Complaints about Uconn blow - outs

[DaddyChoc]

I was scared to play Baylor that year BUT dont act like UConn would have folded like a cheap suit. If Baylor was all that they would have adjusted to Louisville's nonsense.

I dont like the blowouts against UHart and Sister of the Poor... but I love them against the so-called Top 25 (TAMU, Duke, Rutgers, ND, Kentucky, Stanford, UNC etc)

 

[RegisteredUconn]

I was scared to play Baylor that year BUT dont act like UConn would have folded like a cheap suit. If Baylor was all that they would have adjusted to Louisville's nonsense.

I dont like the blowouts against UHart and Sister of the Poor... but I love them against the so-called Top 25 (TAMU, Duke, Rutgers, ND, Kentucky, Stanford, UNC etc)

Rumor I heard was that after the last two blowouts Muffet was considering moving her team to Manila and calling them the Folders. Do you know if there's any truth to that?

 

[Kibitzer]

Rumor I heard was that after the last two blowouts Muffet was considering moving her team to Manila and calling them the Folders. Do you know if there's any truth to that?

There was a mischievous movement (bored undergratuates) underway at Franklin & Marshall (located in Lancaster, the very heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch community) to rename their football team The Fighting Amish. The locals were not amused, so they dropped it.

 

[Uconnphann]

My (unsolicited and assuredly unwelcome) advice to those (schools, coaches, etc.) who complain about UConn blowouts:

1. Deal with it.

2. Get better.​

Schools that played Uconn in the early daze before and his first year or two, used Uconn for their "big" wins. Uconn is doing every WOMAN's basketball team a favor--they are showcasing WBB, they point out the weakness of those teams--AND Geno will allow those coaches to watch his practice sessions--Geno always credits RECRUITING for his wins--true, but it takes a great coach to recruit that well.

 

[Uconnphann]

Rumor I heard was that after the last two blowouts Muffet was considering moving her team to Manila and calling them the Folders. Do you know if there's any truth to that?

If Geno had the "Sisters of the Poor" 's team for exhibition, his 13th to 18th players would be in the game. However GENO is right--as if I had to say that--when a team learns to slack off and let a lessor team catch up--one day they will find they are losing--and can't catch up. Play one way all the way and win.

 

[Uconnphann]

There was a mischievous movement (bored undergratuates) underway at Franklin & Marshall (located in Lancaster, the very heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch community) to rename their football team The Fighting Amish. The locals were not amused, so they dropped it.

It beats calling them the losing straw hats.. Or Old Black suits. Or Horse around's. Or Scooper doopers.

 

[Uconnphann]

I think in WCBB - it is not the fear of success so much as the unwillingness to invest, both in talent and resources, and in some institutions, the total indifference.

Interestingly - my original post was really more aimed at the fan base at Uconn (and the ESPN board posters) complaining that we don't play enough competitive games - and then looking at a 56-0 start to an NFL game and the usual college football blow-outs yesterday 58-6, 73-14, 66-0, etc.

Resourses for Colleges, Money I mean, is difficult to come by for most of the rest of the 270 or so who don't make the 64 continiously. Talent among those schools is excellent--but there are just too few DT's, Maya's KML's Stewes, Jeffersons, Ekmarks, etc to go around. If there were 2000 super star WBB players the game would be competetive--notice the NFL , MLB, etc don't have 300 plus teams ?? Not enough talent for each big town to have a great team.

 

[Uconnphann]

UCONN would have beaten the Griner/Sims led Baylor by 20+ points had they not lost to L'ville! There is a reason UCONN is 9-0 in NCAA Finals! Geno is the master of figuring where the strengths are and taking them away! And in 1/2 time adjustments there is no-one better!
And YES they have lost to St. John's, Duke, Syracuse (years ago), ND, TN, but in the Finals he avoids those moments.
In the most recent ND victories that Miss Muffett was so proud to point out on Selection Monday, UCONN created negativity that led to those defeats! ND didn't beat UCONN, UCONN beat UCONN! When UCONN finally got pissed off enough at all the BS they slaughtered the Irish to the point that Miss Muffett compared the Huskies to the Miami Heat.
That's why no matter who Duke, ND, L'ville, TN, Baylor, Stanford, signs as recruits or gets as transfers they won't beat UCONN in the ultimate game!
Concerning blowouts, I don't watch the score, I watch how the girls play 40 minutes of all out basketball, diving for balls with a 30+ lead with less than 1 minute left in the game. Playing awesome defense for the whole game not in 30 second streaks.

Geno is the MASTER. Sometimes, his half time "pep talk" can't work. Muffett was one of my favorite coaches--until this year. I was even a fan when she and Riley won the NCAA title. I too in Blowouts watch individual players more and watch for improvement or failures--watch the other teams a bit more. I call those games, learning games. To have beaten Griner would have been a difficult task--do able, because Geno had them on the ropes a few times--however I think Griner had a hissy fit with Mulkey and paid her with the LULLYville loss--just no hitch in her giddy up that night.

 

[Bradleypalmer]

Watch a fairly competitive and well-played UConn-ND or UConn-Baylor game and then tell me how the blowouts are enjoyable to watch. I agree it's definitely not UConn's fault, but when literally 35 of 40 games are over by halftime, it makes it tough to stay interested. Exciting, nail-biting games have made men's college basketball the phenomenon that it is.

 

[meyers7]

but there are just too few DT's, Maya's KML's Stewes, Jeffersons, Ekmarks, etc to go around.

Interesting. #2, #1, #1, #1, #2, #16. Why would you say that?

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Schools that played Uconn in the early daze before and his first year or two, used Uconn for their "big" wins. Uconn is doing every WOMAN's basketball team a favor--they are showcasing WBB, they point out the weakness of those teams--AND Geno will allow those coaches to watch his practice sessions--Geno always credits RECRUITING for his wins--true, but it takes a great coach to recruit that well.

This is an interesting point, and one I haven't heard discussed. Yes, Geno will open his practices. Yes, he will educate other coaches on his philosophy of player development and such. Yes, he will explain his offensive and defensive schemes. But what about recruiting? OK, the sale is much easier now that he's bagged nine trophies, but how did he get those early superstars? The Lobos, the Rizzottis, the Elliotts, the Saleses? Something tells me recruiting is something that doesn't lend itself to a cookie cutter approach as much as the other activities do. Something tells me the charisma of the coach has a lot to do with it.

 

[DaddyChoc]

This is an interesting point, and one I haven't heard discussed. Yes, Geno will open his practices. Yes, he will educate other coaches on his philosophy of player development and such. Yes, he will explain his offensive and defensive schemes. But what about recruiting? OK, the sale is much easier now that he's bagged nine trophies, but how did he get those early superstars? The Lobos, the Rizzottis, the Elliotts, the Saleses? Something tells me recruiting is something that doesn't lend itself to a cookie cutter approach as much as the other activities do. Something tells me the charisma of the coach has a lot to do with it.

that's what bothers me about Jen at UHart... In the city and can't get a quality top 40 player, what's her pitch?

 

[reno tony]

Blowouts are bad for the game. And be honest, how many of you were glad that UCONN didn't have to face Baylor in the final in Griner's senior season. That would have been a much better game than UCONN vs. Louisville, and good for WCBB, but this board was packed with excitement that Baylor was eliminated before UCONN had to play them.

I'm not saying that Baylor would have won but this "you should get better so you can compete with UCONN" theme seemed to have flown out the window after that Baylor loss.

And I've never seen anyone say "I hope Notre Dame and South Carolina are able to give us a good game this year," which they may.

I was dying for a rematch with Baylor. UCONN needed to avenge their only loses of the season. Otherwise you always have people saying UCONN really isn't the champion because Baylor beat them during the season. To that I say.... "Ask Jeff Walz which was the better team?" Of course we are talking at Tournament time.

 

[Beemer]

This is an interesting point, and one I haven't heard discussed. Yes, Geno will open his practices. Yes, he will educate other coaches on his philosophy of player development and such. Yes, he will explain his offensive and defensive schemes. But what about recruiting? OK, the sale is much easier now that he's bagged nine trophies, but how did he get those early superstars? The Lobos, the Rizzottis, the Elliotts, the Saleses? Something tells me recruiting is something that doesn't lend itself to a cookie cutter approach as much as the other activities do. Something tells me the charisma of the coach has a lot to do with it.

I wonder if Chris Dailey is the x factor here. She's been Geno's right hand from the start.

 

[Orangutan]

I always love watching a blowout in my team's favor. Any other team, not so much.

I just wish UConn was still in a competitive conference. Yeah, most/all conference games would likely still be blowouts but at least there would be blowouts vs. tournament teams thrown in.

As to the "get better" thesis, I am sure other teams are trying. However, there are only some many players like Stewart, Jefferson, KML, etc. in the country. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard. But UConn has talent and works hard. Leading to the less talented teams working their butts off, still getting beaten by 30, and then having announcers say "they should have worked harder."

No matter how the average college basketball forward works, she will never be capable of doing some of thing Breanna Stewart can do. To me, it insults the sport to insinuate that other teams aren't working hard. Sometimes both teams are working their butts off and one is just better.

What's remarkable about UConn is how they almost never falter against lesser opposition. Seems to me that Geno would have one more than one national title if he was coaching the Griner/Sims Baylor teams.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I always love watching a blowout in my team's favor. Any other team, not so much.

I just wish UConn was still in a competitive conference. Yeah, most/all conference games would likely still be blowouts but at least there would be blowouts vs. tournament teams thrown in.

As to the "get better" thesis, I am sure other teams are trying. However, there are only some many players like Stewart, Jefferson, KML, etc. in the country. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard. But UConn has talent and works hard. Leading to the less talented teams working their butts off, still getting beaten by 30, and then having announcers say "they should have worked harder."

No matter how the average college basketball forward works, she will never be capable of doing some of thing Breanna Stewart can do. To me, it insults the sport to insinuate that other teams aren't working hard. Sometimes both teams are working their butts off and one is just better.

What's remarkable about UConn is how they almost never falter against lesser opposition. Seems to me that Geno would have one more than one national title if he was coaching the Griner/Sims Baylor teams.

You rock. You "get it". It isn't enough to get talented players, it is what you do with them. That said, although some deny it, UConn gets a higher percentage than anyone else does on a consistent basis, and Geno knows what to do with the talent he gets. A remarkable coach.

And yes, I think you guys should enjoy (in the abstract) blow-outs - why not??? Geno has set the bar incredibly high, but what I don't see most people understanding is that's the level required to be the next UConn. But until UConn falters - there will be no "next" UConn.

Also, some folks think that complainers about blow-outs think UConn should somehow come back to the pack - that just isn't true. One can complain about UConn dominance and ability to blow out good teams without thinking it is UConn's fault (or thinking that UConn should do anything about it). The argument about whether or not it is good for the game was never about there being anything wrong with UConn (or their opponents, some of whom are trying quite hard and some could try harder), just whether the situation is good for the sport. And I'm one who thinks there are valid arguments on both sides of that question.