Does last year give you hope for this year | The Boneyard

Does last year give you hope for this year

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mcs333

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I get the feeling that a lot of Uconn fans think this team can turn this season around just like last year. Go 9-9 in the BE, make a run in the BE tournament and another run in the NCAA's. I know I have that feeling but I starting to feel it is just wishful thinking and I maybe looking at this team through rose colored glasses. This team just can't put together two VG halves.

Is this team so flawed with very poor chemistry that we are a 16-10 team with very little upside?
 
mcs333 said:
Is this team so flawed with very poor chemistry that we are a 16-10 team with very little upside?
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Yes. Also a lack of skilled talent at several positions.
 
Whatever else happened, Kemba was the leader all last year, physically, mentally, and emotionally. We don't have that this year, or even all the components. I don't think we're going to see a repeat of last year.
 
baldinghusky said:
Whatever else happened, Kemba was the leader all last year, physically, mentally, and emotionally. We don't have that this year, or even all the components. I don't think we're going to see a repeat of last year.
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Last year's run was due to a number of factors including Kemba, tenacious and tough D, good overall team chemistry where everyone knew their role and players who stepped up during that run. This year there is no Kemba who was our physical. mental and emotion leader, the D although not bad is not near the level is was last year and not close to being as tough, team chemistry seems to be missing, it seems that the roles aren't all that well defined or we don't have the skilled players who can execute those roles and nobody has stepped up on a consistent basis. Plus we are a young team and without Kemba we don't have that true exerience.

Yesterday when we had Wolfe and TO in the game together as our bigs is a perfect example. Neither has the skills or quickness to stay with a smaller lineup that Marquette used. Now part of that was Blaney's fault for playing them together, but it points ot a lack of depth. Our guards have trouble defending larger guards who can penetrate and create their own shots off the dribble. Last year Chuck and Bev were better suited to handle those situations.

On top of the above, our Freshman have not lived up to the expectations of most of us. Daniels has been a major disappointment, Boat is still a Frosh and plays like one (the NCAA didn't help us here) and AD is rawer than any of us expected and plays way too soft.

I just can't see us repeating last years great run.
 
I don't know why anyone would think that a repeat of last year is much of a possibility. Last season was the first time that any team, ever, has made that kind of a run. It is foolish to bank on that happening again just 1 year later. Especially without Kemba.
 
Kemba was a special player who pulled it off with a healthy coach and a supporting cast who knew their roles.

This year, no Kemba, no coach, and no one knows their roles nor supports anyone else.
 
.-.
not unless Kemba Walker gets some sort of waiver and regains that last year of elligibilty.
 
No team can or will have a year like we did for years to come maybe decade(s). Remember we made history last year. Sometimes I wish we wouldn't bring up last year with this team, its unfair to them, and for us to expect it.
 
Kitaman said:
No team can or will have a year like we did for years to come maybe decade(s). Remember we made history last year. Sometimes I wish we wouldn't bring up last year with this team, its unfair to them, and for us to expect it.
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This is what ive been saying all season.
 
GavinEdreamy said:
I don't know why anyone would think that a repeat of last year is much of a possibility. Last season was the first time that any team, ever, has made that kind of a run. It is foolish to bank on that happening again just 1 year later. Especially without Kemba.
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Not only was last year's run close to unprecedented -- last year's team had accomplished a heck of a lot more to this point in the year than this year's team has.

I still think we have as much talent is all but a small handful of clubs. And I will cling to the hope that the light bulb goes on until our season is over. But rationally, it's getting less and less likely that, having failed to figure out how to win to date, they're now going to figure it out.
 
When the season began most believed the chalk would rule. Kentucky and Cuse are in a world of their own seperated by everyone else. The formula is to simply make it to the tournament regardless of seed. Take a # 11 seed and smile. UConn can match up with any #6 on a neutral court and win. The next game hypothetically would be against a #3 seed. This year however the #3's and 4's may be in for a very very rude awakening with the power of the mid-majors this year. The #13 and #14 seeds are usually good for 1 upset and this year they will be primed to pounce. That puts UConn playing a #13 or #14 seed in round 2 for a Sweet 16 birth. We take that 1 and enter the Sweet 16. Assuming Jeffey H. keeps us out of the Kentucky bracket our run has started to repeat as National Champions. As a matter of fact as a #11 seed we are protected from seeing the #1 seed and that home court advantage until the Regional Final. As long as 1 of the #4 or #5 seeds can bounce the #1 in our bracket we go to New Orleans after taking out the #4 or #5 that took out the #1.

This years March Madness will be like no other. Mid Majors are packing a big punch and we will be seeded in top Mid Major type seeding assuming we get in. The bottom line we still can get in and then we are dealt a new deck of cards in this Poker game. :D
 
BLUEDOGHOUSE said:
When the season began most believed the chalk would rule. Kentucky and Cuse are in a world of their own seperated by everyone else. The formula is to simply make it to the tournament regardless of seed. Take a # 11 seed and smile. UConn can match up with any #6 on a neutral court and win. The next game hypothetically would be against a #3 seed. This year however the #3's and 4's may be in for a very very rude awakening with the power of the mid-majors this year. The #13 and #14 seeds are usually good for 1 upset and this year they will be primed to pounce. That puts UConn playing a #13 or #14 seed in round 2 for a Sweet 16 birth. We take that 1 and enter the Sweet 16. Assuming Jeffey H. keeps us out of the Kentucky bracket our run has started to repeat as National Champions. As a matter of fact as a #11 seed we are protected from seeing the #1 seed and that home court advantage until the Regional Final. As long as 1 of the #4 or #5 seeds can bounce the #1 in our bracket we go to New Orleans after taking out the #4 or #5 that took out the #1.

This years March Madness will be like no other. Mid Majors are packing a big punch and we will be seeded in top Mid Major type seeding assuming we get in. The bottom line we still can get in and then we are dealt a new deck of cards in this Poker game. :D
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I like your thinking. If we were to make the NCAA tournament id want to avoid getting an 8 or 9 seed just to avoid having to play the 1 in the second round. I like your scenario because it would give them a chance to get on a roll.
 
.-.
Ts5034 said:
I like your thinking. If we were to make the NCAA tournament id want to avoid getting an 8 or 9 seed just to avoid having to play the 1 in the second round. I like your scenario because it would give them a chance to get on a roll.
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Thats why its March Madness. The greatest event ever created! Anything can happen and it will.
 
If they can get to 9-9 and start to jell as a team they could make a run. I've seen Drummond show flashes; he looked awesome for a stretch against Syracuse. They have enough talent to get back to a Final 4. How they perform against Syracuse Saturday will be telling. They're due for a big win.
 
Our biggest problem is we have two men down low that can dominate vs weaker teams but when we face good opponents we can't throw it down low and get points and, by our guards/lamb not having any faith to drop it off makes are offense have no rhythm. Dropping it down low opens up the offense. So we are seeing Boat,Lamb,Napier trying to create on their own or settling for jumpers. When we penetrate we can slip it off to our bigs for easy dunks but they have to faith just throwing it down and create on their own.

Before the season I said that AO would be a big factor in whether UConn is good or very good and he has been better late but they still have no faith just dropping it down to him he continues his same mistakes; charges, dropping the ball and missing the bunnies.
 
However this team does have talent and the potential to get hot. The leadership and energy must improve though.
 
AO has done it before. See the NCAAs, BET, games v. MSU and Texas.

When he stays on the floor this year, he can do well.
 
The doomsayers underestimate the power of March Madness. It is where new life can begin regardless of all your mishaps. If I were a UConn fan my March Madness powerball #'s would be 11 as in 11 seed. So to put an optimistic spin on things I will argue the Marquette loss is over just forget about it. We need to beat Nova it's a MUST win undoubtedly.
 
.-.
The 11 game run that Uconn went on between the BE and NCAA tournament was unprecedented, no doubt. But if you look purely at what they did in the NCAA tournament alone, it's not exactly the craziest thing that's ever happened. Uconn and Kentucky were the highest rated seeds in the Final Four.

Butler, coming off a National title game appearance and a ton of preseason hype, had an incredibly disappointing regular season and unexpectedly turned it on in the postseason. VCU finished 3rd or 4th in the CAA standings - and unexpectedly turned it on in the postseason. It happens more often that you think.
 
BLUEDOGHOUSE said:
The doomsayers underestimate the power of March Madness. It is where new life can begin regardless of all your mishaps. If I were a UConn fan my March Madness powerball #'s would be 11 as in 11 seed. So to put an optimistic spin on things I will argue the Marquette loss is over just forget about it. We need to beat Nova it's a MUST win undoubtedly.
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The doomsayers are also premature in that MakersMuppett hasn't spoken yet. When he speaks and then the team doesn't respond then, and only then, is it over.
 
businesslawyer said:
The doomsayers are also premature in that MakersMuppett hasn't spoken yet. When he speaks and then the team doesn't respond then, and only then, is it over.
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I like that little analogy. If UConn is sitting @ 19-12 on selection Sunday that will be a maalox masher of monumental proportions regardless of where they get the wins. Assuming arguendo that is the finished product lemons could soon turn to lemonade and we get the magical #11 seed! ;)
 
I'm an idiot. I have hope. I always have hope. Whenever UConn wins the title, or isn't in the NCAAs, I always win my office pool. That may sound silly--and it's frustrating. Even years when I think I'm being reasonable by not having UConn win the whole thing, I always have them going too far.

I recall every little detail of the ways they lost, and all the bullshit reasons.
  • In 1990, the ball off the foot.
  • In 1994, a broken leg, a missed free throw, and playing Florida in Florida.
  • In 1995, playing UCLA in California
  • In 1996, the Ricky Moore injury
  • In 1998, playing UNC in NC
  • In 2000, the KEA injury.
  • In 2002, Lonny Baxter. Enough said.
  • In 2003, White getting the ball stuck in the basket while playing Texas in Texas.
  • In 2005, the Anderson staff infection that hurt the mojo
  • In 2006, letting George Mason back in it before the half, and Brown's missed 3 that felt good.
  • In 2008, the AJ injury.
  • In 2009, the Dyson injury.
Every team has bad luck, and every fan can go back and detail all these things. The point is that each and every year we get ourselves back up and root for our team.
If you don't have hope, if you don't fundamentally root for the players on your team, you should stop being a fan of that team.
Is this team going to win the title? Odds are, they are not. And yet I know I will have them going further in the tournament than they should--if they make it, which I think they will. And that's okay. There is a lot of good in this team, and if all we do is pick out the negative--not that there's not a place, it's a matter of it being excessive--what's the fun in being a fan?
 
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Lets relish the roll of lower seeded underdog. The majority of pundits and many fans have given up UConn for dead. We are nothing but roadkill for the national media. Remember Bilas laughing and mocking the selection of VCU last year? How did that work out? Hope springs eternal in the bluedoghouse! ;)
 
Have to agree. I will continue to attend or watch every game they play. Last year was so much fun. After the Big East tourney run it was already my favorite season. Have to treat every game now like its a knock out game which it may very well be. Just as they can not give up I certainly WILL NOT give up. GO HUSKIES!!!!!
 
Sometimes things can click for a player overnight. If Shabazz begins to figure out the balance between attacking to score and attacking to dish, this team could improve. If the younger kids on the roster begin to grasp the rotations, and learn to communicate on defense, suddenly there will be a lot less three point shots available, and the defense will be as tough as we envisioned earlier in the season. If Lamb utilizes that beautiful mid-range game like he did early in the game on Saturday, he will be one of the best players in the country. If Drummond gets pissed off, ditto.

I could go on, but the point is, there is always hope. We need a few of these "Ifs" to come to fruitioin. If that happens this team will be a lot more competitive.
 
mcs333 said:
I get the feeling that a lot of Uconn fans think this team can turn this season around just like last year. Go 9-9 in the BE, make a run in the BE tournament and another run in the NCAA's. I know I have that feeling but I starting to feel it is just wishful thinking and I maybe looking at this team through rose colored glasses. This team just can't put together two VG halves.

Is this team so flawed with very poor chemistry that we are a 16-10 team with very little upside?
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No, last years team had a clearcut leader who pushed the team on the court and took the big shots. Confidence is contagious.This team will be watching the final 4 at home.
This doesn't mean they can't win some games, make the tourney and maybe make the sweet 16 because they could.We have enough talent to beat anybody.I'm just not sure they have the heart to do it.
 
champs99and04 said:
Sometimes things can click for a player overnight. If Shabazz begins to figure out the balance between attacking to score and attacking to dish, this team could improve. If the younger kids on the roster begin to grasp the rotations, and learn to communicate on defense, suddenly there will be a lot less three point shots available, and the defense will be as tough as we envisioned earlier in the season. If Lamb utilizes that beautiful mid-range game like he did early in the game on Saturday, he will be one of the best players in the country. If Drummond gets pissed off, ditto.

I could go on, but the point is, there is always hope. We need a few of these "Ifs" to come to fruitioin. If that happens this team will be a lot more competitive.
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Keep in mind my wise and insightful friend that UConn has tournament experience. Valuable tourney experience. If I am buying a stock (team) I would put a premium on that. That means something if they can just get there.

 
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