Kara Wolters criticism

[Ct Dog]

Thanks for a voice of reason, finally someone without their head in the sand.

 

[Ct Dog]

DeBerry, as Geno mentioned, wasn't ready.
Why was she not ready? You saying the best coach and master motivator could not reach Amari? He could not motivator her? How could a so-called genius coach fail? Has to be the Amari's fault. Hey, Amari you comfortable under the bus? Yet, in desperation he plays her in the biggest game of the year and expects what? This is genius?
He's said before he's not willing to put players, particularly freshmen out there to make their bad habits permanent.
This does not happen in practice? Bovine Scatology. So the best coach ever can't reach the kid in a full season?
DeBerry is very talented but anyone who watched her in high school knew there were motor and effort issues.
And UCONN, in what, desperation recruits her expecting a miracle? How easy is it for a human's personality and value system to change? Over what period of time?
he was desperate
Finally something I can accept.

We have a winner!

 

[Huskie02]

She should have stuck with how good South Carolina was and left the criticism inside her head. She's been digging at those two seniors for the last two years. Glad they are leaving so they can find peace.

She tells it like it is! For the number 1 and number 5 recruits in their class I believe both have had disappointing results.

 

[UConn990411]

the season is over, the book is closed. big fun. thank you, team. a truly fine effort, worthy of respect.
and oh, u spelt 'youse' wrong.

You seem to be forgetting that Kara Wolters is paid to be an analyst, not a fan. She was asked a question and she answered it.

 

[oldude]

It was mentioned in a recent video that Amari is staying on campus over the summer to work on her game and conditioning. That sounds real good to me. I like Amari. I want to see her reach her FULL potential at UConn. Next year, I'd like to see her average 18-24 minutes a game.

That’s great news. I cannot wait to see what Andrea Hudy does to transform Amari over the summer.

 

[my2cents]

No, her job was to comment on the game thoroughly and honestly. That is the beauty of Kara Wolters in the studio. No one “bleeds blue“ more than Kara. She is incredibly knowledgeable as to basketball in general, college basketball in particular, and Connecticut women’s basketball especially. She’s been there and so has credibility when she talks about the level of effort, commitment, and intensity that is required.

I will say this in Christyn’s defense, a big part of her game is driving to the basket. South Carolina was able to pack the paint, so easy opportunities weren’t there. If we had a healthy Azzi Fudd, maybe things are easier, but Christyn needed to drive into the paint and, if not get to the hoop, at least draw fouls. I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for Christyn. She is extraordinarily talented, but she doesn’t have a that seem Paige, Sue Bird, Taurasi intensity. That’s fine, few do. She needed to reach down inside and find that in her self, however, in the championship game in her senior year if she wanted to be accounted for among the best at UConn.

I’m still a fan, of course, and I will follow the rest of her career and wish her the best for it, but she needed to show up for this game end Kara was right to point out that she did not.

This was 100% right. SC defense played off most of our shooters clogging the lane. There was no opportunity to drive to the basket, limiting our guards.

 

[nomdoux]

Kara Wolters’ job is literally UConn WBB studio analyst for SNY. She is paid to dissect the team & game performances. Kara did exactly that in her postgame comments: address what happened in a professional yet critical manner.

Respectfully, any suggestion that she is out of line for doing her job is either not evaluating within this prism or prioritizing player feelings over reality.

The extreme & judgmental reactions by some on this forum are striking. It's a discussion board, for heaven's sake! We are all passionate fans that love & support our Huskies yet are entitled to our respective opinions, with this forum our outlet for expression. As long as we are being respectful & posting within the rules, I don't get the vitriol. Responding to objective, professional game critique by calling the analyst a "cow", for example, is the height of hypocrisy.

From what I have gleaned, the overwhelming majority of forum participants have lauded both Christyn & Liv for their character, work ethic, team-orientation, perseverance, talent, & inspired play at times throughout their UConn careers. However, such takes are not mutually exclusive with pointing out each's inconsistency and/or underwhelming production in big moments defining much of their UConn tenures. Geno has said this, himself. Both have improved this year to their immense credit & are significantly responsible for getting UConn to the Championship Game-- a momentous feat considering the season's many tribulations. But pointing out that neither shined in their last college game is also fair & accurate. Again, this is not a zero sum proposition; we can praise & critique-- both are true.

Seniors have to lead & play their best basketball in the biggest moments to win a National Championship. Geno has highlighted this necessity repeatedly over the years. Destini Henderson sure did that Sunday night (& Victoria Saxton was rock solid in her role), which is largely why SC triumphed.

 

[Blond D.]

Defense wasnt the problem. SC only scored 64 points and a lot of those were foul shots and 2nd chance rebounds. 22 points was scored in the first quarter, after the first quarter we pretty much played them even up. 42-41. I think everyone tried their best and Im for one am proud of how hard we fought.

 

[tchalla1]

Why only two posts playing 99% of all minutes all season long? They won't get hurt while several players are dealing with injuries. Develop Piath and Amari with many minutes all season long. No, lets wait until the NCAA championship game and insert an under developed Amari. Not fully developing all of your personnel just in case is riverboat gambling.

As much as I'd like to disagree with you, you make a sound point--putting Amari in at this point of the season seemed like an act of despair...

 

[drweo]

Why only two posts playing 99% of all minutes all season long? They won't get hurt while several players are dealing with injuries. Develop Piath and Amari with many minutes all season long. No, lets wait until the NCAA championship game and insert an under developed Amari. Not fully developing all of your personnel just in case is riverboat gambling.

...and playing time can be full of teachable moments, such as "that X happened shows that you have to work harder on Y in practice."

 

[tchalla1]

While I certainly agree that UConn needed more from our seniors against SC, the Huskies don’t even get to the championship game without them. SC is a great team. What the Gamecocks did to UConn, they’ve done to a lot of really good teams including: Stanford, NC State, Louisville and many others.

As far as Kara’s criticism that Christyn has been inconsistent all season long, that dog just won’t hunt. Early in the season perhaps. But Christyn has been remarkably consistent the second half of the season as UConn’s best player. Hell, she earned the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award as the very best shooting guard in the nation.

I will remind everyone that Christyn was the MOP of the BE tournament and was named to the all-tournament team at the Bridgeport Regional. Through the first 5 games of the Big Dance she was great. I love Kara Wolters, but sometimes she adds a bit too much hyperbole to her analysis.

As usual, you make great points and analysis, olddude, but the crux of Kara Wolters's commentary was that the two seniors inexplicably did not show up for the biggest game of their lives--we now learn that Liv reinjured her groin injury-- and yes, inconsistency has plagued CW's career at UConn, which I find is a fair and accurate assessment. Actually, your remarks affirm what Kara was talking about: Supposedly, the best shooting guard in the country and she's held to 2 points--shut out until the last few minutes? And SC doesn't do this to all of the elite scorers in the country, not to Rhyne Howard, not to Lexie Hull, nor to Dre'Una Edwards.

In addition, IMO, Kara Wolters, as a collegiate and WNBA champion from UConn is a subject matter expert in what it takes to win championships and has earned the right to critique what it takes to win a championship--especially her fellow UConn sisters...

 

[tchalla1]

Not sure what the issue is. Kara was super mild. She said she was "disappointed" in Williams' play. That she had been inconsistent all year. That she did not score until the last 2 minutes, and that in a NC game, you need more from your seniors. That Ducharme came and gave a lot more than Williams did. She did say that ONO battled. And that she played a little better than Williams.

So what about her assessment is incorrect? It's all 100% spot on. I don't think she knew ONO was playing with a groin injury. We know Evina rolled her ankle and did not come back. We know Dorka was out. We know Azzi was sick and could barely play - but managed 16 minutes. Frankly I'm shocked the game was as close as it was.

Thank you for providing simple and effective clarity to Kara's analysis. I found it fairly innocuous as well--she's an analyst and she succinctly analyzed!

 

[Waquoit]

In addition, IMO, Kara Wolters, as a collegiate and WNBA champion from UConn is a subject matter expert in what it takes to win championships and has earned the right to critique what it takes to win a championship--especially her fellow UConn sisters...

And she knows what it's like not getting it done in the Final Four, too.

 

[BigU]

Kara said what she said she has to own it! Many of us love all our UCONN student athletes even when they have an off night! Kara was insensitive to our wonderful outgoing seniors who already felt terrible. She has spoken negatively about them for years. Without them and the team they don't get to the NC game!

 

[Carnac]

That’s great news. I cannot wait to see what Andrea Hudy does to transform Amari over the summer.

Ice Brady may want to join in on those sessions, it couldn't hurt. I don't know her level of conditioning, but Andrea can work with both of them t insure they begin the season in optimum condition.

 

[oldude]

As usual, you make great points and analysis, olddude, but the crux of Kara Wolters's commentary was that the two seniors inexplicably did not show up for the biggest game of their lives--we now learn that Liv reinjured her groin injury-- and yes, inconsistency has plagued CW's career at UConn, which I find is a fair and accurate assessment. Actually, your remarks affirm what Kara was talking about: Supposedly, the best shooting guard in the country and she's held to 2 points--shut out until the last few minutes? And SC doesn't do this to all of the elite scorers in the country, not to Rhyne Howard, not to Lexie Hull, nor to Dre'Una Edwards.

In addition, IMO, Kara Wolters, as a collegiate and WNBA champion from UConn is a subject matter expert in what it takes to win championships and has earned the right to critique what it takes to win a championship--especially her fellow UConn sisters...

On your comment that “SC doesn’t do this to all elite scorers in the country” here are some performances by top guards against SC this season:

• Lexie Hull was just OK, shooting 7/17
• The 1st time KY played SC, Howard was 2/14 & Edwards 4/11
• MD’s Owusu was an abysmal 3/17
• NC St’s Diamond Johnson 2/12
• TN’s Rae Burrell 6/16
• Hailey Van Lith went 4/11 with 4 turnovers in the national semifinal

While we’re at it, let’s look at top post players against SC:

• Stanford’s Brink 1/7
• NCSt’s Cunane 4/11
• UGA’s Stati 5/13
• MS’s Austin, projected by some to be the 1st pick in the WNBA draft, went 5/18 & 6/17 in 2 games vs SC
• and by the way, when she wasn’t nursing a bad groin, the first time UConn played SC, Liv was 3/4

SC may not shut down every elite scorer they face, every time they face them, but more often than not, they take away the other team’s top scorer(s), or at least make them work very hard to get their points.

 

[CL82]

Kara said what she said she has to own it! Many of us love all our UCONN student athletes even when they have an off night! Kara was insensitive to our wonderful outgoing seniors who already felt terrible. She has spoken negatively about them for years. Without them and the team they don't get to the NC game!

Is accurate, and fairly diplomatic, critiquing by a television commentator insensitive? I don’t think so.

 

[OldSchooler]

Kiah and Steph took a few years to develop. Kiah probably better after leaving UConn. Brianna spent part of her freshman year in the dog house.

Are you talking about Stewie? She may have spent part of her freshman year in Geno's doghouse, but guess who took home the MOP trophy at the FF that year, along with a piece of the net.

 

[EricLA]

Kara said what she said she has to own it! Many of us love all our UCONN student athletes even when they have an off night! Kara was insensitive to our wonderful outgoing seniors who already felt terrible. She has spoken negatively about them for years. Without them and the team they don't get to the NC game!

These are flat out wrong statements, and hopefully people do not start believing this stuff thru osmosis. Several people have said various similar things in different ways - that Kara has had it in for the seniors, blah blah blah.

First, I have NEVER heard Kara criticize any player personally. She's an analyst and analyzes the game. The play. The expectations. The results. That is what she did.

If you (or anyone ) is going to make blanket false comments that "Kara has it in" for the seniors or "has spoken negatively ABOUT THEM", then you need to provide examples.

As I said in an earlier post where I paraphrased the comments by Kara, what did she say that was FACTUALLY INACCURATE? Did Christyn actually not score any points in the entire game until the very end? Was Caroline not more productive than Christyn? Has Christyn not been inconsistent all season?

The only opinion she really offered was that one expects more from the seniors if the team wants to win a NC. And that ONO played better than Christyn. But I just don't see where that is egregious, or even controversial. And certainly not a personal attack.

 

[jaundicedeye]

K.W is 100 % correct! Liv and C.W. are very good players who at time just don't show up. It's been a pattern throughout their 4 years. They're Seniors in their last game as college players. should have lead by example not expect others to win it......JMHO!

Unfortunately there is no humility in your humble opinion.
A truly humble individual would not stand in judgement of a fantastic student athlete who played to her best ability over the last four years. How unfortunate for you that she did not meet your standards. Time for you and others echoing the same sentiments to get over yourselves.

 

[msf22b]

would not stand in judgement of a fantastic student athlete who played to her best ability over the last four years. How unfortunate for you that she did not meet your standards. Time for you and others echoing the same sentiments to get over yourselves.

Jaundice

I am going to try to avoid the personal attacks and sarcasm and deal with your arguments:

1. Played to the best of her ability...Christyn was the #1 recruit in her class based on HS
and AAU ball. True, people can make a mistake but her record prior to college was surely more consistent.
#1's are expected to perform at a high level...It may be unfair to expect that from a student athlete, but there it is...More was expected and often ...perhaps sometimes is fairer, that didn't happen.
I'm sure many observers are wondering if it just wasn't the right coach, the right program. That's a possibility too...Sue and Diana thought she would thrive at the next level...I'm sure whomever drafts her, fervently hopes that that is the case...and if so...we'll know a whole lot more what's in her head.

2."Meet your standards," If she met yours, that's just fine. Geno was hoping and had need of scoring from the 2 guard position and he didn't get it...I thought he showed unusual (misguided) loyalty by letting her start the 2nd half...I know a whole lot of coaches would have sat her for the rest of the game...The idea is to win...And she wasn't playing winning BB that night.

These are reasonable objective statements..Kara's were also. .If she doesn't perform more consistently in the pros, she'll be cut in a week...It's eat or be eaten out there..

I'd like to see her make it...and at some point, explain why her college career was so up and down

 

[Beemer]

Not sure what the issue is. Kara was super mild. She said she was "disappointed" in Williams' play. That she had been inconsistent all year. That she did not score until the last 2 minutes, and that in a NC game, you need more from your seniors. That Ducharme came and gave a lot more than Williams did. She did say that ONO battled. And that she played a little better than Williams.

So what about her assessment is incorrect? It's all 100% spot on. I don't think she knew ONO was playing with a groin injury. We know Evina rolled her ankle and did not come back. We know Dorka was out. We know Azzi was sick and could barely play - but managed 16 minutes. Frankly I'm shocked the game was as close as it was.

Yeah I don't get what all the fuss is about either. It isn't like Kara wasn't telling the truth. And it wasn't like she was ranting either, her tone was more disappointed and bewildered than angry.

 

[CB360]

Unfortunately there is no humility in your humble opinion.
A truly humble individual would not stand in judgement of a fantastic student athlete who played to her best ability over the last four years. How unfortunate for you that she did not meet your standards. Time for you and others echoing the same sentiments to get over yourselves.

Ouch!!

 

[Sluconn Husky]

What reports?

Local reports including this morning's article from Mike Anthony mentioned ONO's injury occurred in the semis.

 

[uconnfan68]

As much as I'd like to disagree with you, you make a sound point--putting Amari in at this point of the season seemed like an act of despair...

And she wouldn’t have played if Dorka was available.