Huskies are not only deep enough, but strong enough around the basket to win big.

it's already too late now but as I've pleaded over and over again.........................please offer a couple more really good players..................................if Boston and Jones end up elsewhere and you are already losing KLS and NC, you're now beyond thin.........................your down right anorexic..............

 

[oldude]

Great stuff. I was actually worried that we were seeing a kinder, gentler Geno. But no. Comparing UConn to Sophia Loren, “We’ve looked good for a long time” is one of the most creative ways of throwing shade at your own team I’ve ever seen.

 

[Charliebball]

Great stuff. I was actually worried that we were seeing a kinder, gentler Geno. But no. Comparing UConn to Sophia Loren, “We’ve looked good for a long time” is one of the most creative ways of throwing shade at your own team I’ve ever seen.

is this team the 55 year old Sophia or the 75 year old Sophia..............?

 

[Monte]

"Merit" begins on Sunday!

 

[Shorty Dee]

Coach Geno Auriemma see what the team does on a daily basics, but I know how Crystal, Lou and Napheesa are when they hit the court game time. As seniors, I believe Lou and Napheesa will take their game to another level. You add Christyn and Megan along with Batouly, Mikayla and Olivia, and I think you have an amazing team. Teams are going to get caught sleeping, because of what they are hearing and reading about UConn.

 

[eebmg]

Great stuff. I was actually worried that we were seeing a kinder, gentler Geno. But no. Comparing UConn to Sophia Loren, “We’ve looked good for a long time” is one of the most creative ways of throwing shade at your own team I’ve ever seen.

Actually his quote later in the article sounds a wee bit 'kinder and gentler' and I think he needs to be more patient with this group. Probably just an oversight but in his enumeration, he forgot Gordon and Batouly.

“We pretty much have three constants,” Auriemma said, discussing his roster. “Pheesa, Lou and Crystal are pretty constant. We get the same thing from them every single day. Some days are better than others, but every day it’s really, really good. We’ll get three or four days that are great from, say, Megan (Walker) and four days that are great from, say, Christyn (Williams). And then we’ll get some great contributions from Kyla (Irwin), Mikayla (Coombs) and Molly (Bent). Olivia (Nelson-Ododa) will have some great moments.”

 

[SVCBeercats]

Actually his quote later in the article sounds a wee bit 'kinder and gentler' and I think he needs to be more patient with this group. Probably just an oversight but in his enumeration, he forgot Gordon and Batouly.

Or not?!

 

[JustinesGuy]

Auriemma insists this is not a vintage UConn team, partly because he didn’t expect his best post player, 6-foot-6 Azura Stevens, to bolt a year early , left Auriemma — now in his 34th season at the helm — with a thinner lineup than usual. It’s caused him to question whether the Huskies are not only deep enough, but strong enough around the basket to win big.

it's already too late now but as I've pleaded over and over again.....please offer a couple more really good players.........if Boston and Jones end up elsewhere and you are already losing KLS and NC, you're now beyond thin.....your down right anorexic....

I’ve been warning about the possibility of this scenario for the past 2 years.
Your right!
Even if MW comes into her own and CW looks like she’s going to be dominant it still might not be enough.

 

[CTBballfan243]

UConn can't be great forever, and nothing lasts for ever. At some point, UConn being outside of the P5, is really going to hurt them. Right now Geno and CD are the draw to attract good players. However, after Geno retires UConn will most likely go the the way of LaTech and Old Dominion and disappear from the national scene.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Maybe Geno has been reading too many Boneyard threads and he's sandbagging like some of the posters here. I know basketball is a 5 vs 5 sport, but having 3 superior players like KLS, Collier and Dangerfield can carry you a long way. No matter who tries to spin UConn as underdogs this season, I'm not buying it.

 

[TitleTown]

UConn can't be great forever, and nothing lasts for ever. At some point, UConn being outside of the P5, is really going to hurt them. Right now Geno and CD are the draw to attract good players. However, after Geno retires UConn will most likely go the the way of LaTech and Old Dominion and disappear from the national scene.

If being in a P5 is so important, then why have 6 of the last 10 NCAA Champions(men's and women's) been from non P5 schools? Basketball is completely different than football and the length of schedule allows teams to play marquee games out of conference.

 

[oldude]

If being in a P5 is so important, then why have 6 of the last 10 NCAA Champions(men's and women's) been from non P5 schools? Basketball is completely different than football and the length of schedule allows teams to play marquee games out of conference.

That’s not exactly the story. NCAA men’s & women’s basketball championships for a very long time have only been won by P5 teams and Big East/ex-Big East teams in the AAC. On the women’s side, UConn is the only team left to crash the P5 stranglehold on national championships. On the men’s side, Villanova is the only party crasher left. I don’t see any other team winning a national championship anytime in the near future.

 

[j66kicker]

Maybe Geno has been reading too many Boneyard threads and he's sandbagging like some of the posters here. I know basketball is a 5 vs 5 sport, but having 3 superior players like KLS, Collier and Dangerfield can carry you a long way. No matter who tries to spin UConn as underdogs this season, I'm not buying it.

Me neither. He doesn't need to read BY threads to sandbag - he's a master sandbagger from way back. UConn is frickin' loaded this year and he knows it. Could have a depth problem if any injuries. If UConn stays healthy it's likely #12.

 

[willtalk]

I think the main problem in recruiting is that the number of players who meet Geno's requirements has diminished. I said right after Stevens declared early that Geno was surprised because Stevens is more representative of the new breed of player the type of which he is not used to and would never have taken into the program in the past. This new breed is very compatible with the system that produced quality of players and consistent success that created the Uconn dynasty. Geno could recruit and win operating under the new basketball dynamic, but the question is if he will want to.

 

[TitleTown]

That’s not exactly the story. NCAA men’s & women’s basketball championships for a very long time have only been won by P5 teams and Big East/ex-Big East teams in the AAC. On the women’s side, UConn is the only team left to crash the P5 stranglehold on national championships. On the men’s side, Villanova is the only party crasher left. I don’t see any other team winning a national championship anytime in the near future.

Can lesser known non P5 schools rise to the level of a National Championship contender? Probably not, Can established non P5 schools(Villanova, Gonzaga, etc men's) (UConn women's) continue to contend for National Championships? Absolutely!

 

[TitleTown]

Me neither. He doesn't need to read BY threads to sandbag - he's a master sandbagger from way back. UConn is frickin' loaded this year and he knows it. Could have a depth problem if any injuries. If UConn stays healthy it's likely #12.

"Fricking loaded"? They have all of 3 proven starters, no bench, and absolutely ZERO size! I think they are a Final 4 team and anything can happen in March, but thinking this team is a lock for a National Championship if they just stay healthy is utterly absurd!

 

[oldude]

Can lesser known non P5 schools rise to the level of a National Championship contender? Probably not, Can established non P5 schools(Villanova, Gonzaga, etc men's) (UConn women's) continue to contend for National Championships? Absolutely!

I guess my point is that there is a pretty exclusive club of non-P5 schools that have any chance of winning national championships. There are no more Texas Westerns or Old Dominions around these days.

 

[j66kicker]

"Fricking loaded"? They have all of 3 proven starters, no bench, and absolutely ZERO size! I think they are a Final 4 team and anything can happen in March, but thinking this team is a lock for a National Championship if they just stay healthy is utterly absurd!

Not absurd at all. FF team with 3 returning starters, including 2 senior AAs and a great junior PG. That right there is "loaded." If Walker turns out to be the beast we think she'll be, and Williams can contribute meaningful offense, then that is "frickin loaded." .

They may have to outscore people until the young'ns get the hang of defense, but I fully believe they can do that. I think they put a beat-down on Notre Dame early in the season, which won't deter the Irish one bit, and then we have a showdown with ND in the NC game. Crystin eats Arike's lunch, but punts a couple years on her DWTS invite.

 

[Yorkeez4]

I don’t understand the pessimism concerning recruiting. Geno had a commitment from Collier and she changed her mind at a very late date. AS decided, surprisingly to Geno, to go pro. Both of these things are difficult to plan around. This years recruiting is not finished and if the two young ladies visiting this week commit to Geno he will once again have a great incoming class.

There is little evidence that UConn will have a dropoff in performance in the future. Posters want Geno to consider players that he does not feel are a good fit. Given that players he wants have trouble getting playing time as freshman, what chance would those he does not feel fit the UConn model have.

Possibly, once UConn misses the final four a couple of years in a row, Geno will make adjustments he feels are necessary.

 

[TitleTown]

I don’t understand the pessimism concerning recruiting. Geno had a commitment from Collier and she changed her mind at a very late date. AS decided, surprisingly to Geno, to go pro. Both of these things are difficult to plan around. This years recruiting is not finished and if the two young ladies visiting this week commit to Geno he will once again have a great incoming class.

There is little evidence that UConn will have a dropoff in performance in the future. Posters want Geno to consider players that he does not feel are a good fit. Given that players he wants have trouble getting playing time as freshman, what chance would those he does not feel fit the UConn model have.

Possibly, once UConn misses the final four a couple of years in a row, Geno will make adjustments he feels are necessary.

That is a really big "if" though, considering some on this board(myself included) feel that Boston(Notre Dame) and Jones(Stanford) are headed elsewhere.

 

[JellyBean]

LOL. Coach cracking me up with the "Sophia Loren of women's basketball" line. Classic coach.

 

[maccca3232]

That’s not exactly the story. NCAA men’s & women’s basketball championships for a very long time have only been won by P5 teams and Big East/ex-Big East teams in the AAC. On the women’s side, UConn is the only team left to crash the P5 stranglehold on national championships. On the men’s side, Villanova is the only party crasher left. I don’t see any other team winning a national championship anytime in the near future.

To support that since the AAC was created 5 years ago only UConn and P5 teams have received top 4 seeds in the NCAA.

The only teams (excluding UConn and current P5 schools) to have received top 4 seeds in the last 10 years are (i.e. from 2009-2018):

2012 St. John's (NY), Big East, #3. Lost Sweet 16
2012 Delaware, CAA, #3. Lost 2nd Rd
2011 DePaul, Big East, #3. Lost Sweet 16
2011 Xavier, A10 #2. Lost 2nd Rd
2010 Xavier, A10 #3. Lost Elite Eight

Why is this relevant? The lowest to ever win a national championship is a #3 seed (Twice. North Carolina in 1994 and Tennessee in 1997).