ND - Game is More Important for UConn

[Wbbfan1]

"I think this game is probably more important for Connecticut than us. The conference they’re in is not as strong as the ACC.” Notice the comments are in quotes.

http://m.southbendtribune.com/sport...478-6b79-11e3-9d07-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=jqm


Quote is the last line of the article.

 

[alexrgct]

May ruffle some feathers, but the game is important for both parties and for WCBB. As long as UConn continues to play OOC games against Duke, Stanford, and Baylor, among others, the conference strength thing is overrated. ND's presence in the ACC has little to do with what makes this game important to either program.

 

[Kibitzer]

Nothing quite like starting the day reading Coach McGraw's condescending comment to the effect that UConn needs ND more than ND needs UConn. As if ND is doing us a big favor.

I wish I could see Geno's reaction to this comment from his "friend," Muffet.

 

[psconn]

"I think this game is probably more important for Connecticut than us. The conference they’re in is not as strong as the ACC.” Notice the comments are in quotes.

http://m.southbendtribune.com/sport...478-6b79-11e3-9d07-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=jqm


Quote is the last line of the article.

Hurts to hear it but Muffet is absolutely right. Picture being stuck in the AAC long term and the best teams opt not to play us. Over time this would damage recruiting and initiate a slow (or maybe even fast) downward spiral. The other big dogs want to knock UConn off its pedestal? Simple, don't play us. Old Dominion or La Tech, anyone?

 

[easttexastrash]

May ruffle some feathers, but the game is important for both parties and for WCBB. As long as UConn continues to play OOC games against Duke, Stanford, and Baylor, among others, the conference strength thing is overrated. ND's presence in the ACC has little to do with what makes this game important to either program.

Will other coaches recognize that and start avoiding UCONN? Duke, ND, UNC may see a game against UCONN as a no-win game, in more ways than one.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Hurts to hear it but Muffet is absolutely right. Picture being stuck in the AAC long term and the best teams opt not to play us. Over time this would damage recruiting and initiate a slow (or maybe even fast) downward spiral.

Agree.

 

[semper]

We gotta get out of the AAC.

 

[Icebear]

They're going to be getting another phone from the Pope.

 

[hjoerring]

Hurts to hear it but Muffet is absolutely right. Picture being stuck in the AAC long term and the best teams opt not to play us. Over time this would damage recruiting and initiate a slow (or maybe even fast) downward spiral. The other big dogs want to knock UConn off its pedestal? Simple, don't play us. Old Dominion or La Tech, anyone?

Of course this only make sense if we assume that there might be a conspiracy among the acc schools to use the "weak conf. card" against us for recruitment purposes. Which might be more real then not. Given the competition for the best players any 'negative' about a school can swing a decision. Beside ND, I cannot see what's in it for the other acc schools to play us, given that they have not been competitive. It is clearly not a learning experience.

 

[Phil]

We gotta get out of the AAC.

You mean the conference that has as many or more wins over top 25 teams as any of the other conferences?

 

[psconn]

Of course this only make sense if we assume that there might be a conspiracy among the acc schools to use the "weak conf. card" against us for recruitment purposes. Which might be more real then not. Given the competition for the best players any 'negative' about a school can swing a decision. Beside ND, I cannot see what's in it for the other acc schools to play us, given that they have not been competitive. It is clearly not a learning experience.

No doubt in my mind that the "weak conf. card" is being used already and will continue to be. Any blue chip recruit considering UConn will hear this about a million times from just about every non-AAC school during recruiting.

 

[HGN]

There's another angle to all of this..........Some coaches indeed may use the 'weak conference' line in recruiting against UConn. And over time it may work. But in the short term if UConn keeps kicking (butt) during the season and in the NCAA Tournament , it won't matter what other coaches say. UConn's rep will prevail. Some of UConn's recruiting may shift from the usual visits and letters to recruits just wanting to come from watching the NCAA Tournaments and seeing UConn. When a recruit watches who is winning NC's , and who UConn is beating in the FF's , ( ACC , SEC , and Pac-12 schools ) it won't matter which conference they're in. UConn just beat the best the ACC had to offer (Duke) ; the best the PAC-12 had to offer ( Stanford) ; and Top 30 teams in Maryland , OSU, PSU , and Cal.

So in the end, weak conference or not , IMHO , conferences don't win NC's , good teams do.

 

[doggydaddy]

Will other coaches recognize that and start avoiding UCONN? Duke, ND, UNC may see a game against UCONN as a no-win game, in more ways than one.

Well, I doubt ND will do that considering they just agreed to meet the next two years with probable renewals after that.

Stanford will always play Uconn. They have an ongoing series with South Carolina. DePaul just signed on. We could see UNC again. With the talent they have it would be competitive again.

Uconn will always have top teams to play.

 

[Stray Cat]

Nothing quite like starting the day reading Coach McGraw's condescending comment to the effect that UConn needs ND more than ND needs UConn. As if ND is doing us a big favor.

Geesh, it wasn't two weeks ago that UConn fans were over reacting to a inaccurate news report about ND not wanting to schedule UConn. And now we are getting on Muffet for stating a basic fact. It's not that the game isn't important to ND, it's just that due to the current "very average" conference the Huskies play in, quality OOC games are more important to UConn. Nothing more, nothing less. We have the best program in the land, but our air of arrogance at times is very annoying. It's exactly the reason that over the years I came to despise Tenn fans and enjoy letting them know they aren't "all that" anymore, any time I can.

 

[doggydaddy]

No doubt in my mind that the "weak conf. card" is being used already and will continue to be. Any blue chip recruit considering UConn will hear this about a million times from just about every non-AAC school during recruiting.

The weak conference card is just that......WEAK.

More than 3/4 of every conference is weak. The bottom 8-10 teams are close enough that they don't matter. So you are talking about 2-4 tough conference games. Uconn easily makes up for that with their OOC schedule.

If the question from a recruit came up in conversation with the Uconn staff about the weak conference, I am extremely confident that their answer would make that a none issue.

 

[doggydaddy]

Geesh, it wasn't two weeks ago that UConn fans were over reacting to a inaccurate news report about ND not wanting to schedule UConn. And now we are getting on Muffet for stating a basic fact. It's not that the game isn't important to ND, it's just that due to the current "very average" conference the Huskies play in, quality OOC games are more important to UConn. Nothing more, nothing less. We have the best program in the land, but our air of arrogance at times is very annoying. It's exactly the reason I despise Tenn fans and enjoy giving it to them any time I can.

So, who are you calling arrogant?

I think it's just as important to ND or they wouldn't do it. Her comment was unnecessary. As I posted in another thread, the weak conference schedule being used against Uconn and impacting recruiting is a myth. The schedule might be weak, but the impact to recruiting is minimal.

 

[Brochacho]

Other teams get to sell out a home Game vs UConn. Game would be a near lock to be on the ESPN family of networks. You can't try to sell recruits on playing at the highest level possible if you avoid UConn. Good for your SOS and RPI. Helps to grow fan interest.

Those are only five reasons, but there are plenty more for teams to have the privilege to schedule UConn.

 

[JoePgh]

If a truly effective "boycott conspiracy" could be organized so that all schools in all BCS conferences agreed not to play UConn, that might keep UConn off national television because there would be no competitive games to broadcast (before the NCAA tournament). Also, if UConn played no opponents during the season who had the slightest chance of being competitive with them, it would negatively impact player development despite the best efforts of the coaching staff. Those two impacts together would at some point affect recruiting.

However, this would require that all of these schools pass up the payday that would result from an ESPN game with UConn and the appeal that a UConn game would have with their own recruiting targets -- not to mention the real teaching value that a game with UConn would have for them. It would also make clear to the whole WBB-watching world that everyone had given up on ever beating UConn on the basketball court, and were using this gimmick to "kick them upstairs".

My guess is that there would always be defectors from such a conspiracy, just like someone in OPEC is always offering to sell cheaper oil. I don't think it could really work.

 

[Stray Cat]

So, who are you calling arrogant?

I think it's just as important to ND or they wouldn't do it. Her comment was unnecessary.

Stop your blubbering already! UConn has the best coach, team, program in the history of the game and you still want more. You remind me of the kids in this movie clip.

CLICK HERE

 

[Wbbfan1]

I considered Muffett's statement arrogant as just a couple of weeks ago, Notre Dame was outraged that UConn said they weren't interested in the game. Now they try to imply the game doesn't mean anything to them and they're just doing it as a favor for UConn as they need the game more then they do. Rubbish. As doggydaddy said it was a statement that didn't have to be said. It was just as easy to say, the game is what's best for WBB and that is very true.

 

[psconn]

The weak conference card is just that......WEAK.

More than 3/4 of every conference is weak. The bottom 8-10 teams are close enough that they don't matter. So you are talking about 2-4 tough conference games. Uconn easily makes up for that with their OOC schedule.

If the question from a recruit came up in conversation with the Uconn staff about the weak conference, I am extremely confident that their answer would make that a none issue.

Which supports Muffet's statement and my post... we need that strong OOC schedule to remain a player in the national picture if we stay in a conference perceived (through endless repetition, if not in fact) as very weak.

As Muffet correctly pointed out, this an important matchup for wcbb also.

 

[psconn]

Nothing quite like starting the day reading Coach McGraw's condescending comment to the effect that UConn needs ND more than ND needs UConn. As if ND is doing us a big favor.

I wish I could see Geno's reaction to this comment from his "friend," Muffet.

I question the "friend" thing... seems very strained the last couple years.

 

[wcbbfan1]

Which supports Muffet's statement and my post... we need that strong OOC schedule to remain a player in the national picture if we stay in a conference perceived (through endless repetition, if not in fact) as very weak.


But you seem to be the one endlessly repeating it.

 

[buddy]

ND is for ND. Playing them is a big mistake, unless they were willing to fork over megabucks for the honor of playing UConn. Conference affiliation will make no difference for UConn women's basketball. They will still be the elite school of the sport. This Notre Dame deal stinks, period.

 

[Stray Cat]

I question the "friend" thing... seems very strained the last couple years.

Of course it seemed strained from Geno's viewpoint...he didn't necessarily enjoy losing 7 out of 8 games to Muffett...not sure he has ever got bi*ch-slapped that hard before; however, Geno did get the last laugh, and appears to be primed to be laughing hard for a long-time to come.