Famous Last Words

[chrissaran]

"I respect what they have accomplished, but they are not super-human," Workman said. "They can be beat, I'm not going to get caught up in their greatness. I can play, too. I'm not going to back down at all." Tugging on Superman's cape again. I don't expect anything less from an opponent. However, it's not always a good idea to say they can be beat. It didn't work out so well for USF, and for a team that lost to George Washington, I certainly would just go about my business, talk about believing in my team, but I would not stoke the flames.

 

[Oldbones]

 

[Nuyoika]

I actually don't believe Workman said she respected anything about the Huskies. Doris added that part I believe. I watched the press conference where that comment was made couple of times today and Workman made mention of respect. The rest of the comment did seem to be accurate. Anyway, welcome to "the zoo" Duquesne hope you enjoyed your stay. Have a safe trip home

 

[CTyankee]

Can't wait to see their post game presser.

 

[Carnac]

Can't wait to see their post game presser.

Me either. Word is there will be "chilled" plates of freshly prepared crow and humble pie available for their consumption.

 

[Intpseeker]

When I first read Workman's comment, I shook my head. You should let sleeping dogs lie.

But hearing her speak, I didn't get the feeling that she was fronting. This didn't feel like an ego-driven thing.

Watching her play, I was impressed with her skills and more importantly her mental toughness. She played like a Husky.

 

[Kibitzer]

I didn't get the feeling that she was fronting. This didn't feel like an ego-driven thing. . . Watching her play, I was impressed with her skills and more importantly her mental toughness. She played like a Husky.

Ms Workman has taken a long and difficult path to leadership on a team that won 28 games in their league. Cut her some slack.

 

[xHunt3r]

I'm sure a bunch on here are going to get all wound up about comments like these (as you have in the past). UConn is clearly a much much better team and Duquesne to as close to a 0% chance of wining as there can be, but you can't fault them or any team with taking the approach that it is "possible" for them to win. If it was the other way around and UConn was a server underdog, would you want them going into the game expecting to lose? Would you want them telling the media "we have no chance of winning" before the game?

Duquesne's coach put his player in the right frame of mind, "you can win." Got them to come out compete as hard as they can... even though they have pretty much no chance of winning.

 

[HGN]

Famous last words..............."DON'T pet the dog!" No matter how cute he may look.

 

[Bigpetunia]

Some of my friends on the Board seem to think opposing players should approach a game with the Huskies by saying, "Gee, it's obvious that the team we're about to face is so great that we're about to get our butts whipped fiercely, and, really, I don't know why we're even bothering to dress out for this one."

 

[CocoHusky]

Some of my friends on the Board seem to think opposing players should approach a game with the Huskies by saying, "Gee, it's obvious that the team we're about to face is so great that we're about to get our butts whipped fiercely, and, really, I don't know why we're even bothering to dress out for this one."

Others on this board think you can express confidence in yourself without even mentioning the opponent and you should definitely not "repeat/recycle" the same hollow words from two weeks ago like-"UCONN can be beaten". You know don't: add fuel to the fire, tug on superman's cape, pet the husky.....

 

[Jimbo]

I'm all for having confidence in your and your teammates' ability to win a game, but I believe thoughts along those lines are sometimes better left unsaid. There are ways to answer questions by saying something harmless like "I think we've got a great team, we believe in ourselves, and we're gonna give it our best shot," which runs zero risk of firing the other team up. The other thing to keep in mind is that a statement like "I think they're beatable" often looks more arrogant in print than it does when you say it aloud, so it may get the other team's attention in ways you didn't intend.

By no means am I saying that Workman is a bad kid or anything like that. I would merely suggest that it may be more advantageous to let sleeping huskies lie than to try petting them. Otherwise, you run the risk of hearing postgame quotes like these:

Stewie: "It's awfully funny how people keep saying that."

Kia: "We understand you have to be confident to attempt to beat us. But like I've said before, if you want to light the fire, light the fire. But I don't know why you'd want to light the fire."

Morgan: "When they say that, it gets us hyped up more. I hope they keep saying it because it works in our favor."

https://www.sny.tv/uconn/news/huskies-rout-duquesne-for-23rd-consecutive-sweet-16-berth/168449006/

 

[Sonny44]

Way out of proportion. None of their kids said or did anything inappropriate. Isn't beating them handily enough?

 

[Zorro]

What do you expect them to say; "We who are about to die salute you!"? Sheesh!

 

[ctfjr]

Way out of proportion. None of their kids said or did anything inappropriate. Isn't beating them handily enough?

^^^ This

 

[johnnyc]

Some of my friends on the Board seem to think opposing players should approach a game with the Huskies by saying, "Gee, it's obvious that the team we're about to face is so great that we're about to get our butts whipped fiercely, and, really, I don't know why we're even bothering to dress out for this one."

Well that's the other extreme. There is the balance of saying something like.....'they're a great team and we worked hard to get a chance to play them so we are playing to win'. Cliches are a player's best friend.

 

[Blueconn]

Way out of proportion. None of their kids said or did anything inappropriate. Isn't beating them handily enough?

Spot on.

 

[carpe diem]

The most succinct and appropriate response was that of Kia Nurse, " If you want to light a fire, light it, but I don't know why you would want to." That says it all

 

[Intpseeker]

Ms Workman has taken a long and difficult path to leadership on a team that won 28 games in their league. Cut her some slack.

My apologies. I thought I was paying her the ultimate compliment.

 

[EricLA]

How does it motivate the players any more than they are already motivated? Do you think the MOV would have been any different if Workman had not said what she did? I get that these kids are human, and they may get fired up like some on the BY seem to have been, BUT...

CD and Geno do NOT let these kids tweet, FB, Instagram, etc etc during the season. I'm sure the kids have access to the internet but were they even aware of what the Duquesne player said? And to echo what several others said - I'd be shocked and saddened if a kid approached playing UCONN in the NCAA's like "we are going to lose by 100 so let's just go out there and lay down for them".

I thought for most of the 1st quarter Duquesne played really well. This is another mid major team (like Dayton last year, and Wisc GB) that seems to have a coach who REALLY plays team ball. I thought the Duques played with intensity, passion, and on offense, they ran some really good stuff. Obviously it worked for a while against UCONN as well. Their kids came in with no fear, and it showed. I was proud of their effort right to the end...

 

[EricLA]

My apologies. I thought I was paying her the ultimate compliment.

I thought your comment was quite a compliment. Which is why I liked it. I'm not sure if Kib meant to quote another poster instead of you...

 

[Nuyoika]

I'm not sure why so many have a bleeding heart for Duquesne in this thread... They made their own beds. Not to mention when you use the words "bully", "soul crushers", and "soul dominators" in a press conference you deserve what ever you get back. Not only that to then say that you don't understand why Geno would "comment on his teams feelings". C'mon now... they got what they were asking for. They wanted a team outing to attempt to pet the husky. Well welcome to the freakin Zoo. Unfortunately, the cost of the admission was the end of your season.

 

[Kibitzer]

My apologies. I thought I was paying her the ultimate compliment.

You did. I should have started my reply with "I agree," and ended it with a suggestion that some of our harsh critics back off.

Sorry.

 

[EricLA]

I'm not sure why so many have a bleeding heart for Duquesne in this thread... They made their own beds. Not to mention when you use the words "bully", "soul crushers", and "soul dominators" in a press conference you deserve what ever you get back. Not only that to then say that you don't understand why Geno would "comment on his teams feelings". C'mon now... they got what they were asking for. They wanted a team outing to attempt to pet the husky. Well welcome to the freakin Zoo. Unfortunately, the cost of the admission was the end of your season.

I'll have to go back and watch the post game presser. I will admit I did not catch it. They referred to UCONN as "bullies" and referred to us as "soul crushers and soul dominators"? I'm not sure about the last 2 phrases, but I don't see UCONN as "bullies".

 

[huskyd]

Apropos of this discussion, here is a quotation from Sun Tzu's famous book "The Art of War": "He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his opponents is sure to be captured by them." The Dukes certainly didn't "make light" of UConn (or we'd be dealing with insanity), but whatever provocation they did make wasn't useful. Better to just express respect for the other team, as Geno always does, and let your actions do the talking.