Notre Dame vs Louisville - 3/04/18

[Orangutan]

Yeah that's kind of rough--she definitely could have phrased that better. Can't blame Walz for standing up for his player...it makes sense too since McGraw was caught off guard by the comment and said, "what" to Jeff. Guessing Muffet didn't think anything of the comment when she made it. I think she's a great coach but she can have a bit of a sore loser streak to her.

I didn't think anything of what she said when when I read it either. At the same time, I can see why Walz didn't like it. Much ado about nothing as far as I'm concerned. Both coaches advocating for their player, as it should be.

And yes I don't think Muffet is too happy about Louisville getting the best of ND this year. At the same time, Walz is reveling in finally beating ND.

 

[CL82]

Lol she looks like she's about to throw down.

 

[j66kicker]

View attachment 29120
Lol she looks like she's about to throw down.

"I said, 'SAY IT: A-s-i-a D-u-r-r.' "

 

[mhshuskies]

For me the Coach of the Year is Vic Schaefer regardless of what any other team does. Being undefeated tops what ND and Louisville has done. I'll agree ND has accomplished a lot considering the injuries they've had.

Being undefeated tops everything?...that means Geno should be COY!

 

[Ron and Vida]

It wasnt intentional..... They shook hands afterwards... as the handshake line was finished... Muffett stopped Semau

Thanks
Was getting a little too carried away with all the hoopla

 

[UConnCat]

Isn't the tendency to leave college early one of the reason's Geno called the men's game a "joke" a few years ago?

No.

 

[WLT1717]

There is clearly prior animosity between Coach McGraw and Coach Walz, as evidenced by the cursory, dismissive handshake. She wanted no part of him, or congratulating him. And this is separate and apart from the friction between them over the perceived Durr slight. Will be an interesting rivalry to watch if Louisville can sustain its recent run of success in recruiting.

 

[UConnCat]

I didn't think anything of what she said when when I read it either. At the same time, I can see why Walz didn't like it. Much ado about nothing as far as I'm concerned. Both coaches advocating for their player, as it should be.

And yes I don't think Muffet is too happy about Louisville getting the best of ND this year. At the same time, Walz is reveling in finally beating ND.

I agree. I didn't think much about Muffet's quote when I first read it but reading it again yesterday I can see why Jeff was upset. As Jeff said, it's fine to advocate for your player but show some respect by at least referring to Durr by her name instead of "her" or "the person that won." As for whether the post-game handshake line was the best time and place to raise it, I'm not sure. Maybe Jeff could have taken to twitter like Muffet did a few years ago when it came to Coach P and referencing players by their uniform numbers:

Muffet McGraw ‏@MuffetMcGraw 5h
Darn, knew we forgot something on our trip this past weekend..note to self: remember to pack "Hello, my name is...stickers for #21,11 &15

I generally prefer the direct approach.

Edit: Thinking about this more this morning, the interaction had the feel of an ambush. Cameras rolling, Muffet not expecting more than a handshake and "good game" comment. Muffet needed to hear from Jeff directly but not at that moment.

 

[CL82]

For me the Coach of the Year is Vic Schaefer regardless of what any other team does. Being undefeated tops what ND and Louisville has done. I'll agree ND has accomplished a lot considering the injuries they've had.

Oops.

 

[Hoopz]

I agree. I didn't think much about Muffet's quote when I first read it but reading it again yesterday I can see why Jeff was upset. As Jeff said, it's fine to advocate for your player but show some respect by at least referring to Durr by her name instead of "her" or "the person that won." As for whether the post-game handshake line was the best time and place to raise it, I'm not sure. Maybe Jeff could have taken to twitter like Muffet did a few years ago when it came to Coach P and referencing players by their uniform numbers:

Muffet McGraw ‏@MuffetMcGraw 5h
Darn, knew we forgot something on our trip this past weekend..note to self: remember to pack "Hello, my name is...stickers for #21,11 &15

I generally prefer the direct approach.

Edit: Thinking about this more this morning, the interaction had the feel of an ambush. Cameras rolling, Muffet not expecting more than a handshake and "good game" comment. Muffet needed to hear from Jeff directly but not at that moment.

It was an ambush. Your team just won their first ACC tournament and you choose to be classless and petty on national tv and make it about your hurt feelings. Small man syndrome. Pick up the phone if you don’t like what she said.

 

[wallman]

I agree. I didn't think much about Muffet's quote when I first read it but reading it again yesterday I can see why Jeff was upset. As Jeff said, it's fine to advocate for your player but show some respect by at least referring to Durr by her name instead of "her" or "the person that won." As for whether the post-game handshake line was the best time and place to raise it, I'm not sure. Maybe Jeff could have taken to twitter like Muffet did a few years ago when it came to Coach P and referencing players by their uniform numbers:

Muffet McGraw ‏@MuffetMcGraw 5h
Darn, knew we forgot something on our trip this past weekend..note to self: remember to pack "Hello, my name is...stickers for #21,11 &15

I generally prefer the direct approach.

Edit: Thinking about this more this morning, the interaction had the feel of an ambush. Cameras rolling, Muffet not expecting more than a handshake and "good game" comment. Muffet needed to hear from Jeff directly but not at that moment.

So with you on this. Will be interesting if this is taken up by the administration due to the particular climate and the fact that he had her arm and wouldn't let go.

 

[Reypl21]

It was an ambush. Your team just won their first ACC tournament and you choose to be classless and petty on national tv and make it about your hurt feelings. Small man syndrome. Pick up the phone if you don’t like what she said.

I'm sure ND will be waiting for the meeting next year when they are going to a) return their four leading starters b) plug Turner back into the lineup, plus get the Freshman Vaughn back and c) get a couple of McD AA guards that can actually give them depth more than 7 players. They should feel proud for their effort, but next year it looks like ND will take back the crown.

 

[UConnCat]

Pretty good one from Mechelle:

 

[Shades]

I'm not sure. Maybe Jeff could have taken to twitter like Muffet did a few years ago when it came to Coach P and referencing players by their uniform numbers:

Muffet McGraw ‏@MuffetMcGraw 5h
Darn, knew we forgot something on our trip this past weekend..note to self: remember to pack "Hello, my name is...stickers for #21,11 &15

I’m pretty sure McGraw has done the same thing, maybe just not as frequently that it’s known as her thing to do. I don’t see the big deal. There’s a reason why there are numbers on the jerseys in the first place... makes the players easier to identify. So if McCallie is referring to opposing players as their numbers in the huddles and does the same thing in the press conference immediately afterwards, it’s just a force of habit thing or how she remembers the players instead of a deliberate show of disrespect. McGraw’s tweet is different. She had time to think about what she was tweeting. She knew the name of the player who was named ACC Player of the Year, but she chose not promote this player in her tweet. Say her name, say her name. Who’s that player who went 2-0 against ND this year?

 

[UConnCat]

I’m pretty sure McGraw has done the same thing, maybe just not as frequently that it’s known as her thing to do. I don’t see the big deal. There’s a reason why there are numbers on the jerseys in the first place... makes the players easier to identify. So if McCallie is referring to opposing players as their numbers in the huddles and does the same thing in the press conference immediately afterwards, it’s just a force of habit thing or how she remembers the players instead of a deliberate show of disrespect. McGraw’s tweet is different. She had time to think about what she was tweeting. She knew the name of the player who was named ACC Player of the Year, but she chose not promote this player in her tweet. Say her name, say her name. Who’s that player who went 2-0 against ND this year?

We first noticed McCallie referring to players by their #s back when Maya played. She would refer to Maya as #23. I recall hearing the explanation was that she didn't want her players to be too caught up in an opponent's name, reputation, etc. I'm sure her players were convinced that #23 for UConn was nothing special.

If she thinks that works with her players then fine. But carrying over that practice when talking to the media is dehumanizing, disrespectful and weird. If you forget a player's name at that moment, fine. But McCallie does it because she wants to do it. Call them by their names. These are 18-22 year old women.

 

[Orangutan]

McGraw’s tweet is different. She had time to think about what she was tweeting. She knew the name of the player who was named ACC Player of the Year, but she chose not promote this player in her tweet. Say her name, say her name. Who’s that player who went 2-0 against ND this year?

She didn't make the tweet. The tweet was made by a local reporter who was quoting her. And, of course, she was only 1-0 against ND this year at the time the comments were made.

 

[CocoHusky]

I’m pretty sure McGraw has done the same thing, maybe just not as frequently that it’s known as her thing to do. I don’t see the big deal. There’s a reason why there are numbers on the jerseys in the first place... makes the players easier to identify. So if McCallie is referring to opposing players as their numbers in the huddles and does the same thing in the press conference immediately afterwards, it’s just a force of habit thing or how she remembers the players instead of a deliberate show of disrespect. McGraw’s tweet is different. She had time to think about what she was tweeting. She knew the name of the player who was named ACC Player of the Year, but she chose not promote this player in her tweet. Say her name, say her name. Who’s that player who went 2-0 against ND this year?

Part of the big deal is that these are some of the same kids that these coaches were recruiting in HS so these coaches surely know thier names. When a kid that you were recruiting lights you up suddenly you forget her name? Asia Durr final choices came down to Duke, ND and Louisville. If these coaches know there names no need to use anything else.

 

[cabbie191]

The story behind the free throw nail

"But some time long ago, a player or a coach noticed the nail or the hole and started using it to refine free throws. The tradition of using "the nail" has been passed down to generations of basketball players. But when and how that tradition started, nobody seems to know."

When I played rec league ball in elementary and middle school, our coach didn't share this secret with us. No wonder I was so terrible at making free throws! Is it too later for a do-over???

 

[shizam]

I don’t think she was worried about the graduation rate or how much money Jewell was going to make in the WNBA.

Jewell leaving early cost Muffett big the next season. Sure they still dominated the lowly overrated ACC but it hurt any chance at UConn.

 

[shizam]

View attachment 29120
Lol she looks like she's about to throw down.

Would Walz have used the after game handshake to say the same thing if they lost? Would he have said anything about it? Honest question since I have no idea.

 

[EricSD]

Meh. The media tries to make it more of a story than it is (re: Geno and Muffet not Muffet and Jeff - that's a current story). Why do Geno and Muffet need to "like" each other? As Geno said, there are hundreds of coaches out there with intense rivalries who don't like each other, but who still have mutual respect. I think the fact that Geno constantly says "ND is able to recruit really really good players and coach them really really well" (and variations of that) all the time indicates the respect he has for Muffet and her program.

As Geno also said "don't worry about the rest of it. Just focus on what's between the lines for 40 minutes".

Now Geno has a good relationship with Dawn (Olympic asst coach), Doug, Vic, and a bunch of other coaches out there who he's interacted with. Dawn won the NC last year. Vic beat Geno last year (their team did). Maybe it was inevitable that ND and UCONN would get frosty after playing each other SO often. But I don't get why that would make either Muffet OR Geno "less than" when it comes to their attitude, classiness, etc etc. They are both elite coaches who want to win NC's...

 

[Dillon77]

As you can well guess, there was a whole lot of chatter on McGraw's Bench on this yesterday...it drew way more than the usual traffic.
Rather that quote a number of these, I'm just going to add a few responses.

- Per the "name thing." As Orangutan pointed out here, MM didn't tweet this; rather, SB Tribune writer (who found himself quoted on ESPN) Anthony Anderson did. I've heard a lot about this, but have one question floating around in my brain: Given that Anderson tweeted a 140-character blurb, did MM refer to Durr by name in a part that didn't make the tweet? Or was MM referring to his question in which he referenced Durr and she, in turn, just continued with it.
Would be interesting to find out (particularly if so).

If not, certainly don''t think it would've hurt MM to reference Asia's name...as someone pointed out, the Irish were probably trying to recruit Durr, too, and -- geesh -- Asia and Arike know each other pretty well!

- I've written down that if this really bothered Coach Walz, one would've remembered that phones are also used for talking. And that they'd probably seen each other more than a few times in the hotels/arena in Greensboro.

- He claimed that he was sticking up for his kids, but he managed to take that focus away from them. And, in doing so, there's that ambush thing. Geesh.

- As per the numbers. During the halftime interview, someone asked MM something to the effect what else her team could do and she said "Keep track of #11," which would make sense considering Carter had 3 three's at that point. She later on gave full credit -- by name -- to Louisville's point guard.

- Re: McCallie, UConn Cat said it all very well. Plus, something that I've never dug about Coach P is her raking her own kids over the coals in such a public manner, time after time.

- Lastly, I think MM and Walz are not what you'd call compatible fits. MM said in a recent article on Mabrey and Ogunbowale that she and Marina are alike in that they think people understand what they're thinking (but not really saying). Walz over talks. They'd probably both like to get this back.

 

[Centerstream]

View attachment 29120
Lol she looks like she's about to throw down.

I like that after Walz finished, Muffet turned back to him and said "What?".

 

[WestCoastPup]

Jewell leaving early cost Muffett big the next season. Sure they still dominated the lowly overrated ACC but it hurt any chance at UConn.

The next year was Stewie, Tuck's and MoJef senior season ... they (ND nor anyone else) were NOT going to beat them that year... I tend to feel Jewel Lloyd knew (or at least strong suspected it).
AND she could go #1 in draft if she left early, obviously not going to happen the following year...

 

[Orangutan]

The next year was Stewie, Tuck's and MoJef senior season ... they (ND nor anyone else) was going to beat them that year... I tend to feel Jewel Lloyd knew (or at least strong suspected it).
AND she could go #1 in draft if she left early, obviously not going to happen the following year...

I tend to feel a dyslexic whose professional ambition was to be a pro basketball player didn't see the purpose of another year of college.

 

[DefenseBB]

This is all good theatre for the game, but lest not forget this was a great basketball game that was easily the best of the lot yesterday with both teams proving a #1 seed is worthy.

I think MM should have used Asia's name vs. what she did regardless of how it came out. I understand her support for her team but she is held to a higher standard as a Hall of Famer so she definitely knows better. That said, meh, I am more bemused than miffed or upset.

Walz could and should have waited until the presser after the game to mention it and use the "media middle ground" as the same spoke-piece back at MM to make the snarky comment he did to stick up for his player and his program and it is in his nature to talk.

Could both have handled it better, of course, but again, both are "Alpha's" trying to rule the conference so their competitive natures prevailed. I just hope respect stays as the priority.

 

[Plebe]

I like that after Walz finished, Muffet turned back to him and said "What?".

That look on her face was *priceless*.

 

[BoomBoom]

One thing to note: Walz took exception to something MM did (or didn't do); there was never anything ad hominem about his comments. However, many critics of his approach have taken exception to something Walz did AND have made it ad hominem. The things he's been called on message boards (here, elsewhere)...geesh. Of course, this type of thing is fan fodder. But still: by all accounts he's a well liked and well respected coach among his peers. He's represented USA basketball, and as far, far back as this Saturday he stumped for Wes Moore's NC State team to host the first/second rounds. Sounds like a classless guy.

 

[NOI33]

Walz could and should have waited until the presser after the game to mention it and use the "media middle ground" as the same spoke-piece back at MM to make the snarky comment he did to stick up for his player and his program and it is in his nature to talk.

No. Because then you would all be saying "Why didn't he say it to her face? Why didn't he address the matter like a grown-up? Why was he so passive-aggressive?"

Come on. We are all human. We saw the intensity of the game and how much was riding on its outcome. Can you imagine the emotions the UofL coaching staff experienced after finally claiming this trophy? The pride in their players? Walz chose to say what he said (when he said it) because their win (second win, at that) and Asia's performance (most notably her clutch free-throws) cemented her ACC-POY nod. So give her the respect she deserves and remember her name. She was the player of the year because she steps up in huge games and makes plays. She was the player of the year because she works (and wins) within a system that consists of mostly role-players with amazing team chemistry. Louisville had a high-profile key starter transfer out last year (if some of you forgot), and many thought this year would be a low-year for them. Forget about the rankings. Walz has produced a lot with what he has this year, and no one can argue that.

I feel like his emotions got the best of him and he felt like she needed to hear what he wanted to say at all costs (lol), but to say that he was classless and aggressive is a reach (not you directly DefenseBB, others had stated this). He was very clear about what he said to Muffet during his presser. He was very clear about his intent too. No need to drag his name in the dirt for something so insignificant.

 

[DefenseBB]

One thing to note: Walz took exception to something MM did (or didn't do); there was never anything ad hominem about his comments. However, many critics of his approach have taken exception to something Walz did AND have made it ad hominem. The things he's been called on message boards (here, elsewhere)...geesh. Of course, this type of thing is fan fodder. But still: by all accounts he's a well liked and well respected coach among his peers. He's represented USA basketball, and as far, far back as this Saturday he stumped for Wes Moore's NC State team to host the first/second rounds. Sounds like a classless guy.

Is your last sentence correct- “classless”?