Jacobs: Samuelson ready to assert herself

[UConnCat]

Quite a bit packed in to this story by Jeff Jacobs.

Jeff Jacobs: Samuelson ready to assert herself

 

[BostonCanuck]

Classic Geno:

"I can’t imagine we’ll be No. 1, and we shouldn’t be,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said Monday at his Fore the Kids Charity Tournament at Hartford Golf Club. “Notre Dame should be No. 1 and maybe their second team should be No. 2."

 

[Huskee11]

"What matters is she is ready opening night."

Maybe, certainly important for her to be out there, but way more important that she is 100% in March.

If we learned anything over the last two seasons, it is that you can lose a couple during the regular season. Running the regular season table is admirable, but overrated. Work towards full health and incorporating the freshmen/bench, and peaking by tournament time. If we lose a couple, which is likely given the difficult out of conference road schedule, so be it.

 

[jcoton56]

These bread crumbs are killing me. I am already chomping at the bit. For some reason, I'm looking forward more than usual for this season. All our players have (or think they have) much to prove. As noted much is expected from Lou and Phessa. I am sure Danger expects an aweful lot of herself. It sounds as if Walker has figured out some stuff and goodness knows she has the tools to be a force. For sure the other sophs will make some sort of leap. The juniors have intensity, and have to really stay connected when it matters. The frosh are no doubt talented and it seems that Ms. Williams has enough confidence and drive for the whole class.

 

[Carnac]

These bread crumbs are killing me. I am already chomping at the bit. For some reason, I'm looking forward more than usual for this season. All our players have (or think they have) much to prove. As noted much is expected from Lou and Phessa. I am sure Danger expects an aweful lot of herself. It sounds as if Walker has figured out some stuff and goodness knows she has the tools to be a force. For sure the other sophs will make some sort of leap. The juniors have intensity, and have to really stay connected when it matters. The frosh are no doubt talented and it seems that Ms. Williams has enough confidence and drive for the whole class.

Which is why it would not surprise me to see sophomore Christyn Williams take over as the team's leader next summer after Collier and Samuelson graduate. She has that type of infectious personality that naturally draws teammates to her.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

A very funny line after CW says we are going to win it. "In other news, Christyn Williams is expected to be available to the media again in 2021."

 

[oldude]

With all the many questions surrounding this year’s Huskies, I just cannot shake the feeling that UConn will fly into South Bend for the game on December 2 and shock the Irish on their home court.

 

[MilfordHusky]

"What matters is she is ready opening night."

Maybe, certainly important for her to be out there, but way more important that she is 100% in March.

If we learned anything over the last two seasons, it is that you can lose a couple during the regular season. Running the regular season table is admirable, but overrated. Work towards full health and incorporating the freshman/bench, and peaking by tournament time. If we lose a couple, which is likely given the difficult out of conference road schedule, so be it.

Getting to 36-0 and then losing in OT is getting really old, isn’t it?

 

[MilfordHusky]

Which is why it would not surprise me to see sophomore Christyn Williams take over as the team's leader next summer after Collier and Samuelson graduate. She has that type of infectious personality that naturally draws teammates to her.

She’ll be one of the leaders, but the kid driving the golf cart will be driving the team.

 

[HoopsFan21]

With all the many questions surrounding this year’s Huskies, I just cannot shake the feeling that UConn will fly into South Bend for the game on December 2 and shock the Irish on their home court.

Hey they did it two years ago when the big three left and everyone kept expecting the team to lose in the non-conference schedule, and instead went into South Bend and beat the Irish pretty easily which. But, the Irish are loaded this year, so I think they'll be a bit more competitive this time around.

 

[eebmg]

Which is why it would not surprise me to see sophomore Christyn Williams take over as the team's leader next summer after Collier and Samuelson graduate. She has that type of infectious personality that naturally draws teammates to her.

This suggests an interesting parallel. Not only skill wise and age/experience wise but in persona

Crystal <------------> Sue

Christyn <-------------> Diana

 

[donalddoowop]

These bread crumbs are killing me. I am already chomping at the bit. For some reason, I'm looking forward more than usual for this season. All our players have (or think they have) much to prove. As noted much is expected from Lou and Phessa. I am sure Danger expects an aweful lot of herself. It sounds as if Walker has figured out some stuff and goodness knows she has the tools to be a force. For sure the other sophs will make some sort of leap. The juniors have intensity, and have to really stay connected when it matters. The frosh are no doubt talented and it seems that Ms. Williams has enough confidence and drive for the whole class.

Ms. Williams can have all the confidence a player can possibly have but if she can't handle the rigorous Uconn practices, she will go through the same struggles most Uconn freshmen go through. Uconn practices has dampened the confidence of many a freshman.

 

[Carnac]

Ms. Williams can have all the confidence a player can possibly have but if she can't handle the rigorous Uconn practices, she will go through the same struggles most Uconn freshmen go through. Uconn practices has dampened the confidence of many a freshman.

Donald D, Sometimes I agree with your takes, sometimes not. Personally, while I love that kind of talk, I expect her to go through the struggles all UConn freshmen women go through regardless of the confidence she may have at this point. I find her confidence refreshing and exciting, and I hope it never wanes. I would rather hear positive talk coming from her than any concerns of doubt she may have.

As mature adults, and longtime fans and supporters of this program, we can understand the sometimes misguided or irrational exuberance of youth. In this case, I would never do or say anything to stifle or suffocate it. She's the one (not us) that's going to be in the gym learning Geno's system, and on the court trying to successfully integrate herself into it.

As a UConn fan, this is exactly the kind of attitude and confidence I want not only our incoming freshmen to have, but the entire team as well. Who are we to say at this point she's misguided or disillusioned? Only time will tell whether her confidence is misguided or misplaced. If for some reason the rigors of practice and the daily grind of competition at this level cause her to lose it, I hope that at some point, she finds it again, embraces it and spreads it around to the rest of the team if they don't already have it.

I suggested in another post yesterday that I can see Christyn becoming the team leader (if Kyla Irwin does not step up) this time next year after Lou and Pheesa graduate. When I hear her talk, I see and hear some of the qualities that leaders have. To Christyn I would say..................................you go girl!!!

 

[huskeynut]

I like it. CW is showing some spunk, spirit, moxie or whatever you want to call it.

She is a frosh and will have her ups and downs, as did D and Maya and all the others. But she seems to have enough confidence to say "bring it on", I'm ready. I expect CW along with ONO to make significant contributions this season. I believe CW will back up her words with her play.

 

[MilfordHusky]

In a Geno interview a couple of years ago, he said (paraphrasing), “When you come to UConn, you had better have confidence, because we strip you of everything else. If you don’t have confidence, you’ve got NOTHING.”

In addition to CW having confidence, Geno is now calling her “powerful”!

 

[donalddoowop]

Donald D, Sometimes I agree with your takes, sometimes not. Personally, while I love that kind of talk, I expect her to go through the struggles all UConn freshmen women go through regardless of the confidence she may have at this point. I find her confidence refreshing and exciting, and I hope it never wanes. I would rather hear positive talk coming from her than any concerns of doubt she may have.

As mature adults, and longtime fans and supporters of this program, we can understand the sometimes misguided or irrational exuberance of youth. In this case, I would never do or say anything to stifle or suffocate it. She's the one (not us) that's going to be in the gym learning Geno's system, and on the court trying to successfully integrate herself into it.

As a UConn fan, this is exactly the kind of attitude and confidence I want not only our incoming freshmen to have, but the entire team as well. Who are we to say at this point she's misguided or disillusioned? Only time will tell whether her confidence is misguided or misplaced. If for some reason the rigors of practice and the daily grind of competition at this level cause her to lose it, I hope that at some point, she finds it again, embraces it and spreads it around to the rest of the team if they don't already have it.

I suggested in another post yesterday that I can see Christyn becoming the team leader (if Kyla Irwin does not step up) this time next year after Lou and Pheesa graduate. When I hear her talk, I see and hear some of the qualities that leaders have. To Christyn I would say.........you go girl!!!

I love her confidence. However, almost EVERY top freshman has stated that, even though they had plenty of AAU and FIBA experience, Uconn's practices were harder than they had ever experienced. I think too many people are expecting too much from her as a freshman. She and Ododa needs to have the kind of confidence they have. I would be surprised if Coombs, Walker, and Gordon did not have a great amount of confidence. We know what happened once practice started.

 

[Carnac]

I love her confidence. However, almost EVERY top freshman has stated that, even though they had plenty of AAU and FIBA experience, Uconn's practices were harder than they had ever experienced. I think too many people are expecting too much from her as a freshman. She and Ododa needs to have the kind of confidence they have. I would be surprised if Coombs, Walker, and Gordon did not have a great amount of confidence. We know what happened once practice started.

"Uconn's practices were harder than they had ever experienced" Dangerfield said that 2 weeks into official practices. She said: "Nothing I did or experienced in high school or AAU prepared me for what I'm going through now". I agree that there may be some fans that (based on the hype) may be expecting a little too much from them, especially at the beginning of the season. Confidence like morale is an emotion that can be easily swayed. Christyn is (at this point) extremely confident. If there is such a thing as "an average freshman", these two don't appear to fit into that category.

That's a sleeping giant I'm going to let lie for the moment. The stark reality of Geno's "boot camp for freshmen" will bite them square in the butt come October. Let them have their fun until then. I'll wait until the Christmas break (11 games in) before I decide how excited and optimistic I'm going to be the 2nd half of the season. Being freshmen, they can only do so much.

They're going to hit that wall, and make freshman mistakes. We already know that. Those are growing pains they'll have to endure. The returning starters should bear the brunt of the expectations for the team's success this year, not the freshmen. They'll be fine. Remember, they'll have their coaches to "wet nurse" them, and their teammates to support and encourage them the entire season.

Let's just enjoy the ride and the scenery for now, and then assess things at the holiday break. By then, we'll have a book on every player, and a pretty good idea of what kind of team we have, as well as their strengths and weaknesses against the other other top ranked teams they've played to that point.