CT SUN-What is going on?

[DICKG]

For those of you who attend games or follow the team, this is becoming embarrassing. The team has been together for a month, but you would not know it. If the team isn't throwing the ball away or giving up easy layups, they are arguing with the coaches on the sidelines.

Although this team is young they have too much talent to be like this. They have lottery picks in the last three years and they are still losing.

 

[VAUConnFan]

1. No collective clamoring to oust the head coach a la Anne Donovan?
2. It seems that in women's basketball, the impact players are the #1 choices. After that, there are always good players but not turnaround players. Not that there have not been outstanding #2 picks such as Elena Delle Donne, Cappie Pondexter, and Swin Cash. 2009 looks to have produced the best draft class of the last 10 years. 2006 was OK. The rest have been collective write-offs. It should improve.
3. As far as the Ct Sun's present fortunes, their casino mogul GM traded away Tina Charles without getting a
return of close to comparable value. If professional sports are players' leagues, it would seem a better course of action to sit down with Ms Charles and determine what would motivate her to stay in CT.
4. It was never about Anne Donovan. Not that the Sun's present woes confirm it, but they have been offensively challenged since the day Charles left.
5. The OP opines that the team has too much talent to play as they have been playing, which is true, but the other teams have more.

 

[Orangutan]

As far as the Ct Sun's present fortunes, their casino mogul GM traded away Tina Charles without getting a
return of close to comparable value. If professional sports are players' leagues, it would seem a better course of action to sit down with Ms Charles and determine what would motivate her to stay in CT.

I'll respectfully disagree there. I think that they got a good return for Charles considering the circumstances. It basically ended up being Kelsey Bone, Alyssa Thomas, and Elizabeth Williams. That's about as good as you can do when you have no leverage. Compare that to what Chicago got for Sylvia Fowles. They had to give a 2nd round pick to get Erika de Souza, who was and is a shell of her former self.

They have certainly suffered in not finding a new player to be their franchise centerpiece. Chiney might have been that player but I don't know if her knees will ever allow it.

This season, specifically Bentley and Bone's games have fallen off a cliff. Those two should be two of the teams top players. Instead, they have been dreadful. I don't know why but perhaps the coaching change is a factor?

The cherry on top is that they traded their 1st round pick in 2017 in the Jonquel Jones trade. They don't even have a lottery pick to look forward to. And I can't imagine anyone wanting to sign there based on how things have gone for them the last couple seasons. So they better hope they can't find a way to get much better play from the group they have.

 

[Husky pride]

Is there a reason why Morgan Tuck doesn't get more minutes? Regardless of the fact that she's a rookie, it doesn't appear they would do much worse with her in more often. ( I admit I'm partial based on what we've seen her do at collegiate level ad I recognize college is not the same as pro ball, but the Sun needs a spark and she might very well be it).

 

[Roger G]

For those of you who attend games or follow the team, this is becoming embarrassing. The team has been together for a month, but you would not know it. If the team isn't throwing the ball away or giving up easy layups, they are arguing with the coaches on the sidelines.

Although this team is young they have too much talent to be like this. They have lottery picks in the last three years and they are still losing.

Which players were arguing with the coaches? If you don't mind my asking. That is totally unacceptable.

 

[Roger G]

I can understand why people are frustrated with the Sun, but what did you really expect? They are so young. They did their best in the draft in filling their needs. But remember, they got really unlucky. They thought they had a great chance of getting the first pick. Imagine if they had Breanna. Or even Moriah. Or both. Or either of them and Morgan. Things would be a momentously different. But that said, they played three pretty good quarters against Phoenix and in this last game there was some excitement in the comeback. The coach probably shouldn't have taken out the players who were getting them back in the game, but hopefully he learned that there are players he can trust and others he can't. The point is, though, that there were some sparks of something in that game. Rachel Banham did some nice things, both offensively and defensively, although it is pitiful that her three assists were a team high. Chiney is starting to show some little flashes. Jonquel Jones has a bright future. Her plus/minus was very good in that game. And it is very hard to get a big a player with her skills. There are reasons for hope. But it won't be soon. Maybe he's not the right coach, but I think we should give him more than 8 games with such a young team.

 

[mr006]

"No collective clamoring to oust the head coach a la Anne Donovan?"
--Aside from it being only a handful of games (granted, not a successful handful), the new coach at least seems to be more in tune with what will fly (or not fly) for a WBB coach in CT (although if there is truly arguing with the players, that is not a good sign... )... I'm sure that if things don't turn around in the same time span given AD, it will be generally acknowledged that he is not the answer either (though I'm sure not with the vehemence given her, for reasons stated many times before), and rightfully so... sometimes things don't work out. I'm willing to give him more than a quarter of a season. For all we know, the problem may be the GM, in the end...

"...sit down with Ms Charles and determine what would motivate her to stay in CT..." - keep Coach T?

"It was never about Anne Donovan... they have been offensively challenged since the day Charles left." - Whether she would have accepted any other coach (other than Geno, of course) is debatable, but since they chose AD, apparently it did become about her, in a manner of speaking...

 

[DICKG]

Which players were arguing with the coaches? If you don't mind my asking. That is totally unacceptable.

Alex Bentley

 

[Jim]

Alex Bentley

You mean the one shooting 4 for 18?

 

[Monte]

For those of you who attend games or follow the team, this is becoming embarrassing. The team has been together for a month, but you would not know it. If the team isn't throwing the ball away or giving up easy layups, they are arguing with the coaches on the sidelines.

Although this team is young they have too much talent to be like this. They have lottery picks in the last three years and they are still losing.

 

[Monte]

For those of you who attend games or follow the team, this is becoming embarrassing. The team has been together for a month, but you would not know it. If the team isn't throwing the ball away or giving up easy layups, they are arguing with the coaches on the sidelines.

Although this team is young they have too much talent to be like this. They have lottery picks in the last three years and they are still losing.

the coach

 

[Kaizen]

If Sun still has Tina, she, Morgan and Kelly will be a big triangle. Now Morgan and Kelly just sit in the bench no chance to play.

 

[DICKG]

Chiney is working at ESPN during the game on tv now. What is that all about? I would think the team with the worst record in the league would only want their players working on their game.

 

[psconn]

If Sun still has Tina, she, Morgan and Kelly will be a big triangle. Now Morgan and Kelly just sit in the bench no chance to play.

That whole statement is a little silly. Tina walked out years ago, and her presence here would not greatly affect Morgan and Kelly's ability to compete in the W. Morgan has a chance to become a pretty solid pro, Kelly, for all her tremendous effort, is probably as good as she'll be.

Do you watch the games or follow the team? Miller absolutely loves Kelly. Kelly played 21 minutes last game, 34 in the last 2. Her limitations on offense limit her minutes. Morgan is playing pretty well, getting got a little under 15 minutes in the last two games.

 

[Kaizen]

Do you watch the games or follow the team? Miller absolutely loves Kelly. Kelly played 21 minutes last game, 34 in the last 2. Her limitations on offense limit her minutes. Morgan is playing pretty well, getting got a little under 15 minutes in the last two games.

May 14, Tuck 18 min, Faris 5 min
May 19, Tuck 3 min, Faris 6 min
May 21, Tuck 10 min, Faris 4 min
May 26, Tuck 19 min, Faris 4 min
May 28, Tuck 0 min, Tuck 3 min
May 31, Tuck 30 min, Faris 2 min
-
June 3rd, Tuck 15 min, Faris 13 min
June 5th Tuck 13 min, Faris 21 min

Now you tell me Miller loves Kelly Faris?

 

[psconn]

For those of you who attend games or follow the team, this is becoming embarrassing. The team has been together for a month, but you would not know it. If the team isn't throwing the ball away or giving up easy layups, they are arguing with the coaches on the sidelines.

Although this team is young they have too much talent to be like this. They have lottery picks in the last three years and they are still losing.

I sit 4 rows behind the bench at the Mohegan and have yet to miss a game, home or away. Who's "they"?? what coaches?? I have not seen these arguments. If you are referring to Alex Bentley's unacceptable demeanor in the last game, I would not characterize it as an argument. I'm sure Alex is frustrated at her own poor performances and losing every night magnifies every problem. Having Coach Miller pull her for not playing to expectations caused her to pout on the bench with a towel over her her head like a child. Very immature, very selfish. I would probably suspend her for a game. The numerous links I have posted to news stories on the team tell you all you need to know. There's a group of players on the team that play hard and with unity but they aren't all starters... yet.

 

[psconn]

May 14, Tuck 18 min, Faris 5 min
May 19, Tuck 3 min, Faris 6 min
May 21, Tuck 10 min, Faris 4 min
May 26, Tuck 19 min, Faris 4 min
May 28, Tuck 0 min, Tuck 3 min
May 31, Tuck 30 min, Faris 2 min
-
June 3rd, Tuck 15 min, Faris 13 min
June 5th Tuck 13 min, Faris 21 min

Now you tell me Miller loves Kelly Faris?

Yes, I do. Its just a fact - but you don't put players on the court because you like them. He has stated his appreciation of Kelly several times publicly, even getting a little emotional when talking about her effort.
Take off the UConn glasses. I appreciate all she did at UConn, and all the positive things she brings to the Sun (especially her defensive effort), but Kelly is simply not that good at this level. Morgan is a rookie and is doing ok, but not exactly lighting it up. I expect she will improve and get more minutes, but she is a defensive liability in a number of match-ups in the W. This isn't the NCAA and there isn't any Stewie guarding the rim behind her or being the focus for the other team's defense on the offensive side.

 

[DICKG]

I sit 4 rows behind the bench at the Mohegan and have yet to miss a game, home or away. Who's "they"?? what coaches?? I have not seen these arguments. If you are referring to Alex Bentley's unacceptable demeanor in the last game, I would not characterize it as an argument. I'm sure Alex is frustrated at her own poor performances and losing every night magnifies every problem. Having Coach Miller pull her for not playing to expectations caused her to pout on the bench with a towel over her her head like a child. Very immature, very selfish. I would probably suspend her for a game. The numerous links I have posted to news stories on the team tell you all you need to know. There's a group of players on the team that play hard and with unity but they aren't all starters... yet.

We must sit right next to you. I don't think it helps that Miller is singling out players. If he is in love with Kelly, he should keep it to himself. She is a nice player but no team will win with her playing over half the game. Miller has to find a way to reach his better players and find a common ground with them.

 

[mr006]

Admittedly I'm not familiar with how much he has been doing so, but stating his appreciation for Kelly is not the same as being "in love" with her. A non-starter or role player needs all the props they can get. Also, although he should not be "singling out" UConn grads by praising only them in public, it is not a bad move to let fans know that you appreciate a fan favorite.
As for not being able to win with Kelly playing more than half of the game, they aren't winning with her playing single digits...

 

[Beemer]

Chiney is working at ESPN during the game on tv now. What is that all about? I would think the team with the worst record in the league would only want their players working on their game.

I think the Sun are being super, maybe overly, cautious about the workload on her knee. She is the closest thing they have to a franchise player and they can't afford to lose her for any length of time again.

 

[Beemer]

You mean the one shooting 4 for 18?

The very one.

I'm really disappointed in her. She played so well last season but so far this season she hasn't done much. She deserved that benching and props to Miller for having the stones to do it.