Now that They have Played...

[RockyMTblue2]

Stating the obvious: Polly and Tierney have names. There will always be occasions where in context "walk ons" is appropriate, but I think it would be more appropriate most of the time to accord them the respect of their names/nicknames and not the lumped together "walk ons".

I know no one here intends any slight with that moniker. With most who join the team we have had 2 or more years to get to know them, Polly and Tierney were suddenly here. Glad they are in that uniform and wish both memorable college careers.

 

[caramel]

One's a Freshman and ones a Sophomore.Like any first year player,they will struggle.However,with this team's coaching,they could work their way into scholarships and decent playing time.I think it is great that Geno already has some digs towards them,in his comments,because that tells me they could be very good,and are showing him something.I hope that both girls excel and earn a place in the family of Connecticut basketball for the next few years.

 

[stamfordhusky]

I'd love to see one or both earn decent playing time - but I think that's extremely unlikely at any point in their careers. If they do see many real minutes, it would likely mean a ton of injuries, which none of us wants to see.

 

[EricLA]

I'd love to see one or both earn decent playing time - but I think that's extremely unlikely at any point in their careers. If they do see many real minutes, it would likely mean a ton of injuries, which none of us wants to see.

I realize that it's only an exhibition game, but it seems if they only see 4 minutes in that, they won't likely see too much more in regular games. Maybe up to 8 minutes in a real blowout.

This is meant as no disrespect to them, but this season Geno will only rely on 9 players in a big game, and there are probably things he will want to work on intermingling starters and subs throughout the year. Especially specific half court sets. The walk ons are a great story but with so many young players on the team (4 of the 9 and 2 starters are underclassmen), I'm thinking it's more likely Geno will acclimate them into different lineups rather than stick the walk ons in for 10-15 minutes in a game.

Maybe I'm way wrong, but it seems there's nothing from a developmental standpoint to be gained by playing the walk ons substantial minutes - best case scenario they earn Meghan Gardler type minutes their senior years. That's not to say it isn't a great story - it is. A couple of hard working kids make good on a UCONN team that's a NC contender.

 

[winlots]

All good points. Seems like we are all solidly in their corners, of course. I feel rather certain that they already sense that they are supported whole heartedly by their coaches, teammates, and fans.....just like all "Our Girls.".
(Since they came in as a tandem, it is possible that it will take a couple of games, especially if their minutes are limited, for us to begin to appreciate their individual traits and get names with faces.)

 

[katiecrum1992]

I'm a little surprised that they played so little in a 60 point blowout. Obviously they're going to get less minutes being walk-ons but that's a good time to play them.

 

[hjoerring]

I am relatively new at this, but is a walk-on always a 'walk-on' and can never be anything other than a walk-on? One of the 'walk-on' has been given a scholarship, does that make her a full member? Can she sit anywhere on the bus-- without permission? Really, when does the category ceases to apply to one. Imagine the dilemma if they turned out to be as good or better then a recruit. Wow. That of course will never happen because "WE" would not provide them with the opportunity to be other. I am in agreement with the post calling for us to grant them Agency by calling them by their known name (If you can play you can play). Again, I am in the fog about these categories of persons on a team. Does it mean more then X was not recruited by school b, but X always wanted to play for B and thought she was good enough so she ceased an opportunity and over 3-years became the cornerstone of the team and no one remembered her as a walk-on. Or will we refused them entrance into Husky of Honor(?) based on them being 'walk-on'. What a story-line

 

[connboy77]

I am relatively new at this, but is a walk-on always a 'walk-on' and can never be anything other than a walk-on? One of the 'walk-on' has been given a scholarship, does that make her a full member? Can she sit anywhere on the bus-- without permission? Really, when does the category ceases to apply to one. Imagine the dilemma if they turned out to be as good or better then a recruit. Wow. That of course will never happen because "WE" would not provide them with the opportunity to be other. I am in agreement with the post calling for us to grant them Agency by calling them by their known name (If you can play you can play). Again, I am in the fog about these categories of persons on a team. Does it mean more then X was not recruited by school b, but X always wanted to play for B and thought she was good enough so she ceased an opportunity and over 3-years became the cornerstone of the team and no one remembered her as a walk-on. Or will we refused them entrance into Husky of Honor(?) based on them being 'walk-on'. What a story-line

A walk-on is a full member of the team and is sometimes offered a scholarship for future years because of their hard work and dedication.

 

[Biff]

I'm a little surprised that they played so little in a 60 point blowout. Obviously they're going to get less minutes being walk-ons but that's a good time to play them.

The exhibition games are Geno's chances to experiment with the newly gelling team to find out what is working and what isn't and for helping set the path for what he will do when it counts. It's about Geno using the game time for that stuff and little to nothing about resting anyone at this point in the season.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I'm a little surprised that they played so little in a 60 point blowout. Obviously they're going to get less minutes being walk-ons but that's a good time to play them.

In an interview after that game Geno indicated (sorry I do not have the link) that he had a number of things on offense and defense that he wanted to accomplish and that mission was complicated by the fact that Gannon could not score or defend! That could explain the relatively slight playing time in a huge blow out. You have a set of tasks for these games and they are centered on those who will play when it matters. That prioritization is perhaps heightened this year because of the string of highly ranked opponents so early in the schedule.

 

[Bestiarius]

There is no negative connotation in being called a walk-on. It just a way of indicating that a player was not recruited by way of the normal recruitment process. Right now, we know little about them, no frame of reference to call them anything but the descriptive "walk on." I'm fairly certain that most of us here would love to see them become All Americans during their tenure at UConn. As the season progresses, and fans get to know Polly & Tierney, the walk on moniker will fade, and they will be supported just like all the other players.