Did Geno Really Say That To Kevin?

[DobbsRover2]

Meyers- I love your posts, your one of my fav's on the BY- but I think your as wrong on this one as you think I am! Which is fine!

Not sure that even Geno himself could tell you about all the facets about what he wanted from the benching act, because he has admitted that sometimes he just goes on intuition for what he does, and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, a la FF in 2001. Although in general he doesn't put that much stock in any game before the Tourney except to use it as an assessment and learning tool, I'm guessing that last night's game was important to him as kind of a reminder to the team about how they can play against a top team late(r) in the season, and what he expects from them for especially the last four games of the Tourney. I think all teams need a little refresher memory about playing at the top of their game against the best teams, and the Huskies certainly got their memories refreshed last night.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Nice MMA moves by Kaleena, although they didn't connect (lucky for Mitchell!). Brought the elbow up hard, protecting the ball, while her right foot was stepping through. Then, as she stepped forward with same foot, she swung the elbow back - that's the elbow Mitchell appeared to flop from. Really really good that Mitchell got out of the way of that one or she would have BEEN flopped out for a while.

Don't really see a swung elbow, KML goes up in the air with the elbow away from Mitchell while freeing her arm from Mitchell's hand. Also not sure that Mitchell flopped because it would certainly have been a weird type of one. Looks to me like tried to slam on her brakes with KML going the other way, caught a piece of KML's arm while her feet were too far forward and she was losing balance, and then when KML ripped her arm away it looks like Mitchell may have caught her right toe against KML's left leg and then kind of lurched backward. Not really a flopping situation, and Mitchell doesn't strike me as that kind of player.

 

[j66kicker]

Don't really see a swung elbow, KML goes up in the air with the elbow away from Mitchell while freeing her arm from Mitchell's hand. Also not sure that Mitchell flopped because it would certainly have been a weird type of one. Looks to me like tried to slam on her brakes with KML going the other way, caught a piece of KML's arm while her feet were too far forward and she was losing balance, and then when KML ripped her arm away it looks like Mitchell may have caught her right toe against KML's left leg and then kind of lurched backward. Not really a flopping situation, and Mitchell doesn't strike me as that kind of player.

I don't think she flopped - said "appeared to flop." I guess I should have said the swing that Mitchell - in real time - appeared to fall down as a result of. It appeared to me to be pretty vicious - not "malicious", but sending a message (like, "Get off of me you little gnat!")

 

[xHunt3r]

It is a difficult to tell from that angle in the video to tell whether KML is just swing her arm free from Mitchell or swing her arm up at Mitchell to create space...

 

[meyers7]

Meyers- I love your posts, your one of my fav's on the BY- but I think your as wrong on this one as you think I am! Which is fine!

Guess we're stuck then.

(although, not sure it helps your argument if I'm one of your fav's )

 

[meyers7]

Not sure that even Geno himself could tell you about all the facets about what he wanted from the benching act, because he has admitted that sometimes he just goes on intuition for what he does, and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, a la FF in 2001.

I kinda agree with you here. Thought has crossed my mind too.

Although in general he doesn't put that much stock in any game before the Tourney except to use it as an assessment and learning tool, I'm guessing that last night's game was important to him as kind of a reminder to the team about how they can play against a top team late(r) in the season, and what he expects from them for especially the last four games of the Tourney. I think all teams need a little refresher memory about playing at the top of their game against the best teams, and the Huskies certainly got their memories refreshed last night.

I think last night was fun for him and the kids because they got to play against someone who could "theoretically"give them a game. They like challenges.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

I've been to the So Carolina board and like many other boards after a disappointing loss to UConn, some posters are saying it was the Home Cooking by the Refs that lead to the defeat. Also many did say, UConn was just better and there were missed calls on both sides.

Dee Kanter tends to be against UCONN. The fact she was our insider is ridiculous. And the fact the fans in SC are making fun of Kaleena is unacceptable. That big girl put up 23 points including 5 three pointers... So upset by that comment....

 

[rocky rococo]

A real lot of this . . .

Like the song says:

"That's why all the folks round Rocky Top
Get their corn from a jar!"

 

[OssiningPride]

JavaMan,
You mean the derogatory words against women? Everyone else wants to talk about moonshine and what the SC fans are hallucinating about instead of answering you.

 

[hoophuskee]

In civilized basketball, a jump ball should have been whistled. But the refs were in SEC mode last night (or so it seemed), so they let it be a takedown followed by a 3-point basket. Oh well..

That was no jump ball.

 

[hoophuskee]

Nah, don't think so.

You have to look at why he benched them. It wasn't for this game. It was because as leaders they were not leading. It was for the rest of the season.

Nah. He could have done that any time he wanted. And you heard Kara Wolters say at halftie mehe benched her just before big games. So he does it. And you heard Meg say she asked him the question and he said he doesn't do it- but Meg didn't believe him either. IMO the players are right.

IMO he just has a different take - so he denies it w/o lying. He's the coach and complained about Stewie's lack of offensive rebounding a game or two before the benching. He used to complain similar with Tina Charles early on when he'd yank her about her offensive rebounding. Then I think when he 1st yanked Stewie and Tuck- the 1st play from Gabby -- the "second" she as in - was an offensive rebound. As a coach he convinces himself that this is "hustle" and his stars aren't hustling. Which is his prerogative and he could be/is right. He usually is. Thus as Sue Bird says "he has a formula." He put his formula to good use - bench the star(s) before a big game (not all the time otherwise it becomes nothing more than a ploy) and now use this big game as a reminder how they should play vs the lousy teams . But imo if that USC game wasn't coming up, you wouldn't have seen that type of benching. This game here was a prime reason why the super players come to UCONN. They want to be on Nat'l TV in for of a packed house playing a top team. IMO his formula works on occasion and he KNOWS it. SO he waits and when he feels he has to he use it - he does it every so often. IMO you can't discount what Kara says who has lived it. And Meg knows him about as well as anyone.

 

[hoophuskee]

I call BS. Total. It wasn't for this game. Geno doesn't and has never cared that much about an OOC season game. I doubt after 30 years, all of a sudden he does.

He knew they'd come out like this for this game. The point was they (as the leaders), need to come out like this for the Tulanes, and Memphis' of the world too.

I call this BS. He is right sometimes that people make too much of games but first - if he didn't care then why was he jumping pumping his fist in an aggressive manner during his game whne we made a huge play? Secondly, he used to spek of his conference when he said "he didn't care." Now his conference is Godawful and we are in a constant search of top teams that want to play us.

Our conference is God-awful. These games against top ten - top 20 to 30 teams are far less - in conference. Thus the big games of 1 vs 2 means a lot more.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I don't think she flopped - said "appeared to flop." I guess I should have said the swing that Mitchell - in real time - appeared to fall down as a result of. It appeared to me to be pretty vicious - not "malicious", but sending a message (like, "Get off of me you little gnat!")

it looks like her right foot gets caught on KMLs right food as she's backpedaling and then she falls. It looked rough but I think she just tripped.

 

[geneticrex]

I've been to the So Carolina board and like many other boards after a disappointing loss to UConn, some posters are saying it was the Home Cooking by the Refs that lead to the defeat. Also many did say, UConn was just better and there were missed calls on both sides.

Sally Bell couldn't have bailed out SC last night.

 

[Bestiarius]

Nice MMA moves by Kaleena, although they didn't connect (lucky for Mitchell!). Brought the elbow up hard, protecting the ball, while her right foot was stepping through. Then, as she stepped forward with same foot, she swung the elbow back - that's the elbow Mitchell appeared to flop from. Really really good that Mitchell got out of the way of that one or she would have BEEN flopped out for a while.

The way I see it, Mitchell came over to defend and got her right hand on the bottom side of the ball, and leaned back for leverage in an attempt to dislodge it from K's two handed grasp. Kaleena brought her knee up and stepped through to turn her back to Mitchell to further protect the ball. The step through knocked Mitchell's hand up and off the ball (intentional?) causing Mitchell to fall backward since she was already leaning back.

I don't think Mitchell's hand was on the ball long enough to cause a jump ball. Mitchell reflexively grabbed K's arm to break her fall and immediately released it. K's arm coming around was in no danger of connecting with M's face. Both players could have been called for their actions, but I think it was a good no call.

Refs are often criticized for the calls the make or don't make. Look at how many opinions there have been on this one play from we who have the benefit of multiple views, slo-mo, etc. I think we should be more forgiving and less critical of decisions refs make in a fraction of a second without the video advantages we fans have.

 

[Geno-ista]

Don't really see a swung elbow, KML goes up in the air with the elbow away from Mitchell while freeing her arm from Mitchell's hand. Also not sure that Mitchell flopped because it would certainly have been a weird type of one. Looks to me like tried to slam on her brakes with KML going the other way, caught a piece of KML's arm while her feet were too far forward and she was losing balance, and then when KML ripped her arm away it looks like Mitchell may have caught her right toe against KML's left leg and then kind of lurched backward. Not really a flopping situation, and Mitchell doesn't strike me as that kind of player.

Right DR- she didn't flop. Her feet planted funny. Then KML cut over her feet with her right leg. And I think KML's thigh may have pushed her enough as her fett were already almost twisted and she was off balance.

 

[CCinCT]

Sally Bell couldn't have bailed out SC last night.

June Corteau would've given a good shot !

 

[geneticrex]

Sally AND June could have possibly kept it inside 15.

 

[ABachelor6CR]

Mint Juleps.

 

[DobbsRover2]

JavaMan,
You mean the derogatory words against women? Everyone else wants to talk about moonshine and what the SC fans are hallucinating about instead of answering you.

So do tell us why those words are derogatory? Men deal with women and get puzzled. Women deal with men and don't always get them. Players bend Geno all sorts of ways, and he tries all kinds of motivational tools on them.

If you think that a guy who has chosen to spend his life coaching young women to be great players and great people is deriding them when he admits to being exasperated about them sometimes, then of course you are entitled to that opinion. But when my wife says she often find me unfathomable, I'm pretty sure she's not mocking me (I hope), but that there's a puzzle she doesn't understand. And Geno is saying he doesn't always get where his players are coming from, and that they may be obstinate and tough to work with. And yeah, they're women. And he's a man. The two don't always think alike.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

All WBB referees suck! They are incompetent, but that is the excepted fact every team deals with every game! And the WNBA refs are even worse than college refs!
The so-called "good refs" work 5 to 6 games a week all over the country! How the heck can you not suffer mentally or physically at that pace from Nov. to April? Dee Kantner for example, worked here Monday, she might be in FLA Tuesday, PA on Wednesday, TN on Friday and NoCar on Saturday! I don't care how good of shape she's in, air flights, hotels, quick meals on the road, plus running up & down the court for 2 hours has to take a toll!
Check out http://www.wbbstate.com/ it has 5 or 6 categories on WCBB refs! How many games they've worked, # of fouls they call a game,etc.

 

[asuwish]

Nice MMA moves by Kaleena, although they didn't connect (lucky for Mitchell!). Brought the elbow up hard, protecting the ball, while her right foot was stepping through. Then, as she stepped forward with same foot, she swung the elbow back - that's the elbow Mitchell appeared to flop from. Really really good that Mitchell got out of the way of that one or she would have BEEN flopped out for a while.

Your not going to call a foul either way when the defender gets one hand on the ball then lets go so their hand DOESN'T connect with the player with the ball, and the player with the ball makes NO contact with the defender while trying to prevent a tie up. The refs got this right and give them credit because at real speed the defender who reaches in falls to the ground and the player with the ball is being aggressive in protecting it. Neither coach or player seemed to be upset so play on.

 

[cabbie191]

We all know that no game is called perfectly. I thought overall this game was refereed quite well. I wasn't keeping count but I had the impression that the number of questionable calls was evenly divided.

 

[JoePgh]

On the call at the end of the first half, where Cuevas drove into Stewie near the baseline, the original call was a charge on Cuevas, but during the timeout it was changed to a simple out-of-bounds call on Cuevas with no foul, but with UConn possession. I thought that was a make-up situation -- there was enough contact on the play that there had to be a foul call against either Stewie or Cuevas. I thought Stewie was late (still moving) and it should have been a block. You could argue that Cuevas lowered her shoulder, but I did not see that distinctly on replay. I think the SC fans had a case on that one.

But early in the second half, there was a bogus offensive foul call on KML when she went to set a screen for Stewie. I thought (both live and on replay) that she had clearly stopped her motion before contact, so it was a good screen. It was the same play that Stewie had scored on at the end of the first half, and it would have worked that time for another layup if the call had not been made.

I agree that in general, despite the inevitable questionable calls, the referees did not have a significant impact on the game or on the margin of victory.

 

[Woof 101]

Your not going to call a foul either way when the defender gets one hand on the ball then lets go so their hand DOESN'T connect with the player with the ball, and the player with the ball makes NO contact with the defender while trying to prevent a tie up. The refs got this right and give them credit because at real speed the defender who reaches in falls to the ground and the player with the ball is being aggressive in protecting it. Neither coach or player seemed to be upset so play on.

CORRECT....Nothing more than the ole get your chicken wing off my ball maneuver. Nothing more nothing less. It did add flare to the game though!