Oh No Oh No Oh NO

[Tonyc]

I guess this is what the rest of WCBB are thinking after yesterdays announcement. 5 more years of UConn Dominance. How much better can UConn get? How can we compete with UConn on the court and especially in recruiting? IMO UConn got the 2 best players in the class and best by alot. More importantly UConn got players they needed to fill positions that will be vacated by graduation and they filled those positions with the 2 best players in the class. The top guard and the top big to go along with the number 1 HS player a freshman at UConn in Walker. Hey is this un be liv able. You cant make this stuff up. Not even Walt Disney can make this stuff up. UConn keeps getting better and better and kids want to play for Geno.

No other team can offer what UConn offers. Most teams talk making the NCAAs. When top teams get top recruits theyre thinking hey we can get to the FF this season. At UConn its expected. Thats the biggest difference between UConn and every other team in WCBB. Other teams hope to get to the FF and at UConn it is expected to get to the FF. Thats how the UConn program was built. It was built and is built to win NCs not to think we might. You cant wish your way to the top. You have to work for it and you have to work for it as a team with progress detailed towards excellence. The only hope a team has to win the NC is that some team knocks UConn off. When UConn loses its a fluke, its the law of averages and I dont mean any disrespect to any other team, but lets face it, UConn continues to pile up the wins.

There is no more discussion on who's the Great Coach of All Time...Geno is the Greatest Coach Ever. Geno has developed his coaches much like he develops his kids. This years roster and with the kids coming in next year and most likely the following year this is a Monster Program. Think about just the last 3 players committing to UConn. They are all or have been HS number 1 players to go along with a team that I feel has 5-6 AA's already and you know what??? It doesnt stop. UConn continues to get better and better year after year. They continue to set the bar at a level that only they can attain.


Remember last season many UConn fans doubted how good UConn would be? We were young without alot of experience. But our underclassman were developed and bang they were undefeated in the regular season with a schedule that I referred to as Murders Row. Well this season UConn is facing another Murders Row of a schedule and they have a lineup of 5-6 AAs with 3 preseason first team AA's which is a first in WCBB.

So Friday we've got Cal and Sunday we've got Maryland and I know if we win by less then 20 points fans will be wondering what happened. Hey its early in the season. I expect a huge lead and then Geno will play the rest of the game trying new combos, working on different things and the game will never be in jeopardy.

 

[VAMike23]

I think Maryland will once again be turtle soup. No impressions on Cal.

UCLA could be more interesting....

 

[bags27]

Great post, Tonyc.

No argument about Geno being the GOAT. But--and maybe not so popular here--a shout out to Pat Summitt, who really transformed the women's game, showed what was possible, and gave Geno a goal to aim for.

 

[EricLA]

Great post, Tonyc.

No argument about Geno being the GOAT. But--and maybe not so popular here--a shout out to Pat Summit, who really transformed the women's game, showed what was possible, and gave Geno a goal to aim for.

Not to dredge up old history for a lengthy debate, but an overwhelming majority of UCONN fans IMHO admire Pat for her accomplishments and what she meant to the game. However it went off the rails towards the end of her career vis-a-vis UCONN - the 39 page complaint full of inaccurate accusations (even using the BY to gather quotes to accuse a fellow BY'er of NCAA rule violations), the continuous allusions to hanky panky regarding UCONN's recruiting, the issues with Maya and her family, the whole "Why we won't schedule UCONN? Ask Geno - he knows" litany of comments from her, etc.

IMHO it's totally possible to separate the professional from the personal. She was a great figure who had unprecedented success in an era where there was little to no support for WCBB. But her vendetta against UCONN was not only unfounded, but unfortunate for her legacy. No, UCONN fans will never forget that...

 

[EricLA]

Great post Tony - I always love your enthusiasm etc.

One thing I slightly disagree with - "When UConn loses its a fluke...". I do get that you added "no disrespect meant to other teams", but I do think it's unfair.

UCONN fans almost always agree that whenever we play another really good team, we hold them to less scoring than their average, usually slow or stop their leading scorer, and combined with our offensive efficiency and weapons, is why we usually win. It's not a fluke that UCONN does this to almost every team. Even other really talented teams.

BUT... to say it's a fluke when they beat us doesn't give them credit for doing the same thing to UCONN that we usually do to them. We will often say "we didn't play well. We only played our B game", but that very well could be because the other team forced us to play in an uncomfortable way, taking us out of our flow, and ultimately winning the game. Couldn't the same thing be said when we beat another really good team? That they didn't play well?

IMHO if we area going to believe that we force other teams to play in ways that aren't comfortable for them, we should give credit to them when they do the same thing to us. Last season vs. MSU, Geno admitted he made coaching mistakes and allowed MSU to force us to slow the pace and play the game they way they wanted. It's not a fluke, it's an error in coaching and a mistake that the players were unable to pick up on either.

Back in the Skyler Diggins days, when ND beat us 7 out of 9 times, I don't think it was a fluke. They were just a bad matchup for us and ultimately outplayed us.

I know it's a tiny point, but I think it's unfair not to give the other team credit when they do beat us.

 

[dogged1]

Not to dredge up old history for a lengthy debate, but an overwhelming majority of UCONN fans IMHO admire Pat for her accomplishments and what she meant to the game. However it went off the rails towards the end of her career vis-a-vis UCONN - the 39 page complaint full of inaccurate accusations (even using the BY to gather quotes to accuse a fellow BY'er of NCAA rule violations), the continuous allusions to hanky panky regarding UCONN's recruiting, the issues with Maya and her family, the whole "Why we won't schedule UCONN? Ask Geno - he knows" litany of comments from her, etc.

IMHO it's totally possible to separate the professional from the personal. She was a great figure who had unprecedented success in an era where there was little to no support for WCBB. But her vendetta against UCONN was not only unfounded, but unfortunate for her legacy. No, UCONN fans will never forget that...

I agree with most of your argument, but take issue with blaming HC Pat Summitt directly. As others on the Boneyard have said before, Alzheimer's is insidious. Long before it becomes apparent to even close family members, it has worked to reduce your ability to make sound judgement. You become far more emotional. I believe she was taken advantage of, by those who made a living off of her reputation, and were desperate to put down the new comer that threatened it. I blame the U Tenn AD and his staff for not having the courage to reel her in (and her groupies) before it became the embarrassment it turned out to be. I believe that is why Geno looked for an apology from U Tenn to Maya and her mother, not to him or to Uconn.

A lot of I believes in my argument, so.... JMHO.

 

[bags27]

I blame the U Tenn AD and his staff for not having the courage to reel her in (and her groupies) before it became the embarrassment it turned out to be. I believe that is why Geno looked for an apology from U Tenn to Maya and her mother, not to him or to Uconn..

Best explanation I've heard about why this continues to fester....

 

[Los24]

No other team can offer what UConn offers. Most teams talk making the NCAAs. When top teams get top recruits theyre thinking hey we can get to the FF this season. At UConn its expected. Thats the biggest difference between UConn and every other team in WCBB. Other teams hope to get to the FF and at UConn it is expected to get to the FF. Thats how the UConn program was built. It was built and is built to win NCs not to think we might. You cant wish your way to the top.

I also think the fact UConn usually plays in front of the biggest crowds for WCBB. I know there are a few other schools like South Carolina (which I will be going to that game) that can compare but most can not... especially when it comes to drawing on the road.

 

[huskyd]

Something not often noted is the role played by the current UConn team members in recruiting. I believe, and the prospects say so, that having the chance to compete with CD and Meg and Napheesa and others under the tutelage of America's best WBB coach is just too appealing to pass up. These players meet at international competitions and bond in a way that carries over to considerations of where to go to college. CD and Meg were pointedly instrumental in recruiting Christyn. That's just one example, and it's how recruiting momentum is accomplished. Oh, yes, and there are those other Huskies who excite like Sue, Maya, Di, etc.

 

[Dougie]

I guess this is what the rest of WCBB are thinking after yesterdays announcement. 5 more years of UConn Dominance. How much better can UConn get? How can we compete with UConn on the court and especially in recruiting? IMO UConn got the 2 best players in the class and best by alot. More importantly UConn got players they needed to fill positions that will be vacated by graduation and they filled those positions with the 2 best players in the class. The top guard and the top big to go along with the number 1 HS player a freshman at UConn in Walker. Hey is this un be liv able. You cant make this stuff up. Not even Walt Disney can make this stuff up. UConn keeps getting better and better and kids want to play for Geno.

No other team can offer what UConn offers. Most teams talk making the NCAAs. When top teams get top recruits theyre thinking hey we can get to the FF this season. At UConn its expected. Thats the biggest difference between UConn and every other team in WCBB. Other teams hope to get to the FF and at UConn it is expected to get to the FF. Thats how the UConn program was built. It was built and is built to win NCs not to think we might. You cant wish your way to the top. You have to work for it and you have to work for it as a team with progress detailed towards excellence. The only hope a team has to win the NC is that some team knocks UConn off. When UConn loses its a fluke, its the law of averages and I dont mean any disrespect to any other team, but lets face it, UConn continues to pile up the wins.

There is no more discussion on who's the Great Coach of All Time...Geno is the Greatest Coach Ever. Geno has developed his coaches much like he develops his kids. This years roster and with the kids coming in next year and most likely the following year this is a Monster Program. Think about just the last 3 players committing to UConn. They are all or have been HS number 1 players to go along with a team that I feel has 5-6 AA's already and you know what??? It doesnt stop. UConn continues to get better and better year after year. They continue to set the bar at a level that only they can attain.


Remember last season many UConn fans doubted how good UConn would be? We were young without alot of experience. But our underclassman were developed and bang they were undefeated in the regular season with a schedule that I referred to as Murders Row. Well this season UConn is facing another Murders Row of a schedule and they have a lineup of 5-6 AAs with 3 preseason first team AA's which is a first in WCBB.

So Friday we've got Cal and Sunday we've got Maryland and I know if we win by less then 20 points fans will be wondering what happened. Hey its early in the season. I expect a huge lead and then Geno will play the rest of the game trying new combos, working on different things and the game will never be in jeopardy.

Preach it, Tony!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Great post Tony - I always love your enthusiasm etc.

One thing I slightly disagree with - "When UConn loses its a fluke...". I do get that you added "no disrespect meant to other teams", but I do think it's unfair.

UCONN fans almost always agree that whenever we play another really good team, we hold them to less scoring than their average, usually slow or stop their leading scorer, and combined with our offensive efficiency and weapons, is why we usually win. It's not a fluke that UCONN does this to almost every team. Even other really talented teams.

BUT... to say it's a fluke when they beat us doesn't give them credit for doing the same thing to UCONN that we usually do to them. We will often say "we didn't play well. We only played our B game", but that very well could be because the other team forced us to play in an uncomfortable way, taking us out of our flow, and ultimately winning the game. Couldn't the same thing be said when we beat another really good team? That they didn't play well?

IMHO if we area going to believe that we force other teams to play in ways that aren't comfortable for them, we should give credit to them when they do the same thing to us. Last season vs. MSU, Geno admitted he made coaching mistakes and allowed MSU to force us to slow the pace and play the game they way they wanted. It's not a fluke, it's an error in coaching and a mistake that the players were unable to pick up on either.

Back in the Skyler Diggins days, when ND beat us 7 out of 9 times, I don't think it was a fluke. They were just a bad matchup for us and ultimately outplayed us.

I know it's a tiny point, but I think it's unfair not to give the other team credit when they do beat us.

I think ND actually beat us 7 time in 8 games, with at least 5 or 6 of them coming down to the last possession.

Losing to St. Johns and Mississippi State and nearly losing to Tulane fall into one category--we are clearly the better team, but we play poorly and the other team has a good game plan and/or plays well. One could call those games a fluke. But it's important to note that for us to lose, the other team has to be good enough and tough enough to take advantage. We have had other games in which we played poorly, but the opposition wasn't good enough or tough enough to take advantage. Geno has noted this. Think LSU last year as an example.

Losing to Notre Dame and Baylor fall into a category of two evenly matched teams, and we don't play quite well enough. Notre Dame, interestingly, had a team that was particularly confident and mentally tough at a time when we were less confident and mentally tough than normal. Baylor was a very talented team, especially when Griner was playing.

 

[Rixxx]

I'm sorry, but I recognize that ND won often in the Diggins era. However, I like to keep in mind that Uconn is 34-11 all time against ND. Just food for thought.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I'm sorry, but I recognize that ND won often in the Diggins era. However, I like to keep in mind that Uconn is 34-11 all time against ND. Just food for thought.

I think Skylar finished something like 6-7 against UConn--which is a great record relative to almost everyone else.

I agree--I look at that 3-year stretch between Maya and Stewie as an aberration. But give ND credit for doing what few others could do. I'm very pleased that Stewie, Moriah, and Morgan restored the basketball world to the proper place.

 

[huskeynut]

In the annals of sports history we see were one team has another's "number" for a while. ND had ours for a brief span. Have to give ND some credit.

As for other times we have lost, on any given day or night, someone can catch you. It happens.

 

[Waquoit]

... under the tutelage of America's best WBB coach is just too appealing to pass up.

Actually, he's the world's best WBB coach. I compare it to any other student choosing a school because a world renown expert in their chosen discipline teaches there.

 

[huskyrob1]

Not to dredge up old history for a lengthy debate, but an overwhelming majority of UCONN fans IMHO admire Pat for her accomplishments and what she meant to the game. However it went off the rails towards the end of her career vis-a-vis UCONN - the 39 page complaint full of inaccurate accusations (even using the BY to gather quotes to accuse a fellow BY'er of NCAA rule violations), the continuous allusions to hanky panky regarding UCONN's recruiting, the issues with Maya and her family, the whole "Why we won't schedule UCONN? Ask Geno - he knows" litany of comments from her, etc.

IMHO it's totally possible to separate the professional from the personal. She was a great figure who had unprecedented success in an era where there was little to no support for WCBB. But her vendetta against UCONN was not only unfounded, but unfortunate for her legacy. No, UCONN fans will never forget that...

I think the recruiting battles with Geno over Maya, Ann Strother, Swin Cash, Shea, and a couple others took a lot out of Pat Summitt.

 

[TWG236]

As far as UCONN/TENN goes. This video says it all. Although I won't forgive TENN for their slanderous comments pertaining to UCONN, Maya and Geno, I do miss the intensity of these games. A win over TENN made the whole year better and when it was for a National Championship, we were going to a parade and TENN was back home crying.

 

[CocoHusky]

I think the recruiting battles with Geno over Maya, Ann Strother, Swin Cash, Shea, and a couple others took a lot out of Pat Summitt.

Pat won her share of recruits, the 4 losses in Championship games to Geno was a more significant factor because in many of those games Pat was significantly outcoached. Philadelphia (Geno home town) in 2000 probably still stings the Lady Vols fan base.

 

[oldude]

Something not often noted is the role played by the current UConn team members in recruiting. I believe, and the prospects say so, that having the chance to compete with CD and Meg and Napheesa and others under the tutelage of America's best WBB coach is just too appealing to pass up. These players meet at international competitions and bond in a way that carries over to considerations of where to go to college. CD and Meg were pointedly instrumental in recruiting Christyn. That's just one example, and it's how recruiting momentum is accomplished. Oh, yes, and there are those other Huskies who excite like Sue, Maya, Di, etc.

Ask and ye shall receive. Please take a look at the thread posted this morning , “UConn’s Greatest Recruiting Advantage.”

 

[msf22b]

As far as UCONN/TENN goes. This video says it all. Although I won't forgive TENN for their slanderous comments pertaining to UCONN, Maya and Geno, I do miss the intensity of these games. A win over TENN made the whole year better and when it was for a National Championship, we were going to a parade and TENN was back home crying.

And remember, UTenn won some of them...we didn't win them all.

 

[winlots]

I guess this is what the rest of WCBB are thinking after yesterdays announcement. 5 more years of UConn Dominance. How much better can UConn get? How can we compete with UConn on the court and especially in recruiting? IMO UConn got the 2 best players in the class and best by alot. More importantly UConn got players they needed to fill positions that will be vacated by graduation and they filled those positions with the 2 best players in the class. The top guard and the top big to go along with the number 1 HS player a freshman at UConn in Walker. Hey is this un be liv able. You cant make this stuff up. Not even Walt Disney can make this stuff up. UConn keeps getting better and better and kids want to play for Geno.

No other team can offer what UConn offers. Most teams talk making the NCAAs. When top teams get top recruits theyre thinking hey we can get to the FF this season. At UConn its expected. Thats the biggest difference between UConn and every other team in WCBB. Other teams hope to get to the FF and at UConn it is expected to get to the FF. Thats how the UConn program was built. It was built and is built to win NCs not to think we might. You cant wish your way to the top. You have to work for it and you have to work for it as a team with progress detailed towards excellence. The only hope a team has to win the NC is that some team knocks UConn off. When UConn loses its a fluke, its the law of averages and I dont mean any disrespect to any other team, but lets face it, UConn continues to pile up the wins.

There is no more discussion on who's the Great Coach of All Time...Geno is the Greatest Coach Ever. Geno has developed his coaches much like he develops his kids. This years roster and with the kids coming in next year and most likely the following year this is a Monster Program. Think about just the last 3 players committing to UConn. They are all or have been HS number 1 players to go along with a team that I feel has 5-6 AA's already and you know what??? It doesnt stop. UConn continues to get better and better year after year. They continue to set the bar at a level that only they can attain.


Remember last season many UConn fans doubted how good UConn would be? We were young without alot of experience. But our underclassman were developed and bang they were undefeated in the regular season with a schedule that I referred to as Murders Row. Well this season UConn is facing another Murders Row of a schedule and they have a lineup of 5-6 AAs with 3 preseason first team AA's which is a first in WCBB.

So Friday we've got Cal and Sunday we've got Maryland and I know if we win by less then 20 points fans will be wondering what happened. Hey its early in the season. I expect a huge lead and then Geno will play the rest of the game trying new combos, working on different things and the game will never be in jeopardy.

TONY: You all know I can be a little dense ; OK, make that a lot. But let's see if I got this straight: you're feeling pretty darn good about the program, the kids, the coaches and the UCONN present and future? ( : Happy Thanksgiving one and all.

 

[dogged1]

And remember, UTenn won some of them...we didn't win them all.

Tennessee fan's are always pleased to point out that they hold a 3 game win streak over us. (laughing so hard it hurts).

 

[mhshuskies]

I'm sorry, but I recognize that ND won often in the Diggins era. However, I like to keep in mind that Uconn is 34-11 all time against ND. Just food for thought.

And how many NCs did Skylar get? We got two during her era.

 

[mhshuskies]

As far as UCONN/TENN goes. This video says it all. Although I won't forgive TENN for their slanderous comments pertaining to UCONN, Maya and Geno, I do miss the intensity of these games. A win over TENN made the whole year better and when it was for a National Championship, we were going to a parade and TENN was back home crying.

Is that a young CD2 at the end saying “Tennessee will go down again”?

 

[msf22b]

And how many NCs did Skylar get? We got two during her era.

It was a very trying time for UConn loyalists, NC's or not.