KO needs to see Geno is the AM.

[8893]

This. Exhibit A as to why I can't stand the posts about the women's team. Please get a memo to KO telling him to teach the players to "make the extra pass." I think it will come in handy, and could potentially save the season. While you're at it, tell him to teach them to "play as a team" and "take good shots." I'm honestly not sure why he hasn't done this yet, it's February for god's sake.

You forgot "backdoor cuts."

 

[David 76]

Yeah. There are fans without a clue. Again, some people attack the whole program, denigrating Geno and the team. Looks like jealousy or something. If you are carrying resentments against our women's team, because of a few stupid fans, take a look in the mirror. The coaching staff and players have always stated there is no comparison.

 

[David 76]

Let me put it this way:

Winning 4 NCAA tournis for the men >>>> Winning 1
3 for the women.


Okay? [/QUOTE]

It is not a contest.

 

[UConnNick]

If you have to go back a couple of years to find a bad play....

Not only that, but we're cherry picking one game out of an entire season, which ended with UCONN cutting down the nets at the Final Four. Really?

 

[gtcam]

Some of you can be such self absorbed d-bags sometimes. The OP never said anything like "the women could beat the men" or even "why can't the men win as much as the women". There was never a direct comparison of the teams. He just implied that maybe KO could learn something from Geno. Anyone that thinks that Geno just recruits and then tosses the players out there is as much an idiot as anyone that thinks KO doesn't try to get the team to run set plays. Geno is one of the greatest BASKETBALL COACHES of all times, period. Yes, he recruits the most talented players. The same players are also coachable. That is not a mistake or coincidence. In fact, he does NOT have the 10 best players in the country. What he has is the 10 best players that are also coachable. He then coaches the crap out of them and demands perfection. He demands precision and discipline. The same philosophy can and HAS been used to elevate male players and men's teams. In fact, it is probably why our out-talented teams of 2011 and 2014 won the championships. But this year's team either flat out lacks sufficient talent or there are too many players who refuse to play disciplined ball because no one can argue that we see this team playing good basketball right now. Either they can't execute what they are being taught or they refuse to. Either way, it isn't acceptable and HAS to change. Sadly, I think what we are seeing is the combination of lack of talent and lack of discipline.

In my mind, KO gets a pass this year for what he has already accomplished. But beyond this one year, the Manuel/contract and/or NCAA sanctions and/or lack of practice facility and/or AAC excuses become just that...excuses. Enough. Maybe it is asking too much to win anymore championships while we are stuck in this conference but it is NOT too much to ask for something that resembles a basketball team. There are plenty of teams in non-power conferences that put Top 25 teams on the floor EVERY year. And if people want to say that we have to suck for 2-3 years to have that one championship run on the fourth, fine...I get it. But it better happen..........

1. Geno doesn't need to go out and plead, beg and borrow to get the best players - they come to him. Its hard for me to fathom why athletes who are deemed among the top 50 in their sport would throw away the competetive drive they have to come to UConn and play second and third string. I've coached both girls and boys for over 25 years from the U-6 level all the way to Olympic Development. A vast majority of those athletes entering the college age, the ones who felt the strongest about playing at the collegiate level, would search for schools that would afford them the best shot at starting and playing significant minutes. I coached plenty of all state players and I can't name one male athlete who said they wanted to go to X University because they would be satisfied sitting on a bench but winning championships. However, several of the females would/were considering going to Y University, knowing they would be sitting but winning.
Remember - Geno hasn't ALWAYS recruited the mos coachable - there have been bad apples.

2. Geno is a great women's coach, but part of that greatness is definately attributed to the sheer talent of some of his players - ala Phil Jackson. Take MJ, Pippen, Kobe, Shaq out of the equation. We saw what happened to Phil when MJ skipped town a few years and Kobe/Shaq were hurt. Would Geno win championships without Rebecca, Svet, Dianna, Bird, etc? These women were hands and heads above most any other in their sport and alone would carry the load. As far as play calling - I hate to be sexist but women follow directions better than men and the flow of the womens game, due to a lower level of physicality and speed, allows plays to appear to run much more mechanical and as drawn up.

3. This year's mens team is not a case of refusing to run plays - thats absurb. I think the reason is that they are young, haven't had any tenure in melding as a cohesive group and the fact that they are being physically beaten up by most every team they face. Sometimes it looks like men against boys. Conversely, with Geno's team, night in and night out it looks like an Olympic team vs a rec team. I would like to know where your hint at a lack of discipline comes from - where is the proof?

4. Your last paragraph is simply mind boggling to me. Thanks from all of us life long UConn fans that you have granted KO a pass for this year but your ultimatum kind of fizzled at the end - "But it better happen.............." Please elaborate
Also I question the validity of "plenty of no P5 conferences" that consistantly put out several top 25 teams. A few, yes, plenty, no. Not being in a P5 for a program such as UConn and even Gonzaga is a definite detriment.

 

[ctchamps]

Let me help you here. It's not the program, it's the fans.
About the 5th time I heard, "the women's team probably could beat the men's team," I started to develop a latent animosity toward the women's fans.
If they were more sophisticated about the sport, had played it, and had the proper respect for the men's game, then the wouldn't bother me as much.

Let me put it this way:

Winning 4 NCAA tournis for the men >>>> Winning 13 for the women.

Okay?

We don't mind our program being compared to any other team in the country - but we don't want to compared to, contrasted with, or receive input from the women's team.

The number of idiotic posts I read in this forum about men's bb that have nothing to do with women's bb far outnumber the number of posts you are referring to. Still love the men's team and still enjoy the majority of posters in this forum.

How many women's fans are there? How many make the statements that aggravate you? Is the percentage significant? I would strongly doubt it. Funny how you and BigErn can be aggravated by exaggerations when the both of you are prone to it. Does this bring meaning to that which I hate I am?

 

[Cheeky]

How many women's fans are there? How many make the statements that aggravate you?

I don't know many dedicated women's fans. Without exception, the ones I knew were all delusional. Good friend tried to tell me about 98 that the women's team would give the men's team a good run. I told him they'd be lucky to score. He argued strenuously. He played about 0 hours of ball in his life. I played 2 hours a day and watched it constantly. Eventually stopped discussing it with him.

Another was when I was at the top of my game. I was pretty solid in the day. Some loud woman and her loud son were talking about Rebecca Lobo. They implied something about how great she was, and then suggested she could play DI men's. I said they were nuts and that I could easily slaughter her 1 on 1. They took great umbrage with that. I tried to explain the mechanics of it - we're about the same height but I have a 36 inch vertical, and so on, but no way.

And so on.

 

[ctchamps]

I don't know many dedicated women's fans. Without exception, the ones I knew were all delusional. Good friend tried to tell me about 98 that the women's team would give the men's team a good run. I told him they'd be lucky to score. He argued strenuously. He played about 0 hours of ball in his life. I played 2 hours a day and watched it constantly. Eventually stopped discussing it with him.

Another was when I was at the top of my game. I was pretty solid in the day. Some loud woman and her loud son were talking about Rebecca Lobo. They implied something about how great she was, and then suggested she could play DI men's. I said they were nuts and that I could easily slaughter her 1 on 1. They took great umbrage with that. I tried to explain the mechanics of it - we're about the same height but I have a 36 inch vertical, and so on, but no way.

And so on.

I hear you.

Most of us act emotionally as opposed to logically. If we are passionate about something reason starts to go out the window. That's across the spectrum of subjects. From the late 80's on I recommended to people to be careful with one economic trend after another, advising them about the dangers of bubbles. No matter who they were, they refused to examine the possibility of the risks. It was exacerbating.

I have a choice. I could hate humanity or hate this aspect of our nature. I hear where you and BigErn are coming from. At moments my exacerbation leads me to hate humanity. But if I succumb to this, then I'm succumbing to my emotions making me the thing I hate.

Rather than destroying others for this and, therefore by reason of inclusion, destroying myself, I work on trying to be compassionate and understanding. In spite of this negative aspect of our nature and other weaknesses there is a lot of decency in humanity.

But I will admit it is a difficult battle at times to not give in to frustration. It becomes difficult not to succumb to hatred. I think we can make honest assessments about our natures and still find ways to accommodate one another (with some notable exceptions) without compromising who we are and without succumbing to our negative attributes.

 

[mauconnfan]

No hatred fleudy, there's people who honestly don't get it and that's fine. But to revisit this ridiculous idea every time the women beat a crappy Top 5 team is nuts. But me and emotions aren't really tight

 

[ctchamps]

No hatred fleudy, there's people who honestly don't get it and that's fine. But to revisit this ridiculous idea every time the women beat a crappy Top 5 team is nuts. But me and emotions aren't really tight

What's nuts is not expecting it to happen again and again and again................and realizing we aren't going to stop these posts so instead of worrying about fixing them just change ourselves (our attitudes towards them). Why get aggravated if you know the only negative affect will be on ourselves.

I've hit @Cheeky twice which may sound like I'm contradicting myself, but he intrigues me enough to think that there is a lot of depth with him that gets reduced by his being a little too quick to be judgmental. Thought his argument with Rocktheworld was interesting in how he modified his discussion. Would have preferred a softer start to the discussion but he managed to be flexible about his attitude. Both you and he are passionate dudes who put a lot of thought into things but sometimes shoot from the hip before surveying the terrain. Catch me in person and I'm there with the two of you although I doubt I do it as frequently or antagonistically as either of you.

Thank goodness for oppressive states like North Korea because if all 6 billion of us morons could freely express our ideas as demonstrated in this forum Earth would go nova. For those without a sense of humor I'm kidding. The state is too oppressive to make my point. Let's choose Malaysia where society is greatly restricted in what it can say and do but at least it's citizens enjoy a great lifestyle. Kind of reminds me of the women's bb forum.

 

[David 76]

Hey, we had a bunch of posters predicting 3 or 4 lottery picks from this team this year.
There are parents of high schoolers, sure that their kids will be pros.
Neither stops me from enjoying those sports.

As a reminder to the trogolydytes, Geno created a dynasty. He didn't inherit it one.

 

[willie99]

IDK, might be a good idea, certainly can't hurt

if youse don't want to act like JC on the sideline embarrassing / forcing his team to compete, being a GA and dissing his team to victory is a good alternative

but the hurt puppy dawg eyes are killing me

 

[mauconnfan]

Hey, we had a bunch of posters predicting 3 or 4 lottery picks from this team this year.
There are parents of high schoolers, sure that their kids will be pros.
Neither stops me from enjoying those sports.

As a reminder to the trogolydytes, Geno created a dynasty. He didn't inherit it one.

Yeah but they also are over there believing Geno should be ahead of JC on all time coaches list, maybe first ahead of K! ...they are totally whacked and in their own little world, which is fine. But to think Geno's NC's vs JC's are close in comparison is just plain out of your mind.

 

[David 76]

Yeah but they also are over there believing Geno should be ahead of JC on all time coaches list, maybe first ahead of K! ...they are totally whacked and in their own little world, which is fine. But to think Geno's NC's vs JC's are close in comparison is just plain out of your mind.

Don't disagree. Just saying the women are not the only team with overzealous fans. They do have a lot of Intense fans with no knowledge of basketball outside of women's basketball. One can let that piss you off, or you could take it for what it is.

 

[imno1]

Got to hand it to Geno though. He sat 3 of his top kids because he wasn't happy with the way they played in the first half against Memphis. Who doesn't think he was sending a message to them with the S Carolina game up next?

I'm convinced he did that as much to rest them as to teach them a lesson. Their biggest game of the year was 2 days away and they weren't going to lose to Memphis anyway. I wonder would they still be on the bench if with 5 minute left, the game was still in doubt.

 

[CL82]

Let me help you here. It's not the program, it's the fans.
About the 5th time I heard, "the women's team probably could beat the men's team," I started to develop a latent animosity toward the women's fans.
If they were more sophisticated about the sport, had played it, and had the proper respect for the men's game, then the wouldn't bother me as much.

Let me put it this way:

Winning 4 NCAA tournis for the men >>>> Winning 13 for the women.

Okay?

We don't mind our program being compared to any other team in the country - but we don't want to compared to, contrasted with, or receive input from the women's team.

Woman have won 9. 13 is the combined total. (4+9=13) 13 is a distinct possibility under Geno though, maybe 14.

 

[mauconnfan]

Don't disagree. Just saying the women are not the only team with overzealous fans. They do have a lot of Intense fans with no knowledge of basketball outside of women's basketball. One can let that piss you off, or you could take it for what it is.

Or one can be who he is and not take it for what it's worth and instead be kinda pissed off

 

[Husky25]

I'm convinced he did that as much to rest them as to teach them a lesson. Their biggest game of the year was 2 days away and they weren't going to lose to Memphis anyway. I wonder would they still be on the bench if with 5 minute left, the game was still in doubt.

Personally, I find that hard to believe. Resting players comes by way of minutes reductions in multiple games (potentially multiple weeks) leading up to the ultimate goal, not outright benchings. Benchings are meant to teach a lesson. Men or women, at 19-22 years old, these athletes have a fairly quick recovery time. Benching them could have had an positive affect in terms of refocusing them, but it could have thrown off their physical game (i.e. shooting, crisp passing, and rebound timing).

The best example is Peyton Manning. The Colts used to go 13-3 in the regular season and the starters would "rest" in weeks 16 and 17 (i.e. Manning never took off his baseball cap). With the bye week, that means upwards of a month without competing during meaningful game time. Giving the Colts the points in their 1st playoff game was normally a sucker's bet (7/11 years, the Colts lost their first Playoff game).

 

[Cheeky]

Woman have won 9. 13 is the combined total. (4+9=13) 13 is a distinct possibility under Geno though, maybe 14.

Yeah man, thank you for the correction. I threw 13 out there because I have no idea how many the women have won. 8, 3, 20, it's all the same to me - substantially less impressive than the men winning 4.

 

[ctchamps]

Don't disagree. Just saying the women are not the only team with overzealous fans. They do have a lot of Intense fans with no knowledge of basketball outside of women's basketball. One can let that piss you off, or you could take it for what it is.

It's human nature to embellish things we love and put down things we hate or don't love as much.

We fit the world to who we are and/or what we believe we need.

It can be said one's reality is another's illusion and vice versa. If one disagrees, I'm saying it anyways. Now if more than one person agrees that reality is subjective is this a shared illusion with respect to someone who believes reality is not an illusion? And what if there are more than one person who believes reality is not an illusion? Stalemate? Depends on the conditions of the "reality" you find yourself in, doesn't it?

Can you imagine this debate in North Korea? Perfect case of complete sharing of reality. Or illusion?

 

[David 76]

I'm convinced he did that as much to rest them as to teach them a lesson. Their biggest game of the year was 2 days away and they weren't going to lose to Memphis anyway. I wonder would they still be on the bench if with 5 minute left, the game was still in doubt.

You don't know Geno.