Memory Check - Old Timers Only

[businesslawyer]

You're a revisionist.

I don't pretend to speak for others on this board, but that certainly was never my complaint with the 06 team. My complaint was that they never seemed to bring 100% effort. They played relaxed. That's what killed them. You look at the make-up of that team, and "chemistry" doesn't explain the mediocre play.

And to sum up the 06 team by saying, "they made it to the EE" is ridiculous.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but they struggled mightily against the 1st round team, and, IIRC, against Washington in the SS we had all the calls go our way, including a few questionable ones down the stretch, and we got lucky to win on a last second shot by DB.

I will always remember the 06 team as the greatest underachievers under Calhoun. That's what always sat poorly with me - the fact that they did so little with so much talent.

The claim that the issue was that the team "only had 1 ballhandler" is a Boneyard Myth and is ridiculous.

That team had Senior D. Brown, Rashad Andersen, and Hilty. A junior Marcus Williams and Boone, and a sophmore Rudy Gay.

The issue wasn't ball handling, the issue was effort. That team had more talent and experience than the 2011 team by a huge margin, and struggled to get past the 1st round as a 1 seed.

That's why the 06 team is somewhat infamous around here.

Marcus Williams, BTW, was great.

I honestly feel like I'm living on Bizarro Superman's planet sometimes. O.K., let's try this:

1. We didn't accomplish anything by making the Elite Eight? That might be the dumbest thing I ever heard. You know how you make the Elite Eight without playing your best ball in the tourney (which we didn't) -- you bust your butts all year to earn a #1 seed. To ignore that, and act like we were given the Elite Eight, is painfully unfair.

2. The team only did have one ballhandler. That's not even an opinion -- that's a fact. Denham really started as the off guard, Rashad played his minutes there and was much, much more of a shooter than a dribbler and the backup point was Craig and he was a freshman combo guard not playing more than five minutes a game once Marcus got into the swing.

3. "They did so little with so much talent." I guess that's true, if you consider winning the Big East regular season and earning a top seed in the NCAA doing so little. If you don't recognize the irrationality of that statement I feel badly for you.

4. "The issue was effort." Yes, I get it. You can win that many games without effort. The '06 team was very large, and by virtue of that not very quick. Maybe you confused that with effort.

5. You correctly pointed out my one mistake -- Rudy Gay was, in fact, a sophomore and not a freshman. Thank you for that. And Marcus Williams was, in fact, the best point guard in the country that year offensively. Defensively he wasn't even average.

I can already tell it's going to be a long day.

 

[UConn76]

I think the entire fan base (and team) are experiencing issues that haven't impacted UConn since Calhoun got the job here.
* the winding down of a Hall of Fame coach's career and the uncertianty of his medical issues
* the NCAA sanctions for the Nate Miles affair
* the possibility of being banished from the NCAA tourney next year and the lightning speed denial of UConn's initial appeal
* the Boatright NCAA saga
* the loss of Kemba and the mile-high expectations after Drummond joined
* the bulls-eye on the back on our jerseys where we get everyone's best shot every night
* the 'firing' of our AD and the process to hire a new one
* the funding issues surrounding a much needed basketball practice facility

All in all a difficult year that has been a drain on fans, team members, coaches, and the Administration. If you think the uncertainty of things play on our thought process, think about what it must do to a 19-20 year old.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

I think the entire fan base (and team) are experiencing issues that haven't impacted UConn since Calhoun got the job here.
* the winding down of a Hall of Fame coach's career and the uncertianty of his medical issues
* the NCAA sanctions for the Nate Miles affair
* the possibility of being banished from the NCAA tourney next year and the lightning speed denial of UConn's initial appeal
* the Boatright NCAA saga
* the loss of Kemba and the mile-high expectations after Drummond joined
* the bulls-eye on the back on our jerseys where we get everyone's best shot every night
* the 'firing' of our AD and the process to hire a new one
* the funding issues surrounding a much needed basketball practice facility

All in all a difficult year that has been a drain on fans, team members, coaches, and the Administration. If you think the uncertainty of things play on our thought process, think about what it must do to a 19-20 year old.

Yep, add in the implosion of the Big East.

 

[businesslawyer]

I think the entire fan base (and team) are experiencing issues that haven't impacted UConn since Calhoun got the job here.
* the winding down of a Hall of Fame coach's career and the uncertianty of his medical issues
* the NCAA sanctions for the Nate Miles affair
* the possibility of being banished from the NCAA tourney next year and the lightning speed denial of UConn's initial appeal
* the Boatright NCAA saga
* the loss of Kemba and the mile-high expectations after Drummond joined
* the bulls-eye on the back on our jerseys where we get everyone's best shot every night
* the 'firing' of our AD and the process to hire a new one
* the funding issues surrounding a much needed basketball practice facility

All in all a difficult year that has been a drain on fans, team members, coaches, and the Administration. If you think the uncertainty of things play on our thought process, think about what it must do to a 19-20 year old.

If you are compiling that type of list, I'd put the raping and pillaging of the Big East basketball conference at the top of it.

 

[Yonick]

LOL, you're probably one of the old bags at the games who wears the collared shirt underneath the crew neck UConn sweatshirts that complains about the team not playing the "right way". The guys are trying, it's just been a tough season. You want undefeated seasons with no competition, go watch the womens team.

Have a little humility and show some class, for as I refer to them OUR kids, and just support them. It doesn't mean you can't call them out for a bad play, bad game or mental errors, but to say they don't have heart or aren't trying just makes you look like some ignorant front running UConn fan - which unfortunately is like 50% of our fanbase.....To think the same kids that won a BE Title and an NCAA Title less than a year ago aren't trying hard and don't have heart, quite frankly makes you look like an ignorant moron...CHIEF! lol

Again, I don't need to explain to you what I say about UConn, good or bad on a UConn board. Noticing that they have played annoyingly uninspiring is my right to mention that. That's not showing any lack of humility. What it is is a true report on this years team. As mentioned in my previous post was I don't ever remember a JC team lying down like this. If you don't like me stating the truth on a UConn board tough....
Quite honestly, the only one acting like an ignorant moron is you Chief!!! Or would you prefer my calling you a bag???

 

[Palatine]

If this team shot the ball a little better no one would talk about heart.

They didn't score 44 and 48 points because they weren't trying. The simpliest, and most likely explanation, is that this team has trouble identifiying good shots. They pass on open shots when they should shoot. And they take bad shots especially late in the shot clock.

If they took better shots. They would score more. They would win more. And the Boneyard would whine less about heart or effort.

 

[Yonick]

If this team shot the ball a little better no one would talk about heart.

They didn't score 44 and 48 points because they weren't trying. The simpliest, and most likely explanation, is that this team has trouble identifiying good shots. They pass on open shots when they should shoot. And they take bad shots especially late in the shot clock.

If they took better shots. They would score more. They would win more. And the Boneyard would whine less about heart or effort.

I don't completely disagree with your theory, Palatine, but, what about that matadore defense. Especially vs Louisville & Marquette.

 

[Echo Hawk]

I might just be getting really old and I might simply not remember well.

I started watching about 86.

From 86 to about the mid-2000s, I can't remember any UConn team that didn't play hard, with pride, buzzer to buzzer.

Since 04, I've felt as though we've had several teams that suffered from regular bouts of whattheduckitis.

04 we won, of course, but I remember being frustrated with that team at times, when they would lose to inferior opponents.

The 06 is legend, of course, for folding.

2010 folded like a poker player with 8 high at a 10 man table.

2012 now looks like another team that is pulling the giant el-foldo.

So help me out here - did I just forget the Calhoun teams pre 2004 that would quit at times and get out-worked regularly?

Or, sadly, have we just seen a sea change in how our players handle adversity. We've now had 3 teams in a 6 or 7 year stretch that played without much heart, and 2 of the last 3.

If so, what changed? The reason I fell in love with UConn basketball is because our teams, while usually underdogs, never rolled over. Never quit.

2010 was a brutal year to be a fan.
Last year offered redemption.
I'm finding 2012 and to be another brutal year to be a fan.

It's just not nearly as much fun as it used to be.

I've watched the program for a long time - (Was at the Bobby Lloyd - Wes Bialasuknia shootout game in the old field house as well as the game Bill Corley went for 50 Went to a lot of Toby Kimball era games. Went to the first BE championship in Providence.

While I agree that this team is very frustrating, You have to give them a lot of mulligans and I have to pinch myself at how far we came from the games I mentioned above. As bad as this team plays at times, they would crush any UConn team up until Jim Calhoun came along. You have no idea how weak UConn could be, pre Calhoun. If I am not mistaken, I think in the early years of the Big East there was talk of UConn withdrawing from the Big East because we just could not compete.

This season there are too many distractions for a young team to handle. And JC is a difference maker on the court. The only thing I would suggest is that the Calhoun/Blaney era probably should come to an end soon. There comes a point where you just have to let go.

And as an aside, thank God for John Toner and Dee Rowe. Without those two people we would not be having this discussion.

 

[HuskyFan32]

On the topic of youth, if you have to use Kentucky or Calipari to make your argument, you've already lost.

Calipari is bringing an entirely different level of kid onto campus than Calhoun does. I'm not sure anyone can bring in the talent that Calipari does.

Going by ESPN's rankings, Kentucky's 2011 class included the top ranked point guard, small forward and power forward available. He also added the fifth best power forward. In 2010, he had the 2nd best point guard (went pro), the 2nd best small forward and sixth-best shooting guard.

When he stretches past those top ranked kids into merely top-100 kids, (Stacey Poole, Jon Hood), he doesn't seem to have the same ability through to frosh types'.

Drummond was ranked first or second depending on the site. That's as high or higher than any of cals kids

 

[Fishy]

Drummond was ranked first or second depending on the site. That's as high or higher than any of cals kids

Jesus. This is not rocket science.

If you think UConn brings in the talent that Calipari does, there is literally nothing more we can do for you here.

 

[mets1090]

Drummond was ranked first or second depending on the site. That's as high or higher than any of cals kids

1 player in 1 year compared to an entire class, year in and year out. And Drummond was served up on a silver platter being from CT. Cal brings in a guy like Drummond every year in addition to other 5 stars at virtually every position.

 

[Cthuskinaz]

It seems the makup of this years team lacks in a warrior type. Kfree, Moore, adrien, Caron. We have gobs of talent, but not a climb on my back and lets get this done kind of a guy. Looking at last years team it makes me mad that Kamba didn't get poy, because we have roster wise improved to last year, but dont function nearly as well. I think when times are tough someone needs to be the guy that settles evryone down and weathers the storm?

 

[Prezidint]

If this team shot the ball a little better no one would talk about heart.

It's not heart, ay?

Ah. Making it so easy for me to make money. Thank you to all the irrational people with money out there.


AT UCONN, biggest guy on their team about 6/7ish, Rebounds:
Marquette - 33
UCONN - 30

I rest my case your honor.

 

[UConn76]

If you are compiling that type of list, I'd put the raping and pillaging of the Big East basketball conference at the top of it.

Very true. My omission was in keeping with the 'old timers only' title...We tend to forget things...

 

[businesslawyer]

Very true. My omission was in keeping with the 'old timers only' title...We tend to forget things...

Tell me about it. (And I can't even remember what "it" refers to!)

 

[Lefty2one]

My general vision of our program 1990-2009 is as follows:

1. Always plays hard as hell
2. Always has it's ups-and-downs, usually a bad loss or two (which is true for pretty much every program in the nation)
3. Always fought through those peaks and valleys to put it together and be our best come March.

I remember being frustrated at times with the 04-05 and 05-06 teams for not playing hard enough but it wasn't that bad IMO. I don't remember us mailing it in or ever feeling hopeless. There were games we came out flat but it was not an extended thing, and certainly a common occurrence in the world of college basketball. Yeah, the '05 team lost to a 10-seed NC State and '06 struggled with Albany, Kentucky, needed a miracle to beat Washington and lost to George Mason but it never felt like the biggest problem was that our team was checked out mentally or not committed. (2006 had some wars that year, the game in Gampel vs Villanova...how could anyone say our team wasn't going balls-to-the-wall that day?)

The whole damn team left after that Elite 8 loss, we had to get through a rough 06-07 season, 07-08 was a fun growing season and a FF in 09. Everything was par for the course for that stretch (see 96-99 or 01-04). You could see the progress and growth each year and you just knew we were building towards another run and eventually we got there.

2010 was going to forever stay as the worst season in JC's tenure. I figured nothing would ever top it, I hope things change but 2012 might top it. Dyson and Robinson were frustrating beyond belief for their lack of basketball IQ and/or skill. It felt like most games were like watching a half-hearted pick-up game. Little to no cohesion and chemistry, Dyson jogging back after another turnover or poor shot, seemed like there was no accountability. It was the first team that I remember being routinely upset with over a lack of leadership and lack of effort. I wasn't overly surprised that the team underachieved, though not even making the tournament was a surprise.

Last year was a dream, nothing needs to be said. Their 9-9 Big East record was fine, we were insanely young. The postseason results were something we didn't dare to dream...

This year has been by far the most puzzling in JC's tenure. While the 2010 team didn't have a lot of players with skill or IQ but I felt going in that the 2012 team had skilled, smart players. We had good players inside and outside. We were well-rounded. We're young but experienced. Is it a lack of leadership that explains our uninspired effort night in and night out? Are the kids simply not committed? We're all hoping the ship will be righted and we'll all remember something positive from 2012 when it's said and done.

22-28 in the last three years in the Big East is alarming. Regular season-wise that's two disappointing seasons wrapped around a young, young team. We certainly never went through anything like that 1990-2009.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

It's not heart, ay?

Ah. Making it so easy for me to make money. Thank you to all the irrational people with money out there.


AT UCONN, biggest guy on their team about 6/7ish, Rebounds:
Marquette - 33
UCONN - 30

I rest my case your honor.

Outrebounded by 3! Holy take away the kids scholarships!