Losing at Baylor would be the best thing to happen to UConn

[bbballfan23]

Why don’t you go ahead and tell that to our seniors (that have never lost a regular season game) they should just go ahead and drop one for fun. Should go over well with them.

 

[DeeHusky]

With Geno being the coach that he is, I’m sure he still finds several things in wins to get on the players about just as he does losses. Sure if they lose, if will give them the motivation to push even harder, but we love undefeated, national championship seasons too. I understand your doubt considering that last two seasons have ended in buzzer beating final four losses and the pressure it puts on players going into final four w/o a loss, but we would rather no losses at all in UConn Nation.

 

[Plebe]

It's a testament to UConn's otherworldly greatness that we find ourselves debating the pros and cons of an undefeated regular season. For all other programs, men's and women's, it's a unicorn.

Just yesterday, Kansas men's coach Bill Self spoke about the issue after his #1-ranked team suffered their first loss of the season:

​

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Top-ranked Kansas was upset Saturday night by No. 18 Arizona State, but to Jayhawks coach Bill Self, the 80-76 loss came at the right time.​

​

"I think that losing sucks, and it's never good, but it actually can be a positive if you learn from it so that it doesn't happen again the same way," Self said. "We didn't close the game right at all, so hopefully, we can learn from that. But the reality of it is, we weren't going to run the table. Let's not get carried away.​

​

"I hate saying this, you never ever want to lose, but certainly you'd rather learn from a nonconference loss than a conference loss. So hopefully, we'll learn something from it and get better from it. I think it'll be a good teaching tape for us."​

​

KU's Self: Upset loss to ASU a 'teaching' moment​

 

[FridaFriend]

A loss to Baylor would be hard to Bear.

 

[CL82]

I'll personally buy every one of ya'll a triple decker hamburger if UConn loses. But you'll have to come to Waco to get it. I aint got no delivery service.

Tempting. Well not the loss part.

 

[CL82]

Lose Loose? We can't even SPELL the word!

FIFY

 

[oldude]

A loss to Baylor would be hard to Bear.

 

[CL82]

Why don’t you go ahead and tell that to our seniors (that have never lost a regular season game) they should just go ahead and drop one for fun. Should go over well with them.

The parent of another player on my daughter's HS BB team, used to talk about how he'd rather have a close lose than a blowout win under the notion that the closer competition made the games fun. He asked me and I said 'nah Jim, winning is always the goal when you play.' I suggested that he ask the team how they felt about so he called over our point guard and asked her. She looked at him incomprehensibly, as if he was speaking another language and then with an angry expression said "NO" with a look of utter disgust on her face. Now she was a scrappy little thing and tough competitor (reminded me of Rizzotti) but I guarantee every player on this team is more competitive and more driven. You have to be to play at this level.

 

[Husker Husky]

A loss and the Irish jump to #1 and won't give it up.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Never good to lose. Sometimes a loss points out weaknesses that need correcting but with a mature team like UCONN, they already know strengthens and weaknesses.

When a fan puts out a comment that a Loss at Baylor could be/wouldbe a good thing; it appears that fan expects a loss. I'm the original glass half full guy but I expect a win.
Will I get it ??? Geno will never ever lose by design any game must be wrestled from his team. Yes you may learn from a loss TRUE. But a qualified honest coach shall never lose by design. Geno HATES to lose Geno is NOT a good loser--go back and look at the losses and see his demeanor as he walks off--it is pure hating to lose, the loss is personal, regardless of what he may say in a presser his feelings aren't for the media.

 

[msf22b]

I don't believe the issue is whether they win all their games or lose one or two.

It is more a question of how well they are playing and executing: are our young woman able to solve the obstacles that other teams are throwing at us? Can they solve the problem inherent in that some teams will have larger and bulkier players that we don't necessarily have the personnel to match up with? That there are a plethora of great shooters sprinkled about...Is there any reason to doubt that one or more of them might not go off on any given evening.

Our D is not air-tight; our rebounding threshold has to be considered (at least) suspect and the integration of the lower class-men into Geno's system is not complete. This is not a perfect team such as Stewie, Moriah, Tuck, plus anyone else who shows up.

But the other leading teams have issues as well.

Our's is a team that might well go all the way but that is far from inevitable. To date, Geno and the team has been able to finesse our way to an undefeated season. Archibravo! (esp. ND).

We may go all the way...We also may be blown out in a manner similar to the carnage we executed on Notre Dame in the semi's of the first year of Stewie's reign (after losing to them...what was it...3 times that season)?

Please don't freak out if that happens...This imperfect group is one to savor like a good bottle of '56 Bordeaux.

i intend to enjoy this season with eyes wide open.

Happy Holidays all.

Michael

 

[Big Mick]

Toughen Up Clint.

You make me smile

 

[JordyG]

I'll put it out there. I think if UConn enters the tourney undefeated for 3 straight years (!), there will be unbelievable extra pressure on all the players. Losing a regular season game will be a sigh of relief for the players (& Geno). Also, a loss at Baylor wont change their ranking much if at all. At Baylor, seems to be the best candidate. Of course, you dont want to intentionally lose, but maybe if Geno plays his bench more minutes...

Okay, I'm ambivalent about this conceit. On one hand I see the logic that losing could force some players to step beyond their individually perceived capabilities and/or force certain improvements as a team. As Geno has said, this team lives in a fantasy world and getting their ass kicked would be a good thing. Yet as a fan I never see losing as a good thing. Since the Stewie years I've said plainly that each of these teams have had weaknesses that other teams can exploit, and that indeed each of these post Stewie teams are beatable; indeed they've proven so. That to me is facing reality. As a fan though I'd rather see them win a series of tough games against tough teams on the road than to lose one. So I'm a even 60/40 on this in favor of losing one or two. And yeah, I agree with Geno that I'd rather lose the right way than win the wrong way.

 

[veryolddog]

Why don't you tell the U.S. Marines to go out and lose one.

 

[Centerstream]

Does anybody think that other WCBB coaches or fans really want their team to lose a game just "to experience it"?
Of course if UConn is on their schedule, well...

 

[Centerstream]

A loss and the Irish jump to #1 and won't give it up.

So? There's no bonus points for being #1 in any poll. The only real goal is to be #1 after the NC Game!!!!!!!
Unless of course being #1 entering the Big Dance guarantees the NC.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

You make me smile View attachment 37660

Good

 

[bballnut90]

Maybe I'm in the minority but I think a tough loss can be a great thing for a team on the brink of an undefeated season. Aside from 1995, when UCONN has gone undefeated they almost always are head and shoulders better than everyone else in the nation and that isnt the case this year. It also wasnt the case the past two seasons (several close calls) and in 1997 and we saw how those years turned out. In 2003 UCONN looked to be on the brink of another undefeated season but lost in the conference tournament. Im not sure they would've won the title that year or had the same grit down the stretch against Texas and Tennessee in the tournament if they played with the streak on the line. As a fan I'd want my team to win every game, but with how the past two seasons went and how this team appears to be headed down a similar path, a loss in the regular season might not be a bad thing.

 

[Los24]

Interesting concept but many here almost had a nervous breakdown during the OU game.... if a real lost occurred they would write the season off as over.

For me there is no reason to lose. The bitter taste of the 2 FF losses still remain and listening to CW she was just as hurt. I think these close games serve a better purpose because very few times did UConn have to fight to win during the regular season, and I think that has more to do with March success than taking an L....

 

[huskyd]

So? There's no bonus points for being #1 in any poll. The only real goal is to be #1 after the NC Game!!!!!!!
Unless of course being #1 entering the Big Dance guarantees the NC.

Well, there is something to it. Personally, I feel the world is set right when UConn is on top, otherwise things seem out of joint. However, other teams will always bring their A games when playing the Huskies because we are still the standard of excellence in the sport. #1 is the symbol of our aspiration.

 

[southofnorth]

I’d be excited to see Geno pull what he did a few years ago when he was trying to develop his bench. He started a bunch of bench players to teach them that they need to do more than just go through the motions when the game is already won. I don’t expect that to happen against Baylor, but I hope a couple games are like that in conference and play.

 

[JamesinGR]

Loser mentality. Ever play varsity level anything after high school?

 

[Tonyc]

This UConn program is so good its mindboggleing. Over the past few years we've had 2 heart breaking losses both in the FF and both in overtime and in both we were in foul trouble which I question for a team that very seldom is in foul trouble. We dont need another Heart Breaking Loss. If we've havent learned by now and I think we have this season judging from the Cal St Johns OK and especially the ND where we showed what we're made of. Because of those games I think we're ready to win another NC.

 

[willtalk]

Losing would probably benefit the fans more than the team.

 

[Biff]

I don't believe the issue is whether they win all their games or lose one or two.

It is more a question of how well they are playing and executing: are our young woman able to solve the obstacles that other teams are throwing at us? Can they solve the problem inherent in that some teams will have larger and bulkier players that we don't necessarily have the personnel to match up with? That there are a plethora of great shooters sprinkled about...Is there any reason to doubt that one or more of them might not go off on any given evening.

Our D is not air-tight; our rebounding threshold has to be considered (at least) suspect and the integration of the lower class-men into Geno's system is not complete. This is not a perfect team such as Stewie, Moriah, Tuck, plus anyone else who shows up.

But the other leading teams have issues as well.

Our's is a team that might well go all the way but that is far from inevitable. To date, Geno and the team has been able to finesse our way to an undefeated season. Archibravo! (esp. ND).

We may go all the way...We also may be blown out in a manner similar to the carnage we executed on Notre Dame in the semi's of the first year of Stewie's reign (after losing to them...what was it...3 times that season)?

Please don't freak out if that happens...This imperfect group is one to savor like a good bottle of '56 Bordeaux.

i intend to enjoy this season with eyes wide open.

Happy Holidays all.

Michael

I often disagree with your posts. Sometimes even though I agree with much of what you say, I have issues with a "slant" you may take.

But, I find myself wholeheartedly agreeing with your entire post. I agree with the content, I agree with the tenor and I agree with the conclusion.

This team's issues are visible and watching them deal with them will be intriguing.

I've never had the pleasure of a 56' Bordeaux, but I assume it is high on the enjoyment scale.

Well done and well posted. Happy Holidays to you and yours.