In case/when UConn loses a game next year....

[bags27]

It's been so long that it would be good to review how Yarders reacted to previous loses (spoiler alert: not well). Here's the page from the 2012 St. John's loss:
UConn Women's Basketball

note that Nan closed two of the threads, suggesting just how tiresome the complaints and second guessing get.

Ancient Stoics practiced thinking about the worst thing that could befall them, in order to be able to control their emotions when bad things actually did occur. So, how are we going to feel if ND takes UConn apart at South Bend in front of a national TV audience?

 

[Kibitzer]

So, how are we going to feel if ND takes UConn apart at South Bend in front of a national TV audience?

Governor Malloy will simply activate the National Guard and deploy state troopers to cease any pedestrian traffic on all bridges.

Local police will shut down all bars and package stores. All hospitals will prime triage teams for possible emergency activation.

Susan Herbst orders UConn campus on complete lockdown.

Aside from these minor preparations, nothing much.

 

[CocoHusky]

I for one love the over reaction to the over the top reaction when UCONN plays even a few bad minutes of basketball. Usually it is a very few with unrealistic expectations. One classic one after the Stanford loss stated that Clearly Tara had surpassed Geno as a big game coach-I am still ROTFL about that.

 

[j66kicker]

I for one love the over reaction to the over the top reaction when UCONN plays even a few bad minutes of basketball. Usually it is a very few with unrealistic expectations. One classic one after the Stanford loss stated that Clearly Tara had surpassed Geno as a big game coach-I am still ROTFL about that.

Actually those expectations have become realistic.

 

[bags27]

I for one love the over reaction to the over the top reaction when UCONN plays even a few bad minutes of basketball. Usually it is a very few with unrealistic expectations. One classic one after the Stanford loss stated that Clearly Tara had surpassed Geno as a big game coach-I am still ROTFL about that.

Yes, I believe the threads of the Stanford game are here:
UConn Women's Basketball

they make for some fun reading

 

[VAMike23]

Not all losses are equal! There are good losses and bad losses, and losses that are in-between, all depending on the nature of the team. Obviously Vince Lombardi would disagree.

Unlike those (many?) on here who love to break out the dreaded "Fan of Winning" moniker whenever they see Boneyarders bellyache after a loss or a poor outing, my reaction to games is based more on how well we play up to our potential, keeping in mind that there is obviously no such thing as a perfect game. That's never my expectation.

For most of the past 8 years, we've had outstanding, truly dominant teams with noticeably more talented players than our opponent. A veritable Golden Age of UCONN basketball, really. Rare exceptions where we have not *clearly* had the best squad include some Baylor games with O. Sims and BG, the odd Stanford game, and one or two others. Case in point - when we played Baylor tough at their place a few years back in the BG/OSims era, with KML having a great first half, I didn't gripe so much as wince when we played tight at the end and lost. We showed that we could have done it and we put a real scare into Mulkey's squad. I believe the final margin was in the single digits. I felt good about the statement the team made with that effort, despite the loss. Losing to St. John's was a different story. That was not a good performance. A game we should really have won. Doesn't mean the team deserved to be thrown under the bus, so for those who saw comments that sounded like bus-throwing, I would agree that those comments were out of line. However, after a bad loss a fair amount of fan(atical) behavior should not be a surprise in the world of big-time sports. I regard UCONN WBB as a big-time sport, though many out there would disagree.

Bottom line -- as Geno has said of late, when we play our "A" game there's not been much that anyone can really do. A corollary to this would be Geno's famous "I've got (Dee, Maya, Stewie) and they don't" line. So when those teams lose, it's either because the other team went wild and played the game of their life, in which case you tip your hat, or we had a crappy game, at which point some sports fans (fan is short for "fanatic," not "cheerleader") will spout off. This is in fact the norm in the world of sports, college included (not just pro). This is not to excuse personal attacks, low blows, or perspectives that are completely unreasonable given the differences between collegiate student athletes and pro athletes.

This year, I will be rooting for us to do as well as we can, individually and as a team (just like everyone here) in the belief that we'll get a lot better by March/April and that we will have something to say about who is in the Final Four. We will still have a ton of wins, but this team will likely drop several games even when they have played well (not just "played hard" ... all UCONN squads play hard for 40 minutes). So if we lose games and play like , yeah I'll probably say or think some things that many BYers wouldn't like to hear, just as I did in college when our men's BB team would lay an egg -- or the football team, which produced many eggs. This behavior was the norm in my experience, in the Big 12 at least (Big 8 back then).

YMMV

 

[j66kicker]

Not all losses are equal! There are good losses and bad losses, and losses that are in-between, all depending on the nature of the team. Obviously Vince Lombardi would disagree.

Unlike those (many?) on here who love to break out the dreaded "Fan of Winning" moniker whenever they see Boneyarders bellyache after a loss or a poor outing, my reaction to games is based more on how well we play up to our potential, keeping in mind that there is obviously no such thing as a perfect game. That's never my expectation.

For most of the past 8 years, we've had outstanding, truly dominant teams with noticeably more talented players than our opponent. A veritable Golden Age of UCONN basketball, really. Rare exceptions where we have not *clearly* had the best squad include some Baylor games with O. Sims and BG, the odd Stanford game, and one or two others. Case in point - when we played Baylor tough at their place a few years back in the BG/OSims era, with KML having a great first half, I didn't gripe so much as wince when we played tight at the end and lost. We showed that we could have done it and we put a real scare into Mulkey's squad. I believe the final margin was in the single digits. I felt good about the statement the team made with that effort, despite the loss. Losing to St. John's was a different story. That was not a good performance. A game we should really have won. Doesn't mean the team deserved to be thrown under the bus, so for those who saw comments that sounded like bus-throwing, I would agree that those comments were out of line. However, after a bad loss a fair amount of fan(atical) behavior should not be a surprise in the world of big-time sports. I regard UCONN WBB as a big-time sport, though many out there would disagree.

Bottom line -- as Geno has said of late, when we play our "A" game there's not been much that anyone can really do. A corollary to this would be Geno's famous "I've got (Dee, Maya, Stewie) and they don't" line. So when those teams lose, it's either because the other team went wild and played the game of their life, in which case you tip your hat, or we had a crappy game, at which point some sports fans (fan is short for "fanatic," not "cheerleader") will spout off. This is in fact the norm in the world of sports, college included (not just pro). This is not to excuse personal attacks, low blows, or perspectives that are completely unreasonable given the differences between collegiate student athletes and pro athletes.

This year, I will be rooting for us to do as well as we can, individually and as a team (just like everyone here) in the belief that we'll get a lot better by March/April and that we will have something to say about who is in the Final Four. We will still have a ton of wins, but this team will likely drop several games even when they have played well (not just "played hard" ... all UCONN squads play hard for 40 minutes). So if we lose games and play like , yeah I'll probably say or think some things that many BYers wouldn't like to hear, just as I did in college when our men's BB team would lay an egg -- or the football team, which produced many eggs. This behavior was the norm in my experience, in the Big 12 at least (Big 8 back then).

YMMV

I don't remember any "good losses". Don't believe in them.

 

[Nuyoika]

I just pray that we don't turn into cannibals and start acting like some of the fans on volnation this past year when TN had a year of "unexpected turmoil"...

 

[VAMike23]

I don't remember any "good losses". Don't believe in them.

The 2014 loss at Stanford sure didn't feel good at the time. Geno said it was 'a shock.'

But I honestly think it was a good loss in that it really amp'ed the team up for the rest of the year and made them focus that much harder. At least that's what I recall from the players' interviews later that season. I think it paid dividends. Having said that, I know I wasn't happy at all when it happened

 

[HuskyNan]

Like the 7 Stages of Grief, there are 7 Stages of Recovery from a Loss:

1. It starts with blaming one or more players. Typical statements: "She can't play at [insert name of opponent]'s level", etc.

2. Then it moves onto blaming Geno, questioning his substitutions, combination of players on the floor, time outs or lack thereof, etc

3. Worry about the team's ranking becomes endemic

4. Closely followed by worry about NCAA tourney seeding or even chances of making the tournament. It's also common for polls to pop up, asking people to guess which round UConn will lose in, and so on

5. At this point, the people that aren't as bothered by the losses or who see something positive (improvement in the players, etc) start to get louder because they're tired of the negativity

6. Brush fires pop up on the board with spats and arguments and not of the good-natured kind. It's at this point JS, Biff, and I start talking to each other 3-4 times a day and we send a bunch of PMs to folks trying to get the crowd calmed down

7. No, there's no recovery or acceptance, not really. Unfortunately for the mods, we now have to beat off the trolls and protect the fans that want to discuss the negative aspects of the season from people who have a different perspective. Mostly, the two sides coexist peacefully but after a loss, it can get ugly. Finger pointing, name calling, questioning the "real" fandom of the opposite point of view....sigh. I'm not looking forward to it, honestly.

 

[msf22b]

It was clear when last season started that we had (or were) among the most dominating teams of all time
with regard personnel, winning experience and coaching.
And the hoped for results materialized.

Next season is a different story.

A very fine team, but not (one anticipates) on the level of what we have seen the last several years.
Watching them grow and find their identity will be a fascinating journey and an huge challenge for a coach with little down time between the emotional roller-coaster of the Olympics ( if it is even held...which I suspect it will not be).

There may very well be losses. I am emotionally prepared and philosophically ready for whatever the season brings.

It will be a wonderful year to be a UConn fan. I am so looking forward to it.

And the following season...the domination begins again in ernest.

 

[johnnyc]

Like the 7 Stages of Grief, there are 7 Stages of Recovery from a Loss:

1. It starts with blaming one or more players. Typical statements: "She can't play at [insert name of opponent]'s level", "I don't know why Geno had her on the floor at the end of the game/when UConn was only XX points behind", etc.

2. Then it moves onto blaming Geno, questioning his substitutions, combination of players on the floor, time outs or lack thereof, etc

3. Worry about the team's ranking becomes endemic

4. Closely followed by worry about seeding or even chances of making the tournament. It's also common for polls to pop up, asking people to guess which round UConn will lose in, and so on

5. At this point, the people that aren't as bothered by the losses or who see something positive (improvement in the players, etc) start to get louder because they're getting tired of the negativity

6. Brush fires pop up on the board with spats and arguments and not of the good-natured kind. It's at this point JS, Biff, and I start talking to each other 3-4 times a day and we send a bunch of PMs to folks trying to get the crowd calmed down

7. No, there's no recovery or acceptance, not really. Unfortunately for the mods, we now have to beat off the trolls and protect the fans that want to discuss the negative aspects of the season from people who have a different perspective. Mostly, the two sides coexist peacefully but after a loss, it can get ugly. Finger pointing, name calling, questioning the "real" fandom of the opposite point of view....sigh. I'm not looking forward to it, honestly.

There's a few members who reach those stages in game winning threads!

 

[Tonyc]

This year will be different then many of the past seasons. With that said why are so many fans thinking about losing? The season hasnt even started yet. Do you remember when ND graduated their top players and the following season went undefeated? Im not thinking we will lose. We may but why think about it. I dont understand. This is a big time program that executes like no other team in all of basketball. Now with that said the past few seasons Ive said UConn is invincible. This year that has to be proven to me. I think this season will come down to our post play. I know we can execute and play defense. Now listen dont compare this team to last years team when making your decisions on defense offense chemistry etc. This is not last years team. We are starting all over again. Our post play will make the difference either way. So lets wait and see how we develop as individuals and as a team. Lets sit back and enjoy their development . We just witnessed a phenom of seasons that may never be duplicated so lets come back down to reality. We are really talented and good. We need to rebuild our team play, chemistry and continuity. So lets wait and see how we come around. Hey we may lose a game or more. So what we are building toward another NC not an undefeated season. If we win a NC without an undefeated season it gives us something to shoot for next season. Its all about winning NCs.

 

[NEforceUConn]

..............There may very well be losses. I am emotionally prepared and philosophically ready for whatever the season brings.............

Well if you are not prepared spent a little time over on the FB board reading old threads. Enough material there to cover the 2016 Phily 76ers.

 

[Aluminny69]

I am reminded of a very odd UConn factoid: a very poor record in games decided by less than 5 points. Something like 1-8? Don't remember it exactly, but definitely not a record to be proud. Of course, the fact that they play so few games decided by less than five points is a major factor!

 

[HuskyNan]

I am reminded of a very odd UConn factoid: a very poor record in games decided by less than 5 points. Something like 1-8? Don't remember it exactly, but definitely not a record to be proud. Of course, the fact that they play so few games decided by less than five points is a major factor!

Of those 8 losses, 5 were to Notre Dame, 2 to Baylor, and 1 to St. John's. Those took place during the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 seasons. UConn went to the Final Four in one of those years (lost to ND in overtime) and won the championship the other year.

UConn may have some losses and close wins next year but the Huskies will be the team no one wants in their bracket.


.

 

[CPD016]

Stewies departure from the team is the equivalent of Joe Fraziers left hook that sent Ali to the canvas. It is a devastating blow. Of course, after the loss, Ali went on to win more championship fights.

 

[chuck.r]

Like the 7 Stages of Grief, there are 7 Stages of Recovery from a Loss:

1. It starts with blaming one or more players. Typical statements: "She can't play at [insert name of opponent]'s level", etc.

2. Then it moves onto blaming Geno, questioning his substitutions, combination of players on the floor, time outs or lack thereof, etc

3. Worry about the team's ranking becomes endemic

4. Closely followed by worry about NCAA tourney seeding or even chances of making the tournament. It's also common for polls to pop up, asking people to guess which round UConn will lose in, and so on

5. At this point, the people that aren't as bothered by the losses or who see something positive (improvement in the players, etc) start to get louder because they're tired of the negativity

6. Brush fires pop up on the board with spats and arguments and not of the good-natured kind. It's at this point JS, Biff, and I start talking to each other 3-4 times a day and we send a bunch of PMs to folks trying to get the crowd calmed down

7. No, there's no recovery or acceptance, not really. Unfortunately for the mods, we now have to beat off the trolls and protect the fans that want to discuss the negative aspects of the season from people who have a different perspective. Mostly, the two sides coexist peacefully but after a loss, it can get ugly. Finger pointing, name calling, questioning the "real" fandom of the opposite point of view....sigh. I'm not looking forward to it, honestly.

brilliant post!!!!!

 

[Charliebball]

Based on the yelling and screaming I witnessed here during this undefeated run, I can't even imagine what the reaction will be when UConn finally looses a game, never mind a few games.............

 

[DaddyChoc]

Im with TonyC... UConn will still be dominate

 

[meyers7]

Like the 7 Stages of Grief, there are 7 Stages of Recovery from a Loss:

1. It starts with blaming one or more players. Typical statements: "She can't play at [insert name of opponent]'s level", etc.

2. Then it moves onto blaming Geno, questioning his substitutions, combination of players on the floor, time outs or lack thereof, etc

3. Worry about the team's ranking becomes endemic

4. Closely followed by worry about NCAA tourney seeding or even chances of making the tournament. It's also common for polls to pop up, asking people to guess which round UConn will lose in, and so on

5. At this point, the people that aren't as bothered by the losses or who see something positive (improvement in the players, etc) start to get louder because they're tired of the negativity

6. Brush fires pop up on the board with spats and arguments and not of the good-natured kind. It's at this point JS, Biff, and I start talking to each other 3-4 times a day and we send a bunch of PMs to folks trying to get the crowd calmed down

7. No, there's no recovery or acceptance, not really. Unfortunately for the mods, we now have to beat off the trolls and protect the fans that want to discuss the negative aspects of the season from people who have a different perspective. Mostly, the two sides coexist peacefully but after a loss, it can get ugly. Finger pointing, name calling, questioning the "real" fandom of the opposite point of view....sigh. I'm not looking forward to it, honestly.

And that's why y'all get paid the big bucks.

 

[cohenzone]

Or maybe we just play the Washington Generals every game and don't worry about losing. (If you don't know the Generals, you don't know the Harlem Globetrotters.)

 

[RowdyFan]

I am preparing by having season tickets to the CT Sun.

 

[veryolddog]

For the last 4 years, I have been a witness to the excellence of the greatest basketball program in the history of women's basketball. It may be that this program will have losses, but that does not matter to me. The UConn ethic of hard work, intensity of play, and the pursuit of excellence will always be entertaining and satisfying to me. As a 1964 graduate of UConn, I sit and watch with great pleasure. When I tell someone, that I went to UConn, they always bring up the Women's Basketball program and their achievements. UConn Women's program is now legendary and I am proud to be a graduate of this University.

What comes in the future does not really matter. It will be only a learning experience and time to make adjustments. These folks will always have a winning program.

 

[huskeynut]

I expect a couple of losses. That's just reality. But remember, Geno and his magnificent staff coach for the team to peak in March. Next season will be no exception.

The team is talented and gifted in so many ways. Any team who thinks UCONN is weak because the Big 3 are gone is fooling themselves. Our girls do not like to loose. They will claw and scrap every game. We will be just fine.