Dawn says: championship or bust!

[connboy77]

With the team UCONN has this year the only worry that I can see is injuries. If UCONN plays their A game against any team in the country and that team plays their A game, guess who wins? This is the deepest UCONN Team that I can remember.

 

[Tonyc]

Every coach should instill the belief in their players that they can win the NC. That will help carry their team to perform at a high level and breed confidence on the court. However when UConn steps on the court as we have seen so many times their opponents have that look of doubt. When UConn goes on their runs we have also seen opponents not perform at the same level of confidence. There are some very good teams in WCBB this season. However UConn still remains the team to beat and once again this season they are unbeatable. Ive said it before UConn is not beatable. UConn can lose but not be beat and if they lose it will be a fluke. Think about the games over the past few seasons UConn lost to Baylor with 6'8 Griner. ND when ND got the flop calls and UConn was called for all those fouls which doesn't happen anymore. Stanford and St Johns were flukes. Well this season is set up for UConn to set another record which will continue into next season. 4 consecutive NCs and another win streak. After this season fans will say Stewie and Mojeff graduated so UConn isn't that good. Well understand UConn has won many games without their star players and other stars have emerged. UConn can continue to win because they run a system that involves the entire team and is not centered around one player burdening the load of carrying the team on her back. That's why when UConn starters get in foul trouble and sit out the next player off the bench comes in and knows how to run the plays. Geno is just replacing one player with another who knows how to run and fit into the system. Its like replacing a part to a machine with a new part.

So for Dawn and every coach to instill in their team they can win the NC and have them dream of winning a NC that's what they should be doing. However the reality is UConn is UConn and UConn once again is unbeatable.

 

[Icebear]

Talk is cheap.

 

[easttexastrash]

This is WOMEN'S basketball; everyone has busts.

Not Griner

 

[Intpseeker]

There is no point of UConn fans to post on things like this period. Every time some South Carolina player or coach say something about winning a championship why does UConn fan have to put the comment down? Are you worried or something, because thou seemest to protest too much.

Wait...what?...SC fan posting on a UConn board telling UConn fans not to post...this isn't cockytalk, right...right?...

 

[easttexastrash]

IMO the OP made no nasty comments about Dawn's statement and simply posted a link about a WCBB item of interest. This IS a UCONN board and in the words of Gomer Pyle "surprise, surprise, surprise" comments are going to include UCONN-positive comments.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Having been a coach for 32 years, Dawn and other coaches should be inspiring their girls to the highest peak! The reality is though that until you've BEATEN UCONN you haven't scaled the mountain! It's a hell of a lot harder to do than wish & hope! Fact is no-one plays as hard as UCONN girls do for a full 40 minutes on both offense & defense, and are capable every night of scoring 85 to 90 points and holding opponents to 40 points! So if your team can't do either or both you have NO SHOT! As Tonyc said above, UCONN if healthy will not lose this year!

 

[BISweet]

With the team she has, that should be her goal for the year. But she's setting herself up for failure.

No one should consider GOAL setting to the highest level as ---setting herself up for failure!! She is USC's coach. As such she is mentor, chief tormentor, cheerleader, analyst, and chest thumper.
I remember the day Geno stood on the State House steps and said===yes, we'll win the championship again next year!!! To a very loud cheer.
He lost the next year. Was he wrong?? He__, NO. Did he not think he would win, again He__, No. Neither did Dawn. Failure? Only one team can be standing at years end--why not USC? Or why not Uconn? Or, why not DePaul?? Words said now--few will remember the words in April 2016.

 

[BISweet]

Having been a coach for 32 years, Dawn and other coaches should be inspiring their girls to the highest peak! The reality is though that until you've BEATEN UCONN you haven't scaled the mountain! It's a hell of a lot harder to do than wish & hope! Fact is no-one plays as hard as UCONN girls do for a full 40 minutes on both offense & defense, and are capable every night of scoring 85 to 90 points and holding opponents to 40 points! So if your team can't do either or both you have NO SHOT! As Tonyc said above, UCONN if healthy will not lose this year!

Sound like we had the same tutor!! Read my response to jdubct. Any coach that says to his/her players--we won't win it all or we won't win should go home and write in the Boneyard. However "scaling the mountain" comes after you have scaled ALL of the mole hills--seems like USC has attended to many of the Mole hills, some are left, and has eyes on Uconn. Rightly So!!! Dawn has worked with Geno and learned from Geno. Should we not expect her to participate as hard as Geno's teams?? I'm a true white and blue Uconn/Geno fan that does not in any way mean I cannot give other teams or other coaches their due no matter how bragadosia (help Kibitzer) they appear..

 

[BISweet]

Uconn fans, you are making everything about UConn again. As much as you want to believe it Dawn doesn't obsess over beating Uconn 24 -7. It's just like 2 -7.

This is the UConn Boneyard--not USC. I am a fan of USC as a team I like them as I like Depaul, ND, all the AAC , Many ACC, some SEC--I don't go on their boards and say stop obsessing about, ND or USC or Depaul or UVA---I'd be an idiot to do that. Think introspectively "....

 

[BISweet]

I cannot help it.

Every time I read this, I am reminded of the following quote from Ten Days that shook the World

Although it was six in the morning, night was yet heavy and chill. There was only a faint unearthly pallor stealing over the silent streets,
dimming the watch fires, the shadow of a terrible DAWN grey-rising over Russia ....

I'm not much on SYMBOLISM---who is DAWN and who is RUSSIA??

 

[RockyMTblue2]

As for Dawn's aspirations for 2016 I give you:

 

[DaddyChoc]

 

[Bigpetunia]

I LOVE it when my fellow UConn fans complain about rival coaches being excessively brash!! The height of irony!!! Dawn is saying exactly the right thing to her players, and she's backing her talk up by building, from scratch, one of the top programs in the country...maybe not quite the highest level at this point in time, but unarguably a very strong progression in the right direction ever since she took the reins. If one is a UConn fan, with the usual fan bias, it's understandably hard to credit the likes of a Dawn, or a Muffett, or any other top coach with what they have accomplished. I get that....it's in the nature of rivalries. But wiser heads know that their success is not only great for a game much in need of a strong infusion of national fan interest, but that, long-term, the current landscape of WCBB, with UConn's unquestioned dominance, cannot last forever. Down the road, hopefully far down, in the post-Geno era, all of us have to hope that our favorite program will remain relevant along-side some of those, like Dawn's, that we love to "hate," but ought to respect.

 

[SCGamecock]

Petunia, I wish I could like your post a hundred times.

 

[Dove]

Dove says: Bust

 

[DaddyChoc]

I LOVE it when my fellow UConn fans complain about rival coaches being excessively brash!! The height of irony!!! Dawn is saying exactly the right thing to her players, and she's backing her talk up by building, from scratch, one of the top programs in the country...maybe not quite the highest level at this point in time, but unarguably a very strong progression in the right direction ever since she took the reins. If one is a UConn fan, with the usual fan bias, it's understandably hard to credit the likes of a Dawn, or a Muffett, or any other top coach with what they have accomplished. I get that....it's in the nature of rivalries. But wiser heads know that their success is not only great for a game much in need of a strong infusion of national fan interest, but that, long-term, the current landscape of WCBB, with UConn's unquestioned dominance, cannot last forever. Down the road, hopefully far down, in the post-Geno era, all of us have to hope that our favorite program will remain relevant along-side some of those, like Dawn's, that we love to "hate," but ought to respect.

 

[Kibitzer]

Paraphrasing a theme of another team's message board (Steelers - "Behind the Steel Curtain"):

"Some fans consider the performance of their team to be a matter of life or death. Here on the Boneyard we consider our Huskies to be much more important." ​

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Paraphrasing a theme of another team's message board (Steelers - "Behind the Steel Curtain"):

"Some fans consider the performance of their team to be a matter of life or death. Here on the Boneyard we consider our Huskies to be much more important." ​

Well, "fan" is the root of "fanatic". I've always wondered what most players really think about their fanatics.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Not Griner

man, if someone else said that you'd be all over them... surprised

 

[easttexastrash]

man, if someone else said that you'd be all over them... surprised

No, I would have chuckled because it's an accurate observation. Now, if someone implies that Griner is a man, then it would bother me.

 

[BISweet]

Talk is cheap.

Unless you are sued for slander then it can get really expensive..

 

[DaddyChoc]

No, I would have chuckled because it's an accurate observation. Now, if someone implies that Griner is a man, then it would bother me.

If someone said someone had a lotta "bust"... they'd be a dirty old man, or woman

 

[Rixxx]

All I know is UCONN is eight deep who can score 10 every game. A previous poster indicated the capacity to score 102. Again, all I know is no team is going to hold UCONN to 60 AND score 60. This is the formula to avoid bust.

 

[easttexastrash]

All I know is UCONN is eight deep who can score 10 every game. A previous poster indicated the capacity to score 102. Again, all I know is no team is going to hold UCONN to 60 AND score 60. This is the formula to avoid bust.

UCONN is clearly the best team this season. Next season remains to be seen since UCONN is losing two of the best players to ever don a UCONN uniform.

 

[thatguyed]

How many teams that lack an elite point guard have won championships?

My 8th grade team in the church league won with me running the point, so it is possible.

 

[Dove]

My 8th grade team in the church league won with me running the point, so it is possible.

I remember you being slow and hesitant. The wins were shocking and often with controversy.

 

[PhillyCoach]

SC can not match up with UConn. All the hype all the sensationism will not stop UConn. Why? Because mentally UConn is so strong. Remember UConn has Mojeff and Stewie first team AAs. They have Tuck and Nurse who will be first or second team AAs. What does SC have to compete with that? SC lost by 25 last season. How much better is SC this season ? How much better is UConn this season ? UConn barring injuries will win every game this season by double digits and most games by 20+. Imo is SC starts like a lion that good. IF they start like a lamb turn out the lights. This season is a big big deal for UConn, because its a record season beginning with 4 NCs. UConn has 2 superstars in Mojeff and Stewie and they wont let not reaching that goal be an option. Another point they are both game changers. No other team has that, SC doesn't have that. SC is a very very good team however UConn is in a league of their own this season. This season is UConns barring major injuries. There is only One number One and that's UConn.

Tonyc - Love your enthusiasm and positive expectancy. Most of the posters (& I) are probably in the same boat as you. However, Geno saw Villanova beat Georgetown---and he saw Louisville beat Baylor. Like many others, I saw those games too. Geno gets anxious like most normal people, except he has responses to the anxiety (and a team) that is exceptional. IMHO ND, SC, Tenn, & Baylor are very dangerous teams. A cold shooting night for us and a hot night for them and it's nail biting time. Other than those 4 teams, UConn could still win on a bad night. Right now I can easily see an unbeaten season. I just don't like to push the envelope too far in advance. Can't wait to see how it all unfolds.

 

[MJL243]

This is a bad omen, it seems Dawn Staley is learning: "I sat A'ja Wilson out a whole practice," Staley said. "She was blending. And I said, 'If you want to blend, go stand on the sideline.' She didn't like that. She told me it hurt her heart to be over there. And I said, 'Then don't put me in that position.' We are not going to settle for anything less than everyone's very best."
I've been waiting for her to stop being buddies with the players and to just be their coach. As Geno says: "I don't need any nineteen year old friends."

 

[watanabe]

There is no point of UConn fans to post on things like this period. Every time some South Carolina player or coach say something about winning a championship why does UConn fan have to put the comment down? Are you worried or something, because thou seemest to protest too much.

No team, esp SC will be able to handle MoJett this year. They may figure on going after Stewie, but no one has ever seen something like Mo.