Meg Culmo

[Storrs South]

I thought Meg did fine and let's not forget she played for UConn, coached for UConn, and now is on the board of the UConn Foundation all while calling UConn games for SNY. She bleeds more blue than any of us here.

 

[UConnNick]

Uconn didn't play anywhere remotely close to our usual capabilities. Tulane had a great deal to do with that. Meg simply pointed that out and gave Tulane the well deserved credit they are due. Geno himself said Tulane should have won the game. When Geno retires, if I were the UConn AD I'd be willing to hire Lisa Stockton to replace him, with no reservations about it.

 

[hoophuskee]

I like Meg and wish we get her over ESPN though I love Kara Lawson. I prefer listening to Meg. I think I understand the OP's concern however and most probably don't feel this way but I think Meg is "post-centric" ie has "post play bias."

Some things she says in my view are bizarre. For example when Lou got smacked in the eye - she said she was acting when she fell to the ground. The next game with the black-and-blue only then did she say she was wrong. I can remember watching it thinking she got hit. I thought Meg went very overboard in saying Lou acted. Similar to either tonight or another recent game Lou took a charge. Meg made the comment to paraphrase "acting on Lou's part too." What if you thought Lou got hit hard enough that it was a charge regardless whether she acted or not? IMO because I think Lou got hit hard enough that it shouldn't have been a question whether she acted.

You can hear during games in which she'll make a comment they need to work the ball inside rather than take a 3 on the 1st pass or two. Then after Lou drills a 3 after the 1st pass or two - she remains quiet. What if you think she is wrong? What if you think overall it is okay for Lou to shoot 3's on the 1st pass or two?

In this game -- I thought she was wrong a few times so maybe if the OP and others feel the same way - that is where some frustration of her calling the game is coming in. For example, after Collier got her 2nd foul (in which I'd like to look at the replay again on foul number 2. Was the player that drew the charge moving or had her foot in the lane? Maybe- but just saying.), a short time later she caught a pass on a fastbreak near the basket and drew a foul. Meg said to paraphrase "that could have gone the other way." What if you thought no way in hell that could have gone the other way?

What about the play late in which Gabby grabbed the rebound and they called a foul on Tulane? meg said to paraphrase and also Gabby could have been called for a foul on that play." I think I know what she was talking about. There was a slight bump by Gabby at halfcourt. Earlier meg had mentioned a foul shouldn't have been called because it didn't affect the play. Now she is suggesting a slight bump could have been called a foul vs a play in which Gabby grabbed a rebound between two Tulane player's and at least one was reaching in and there appeared to be some body contact and she questioned that while mentioning Gabby might have gotten away with one? I thought Tulane fouled Gabby. What if I don't agree with Meg on this or the Gabby implication in addition I believe Meg was giving some form of positive vibes that Lisa Stockton was arguing the questionable call which Meg basically felt it shouldn't have been called. I think Meg was wrong.

And when I played, I was a guard. On the flip side we know Meg was a physical player. So in this game Tulane got a few early calls in the 4th quarter that went against them. She spoke of the game was allowed to be physical and now all of a sudden you are going to call it tight?" YES Meg--- YES!!!!!!! One thing is -- you don't want the game to be even MORE physical. And secondly, if I'm the guard and someone like Meg who was a physical player fouling me all game when I run through the lane- she should be allowed to KEEP FOULING ME THROUGHOUT THE GAME??????? Are you kidding???????? However when I take a step back- I understand -- Meg was a physical player. She appreciates more of the physical style of play. What if you think Meg is entirely wrong in her saying the refs should have swallowed their whistles for those early fouls called on Tulane?

So in summary what if you think in tonight's game she was wrong about Lou? While also being wrong about Collier? While also being wrong about Gabby? While also being wrong about letting go the foul by Tulane on Gabby? While also being wrong about the 3 early 4th quarter fouls? These are things from memory- so what else might there be?

I don't agree with the OP implying Meg should change what she believes just because she is SNY color analyst. We don't want a homer nor do we want an anti-UCONN fan. For example can you imagine if Candace Parker did UCONN games? Anyhow, nor do I think as fans we need to agree with everything that Meg says. we can at times decide for ourselves if someone else is correct, right? With all that said I love Meg. Wouldn't trade her. love hearing her call games even if I disagree which tends to be more over the last year or 2 or maybe 3.

 

[HardHatGuy#2]

I'm 100% on board with how Meghan called that game. I'm not interested in listening to some homer spouting off about how great UConn is when they are playing poor basketball and their opponent is making play-after-play, shot-after-shot, playing them as hard as any team has all season.

I don't want revisionist propaganda; I want to hear a game being called honestly and truthfully.

 

[Chong-Master]

If one is looking for a UCONN "Homer" one can only tune into ESPN and listen to Doris Burke.

I will take Meg Cuomo in a heartbeat (as well as Kara Lawson and Rebecca Lobo) for fair and equitable 'un-bias' commentary

 

[Zorro]

Megan signed on as a broadcaster. The cheerleaders are the cupcakes with the little short skirts.

 

[mauconnfan]

Can someone please tell Meg that SNY (UConn) pays her salary and not Tulane.

Wow she can't announce the game as a basketball color girl while being impressed by the way Tulane was playing? Sorry she recognized the spunk the other team had my God

 

[cookie447]

FYI--- earlier this week, I suggested ESPN give serious consideration to replacing the incessant babbling of Doris Burke with Meg. Meg provides an under stated analysis of the game and her subtle use of humor is extraordinary. Moreover, unlike DB, she rarely, if ever, talks over a play that's going on before our eyes. ESPN didn't respond......

 

[JFC613]

FYI--- earlier this week, I suggested ESPN give serious consideration to replacing the incessant babbling of Doris Burke with Meg. Meg provides an under stated analysis of the game and her subtle use of humor is extraordinary. Moreover, unlike DB, she rarely, if ever, talks over a play that's going on before our eyes. ESPN didn't respond.

Only if she could get rid of that hideous laugh of hers? It's beyond annoying and detracts so much from all the positives you state.

 

[Bliss]

I like Meg because she just seemingly tells it like it is without trying to impress anyone and she knows roundball.

 

[tomcat]

I don't like close games, but I won't not watch.

When did you think Stockton out coached Geno? I didn't think it was a coaching thing... just some senior Green Wave players playing the game of their lives tonight.

My recollection is only vague, but it came toward the end of the first half and had to do with the management of time. Collier had gotten her third foul and you could see that UConn rreally wanted to get someone (Nat or Crystal) in to replace her. Tulane vey quickly -- before UConn could do that -- put the ball in play, which prevented UConn from making the substitution and forced UConn to play with Collier and her three fouls laying off the player(s) she was guarding. Just a little thing, but those add up. It would have bn monumental if Collier had picked up a fourth foul at that point, and the way the refs were calling the game, who could know what would happen\? I have to believe Tulane was deliberate in the decision to get the ball in quickly.

And as for the rest, you're right. The Tulane players played the game of their lives, and I have to admit it was fun to watch, even from the other side.

 

[chrissaran]

Gabby did not throw the Tulane player to the ground. She bumped her, and you would have thought she got hit by a dump truck.

 

[hoophuskee]

Gabby did not throw the Tulane player to the ground. She bumped her, and you would have thought she got hit by a dump truck.

Was this the play that Gabby grabbed a rebound and Gabby pushed her in the back?

 

[FfldCountyC]

Meg was outstanding as always. I think that she, Doris, etc. call it like they see it - the fact that people always are ready to nitpick at them probably means they are doing it right in a way.

 

[stamfordhusky]

The OP wanted a homer. I'd rather have honesty

Agree 100%. If you don't want an objective analysis, then do your own commentary.

 

[my2cents]

Meg generally does a good job. In this game I thought there were obvious plays where Lou was creamed taking shots and Culmo said it was a clean play

 

[BigBird]

I'd cut Meg some slack in at least two respects (and your mileage may vary). First, it was a real, honest-to-goodness contest. She was excited to finally call a real game instead of a blow out. Lopsided games are harder to do, and that equates to less fun. She admitted to being excited to have a "close one." Hard to be more honest than that.

The second defense, if any be needed, is that most of her observations were dead-on correct.

 

[Rixxx]

I think Lisa Stockton could do some serious damage at Tennessee as HC.....

 

[Roger G]

I am not a big fan of Meg. I cannot stand the laugh and in the past she got things wrong a lot. But she has been getting much better. I know this because she makes the same comments as me now. Anyway, she did seem a little too excited near the end of the game, but it is so understandable as so many have said. It didn't bother me at all. The play of CT did.

 

[watanabe]

No.

I might tell her that her analysis of a charge was wrong. That pissed me off. BUT
not only no, but h*ll NO.

We were not the best team on the floor last night.
Meg always talks up the best team on the floor.

I kinda like her. I get a little sick about hearing so much endless worship stuff about this team.
Maybe it's the arrogance that accompanies being so good is what Geno speaks about and how corrosive it can be when you are faced with a REAL game.

Listening to Meg extol the opposing team just brings the reality of the game home. If you don't perform, then why harp on greatness if it's not apparent?

 

[drweo]

Gabby did not throw the Tulane player to the ground. She bumped her, and you would have thought she got hit by a dump truck.

Yes, that and several other instances of flopping by Tulane. I thought the refs must have been newbies who's never seen that before!

 

[DefenseBB]

FYI--- earlier this week, I suggested ESPN give serious consideration to replacing the incessant babbling of Doris Burke with Meg. Meg provides an under stated analysis of the game and her subtle use of humor is extraordinary. Moreover, unlike DB, she rarely, if ever, talks over a play that's going on before our eyes. ESPN didn't respond.

Umm, yeah...hey waiter, I'll have another, and make that a double...I am worried about my friend here...