Interesting Hatchell Comments Regarding Physical Play

[Huskyfaninsd]

I read the following from Fuller's Blog (http://elmcitytoeaglevillenhr.blogspot.com/) Maybe this is why UNC played so poorly. I don't think the game was physical at all. I think Hatchell should focus on addressing and resolving her team's flaws rather than blame the loss on the "execessive" physical play. I'm glad Geno replied the way he replied.

Later in the post-game press conference, Hatchell went into a long dissertation bemoaning the excessive physicality prevalent in today's game. She opened longed for a return to the days when finesse ruled the sport (perhaps in 1994 when the Tar Heels won the program's only national title).

Naturally Auriemma was asked for his opinion and he did not hold back.

"That is her opinion," Auriemma said. "I don't think Stefanie Dolson is physical at all so if Sylvia is worried about how physical Stefanie Dolson is, she should try to play in our league for about a month and then you could see what physical really is. I think the stuff off the ball and obviously if you watch the game, you see the fouls off the ball impact the game. I didn' t see a lot of that tonight. There wasn't a lot of that tonight, it was just run up and down and I didn't see any of that tonight. I would like for our big guys to be physical, that is part of being a big guy. That is what you are supposed to do.

"I don't want to disrespect anybody but in their league, they don't guard anybody so in our league we do.
(Former New York Knick stars) Bill Bradley and Dave DeBusschere were really good. I don't know how good they'd be today. Games change, men, women, high school, college, games change in some instances for the better and in some instances for the worse. I don't think we did anything today where you would say 'wow, that Connecticut team was really physical.' I remember when Shea, Sveta and those
guys were playing, you are talking about physical games we would have against Rutgers, Tennessee or anybody else. In some ways I think they cleaned up some of that. I don't think they let you play like they used to let you play. Yes, there was finesse back in the game when I was coaching at Virginia in 1983. I think those days are long gone. The kids are quicker, faster, they are better It doesn't mean they are better basketball players, don't get me wrong, but the game we played against Notre Dame, nobody could open. The game we played against West Virginia, nobody could get open. That is not good."

 

[alexrgct]

Jim Fuller needs to learn how to proofread. I know it's a blog, but come on- you're a professional writer.

As to the topic at hand, yes, between Georgetown, ND, WVU, Rutgers, Cuse, etc., the Big East plays some seriously chippy and physical ball. The funny thing is that UConn has the finesse label in the league. And no, I don't think UConn played especially physical ball last night.

 

[pap49cba]

Jeff Jacobs is not impressed...

 

[cohenzone]

The poor woman was shell-shocked. She confused aggressive with physical. If anything, UConn was more aggressive on the perimeter than on the interior and when I say aggressive, I don't mean that there was a lot of bumping, there was a lot of plain harassment. Sometimes "physical" is a euphemism for dirty and/or committing so many fouls that they all aren't called. Neither of those were the case last night on UConn's part. There is no doubt that since the Lobo days the game resembles the men's game more than it used to except for playing above the rim. Faster, better athletes over all, and UNC has been one of the leaders in that transition. If she wants to see physical, let her play at Rutgers.

 

[JS]

Jeff Jacobs is not impressed...

Chris Elsberry even less so.

Geno: "I don't want to disrespect anybody but in their league, they don't guard anybody. So, in our league, we do."

Ha ha. Why do I immediately think of UNC's upcoming replacement in the UConn/ACC home and home, Maryland?

 

[HuskyNan]

Later in the post-game press conference, Hatchell went into a long dissertation bemoaning the excessive physicality prevalent in today's game. She opened longed for a return to the days when finesse ruled the sport (perhaps in 1994 when the Tar Heels won the program's only national title).

This is why some traditional powers have struggled in recent years. Some coaches, like Geno, have adapted to the physical and societal changes that have influenced girls & women's basketball to date. Geno might complain about the reduced attention span of today's college-aged kid but he's learned to adapt his coaching to it while others try to impose what used to work for them on a generation that can't relate.

 

[Icebear]

Chris Elsberry even less so.

Geno: "I don't want to disrespect anybody but in their league, they don't guard anybody. So, in our league, we do."

Ha ha. Why do I immediately think of UNC's upcoming replacement in the UConn/ACC home and home, Maryland?

If any of the ACC schools learn from UConn and other Big East opponents the type of defense played here they will rule the ACC so long as the officials call the games as in the Big East. If not, Maryland will fare no better than UNC.

 

[HuskyNan]

If any of the ACC schools learn from UConn and other Big East opponents the type of defense played here they will rule the ACC so long as the officials call the games as in the Big East. If not, Maryland will fare no better than UNC.

It will be interesting to see how Syracuse and Pittsburgh do in the ACC. Both are physical teams; we'll see what the ACC refs think of Big East-style defense.

 

[Icebear]

It will be interesting to see how Syracuse and Pittsburgh do in the ACC. Both are physical teams; we'll see what the ACC refs think of Big East-style defense.

Exactly. I always have a concern as we go into the big dance as to how officials will call the games because of the variances we witness in conferences.

 

[Kibitzer]

Coach Hatchell is quoted as saying, "The game has become way too physical and that's why I think the scores, overall, are lower."

Huh?

A couple more considered thoughts:

• To be fair to Coach Hatchell and her team, they have indeed had an inordinate number of injuries. Hey, when you have to activate a manager (is that a water girl?) and she catches an elbow and a broken nose results, you know things are going bad.
• More seriously, are we looking at another situation where perhaps a formerly successful and effective coach may have lost her touch? Haven't we seen places where teams ("programs," if you insist) have been invigorated by the arrival of a young and energetic coach? (Syracuse and Seton Hall leap to mind, but there are many others.)
• Finally, I can guarantee that if Diamond DeShields goes to UNC she will get lots of playing time.

 

[jsloanjr]

You will see the same type game and score against Duke in 2 weeks.........The do not defend anybody...

 

[vtcwbuff]

Coach Hatchell is quoted as saying, "The game has become way too physical and that's why I think the scores, overall, are lower."

Huh?

A couple more considered thoughts:

• To be fair to Coach Hatchell and her team, they have indeed had an inordinate number of injuries. Hey, when you have to activate a manager (is that a water girl?) and she catches an elbow and a broken nose results, you know things are going bad.
• More seriously, are we looking at another situation where perhaps a formerly successful and effective coach may have lost her touch? Haven't we seen places where teams ("programs," if you insist) have been invigorated by the arrival of a young and energetic coach? (Syracuse and Seton Hall leap to mind, but there are many others.)
• Finally, I can guarantee that if Diamond DeShields goes to UNC she will get lots of playing time.

I wouldn't characterize Seton Hall's Donovan as "young" - at least not in years. I think she's only a year or two younger than Mangina.

 

[vtcwbuff]

I was attracted to WCBB because it was a game of finesse and not a game dominated by physicality. I don't especially care for the direction that the game has taken but it is what it is and there is no going back. I also recognize that one of the main reasons for UConn's success is that they combine physicality with finesse.
If Hatchell thinks that finesse no longer exists in the women's game she must not have been watching UConn's guards last night as they finessed her team out of their gym shorts.

Anyone know why UConn plays physical and opponents play chippy?

 

[Kibitzer]

I wouldn't characterize Seton Hall's Donovan as "young" - at least not in years. I think she's only a year or two younger than Mangina.

You are correct and I concede the point. Permit me to add that I was trying to avoid trashing individual coaches by name. I am sure some astute Boneyarders could readily identify many coaching changes in wcbb that invigorated a dormant team, er, program.

 

[Icebear]

Anyone know why UConn plays physical and opponents play chippy?

I don't know their rational for the terms but to me there is distinct difference. Physical means everything from bodying up strong in the post, forcing players to fight through screens, boxing out strong, fronting the ball and taking charges regularly, etc. Chippiness is a lot of grabbing, holding, and hacking. It, too, is physical but in a different way. It is a particular subset of physical play.

 

[AboutWeston]

I particularly enjoyed the move Bria (? not sure who) made - waiting for the big guy to turn a shoulder then switching direction to get to the basket

 

[alexrgct]

Finally, I can guarantee that if Diamond DeShields goes to UNC she will get lots of playing time.

Quiet, you.

 

[JS]

Anyone know why UConn plays physical and opponents play chippy?

Two different things.

Physical is a style of play involving much contact, bodying up on defense, pushing and shoving down low.

Chippy, to my mind, is a 'tude involving stare-downs, confrontations, taunting and the like.

I can't think of many UConn players who were chippy. Diana had her moments, but they were with words, generally not even looking at the opponent she was talking to. Barb Turner always played with a kind of fierceness.

I think at UConn a player who gets chippy gets to cool off on the bench.

That's true of a lot of other good teams as well, but not all of them.

 

[speedoo]

"The game has changed, Sylvia. Time to deal with it."

That's the bottom line of this issue, for me. Hatchell is way overdue in dealing with where the game is today. Probably more than any other reasonably high profile coach.

Read more: http://www.ctpost.com/uconn/article...nding-of-UNC-a-sign-2575047.php#ixzz1jjMrWlIg

 

[MilfordHusky]

You will see the same type game and score against Duke in 2 weeks.........The do not defend anybody...

Duke may be the best defensive team in the ACC, but their conference standards are different.

Duke may still be slightly scoring challenged. I expect a semi-competitive game at Cameron, but I think we win by 20+.

 

[EricLA]

As to the topic at hand, yes, between Georgetown, ND, WVU, Rutgers, Cuse, etc., the Big East plays some seriously chippy and physical ball. The funny thing is that UConn has the finesse label in the league. And no, I don't think UConn played especially physical ball last night.

I was thinking the same thing. watching Stef get absolutely abused and trying to give it as good as she was getting it in past games makes me realize how other teams have decided to try to slow UCONN down. you look at teams like Tennessee and Rutgers, who traditionally have played "in your face" physical aggressive defense, and it's clear the trend is really not new. i will admit, tho, that on a couple of times when UCONN was using the full court press, the defender bumped the kid with the ball on a couple occasions where i thought the refs would call a foul. but our FC press overall is really good and i think UCONN got more steals off of bad passes than from the physical defense on the point guard.

This is why some traditional powers have struggled in recent years. Some coaches, like Geno, have adapted to the physical and societal changes that have influenced girls & women's basketball to date. Geno might complain about the reduced attention span of today's college-aged kid but he's learned to adapt his coaching to it while others try to impose what used to work for them on a generation that can't relate.

do you have any teams in mind with the "others"? seriously, though, it's a treat for UCONN to be deep enough to press for most of the game. i noticed that most of the time, UNC had between 15-19 seconds once they broke the press to set up their offense. if UCONN wasn't getting a steal, they were successful in slowing down UNC.

One of the things i've heard Geno say is that they try to teach the aggressive defense, including full court press, without fouling. they teach what is allowed in the rules. i know the rules have changed and i think they call hand checks now, but does anyone know what the rules technically allow a defender to do physically when playing defense? obviously things like moving screens are not allowed, but i'm talking about what sort of physicality is OK per the rules?

 

[pap49cba]

I am fairly confident that holding, grabbing, and semi-mugging all five opposing players in the half court - as some BE teams seem to be taught to do - is not allowed under the rules. Daring the officials to call a foul on every possession is a defensive approach that is becoming far too common IMO.

 

[Icebear]

Bump

 

[triaddukefan]

You will see the same type game and score against Duke in 2 weeks.........The do not defend anybody...

Both the puppy and I disagree with your opinion. No way we lose by 50. Then again last year I thought there was no way that Duke would lose worse then UNC did vs UCONN.... and yall beat us even worse... so what do I know.

 

[pap49cba]

Not in your house.