How did you become a huskie fan? | The Boneyard

How did you become a huskie fan?

D

dcheng021

Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Messages
82
Reaction Score
597
For me, it was after the UCONN - South Carolina game 2 years ago when Paige hit that crazy 3 pointer in overtime. I was a huge Michael Jordan fan growing up, and then a huge Dirk Nowitzki/Dallas Mavericks fan, and after Dirk retired, I completely lost interest in basketball. Then, just randomly the TV was on in the background at a friend's house, and there was buzz around some Paige Bueckers and how she scored 30 points in an OT win in a battle between the top two teams in the country. That piques my interest so later that day, I decide to youtube some highlights from the South Carolina game. My observations were 1) Paige was very good and 2) UCONN played really good team basketball and shared the ball well, but what really stole my attention was #10 celebrating with fist pumps, screams, chest bumps, and floor slapping at the end of each highlight, so I looked her up and found out she was Nika Muhl, a freshman from Croatia. I ended up finding MJL243's channel and re-watched the entire SC game, and then ended up watching the Marquette and St Johns games and I've been hooked on UCONN women's basketball ever since. To sum it up, I came because of Paige Bueckers, but stayed for Nika Muhl. Will admit I was a little despondent at the beginning of last season when Nika was barely playing and then got injured, but this season she's been playing over 30+ minutes every game and I've been happy as a clam. Also SO SO glad that conveniently UCONN happened to have the best discussion forum of any women's basketball team in the nation. Was curious if other teams had anything similar to the boneyard and was pretty shocked at how little activity there was on the Stanford and South Carolina forums considering all the success those teams have had.

Would love to hear other folks share stories about how they became UCONN fans.
 
I went to the same High School as Tommy Penders. He was two years ahead of me. As a sophomore, he was starting point guard ( I don't think they called it that back then). The 64 -65 team went something like 25 and 2, made the NCAA tourney which only had 32 teams back then. Toby Kimball and Wes Bialosuknia were stars of the team. Then I went to UConn, as it was the only college I could afford. I think it was $1500 a semester back then. There were no Women's teams in any sports back then.
 
I grew up in CT in the 50’s and remember sneaking a transistor radio under the covers at night to listen to men’s basketball. (In hindsight I have doubts as to whether this ploy really fooled my parents. My mom, interestingly, was way more interested in sports than my dad.)

I moved to Wisconsin in the ‘70s for college but my two older brothers never left New England and it was the oldest who started following the women’s team after Geno and CD took over, and who got me interested. The three of us went to two Final Fours and one regional finals and these remain among my fondest memories. I’ve gone to a few games at Gampel and the civic center, as well as games at Marquette and at Cincy during the brief time I lived in Michigan, and tournament games in Albany with my son-in-law and granddaughter. Also great memories.
 
Must have been 15 years ago, first watching the UConn women on TV, running up and down court as if their lives were on the line. The hustle and grit, plus Geno, plus teamplay, camaraderie, and talent. I’d followed only the men’s game before — college men beginning with the Cazzie Russell years at Michigan. And before that the NBA with the Rochester Royals. (if that dates me, so be it.) And the women’s game way back then? Limited, weird, sexist.
 
My brother in law and I went to Don Lugo HS years ago to checkout some young upstart named Taurasi. She was amazing and made her entire time better. Some of the guys from the other team were chanting “overrated” everytime she touched the ball. It was at this moment I realized I was gonna follow her career and cast shame on every person who chanted that unoriginal chant at greatness. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
 
.-.
dcheng021 said:
For me, it was after the UCONN - South Carolina game 2 years ago when Paige hit that crazy 3 pointer in overtime. I was a huge Michael Jordan fan growing up, and then a huge Dirk Nowitzki/Dallas Mavericks fan, and after Dirk retired, I completely lost interest in basketball. Then, just randomly the TV was on in the background at a friend's house, and there was buzz around some Paige Bueckers and how she scored 30 points in an OT win in a battle between the top two teams in the country. That piques my interest so later that day, I decide to youtube some highlights from the South Carolina game. My observations were 1) Paige was very good and 2) UCONN played really good team basketball and shared the ball well, but what really stole my attention was #10 celebrating with fist pumps, screams, chest bumps, and floor slapping at the end of each highlight, so I looked her up and found out she was Nika Muhl, a freshman from Croatia. I ended up finding MJL243's channel and re-watched the entire SC game, and then ended up watching the Marquette and St Johns games and I've been hooked on UCONN women's basketball ever since. To sum it up, I came because of Paige Bueckers, but stayed for Nika Muhl. Will admit I was a little despondent at the beginning of last season when Nika was barely playing and then got injured, but this season she's been playing over 30+ minutes every game and I've been happy as a clam. Also SO SO glad that conveniently UCONN happened to have the best discussion forum of any women's basketball team in the nation. Was curious if other teams had anything similar to the boneyard and was pretty shocked at how little activity there was on the Stanford and South Carolina forums considering all the success those teams have had.

Would love to hear other folks share stories about how they became UCONN fans.
Expand ...
I was a men's fan, and first women's game I watched was the 1994 loss to North Carolina, became a fan when I started watching the following season CPTV, and was captivated by the intensity and passing, favorites on that team were Jen & Nykesa Sales, I'm partial to great defense.
 
Used to read in the Danbury News-Times about a girl at New Fairfield High who was apparently a pretty good basketball player. I kept looking to see when she was in the paper (which was often) and sorta followed her high school career (I should have gone to a game! Wish I could go back in time!) I saw that she was graduating and moving on to UConn. One day I happened to be flipping channels and saw UConn playing on CPTV. I think I can count on one hand the games I've missed watching since then. I've been to several Sweet 16/Elite 8 rounds and games in Hartford (only one at Gampel as I live on the NY border). Favorite, and one that may never be topped, is the double overtime win over NC State last year in Bridgeport. I'm really hoping everyone gets healthy and I want to go to the Final Four in 2024.
 
Aluminny69 said:
I went to the same High School as Tommy Penders. He was two years ahead of me. As a sophomore, he was starting point guard ( I don't think they called it that back then). The 64 -65 team went something like 25 and 2, made the NCAA tourney which only had 32 teams back then. Toby Kimball and Wes Bialosuknia were stars of the team. Then I went to UConn, as it was the only college I could afford. I think it was $1500 a semester back then. There were no Women's teams in any sports back then.
Expand ...
Ditto. No women’s sports team at my HS or college either.
 
In 1989 ,Carl Adamec informed me about UConn womens BB and this coach Geno . This guy was going to take this team places. I started following them and womens bb after this. I attended some games over the years as people I knew had season tickets and would ask me if I would want to go to certain games. My daughters went to UConn and I attended some games with them. I did not come across the boneyard until 2014 or 2015.
 
We were UCMBB fans first, as they had more tv coverage. Hubby and I worked with Laura Lishness' dad in the late 80s. He casually mentioned that she played for UConn, they were pretty good, and catch them on tv if we could, which was a challenge. We became fans after that.
 
.-.
In 2013 I was watching ESPN and they did a bit on Brianna Stewart and her quote that she was going to UCONN to win 4 NC's. I went on Google and looked UCONN up and was blown away with GENO's and UCONN,,s BB record. I love sports but never was a fan of men's BB in college or Pros. I knew little about Women's BB so I started to follow UCONN. Brianna was amazing and her teammates were perfect for her. I've been wayching UCONN BB ever since and in January 22 joined the Bone Yard and am a die hard fan. GO HUSKIES!!!
 
Grew up a huskies fan, went to my first ever game when I was like 12-13 years old (happened to be Diana Taurasi's senior night). Had the tradition of watching the games on TV at my grandmas - and of course we made milkshakes at halftime - and then we (my parents and I, now my spouse too) kept going to the games at Gampel Pavilion in person.
 
I've got two words to answer this: Rebecca Lobo. She arrived, and the program (as well as WCBB) caught my eye. When she ran around the court like a mad thing after winning the NC, it felt like such a celebration of life and everything great and good.

After Stewie's years, I got distracted and stopped following for awhile -- really stopped following all sports. But then a friend sent me links to a few videos of a high school kid in Minnesota. In one of them the local NBA star, Karl Anthony Towns, is in the stands and presents her with a trophy. In another Geno is watching in the stands. I was hooked, and I watched every game I could -- thankfully the local TV station posts videos to a lot of Hopkins HS games. And then she arrived at Storrs and it was like she revived the program for me, like a new Rebecca Lobo.

And that first year, it was like Paige and her best friend from high school, Jalen Suggs, were everywhere, working wonders wherever they went. What a moment! I so want it back again!
 
.-.
My daughter went to UConn. We started watching the men's BBall team and when we started complaining about how we had difficulty getting tickets she suggested that we watch the women instead. We did and we were hooked. That was early 90s.
 
Aluminny69 said:
I went to the same High School as Tommy Penders. He was two years ahead of me. As a sophomore, he was starting point guard ( I don't think they called it that back then). The 64 -65 team went something like 25 and 2, made the NCAA tourney which only had 32 teams back then. Toby Kimball and Wes Bialosuknia were stars of the team. Then I went to UConn, as it was the only college I could afford. I think it was $1500 a semester back then. There were no Women's teams in any sports back then.
Expand ...
You were a couple years ahead of me at UConn ('68-72 for me). Actually, in 1965, there were only 16 teams in the NCAA's. (Went to 32 teams in 1975.) The 1968-69 season was Burr Carlson's second (and last) season, How does 5-19 sound? No women's basketball team that I recall. I think the first teams might have played (or maybe practiced) in the old Hawley Armory.

UConn was barely $1000 a year my first three years - room, board, student activity fee and NO tuition. They started charging tuition my senior year. I lived off campus that year, so the bill was about the same. Imagine - four years at UConn for less than $5K total.
 
I was 10 years old in 1994 and my Aunt on my father's side (a UConn grad) found out that I had started playing basketball the previous year. She told me I should start paying attention to a player named Rebecca Lobo. So I did as much as I could living in FL, and after that she would send me everything from tshirts to news stories about the huskies. One of the best things she sent me was a pin that I had on my backpack all through school and somehow never lost it. Now my daughter wears it when we go to our yearly game. After Rebecca graduated, I continued to follow the huskies and watch every game I could and collect every UConn women's basketball item I could. Now I get to share watching the huskies with my daughter and it's all because of my Aunt.
 
.-.
In 1965 I enrolled at UConn and got hooked on UConn Basketball. I even slept outside overnight one year to get tickets to a playoff game. Security took pity on us fanatics at about 5:00 AM they let us enter the fieldhouse to continue our wait in line. They were probably afraid someone would freeze to death outside! The rest is "history"!
 
Wendy Davis played HS basketball in the same county where I live in southeastern PA. She was recruited in 1988. To build up arm strength for the three point shots, she worked for our local utility in the field. Don't know if she climbed poles. All this is according to articles in our local newspaper, The Reading Eagle. The rest they say is history and I have been a fan ever since.
 
I was going through some difficult personal times during the 91-92 season. I was literally watching any basketball game with any teams as a distraction. I never really watched the sport before that but I somehow got hooked. At some point either that year or the next there were a couple of women’s games on TV. I saw them and after that I was completely addicted.
 
Your timing is extraordinary following Maya’s retirement.
Several years ago I had a friend whose son went to UConn.
After a parents weekend he came to work raving about how good this “girls “ basketball is.
So out of curiosity we traveled to Gampel to see a game.
I will never forget seeing for the first time live Maya flying down the court on a fast break like a gazelle
It was love at first sight
Have a great retirement Maya You are missed but not forgotten
 
Became a Big East men’s Fan in 1979 or 1980, rooting for what I joke is the only professional sporting team between NYC and Buffalo. Still have nightmares about Keith Smart and the 1987 Final Four.

My High School had a pretty good girl’s team and I started following UConn spring 1995. First women’s college game I saw in person was the UConn Western Kentucky game fall 1996.

Pac 12 is my primary league I root for, but also support the Big East as my second league.

One of my favorite fan stories is holding my 8 month old daughter standing in front of the TV with a men’s game on. She had a confused look on her face. I chuckled when I realized she’d seen a lot of women’s games, but had never seen men play.
 
.-.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,508
Messages
4,579,438
Members
10,489
Latest member
Djw06001


Top Bottom