Billy Donovan sour grapes..

[Husky Dad]

Not sure if it has been covered in a thread here but how classy is it for the opposing coach to refer to the winning shot as luck. He praised Deandre for the tip back but did everything he could not to say something nice about Napier. I thought Billy D was classier than that.

It was a great game played by teams with different strengths. Both sides played their hearts out. That Patric Young he walked into crowd of UConn players to say nice game.

Hey Billy- Its not luck when the kid does it against, Florida, Indiana and a handful of other top programs. You dont have him and we do.

 

[pj]

It was pretty darn lucky to get the ball back out of that scrum -- and not just back, but to the team's best shooter in a wide open spot at the elbow.

But Bazz has that Kemba-like magic, he makes things happen and is always in the right spot. He knows how to be lucky.

 

[Kitaman]

Don't think its fair to quote, or contextualize a coach after a heartbreaking loss. He's gets a 12 hour pass in my book.

 

[UDann]

I think he meant it was lucky the tip went back to Shabazz not that he was lucky to make the shot.

 

[SubbaBub]

I would expect Bazz to make that shot 8/10 times. Bounce of the ball is lucky. The shot itself is pure money.

 

[HuskyFan16]

To be fair, as much as I liked watching Bazz run out of the building as a UConn fan. If I was a Florida guy I might have been kind of rubbed the wrong way that the teams didn't shake each other's hand.

 

[Husky Dad]

The quote. "We made the decision we would trap him and we got him to take a very difficult off-balance shot," Donavan said. "The guy who won the game for them was DeAndre Daniels, who made an unbelievable tip out when he was off balance which kept the ball alive. We had guys on Napier who ran to the rim to defensive rebound which left a space for Napier. I have a lot of respect for Napier at the end of games. I think he's a big shot-making guy. His shot was luck because it was tipped to him." The quote.

 

[SirHypeAlot]

Big ups to Patric Young. i thought that was a great gesture by him. only Gator to do so i believe. he's also a SEC scholar athlete. Best of luck to him.

 

[Husky Dad]

Ok. Maybe this is out of context. I just didnt like it when our guy gets 26 points and is known for game winning shots and he seems to characterize the win like this. Maybe because this was a specific question he answered it like this. He should get benefit of the doubt but there is still a sense of sour grapes in this.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Ok. Maybe this is out of context. I just didnt like it when our guy gets 26 points and is known for game winning shots and he seems to characterize the win like this. Maybe because this was a specific question he answered it like this. He should get benefit of the doubt but there is still a sense of sour grapes in this.

The fact that Shabazz got trapped, wiggled his way out if it, threw up a wild shot that barely grazed the rim and had it tipped back to him for a wide open shot was lucky as hell. I don't have a problem with Donovan pointing out the obvious. Especially minutes having his heart torn out by young Mr. Napier

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Not sure if it has been covered in a thread here but how classy is it for the opposing coach to refer to the winning shot as luck. He praised Deandre for the tip back but did everything he could not to say something nice about Napier. I thought Billy D was classier than that.

It was a great game played by teams with different strengths. Both sides played their hearts out. That Patric Young he walked into crowd of UConn players to say nice game.

Hey Billy- Its not luck when the kid does it against, Florida, Indiana and a handful of other top programs. You dont have him and we do.

No, Billy. "Luck" was Florida going on to the Elite Eight in 1994, when Donyell Marshall couldn't make a foul shot (he had two chances) with very little time left in regulation. "Luck" was Florida then not being able to miss a shot in overtime. Billy, Billy, Billy . . . "luck" was a lesser talented Gator team sneaking past perhaps UConn's best team ever, talent wise (Marshall, Donny Marshall, Diron Sheffer, Kevin Ollie, Ray Allen, Brian Fair, Travis Knight, et al). "Luck" is a basketball program that's no better than UConn actually being in a Power Conference, and not screwed over in conference realignment, because the football program has been good forever. That's "luck", Billy. Now go away.

 

[UConn9604]

Not sure if it has been covered in a thread here but how classy is it for the opposing coach to refer to the winning shot as luck. He praised Deandre for the tip back but did everything he could not to say something nice about Napier. I thought Billy D was classier than that.

It was a great game played by teams with different strengths. Both sides played their hearts out. That Patric Young he walked into crowd of UConn players to say nice game.

Hey Billy- Its not luck when the kid does it against, Florida, Indiana and a handful of other top programs. You dont have him and we do.

I didn't think it was much different than when people would say, after The Shot, "Burrell's pass was even more impressive than George's jumper." It may be technically correct but it's against-the-grain thinking.

 

[Husky25]

Luck had more to do with Shabazz's 3 pointer than the last shot of the game. I find nothing wrong with Donovan's quote as presented above. It was a fairly even game played by the players on the floor. If Florida had a full bench, the outcome quite possibly would have been different.

The refs still don't know how to call the new rules. There were a couple offensive fouls called last night that blocking fouls on the defense as recently as last week.

 

[Waquoit]

To be fair, as much as I liked watching Bazz run out of the building as a UConn fan. If I was a Florida guy I might have been kind of rubbed the wrong way that the teams didn't shake each other's hand.

They ran back out pretty quickly. And not only did they shake hands, Bazz and Young hugged it out.

 

[HailUConn]

Dear Bill -

You have to know:
LUCK favors those who come prepared . #BLEEDBLUE

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Luck had more to do with Shabazz's 3 pointer than the last shot of the game. I find nothing wrong with Donovan's quote as presented above. It was a fairly even game played by the players on the floor. If Florida had a full bench, The outcome quite possibly would have been different.

The refs still don't know how to call the new rules. There were a couple offensive fouls called last night that blocking fouls on the defense as recently as last week.

Yeah and if UConn hadn't been crucified by the NCAA - for the Nate Miles cell phone calls and the ridiculous, after the fact, academic penalty, the Huskies might have a deeper bench too. Don't wanna hear about their bench being thin.

 

[hungry husky]

It was a lucky series of events. Shabazz is not Kemba. I praise Shabazz for making insanely difficult shots that few can actually make but I think these last few games have exposed that we are extremely reliant on the 3 and Kevin Ollie isn't exactly an offensive guru. I understand our personnel limits our inside game, but Shabazz's luck will run out eventually. I'd like to see Bazz and Boat use their penetration to get Omar, Kromah, and Daniels even more involved. Bazz is a great point guard who's not being used in the right way.

 

[Husky25]

Yeah and if UConn hadn't been crucified by the NCAA - for the Nate Miles cell phone calls and the ridiculous, after the fact, academic penalty, the Huskies might have a deeper bench too. Don't wanna hear about their bench being thin.

That's what you took out of my post?!?! I think its time, as a fan base, to let the Nate Miles thing go...UConn has a full compliment of scholarships and that was a coach a National Championship, and at least two years time served ago.

It was a lucky series of events. Shabazz is not Kemba. I praise Shabazz for making insanely difficult shots that few can actually make but I think these last few games have exposed that we are extremely reliant on the 3 and Kevin Ollie isn't exactly an offensive guru. I understand our personnel limits our inside game, but Shabazz's luck will run out eventually. I'd like to see Bazz and Boat use their penetration to get Omar, Kromah, and Daniels even more involved. Bazz is a great point guard who's not being used in the right way.

Sometimes you have to play to your strengths. UConn is offensively limited inside and - last night, for instance - Florida settled back into a 1-3-1 zone. Remember, there were years where Calhoun's teams didn't really have a good half court offense either and were jumper heavy. The problem with this year's team early in the season is that they are severely lacking in the defensive rebounding department and they can't get out and run a Calhoun-esque fast break.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

That's what you took out of my post?!?! I think its time, as a fan base, to let the Nate Miles thing go...UConn has a full compliment of scholarships and that was a coach a National Championship, and at least two years time served ago.

Yeah, that what I took out. The Miles thing and the NCAA academic thing were imposed after the 2010 season. How many scholarships did they lose in the 3 year interval before this season? And, those kids would be seniors, perhaps. Or juniors or sophomores. And, maybe one or two of those would have been blue chip big men. So screw Florida being "thin".

 

[amory]

I don't mind him calling it lucky, it was a lucky situation. He didn't say Napier was lucky to make the shot, only that he was lucky to get the chance.

At least he didn't pull any "double dribble" talk out of his ass like so many florida fans are doing today.

 

[Husky25]

Yeah, that what I took out. The Miles thing and the NCAA academic thing were imposed after the 2010 season. How many scholarships did they lose in the 3 year interval before this season? And, those kids would be seniors, perhaps. Or juniors or sophomores. And, maybe one or two of those would have been blue chip big men. So screw Florida being "thin".

I understand, I am just sick harping on it. It happened, UConn was punished, and there is nothing that can be done. What's past is prologue. It's time to move on. The refs have to call a consistent game so the players can adjust accordingly. And somehow the bigs have to mix it up for some rebounds. If UConn was merely even with Florida in Rebounds, there is no way they shoot 49% and there is no way the game is close.

 

[Husky25]

I don't mind him calling it lucky, it was a lucky situation. He didn't say Napier was lucky to make the shot, only that he was lucky to get the chance.

At least he didn't pull any "double dribble" talk out of his ass like so many florida fans are doing today.

Gotta say...I thought it was a double dribble in real time as well. I didn't see the near deflection.

 

[Brochacho]

And he's lucky that his boosters paid enough cash for his national championship team to return.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

No, Billy. "Luck" was Florida going on to the Elite Eight in 1994, when Donyell Marshall couldn't make a foul shot (he had two chances) with very little time left in regulation. "Luck" was Florida then not being able to miss a shot in overtime. Billy, Billy, Billy . . . "luck" was a lesser talented Gator team sneaking past perhaps UConn's best team ever, talent wise (Marshall, Donny Marshall, Diron Sheffer, Kevin Ollie, Ray Allen, Brian Fair, Travis Knight, et al). "Luck" is a basketball program that's no better than UConn actually being in a Power Conference, and not screwed over in conference realignment, because the football program has been good forever. That's "luck", Billy. Now go away.

Please do not remind me of 1994. Every time I remember Donyell taking those free throws, I need a drink and my liver is not as young as it used to be.

 

[Drumguy]

To be fair, as much as I liked watching Bazz run out of the building as a UConn fan. If I was a Florida guy I might have been kind of rubbed the wrong way that the teams didn't shake each other's hand.

Me too. I don't know if I've ever seen that. I'm willing to give the team a pass though! And yes it was a series of fortunate occurances from the tip to the shot that enabled the win. Not insulted by BD's comment at all.