Muffet's Presser

[Orangutan]

Well, if we're thinking that ND wanted to fly the flag in TX for recruiting purposes (and that sounds right to me), can I ask why Geno agreed to schlep all the way to Kansas right after traveling to Indiana and during finals period? Has he ever recruited in Kansas or does he just like spare ribs?

I'm sure recruiting had something to do with it, but I really do think wanting to play a game in Turner's backyard was at least part of it. All of ND's other players are from somewhere within or very close to the ACC footprint.

 

[Schoup]

Well then maybe we should be criticizing their coaches rather than Muffet. I think it is pretty silly for fans here to suggest that ND avoids playing the good teams (also, you can't know which teams will be good each year, with a few exceptions such as UConn). They play us every year. They have a relatively tough conference schedule.

I think the main reason Baylor and Texas didn't want to play them was that they didn't want to get ND attention in Houston for recruiting purposes (if the game wasn't a home-and-home).

It's virtually impossible to keep top programs like UConn, ND, Stanford, etc...out of the state. The success of the programs puts them on the players radar. Tx and Baylor trying to not to schedule to keep them out of the state would not work. If they want to keep kids in state they just need to win. Most players would prefer to stay close to home if the opportunity to win a NC was good.

 

[oldude]

Both Massey and Sagarin have Washington ranked #8. For what it's worth, those computers rank K-State 22 (Sagarin) and 20 (Massey).

ND has played the 9th hardest schedule by Sagarin's methodology, and the 3rd hardest by Massey's methodology. So while ND's schedule has not been as hard as UConn's, it has not been soft either.

I do think the computers tend to overrank mid-majors but Green Bay is also top-20 in both computer rankings (Sagarin 13, Massey 18).

While I appreciate the analysis, as you point out, SOS is an imperfect measurement, particularly relative to mid-majors. It is difficult to take seriously any outcome, by a top 10 program, that is not vs a Power 5 conference team, UConn, Depaul & maybe South Florida. There is just too much of a disparity in talent.

 

[ctdad]

ND's recruiting motives behind its Houston game would explain why the game was scheduled at a facility that is otherwise used solely for high school games.

Plus, is it normal for coaches to go so far out of their way to schedule a homecoming game for non-seniors?

I don't know if it's normal, but ND has for many years in both men's and women's basketball attempted to schedule a game near a player's hometown at some point during their 4 year career. I know Digger Phelps did it back when I was a student in the late 70s. An example on the women's side occurred a couple years ago with Natalie Achonwa when the Irish played a game against Duquesne in Toronto.

 

[VAMike23]

Bria Hartley freshman game where she pretty much carried the team. Geno gave her a hug and kiss after the game. It was well earned for both Bria and Gabby.

I forgot about that !! You're absolutely right.

Still, Geno's hugs are rare as hen's teeth

 

[Wilderness]

1. 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.

Now would Geno give his players or assistants a pass on "less than gracious" under any circumstances? Perhaps that's why his teams win. No allowances. Consistent high expectations.

 

[Orangutan]

While I appreciate the analysis, as you point out, SOS is an imperfect measurement, particularly relative to mid-majors. It is difficult to take seriously any outcome, by a top 10 program, that is not vs a Power 5 conference team, UConn, Depaul & maybe South Florida. There is just too much of a disparity in talent.

I don't know. The power 5 are generally more athletic. But shooting is a talent, too. I think Green Bay are easily more talented than say, Wake Forest or Clemson.

 

[oldude]

I don't know. The power 5 are generally more athletic. But shooting is a talent, too. I think Green Bay are easily more talented than say, Wake Forest or Clemson.

Agreed. There certainly are exceptions.

 

[uconnell]

It is a joke that UConn is not a power 5!!!

 

[jcoton56]

Gee Muffet, we're also bummed. Traveled a long way and thought we'd get a game. At least you are gracious.

 

[oldude]

It is a joke that UConn is not a power 5!!!

No, it's all about football.

 

[uconnell]

No, it's all about football.

Rutgers?

 

[HoopsFan21]

No, it's all about football.

It's cool. We will just keep thumping the P5 schools as a mid-major. Kind of embarrassing for them really.

 

[oldude]

Rutgers?

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.

 

[Schoup]

It is a joke that UConn is not a power 5!!!

P5 is about football, that's the problem for UConn. The best hope was ACC, which didn't happen.

 

[Schoup]

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.

It's it's not BS. It's a cash cow for the BTN. They get to jam a monthly fee into cable packages, in an area that has 13M cable subscribers with NYC and NJ. Having NYC as a B10 market helped them get their massive new tv deal. Expansion is about markets and thus why RU and MD were added to the B10.

 

[uconnell]

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.

I think it was more about cable boxes on which the Big 10 really made mucho $$$. The Big is happy with the money but not so happy with the losing rep that comes along with RU athletic dept.

 

[msf22b]

Following up on Huskeynut (I was typing while it was being posted), I think there are 2 issues here (and some may dispute that there are any issues; I get that):

1. It is just good sportsmanship to credit the other team at least a little (I know that she praised Gabby, but in some way that's faint praise, since it's saying that a player beat them, not the other team)..

I think that is part of Muffet's MO: In the NCAA championship game which UConn won after several years of failure against the Irish, I remember a similar presser; substitute Breanna for Gaby

 

[oldude]

It's it's not BS. It's a cash cow for the BTN. They get to jam a monthly fee into cable packages, in an area that has 13M cable subscribers with NYC and NJ. Having NYC as a B10 market helped them get their massive new tv deal. Expansion is about markets and thus why RU and MD were added to the B10.

I think it was more about cable boxes on which the Big 10 really made mucho $$$. The Big is happy with the money but not so happy with the losing rep that comes along with RU athletic dept.

Not certain about the MD/DC market, but Penn State, and even Notre Dame for that matter, are bigger draws in the NYC/NJ markets than Rutgers.

 

[uconnell]

Not certain about the MD/DC market, but Penn State, and even Notre Dame for that matter, are bigger draws in the NYC/NJ markets than Rutgers.

The Big10 doesn't care if anyone watches or not as the collect the money from the cable boxes either way.

 

[BobbyJ]

Following up on Huskeynut (I was typing while it was being posted), I think there are 2 issues here (and some may dispute that there are any issues; I get that):

1. It is just good sportsmanship to credit the other team at least a little (I know that she praised Gabby, but in some way that's faint praise, since it's saying that a player beat them, not the other team).

2. By doing that sly shrug about the fouls, she was completely disingenuous. Please don't excuse her by suggesting that she'll learn the "truth" from the tape. She's one of the smartest coaches in the business. She analyzed the rest of the game in real time, and she knew about the fouls in real time. That was just a passive-aggressive gesture on her part.

What does this mean? McGraw is a great coach running a great program. If ND hadn't been this strong so long it would have diminished UConn's achievements. But if you compare the teaching moment that Geno created after the Stanford loss to her ever-so-slightly dodging of these moments where she could have been a bit more forthcoming, a bit more emotionally honest, you will see a large part of the reason why there has been a gap between these programs over the past 2 decades.

Great coaches know how to handle a wing who won't get the ball to, as she described, an open post. How long do you think it would have taken Auriemma to address this problem? Listening to these so called great coaches say they have to look at the tape to see what happened makes me wonder how many times Auriemma has said he had to do that.

 

[oldude]

The Big10 doesn't care if anyone watches or not as the collect the money from the cable boxes either way.

You just touched a nerve. I have only one cable company in my area (TWC) that has just been acquired (Spectrum). They are jacking up rates, and there isn't a damn thing I can do about it unless I can live without internet & phone service.

At least SNY is part of the lineup.

 

[Schoup]

Exact

The Big10 doesn't care if anyone watches or not as the collect the money from the cable boxes either way.

Exactly. the beauty of conference networks is people pay the fee in their cable bill regardless. It's jammed in to the packages, just like a lot of other channels with not a lot of regular viewers. Conferences can cover 50M or 75M cable subscribers and they are all paying up to a $1 month for a channel they don't really watch. That adds up to a lot of many for B10 to split with Fox or for the SEC to split with ESPN.

 

[cabbie191]

I think the conditioning and physicality of UCONN attests to the so-called disparity in the fouls being called - one opinion. A lot of times these undefeated preseason coronated #1's don't see any sort of real defense until they face UCONN and that to me is the big difference.

I agree with the first sentence in the part of your post I am quoting, but I'm not so certain about the second.

A major reason why ND was favored by many to win is they are a veteran team. They started 1 senior, 2 juniors and 2 sophomores. Collectively these women have played 9 games against UConn (and yes, I know Turner was injured and didn't play all the games, but she was on the bench).

ND's players had to know what to expect in terms of UConn's defensive intensity - and if they were ill prepared to face it last night because of a soft schedule, then shame on MM for not creating it during practice.

 

[Schoup]

I agree with the first sentence in the part of your post I am quoting, but I'm not so certain about the second.

A major reason why ND was favored by many to win is they are a veteran team. They started 1 senior, 2 juniors and 2 sophomores. Collectively these women have played 9 games against UConn (and yes, I know Turner was injured and didn't play all the games, but she was on the bench).

ND's players had to know what to expect in terms of UConn's defensive intensity - and if they were ill prepared to face it last night because of a soft schedule, then shame on MM for not creating it during practice.

if you want to make that argument you really need to tally games played and minutes. If you go by just year, than one could argue the teams were the same essentially. UConn starts 1 senior, 2 juniors, and 2 sophomores.

 

[cabbie191]

if you want to make that argument you really need to tally games played and minutes. If you go by just year, than one could argue the teams were the same essentially. UConn starts 1 senior, 2 juniors, and 2 sophomores.

No disagreement here - in fact, I think your observation reinforces the point I was trying to make - both teams know each so well that there shouldn't be any surprises.

Which leads to another observation/question: If you view the 2013 and 2014 pressers that Tusker so graciously posted, there's a common thread to what was said there and MM's statement last night. UConn is great at getting under the Irish's skin so that they don't play up to their potential. ND comes out edgy and nervous in these games. Maybe MM should hire a sports psychologist/counselor!

One other thought - as poorly as Notre Dame played, they weren't even close to being a pushover. If we meet up with them in April, I think it will be a tighter contest.

 

[StephStorrs]

No disagreement here - in fact, I think your observation reinforces the point I was trying to make - both teams know each so well that there shouldn't be any surprises.

Which leads to another observation/question: If you view the 2013 and 2014 pressers that Tusker so graciously posted, there's a common thread to what was said there and MM's statement last night. UConn is great at getting under the Irish's skin so that they don't play up to their potential. ND comes out edgy and nervous in these games. Maybe MM should hire a sports psychologist/counselor!

One other thought - as poorly as Notre Dame played, they weren't even close to being a pushover. If we meet up with them in April, I think it will be a tighter contest.

Haven't a few teams had some real success with a sports psychologist/team counselor? If I remember correctly, Ollie brought in one for the men either last season or the season before and it worked well - no reason it wouldn't work well on the women's side of the game. No funny business at all, but it might actually be of some real benefit to her and the team.

 

[oldude]

Haven't a few teams had some real success with a sports psychologist/team counselor? If I remember correctly, Ollie brought in one for the men either last season or the season before and it worked well - no reason it wouldn't work well on the women's side of the game. No funny business it all, but it might actually be of some real benefit to her and the team.

This is exactly why it's great that Geno is a Master Psychologist.....

 

[Hope]

She thought she had the best team since she had the best center and best guard in the country, except that she should have blamed herself not having prepared her team for this game. Her team will miss FF again this year if she started to act like the coach at Duke.

While Coach Joanne P. McCallie earned a master's degree in "How to Throw Your Entire Team Under the Bus", I think MM is not quite up to that scholarly level yet.

 

[JavaMan]

Right on, cferraro. A total absence of generosity on Muffet's part. She was "surprised" by UConn; she thought she had this one locked up. To watch her was almost painful; it appeared she was going to break into tears or to explode as she rocked back and forth and tapped her fingers rhythmically. Hopefully she brought her meds. Even her praise of Gabby was qualified by saying that Williams probably doesn't usually play that well. All in all a complete beat-down at least for the sour old coach. Such is the stuff of Schadenfreude.

When she said "I was surprised," it didn't hit me right away, but by the time she finished her sentence, I thought, omg, she thought this was a guaranteed win for them. Wow!

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