Loyality and the Portal

[Aluminny69]

I doubt that Geno ever told someone to leave, but I’m going to say he was brutally honest about their situation. Just because they may not play doesn’t mean they don’t matter to him. He values their total contributions, on and off the court.

I agree, and I don't think the portal has any or very little effect on the discussion. There is a list of former players who decided to leave UConn after this discussion, and long before the portal existed. Of course, none of us knows for sure, but the timing is at least suspicious.

 

[LoboDays]

Your first myth is that Geno has conversations with players regarding playing time -this does not happen. Well there was the one conversation that Sadie Edwards initiated but that did go so well for her.

Your second myth is because you perceive the portal as a "brand new tool" to improve the roster and it simply is not new. The portal is a collection of players looking to transfer. Before the portal existed Geno certainly used transfers to improve the roster. Natalie Butler, and Azura Stevens ended up at UCONN without a portal because the portal did not exists. The only aspect that is new is that players transferring for the first time are now immediately eligible as has already been pointed out in @BobbyJ post.

Year end talks are also not new nor are they unique to UCONN and Geno . Every school has these end of year talk and evaluations and players make decisions based on thier standing on the team. Do you really think that Piath had to have a conversation with Geno to figure out what her standing on the team was?

I have had a lot of myths destroyed during my extended time on the planet. The ones you bring up aren’t included. Geno is on record talking to Paige about playing time.

And the portal is new. It also changes everything because players can transfer without losing a year. We are seeing a multi number of players from almost every team entering the portal. That kind of movement never came close to happening before the portal. Do you think that’s a coincidence?

My myths are in tact. Yours seem shaky.

 

[MD#12Fan]

The portal is made up mostly of mediocre players thinking maybe they are better than evaluated by their current coaches and warrant more PT. It also has a component of players who really are good and want more exposure and fine tuning for maybe a pro career. That 2nd batch is very rare. A third batch is just real solid players who want to play for better teams. Peronally, I could see Oregon or Maryland emerging as a great power but let's be honest, it's been an exodus especially at Maryland. It's probably not happening and they will hemorrhage their best players for years to come unless something major changes.

Please inform us as to what is going on at MD. I'm from MD, a graduate, and I would like to know what's up. Thanks

 

[CocoHusky]

The portal is made up mostly of mediocre players thinking maybe they are better than evaluated by their current coaches and warrant more PT.

In support of this point, transfers began to spike around 2013 with the Diamond DeShields class. Unless I'm missing someone there have been only two players in the history of the NCAA to transfer and then achieve AA stats at the new school-Elena Delle Donne and Chelsea Dungee.

 

[fan4eva]

Some here suggest that Geno had a talk Piath and told her the reality of her situation. If that is true and Geno sits down with a player after the season and tells her that her chances of getting serious playing time are not good at UCONN, he is, in effect, using the portal as a pro-active strategy to strengthen his team.. and, not a reactive move to replace missing roster spots.

Coaches can use the portal just like players can. To improve their situation. This brings up the topic of loyalty and what it means in today’s “amateur” sports. What does a coach tell a recruit in order to entice her to come to his/her school? In UCONN’s case, it sells itself. A storied program, filled with a winning tradition, close-knit ties that last a lifetime and an opportunity to be part of a championship team. And, probably a commitment to make the recruit a better player.

All good, but now with the portal there as an added recruitment tool, coaches don’t need to fulfill that commitment to players like they did in the past. They can tell players (indirectly) if you want more playing time, the portal is for you. Knowing before the talk that he is going to use the portal to improve his team.

I’m not saying that this is wrong or even a bad thing. Just mentioning that loyality …coaches to players…..players to the school…is disappearing.

May the Portal be with you

The problem with your premise is that it's built on "if". There's no factual evidence to support your theory and if the conversation did not occur, then your argument is for naught. The portal is not the problem it's the money that has corrupted all of sport and the loyalty that was. Schools and coaches will leave and go to whoever offers the most money and now players finally have that right as well and are taking advantage of it especially if they can go play and make a name for themselves to earn some NIL money. The days of yesteryear are gone Uconn could very well leave the Big East and go to the SEC if the money was right, and if a better TV deal from a rival network materializes they'd leave SNY in a minute..it's a new day and it's all about the benjamins

 

[CocoHusky]

I have had a lot of myths destroyed during my extended time on the planet. The ones you bring up aren’t included. Geno is on record talking to Paige about playing time.

And the portal is new. It also changes everything because players can transfer without losing a year. We are seeing a multi number of players from almost every team entering the portal. That kind of movement never came close to happening before the portal. Do you think that’s a coincidence?

My myths are in tact. Yours seem shaky.

Geno is on record a stating that Paige doesn't like to come out of games and he is also has been record as saying he does not like the way the team looks when Paige is not out there on the floor. I could see how you would mistake that as a conversation about more playing time for Paige who was the National Player of the year who just happen to average 36.2 MPG in her freshman season- good one!

The point has already been made that immediate eligibility for everyone changes everything and is the most significant aspect of the portal. The transfer portal has been around since 2018. Immediate eligibility for everyone did not come into existence until 2021. Your myth however center around the erroneous claim that the portal is a "new tool" for Geno to improve the roster. The UCONN roster has included 1 or more transfers since 2014-15 and will continue to do so through the 2022-23 season. Geno has been using transfers to improve the roster=nothing new! And not to further blow your mind but immediate eligibility is also not new for some transfers-ever heard of Jessica Shepard?

 

[LoboDays]

Regardless of what has or hasn’t happened, the portal, as it is being used today, has changed the sport. Players of different abilities are leaving their current programs in droves for different reasons. One of those reasons is the result of being told where your future is if you stay.

Many here seem think that it was made clear to Piath where her future stood in an honest and polite assessment. I don’t think Geno lined up the players and said: “everyone with a future here, take one step forward………where you going Piath?” But the message was there.

Regarding the quality of players entering the portal….. coaches aren’t looking for an AA. They are looking for a player to fill a need. A player that will improve the team. It may be true that the majority of players entering the portal are not candidates to join an elite program…..but not all of them.

Whatever your opinion may be, the teams we root for will see players leave. And new players come in for a year or two. We won’t be able to watch all our players grow and evolve to valuable contributors. Some will be replaced.

That environment is a sad fact. And it won’t be long before we see a very significant player enter the portal.

 

[visitingcock]

Question: When a H.S. student SIGNS a letter of intent ... a written contract as
I think of it, is the school and the H.S. student commiting to four years?
In a different context, or the same context, the similiar question: Can a play
opt to sit on the bench, i.e. not play per the coach's discretion, and "complete'
the original " contract' to obtain her four years of education? I recall major
league baseball players signing long contracts, not living up to their potential
( whatever that might be), and the baseball team having to pay out the
remaining of their obligation. Please help me.... is the concept different?.
Could Piath have decided to stay at UCONN and collect the remaining
two years of the agreement? thanks for any insights and clarifications. Z

Varies by school.

South Carolina gives 4 year guarantees to ALL student athletes on scholarships.
Yes, a player can ride the bench for 4 if she chooses. In fact, even if Dawn were to tell her not to practice, her scholly is guaranteed.

We have one who will be a senior next year. She was initially a walk on who came in with our excellent 2019 class. She was awarded a scholly her sophomore year. The other players in her class love her but she’ll never be anything but a deep bencher. I doubt she even considers transferring. As a senior, I would love to see her get one start against Clemson because she is a home state girl.

 

[CocoHusky]

Regardless of what has or hasn’t happened, the portal, as it is being used today, has changed the sport. Players of different abilities are leaving their current programs in droves for different reasons. One of those reasons is the result of being told where your future is if you stay.

Many here seem think that it was made clear to Piath where her future stood in an honest and polite assessment. I don’t think Geno lined up the players and said: “everyone with a future here, take one step forward………where you going Piath?” But the message was there.

Regarding the quality of players entering the portal….. coaches aren’t looking for an AA. They are looking for a player to fill a need. A player that will improve the team. It may be true that the majority of players entering the portal are not candidates to join an elite program…..but not all of them.

Whatever your opinion may be, the teams we root for will see players leave. And new players come in for a year or two. We won’t be able to watch all our players grow and evolve to valuable contributors. Some will be replaced.

That environment is a sad fact. And it won’t be long before we see a very significant player enter the portal.

I don't understand your newly found irrational fear of the portal or the fear of additional players transferring form UCONN. I can absolutely guarantee you that other very talented UCONN players will decide to transfer maybe even as early as tomorrow. In the history of women's college basketball has a more talented player than Elena Delle Donne transferred from any university? UCONN survived then and it will in the future-have no fear.

What is most irksome about what you and "others" are alleging ( Piath was encouraged or asked to leave to make room for a portal player) is typified by the title of this thread with the use of the word loyalty. Apparently you perceive that loyalty as as only working one way-from Geno to his players. Shouldn't loyalty be a two way street? That was a rhetorical question. Two way loyalty would mean there was no portal and that would certainly alleviate your fears -but it would probably be replaced by a new one. Geno's job is to put the most talented team on the floor possible and given the amount of talented players in the portal he would be negligent to not evaluate the players in the portal. Likewise Piath would be negligent to not honestly evaluate her situation and if possible move towards a better one. I'm fairly certain that is what happened here because that is exactly the same thing that is going on at every college in the US.

 

[LoboDays]

Loyalty goes both ways as I mentioned in the original post

 

[Biff]

Loyalty goes both ways as I mentioned in the original post

I think you mean to say loyalty should go both ways, at least that's what I'm understanding from this thread. Additionally, you are continually implying, without evidence of any kind that I've seen, that loyalty has somehow not been given from Geno. You go on to fabricate arguments to support your implication as true.

None of your arguments rise above the level of speculation and are completely inconsistent with UConn past practices.

You don't know the details of what went into this decision and none of us likely ever will so stop spreading your theory as if it's an indisputable fact. Not only is it disputable, based on historical evidence it's pretty unlikely.

 

[LoboDays]

I think you mean to say loyalty should go both ways, at least that's what I'm understanding from this thread. Additionally, you are continually implying, without evidence of any kind that I've seen, that loyalty has somehow not been given from Geno. You go on to fabricate arguments to support your implication as true.

None of your arguments rise above the level of speculation and are completely inconsistent with UConn past practices.

You don't know the details of what went into this decision and none of us likely ever will so stop spreading your theory as if it's an indisputable fact. Not only is it disputable, based on historical evidence it's pretty unlikely.

These are my opinions. Where have I ever said they were indisputable facts? IMO , the portal was a game changer in different ways. I shared my opinions about it. Thanks for allowing me to do so.

 

[Skeets]

The portal and immediate eligibility changes many things. I'm pretty sure one of those things is the level of angst a coach may have when a player announces they want to transfer. The coach can go shopping in the portal for another player, maybe as good or better than the player leaving. Prior to the portal, if all the HS kids were snatched up the coach didn't have very many good options. This portal situation weakens, but hopefully doesn't eliminate, "loyalty" on both ends of the relationship.

Over the years I gravitated from MBB to WBB basketball because of the ability to watch young people grow into successful adults for 4 years, rather than "1 and done". The portal isn't helping that.

 

[freshler40]

The portal and immediate eligibility changes many things. I'm pretty sure one of those things is the level of angst a coach may have when a player announces they want to transfer. The coach can go shopping in the portal for another player, maybe as good or better than the player leaving. Prior to the portal, if all the HS kids were snatched up the coach didn't have very many good options. This portal situation weakens, but hopefully doesn't eliminate, "loyalty" on both ends of the relationship.

Over the years I gravitated from MBB to WBB basketball because of the ability to watch young people grow into successful adults for 4 years, rather than "1 and done". The portal isn't helping that.

There is some and good truth in all these comments. Freedom of movement is a basic condition in this country but NCAA sports has, with Washington approval. removed that for some time. I get the loyalty thing, nice if it works both ways. Portals leave indentureship in the past but bring much uncertainty to the sports world. We will survive.

Look at baseball teams, football as well, moving to other cities, entire teams, were they loyal to their local fans? When the Dodgers moved to LA many years ago I could not long follow them due to time issues and lack of then local coverage. My team drifted away. Money was the big thing. It continues to rule sports. Where on line betting brings us we fear to know.

 

[Zarathustra]

Varies by school.

South Carolina gives 4 year guarantees to ALL student athletes on scholarships.
Yes, a player can ride the bench for 4 if she chooses. In fact, even if Dawn were to tell her not to practice, her scholly is guaranteed.

We have one who will be a senior next year. She was initially a walk on who came in with our excellent 2019 class. She was awarded a scholly her sophomore year. The other players in her class love her but she’ll never be anything but a deep bencher. I doubt she even considers transferring. As a senior, I would love to see her get one start against Clemson because she is a home state girl.

NICE! Thanks for the Gamecock perspective. I learn something every day!! Z