Famous Last Words

[GoUconn7961]

She believed she saw fear? Oh boy, well I guess that's fitting since they also believed they played good defense while giving up 97 points. So all is relative I suppose.

I agree w/all your posts on this thread...they got what they asked for. You don't poke the bear (or dog). I've got no sympathy for that. The pre-game presser just rubbed me the wrong way. And fear? please..try again.

NEXT!

 

[Kibitzer]

What ever you say, is yours! You must own it then, and down the road.
Its exactly like making comments or posting a take here in the Boneyard. You are held accountable for everything you post.

"Words once spoke can never be recalled."

- Horace (Roman poet, 57-8 BC)​

 

[carpe diem]

STORRS, Conn. – Emilie Gronas saw something Monday night in Duquesne’s 97-51 NCAA Tournament second-round loss to No. 1 Connecticut that’s seldom seen in women’s college basketball.


She saw the Dukes go toe-to-toe with the top team in the nation for 15 minutes.


And she saw something else.


“I saw some fear in their eyes, and that was great to see,” she observed. “Many other teams, they just stroll through and it looks so easy for them. I think they had to work for it today, especially in the beginning. I’m so proud of my teammates.”

http://dkpittsburghsports.com/2016/03/22/tired-dukes-run-out-of-gas/#comments

I watched the video attached to this article. If you knew nothing about the game and watched the video, you would be convinced the Dukes sank every shot and never allowed UCONN to get a basket. I am surprised no politician has signed up the film maker for their own propaganda. It was the most egregious miss-representation of a game I have ever seen. One could argue it is a highlight film for the Dukes, but since it is embedded after the comment of a guard who played 24 minutes and scored three points that she saw "fear" in the eyes of the UCONN's it becomes more that a highlight film but a fantasy that the game that was played really had a different outcome.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

One could argue it is a highlight film for the Dukes,

It is. Wasn't a news recap. The UConn Youtube page shows UConn only highlights. Nothing to be bothered by.

 

[chrissaran]

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.

I have no problem with someone having confidence in their team, but leave it at that. You don't say you can beat the three-time, undefeated, at the moment, champions when you lost to George Washington. Breanna said it added fuel to the fire when Courtney Williams said that UConn could be beat. USF and Courtney, among others, 0-20 against UConn. It's best to let sleeping Huskies lie.

 

[chrissaran]

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...

Yes, they must read about what other teams say because they were all aware of what Courtney Williams said before the last UConn/USF game. How did they turn out? A complete disaster. Express confidence in your team, but don't say the other team can be beat. What's their record? 119-1. It would take a Herculean effort, or an excellent team like ND, to beat UConn.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Yes, they must read about what other teams say because they were all aware of what Courtney Williams said before the last UConn/USF game. How did they turn out? A complete disaster.

You think the outcome would've been different if Williams hadn't made her comment?

 

[Bigpetunia]

This has become one weird thread! We're talking about extraordinarily gifted college kids, kids who love, and work their butts off to compete, and yet we, as the outrageously spoiled fans of UConn WBB that we are, feel personally "dissed" if such kids don't properly "know their place" going in. They categorically should not be expressing any confidence in their team's chances in anticipation of playing our favorite team, lest they awaken a "sleeping dog?" What sleeping dog?? "Gee, UConn, we know up front that we've got no shot whatsoever of competing with you, but thanks so much for the privilege of allowing us to share the court with you, however briefly!" Now that's more like it!

 

[OldAlum]

I cant get upset over any upcoming rival player stating that she thinks her team can win. I hope they have that mindset - you need it to play the game. When it morphs into "they aren't so great" or otherwise disses the opponent, it becomes bulletin board material.
But once your team is soundly beaten, the time for bravado is long past. You can wish your team did this or that better, but you should give props to the winning team and stop there. Finding imaginary victories about "fear in their eyes" just makes you look bad.

 

[CocoHusky]

This has become one weird thread! We're talking about extraordinarily gifted college kids, kids who love, and work their butts off to compete, and yet we, as the outrageously spoiled fans of UConn WBB that we are, feel personally "dissed" if such kids don't properly "know their place" going in. They categorically should not be expressing any confidence in their team's chances in anticipation of playing our favorite team, lest they awaken a "sleeping dog?" What sleeping dog?? "Gee, UConn, we know up front that we've got no shot whatsoever of competing with you, but thanks so much for the privilege of allowing us to share the court with you, however briefly!" Now that's more like it!

Feel free to gloss right over the posters opinions that have “categorically” stated the opposite:

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.

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".

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.

I too was very impressed with her (Workman) play last night. She did play like a Husky. IMO she would fit very well into the fabric of our team and would make significant contributions thereto. I would have no problem if she were a member of our team.

Confidence, can an athlete's best friend, but sometimes it's best to stay away from opposition locker room material.

I agree that Workman should be confident and not bow down to UCONN, but there is a certain way to say things.

In any case, I like Workman's attitude, you can't beat me until you do. Good for her.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Whooops! There's a reason I majored in English.

I knew it!

 

[uconnell]

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.

STORRS, Conn. – Emilie Gronas saw something Monday night in Duquesne’s 97-51 NCAA Tournament second-round loss to No. 1 Connecticut that’s seldom seen in women’s college basketball.


She saw the Dukes go toe-to-toe with the top team in the nation for 15 minutes.


And she saw something else.


“I saw some fear in their eyes, and that was great to see,” she observed. “Many other teams, they just stroll through and it looks so easy for them. I think they had to work for it today, especially in the beginning. I’m so proud of my teammates.”

http://dkpittsburghsports.com/2016/03/22/tired-dukes-run-out-of-gas/#comments

That wasn't fear she saw that was being extremely pizzed off. I can't remember Stewie having such an angry look on her face. I think that was when she had enough. Of the Dukes. Don't ever tug on superman's cape! Or try to pet his dog.

 

[Zorro]

All this nonsense about "bulletin board motivation" is just that, nonsense. If the duchesses had said "I can't tell you how much we admire the UConn players and coach, and how honored we are just to be on the same court with them", the outcome would have been just exactly the same.
The Huskies play the way they do because that is the way basketball should be played, regardless of whom they are playing. Absolutely nothing personal, except possibly to the extent of taking a little extra pride in shutting down a star player on the other team. No fear, no anger, no malice. (I make an exception for the Syracuse game a few years back; that was a unique situation.)

 

[RunItUp!]

Yea, duh. Why shouldn't they say that? What's the matter with honesty?

In the world today there are some people who despise honesty and at ease with cliques they can hide behind (meaning they can say things they really don't mean)

 

[meyers7]

All this nonsense about "bulletin board motivation" is just that, nonsense. If the duchesses had said "I can't tell you how much we admire the UConn players and coach, and how honored we are just to be on the same court with them", the outcome would have been just exactly the same.
The Huskies play the way they do because that is the way basketball should be played, regardless of whom they are playing. Absolutely nothing personal, except possibly to the extent of taking a little extra pride in shutting down a star player on the other team. No fear, no anger, no malice. (I make an exception for the Syracuse game a few years back; that was a unique situation.)

I don't know, they are not machines.

 

[CocoHusky]

All this nonsense about "bulletin board motivation" is just that, nonsense. If the duchesses had said "I can't tell you how much we admire the UConn players and coach, and how honored we are just to be on the same court with them", the outcome would have been just exactly the same.
The Huskies play the way they do because that is the way basketball should be played, regardless of whom they are playing. Absolutely nothing personal, except possibly to the extent of taking a little extra pride in shutting down a star player on the other team. No fear, no anger, no malice. (I make an exception for the Syracuse game a few years back; that was a unique situation.)

Isn't taking "a little extra pride" & shutting down a star player who provided the bulletin board, as UCONN did against USF's Courtney Williams impacting the outcome of the game?