HCBD Bleeds Winning

[whaler11]

Yes. I appreciate the fact he's writing about the team - it's always good to get more coverage - but he comes up with some stuff that is just completely off the wall sometimes.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Don't hide behind Jimmy. You guys are a tag-team here. Own it.

Oh please. Grow a pair. Telling someone to worry about his team's squeaky clean image is one of the more tame things said on the BY. I've heard worse from you talking to fellow UConn fans.

 

[Stray_Dog]

So what is your argument with IrishFan if he's making great points??

I have nothing against his points or his argument except one, he is a fan of ND! I say this tongue in cheek, and do hope that on a Pro UConn message board that no husky fan will step up to defend him on this issue.

Now as for winning the AAC - Come on Man! No, just no, would I love to see this happen, Sure! But will it, realistically NO! What proof do we have that this team will win more games this year than we did last year? My bar for this team to claim to have improved is a minimum of 5 games. Teams we need to beat, StonyBrook, Army, Memphis, SMU, (and one of the three Temple, Boise, or USF). Why? Last year we only beat the three worst teams in the AAC. This year, we need to do the same but also beat the teams we should beat which we couldn't do last year. Yes my bar appears relatively low compared to most on this board, but this stone is just beginning to move. It is slow and will take time to gather speed. So, I just want to see games that we lose be close and games that we win - we win (no matter the point spread). It is Diaco's first year. He only needs to do better than last year to show that it was not the players but the coach. He doesn't need style points! He needs to WIN when we should WIN. He needs us to see the limits of our current players so we as fans can judge by the end of the season not our coach but our talent level. Then we can see how the UConn HCRB does in this capacity. Right now, the whole thing is a fuzzy picture and we are arguing about the things we cannot see!

Lets take it like our favorite team is: ONE GAME AT A TIME! Oh, and the part that sux for me, I am very impatient, and my impatience is felt more-so as may incorrectly be burdening our need for immediate success due to our position within the AAC and until we show success on the field, it is my opinion we are still here! However, I have begun to wonder - lets say we won every game for the rest of the season, what if we didn't get an invite to a P5 conference - who would you blame or would you be willing to just accept this? Because lets face it, we are not going anywhere no matter what we do this year or next. I think that if a P5 conference expands right now, it is either in desperation/panic or its P5 schools changing P5 conference affiliation. So other than the Big 12 do you see a potentially desperate conference. So keeping the argument focused on this thread, I don't see anything Diaco does short term as a negative so long as the team meets these minimum expectations. Less than that, and there will be very disgruntled fans. Meeting these requirements and I think we should focus on the program getting better with a "lets see what happens in year 2" But I think some of our fans have an unhealthy unrealistic approach to this team. We did only win three games last year! Isn't four an improvement? -now I agree four is not good enough for me, but I would take 5 and would love to see 6. Oh! and prior to the season, I was all hyped out myself thinking why not go 8-4. Thinking that PP was really THE issue and he was but how that problem manifested with the player's character in how they addressed practice or each other o their coaches. So beyond 6 wins, I think we are dreaming! And its okay to dream, to hope but neither one of those usually bring the results you want.

 

[sdhusky]

I think the goal should be winning the conference this year. It's probably as likely/achievable as a #7 seed winning the NCAA tournament.

Until we are out of contention for the AAC championship, that is what I looking for.

Fall back is getting to a bowl game and winning it.

 

[whaler11]

I think the goal should be winning the conference this year. It's probably as likely/achievable as a #7 seed winning the NCAA tournament.

Until we are out of contention for the AAC championship, that is what I looking for.

Fall back is getting to a bowl game and winning it.

While that is a nice goal it's nowhere near the same probability as a 7 seed winning the tourney.

It's not even in the same galaxy.

 

[Irishfan]

Uh, ok. Sure. Playing 57 players in a blowout win against Rice is equivalent to playing 50 players (including quite a few freshmen) in the first half of a game against BYU where you are 17 point underdogs. I'd imagine most of the 57 players played in garbage time.

To answer you're question, in the first half of football you really shouldn't be playing more than 35 guys. Even that is high. To play 50 in the first half is just utterly ridiculous if you're trying to win that game. By the way, I'm fine with Diaco if his approach to this is long term. I may not agree with it, but I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. If his idea of trying to win the game is playing 50 guys in the first half, then yes I think we have bigger problems.

Just as FYI, in Brian Kelly's opening season loss to South Florida in 2011, ND played 53 players. Face it Bob Diaco's mentor has a habit of playing a lot of players in the first game of the season. I expect Diaco to take some game practices from the things Kelly does. If you think this is a recipe for mediocrity that's fine, but it's worked well for Kelly, and I would expect Diaco to continue it in the future.

 

[Irishfan]

What are you talking about. I was the only one who was supporting your coach. Everyone else was saying he had no interest in winning, had given up, and was writing off the first three games of the year. I was saying that playing a lot of players is something he is used to and it has worked well for him in the past.

And are you seriously saying that the person who posted a picture of the ND defensive players being investigated wasn't taking a shot at Diaco. Give me a break.

I don't care if you guys like Diaco, as I've said before, I've met him a few times and like him a lot. I wish him well and would like to see him back at ND some day. But I think he will be a very good head coach if you guys don't run I'm out of town in his first year.

 

[sportsart]

What are you talking about. I was the only one who was supporting your coach. Everyone else was saying he had no interest in winning, had given up, and was writing off the first three games of the year. I was saying that playing a lot of players is something he is used to and it has worked well for him in the past.

And are you seriously saying that the person who posted a picture of the ND defensive players being investigated wasn't taking a shot at Diaco. Give me a break.

I don't care if you guys like Diaco, as I've said before, I've met him a few times and like him a lot. I wish him well and would like to see him back at ND some day. But I think he will be a very good head coach if you guys don't run I'm out of town in his first year.

That picture I posted was not a shot at Diaco, it was a shot at you and ND. You go ahead and throw Diaco under the bus because they are defensive players.

Hopefully you'll get the hint soon to buzz off.

 

[Irishfan]

That picture I posted was not a shot at Diaco, it was a shot at you and ND. You go ahead and throw Diaco under the bus because they are defensive players.

Hopefully you'll get the hint soon to buzz off.

Nice job, yes I'm sure the whole Diaco connection was just a coincidence. You would never take a shot at your coach.

 

[sdhusky]

While that is a nice goal it's nowhere near the same probability as a 7 seed winning the tourney.

It's not even in the same galaxy.

Really? Before this year, a #7 seed had never won a championship.

I've plenty of teams go from something like 3-5 in conference to 6-2 champions

 

[whaler11]

Really? Before this year, a #7 seed had never won a championship.

I've plenty of teams go from something like 3-5 in conference to 6-2 champions

Lol that is hardly the same thing.

First of all the NCAA tourney is completely different - there used to be a handful of teams that could win - now Kentucky sleepwalks through a season and puts a future NBA roster in as an 8 seed. Ten years ago a team like Villanova would have been closer to a 12 seed than a 2.

Secondly, sure 3-5 teams win conferences the next year. If you watched UConn on Friday and think that team has a better chance to win the AAC than Napier and company had to win the NCAA tourney then I'd suggest an introductory class on probability and statistics.

 

[whaler11]

Just as FYI, in Brian Kelly's opening season loss to South Florida in 2011, ND played 53 players. Face it Bob Diaco's mentor has a habit of playing a lot of players in the first game of the season. I expect Diaco to take some game practices from the things Kelly does. If you think this is a recipe for mediocrity that's fine, but it's worked well for Kelly, and I would expect Diaco to continue it in the future.

Too bad for Diaco there wasn't a thunderstorm to change the course of the game.

 

[Irishfan]

Too bad for Diaco there wasn't a thunderstorm to change the course of the game.

Yes, if it hadn't rained I'm sure Kelly would have only used 25 players.

 

[sdhusky]

Lol that is hardly the same thing.

First of all the NCAA tourney is completely different - there used to be a handful of teams that could win - now Kentucky sleepwalks through a season and puts a future NBA roster in as an 8 seed. Ten years ago a team like Villanova would have been closer to a 12 seed than a 2.

Secondly, sure 3-5 teams win conferences the next year. If you watched UConn on Friday and think that team has a better chance to win the AAC than Napier and company had to win the NCAA tourney then I'd suggest an introductory class on probability and statistics.

Whaler, no disrespect, but I took graduate level stat classes at UCONN and make my living using that knowledge every single day.

Last year, Auburn went from winless in the country to SEC champ & #2 in the country.

In 2011, Ohio St was 3-5 in the B1G and then went 12-0 in 2012.

It actually happens all the time in football.

 

[sdhusky]

FYI, the two times UCONN won the BE, we were 3-4 & 1-6 the previous year in conference.

Not much different than 3-5.

But, go ahead whale, teach me about stats.

 

[Jimdish255]

We can run as many players in and out as we like but our main issue is still the offensive line. And yes the coach's actions and statements indicate he is making compromises in the present to build for the future. I'm not totally on board to the extent he's taking it but I'll choose him in a heartbeat over what we had.

 

[UconnFamily]

We can run as many players in and out as we like but our main issue is still the offensive line. And yes the coach's actions and statements indicate he is making compromises in the present to build for the future. I'm not totally on board to the extent he's taking it but I'll choose him in a heartbeat over what we had.

The offensive line didn't seem to be the issue, well to me anyway. I think they played really good against BYU. I think the issue is the QB rotation, taking out Cochran when he rallies the team to the goal line is not a good move by Diaco. Cochran is hot and in rhythm and then you pull him out to bring in a cold not in rhythm Whitmer is not going to help the team score many points. It sucks that Cochran is injured and I hope he comes back soon, but now at-least we get to see how the offense responds to just one QB.

 

[Deadrody]

PP had a very good resume and was a nightmare.

He did ? Running the Syracuse program into the ground constitutes a very good resume ?!

 

[whaler11]

Whaler, no disrespect, but I took graduate level stat classes at UCONN and make my living using that knowledge every single day.

Last year, Auburn went from winless in the country to SEC champ & #2 in the country.

In 2011, Ohio St was 3-5 in the B1G and then went 12-0 in 2012.

It actually happens all the time in football.

Yeah it happens in a large sample size.

It doesn't happen to the team we saw last Friday.

If you want to ignore the additional data they delivered you can fantasize about conference championships.

 

[Deadrody]

ibleedblue,
Are you really going to try and argue that coaches can't evaluate players based on practice? Despite the fact they've been doing it since there have been organized sports? Some folks surely go to extremes to defend their positions.

Actually, yes, that is exactly correct. There is a difference between practice and game speed. Especially against an actual opponent as opposed to the scout team, or even your own first team offense / defense that is used to playing against the same playbook practice after practice.

The idea that you can completely evaluate your team entirely in practice is naive.

 

[sdhusky]

Yeah it happens in a large sample size.

It doesn't happen to the team we saw last Friday.

If you want to ignore the additional data they delivered you can fantasize about conference championships.

Ummm not to get all statisically on you but, one game isn't a large sample size. But you're the expert on stats.