John A's comments on Heather

[Icebear]

"Buckner screwed up. He was a pro making mega-bucks to play well and he cost the Red Sox the series. What should he be remembered for? I'm still p.o.'d with him."

I was a Red Sox fan for as long as I can remember. Way back in the dark ages where the Sox could be depended on to suck every year. Then, after 35 years of abuse and disappointment came '86. This was year. And then Buckner blew it. I quit being a baseball fan that year. I had enough. When they won the world series I just didn't care. I didn't watch a single game.

There are those on the BY that would say "so he missed one grounder. Think of all the ground balls that he caught that year." And those that would say "Buckner sux". Therin lies the difference and it will never change.

One of the most painful things I ever watched in sports. Go Sox!!!

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

"Buckner screwed up. He was a pro making mega-bucks to play well and he cost the Red Sox the series. What should he be remembered for? I'm still p.o.'d with him."

I was a Red Sox fan for as long as I can remember. Way back in the dark ages where the Sox could be depended on to suck every year. Then, after 35 years of abuse and disappointment came '86. This was year. And then Buckner blew it. I quit being a baseball fan that year. I had enough. When they won the world series I just didn't care. I didn't watch a single game.

There are those on the BY that would say "so he missed one grounder. Think of all the ground balls that he caught that year." And those that would say "Buckner sux". Therin lies the difference and it will never change.

Buckner was a seasoned professional athlete, not a teenage college student. I see a substantial difference.

 

[schmendrick]

Still others are ignorant of the game and simply don't understand it enough to make valid criticism.

Yikes. I am no expert, probably am more ignorant than most on wcbb, but does that disqualify me from an opinion?

 

[doggydaddy]

Yikes. I am no expert, probably am more ignorant than most on wcbb, but does that disqualify me from an opinion?

Yes. Go away. (please take this as a joke)

 

[HuskyNan]

Buckner was a seasoned professional athlete, not a teenage college student. I see a substantial difference.

The freshman players on any team have most likely been playing basketball for 10 years as part of an AAU progam, many at an elite level. They know all about criticism from coaches, fans, opponents, heck, even their parents. Our criticism of their play has most likely been driven home, loudly, by the UConn staff several times already.

The other junk - the trashing, name calling and personal attacks on players - we delete when we see it. I think we do a pretty good job of that already but if someone thinks a post is outside the boundaries, Report it. Use the Report button on the bottom of the objectionable post.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Yikes. I am no expert, probably am more ignorant than most on wcbb, but does that disqualify me from an opinion?

Schmendrick and expert are oxymoronic, after all.

 

[Kibitzer]

This lengthy thread got started when the OP quoted John A. as writing that "Heather has taken a lot of junk from message boards during her career."

I happen to think that is accurate, but has anyone thought to ask John A. for examples of the "junk" aimed at Heather? I am certain he could do so and, once he did, we could either get out the pitchforks or tar/feather combo to use on the miscreants or go back to arguing whether Tiffany hits the deck as often as Ashley valley did. Important stuff like that.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Yikes. I am no expert, probably am more ignorant than most on wcbb, but does that disqualify me from an opinion?

Only in the eyes of some. Some here welcome differing opinions and new perspectives. However, if you toss something into the mix, be prepared to defend it.

 

[speedoo]

This lengthy thread got started when the OP quoted John A. as writing that "Heather has taken a lot of junk from message boards during her career."

I happen to think that is accurate, but has anyone thought to ask John A. for examples of the "junk" aimed at Heather? I am certain he could do so and, once he did, we could either get out the pitchforks or tar/feather combo to use on the miscreants or go back to arguing whether Tiffany hits the deck as often as Ashley valley did. Important stuff like that.

I don't think it's necessary to ask JA to cite examples. At least three specific examples have been provided in this thread already to address the question posed by the OP with respect to JA's statement and Nan has documented one of them. I can provide more specifics to document another, if anyone really needs to know more. Do we really need any more?

 

[vtcwbuff]

Oz

Buckner was a seasoned professional athlete, not a teenage college student. I see a substantial difference.

OZ - This is something I don't understand. In the context of the comments made on the BY, the player we are talking about is a 21 year old adult not a teenager and it is way beyond me what being a college student has to do with anything.
In this case she is an athlete being "paid to perform at a high level". If she (or any of her teammates) were not athletes they quite likely wouldn't be UConn students.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Oz

OZ - This is something I don't understand. In the context of the comments made on the BY, the player we are talking about is a 21 year old adult not a teenager and it is way beyond me what being a college student has to do with anything.
In this case she is an athlete being "paid to perform at a high level". If she (or any of her teammates) were not athletes they quite likely wouldn't be UConn students.

Of the many words I disagree with in your post, these stand out...

"In this case she is an athlete being "paid to perform at a high level"

IMHO, she is given financial support to represent the University in intercollegiate athletics. A difference to me, anyways.

 

[Kibitzer]

I don't think it's necessary to ask JA to cite examples. At least three specific examples have been provided in this thread already to address the question posed by the OP with respect to JA's statement and Nan has documented one of them. I can provide more specifics to document another, if anyone really needs to know more. Do we really need any more?

Your comment is fair-minded and accurate so long as we agree that the examples cited in this thread are the same or similar ones he had in mind and that his use of the term "message boards" was a broad reference to this specific one. All of which seems reasonable.

 

[speedoo]

Your comment is fair-minded and accurate so long as we agree that the examples cited in this thread are the same or similar ones he had in mind and that his use of the term "message boards" was a broad reference to this specific one. All of which seems reasonable.

Thanks, and yes the qualifications you note seem very reasonable to me. It's entirely possible that JA could cite additional examples not mentioned in this thread, but I just don't see how that helps us here.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Of the many words I disagree with in your post, these stand out...

"In this case she is an athlete being "paid to perform at a high level"

IMHO, she is given financial support to represent the University in intercollegiate athletics. A difference to me, anyways.

If only it were so OZ. No doubt that's true for the non money sports but not so for UConn wcbb. Besides, I think the man himself mentioned that his players were being paid to perform on one of his Geno shows.

How is your "financial support to represent the university . . . " any different than my "being paid to perform"? Is it because you used bigger words?

 

[vtcwbuff]

The freshman players on any team have most likely been playing basketball for 10 years as part of some AAU progam, many at an elite level. They know all about criticism from coaches, fans, opponents, heck, even their parents. The criticism of their play we discuss here has most likely been driven home, loudly, by the UConn staff several times already.

The other junk, the trashing, name calling and personal attacks on players we delete when we see it. I think we do a pretty good job of that already but if someone thinks a post is outside the boundaries, Report it. Use the Report button on the bottom of the objectionable post.

This post should be mandatory reading for BY members. Players are going to be criticized because they are performers. Sometimes the criticism is deserved and
sometimes it isn't.

I believe that many BYers think that their performance should be completely exempt from any negative comments simply because they are girls.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

If only it were so OZ. No doubt that's true for the non money sports but not so for UConn wcbb. Besides, I think the man himself mentioned that his players were being paid to perform on one of his Geno shows.

How is your "financial support to represent the university . . . " any different than my "being paid to perform"? Is it because you used bigger words?

Of course it is because I use polysyllabic appellations.

 

[vtcwbuff]

I concede - my king is toppled.

 

[Icebear]

Yikes. I am no expert, probably am more ignorant than most on wcbb, but does that disqualify me from an opinion?

Not at all. I have never suggested anyone shouldn't post but posts are, also, weighed on the amount of insight they bring to a situation. When someone in a post demonstrates little insight into the game their valuation of a players strengths and faults is going to be measured by that knowledge. One of the only ways to grow is to venture opinions and to interact with others who may know more about the sport and expand ones insight.

 

[Icebear]

I don't think it's necessary to ask JA to cite examples. At least three specific examples have been provided in this thread already to address the question posed by the OP with respect to JA's statement and Nan has documented one of them. I can provide more specifics to document another, if anyone really needs to know more. Do we really need any more?

Another thread in which Heather took unfair flack I remembered was the one in which Heather's treatment by certain posters was directly compared to Bball's (I think) criticisms of Maria Conlon.

 

[ChicagoGG]

IMHO, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but there is a lot of tetchiness going on today.

If someone on the team performs poorly, yes, they are open for comment. The fact that they are "girls" does not exempt them from that. However, if posters reread some of their posts, and inserted the name of someone they knew personally, then reread the post, they might think before they sent, or might revise a little.

These kids are "student-athletes" (for real, not one-and-dones). Yes, they are privileged, and they know it. But they are still kids and kids make mistakes sometimes. The fact that they receive scholarships for a game they love to play does not make them professionals, or guarantee they will play after college.
So, why do some posters act like these kids are in the NBA?

It is one thing to comment on specific areas of improvement or disappointment, but it is another when you get personal about a player.

And this thread seems to be taken personally a lot today....

 

[Vowelguy]

This is easy. Treat the players as you would your daughter if she had a poor game.

Sorry, but no.
They're not my daughters, and this isn't a personal conversation that I'm having with them. And they shouldn't be reading this board anyway.

This is a fan board, for discussion of all matters WCBB. If I want to criticize a player for specific examples of crappy play, I am going to do so.

 

[doggydaddy]

Sorry, but no.
They're not my daughters, and this isn't a personal conversation that I'm having with them. And they shouldn't be reading this board anyway.

This is a fan board, for discussion of all matters WCBB. If I want to criticize a player for specific examples of crappy play, I am going to do so.

And within reason, you should do just that. Just because I think that makes you a putz, doesn't change the fact that you have every right to do it.

And people who don't agree with that have every right to tell you that.

Personally, if Nan is ok with it, so am I.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

I was leaning more towards schmuck than putz, but so be it.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Sorry, but no.
They're not my daughters, and this isn't a personal conversation that I'm having with them. And they shouldn't be reading this board anyway.

This is a fan board, for discussion of all matters WCBB. If I want to criticize a player for specific examples of crappy play, I am going to do so.

If I could double like, or even triple like this post I would!

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

If I could double like, or even triple like this post I would!

It is a good post, and VG is an interesting poster. Same for you.

You guys should get a room.