Dawn talks embracing underdog role

[wire chief]

Reigning champion South Carolina embraces underdog role heading into NCAA women's tournament

 

[oldude]

I’ve always wondered about the psychology of, “playing the underdog.” It might work for a game or two, but I’m not sure that it actually works for 6 games in a row.

I’ll take Geno’s approach. Come tournament time, he eases up on the reins, and builds the team up with positive reinforcement.

 

[mbr33ct]

So it seems, all the "stuff" that came before this article ("our fans", "location", "attendance"...etc...etc"), from Dawn, was to setup them up for the "underdog" role.

 

[Drumguy]

i'm not sure a top 5-6 team can be considered much of an underdog.

 

[GoUconn7961]

Whatever Dawn... yawn.

 

[oldude]

i'm not sure a top 5-6 team can be considered much of an underdog.

Agreed, somewhere Dawn’s “underdog” speel may sow doubt in the minds of her players.

If you heard Vic Schaefer’s pre-game speech to his Bulldogs before playing UConn last year, it was perfect, the gist of which was, “I have faith in you.”

 

[Centerstream]

Poor A'ja has always had a target on her back...doesn't every former high profile HS player have to face the same thing????

I guess she's still playing the "underdog" NPOY card...

 

[CocoHusky]

I’ve always wondered about the psychology of, “playing the underdog.” It might work for a game or two, but I’m not sure that it actually works for 6 games in a row.
I’ll take Geno’s approach. Come tournament time, he eases up on the reins, and builds the team up with positive reinforcement.

South Carolina only has to embrace that underdog role for 1 game and that game would be against UCONN. They would not be that much of an underdog against ND or Louisville ( neutral court) and they would be favored against Mississippi State.

 

[oldude]

South Carolina only has to embrace that underdog role for 1 game and that game would be against UCONN. They would not be that much of an underdog against ND or Louisville ( neutral court) and they would be favored against Mississippi State.

I don’t disagree, but from the article, it appears that for Dawn, Wilson and the rest of the Gamecocks, the theme for the entire tournament will be that they are not only underdogs, but also that they and their fans have been dissed by everyone from the NCAA to the media.

In the long run I believe that it’s much easier to sustain positive motivation than negative motivation.

 

[CocoHusky]

I don’t disagree, but from the article, it appears that for Dawn, Wilson and the rest of the Gamecocks, the theme for the entire tournament will be that they are not only underdogs, but also that they and their fans have been dissed by everyone from the NCAA to the media.
In the long run I believe that it’s much easier to sustain positive motivation than negative motivation.

Not much different from the SC theme last year, and the year before that,.... and Dawn's entire coaching career at both Temple and SC, ... and Dawn's entire playing career from high school at Dobbins, to UVA, to Olympic teams to WNBA in Charlotte....... I don't think Dawn would know how to act if she were the favorite. This worries me because Dawn is taking over the national team-there is no underdog mentality there.

 

[oldude]

Not much different from the SC theme last year, and the year before that,.... and Dawn's entire coaching career at both Temple and SC, ... and Dawn's entire playing career from high school at Dobbins, to UVA, to Olympic teams to WNBA in Charlotte.. I don't think Dawn would know how to act if she were the favorite. This worries me because dawn is taking over the national team-there is no underdog mentality there.

So what you’re saying is that it’s going to be really hard for Dawn to motivate the likes of DT, Maya, Stewie, EDD, Griner, etc. by claiming that the USA team is being dissed by the IOC, and that they’re underdogs when facing a team from Cameroon.

 

[Siestakeyfan]

I’ve always wondered about the psychology of, “playing the underdog.” It might work for a game or two, but I’m not sure that it actually works for 6 games in a row.

I’ll take Geno’s approach. Come tournament time, he eases up on the reins, and builds the team up with positive reinforcement.

ESPN pushing/promoting SC Dawn Staley -- Look out UCONN refs may also

 

[cbraarj]

Underdog role for South Carolina. Dawn said the NC goes through South Carolina this year at her press conference yesterday!

 

[wallman]

At some point the "woe is me" becomes the Whinerdog.

 

[CocoHusky]

At some point the "woe is me" becomes the Whinerdog.

For me that point with Dawn was reached in 2005 when TN then ranked #1 came into Philly to play Temple ranked (top 25) at the time. TN won the game handily as was expected but the whining of Dawn during the game at the refs, at her own players and to reporters after the game was epic.

 

[oldude]

ESPN pushing/promoting SC Dawn Staley -- Look out UCONN refs may also

I’m not worried about the refs. If they do it all, the refs tend to lean towards the home crowd, and there will be close to 15,000 cheering UConn fans at TUC in Albany.

 

[oldude]

At some point the "woe is me" becomes the Whinerdog.

In the case of SC, it’s more like a whinerfowl.

 

[Jim R]

For me that point with Dawn was reached in 2005 when TN then ranked #1 came into Philly to play Temple ranked (top 25) at the time. TN won the game handily as was expected but the whining of Dawn during the game at the refs, at her own players and to reporters after the game was epic.

Are you sayin, "the more things change, the more they remain the same"?

 

[Bronx23]

Not much different from the SC theme last year, and the year before that,.... and Dawn's entire coaching career at both Temple and SC, ... and Dawn's entire playing career from high school at Dobbins, to UVA, to Olympic teams to WNBA in Charlotte.. I don't think Dawn would know how to act if she were the favorite. This worries me because Dawn is taking over the national team-there is no underdog mentality there.

I agree fully. She was an excellent, tough, hard, driven player and these qualities are what's gotten her to where she is now. She's also now won a NC and become the head coach of the women's national team. While I don't think anything would change her personality, style and manner, they are still further re-enforced by those two significant accomplishments.
She is not the epitome of the perfect, proper person and coach, some might hope for. I too worry a bit that some of the drive and angst she brings may hurt the women's national team but they are so overwhelmingly talented she'd really have to mess it up to lose with those players and teams.
I won't consider her amongst the great coaches in the women's game until she gets through U Conn in winning another national championship. If that somehow minimizes or degrades her and SC accomplishments, I apologize but still feel that way as I believe many others do as well.
Go out and prove those who agree with what I've said wrong, and make us eat crow.
Bronx23

 

[nwhoopfan]

Defending National Champion, SEC conference tournament champ, and a #2 seed. Yep, an underdog if there ever was one.

 

[JordyG]

I’ve always wondered about the psychology of, “playing the underdog.” It might work for a game or two, but I’m not sure that it actually works for 6 games in a row.

I’ll take Geno’s approach. Come tournament time, he eases up on the reins, and builds the team up with positive reinforcement.

I love Dawn, but they ain't playin' 6 games in a row. So they can trot out the underdog banner for a few, and that'll be it.

 

[JordyG]

Not much different from the SC theme last year, and the year before that,.... and Dawn's entire coaching career at both Temple and SC, ... and Dawn's entire playing career from high school at Dobbins, to UVA, to Olympic teams to WNBA in Charlotte.. I don't think Dawn would know how to act if she were the favorite. This worries me because Dawn is taking over the national team-there is no underdog mentality there.

She'll adapt to winning. Most people do.

 

[jaundicedeye]

Underdog role for South Carolina. Dawn said the NC goes through South Carolina this year at her press conference yesterday!

You picked up on that t0o. Coincidentally an ESPN article about SC and the tournament said the same thing in the copy immediately after the headline. It read that UCONN will have to go through SC for the championship. It completely disregarded that SC was a #2 seed and UCONN is a #1 seed in Albany. Clearly the article should have read that for SC to repeat they would have to go through UCONN just to get out of the bracket before they could consider anything else.
I also could not help but see the smiling face of Dawn on today's ESPN.com article. Funny that it comes right after a BY thread about Dawn and her complaining about seeding and traveling to an "away" venue and how she never seems to smile.
That said, I cannot help but think that Dawn and SC are getting some ESPN love. Perhaps someone at ESPN is studying the BY and is trying to help Dawn with her impression management.
Just sayin'.

 

[cbraarj]

You picked up on that t0o. Coincidentally an ESPN article about SC and the tournament said the same thing in the copy immediately after the headline. It read that UCONN will have to go through SC for the championship. It completely disregarded that SC was a #2 seed and UCONN is a #1 seed in Albany. Clearly the article should have read that for SC to repeat they would have to go through UCONN just to get out of the bracket before they could consider anything else.
I also could not help but see the smiling face of Dawn on today's ESPN.com article. Funny that it comes right after a BY thread about Dawn and her complaining about seeding and traveling to an "away" venue and how she never seems to smile.
That said, I cannot help but think that Dawn and SC are getting some ESPN love. Perhaps someone at ESPN is studying the BY and is trying to help Dawn with her impression management.
Just sayin'.

I hope the Uconn players here or read it for bulletin board material!

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I just made some popcorn to read a game thread about how poorly we played tonight and there isn't one! Come on, guys!

Edit: I found it in the general thread. Yes, we played awful. We do not matchup with pressing teams.