Fanta on Fox: Putting UConn's dominant run into perspective: 'They are the best team I've ever seen'
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87Xfer
Resident Ignorant Dope
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The best explanations are contained within several thoughtful answers. The most significant element of the "greatest team... ever seen" claim is its built-in combination of limitation & integrity.
Fanta is 28 years old.
The human brain doesn't really develop sufficient capacity to conceptualize, formulate, and express a claim like the one quoted above until, say, 12 years of age. That means he could only possess the rare combination of awareness, attention, perception, and articulation since, at best, 2008.
The possibility that full "best ever" consideration had formed within a year or two of the notion ever having been possible seems extremely unlikely.
At that point, it would take a certain type of precosciously nerdy young teenager to be working on, working out, or working though such processes. Such kids exist.
I wouldn't be approaching your question and writing this response if I didn't have some of this type of energy in me, but it's uncommon and weird for the most part.
I wouldn't go anywhere near such an analytical breakdown and sincere response if I didn't first commit to not dismissing or disrespectful your query. That too is a rarity.
I'm regarding this as an opportunity to distract myself from multiple other discussions here that I consider off-purpose and against my rooting interest during these predictably anxious days of uncertainty prior to each weekend and each game in a win-or-go home setup that plays out as, in essence, 3 consecutive weekend tournaments that end most teams' seasons. In other words, I'm choosing to reply rather than speculating on future rosters, recruiting, the Transfer Portal, team vulnerabilities, opposing team fanbases offenses & idiocies, etc., etc. It's as though I think my absurd discussion is more elevated, less harmful, purer in aspiration, 'better' than the other stuff, which can be petty, low-consciousness, karma-distupting, and such.
In candor, I know that I'm 100% as foolish, counterproductive, worthy of ridicule, or just plain bad/dumb/wrong as anyone else here. The enterprise is branded as "Madness," and my enthusiasm is labeled with a shorted word form of fanaticism. I'm wasting precious life energy.
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[I FORGOT THAT I WAS EDITING AND EXCEEDED THE TIME LIMITED. HERE'S THE COMPLETION OF THE ALREADY 'DISCLAIMED' OVERNIGHT RAMBLINGS]
Upon such a dubious foundation, I offer the simple response that John Fanta did not start watching basketball yesterday, but that he's only obligated by the words he chose, to consider teams since 2010.
I find it notable and commendable that he has responsibly framed his opinion in fully personal terms. He shows respect for his limited historical perdpective. I admire that.
I'll estimate that only half of the period he is considering exists during the period when he has pursued, to increasing success, a professional commitment to watching a lot of basketball. By contrast, I began watching my first college basketball games more than six decades. I'm disinclined to brush off anything Fanta says simply in the basis of having seen more over a longer period of time. He's not claiming that he has basis to make all-time pronouncements.
All things considered, I have been owed & delighted by UConn's game performance this season in unique ways. I'm deeply interest in watch what the do next, on Saturday night. I find nothing offensive or implausible in learning that someone who currently pays broad and close attention to the subject of my most passionate current leisure time interest has come to regard what he has been witnessing as being special in a way not unlike what I'm doing.
As a footnote of sorts, I'll add that this is my 4th consecutive season of watching the UConn Women's team playing at least 30 games, after decades of limiting my viewing to the biggest regular season matchups and tournaments not really until semi- or quarter-final games.
I've been present for unprecedented player losses due to injuries, massive lineups disruptions, the ending of various win streaks that I believe will never be equaled or exceeded again, and the challenges & drama that surround all of this. For UConn to have returned to the Final Four this season amazes enough to label it (from my limited perspective) the best season of coaching I've ever seen from Geno. Maybe somebody wants to wonder if I just started watching last Monday. That's okay by me, and no backhanded slap at you. I'm richly engaged with the his year's team & season, players & coaches...and I was last year, the year before, and the year before.
I've gotten great joy watching the best of the various teams and the astonishing roster of players since, I'll figure, 1995, sometimes more present than others. But this injury-plagued, National Championship drought period that began during the time of the the second wave of COVID-19 and a broadened pool of skilled players in many conferences has special meaning.
[Over & out, too tired to re-read, proofread, correct, or edit, but I can't be too far off, and I hope that the worst of my errors will bring laughter to those who catch them. I definitely laughed at myself when I learned that I'd exceeded my time limit to edit]
Upon such a dubious foundation, I offer the simple response that John Fanta did not start watching basketball yesterday, but that he's only obligated by the words he chose, to consider teams since 2010.
I find it notable and commendable that he has responsibly framed his opinion in fully personal terms. He shows respect for his limited historical perdpective. I admire that.
I'll estimate that only half of the period he is considering exists during the period when he has pursued, to increasing success, a professional commitment to watching a lot of basketball. By contrast, I began watching my first college basketball games more than six decades. I'm disinclined to brush off anything Fanta says simply in the basis of having seen more over a longer period of time. He's not claiming that he has basis to make all-time pronouncements.
All things considered, I have been owed & delighted by UConn's game performance this season in unique ways. I'm deeply interest in watch what the do next, on Saturday night. I find nothing offensive or implausible in learning that someone who currently pays broad and close attention to the subject of my most passionate current leisure time interest has come to regard what he has been witnessing as being special in a way not unlike what I'm doing.
As a footnote of sorts, I'll add that this is my 4th consecutive season of watching the UConn Women's team playing at least 30 games, after decades of limiting my viewing to the biggest regular season matchups and tournaments not really until semi- or quarter-final games.
I've been present for unprecedented player losses due to injuries, massive lineups disruptions, the ending of various win streaks that I believe will never be equaled or exceeded again, and the challenges & drama that surround all of this. For UConn to have returned to the Final Four this season amazes enough to label it (from my limited perspective) the best season of coaching I've ever seen from Geno. Maybe somebody wants to wonder if I just started watching last Monday. That's okay by me, and no backhanded slap at you. I'm richly engaged with the his year's team & season, players & coaches...and I was last year, the year before, and the year before.
I've gotten great joy watching the best of the various teams and the astonishing roster of players since, I'll figure, 1995, sometimes more present than others. But this injury-plagued, National Championship drought period that began during the time of the the second wave of COVID-19 and a broadened pool of skilled players in many conferences has special meaning.
[Over & out, too tired to re-read, proofread, correct, or edit, but I can't be too far off, and I hope that the worst of my errors will bring laughter to those who catch them. I definitely laughed at myself when I learned that I'd exceeded my time limit to edit]
Ut oh, now I have a beef LOL
Great response.
The Courant had an article that compared us with other great teams and from what I could tell, there ain’t no one else like us. Florida, Duke and other repeat champions had to squeak out at least one game. We are dominating at a rate not seen since perhaps the 70s.
I will go on record as saying that even is this team loses in FF 4, there are the best team I’ve even see at UConn. The 3 loses? Pulllleeeasseeee…..
They never lost a game that mattered.
Let me repeat, this team has never lost a game of significance.
Now let’s move on to this weekend!
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This isn't difficult. UConn has won its last 10 NCAA Tournament games by a minimum of 13 points. NO OTHER TEAM in NCAA Tournament history has ever had a run of dominance like that. The 3 losses during the regular season were due to injuries to Clingan, Castle and Spencer. At full strength, this team is the best of the best.