Malina Howard Makes Commitment ........

[VAUConnFan]

Reports, rumors, hearsay!

So, we lost Harper and Langhorn, did we not gain more than we lost? Yet, there is still all this residual bellyaching.

Why is it necessary to hate on other coaches? Yet, still manage to mentally exonerate one of our own whose program just got slapped with two years probation.

Hypothetically, why shouldn't another coach target UConn recruits given UConn's success? Do we not often find Lowe's and Home Depot closely located? Burger King and McDonald's?

If not for UConn's tradition of success, what would sell a recruit on going to Storrs as opposed to College Park? Especially one from an urban area?

 

[intlzncster]

I don't think The Freeze is a good coach because of what I see when I watch her teams play. They just don't look good, especially on D.

They caught lightning in a bottle (along with a few well time breaks out of their control) and won a championship. She had a young team, and should likely have done it again (or at least come close). They weren't a significant factor again.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Walz was the key in developing Tolliver. In addition, he can be seen in a YouTube video drawing up the play for her to make the shot that forced the OT in the 2006 championship game.

The Maryland fans assumed that they had arrived after that and would be a regular at the Final Four. However, it was harder than they thought. They were very good and fun to watch in 2006, but have never been especially good at defense.

In 2006, they took advantage of their familiarity with their ACC foes in the Final Four. Despite being very good, they had little success vs. Duke and UNC in the regular season. Like UConn trying to beat ND a 4th time last year, UNC and Duke couldn't duplicate their regular season success in the NCAAs. Maryland should get credit for taking advantage of the situation, but both UConn and Tennessee had down years that season. That Maryland team would have had no chance against UConn at any point during Maya's career.

 

[speedoo]

I don't buy any of that. Maryland is a terrific school in a great location with awesome facilities. It just took the right person to be hired there and they did it. Harper was interviewed about it and said it was completely her own decision. UConn survived not getting her. Geno hasn't picked Langhorne during much of his USA basketball time, despite her impressive #s. I think it's fair to say that they never hit it off.

I did some research, MD advanced past the Rd. of 32 exactly 1 time while Walz was there and never won an ACC Reg Season/Tourney title. They made the Elite 8 twice and won the ACC Reg Season/Tourney after he left. I'm not bad-mouthing him, just saying that it's a team effort in any situation, good or bad. It's crazy to try to give 1 person credit. Not to mention that you see how loyal Brenda's former star players were to her when they started a foundation in her child's name. That tells me something right there.

It's very hard to win at the highest level. At the end of the day, players win the games anyway. What was Geno's quote about there are coaches who coach great players and then there are coaches who get fired? Geno knows it comes down to the kids on the floor and I agree.

Huh? Your research into Waltz told you that? Please do not ever research anything of consequence because you could not be more wrong. Waltz was responsible for all of Frese's success at Minnesota and Maryland (since he moved on, Frese has had very little success, but while he was at Maryland they had great success including a National Championship). He was also responsible for all the success of a head coach named Paul Sanderford at Western Kentucky and Nebraska back in the 90's.

And now Jeff is a head coach enjoying great success on his own while Frese struggles and Sanderford is out of coaching, having flopped after Jeff left him.

Frese is not a good coach, and she was fortunate to have Jeff on her staff because he was the one responsible for her success.

 

[Vowelguy]

Please do not ever research anything of consequence because you could not be more wrong .... He was also responsible for all the success of a head coach named Paul Sanderford at Western Kentucky and Nebraska back in the 90's.

LOL. If you're going to criticize someone for getting his facts wrong, you might want to do a little research yourself.

(1) Paul Sanderford was a successful coach long before he ever knew Jeff Walz. He was national (junior) college coach of the year in 1981, and the team won the jr college championship in 1981. He was at Western Kentucky 1982-96, making the NCAAs every year, and going to 3 Final Fours.

(2) Walz only coached under Sanderford 1997-2001 at Nebraska. It was an unremarkable stretch, going 88-69.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Reports, rumors, hearsay!

So, we lost Harper and Langhorn, did we not gain more than we lost? Yet, there is still all this residual bellyaching.

Why is it necessary to hate on other coaches? Yet, still manage to mentally exonerate one of our own whose program just got slapped with two years probation.

Hypothetically, why shouldn't another coach target UConn recruits given UConn's success? Do we not often find Lowe's and Home Depot closely located? Burger King and McDonald's?

If not for UConn's tradition of success, what would sell a recruit on going to Storrs as opposed to College Park? Especially one from an urban area?

well said... I love the way you see things! (they just cant let things go, geesh)

 

[Outside Shot]

well said... I love the way you see things! (they just cant let things go, geesh)

Not to mention that if you're going to believe any stuff about MD (i.e. rumors and innuendo) than by the same standards, you'd have to believe the allegations Tennessee put out about UConn. Which we know was a bunch of BS. It just comes down to sour grapes when things don't go your way and wanting to console yourself by thinking bad things about the other side.

 

[Kibitzer]

Thinking back on that NC that Maryland won, and steering clear of this Walz/Frese/Harper/Langhorne discussion, my recollection is that a key player for Maryland was Shay Doron.

Allow for my fallible memory, please, but my long-held opinion has been that the failure or inability of UConn to successfully recruit this player was extremely unfortunate.

Shay came to the USA from Israel and I seem to recall that she had UConn on her very short list very early. She attended and played for Christ the King. I have no idea whether or how well she studied her Cathecism.

She was widly considered a strong UConn "lean," but surprisingly showed up at Maryland. I do not know the "inside story" of why she didn't come to Storrs or why she went to College Park. But it was clearly our loss, so to speak, and certainly an important gain for the Terps.

 

[Kibitzer]

widely.

 

[Icebear]

Not to mention that if you're going to believe any stuff about MD (i.e. rumors and innuendo) than by the same standards, you'd have to believe the allegations Tennessee put out about UConn. Which we know was a bunch of BS. It just comes down to sour grapes when things don't go your way and wanting to console yourself by thinking bad things about the other side.

The material about recruiting issues with Harper were not rumor and came from people involved in the situation and media reports. I, also, sat directly behind the Maryland bench for the two games in State College the year they won the championship. Where I sat was, also, directly in front of the Maryland fans.

Jeff Walz was the coach who was busy with the Xs and Os during the game. He left following that season for Louisville. I believe he was, also, their lead recruiter at that time over seeing those responsibilties. Much of what was conveyed to the team in breaks came directly from Jeff.

The cheers from the Terrapin fans were the most noxious cheers I have ever heard at a men's or women's college basketball games. For the games against both Sacred Heart and St. John's they included cheers about abortion, they relentlessly hounded a particular player that had a child using the rudest terms, and more. I, finally, had had enough and stood up wearing my clerics and stared directly at the ringleader of these cheers and he finally shut up at the behest of those sitting around him and the situation was resolved for the rest of the game.

So my experience of that Maryland team was largely first hand knowledge and experience. Maryland was lucky to escape with a win over St. John's who only trailed by one at the half and the score was tied at 72 with 3 minutes to go.

 

[Outside Shot]

I simply don't believe you. I've been around the Maryland program when I lived there. I was fortunate enough to be befriended by some of their supporters and we had fun going back and forth in a good-natured way. And you have your facts wrong- Walz did not leave right after the national championship. He was around the next season at Maryland when they played up here in Hartford and got upset by Mississippi. We'll just disagree. I don't have a problem with them. If I'm not rooting for UConn, I can easily be happy for Maryland doing well.

The material about recruiting issues with Harper were not rumor and came from people involved in the situation and media reports. I, also, sat directly behind the Maryland bench for the two games in State College the year they won the championship. Where I sat was, also, directly in front of the Maryland fans.

Jeff Walz was the coach who was busy with the Xs and Os during the game. He left following that season for Louisville. I believe he was, also, their lead recruiter at that time over seeing those responsibilties. Much of what was conveyed to the team in breaks came directly from Jeff.

The cheers from the Terrapin fans were the most noxious cheers I have ever heard at a men's or women's college basketball games. For the games against both Sacred Heart and St. John's they included cheers about abortion, they relentlessly hounded a particular player that had a child using the rudest terms, and more. I, finally, had had enough and stood up wearing my clerics and stared directly at the ringleader of these cheers and he finally shut up at the behest of those sitting around him and the situation was resolved for the rest of the game.

So my experience of that Maryland team was largely first hand knowledge and experience. Maryland was lucky to escape with a win over St. John's who only trailed by one at the half and the score was tied at 72 with 3 minutes to go.

 

[Icebear]

Well, you are misinformed then because here are the roster pages with coaching staff for the championship season and the one following.

Walz is on the championship staff and is gone the following year and even if that is not right it was no more than one year after that because he was at WVU.

http://www.umterps.com/sports/w-baskbl/stats/2005-2006/roster.html

http://www.umterps.com/sports/w-baskbl/archive/06-07-wbb-roster.html

So yes, Walz was gone

Here is the roster from Louisville for the 2006-7 season.

http://www.uoflsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/archive/06-07-wbb-roster.html

So believe me or not those are the facts. There are many wonderful people around every program so I have no doubt you know many but there are probably others here who might confirm what I said since that was the year UConn played its first two rounds at the PSU Jordan Center although they were on the other end of the court.

If you doubt that I was there Biff has a picture of me that has been posted on the Boneyard prviously directly behind Brenda Frese exactly where I said I was sitting.

 

[Icebear]

Thinking back on that NC that Maryland won, and steering clear of this Walz/Frese/Harper/Langhorne discussion, my recollection is that a key player for Maryland was Shay Doron.

Allow for my fallible memory, please, but my long-held opinion has been that the failure or inability of UConn to successfully recruit this player was extremely unfortunate.

Shay came to the USA from Israel and I seem to recall that she had UConn on her very short list very early. She attended and played for Christ the King. I have no idea whether or how well she studied her Cathecism.

She was widly considered a strong UConn "lean," but surprisingly showed up at Maryland. I do not know the "inside story" of why she didn't come to Storrs or why she went to College Park. But it was clearly our loss, so to speak, and certainly an important gain for the Terps.

You are correct, Kib, Doron was a junior the year of the title. She was a kid who always played with heart.

 

[xxx001]

According to the bio provided by Louisville Jeff Walz was officially hired on March 27th, 2007.

 

[connboy77]

You are correct, Kib, Doron was a junior the year of the title. She was a kid who always played with heart.

She would have made a great Huskie!

 

[Vowelguy]

The material about recruiting issues with Harper were not rumor and came from people involved in the situation and media reports.

What issues? Even if MD did approach her after her verbal, if she really was set on UConn, she would not have been swayed, or she would not have listened.
Clearly it was a weak verbal and I have no doubt that both teams ended up better off.

I, also, sat directly behind the Maryland bench for the two games in State College the year they won the championship. Where I sat was, also, directly in front of the Maryland fans.

So what's your point? I don't know what the behavior of fans at one game has to do with the coach.

So my experience of that Maryland team was largely first hand knowledge and experience.

First hand knowledge of ONE set of fans. One data point is weak to draw any conclusions.

I'm no fan of MD, but it amazes me the way in which certain dogmatic items get repeated without much proof.

 

[Icebear]

According to the bio provided by Louisville Jeff Walz was officially hired on March 27th, 2007.

It is likely that is true and that WVU has conflict within their own information but that does not account for Maryland not having him on the coaching roster for 2006-7 as per the link above.

 

[EricLA]

Reports, rumors, hearsay!

So, we lost Harper and Langhorn, did we not gain more than we lost? Yet, there is still all this residual bellyaching.

Why is it necessary to hate on other coaches? Yet, still manage to mentally exonerate one of our own whose program just got slapped with two years probation.

Hypothetically, why shouldn't another coach target UConn recruits given UConn's success? Do we not often find Lowe's and Home Depot closely located? Burger King and McDonald's?

If not for UConn's tradition of success, what would sell a recruit on going to Storrs as opposed to College Park? Especially one from an urban area?

not sure i get your point. so by your logic, the whole 30+ page report filed against UCONN by Pat and Tennessee was a long time ago. Along with Pat's snide comments about Geno and cheating, etc. UCONN certainly went on to win 2 NC's 3 and 2 years ago so no one should dislike Tennessee?

Syracuse's thugball smackfest of several (3 or so?) years ago wasn't recent so UCONN fans should like and root for Hillsman and his program?

i don't see anyone "bellyaching". several people posted that they wished Howard had gone to ND because there is some serious dislike for Maryland. for some, it's fans. for others it's things the coach did regarding recruiting. so what? fans dislike programs for many reasons.

as for exonerating Calhoun, as i assume it's him you are referring to, the men's team is paying the price right now with the punishment from the NCAA. now if you mean exonerate him referring to still rooting for the men's team to win and be successful, then i guess 95% of the UCONN women's fans are guilty as charged.

 

[Vowelguy]

Well, you are misinformed then because here are the roster pages with coaching staff for the championship season and the one following.

Walz was hired @ Lou in March 2007, so he indeed was at MD for the 2006-07 season.

http://www.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/stories/032707aaq.html

He was at Neb until 2001, with Frese in MN 01-02, then 02-07 at MD - which matches the 5 seasons cited in the article.

Also note that the reason Frese was hired at MN was her strong performance at Toledo -- something she did sans Walz. Walz may indeed have been a huge help, but to say that she has no ability as a coach is just silly.

 

[Icebear]

What issues? Even if MD did approach her after her verbal, if she really was set on UConn, she would not have been swayed, or she would not have listened.
Clearly it was a weak verbal and I have no doubt that both teams ended up better off.

The issue of being recruited over after a verbal had been made.Simply mean what was reported at the time concerning the events. I do not disagree with your observation of the strength of the commitment nor regret the final outcome. It seemed good for everyone. Nor is it possible to say that it wasn't Jeff Walz who continued contact for MD.

So what's your point? I don't know what the behavior of fans at one game has to do with the coach.

Two games. Both the Sacred Heart and the St. John's game. These were the fans that traveled to follow the team in the NCAA tournament. They were the fans sitting in the University ticket area. You would feel differently if you had heard the cheers.

First hand knowledge of ONE set of fans. One data point is weak to draw any conclusions.

I'm no fan of MD, but it amazes me the way in which certain dogmatic items get repeated without much proof.

The proof is as I offered my first hand experience and the available roster from the two schools and Biff's picture that I was exactly where I said. I, also, spent time during the UConn games with Philster, and several others including meeting both Ann Strother's mother and Mary Thomas. I, also, acknowledged that it is very possible to have had met many nice Terrapin fans. I have met very nice Tennessee fans but that does mean all are or aren't either way.

 

[Icebear]

Walz was hired @ Lou in March 2007, so he indeed was at MD for the 2006-07 season.

http://www.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/stories/032707aaq.html

He was at Neb until 2001, with Frese in MN 01-02, then 02-07 at MD - which matches the 5 seasons cited in the article.

Also note that the reason Frese was hired at MN was her strong performance at Toledo -- something she did sans Walz. Walz may indeed have been a huge help, but to say that she has no ability as a coach is just silly.

Yes, I see that, as well, but it, also means that both the MD and Louisville sites have the same error which is very odd. In my original post I did note that it was either 2005-6 or 2006-7 that he left. The Louisville has conflicting information within its own site. Either way it was very shortly after the National Championship, at most one season.

 

[Vowelguy]

Yes, I see that, as well, but it, also means that both the MD and Louisville sites have the same error. In my original post I did note that it was either 2005-6 or 2006-7 that he left. The Louisville has conflicting information within its own site. Either way it was very shortly after the National Championship, at most one season.

First of all, you blew the original poster out of the water for having the wrong facts. I'm sure he/she awaits your apology now that you falsely criticized him.

Two, a large chunk of your argument was that MD fell apart the moment Walz left. But he in fact WAS around for the disappointing 06-07 season. You were so eager to blame that all on Frese, but clearly Walz shares some of that responsibility. In fact, if he was already running everything (as you allege), I wonder if he should get all of the blame as well.

 

[HuskyNan]

People are blaming Frese for actions taking by a third party, namely Mike Flynn. Let's not rewrite history.

As for Frese, Geno helped her by endorsing her to the Maryland AD when that school was hiring its head coach. But pretty much the first thing she did after getting the job was to lure Shay Doron away from UConn by telling her what a basketball factory UConn is; Geno loses one player then just plugs another one in, etc. This was reported in the Baltimore Sun which quoted Doron when she committed to Maryland. While it is negative recruiting, it's not all that bad but it was the timing and the emphatic representation of UConn and Geno as rather uncaring and impersonal that Geno took to heart, especially as it was right after his generous act for her.

Having said that, I don't know if Geno has long forgotten the perceived (by those with Husky colored glasses) insult but I do know I haven't seen the Terrapins on UConn's schedule.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Have to say, this was a huge surprise for me as well. I thought she was a lock for Notre Dame.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

People are blaming Frese for actions taking by a third party, namely Mike Flynn. Let's not rewrite history.

As for Frese, Geno helped her by endorsing her to the Maryland AD when that school was hiring its head coach. But pretty much the first thing she did after getting the job was to lure Shay Doron away from UConn by telling her what a basketball factory UConn is; Geno loses one player then just plugs another one in, etc. This was reported in the Baltimore Sun which quoted Doron when she committed to Maryland. While it is negative recruiting, it's not all that bad but it was the timing and the emphatic representation of UConn and Geno as rather uncaring and impersonal that Geno took to heart, especially as it was right after his generous act for her.

There was more to it than just what Frese purportedly said about UConn. Let's just say Lamont Jordan and Yuda Doron were involved quite heavily with recruiting "to" Maryland in ways that Geno probably would not have permitted. They were legal, but shady.