"ND tired of being overshadowed by UConn

[Tidepool]

... and it's "extra motivation" ... etc.

http://msn.foxsports.com/womens-col...themselves-overshadowed-by-uconn-again-031814

 

[jsloanjr]

Get use to it ND........

 

[HoopsFan21]

UConn wah wah wah UConn blah blah blah. No one cares, ND, much like your football program. Win something some time then maybe you'll be out of UConn's shadow. Would love to see Stewie flush one right in front of the ND bench if they should meet.

 

[sawxfan23]

Then maybe they should try to stop choking when it really counts.

 

[UConnCat]

'I think we're always going to be the underdog when it comes to Connecticut. They're such a great powerhouse and have such a great program over there,'' guard Kayla McBride said. ''But I think it's just a bit of extra motivation.''

Which team was considered the underdog in last year's Final Four game?

 

[calpedaler]

I hope these whiny ND stories keep coming.

 

[Icebear]

Oy!

 

[Adios]

What the team is missing is gold helmets. That should help in recruiting.

 

[ChicagoGG]

They're good talkers....

 

[pap49cba]

ND is tired....

Well I'm tired of hearing about the glories of ND athletics.

 

[Outside Shot]

There is no school that is perpetually more overexposed than Notre Dame. Only Duke can probably be considered close in some regards, but their poor football history limits them.

 

[semper]

What matters in all this is what is good for the game. In the next couple of years, both are going to be very very strong, and so the rivalry will continue, and that's just great for WCBB.

 

[doggydaddy]

'I think we're always going to be the underdog when it comes to Connecticut. They're such a great powerhouse and have such a great program over there,'' guard Kayla McBride said. ''But I think it's just a bit of extra motivation.''

Which team was considered the underdog in last year's Final Four game?

Really...sheesh.

It wasn't even close if you looked at the circumstances coming into the game last year.

ND beat Uconn three times.
ND only lost to Baylor, who had been eliminated.

No way ND wasn't the public favorite last year. Excluding many loyal and biased fans here who knew Uconn would win.

 

[PacoSwede]

Then maybe they should try to stop choking when it really cou8nts.

During that unhappy 7 losses in 8 games streak, the only evidence of "choking" I saw came from the Huskies, not ND. At the very least, two of those losses never should have occurred. I'd be more concerned about that than about how the Irish are dealing with being in UConn's shadow.

FWIW, I don't think it's at all surprising that they resent being in UConn's shadow. I was ticked in the early days when LV was getting all the media accolades and love. What's wrong with feeling that way?

And regarding the McBride quote: She was giving UConn credit. Pretty classy, I thought, and very far from 'whining.'

 

[UConnCat]

Since hearing the quotes from Muffet ("they ducked us" and "we're playing with a chip") and McBride ("we're always underdogs ...to Connecticut") I've been trying to understand what's going on. The "they ducked us" theme is almost a year old and still isn't accurate. We are continually reminded on ESPN that Notre Dame has defeated UConn 7 out of the last 9 games, yet Notre Dame says it's always in UConn's shadow and always the underdog. Granted, many fans and most of the media were slow to realize how good Notre Dame is this year, but that was understandable given the departure of their leader. The media and fans are now fully on board with the Irish. Notre Dame is a #1 seed, plays the first 2 rounds close to South Bend and is hosting a regional. I know Muffet is not pleased with Baylor as its #2 seed, but all should be good. What's going on? Why all this talk of "chips" and "underdogs" and "payback" and "anger"? It seems like manufactured grievance and disrespect. My only answer is that Muffet learned in last year's Final Four that her team plays better against UConn when it believes it's the underdog and has something to prove. She's stoking the fire.

 

[SallyH]

Call the waa-ambulance. ND has their fee fees hurt.

 

[UConnCat]

During that unhappy 7 losses ns in 8 games streak, the only evidence of "choking" I saw came from the Huskies, not ND. At the very least, two of those losses never should have occurred. I'd be more concerned about that than about how the Irish are dealing with being in UConn's shadow.

FWIW, I don't think it's at all surprising that they resent being in UConn's shadow. I was ticked in the early days when LV was getting all the media accolades and love. What's wrong with feeling that way?

And regarding the McBride quote: She was giving UConn credit. Pretty classy, I thought, and very far from 'whining.'

I dislike the word "choke" or "choking." UConn surely played tight at the end of those 3 losses last year and ND surely played tight in the FF game.

No one said McBride's quote was whining; it's just not accurate. Notre Dame deserved to be the favorite against UConn in last year's Final Four.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Something that's 8 units* big overshadows something 1 unit big almost by definition.

*Unit = National Championship

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Call the waa-ambulance. ND has their fee fees hurt.

lofl

 

[alexrgct]

Notre Dame is not ranked #1, but they have otherwise had a ton of hype this season, even for a team without Sklyar Diggins. You can't watch a UConn broadcast on ESPN without talk about Notre Dame. They're a great brand and undefeated. The Irish are hardly being overshadowed

 

[semper]

It's all just spin, guys. See through it.
If you want to hear something really interesting, listen to the ESPN Geno interview, with Digger trying to stare him down. It was point counterpoint. Fascinating AND part of the "game."

 

[doggydaddy]

Muffet learned in last year's Final Four that her team plays better against UConn when it believes it's the underdog and has something to prove. She's stoking the fire.

It's really that simple.

Mind games to motivate her team. It's clearly needed when you are not as talented.

 

[Buzzyboy]

e

Then maybe they should try to stop choking when it really cou8nts.

Even in the couple of seasons where they eliminated the Huskies from the NCAA tournament they went out and blew their opportunities for glory. It isn't just the Huskies that have dashed their hopes. UConn has earned their recognition over the years by finishing what they started and that's WINNING national championships, not just making the Final Four. In championship games, who has an undefeated record???? No, it isn't Notre Dame, it's the Huskies!

 

[RadyLady]

ND has a tendency to play to the level of their opposition, especially last year, which explains the few games where the score was tight. Is it overconfidence? I will not speculate, as I am just an observer. They had a couple of close calls including the 3 UConn games.

Favorites last year? Possibly. Likely. Hubris took care of the outcome
Favorites this year? Depends upon with whom you are speaking. we shall see.

But all their silly chatter is par for the course IMO. UConn may use it as bulletin board material. I'm simply going to ignore it. That's generally what I do with nonsense.

 

[Jackalope]

And regarding the McBride quote: She was giving UConn credit. Pretty classy, I thought, and very far from 'whining.'

You really don't want to alienate the coach of the Senior USA National Team while you still have a something of a shot to make the team.