I'm calling b.s. on this quote....

[pap49cba]

On one hand, considering Duke’s weak schedule – 131 on one SOS ranking compared to single-digit strengths for UConn, Baylor, Stanford and Notre Dame – it was felt coming in the Blue Devils may have been fortunate to still be unbeaten but that they could have their hands full again.

McCallie agreed that stronger opponents would have made her team better prepared but explained, “It’s not as easy as you think. Some teams won’t play you, refuse to play you. And some teams say come play us, but we’re not going to return.

“So it’s not as easy as you think, unless we could get some help, maybe, from ESPN."

Seems to me if Uconn, ND, Baylor, Tenn, Stanford and others can figure out a way to play the top teams Duke can also.

 

[speedoo]

Yes, I had the same reaction. It's not like there is something unusual about Duke.

 

[Aluminny69]

Just be glad they're willing to play UConn, especially after UConn has destroyed them so many times. Didn't North Carolina drop UConn for that very same reason?

Fat chance UConn gets invited to the ACC. It would be a tremendous blow to their egos.

 

[HuskyNan]

Just be glad they're willing to play UConn, especially after UConn has destroyed them so many times. Didn't North Carolina drop UConn for that very same reason?

No, in fact Sylvia Hatchell wanted to continue the series but Geno said officially that said he wants to cultivate new rivalries. Unofficially, he implied he wasn't getting much benefit from playing UNC.

 

[UConnCat]

Duke and Tenn used to play every year. What happened? I used to enjoy those games. Duke and Stanford played a home and home a few years ago but I guess it wasn't renewed. I'd like to know which team or teams turned Duke down.

 

[Scotter]

No, in fact Sylvia Hatchell wanted to continue the series but Geno said officially that said he wants to cultivate new rivalries. Unofficially, he implied he wasn't getting much benefit from playing UNC.

I think what Geno said is true, but I also think ESPN had reasonably lost confidence in the UNC-UConn matchups, and the UConn-Oklahoma matchup as well for that matter. I suspect ESPN has been a huge help in UConn scheduling the big out of conferences games, and Geno earns that help by pretty much being willing to play whoever and whenever ESPN wants unlike many other coaches. And he never complains about having to play multiple big out of conference games in the few openings in the Big East conference schedule.

 

[ThisJustIn]

I wonder if Cam has some insight. Mostly because head coaches seem to be saying one thing and doing another.

'cause didn't Coach P just say "everyone good" was "afraid" to play Duke?

 

[vtcwbuff]

On one hand, considering Duke’s weak schedule – 131 on one SOS ranking compared to single-digit strengths for UConn, Baylor, Stanford and Notre Dame – it was felt coming in the Blue Devils may have been fortunate to still be unbeaten but that they could have their hands full again.

McCallie agreed that stronger opponents would have made her team better prepared but explained, “It’s not as easy as you think. Some teams won’t play you, refuse to play you. And some teams say come play us, but we’re not going to return.

“So it’s not as easy as you think, unless we could get some help, maybe, from ESPN."

Seems to me if Uconn, ND, Baylor, Tenn, Stanford and others can figure out a way to play the top teams Duke can also.

I have heard Auriemma say exactly the same thing on more than one occassion.
I don't think you are reading the quote as she intended. I didn't get that other teams are afraid to play Duke, what I got was that scheduling, especially the top teams, can be difficult.

 

[Icebear]

I have heard Auriemma say exactly the same thing on more than one occassion.

Me, too.

 

[Scotter]

I believe there were comments from Duke about only wanting to play one of the two super programs each espn, although I guess it could have been the Vols idea of delayed "punishment" for the Cameron Crazies behind the scenes.

Duke dropped Tenn for the season in which it started the current UConn series.

 

[pap49cba]

I have heard Auriemma say exactly the same thing on more than one occassion.

I believe it was said in the context of building a full schedule if one has no conference affiliation. Clearly Uconn has been able to schedule plenty of strong teams as have the other schools I mentioned.

 

[Icebear]

I believe it was said in the context of building a full schedule if one has no conference affiliation. Clearly Uconn has been able to schedule plenty of strong teams as have the other schools I mentioned.

No, he expressed those thoughts for years. Talked about it in the context of starting the program and in finding teams today.

 

[UConnCat]

And he never complains about having to play multiple big out of conference games in the few openings in the Big East conference schedule.

That's a good point and one I've made several times on this board. Very few teams are willing to play even one OOC game in the middle of conference play much less play 3 OOC games in Jan and Feb which UConn has done over the past few years. Fans of other teams complain about UConn and ESPN games but few teams are willing to step up and play the top teams in Jan and Feb. This year UConn plays only 2 OOC games during BE play, and Mulkey agreed to play in Feb very reluctantly. I understand that neither Tenn nor ND were particularly thrilled with the Jan date for their match-up but ultimately agreed after being told it was the only date ESPN had.

 

[pap49cba]

No, he expressed those thoughts for years. Talked about it in the context of starting the program and in finding teams today.

Forget starting a program. None of the teams I mentioned are starting a program. To me, it comes down to where there's a will there's a way. IMHO, Duke (Coach P.) is lacking in the 'will' department.

 

[Icebear]

Forget starting a program. None of the teams I mentioned are starting a program. To me, it comes down to where there's a will there's a way. IMHO, Duke (Coach P.) is lacking in the 'will' department.

I meant those as parameters.

 

[pap49cba]

If everybody was 'afraid' to play certain teams nobody would be scheduling Baylor during the current Griner/Sims era. Uconn does. ND does. Stanford and Tenn does.

Unfortunately, the NCAA has helped to create this mess by making it appear that a team must win at least 20 games to qualify for the tournament. Also, everyone is worried about seeding given the current regional set-up. Not a biggie. Just my two cents.

Would be interested in Cam's view of this from the other side.

 

[Wonkster]

.
I may have missed it, but I don't think anyone has mentioned a Geno comment from a few years back where he said it was difficult to schedule ACC teams due to some quirk in the way that conference handled OOC scheduling. Don't remember the details.

 

[HuskyNan]

.
I may have missed it, but I don't think anyone has mentioned a Geno comment from a few years back where he said it was difficult to schedule ACC teams due to some quirk in the way that conference handled OOC scheduling. Don't remember the details.

Wasn't a quirk, it was $$$. Remember how desperately Geno tried to get a home game for Shea? The schools were willing, but the ACC wanted some ridiculous concessions that couldn't be worked out.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I think you folks are making way to much of her comments, which sound fairly spot-on for a coach who is balancing scheduling, wins, the dollars, etc.

There is no question that ESPN "helps" with scheduling for big games, and I never thought just for UConn, although, if I might point it out, you "are" the sexy TV draw AND Geno is very willing to play whoever. Still, I'm sure they nudge other games, as well. In general, there is less of a tendancy to schedule OOC games after conference play than several years ago - never common, but especially scarce now.

Of course Duke could make a choice to play other better teams, at whatever perceived disadvantage - not when they want, not getting the return visit, not getting enough $$, etc. But in the end, the coach and other folks involved (and make no mistake, it is never 100% up to the coach) do the best they can to develop a schedule that meets their needs.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Scheduling Insights, Part I:

As for Duke vs. TN/UConn, it is not that often that Duke has played both Tennessee and UConn in the same season, as part of the regular season games. It happened in 1998-1999, when Duke played both UConn and Tennessee on neutral sites in the regular season and played Tennessee again in the NCAA Tournament. It also happened in 2002-2003 (Duke played UConn and Tennessee in the regular season, then Tennessee again in the NCAA Tournament), 2003-2004 (Duke played both schools in the regular season), 2005-2006 (Duke played both, but played Tennessee in the regular season and UConn in the NCAA Tournament), and 2007-2008 (Duke played UConn on a neutral court and Tennessee at home).

Gail Goestenkors preferred to play Pat Summitt and Tennessee; she was friendly with Coach Summitt and enjoyed their matchups. There also was some bad blood between Goestenkors and Geno Auriemma over the Brittany Hunter situation.

During her last nine years at Duke (the 1998-1999 season to 2006-2007), Duke and Tennessee played nine times, with Duke winning 5 of those games. The first five games were played on neutral courts; the last four games were part of home-and-home series. During the same time, Duke and UConn played four times (once on a neutral court, once in the NCAA Tournament, and two games as part of a home-and-home series), with the teams splitting the four games.

Joanne P. McCallie took over the Duke program in April 2007. By then, Duke and Tennessee had already agreed to another home-and-home series (this was agreed to when Goestenkors was still the coach). So Duke and Tennessee played in the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 season, splitting the games. Duke has played UConn five times in Coach P's previous five seasons, with this month's matchup being the sixth time (this is her sixth season at Duke). Duke is now 0-6 against UConn in these games; five of the losses have been between 26 and 36 points.

Coach P had a prior relationship with Coach Auriemma and prefers to play UConn. They have a shared Italian heritage, and she is one of the few female coaches who "gets" his sense of humor and "gives it right back" to him. They also had a home-and-home series when she was at Michigan State. The Duke-UConn series has been renewed the next two years (home-and-home).

Coach P did not have the same friendship with Coach Summitt. There have been rumors that Coach Summitt was upset over the 2005 Final Four game, though not sure of the specifics. Also, two former Lady Vols - Niya Butts and Semeka Randall - had very short assistant coaching stints with Coach P (totaling three years between the two of them) before they left for other assistant coaching positions. The scuttlebutt is that Randall did not have very nice things to say about Coach P; not sure what Butts thought.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Scheduling Insights, Part II:

Some of Duke's scheduling issues were timing; others had to do with whether it was a one-time game versus a home-and-home series.

This year's OOC schedule is somewhat of an anomaly. It has been a lot stronger in previous years. In 2010-2011, for example, Duke played three teams in the OOC schedule in the RPI Top Ten - UConn, Xaiver, and Texas A&M, plus Kentucky (which was 15th in RPI). In 2009-2010, Duke played four teams in the OOC schedule in the RPI Top Ten - UConn, Stanford, Ohio State, and Texas A&M.

In any event, Duke plays UConn against next year. Duke will also replace Cal on the schedule with Stanford (Duke and Stanford had a home-and-home series recently). Duke will also be playing Kentucky next year.