Lauren Cox to Visit on First Night

[Icebear]

Should be interesting to hear her decision. She may very well NOT consider a national title to be the most important thing, much like EDD. It's a much farther drive from Storrs to Waco than from Storrs to DE

 

[Icebear]

But now it appears that you feel compelled to rudely critique Boneyarders. ETT, I assure you we can do this on our board with no help from you. Please refrain.

Not a new behavior but one that runs in cycles.

 

[triaddukefan]

[

If Lauren doesn't choose UCONN does that mean she doesn't want to win a NC? Maybe she chooses Baylor because it is a top basketball program that she would like to lead to a NC, is in a Big 5 conference, is close enough for her parents and siblings to drive in to watch every home game in person, is a Baptist university with strong religious ideas, has a great football team that adds immeasurable excitement to campus life.

Is Cox a Southern Baptist? If so... then I can see why she would be interested in Baylor. If she is Catholic.... wouldnt that seem to favor ND ?

 

[jcoton56]

Since dinner was at coach's house I say 'Leave the football, take the canolli'

 

[Bonpland]

I would not be surprised at all to see her land at ND. That would really hurt after losing Turner to Muffet.

That thought has been running through my mind as well as we've engaged in this discussion. We're both so sure that what we have to offer is too temping for Ms. Cox to ignore, but ND has a combination of strengths that might land her in South Bend.

By the way, I'm happy to have voices on the board who are not preaching to the choir. To me your comments are enthusiastic, but not offensive. We are all WCBB fans and emphatically supporting our programs is good for the sport.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

To me your comments are enthusiastic, but not offensive. We are all WCBB fans and emphatically supporting our programs is good for the sport.

Enthusiastically and very repetitively supporting Baylor in a thread about Ms. Cox's official visit to Connecticut is offensive and displays a lack of respect for the purposes and participants on this board.

 

[HuskyNan]

A little Baylor talk goes a long way. A judicious amount of such chatter should be respectfully introduced to threads then let go, IMO. But, I think ETT got the message and won't have anything more to add to this UConn thread.

 

[caravaggio]

Hjoerring:

Er du dansker? Hvis jeg skriver pa dansk, kan du forstar mig?

Thanks for your kind notes; however, I have a few disclaimers. One, it was German and not French, although it is a question of the period. Perhaps you were thnking of the emergence of the Bourgeoise. Proximity is tricky. Yes, Danish, Swedish and Norw. are similarly written, but the spoken languages are very different. There are also many regional dialects in the above countries that have given rise to standard danish/swedish, etc. And you know of course that the Americas is more then the USA- so proximity hasn't helped there (also with the presence of Spansk. speaking people) Also, the Brits are worst then the Americans in the learning of a new language, hopeless I would say. Of course I hinted at the relation bet power and language in my first post. That is coming back to haunt the English speakers as the world changes. In Scandinavia, all kids starting in public schools (pre-gymnasium/hs) must be proficient in Eng and Ger, and all Gymnasium/HS graduating students must sit for both a written and oral exam. in 3 major languages. At the Univ here you risk being asked to read materials in these languages. During my time at Uconn (and elsewhere- including the so-called elite schools) I was taken back by the many students who had 3 years of Spans/Fren and were unable to comm or read anything. That was something that stood out- but the profs were not all that diff. I'm not a language person, but it is now commonplace that the learning and speaking of a language is a complex matter. The grammar that you guys are obsessed with tricky: too many students are leaving the public schools with sloppy writing skills. That is a societal problem. I have read about Univ students who are leaving with a degree and cannot put their thoughts on paper without help. The U.S will have to correct this real fast. My daughter who was an xchange student in China (1st yr gym student), came back and was surprised about how advanced her fellow Chinese students were across the board. And were fellow Danish students were not idiots. In fact, we hosted a Chinese students here and his English was very good- even if it were Edwardian.

 

[Tonyc]

Well Geno has done everything he can do to land Cox. A trip to a packed house at First Nite the unbelievable trophy and banner room the aphnosphere in Gampel were all about UConn BB not football. UConn WCBB has nothing to sell. To see it up close and be part of it as a teenager has to be overwhelming. Kinda like a little kid in a candy shop with all her favorite candies. Now while every other school sells on near capacity crowds at football games the bottom line is shes is a BB star. Her BB experience at UConn is second to none. Her decision will come in a few weeks. I think it will be very difficult for her to say No to UConn however it could happen for reasons other then BB. There are very few players who can change a program...must get players. I think for UConn Lauren is one that is a must get. If she doesn't come to UConn Geno will still have the best team in WCBB. Cox will give him the biggest edge and for Lauren the experience and development will be beyond anything she's ever dreamed. It will be hard for her to forget her experience at UConn. I am sure her first impression will last a ling time no matter what he decision is. There is nothing like it. Now we wait and see.

 

[easttexastrash]

Message received. I will take my enthusiasm on this subject to the Baylor board, where I agree in belongs. I am sure that Cox found her UCONN visit to be quite impressive and getting to see First Night was quite an experience.

 

[HoopsFan21]

I don't think Cox is a must get. Like Geno told Stewie, he'll still win championships - with or without her.

 

[cbraarj]

So you consider Ann Strother a failure? These are young women who need to be viewed as more than title producers. I haven't considered a single Baylor player a loser. I appreciate the effort they put forth to represent the university.

Ann Strother won NC her freshmen and sophomore years.

 

[JS]

Message received. I will take my enthusiasm on this subject to the Baylor board, where I agree in belongs. I am sure that Cox found her UCONN visit to be quite impressive and getting to see First Night was quite an experience.

Ha ha. We know you were just putting our welcome to visitors through a stress test.

Clever formula:

1. Make the Baylor recruiting case;

2. in prolonged fashion;

3. on the UConn board;

4. for a top recruit;

5. who has UConn and Baylor as probably two of her three finalists;

6. at a time of maximum sensitivity (while she's here and about to go to Baylor, then decide).

How'd we do? Well . . . it's still there . . .

 

[UcMiami]

Interesting to note that this is the 11th anniversary of the last recruit to arrive at Uconn who would leave after four years without at least one NC. And dating back to 1991 there have only been the 1995 and 2004 classes for which that is true.

 

[mhshuskies]

So what happens if you go to UCONN and you don't win a championship. Are you considered a failure?

Not a failure, just an extreme anomaly.

 

[CocoHusky]

I was thinking the same thing. I don't get why the football angle matters for a women's basketball recruit. Sure going to the games is fun, but you know what's more fun? Hoisting a national championship trophy every April and having most of your games broadcast to the entire nation. There's only one coach in America that can walk into a recruit's living room and guarantee a national championship, and it's not Kim Mulkey. Or Holly Warlick. Or Muffet McGraw. Or Dawn Staley. Or Jeff Walz. As far as professional basketball careers go, look how many UConn players are in the W. As an example, Seattle's roster is basically going to be one quarter UConn alumni next year.

Do you get also NOT get why academics, playing time, or the weather angle might matter to a women's college basketball recruit?
There is no coach in America that can "walk into a recruit's living room and guarantee a national championship" not even Geno. Would you believe a coach that guaranteed a NC anyway?

I don't think Cox is a must get. Like Geno told Stewie, he'll still win championships - with or without her.

Do you think Geno could/would have won any of the last 3 NCs without Stewie?

 

[CBear01]

Ann Strother won NC her freshmen and sophomore years.

I believe if was just her freshman season only no?

 

[UConnCat]

Geno didn't tell Stewie UConn would still win championships without her. As Geno described it, he told her there was still a chance UConn could win a championship without her. His approach was to appeal to her goals and I'm sure that's the same approach he takes with all elite players he's recruiting. This is how he described the evolution of his approach to recruiting during last year's championship press conference:

A. It's part of the evolution of our program. And it's part of the evolution of the recruiting process. When we were recruiting Rebecca, it was Rebecca. You could come to Connecticut and you could help us be really good. You can help build a program that people will say Rebecca Lobo helped build that. So that was the conversations that Rebecca had and I had on a regular basis were about what she could do to help us and how much fun it would be to play at Connecticut, close to home and all that.

As the years have gone on, and now culminating with recruiting Stewy, my conversations with Stewy were more about Stewy: Think of it this way, what do you want? Tell me what you want, because even if you don't come to Connecticut, I mean, there's a chance we could still win national championships. So it's not like we're dependent on just one player.

So what do you want? And she said: You know I want to win four national championships. I want to be Player of the Year. I want to make the Olympic team. I want, I want. She wants all these things.

I said: Well, why don't you sit down and take a look at all the coaches that you think can help you do that and you tell me where you want to go to school. So it was more about now the conversation and recruiting, this is what we can do for you, as opposed to Stewy: If you come here you'll help us do something, what, we've never done before?

So it's all about appealing to what they want now. And the thing with Maya, the same with Stewy, all these guys, those kids that don't necessarily know what they want, I don't know what I want, we don't get those kids. Those kids have to play 35 minutes, lead the country in scoring, want to have fun, want to love their coach, want to be buddy‑buddies with their coach. We don't get those guys. We get guys who don't like me but want to win championships.

 

[Biff]

I believe if was just her freshman season only no?

2003 and 2004.

 

[billnaples]

Do you get also NOT get why academics, playing time, or the weather angle might matter to a women's college basketball recruit?
There is no coach in America that can "walk into a recruit's living room and guarantee a national championship" not even Geno. Would you believe a coach that guaranteed a NC anyway?


Do you think Geno could/would have won any of the last 3 NCs without Stewie?

Could? Sure. Would? Who knows. What we don't know is who may have been on Geno's list if he thought #30 was not headed his way. All the unknowns of what she would have meant to another program or what another recruit would have meant to UConn. We missed EDD coming in but did well without her. We did pretty well losing Shea and Svet one year, Sue another year. So color me happier that I have been able to follow Stewart and friends for near 120 games thus far and perhaps 38-39 games this season, BTW I think Mo, Breanna, Morgan (I know she missed some) have a great chance to reach 150 wins in their career, pretty awesome.

 

[cbraarj]

I believe if was just her freshman season only no?

Ann's freshmen and sophomore years were Taurasi's jr. and sr. seasons.

 

[mhshuskies]

[

If all that mattered to recruits was winning a NC then UCONN would get the top 3 or 4 ranked players in every class. Remember Diamond DeShields. And when she decided to leave UNC did she transfer to UCONN.

If Lauren doesn't choose UCONN does that mean she doesn't want to win a NC? Maybe she chooses Baylor because it is a top basketball program that she would like to lead to a NC, is in a Big 5 conference, is close enough for her parents and siblings to drive in to watch every home game in person, is a Baptist university with strong religious ideas, has a great football team that adds immeasurable excitement to campus life.

I think this is a very fair post. It points out what most UCONN fans think. It all comes down to what the recruit values. If a NC is of enough importance and the recruit wants to have the best opportunity to be successful in basketball beyond college, she will choose UCONN. If there are other things that are important enough, than other schools would be considered. But, getting a NC at ANY other university would only be a hope, maybe a calculated hope, but still only a hope.

 

[mhshuskies]

Could? Sure. Would? Who knows. What we don't know is who may have been on Geno's list if he thought #30 was not headed his way. All the unknowns of what she would have meant to another program or what another recruit would have meant to UConn. We missed EDD coming in but did well without her. We did pretty well losing Shea and Svet one year, Sue another year. So color me happier that I have been able to follow Stewart and friends for near 120 games thus far and perhaps 38-39 games this season, BTW I think Mo, Breanna, Morgan (I know she missed some) have a great chance to reach 150 wins in their career, pretty awesome.

It is a sure thing that Stewie, Mo and Tuck would not be going for a fourth NC if they went anywhere else.

 

[mhshuskies]

Do you get also NOT get why academics, playing time, or the weather angle might matter to a women's college basketball recruit?
There is no coach in America that can "walk into a recruit's living room and guarantee a national championship" not even Geno. Would you believe a coach that guaranteed a NC anyway?

Do you think Geno could/would have won any of the last 3 NCs without Stewie?

You are correct that no coach can guarantee, but no coach other than Geno can say it is extremely likely they would win a NC. Geno can say "we would like you to join us in PROBABLY winning one or more NC". Any other coach can only say "we would like you to join us to MAYBE win a NC if UCONN has an off season."

 

[JoePgh]

It is a sure thing that Stewie, Mo and Tuck would not be going for a fourth NC if they went anywhere else.

If all three of them had gone to the same other school, I am not so sure that they would not have won multiple NC's, although probably not three in their first three years.

Also, I doubt whether any top recruit really prioritizes maximizing the number of NC's that she will win as a major factor in her college choice. Maximizing her development as a basketball player is a different thing entirely, and I am sure that is a huge factor for many recruits, especially those who choose UConn. UConn will probably get the majority of those for whom that is the top priority.

But top recruits with other higher priorities such as academics, religious affiliation, or proximity to home will still choose other schools in many cases, and properly so.

 

[CocoHusky]

It is a sure thing that Stewie, Mo and Tuck would not be going for a fourth NC if they went anywhere else.

I disagree, put Stewie by herself at ND in 2012 and ND could be playing for it's 4 NC. Add MoJeff and Morgan to ND and I would put money on it.

 

[Tonyc]

All this chatter about Cox to Baylor. Baylor has Kalini Brown 6'5. Where is Cox or Brown going to play. They are both post players. Not outside shooters. So where imo does Cox fit. Next Baylor had Griner. Won 1 NC and was was 2and 2 against UConn. During the time Griner was at Baylor UConn won 2 NCs Baylor won 1. Not much of a debate. Baylor has Brown 6'5 and ND has Turner a probable AA. I have no inside information but I like our chances.

 

[CocoHusky]

Geno didn't tell Stewie UConn would still win championships without her. As Geno described it, he told her there was still a chance UConn could win a championship without her. His approach was to appeal to her goals and I'm sure that's the same approach he takes with all elite players he's recruiting. This is how he described the evolution of his approach to recruiting during last year's championship press conference:

A. It's part of the evolution of our program. And it's part of the evolution of the recruiting process. When we were recruiting Rebecca, it was Rebecca. You could come to Connecticut and you could help us be really good. You can help build a program that people will say Rebecca Lobo helped build that. So that was the conversations that Rebecca had and I had on a regular basis were about what she could do to help us and how much fun it would be to play at Connecticut, close to home and all that.

As the years have gone on, and now culminating with recruiting Stewy, my conversations with Stewy were more about Stewy: Think of it this way, what do you want? Tell me what you want, because even if you don't come to Connecticut, I mean, there's a chance we could still win national championships. So it's not like we're dependent on just one player.

So what do you want? And she said: You know I want to win four national championships. I want to be Player of the Year. I want to make the Olympic team. I want, I want. She wants all these things.

I said: Well, why don't you sit down and take a look at all the coaches that you think can help you do that and you tell me where you want to go to school. So it was more about now the conversation and recruiting, this is what we can do for you, as opposed to Stewy: If you come here you'll help us do something, what, we've never done before?

So it's all about appealing to what they want now. And the thing with Maya, the same with Stewy, all these guys, those kids that don't necessarily know what they want, I don't know what I want, we don't get those kids. Those kids have to play 35 minutes, lead the country in scoring, want to have fun, want to love their coach, want to be buddy‑buddies with their coach. We don't get those guys. We get guys who don't like me but want to win championships.

Thank you, this makes much more sense.

 

[j66kicker]

I don't think Cox is a must get. Like Geno told Stewie, he'll still win championships - with or without her.

Yeah she lacks skills anyway

 

[j66kicker]

Message received. I will take my enthusiasm on this subject to the Baylor board, where I agree in belongs. I am sure that Cox found her UCONN visit to be quite impressive and getting to see First Night was quite an experience.

FWIW, I don't think your comments on Cox were disrespectful. (As you know if she ends up choosing Baylor many on this board will conclude that we didn't really want her anyway - not a "UCONN" type of person.)