Is WCBB better now?

[Man-Man]

I used to read for years how it was so bad for women's basketball for UConn & Tennessee to dominate the sport. I heard it quite a lot during "the streak" when no team could stay withing 25 of UConn without it being a moral victory. Now when UConn faces a ranked team many expect a good game a certain teams can possibly be a loss. So now that "THEY" got what they wanted, is the game better? Is this parity that much of a boost if any? I know Baylor is undefeated but by no means are they unbeatable as the great UConn teams were. What are the thoughts on this? Another thought were the powers that be conspiring to oust UConn from their throne & will the cycle of UConn/Tenn dominance repeat itself in the coming years?

 

[magic]

I used to read for years how it was so bad for women's basketball for UConn & Tennessee to dominate the sport. I heard it quite a lot during "the streak" when no team could stay withing 25 of UConn without it being a moral victory. Now when UConn faces a ranked team many expect a good game a certain teams can possibly be a loss. So now that "THEY" got what they wanted, is the game better? Is this parity that much of a boost if any? I know Baylor is undefeated but by no means are they unbeatable as the great UConn teams were. What are the thoughts on this? Another thought were the powers that be conspiring to oust UConn from their throne & will the cycle of UConn/Tenn dominance repeat itself in the coming years?

To me, there is more interest in WCBB in different places around the country. However, the fact remains that , as is the case this year, other than Baylor, N.D. , Uconn, amd Stanford , who I feel is a notch below the other three, noone else is going to win the championship. More schools have exposure on tv, which generates revenue. If schools are going to be forced to spend money on women's sports, then they want " A RETURN". This to me is the bottom line, that noone wants to discuss.

 

[connboy77]

I used to read for years how it was so bad for women's basketball for UConn & Tennessee to dominate the sport. I heard it quite a lot during "the streak" when no team could stay withing 25 of UConn without it being a moral victory. Now when UConn faces a ranked team many expect a good game a certain teams can possibly be a loss. So now that "THEY" got what they wanted, is the game better? Is this parity that much of a boost if any? I know Baylor is undefeated but by no means are they unbeatable as the great UConn teams were. What are the thoughts on this? Another thought were the powers that be conspiring to oust UConn from their throne & will the cycle of UConn/Tenn dominance repeat itself in the coming years?

In all probability the UCONN dominance will continue for at least another four years with the arrival of Breanna, Mo, and Morgan. As for Tennessee, the wheels are starting to come off. Unless the coaching situation is settled quickly, Tennessee is in for a rough time. Elite recruits that Tennessee normally gets will go else where. They will eventually bounce back, but that may not be for several years.

 

[Wonkster]

..
It must be a 'down year' since Tennessee isn't near the top any more.

NOT!

There are a lot of people who just can't deal with UConn's outstanding record for the last 17 years, so they buy into any goofy 'explanation' that lets them skirt the issue. 'Up year' 'down year' 'sideways year' - that's all crap.

I think the only team likely to seriously challenge UConn the next few years is Notre Dame. They are recruiting some great players now. Baylor will not maintain their place after Griner graduates, and Stanford is eventually going to run out of Ogwumikes as well.

The exciting part of WCBB now is the next tier, just below UConn and Notre Dame. Louisville, Georgetown and a few others with great coaches might eventually reach critical mass and become monsters.
.

 

[UcMiami]

To me, there is more interest in WCBB in different places around the country. However, the fact remains that , as is the case this year, other than Baylor, N.D. , Uconn, amd Stanford , who I feel is a notch below the other three, noone else is going to win the championship. More schools have exposure on tv, which generates revenue. If schools are going to be forced to spend money on women's sports, then they want " A RETURN". This to me is the bottom line, that noone wants to discuss.

I think you could have written this last year, only to be surprised by someone crashing the party and taking away the prize.
I do think it is better for a number of reasons - HS athletes have more and better choices of where to go with some expectation of competing year in and year out. The quality of WCBB players is expanding- like the programs, there may be a few HS athletes that distance themselves from the pack, but the quality of the top 30/40 players is improving. The quality of the coaching in WCBB I think has improved. There is a professional option for the best players to actually make a living after college. The national and local TV exposure has increased significantly and with it revenue being generated. More schools are experience significant fan support at games with some really impressive numbers for 'big' games. And there are more 'important' games being played.
I do not think we will see the kind of dominance that TN/Uconn exhibited over the last 15 years ever limited to just two teams again. I am not saying that Uconn couldn't win three of four NCAAs or have an undefeated season, but I don't think we will ever see two programs get 12 chamionships out of 16 played as we did from 1995-2010. And I think that is good for the sport.

 

[EricLA]

..
It must be a 'down year' since Tennessee isn't near the top any more.

NOT!

There are a lot of people who just can't deal with UConn's outstanding record for the last 17 years, so they buy into any goofy 'explanation' that lets them skirt the issue. 'Up year' 'down year' 'sideways year' - that's all crap.

I think the only team likely to seriously challenge UConn the next few years is Notre Dame. They are recruiting some great players now. Baylor will not maintain their place after Griner graduates, and Stanford is eventually going to run out of Ogwumikes as well.

The exciting part of WCBB now is the next tier, just below UConn and Notre Dame. Louisville, Georgetown and a few others with great coaches might eventually reach critical mass and become monsters.
.

don't discount Duke and Rutgers. i actually think Duke is in a better position right now than ND - Next year they get an injured player back as well as a kid who was dismissed from the team for the year. not to mention uber guard Alexis Jones.

i'm not sure that the "average" fan will ever embrace WCBB. but when you see schools like L'ville vault into 2nd place in home attendance surpassing UCONN, you have to believe local interest has increased for specific teams who have done really well...

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

An analysis on attendance would be quite interesting. Why do certain schools draw so very well, whether or not they are competing for a NC? It is easy to understand some, and not others. The converse, why some schools don't draw, is less clear in many cases. Rutgers, we understand, is overpriced, competing with mucho else, and not as popular a "State U" as so many in the midwest.

Increased attendance is ALWAYS good across the board. And I do think basketball is better across the board. But I don't think the dominance of one or two teams is a driving factor. The streak did end. An underdog won a national championship. UConn is still top dog, but other teams are trying. I think Geno challenges other teams to raise their level of play - now, if he would just send some of his players

 

[sarals24]

don't discount Duke and Rutgers. i actually think Duke is in a better position right now than ND - Next year they get an injured player back as well as a kid who was dismissed from the team for the year. not to mention uber guard Alexis Jones.

i'm not sure that the "average" fan will ever embrace WCBB. but when you see schools like L'ville vault into 2nd place in home attendance surpassing UCONN, you have to believe local interest has increased for specific teams who have done really well...

I don't see Duke or Rutgers ever really cracking the top few, unless they get an offensive coordinator-type coach Duke has all the talent in the world but looks seriously lost on offense. No reason to, with a good PG and a very promising center.

 

[EricLA]

I don't see Duke or Rutgers ever really cracking the top few, unless they get an offensive coordinator-type coach Duke has all the talent in the world but looks seriously lost on offense. No reason to, with a good PG and a very promising center.

and yet Duke is ranked #5 and some writers have suggested they deserve a 1 seed should they run the table in the ACC. i don't disagree with you in general, but tennessee has never had an offensively minded coach either and they managed to win a few NC's...

in a few conversations with Duke fans, they have never been convinced that McCallie is a really good coach. no one can doubt her recruiting at this point, but whether that was due to the assistants she had or due to her own recruiting prowess, i have no idea. the feeling is that the next 2 years should yield a final 4 berth with a real shot at the NC, especially in 2 years...

 

[rington]

and yet Duke is ranked #5 and some writers have suggested they deserve a 1 seed should they run the table in the ACC. i don't disagree with you in general, but tennessee has never had an offensively minded coach either and they managed to win a few NC's...

in a few conversations with Duke fans, they have never been convinced that McCallie is a really good coach. no one can doubt her recruiting at this point, but whether that was due to the assistants she had or due to her own recruiting prowess, i have no idea. the feeling is that the next 2 years should yield a final 4 berth with a real shot at the NC, especially in 2 years...

Correct. I also believe that some recruits are drawn to Duke and Stanford by the academic side of the picture

 

[alexrgct]

Anyone who thinks UConn is slipping needs to look at this season and compare it to 2005. In successive years, UConn loses two transcendent players in Tina and Maya...and is still one of the four best teams in he country by any measure. 2005 felt like a real transitional year. This doesn't. But UConn is going to get better the next couple of years. Geno is on fire right now.

And there used to be more parity in WCBB. La Tech, Tennesee, and Texas used to battle it put with schools like Cheyney, Old Dominion, Western Kentucky and Long Beach State. Was WCBB better then? I don't think so personally, but some might. I think Geno and UConn have been a huge boon for the sport. There are few programs everyone roots for or against, and UConn has been one of them.

 

[Wonkster]

don't discount Duke and Rutgers...

I discounted them on purpose - weak coaching, especially head coaches. It's not an accident that CVS holds the title "Head Coach with the most trips to the Final Four, but always on the short end of the Final Score."

I think McCallie is the prime example of the Peter Principle in WCBB.
.

 

[grizz36]

I discounted them on purpose - weak coaching, especially head coaches. It's not an accident that CVS holds the title "Head Coach with the most trips to the Final Four, but always on the short end of the Final Score."

I think McCallie is the prime example of the Peter Principle in WCBB.
.

Now, now, Wonk! That's no way to talk about a good ole Italian Brunswick, ME girl. Hell, there's not even enough Italians in Brunswick to fight you back. Why can't you return to your old kinder, gentler self and find something nice to say about Coach P?

 

[Man-Man]

Anyone who thinks UConn is slipping needs to look at this season and compare it to 2005. In successive years, UConn loses two transcendent players in Tina and Maya...and is still one of the four best teams in he country by any measure. 2005 felt like a real transitional year. This doesn't. But UConn is going to get better the next couple of years. Geno is on fire right now.

No doubt UConn is one of the top four, however there is not an expectation of the #1 team Baylor beating the other three by an average margin of 35. In fact any game the #1 team could lose facing the other four the games are just that close many times it may depend on where they are playing at. Those Maya, Tina, Renee years the question was not if they would win but the over/under 50 points was the question. If it was possible to reset the season with what Geno has learned about his team and the growth I think it's possible they could be undefeated now but it wouldn't mean total domination.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I discounted them on purpose - weak coaching, especially head coaches. It's not an accident that CVS holds the title "Head Coach with the most trips to the Final Four, but always on the short end of the Final Score."
.

Don't care if you like her, but she doesn't hold that title. Andy Landers does. C Viv - 4, Andy Landers - 5. And how many folks hold the record for multiple NCAA appearances and NO final fours - I can't swear, but Jim Foster must be one.

 

[EricLA]

i'm not saying i think Duke or RU will win the NC in the next 3 years, but when you look at final 4 contenders, Baylor will have their last year in 2012-2013, then they fall off. i'm not sure about everyone else, but it seems the 3 strongest recruiting teams at that point are UCONN, Duke, and RU.

 

[cardfan]

..
It must be a 'down year' since Tennessee isn't near the top any more.

NOT!

There are a lot of people who just can't deal with UConn's outstanding record for the last 17 years, so they buy into any goofy 'explanation' that lets them skirt the issue. 'Up year' 'down year' 'sideways year' - that's all crap.

I think the only team likely to seriously challenge UConn the next few years is Notre Dame. They are recruiting some great players now. Baylor will not maintain their place after Griner graduates, and Stanford is eventually going to run out of Ogwumikes as well.

The exciting part of WCBB now is the next tier, just below UConn and Notre Dame. Louisville, Georgetown and a few others with great coaches might eventually reach critical mass and become monsters.
.

hopefully it won't be for while, 2 younger O sisters may be here in a few years. And can I add that the O sisters currently at Stanford put on quite a performance last night. I'm in awe what they can do on the court. Chiney has really stepped up her game.

See the pics and game story here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/02/09/sports/s200745S70.DTL

 

[speedoo]

hopefully it won't be for while, 2 younger O sisters may be here in a few years. And can I add that the O sisters currently at Stanford put on quite a performance last night. I'm in awe what they can do on the court. Chiney has really stepped up her game.

See the pics and game story here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/02/09/sports/s200745S70.DTL

I saw most of that game vs. USC. It was basically the O sisters plus Kokenis with two other players doing very little. Nneka is averaging about 20 pts. and 11 rebounds, I believe, and next year she is gone. Huge pair of shoes to fill.