Ladies and Gentleman, RAY REID!

[UConnDan97]

With about 30 minutes to go in the second half, the game is now tied at two.

ASweet just can't resist basking in any potential UConn misery that he can find. Sad, really...

 

[UConnDan97]

2-2 with 20 minutes left, UConn outshooting UCF 16-3, our second goal scored by freshman Cyle Larin. Still plenty of time in this one...

 

[UConnDan97]

And by fall sports being "unmitigated disasters" outside of field hockey, ASweet is referring to the men's soccer team that is still ranked in the top25 and the women's soccer team that is 8-5 (2-1 in conference). So really...he just means football...

 

[UConnDan97]

More fall sports "unmitigated disasters":

Men's Tennis - 3-0
Women's Tennis - 1-0
Men's Track - 2 for 2 with first place finishes
Women's Track - 2 second place finishes out of 2.

YIKES!!!! We're DOOMED!!!

 

[UConnDan97]

Soccer game ends 2-2, despite outshooting them 17-3. Tough situation, since it sounds like we had the better of the play. Really tough for ASweet, who was really hoping to gloat about losing tonight. So tough all around...

 

[dbmill]

Soccer game ends 2-2, despite outshooting them 17-3. Tough situation, since it sounds like we had the better of the play. Really tough for ASweet, who was really hoping to gloat about losing tonight. So tough all around...

Actually, the game is still in the second overtime. Andre Blake is out of the game due to possible head injury.

 

[UConnDan97]

Actually, the game is still in the second overtime. Andre Blake is out of the game due to possible head injury.

Geez...I hope the kid is okay. Two minutes to go...

 

[dbmill]

Game ends in 2-2 tie. Sounds like UConn fairly well dominated the play and had all sorts of chances to score.

 

[ASweet3781]

Soccer game ends 2-2, despite outshooting them 17-3. Tough situation, since it sounds like we had the better of the play. Really tough for ASweet, who was really hoping to gloat about losing tonight. So tough all around...

Nice to see I live rent free in your head. Having a page long conversation with yourself about me on a Saturday night. I'm flattered.

Not tough at all for me. Your post totally confirmed everything I have been saying. Out shot a team, had the better chances, and no wins to show for it. Everything I have been saying. Man you showed me! You gloating about a 2-2 tie with with 3-4-2 UCF at home is no less as pathetic if I gloated over a loss either.

And let's see football team is 0-4 and fired it's coach after a 30 pt loss to Buffalo, men's soccer who at one point was #1 has won 3 games and is on it's way out of the top top 25 after losses and ties to several weak teams, and women's soccer once a top 5 program is a shell of itself. Let me repeat, unmitigated disaster.

But nice Baghdad Bob impression trying to spin the men's and women's soccer seasons as quasi success stories. Even John Tuite tonight on WHUS was going on about how disappointing both teams have been. I don't do this to gloat. I do it because I give a damn and live in reality. You know the opposite from being a propagandist living in Pollyannaville like you.

 

[UConnDan97]

Nice to see I live rent free in your head. Having a page long conversation with yourself about me on a Saturday night. I'm flattered.

Not tough at all for me. Your post totally confirmed everything I have been saying. Ou tshot a team, had the better chances, and no wins to show for it. Everything I have said. Man you showed me! You gloating about a 2-2 with UCF is no less as pathetic if I gloated over a loss either.

And let's see football team is 0-4 and fired it's coach after a 30 pt loss to Buffalo, men's soccer who at one point was #1 has won 3 games and is on it's way out of the top top 25 after losses and ties to several weak teams, and women's soccer once a top 5 program is a shell of itself. Let me repeat, unmitigated disaster.

First of all, I was conversing with everyone else in this thread, since they will get the same update as you did.

Second, the women's soccer team was NOT ranked #5 this year, nor was there the expectation that they would be.

Third, the only "unmitigated disaster" you can point to this fall is football, despite your "doom and gloom" proclamation to the contrary.

Fourth, look back in this very thread for the explanation that I gave you as to why this team maybe was unfairly rated as a top5 team. They are young as hell. They are still outplaying teams and they already have a top12 victory against St. Louis this year.

Fifth, I never gloated that we were tied. I commented that you weren't able to gloat about us losing. I love "fans" like you. But keep repeating your "unmitigated disaster" line...I'm sure someone will buy it someday if you keep repeating it...

 

[ASweet3781]

I got to line 2 of your response and you are arguing something I didn't even write. I said women's soccer was once a top 5 program and is a shell of itself. Which is true.

Men's soccer like football is an unmitigated disaster. That is a fact. They have underachieved and everyone knows it from the coach to the players to the play by play man to most fans. Everyone besides you.

Seeing football is by far the most important sport and with the men's soccer team failing as bad as it had the fall season has been an...get ready for it...unmitigated disaster.

 

[UConnDan97]

I got to line 2 of your response and you are arguing something I didn't even write. I said women's soccer was once a top 5 program and is a shell of itself. Which is true.

Men's soccer like football is an unmitigated disaster. That is a fact. They have underachieved and everyone knows it from the coach to the players to the play by play man to most fans. Everyone besides you.

Seeing football is by far the most important sport and with the men's soccer team failing as bad as it had the fall season has been an...get ready for it...unmitigated disaster.

"Unmitigated disaster"...."unmitigated disaster"....is it working yet??? I'll keep trying. "Unmitigated disaster"...

 

[DarthGrumpy]

UConn 2 goals out of 7 opportunity (24 total shots), 29% conversion. UCF 2 goals out of 5 opportunities (7 total shots) 40% conversion. After 9 games, it's now a very worrisome trend.

 

[UConnDan97]

I can see I'm getting nowhere on this thread fast. I'll keep quiet from here on out. I just want to remind people that this is a game that I've played over 30 years, and have coached at the travel-team level, and we are talking about a coach that I've followed for three decades now. He is a premier coach. When he was at Southern CT, he had teams that were better than D-1 UConn's teams while Marrone was coaching us. He has developed multiple MLS players over his tenure at both schools. He has national championships at both schools. One of his protégés, Mike Petke, is the coach of the Eastern Division leading New York Red Bulls.

But if you all want to worry about this "unmitigated disaster" and "worrisome trend", be my guest. It's laughable, but be my guest...

 

[Gurleyman]

Reid is a bit frustrating - he fields consistent contenders, so you could never really say he's on the hot seat, because the next coach could fail to field consistent contenders. There's certainly no reason a cold weather place like Storrs is entitled to have a soccer power. He does a very good job, by and large.

But we haven't been to the Cup since 2000, despite not having to leave Storrs several times. That's a long time for a top ten program. It's pretty easy to get to the quarters if you're top 8, compared to other sports (smaller field, and many big-money schools in SEC and Big 12 don't even sponsor it). You get a bye, a cushy game at home against a mid-major in the round of 32, followed by one semi-tough home game as favorites in the round of 16, and you're there. The last three rounds are very hard, but if you want to be elite, you should win those games once in a while. Reaching the quarters after beating Stony Brook and Brown, or Northeastern and James Madison, is sorta the minimum expectations-wise.

There's no real solution, other than hoping one of his teams breaks through again one of these years (maybe as an underdog this year even - what the hey) and expressing some angst on a message board from time to time.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Overall, I agree. Reid is a good coach, a very good recruiter (though I think he relies on non-US talent too much, did the same at SCSU), and does have a competitive team year in and year out, which is hard to do in any sport. That said, the have been dominant in terms of possession and opportunities over the last few years; but, the team seems to have a mental block about getting the clutch goal. Since this has taken place across multiple recruiting classes, the Coaching staff has to share some of that responsibility. Since UConn won the Cup in 2000, the following has happened:

2001: 15-5-2, lost NCAA 1st Round playoffs in Storrs to Rutgers 2 - 1 (3OT)

2002: 17-6-0, lost NCAA Quarterfinals at College Park to Maryland, 3-0

2003: 9-8-4, lost NCAA 2nd Round playoffs at Queens to St. John’s 0-0 (PK’s)

2004: 12-8-3, lost NCAA 2nd Round playoffs at Chestnut Hill to BC, 1 - 0

2005: 16-3-2, lost NCAA 3rd Round playoffs at Akron to Akron, 3 - 3 (PK’s)

2006: 10-7-2, lost NCAA 1st Round playoffs in Storrs to Fairfield, 2-1

2007: 20-3-1, lost NCAA Quarterfinals in Storrs to Virginia Tech, 1-0 (UConn was a 3 seed, VT 11 seed)

2008: 11-5-6, lost NCAA 3rd Round playoffs at Omaha to Creighton, 2-1 (OT)

2009: 11-4-4, lost NCAA 1st Round playoffs at West Long Branch to Monmouth, 0 - 0 (PK’s)

2010: 12-2-6, lost NCAA 2nd Round playoffs in Storrs to Brown, 1 - 1 (PK’s)

2011: 19-3-3, lost NCAA Quarterfinals in Storrs to Charlotte, 1 - 1 (PK’s)

2012: 17-4-1, lost NCAA Quarterfinals in Storrs to Creighton, 1 - 0

So, 12 years in a row that UConn has been knocked they have only scored a total of 8 goals in these games, 3 came in one game (2005), resulting in an average of 0.67 goals per game, which does not win many games. Of the 12 losses, only one has been overwhelming (3 - 0 loss in Maryland in 2002), while 5 have been via PK’s, 2 in OT, and the rest (4) have been by 1 goal. I am not sure though which loss was more painful, the 2007 loss to VT at home of the 2011 loss to Charlotte at home in PK’s. Both teams should have made it to the Cup.
I do hope they turn it around this year though as I would love to take my son to the Cup in Philly this fall.

As a side note, just one slight disagreement. Indiana has the second most NCAA titles (8) after St. Louis (10), which is also not a tropical location, and I am pretty sure that Bloomington gets just as cold as Storrs does in the late fall.

 

[UConnDan97]

UConn 1 - Rutgers 0.
Diouf still not playing. Plenty of freshman still playing. We outshot Rutgers 22-11. Enjoy...

 

[UConnDan97]

I thought that I could lay low, fellas. I really did. But the ignorance is astounding. The idea that we haven't had scoring prowess since our championship in 2000, or the idea that we are too reliant on foreign players (as if that matters at all).....just astounding. Here are the attacking players that we've had since 2000 that have gone on to the MLS (I'm not counting defenders like Stahl, Thomas, James, or keepers like Josh Ford, just pure attackers / scorers):

O'Brien White - MLS, Hermann Trophy winner
Tony Cascio - MLS
Chukwudi Chijindu - MLS
Damani Ralph - MLS, Hermann Trophy finalist
Kevin Burns - MLS
Stephane Diop - MLS
Carlos Alvarez - MLS
Steve Sealy - Trinidad and Tobago national team (played club soccer abroad)
Ryan Cordeiro - MLS
Mpho Moloi - MLS

Guys, I'm begging you.....I'm really begging you....stop with the nonsense. You have a diamond in your hands and you think it's a cubic zirconia...

 

[Gurleyman]

I thought that I could lay low, fellas. I really did. But the ignorance is astounding. The idea that we haven't had scoring prowess since our championship in 2000, or the idea that we are too reliant on foreign players (as if that matters at all).....just astounding. Here are the attacking players that we've had since 2000 that have gone on to the MLS (I'm not counting defenders like Stahl, Thomas, James, or keepers like Josh Ford, just pure attackers / scorers):

O'Brien White - MLS, Hermann Trophy winner
Tony Cascio - MLS
Chukwudi Chijindu - MLS
Damani Ralph - MLS, Hermann Trophy finalist
Kevin Burns - MLS
Stephane Diop - MLS
Carlos Alvarez - MLS
Steve Sealy - Trinidad and Tobago national team (played club soccer abroad)
Ryan Cordeiro - MLS
Mpho Moloi - MLS

Guys, I'm begging you.....I'm really begging you....stop with the nonsense. You have a diamond in your hands and you think it's a cubic zirconia...

At the same time, with that talent, we have been upset at home in NCAA games five times in the last seven years, and one of the other two years we lost at Monmouth. Diamonds form with pressure, and that's just not getting it done.

Winning a title gave him a lot of rope, and like I said up thread, I don't think you can consider replacing him based on the fact he consistently produces quality teams that at least have a chance to win it all. But he needs to start winning some pressure games again to regain diamond status. Ultimately, fair or not, winning those games is how you're judged, and 2000 is a long time ago. Since the team is young, I don't think this should really be a pressure-packed year to get to the College Cup (but a year of overachieving in the postseason would be a pleasant change of pace).

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I am not saying that Reid is a bad coach. He defiantly can recruit and coach. As for my opinion that he favors Latin American players over US players too much, is just my opinion, nothing more, nothing less.

The concern is that UConn now has a 12 year history of underperformance in clutch NCAA games that spans multiple teams. That points to an issue with coaching. Is it lack of mental or physical preparation? Is it poor planning and strategy? I do not know. I do know that only scoring 8 goals in the 12 games is worrisome. I do know that losing 5 games to PK’s because the team could not score, even after typically out-shooting their opponent by a wide margin, is troubling. I do know that losing repeatedly to lower seed teams at home, especially the two quarterfinal games, is painful.

Good teams win regularly; but, they sometimes lose to an inferior team when it counts (see UConn men’s basketball in 2006 versus George Mason or the perfect 2008 New England Patriots losing to the Giants in the Super Bowl). Great teams win regularly and finds ways to win when it counts (see UConn’s win over Georgia Tech in 2004). Right now, UConn men’s soccer clearly falls into the ‘good’ category.

By the way, I am glad that UConn did beat Rutgers; but, their conversion rate is still low, (1 goal, 6 shots) at 16%, which is what they have been averaging all season.

 

[Gurleyman]

By the way, I am glad that UConn did beat Rutgers; but, their conversion rate is still low, (1 goal, 6 shots) at 16%, which is what they have been averaging all season.

The goal was a penalty kick, too.

 

[UConnDan97]

At the same time, with that talent, we have been upset at home in NCAA games five times in the last seven years, and one of the other two years we lost at Monmouth. Diamonds form with pressure, and that's just not getting it done.

Winning a title gave him a lot of rope, and like I said up thread, I don't think you can consider replacing him based on the fact he consistently produces quality teams that at least have a chance to win it all. But he needs to start winning some pressure games again to regain diamond status. Ultimately, fair or not, winning those games is how you're judged, and 2000 is a long time ago. Since the team is young, I don't think this should really be a pressure-packed year to get to the College Cup (but a year of overachieving in the postseason would be a pleasant change of pace).

With all due respect, this line of thinking is ridiculous. It really is. By this same logic, Tom Izzo should be out of a job tomorrow. The last time Tom won a championship was also in 2000, and he has also molded multiple kids into "next-level" talent. So he needs to win "pressure games"??? Since 2000, Reid has won the Big East regular season championship four times and the tournament championship three times.

We have suffered some horrible knockout losses in "the big dance." There's no doubt about it. But you all are attributing that to the coach?!? Good Lord! I wonder what people would have thought of Calhoun if the 2011 team didn't make the magic run through the tourney. Maybe they would have said he should have retired 7 years prior...good God!

And by the way, are you being serious about knocking a goal because it was a PK??? How do you think a PK is earned?!? That comment alone pretty much sums up what I think of your soccer knowledge...

 

[Gurleyman]

With all due respect, this line of thinking is ridiculous. It really is. By this same logic, Tom Izzo should be out of a job tomorrow. The last time Tom won a championship was also in 2000, and he has also molded multiple kids into "next-level" talent. So he needs to win "pressure games"??? Since 2000, Reid has won the Big East regular season championship four times and the tournament championship three times.

We have suffered some horrible knockout losses in "the big dance." There's no doubt about it. But you all are attributing that to the coach?!? Good Lord! I wonder what people would have thought of Calhoun if the 2011 team didn't make the magic run through the tourney. Maybe they would have said he should have retired 7 years prior...good God!

And by the way, are you being serious about knocking a goal because it was a PK??? How do you think a PK is earned?!? That comment alone pretty much sums up what I think of your soccer knowledge...

All of my discussion over winning big games has revolved around just getting to the College Cup. Izzo's team just played in the national championship game in 2009 - beat us to get there. Since winning his last title, he was in the FF in 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2010. Reid has not made it to the College Cup since 2000, and it is easier to get there in soccer as a high-seeded team than hoops (one less round, and you get to play at home). But we've lost five of the last seven years at home to lower seeded teams, as well as a winnable road game at Monmouth, and yes, the coach needs to take responsibility for that.

Your parallel about Izzo being out of a job doesn't make any sense anyway. At what point did I say Reid should be out of a job? In fact, I went out of my way to say the EXACT opposite.

And the post i was responding to about the penalty kick was clearly discussing our conversion rate shooting the ball, and I felt it was important to note that the shot we converted on was a PK and not in the flow of play, and should thus be disregarded from that statistic. I even trimmed out that sentence - and that sentence alone - in the quote to make it painfully obvious the point I was making.

 

[UConnDan97]

All of my discussion over winning big games has revolved around just getting to the College Cup. Izzo's team just played in the national championship game in 2009 - beat us to get there. Since winning his last title, he was in the FF in 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2010. Reid has not made it to the College Cup since 2000, and it is easier to get there in soccer as a high-seeded team than hoops (one less round, and you get to play at home). But we've lost five of the last seven years at home to lower seeded teams, as well as a winnable road game at Monmouth, and yes, the coach needs to take responsibility for that.

Your parallel about Izzo being out of a job doesn't make any sense anyway. At what point did I say Reid should be out of a job? In fact, I went out of my way to say the EXACT opposite.

And the post i was responding to about the penalty kick was clearly discussing our conversion rate shooting the ball, and I felt it was important to note that the shot we converted on was a PK and not in the flow of play, and should thus be disregarded from that statistic. I even trimmed out that sentence - and that sentence alone - in the quote to make it painfully obvious the point I was making.

I'll take your comments in reverse order:

1) The fact that you think the PK should be disregarded from the statistic is to say that you were trying to further the point of that silly statistic; the idea that conversion percentage is how you judge the quality of a team or of a coach. Ridiculous. Barcelona had better watch out then, because they generate a hell of a lot of chances that they don't finish. It's so dumb I can't even say it enough....a team that generates more chances is poorly coached because they don't go in....wow...

2) Your assumption that it is easier to get to the Final Four in soccer than in hoops is simply not true. Not one bit. First off, it's not easier to qualify for the tourney. Secondly, any sport that requires 11 people to play together is more difficult than 5 players. I can say that with great confidence, because I watched Kemba win the tourney for us nearly single-handedly in 2011. That can't happen in soccer, for better or for worse.

Now I remember why I tried to shut myself up earlier in the thread (unsuccessfully). The reason is that posters like yourself have made assumptions about what should and should not be, without having any understanding at all about what goes into recruiting, formations / strategy, and player development for soccer. I can tell you with great great confidence that Ray Reid is handling all of those areas extremely well. Whether any of you choose to believe that is obviously up to you, but I sincerely hope that Warde Manuel has more wits about him than what I'm seeing on this thread...

 

[UConnDan97]

UConn 3 - Memphis 0

Another freshman (Larin) scores again, giving him 4 goals on the season. UConn outshot Memphis 17-2, which is really bad, because we only converted on three of the shots...