ND is Pipeline to WNBA

[CL82]

In the interest of accuracy, they could say "ND pipeline to 2nd place"

I like to think of it not so much as "second place" but more like the "first place loser."

 

[MJL243]

Notre Dame should have included this video in their piece.

 

[Kaizen]

Anyone can list the UConn post players are currently working as coach, assistant coach and basketball related fields (such as Lobo is in ESPN)?

 

[Kevin G]

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[EricSD]

That was a great video MJL. I remember seeing it and loved Huffman's comments that "i've been her 3 times and lost to the same team and i'm sick of it and of them". That about sums it up. I do think it's kind of funny when people talk about playing a "uncharacteristically bad" game. They mentioned how "this team can score and we just didn't" several times. Finally, at least Muffet acknowledged some of that might be due to UCONN's defense....

 

[Wbbfan1]

Does any1 believe this article was timed when Lauren Cox is visiting ND this weekend.

NO, its just a coincidence

Lauren's visit to ND is scheduled for Sept 4-6th.

 

[MJL243]

One video isn't enough to show all UConn highlights, you need a whole website.

http://uconnhuskygames.com/2014-2015-womens-basketball-game-replays/

 

[pinotbear]

I like to think of it not so much as "second place" but more like the "first place loser."

I prefer to think of ND as "the Jewel of the Mid-West".

 

[Huskies Rule]

UConnCat said: ↑
Very true. I didn't know what thread title to use as the lead title of the piece was too long and boring. I decided to borrow from the subtitle (Coaching, style of play & resources make ND pipeline to pros). As I said, it's very well done and ND has every reason to be proud of its accomplishments and former players. UConn is sometimes too reticent to boast about its accomplishments.
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triaddukefan replied: "The fanbase surely isnt "

Nor should we be. If your team is ever able to hang 1WCBB Championship banner in Cameron, you'll understand.

 

[rvwsleep]

Does any1 believe this article was timed when Lauren Cox is visiting ND this weekend.

NO, its just a coincidence

Lauren's visit to ND is scheduled for Sept 4-6th.

"There are no coincidences, just the illusion of coincidences" - V

 

[triaddukefan]

UConnCat said: ↑
Very true. I didn't know what thread title to use as the lead title of the piece was too long and boring. I decided to borrow from the subtitle (Coaching, style of play & resources make ND pipeline to pros). As I said, it's very well done and ND has every reason to be proud of its accomplishments and former players. UConn is sometimes too reticent to boast about its accomplishments.
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triaddukefan replied: "The fanbase surely isnt "

Nor should we be. If your team is ever able to hang 1WCBB Championship banner in Cameron, you'll understand.

Its not like other teams I root for havent ever won titles But I digress

 

[MilfordHusky]

We lost 7 of 8 to them, so we were tired of THAT. We fixed it.

 

[Alydar]

Notre Dame has had a series of great seasons. That article is what PR people do.

Notre Dame can put on blinders on last season and try and claim whatever they choose. It's the recruits that matter and if they don't understand what UConn has accomplished in comparison to the Irish then they must either live in a cave or else they want to believe the Irish propaganda.

I'd like to be in the room when a recruit or their parent asks: "Ms McGraw, If FF's and the likelihood of a pro career are your selling points shouldn't I be signing with UConn?"

 

[MilfordHusky]

It said: Notre Dame, which has been to the NCAA Women’s Final Four the past five seasons
It never says: Notre Dame has never won any championship in the past five seasons.

Some other team has been to the Final Four for the past EIGHT seasons. And won 5 titles in that time.

 

[Kaizen]

Some other team has been to the Final Four for the past EIGHT seasons. And won 5 titles in that time.

Thanks God, it is UConn............... Yes

 

[triaddukefan]

True, but then there's the contingent who lecture the boastful ones about being ungracious. We're a complicated bunch in case you haven't noticed.

complicated, among other things

 

[Replicant]

It said: Notre Dame, which has been to the NCAA Women’s Final Four the past five seasons
It never says: Notre Dame has never won any championship in the past five seasons.

This kinda makes them the Buffalo Bills of WCBB!

 

[huskeynut]

Bottom line:

UCONN - 10 National Championships
ND - 1 National Championship.

 

[choochoo]

Yep, and McGraw can teach bovine to fly!

 

[Bgillon]

Maybe. But after reading this ND piece I can't help but contrast it with the reaction here to Kiah Stokes' terrific rookie year. Rather than all celebrating her success and how the UConn program prepared her for the pros, we're left debating whether Geno somehow failed her during her time at UConn. I guess that's the price of so much success.

WELL PUT!!!!

 

[JS]

True, but then there's the contingent who lecture the boastful ones about being ungracious. We're a complicated bunch in case you haven't noticed.

complicated, among other things

Other things, no doubt, such as . . .

Knowledgeable, good-humored, articulate, sophisticated, imaginative, and . . . and . . .

 

[mhshuskies]

A friend of mine's son was a ND athlete. He told me after visiting South Bend one time that "ND runs the best women's college basketball program in the country."

He knows where my loyalties lie so I just looked at him and smiled.

Of course he would say that. Since living in IN for a number of years and meeting numerous nd alum and fans they are the best at one thing: arrogance!

 

[mhshuskies]

I'd like to think that The Boneyard is loaded with a group of fair minded folks. Notre Dame has produced some excellent players for the WNBA and has there been another team that has played as tough against UCONN during the last 7 or 8 years? Give them credit when it is due. If every team is compared to UCONN concerning anything to do with WBB then most will fall pretty short. I love UCONN, but kicking other teams around should be below us. Go Notre Dame!

never give credit to nd

 

[j66kicker]

If my post came across as dissing ND, it was because that was exactly what I intended to do. That's what you do with rivals and right now ND is closest we've got to one. I respect what Muffet has done at ND, but for UConn, they would be this generation's dominant team.

So let me say that I admire their gritty pluckyness. Here's to you Notre Dame Woman's Basketball:

Not really, but it's a nice sentiment isn't it?​

Let me second that sentiment - no "Go Notre Dame" for me! Geez - it's just a game. I have always detested ND for their football arrogance. So, as our WBB rivalry with ND has grown more testy, it has been easy for me to move in that "testy" direction. I actually do respect their excellent WBB program and the fine young women that play there. But, purely from a 'sports fan' perspective I say, "Beat 'em down and then kick 'em while they're down."

 

[HoopsFan21]

I prefer to think of ND as "the Jewel of the Mid-West".

Is it bad that my brain automatically translated that to Jewelly-oop of the Midwest?

 

[JimGunther]

FWIW: I wish we still played them in the regular season. As much I disliked Skylar (and grew to dislike Muffin Tuffit), they always gave us a great game.
Frankly, I'd like to see us play every tough team - every regular season.

 

[pinotbear]

Is it bad that my brain automatically translated that to Jewelly-oop of the Midwest?

Yeah, it's bad, very bad: you've got a severe case of Peck's disease. The only known cure is daily ingestion of 60z. of marinara sauce and 10 0z. of a nice sangiovese, or similar red wine. Some nice veal or pork wouldn't hurt, either. If you prefer mutton, make sure the mutton is nice and lean....

 

[HoopsFan21]

FWIW: I wish we still played them in the regular season. As much I disliked Skylar (and grew to dislike Muffin Tuffit), they always gave us a great game.
Frankly, I'd like to see us play every tough team - every regular season.

We do play them in the regular season. 2013-14 season was the only break in the regular season series. We played them last December at their place, the game where Tuck was unstoppable, and will play them at home three months from now. I don't want to play any team more than a couple times in the same season (counting probable post-season meetings). That stretch where it seemed like we played them every month was too much for me, and USF has basically replaced ND in that respect. I like to see different teams. I'd rather trade a couple of those ND/USF games for different opponents.

 

[UConnCat]

Does any1 believe this article was timed when Lauren Cox is visiting ND this weekend.

NO, its just a coincidence

Lauren's visit to ND is scheduled for Sept 4-6th.

Of course it was timed for the upcoming weekend. This article was produced by Notre Dame (author Curt Rallo used to write for the SB Tribune but now writes for the university's website). Rallo, btw, is the guy who asked Geno at the testy 2014 FF press conference how he prepares his team for the NCAA tournament playing in the AAC (compared to ND's preparation in the much tougher ACC). Geno's answer was brilliant, gently smacking him down and then giving him a history lesson.

One need only read Niele Ivey's twitter account to see how ND is playing this up for recruiting purposes. As is the case in all college sports in which there are recruiting battles, coaches pay attention to what other coaches say to recruits. The ND coaches understand Geno's recruiting pitch, which he described after last year's championship game:

As the years have gone on, and now culminating with recruiting Stewy, my conversations with Stewy were more about Stewy: Think of it this way, what do you want? Tell me what you want, because even if you don't come to Connecticut, I mean, there's a chance we could still win national championships. So it's not like we're dependent on just one player.

So what do you want? And she said: You know I want to win four national championships. I want to be Player of the Year. I want to make the Olympic team. I want, I want. She wants all these things.

I said: Well, why don't you sit down and take a look at all the coaches that you think can help you do that and you tell me where you want to go to school. So it was more about now the conversation and recruiting, this is what we can do for you, as opposed to Stewy: If you come here you'll help us do something, what, we've never done before?

Notre Dame can't quite talk about multiple national championships or Olympic golds yet, but they're certainly knocking on the door. The team and individual player success plus the ND degree make for a compelling reasons to commit to ND.

 

[Orangutan]

I have to think this is more aimed to help recruiting against the other non-UConn schools than against UConn.
Over the last 5 years, only UConn has had better success winning at the college level and producing pros (maybe Baylor is arguable). At best, ND can use this line of reasoning as "We can also send you to the WNBA and we also offer XYZ that they don't".

But UConn only takes so many kids and some kids don't like UConn for whatever reason, so it's not like every ND target is also in UConn's crosshairs - many, but not all.

Re the timing, keep in mind that the September 1 was the first date schools are allowed to talk to high school juniors and home visits to those juniors are coming up. This is as much or more aimed at the Megan Walkers of the world than at Lauren Cox.