Muffet's Presser

[MilfordHusky]

thats against Stanford not Notre Dame... different respect for/from the coaches

Yeah, but it was after a historic 90-game winning streak. N.D. can into last night on an 8-game streak. Big difference.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Yeah, but it was after a historic 90-game winning streak. N.D. can into last night on an 8-game streak. Big difference.

exactly, Geno and Muffett... big difference! Don't understand why people expect 2 people to behave the same way

 

[donalddoowop]

MM said she had the best center in wcbb and others have said she has the best point guard in wcbb (I think UCLA's Canada is better). She also said UCONN does not have a superstar, which may be correct, as of now. So, the team with two superstars, played a home game against a team with no superstars and lost by double figures. Was it coaching or flawed talent evaluation? I wonder.

 

[DaddyChoc]

MM said she had the best center in wcbb and others have said she has the best point guard in wcbb (I think UCLA's Canada is better). She also said UCONN does not have a superstar, which may be correct, as of now. So, the team with two superstars, played a home game against a team with no superstars and lost by double figures. Was it coaching or flawed talent evaluation? I wonder.

she said that... and you expect her to be all giggly during a press conference. smh I was impressed with Muffett's press conference

 

[donalddoowop]

she said that... and you expect her to be all giggly during a press conference. smh I was impressed with Muffett's press conference

I did not expect her to be any kind of way during the press conference. I really don't care how she was. This was not said at yesterday's conference. I was just pointing out some of her comments regarding her thoughts about UCONN and ND. Is that okay with you?

 

[DaddyChoc]

I did not expect her to be any kind of way during the press conference. I really don't care how she was. This was not said at yesterday's conference. I was just pointing out some of her comments regarding her thoughts about UCONN and ND. Is that okay with you?

nah its not

 

[Buzzyboy]

Because ND plays Duke, Louisville, UNC, etc., in conference games. I believe Muffet said they tried to schedule Baylor, Texas, or Texas A&M for their game in Houston and nobody wanted to play them (I assume this was a recruiting move by ND, which was why they didn't want to).

When UConn was playing in the Big East and there were 9 teams from the conference going to the tournament, we still scheduled numerous out of conference top 20 teams in our OOC schedule. For you to mention Duke, Louisville and UNC like that should be a reason to have a "light" OOC is crap. Beyond that is the fact that UNC and Duke have had so many transfers out in the past couple of seasons that few people have the same regard for their ability to be a BIG threat to a very good program like Notre Dame. They expected them to be a shell of the Duke and North Carolina of a few years back.

 

[Buzzyboy]

Certainly Rutgers hasn't been very impressive in football in the Big 10, or in any other sport for that matter, but they did experience somewhat more success than UConn in football prior to their entry into the Big 10, and they did a wonderful job convincing the Big 10 that having a team in NJ would open up the New York media market to the Big 10, which turned out to be BS.

Rutgers convinced the Big Ten that they were a viable football power???? That's totally strange since Dumbo the clown could have picked up a sports encyclopedia and determined that Rutgers is about as far from that as you could imagine. Their football attendance, their power to draw in a much bigger market than UConn has, etc. etc. etc

 

[hoophuskee]

I don't agree with the takes from posters cl82, daddychoc, cabbie191, boomboom, joepgh, and ivryton.

I thought bags posts on how a coach should react were fantastic.

I loved ucmiami's post - was awesome nailed it about the fouls.

As for the posters I disagree with - imo she was exactly complaining about the refs. And if you recall the year we played them when both were undefeated she spoke before the matchup how UCONN gets away with fouling. And I think she used that exact phrase.

For those of you that thought her comments were incidental - I could have someone change my mind - but I think you're way wrong. Look at the big smile that crossed her face the moment she got the question. Then what did she say right after? "I think if you look close enough you can see fouls pretty much on every possession. I thought we had plenty of opportunities to get to the free throw line . . ."

I think that 1.) A few years ago it was pretty obvious she was talking B.S. when she said UCONN gets away with a lot of fouls. IMO it is clear she was looking for an advantage. In this case -- if you don't think she's going to use this the next time they play this year - I think you're wrong. A few years ago she was Sour grapes" and this past game "she was sour grapes." You can see the quote in italics above. She is clear saying "they fouled us and we didn't get the calls!"

Now I think many of you in bold are UCONN fans. Tell me-- when you are watching the game do you cheer louder for UConn? Are you more apt to boo or speak out about a bad call that goes against UCONN vs one that goes against the other team? If you are, then I don't see why / how you can defend MM here unless you thought the refs were poor. Isn't that what Muffett is suggesting/implying? IMO she couldn't make it more clear that she was whining about the refs just as she did pregame a few years ago.

The way I see it - and I think others that have complained a bit have seen it - is that her team got beat fair-and-square. And imo between the combination of her looking for an advantage the next time and her overall whining after the game- I for one as a fan don't have to appreciate that from our rival. I think it odd that you don't see it this way. You know some of my favorite tennis players were Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe. I had other family/friends who hated these people. Let's face it, they reacted poorly when things didn't go their way. I'm sure you can point to Geno too. But it doesn't take away from the fact that they acted poorly. The fact MM went on about "every possession was nearly a foul and we didn't get our fair share" -- imo that wasn't even close to being a point of contention in this game, therefore she is reacting poorly to the loss- like a little whiner.

And the fact she felt a need to further expand on the question regarding the ft discrepancy just shows poor sportsmanship just as she showed a few years prior. I don't hate her for it. But I don't think you are looking at this right. You can't ignore the quotes, the smile when she received the question, and her past behavior regardless if others also exhibited similar. All of her act can rub rival fans the wrong way. I would be super-shocked if she faces this UCONN team again that she doesn't make it clear that she felt she got burned by the refs. I don't agree with her as I don't think many UCONN fans would also.

 

[UConnNick]

There is something truly disheartening about trying to beat UConn year after year for the other top WBB coaches. I am sure that they are all working as hard as possible to recruit top talent and coach them up to play their absolute best. I have seen this deflated response before from Dawn Staley, Kim Mulkey, Brenda Freeze, Karen Aston et al.

IMO the burden of trying to take down the Huskies fell the heaviest on Pat Summit and Muffet McGraw. Pat was the top dog until UConn dethroned UT. For several years it was back and forth and then UConn pulled ahead. Pat's frustration continued to mount, and I believe it was a critical factor in her decision to submit the infamous 32-page report to the NCAA detailing alleged recruiting violations at UConn, and then ultimately cancelling the series with the Huskies.

Muffet too had her moment in the sun, winning a national championship and 7 out of 8 matchups with the Huskies. It looked for a time like ND might dethrone UConn as the "top dog" in WBB, but again UConn surged ahead. After watching UConn hoist the NCAA championship trophy in each of the past 4 yrs, last nights game had to be the ultimate frustration for Muffet. This was the one she was supposed to win. She had to be thinking, "What in the hell do I have to do to beat this team?"

So I am inclined to give Muffet and all of the other frustrated coaches a pass on less than gracious behavior when it comes to the Huskies.

Muffet never wins her only NC if Shea and Svetlana didn't get injured. She lucked into the only one she has won because she didn't have to face a UConn team at full strength in the semifinal game that season.

As for her postgame remarks, many coaches on the winning or losing side take time in their opening statement to pay tribute to the other team. There should be no universally imposed requirement to do so, but it's good form and pretty standard.

 

[SciHiGuy]

The coaches of the top 6-7 programs all think they have the best team. In reality, what they have is a group of 4 and 5 star players, who have to be taught how to play as a team. That's what makes the UConn program unmatchable. Not All-Americans, but cohesive teams with unselfish stars. So, in the first 10 games, Gabby, Kia, Sammy, and Napheesa have all set their personal scoring best. Pass to the open man; make the easiest shot...beat the team with the best center and point guard. Easy peasy...

 

[chuck.r]

Muffet never wins her only NC if Shea and Svetlana didn't get injured. She lucked into the only one she has won because she didn't have to face a UConn team at full strength in the semifinal game that season.

As for her postgame remarks, many coaches on the winning or losing side take time in their opening statement to pay tribute to the other team. There should be no universally imposed requirement to do so, but it's good form and pretty standard.

This is a tired meme that needs to go the way of the dodo. Notre Dame legitimately won the title in 2001. The evidence on the ground that season supports this. ND was the consensus #1 or #2 team in the country (with UConn) throughout the season. UConn got waxed in their gym that season when UConn had the full compliment of players. UConn's one victory over ND (in their home gym) required two end-of-half buzzer-beaters, one a half-court heave. And the team UConn put on the floor in the FF were hardly bench-warmers - it was the TASS force, in their junior years, plus the phenom from Chino - the same starting 5 that exactly one year later would be dubbed by many the G.O.A.T. What did that crew do in that FF? They let a 15 point half-time lead get flipped into a 15 pt. loss - a 30 point turnaround. It was Notre Dame's time. Let's stop trying to diminish the accomplishment. I would think 9 Natty's since would remove any bad taste from that memory.

 

[hussybulldog]

Totally agree, fans need to suck up to it. No what ifs after so many years. Geno was either out coached or did not get all his motivation mojoes in place yet at that time. Even during 2012-13, he was out coached thrice before winning NCAA. Nobody is perfect. Otherwise either he would not have offered scholarship to Delle Donne or have tied her up in Storrs with a leash for four years. No more what ifs.

This is a tired meme that needs to go the way of the dodo. Notre Dame legitimately won the title in 2001. The evidence on the ground that season supports this. ND was the consensus #1 or #2 team in the country (with UConn) throughout the season. UConn got waxed in their gym that season when UConn had the full compliment of players. UConn's one victory over ND (in their home gym) required two end-of-half buzzer-beaters, one a half-court heave. And the team UConn put on the floor in the FF were hardly bench-warmers - it was the TASS force, in their junior years, plus the phenom from Chino - the same starting 5 that exactly one year later would be dubbed by many the G.O.A.T. What did that crew do in that FF? They let a 15 point half-time lead get flipped into a 15 pt. loss - a 30 point turnaround. It was Notre Dame's time. Let's stop trying to diminish the accomplishment. I would think 9 Natty's since would remove any bad taste from that memory.

 

[Zorro]

MM seemed genuinely surprised and disappointed the that her team did not play as well against UConn as they did against ULL and Valpo. Duh!

 

[hoophuskee]

This is a tired meme that needs to go the way of the dodo. Notre Dame legitimately won the title in 2001. The evidence on the ground that season supports this. ND was the consensus #1 or #2 team in the country (with UConn) throughout the season. UConn got waxed in their gym that season when UConn had the full compliment of players. UConn's one victory over ND (in their home gym) required two end-of-half buzzer-beaters, one a half-court heave. And the team UConn put on the floor in the FF were hardly bench-warmers - it was the TASS force, in their junior years, plus the phenom from Chino - the same starting 5 that exactly one year later would be dubbed by many the G.O.A.T. What did that crew do in that FF? They let a 15 point half-time lead get flipped into a 15 pt. loss - a 30 point turnaround. It was Notre Dame's time. Let's stop trying to diminish the accomplishment. I would think 9 Natty's since would remove any bad taste from that memory.

ND legit won the title I agree but the evidence does not support they would have won if UCONN was healthy. That's UCONN's fault not ND's. ND should hold their head high. They are deserved. BUT--- UCONN was turning into a completely different beast. In 2000 it was collective. In 2001 Sveta started to become more of a weapon. The offense would have been her as the number 1 weapon and the team would have transitioned as her as the go-to while the year before Sveta was transitioning into being more complete. As a senior she was primed to put it all together. A player like Sveta was improving every year and if you look after the ND game, overall she turning it up.

While you speak of UCONN's buzzer-beater in a negative light- I say look - "UCONN was even able ot beat ND with No Shea ralph in the 2nd half and no Sveta." And the only reply I get as a counter is "well look what happened before." But that was January. So what happens in January is the rule?

Would I ridicule a ND fan for losing their center 3 years ago? No. Cavs fans think two years ago if there 2nd and 3rd best players weren't hurt they would have won. GSW fans think if their center didn't get hurt and the NBA didn't authorize a questionable they would have won. You can still have an opinion.

 

[Charlie]

I thought this was the worse (and most classless) postgame speech I ever heard.... she blamed the refs (even though ND should have had two flagrant fouls called , walks and many ND fouls not called - even the three-second call was only two seconds) and threw her team under the bus! I now understand how friction between Geno and MM can surface.

 

[Shorty Dee]

You are suppose to scout the team, before you play them. Who scouted UConn? I do not know, how you didn't include Gabby as one to watch out for. Now, all of a sudden Notre Dame is going to work on not playing so much one-on-one basketball. Well, I don't believe it, because Muffet also said that when Arike started missing shots, they should have passed the ball to Turner. That is still one-on-one ball playing. I said Muffet didn't know how to spell TEAM, she thinks it's an I in there. The greatest guard didn't know that at some point, she might need to take over the game. I want to see how many more games Notre Dame will play against UConn, before Muffet say enough, we are no longer playing UConn. Until Notre Dame play team ball, they will not beat UConn.

 

[chuck.r]

ND legit won the title I agree but the evidence does not support they would have won if UCONN was healthy. That's UCONN's fault not ND's. ND should hold their head high. They are deserved. BUT--- UCONN was turning into a completely different beast. In 2000 it was collective. In 2001 Sveta started to become more of a weapon. The offense would have been her as the number 1 weapon and the team would have transitioned as her as the go-to while the year before Sveta was transitioning into being more complete. As a senior she was primed to put it all together. A player like Sveta was improving every year and if you look after the ND game, overall she turning it up.

While you speak of UCONN's buzzer-beater in a negative light- I say look - "UCONN was even able ot beat ND with No Shea ralph in the 2nd half and no Sveta." And the only reply I get as a counter is "well look what happened before." But that was January. So what happens in January is the rule?

Would I ridicule a ND fan for losing their center 3 years ago? No. Cavs fans think two years ago if there 2nd and 3rd best players weren't hurt they would have won. GSW fans think if their center didn't get hurt and the NBA didn't authorize a questionable they would have won. You can still have an opinion.

Having strong opinions on matters related to sports is fun. I wouldn't contribute here otherwise. I certainly don't mind your debating the finer points of what I wrote. What bothers me is this narrative that gets reinforced around here that we can dismiss the ND 2001 title out of hand - that it was something of a 'gift' due to UConn's loss of 2 senior players - as if a Huskies championship in 2001 was a matter of course had they been healthy. There is evidence enough from that season to suggest a UConn title was no guaranteed outcome, even in the best case. Notre Dame had a great team that year, with AA senior leadership at post and point guard, and who matched up quite well with the Huskies. They were a legitimate contender for the championship. Given all the success of the Huskies program in the last 15 years, much of it at ND's expense, it strikes me as petty on the part of some to begrudge them their one triumph.

 

[hoophuskee]

Having strong opinions on matters related to sports is fun. I wouldn't contribute here otherwise. I certainly don't mind your debating the finer points of what I wrote. What bothers me is this narrative that gets reinforced around here that we can dismiss the ND 2001 title out of hand - that it was something of a 'gift' due to UConn's loss of 2 senior players - as if a Huskies championship in 2001 was a matter of course had they been healthy. There is evidence enough from that season to suggest a UConn title was no guaranteed outcome, even in the best case. Notre Dame had a great team that year, with AA senior leadership at post and point guard, and who matched up quite well with the Huskies. They were a legitimate contender for the championship. Given all the success of the Huskies program in the last 15 years, much of it at ND's expense, it strikes me as petty on the part of some to begrudge them their one triumph.

But what if you believe UCONN was really better? How else can you express it without being confident in your belief?

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Put yourself in Coach MM's high heels. You have the deepest and most talented team in the nation. You get Uconn at home and they are only 7 deep. Their leading scorer sat just before the half with foul trouble and 3 members of the team played all 40 minutes. All that and you still loose by double digits.
As you try to compose yourself for the press conference you realize Uconn will return all their key players next year, have two highly regarded transfers coming in, and the best high school player in the country signed with them. To top it off, one of the best juniors in the country just gave her verbal commitment.....and this is their rebuilding year. Had to be a major gut-punch.