Muffet Energized by Challenge

[Wbbfan1]

InsideNDSports - Muffet McGraw 'Energized' By New Challenge At Notre Dame

A massive roster makeover has Hall of Fame coach virtually starting anew.

notredame.rivals.com

The ACC will be interesting next year as ND won't be the clear cut favorite in the beginning of the season. ND will be a good team, and surprise some experts next year.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

They'll do well. Connecticut fans will all admit that McGraw is an excellent coach, one of the best in the nation after Coach Geno.

Whatever happens for ND this season, they won't embarrass themselves.

 

[hoopsfan22]

They will definitely have some growing pains early on, but by March, Muffet usually has her team in good shape.

 

[DefenseBB]

They will definitely have some growing pains early on, but by March, Muffet usually has her team in good shape.

But we can be perfectly happy if they do struggle and not have everything in good shape by March right?

 

[Vowelguy]

McGraw 'Energized' By New Challenge At Notre Dame

 

[EricLA]

Plus, just like with UCONN and Geno, I expect she is out on the recruiting trail looking for transfers, grad transfers, etc. Having said that, I'm hearing rumblings of problems so it will be interesting to see if any of that carries over in any way.

 

[hoopsfan22]

But we can be perfectly happy if they do struggle and not have everything in good shape by March right?

Sure, and we tend to do well in the early December meetings with them, so that's bragging rights for a little while anyway.

 

[Carnac]

As anyone noticed the team Muffet is quietly assembling in South Bend. After losing her entire starting 5 to the WNBA, she's tasked with bringing in some replacements (recruits and transfers) in hopes of putting a formidable team on the floor this fall. So far, she's doing a remarkable job. I'm not suggesting a NC by any means, but you know they’re going to be competitive.

She's brought in some ladies that can play. While I'm not a ND fan by any means, I'm keeping an eye on them. I'm sure Muffet is looking forward to playing UConn in December. That game is always an "accurate" measuring tool that these two coaches can use in seeing exactly where their teams are early in the season. That game is always the BIGGEST game on their respective schedules.

 

[Plebe]

Plus, just like with UCONN and Geno, I expect she is out on the recruiting trail looking for transfers, grad transfers, etc. Having said that, I'm hearing rumblings of problems so it will be interesting to see if any of that carries over in any way.

Rumblings? Do tell...

 

[Plebe]

Notre Dame may not be the clear favorite to win the ACC, but I don't think anyone else is either. Maybe Florida State? Louisville?

I think Peoples and Brunelle will both have impressive freshman years. I also think Vaughn and Nixon will make big leaps. ND may lose same games but I predict they'll be in the top 8 by the middle of February.

 

[UConnCat]

Notre Dame may not be the clear favorite to win the ACC, but I don't think anyone else is either. Maybe Florida State? Louisville?

I think Peoples and Brunelle will both have impressive freshman years. I also think Vaughn and Nixon will make big leaps. ND may lose same games but I predict they'll be in the top 8 by the middle of February.

Notre Dame's returning players averaged a combined 15 points. Of the two grad transfers joining the team, one has struggled to score and the other hasn't played meaningful minutes in a game in 2 years. Peoples and Brunelle will struggle like most freshman. Top 10-15 seems about right.

 

[Plebe]

Notre Dame's returning players averaged a combined 15 points. Of the two grad transfers joining the team, one has struggled to score and the other hasn't played meaningful minutes in a game in 2 years. Peoples and Brunelle will struggle like most freshman. Top 10-15 seems about right.

Who are the 10 teams that will be ahead of ND by mid-Feb?

 

[Vowelguy]

Who are the 10 teams that will be ahead of ND by mid-Feb?

Just spitballin, but I'll go with:
Ore, Ore St, Stan, Bay, TAMU, Miss St, Miami, NC St, MD, Syracuse, UConn

 

[Plebe]

Muffet quoted in the article:

“I really feel energized, I feel like a giant load is kind of off my shoulders,” she said. “We have no expectations on us, let’s just have fun, get better.”

It bears emphasizing that this is the great separator between Muffet and Geno. She essentially admitted here that the expectations of this past season were too much for her. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and there's a reason why Geno and Pat are the only coaches to repeat as NCAA champions in the past 35 years.

 

[JoePgh]

Muffet quoted in the article:

“I really feel energized, I feel like a giant load is kind of off my shoulders,” she said. “We have no expectations on us, let’s just have fun, get better.”

It bears emphasizing that this is the great separator between Muffet and Geno. She essentially admitted here that the expectations of this past season were too much for her. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and there's a reason why Geno and Pat are the only coaches to repeat as NCAA champions in the past 35 years.

That is quite a harsh judgment to make about a coach whose 2019 team came within one missed free throw of possibly winning an NC this year, and who did win NC's in previous years. It resembles some of the comments on VN about how Geno and UConn are washed up because they haven't played in a title game in three years.

 

[CL82]

Muffet is as good as anyone of using the pieces she has to her advantage.

 

[UConnCat]

Muffet quoted in the article:

“I really feel energized, I feel like a giant load is kind of off my shoulders,” she said. “We have no expectations on us, let’s just have fun, get better.”

It bears emphasizing that this is the great separator between Muffet and Geno. She essentially admitted here that the expectations of this past season were too much for her. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and there's a reason why Geno and Pat are the only coaches to repeat as NCAA champions in the past 35 years.

I'm not sure last year's expectations were too much for her -- her team came within a missed FT of forcing OT in the championship game -- but her comment does suggest she prefers not to have the weight of expectations.

Geno said this several years ago: "Listen, I like being the overdog. That's when everybody's shooting at you."

 

[Plebe]

That is quite a harsh judgment to make about a coach whose 2019 team came within one missed free throw of possibly winning an NC this year, and who did win NC's in previous years. It resembles some of the comments on VN about how Geno and UConn are washed up because they haven't played in a title game in three years.

I never said Muffet was washed up, or that she's not a great coach, or that it wouldn't be foolish to underestimate her. (I actually think her team next year will be better than many are predicting.) What I said was she lacks the mettle to handle national frontrunner status. It's one thing to thrive as an underdog and spring a title run once every 17 years. It's another to wear the leader's jersey and still crush the opposition every night.

If anything is harsh it's these gaping career differentials:

• One coach has 11 NCs; the other has 2.
• One coach has had 5 undefeated seasons; the other has had none.
• One coach has repeated as national champion 5 separate times; the other never has.

Muffet had a golden opportunity this year. Her team was the clear consensus preseason #1 and, with 5 top-20 draft picks, she had every right to aspire to an undefeated season. Well, that came crashing down with their early December meltdown and again to two ACC teams that would fail to advance past the NCAA 1st round [edit to correct: Miami lost in 2nd round]. They played well in the NCAA tournament, but let's face it, the final was only close because of the Cox injury.

 

[Plebe]

I'm not sure last year's expectations were too much for her -- her team came within a missed FT of forcing OT in the championship game -- but her comment does suggest she prefers not to have the weight of expectations.

Geno said this several years ago: "Listen, I like being the overdog. That's when everybody's shooting at you."

More suggestive evidence:

"The losses that we had in the ACC I thought were, in large part, just us going through the motions. They’re thinking they’re just going to win in the end no matter how poorly they’re playing right now, and everything is just going to work out for us like it always does. ... It’s harder to have fun when everyone thinks you’re supposed to win. It goes from enjoying and celebrating to being a little bit relieved when it’s over.”

Muffet McGraw on the future of Notre Dame women's basketball

Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw reviews last season and talks about the future of the program.

247sports.com

 

[Orangutan]

I think you are arguing this "Geno is better than Muffet" point with yourself @Plebe. No one seems to be arguing the contrary.

I don't think anyone is disputing that Muffet prefers to be the underdog instead of the favorite. She has said that quite plainly.

The only matter of dispute appears to be whether the expectations were "too much" for her or not. I suppose each individual will have to decide that based on their own expectations for Notre Dame's season. In winning the ACC and making the Final Four, my own expectations were met. Your expectations were clearly much more lofty.

I do find it curious how persistent you have been in making this point. I also wonder if you were similarly harsh on Geno for UConn's 2017 and 2018 Final Four losses as heavy favorites.

 

[triaddukefan]

Muffet had a golden opportunity this year. Her team was the clear consensus preseason #1 and, with 5 top-20 draft picks, she had every right to aspire to an undefeated season. Well, that came crashing down with their early December meltdown and again to two ACC teams that would fail to advance past the NCAA 1st round. They played well in the NCAA tournament, but let's face it, the final was only close because of the Cox injury.

One small correction. Actually both Miami and the cheating carolina both advanced to the 2nd round of the NCAAs.

Carry on

 

[Plebe]

One small correction. Actually both Miami and the cheating carolina both advanced to the 2nd round of the NCAAs.

Carry on

Ha, I think you and I are each half-right. You're right about Miami; they lost to ASU in round 2. But I'm doubling down on UNC, which lost the 8-9 game to Cal.

 

[triaddukefan]

Ha, I think you and I are each half-right. You're right about Miami; they lost to ASU in round 2. But I'm doubling down on UNC, which lost the 8-9 game to Cal.

Yeah.... i forgot about that bear on bear matchup down in Waco

 

[Plebe]

I think you are arguing this "Geno is better than Muffet" point with yourself @Plebe. No one seems to be arguing the contrary.

I don't think anyone is disputing that Muffet prefers to be the underdog instead of the favorite. She has said that quite plainly.

The only matter of dispute appears to be whether the expectations were "too much" for her or not. I suppose each individual will have to decide that based on their own expectations for Notre Dame's season. In winning the ACC and making the Final Four, my own expectations were met. Your expectations were clearly much more lofty.

I do find it curious how persistent you have been in making this point. I also wonder if you were similarly harsh on Geno for UConn's 2017 and 2018 Final Four losses as heavy favorites.

If one ignores the regular season and focuses solely on postseason, then one could argue expectations were met (though even that I'd dispute). But my expectations encompass the regular season.

Similarly harsh? If Muffet had won 4 national championships in a row prior to losing, then the circumstances would be similar and my tune would be different.

 

[Orangutan]

If Muffet had won 4 national championships in a row prior to losing, then the circumstances would be similar and my tune would be different.

If only I had a time machine and the ability to brainwash a young Breanna Stewart.