Debbie Antonelli

[dtbtbtb]

Watching the ACC Semi Final games and it seems it hurts her to say anything positive about UConn...she continues to question UConn's number 1 with all kind of claims about the eye test for other teams such as Louisville....Really....)

 

[eebmg]

Does not bother me. Who cares what she says. Now watching her in the GTech /NC St and she is an easier listen when she is not such a fan for a single player and her loyalties are mixed.

 

[Bayareahusky]

Doesn't matter where we are ranked... only for bragging rights... so much senseless chatter out there.... one thing i always like hearing is how UConn pedestal needs to be discounted because it plays in a lesser conference.... and much of the chatter comes from the vaunted SEC..... tough teams every game.... like Auburn Vandy Ole Miss LSU etc....

 

[Woof 101]

Watching the ACC Semi Final games and it seems it hurts her to say anything positive about UConn.

@dtbtbtb Think of it this way, if it hurts her to have any positive thoughts about UConn it shows we are irritating someone that many here find her broadcast style irritating. Touche! ....

 

[Carnac]

Does not bother me. Who cares what she says. Now watching her in the GTech /NC St and she is an easier listen when she is not such a fan for a single player and her loyalties are mixed.

Bingo!!

 

[DEpup]

I actually find it entertaining to hear the pain in her voice...

 

[mdmiller6]

Between her and Carolyn Peck, I don't know who's worse!!!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Debbie is intelligent, articulate, biased, and highly annoying.

 

[DefenseBB]

Between her and Carolyn Peck, I don't know who's worse!!!

While listening to Peck on the Texas A&M and Georgia game, I was wondering the same thing. That said, as "rah rah" annoying that Carolyn is, at least she doesn't talk down to the listener and critique how one team SHOULD be managing their game. Both talk incessantly without actually analyzing the game being played.

Also, I did notice that Dee Kantner was refereeing the Texas A&M/Georgia game. I guess she really must be bad to be award a semi-final game...

 

[Urshurak]

Antonelli has never shied from her dislike of UConn. It was really bad last year. As others said, I couldn’t care less.

 

[browns]

Her and Peck are very annoying

 

[tower1]

Watching the ACC Semi Final games and it seems it hurts her to say anything positive about UConn...she continues to question UConn's number 1 with all kind of claims about the eye test for other teams such as Louisville....Really....)

Her and Peck are idiots and they obviously hate Uconn. I don't listen to them anymore. I either change the channel or mute Them !

 

[Sched234]

I’m not a fan of UConn. I have rooted against them in every big game as far as I can remember.

This is also the premier program of NCAA WBB. The idea that UConn, with one loss to a dangerous Arkansas team and wins over SC and TN, isn’t a one seed is preposterous. The NET and the eye test make it clear, even if they don’t have as many impressive wins as other teams. It’s the COVID season—that’s going to happen. This UConn team would, at the very least, have gone 2-1 in their three canceled games against Baylor, Louisville, and Miss. St. and very well might have gone 3-0.

Does anyone really think a team with Paige Bueckers should be a 2-seed?

 

[GRIFFBIFF20]

 

[Blacketh’D]

Shouldn’t y’all be used to this by now?

 

[npignatjr]

Does not bother me. Who cares what she says. Now watching her in the GTech /NC St and she is an easier listen when she is not such a fan for a single player and her loyalties are mixed.

Her and the officials wanted NCS to win.

 

[ucbart]

Watching the ACC Semi Final games and it seems it hurts her to say anything positive about UConn...she continues to question UConn's number 1 with all kind of claims about the eye test for other teams such as Louisville....Really....)

Antonelli has been doing this for years. She is the leader of the ABG(anyone but Geno) club.

 

[CTBballfan243]

UConn deserves a #1 seed. Are they the number 1 overall? I don't know. We will struggle against teams with quick guards. We probably will not make the final 4 if Paige isn't playing and shooting at an all world level. We're going to find out real soon how Uconn stacks up, and that my friends is why you play the games.

 

[BobbyJ]

Her and the officials wanted NCS to win.

Did you know that Antonelli played her college ball at NC State?

 

[bballnut90]

Debbie is intelligent, articulate, biased, and highly annoying.

I feel like Debbie is the annoyance to UCONN fans that Doris Burke was to all non-UCONN fans. Both are clearly bright and understand the game well but are awful to listen to depending on if you're rooting for or against UCONN.

 

[Cuango]

Antonelli has never shied from her dislike of UConn. It was really bad last year. As others said, I couldn’t care less.

Am I mistaken or did she used to be very complimentary towards UConn? Maybe I’m thinking of someone else but I seem to remember that she (perhaps during the Stewie years) was a big fan of Geno and his program!

 

[bbfanLA]

I’m a UConn fan but not a UConn FAN. I watch games and I have never seen the UConn hatred that some others claim to always see. If anything, there’s a bias towards UConn with all of the All-Americans and all of the other awards that UConn players have received. If there was an anti-UConn bias, I highly doubt that UConn would have had All-Americans for the past 13 years and counting.

 

[npignatjr]

Did you know that Antonelli played her college ball at NC State?

Yes she brings it up every game.

 

[Bald Husky]

I’m not a fan of UConn. I have rooted against them in every big game as far as I can remember.

This is also the premier program of NCAA WBB. The idea that UConn, with one loss to a dangerous Arkansas team and wins over SC and TN, isn’t a one seed is preposterous. The NET and the eye test make it clear, even if they don’t have as many impressive wins as other teams. It’s the COVID season—that’s going to happen. This UConn team would, at the very least, have gone 2-1 in their three canceled games against Baylor, Louisville, and Miss. St. and very well might have gone 3-0.

Does anyone really think a team with Paige Bueckers should be a 2-seed?

Thank you for your honesty. It's not easy to be hated, even if you're talking about a basketball team. We have to remember we're talking about young ladies, not professional athletes. They will rise above it together, knowing very well what it really is. They expect it and came here knowing about the haters out there. As a program , as well as the young ladies that represent this program individually, all they want is the respect they deserve, nothing more.

 

[HuskyNan]

I’m a UConn fan but not a UConn FAN. I watch games and I have never seen the UConn hatred that some others claim to always see. If anything, there’s a bias towards UConn with all of the All-Americans and all of the other awards that UConn players have received. If there was an anti-UConn bias, I highly doubt that UConn would have had All-Americans for the past 13 years and counting.

You are correct, there is no anti-UConn bias on the part of the media - or referees, for that matter. There are some fans of every team that want everyone to see their team in the same rosy light in which the fans view them. Fouls called against UConn mean the refs want the other guys to win, not that UConn is fielding a team of mostly freshmen and sophomores in new roles. Announcers talking about another team or highlighting an admirable non-UConn player are UConn haters.

it’s a fan thing, not unique to UConn or women’s basketball. What are we gonna do? 🤷‍♀️

 

[TheFarmFan]

Debbie Antonelli...

... Is the worst. Does the ACC pay her contract for ESPN? The homerism is so out of control it's sometimes as if she seems unaware basketball is a sport played west of the Mississippi...

 

[BBallF]

My biggest problem with her is that she never stops talking. Can I watch the game please?

 

[Wilderness]

Debbie is intelligent, articulate, biased, self-important, redundant, repetitious and highly annoying.

Improvement?

 

[GRIFFBIFF20]

Two of our Favorites

 

[UcMiami]

Posted something like this in a closed thread a week ago:
Debbie's big thing is promoting WCBB, and her most recent pet project was a single site tournament (she wanted Las Vegas) which thanks to covid we will actually experience this year. (I think her goal was a single 'regional' and FF site, with the first weekend still at 16 sites - this year is even better.) She has in the past been very complementary about Geno and Uconn and she recognizes Uconn as the premier WCBB program.

But she is also a proponent of "Uconn is bad for WCBB' because she sees a strong competitive environment as being healthy for the game, and a dominant program as stifling the expansion of the fan base. So it is quite natural for her to use her platform to talk up non-Uconn programs. That was hard to do during the Stewart years, but easier now.

People forget how happy pundits were in 2013 when the FF consisted of two #1 seed, a #2 seed, and a #5 seed - this showed how wide the competitive landscape had become. That lasted until the games were played and Uconn beat the other #1 seed in the semi by 18 and the 5 seed by 33 in the final. Then they were unhappy that #5 Louisville had beaten the #1 overall Baylor and two #2 seeds, any of which might have created a more interesting final. The same pundits were even more excited in 2016 with a #1, #2, #4, and #7 seed into the FF, but then #1 Uconn beat #2 Oregon by 29 and #4 Syracuse by 31.

Be careful what you wish for.