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

[msf22b]

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.

Well thank you Biff and a Happy Holiday to you

 

[Dove]

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...

Man, I remember the first time I drank 5 straight V.O. and gingers.

 

[j66kicker]

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.

UConn may not be head-and-shoulders above everybody else this year [??], but they were in 1995. They (and the world) just didn't know it 'til they beat Tennessee, and beat everybody else, and then beat Tennessee again, and there was nobody left to beat.

 

[bballnut90]

UConn may not be head-and-shoulders above everybody else this year [??], but they were in 1995. They (and the world) just didn't know it 'til they beat Tennessee, and beat everybody else, and then beat Tennessee again, and there was nobody left to beat.

They were the best team, but not head and shoulders better than the rest of the nation. All other years UCONN went undefeated they never had single digit games (besides the 2010 title game where they had a 16 point lead late and won comfortably despite the margin). In 1995 they had a very close call in the regionals vs Virginia and trailed most of the game vs Tennessee before pulling ahead for a 6 point win. Were they a deserving champion and the best team? Yes. Head and shoulders better than everyone else? Far from it.

 

[housekeys]

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​

That says it all. There is a difference. Losing, or worse, wanting to lose is a negative. Having lost (i.e past tense), it may be a positive. Sounds practical to me.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

I cant help wondering if the overall reaction to this thread would have been better if the title were worded something like, "Losing at Baylor wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen".... rather than "...losing would be the best thing..."

 

[DaddyChoc]

I think he’s trying to soften the blow... “told you so”

 

[Oldbones]

History would suggest no benefit to a single regular-season loss

Ten unbeaten regular seasons:

UCONN finished the regular season unbeaten in 1995, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018, winning the NC in seven of those ten years (Losing in 1997 after a major injury, and also the past two years, taking a BE semifinal loss to Villanova in 2003 but prevailing in the NCAAs)

Four single-loss regular seasons:

UCONN took a "Fortuitous" regular season loss four times: to Tennessee(by 1 point on a buzzer-beater IIRC) in the 2000 season, to Rutgers in 2008, to Stanford in 2010-2011, and to Stanford again in 2015, winning the NC in 2000 and 2015, losing in 2008 and 2011, succeeding twice in four instances. You can argue the 2003 loss to Villanova into whatever category you want, but the Rutgers loss in 2008 and the Stanford loss in 2010-2011 were ultimately no help. I remember the relief felt in December 2010 when Stanford ended the 90-game winning streak, but there would still be no NC.

 

[reno tony]

Does anyone think it would be a great idea to beat Baylor and allow them to have this learning experience?

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Does anyone think it would be a great idea to beat Baylor and allow them to have this learning experience?

Completely agree.. let Baylor "learn from losing"... and UCONN "learn from winning"...against the "bigs" of Baylor...a different type of team for them to play. Learn from how they beat them and how they will use what they learned from that against Baylor or MSST should they meet them later... GO HUSKIES!!! Merry Christmas Team~

 

[connboy77]

Does anyone think it would be a great idea to beat Baylor and allow them to have this learning experience?

Losing is never a good thing. Hopefully, coming off a long layoff UCONN won't be as rusty as they were against Oklahoma. If they are it won't be pretty.

 

[BroadwayVa]

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

Marines have been overwhelmed by numbers and didn't win--they will never lose; In many skirmishes, they have died to a man and never gave up. Go to US Joint Hospital in Bethesda and see what they gave, never willingly.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Losing would probably benefit the fans more than the team.

Geno uses : A loss would be good for this team as a motivational tool. He is like you me and 100,000 UCWBB fans: WE HATE TO LOSE.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Completely agree.. let Baylor "learn from losing"... and UCONN "learn from winning"...against the "bigs" of Baylor...a different type of team for them to play. Learn from how they beat them and how they will use what they learned from that against Baylor or MSST should they meet them later... GO HUSKIES!!! Merry Christmas Team~

You sound like General Patton: You win; let the other guy lose for his Univerity (paraphrasing loosely)

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

You sound like General Patton: You win; let the other guy lose for his Univerity (paraphrasing loosely)

30 years Active Duty, guess I learned a thing or two from history, and great military leaders in our past.

 

[j66kicker]

Losing is never a good thing. Hopefully, coming off a long layoff UCONN won't be as rusty as they were against Oklahoma. If they are it won't be pretty.

Yeah Baylor has a tune-up game on New Year's Eve vs. "UTRGV" (University of Texas Rio Grande Valley - whaa??) to knock their rust off. Hopefully we show them that, "You can't practice against this" speed and intensity.

 

[BroadwayVa]

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.

TonyC --Nice sentiment, nice thoughts--2 losses in how many games is truly mind-boggling, in that they happened in the FF is only of consequent in that it kept UC from winning 2 more titles. The number/stats guys should be presenting the win to lose ratio that presents that is fantastic.
My concern is the big-known weakness Uconn has had still exists as it had been in the 2 losses: Effective subs. Subs that, while not Danger, KLS, or Napheesa clones can come in not allow the opponent to increase their score and no hurt the team on the floor.
I know my concerns may fade away by the end of March, I hope. But you can't work in March on those things that now require attention--a lack of talented, effective subs.
I'm sure Geno, like me, dreams that his 5 are as good as they currently are and that he had CW and Meg Walker as subs--dream, dream, dream..
Tonyc--Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year, thanks for a season of great posts.

 

[BroadwayVa]

30 years Active Duty, guess I learned a thing or two from history and great military leaders in our past.

Im a wartime Army/Navy type--I respect all who followed their duty of honor, duty country--I have a big spot in my heart for the Marines, for reasons. Your duty honors me. Merry Christmas and May your New Year be all you desire, you've earned it.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Im a wartime Army/Navy type--I respect all who followed their duty of honor, duty country--I have a big spot in my heart for the Marines, for reasons. Your duty honors me. Merry Christmas and May your New Year be all you desire, you've earned it.

Thanks, Broadway... appreciate the sentiment. I too honor you for your service...but I'm having a hard time with the "Army/Navy type"...my experience, Army only considers Navy to be their "water taxi" to get them to the fight... (kidding of course)... Each branch plays vital roles in support of our Country, hmmmm just like our Huskies...each plays a vital role in the Team's Success. Merry Christmas and have a Fantastic New Year. Maybe we will toast a NC in April???

 

[river rat]

Being undefeated is not a big burden on these young women... that is all they know...

The tournament is the SECOND season and will have its own pressure.. lose and go home.. The 2 overtime losses in the final 4 is much more Pressure than being undefeated, and will not go away with a loss to anybody.

losing is for losers

 

[Yorkeez4]

I'll put this out there, playing devil's advocate. On Dec. 4, 2016, South Carolina played a nonconference game at Duke. SC had control of the game early on. But at some point in the 2nd quarter, Dawn subbed out Wilson and some other starters, promptly lost the momentum and the lead, and ended up losing the game. Dawn acknowledged postgame that she was "trying to develop her bench" and lost the game because of it.

Four months later, South Carolina was celebrating its win in the national championship game.

I’m trying to determine if you are aligning yourself with the “it would be good to lose” crowd or acknowledging Geno’s use of subs with well thought out. (Interpretive statement: Did South Carolina win it all because they lost or because Dawn learned a lesson about subs).

 

[Teacherdeb]

You notice how threads like this are always started by a newbie who rarely becomes an oldie?

Yes, but it gets attention!

 

[Plebe]

I’m trying to determine if you are aligning yourself with the “it would be good to lose” crowd or acknowledging Geno’s use of subs with well thought out. (Interpretive statement: Did South Carolina win it all because they lost or because Dawn learned a lesson about subs).

I occasionally enjoy some purposeful ambivalence.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Thanks, Broadway... appreciate the sentiment. I too honor you for your service...but I'm having a hard time with the "Army/Navy type"...my experience, Army only considers Navy to be their "water taxi" to get them to the fight... (kidding of course)... Each branch plays vital roles in support of our Country, hmmmm just like our Huskies...each plays a vital role in the Team's Success. Merry Christmas and have a Fantastic New Year. Maybe we will toast a NC in April???

Between WW2 and Korea, with the war mentality, I joined the Army , When Korea came along I Joined the Naval Air served with a Jet fighter Squadron then aboard the Yorktown. The only taxi-ing we did was for take-off. When I'm not a patient my wife spends much of her time, spare or not, doing something for the Vets/Deployed local kids.

Again may you and your family stay as safe and sound as you have me life for me. Merry Christmas.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Yes, but it gets attention!

Merry Christmas Teach Deb May your New Year make you as happy as your replies to me made me then. Thanks.