I have never seen another sports program/franchise at any level, in any sport, be accused of being "too good" for their sport, and thus be accused a detriment to it. That's ludicrous.
Carnac - that was a GREAT post. I would have liked it 100 times if I could have. I agree with everything you said so I won't bother adding my $.02 as it wouldn't be new, and I couldn't have said it any better than you did.8. I'd like to hear just 1 coach of a major women's basketball program step up and publicly state that he/she does not blame UConn for their success. That they (WCBB as a whole) have not lived up to (or attained) the standards that UConn has set, and that starting RIGHT NOW, they are going to begin to do everything they can to close the gap. Be it recruit better players and become better teachers, or perhaps conduct their practices differently, maybe similar to Geno's. Personally accept the responsibility and the challenge to raise the level of their team's play and execution, starting today.
Not whine and complain like Brenda Frese, suggesting that she would like Geno to dial it back some. After all, its not her fault, its his.
I remind you of the definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different outcome. Isn't that what these coaches are doing?
blind squirrel is easy - let's see her equal the broken clock....
IMO, a lot of these so-called HSAA are overrated. Some of TN hyped recruits can't shoot FTs. Run into each other on pick and rolls. Reach and swat as drivers go by them. A lot of these coaches, several in the SEC, are recruiting great looking athletes but not basketball PLAYERS. But on paper it looks great for those rabid fan bases. It hypes the product but doesn't win meaningful out of conference games and NC's. I give the Oregon St. and Texas coaches credit. They're smart and they're turning it around and getting kids with guts and attitude and they're going to be very dangerous shortly. As an aside, whoever gets this Ionescue kid is finding gold.
I Love it Geno's got NASCAR!!!
Pinot, pun intended Geno would love it. Bottle of red, bottle of white...Geno loves his vino...
Dogs only bark at moving cars.It's not clear to me if Dan and Brenda - of all people! - are auditioning to provide expert testimony, take seats in the jury box, or preside as judges.
Call the bailiff! Toss these imposters out on their ears!
But just look at the coaching they are getting. 95% of high school AAs arrive at their university as bench warmers - they just aren't that good as college level players. They have individual skills, but they generally know nothing about defense, and nothing about how to play with more talented teammates. Lou and Napheesa after a month of boot camp with the best coaching staff in America looked OK in the first month, but they weren't playing basketball to Uconn's standards. After two months of getting some minutes and a lot of coaching and practice, they are starting to look pretty good and you can get glimpses of what they can bring next year. And they are playing with three AAs and an International star player. Put them on a team with 5 other untouched upper classmen running crap offense and defense with lots of one on one play and very little teamwork and you would be asking the same thing - were they really ranked #1 and #6 in the country!!!
When you get beat on your home floor by a 7 seed, you really shouldn't open your mouth, you should be figuring out why you lost.
Somebody needs to send the complainers a copy of movie "Miracle" about the US hockey victory in the 1980 Winter Olympics. Head Coach Herb Brooks shows Assistant Coach Craig Patrick his proposed roster.
I agree with all of this. That's my point also, that they're not getting real coaching at the college level. And I also put some of it on the kids. They have to want to improve in the summer. They know they're lousy shooters when they're throwing knuckleballs up there. Go out and find a good shooting coach to work with them a couple days a week if the school doesn't have one. A lot of the college assistants weren't good fundamental players themselves so the kids are spinning their wheels during the season. Some of the head coaches are hiring cronies and ex-teammates for assistants instead of skills teachers. A good head coach doesn't need 4 assistants screaming strategy at them every timeout, they need player improvement in practice.
As an outgoing class probably the only contender is the Bird, Cash, Jones, Williams 2002 class. I think the real story is the difference in how they rank as a graduating class compared to how they ranked as an incoming class.
