OT- Is Serena Williams the UCONN of women's tennis?

[Phillyconn]

Nothing. But it's apples to oranges.

FWIW - I've met the Williams sisters, and their father several time. I like Serena.

Really? Were they nice? Do they look the same in person?

 

[Pete]

No. In the past 15 years UConn has won more championships than they've lost. Serena has lost more championships than she's won.

I like Serena, but the comparison doesn't hold up.

Maybe that's because UCONN only plays one championship per year (two if you count the conference) where as Serena plays as many as 16 per year (four if you only count grand slams)

 

[CocoHusky]

Right now, she's top ten. If she wins the U.S. Open, she's top five. If she passes Steffi, she's no. 1 in my opinion.

No.1 woman or number 1 overall-Ahead of Jordan?

 

[Phillyconn]

No.1 woman or number 1 overall-Ahead of Jordan?

Overall.

 

[The Don]

As the OP for this subject, here is a little clarification for my post. It was meant to be a tongue in cheek comment for folks who question whether UCONN dominance of WCBB is bad for the sport! I must confess I have enjoyed all the various comments from yarders.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

No. In the past 15 years UConn has won more championships than they've lost. Serena has lost more championships than she's won.

I like Serena, but the comparison doesn't hold up.

Tennis involves four "championships" per year, while basketball has "one."

A different comparison might be the records in the "Final Four" - the semifinals and finals of Grand Slam tournaments for tennis (e.g., rounds after the quarterfinals) and the Final Four and title games for basketball (e.g., rounds after the Elite Eight).

Serena Williams: 46-7 (86.79 percent)
UConn: 20-6 (76.9 percent)

By that measure, Serena comes ahead.

But that is the point. It is nearly impossible to compare dominance between an individual and a team, much less among an individual sport with multiple majors per year and a team sport with one annual title.

Dominance is dominance. Excellence is excellence.

 

[easttexastrash]

Huh? Really? So Uconn gets the top 5 players every year? And other schools can't recruit? Really? And where does coaching comes in all this meaningless jabbering?

As much respect as I have for the coaching staff, I also recognize that having the top ranked player in the nation goes a long way in deciding who wins a national championship. Has UCONN ever won a NC without having at least one of the number 1 recruits on the team. Having players like Lobo, Bird, Cash, Jones, DT, Charles, Moore, Stewart, Jefferson, etc., make a big difference in pursuing a championship.

 

[easttexastrash]

Can we please clarify that there are 4 "majors" per year, not "grand slams." A "grand slam" is when you win all four "majors" in a calendar year.

 

[Phillyconn]

As much respect as I have for the coaching staff, I also recognize that having the top ranked player in the nation goes a long way in deciding who wins a national championship. Has UCONN ever won a NC without having at least one of the number 1 recruits on the team. Having players like Lobo, Bird, Cash, Jones, DT, Charles, Moore, Stewart, Jefferson, etc., make a big difference in pursuing a championship.

Well, Geno himself admitted as much. I'll just say that when he has the best players, he knows what to do with them, which is win Championships. I think most National Champions in recent memory have had POY Candidates. Which schools have had NPOY and not one at least one championship? I'd be interested to see that. Maybe, Geno just has that gift for getting the most out of the top players that he gets and is a supreme judge of talent. IMHO, I think it's what he does with players like Dolson, Hartley and Faris that puts him over the top. In the next few years, we shall see. Because Duke, South Carolina, Tennessee and Baylor are all loaded, so there will be no excuses.

 

[easttexastrash]

Well, Geno himself admitted as much. I'll just say that when he has the best players, he knows what to do with them, which is win Championships. I think most National Champions in recent memory have had POY Candidates. Which schools have had NPOY and not one at least one championship? I'd be interested to see that. Maybe, Geno just has that gift for getting the most out of the top players that he gets and is a supreme judge of talent. IMHO, I think it's what he does with players like Dolson, Hartley and Faris that puts him over the top. In the next few years, we shall see. Because Duke, South Carolina, Tennessee and Baylor are all loaded, so there will be no excuses.

I agree wholeheartedly that Geno is the best at getting the most out of the talent that he lands. However, I would say that UCONN has the best recruiting in the nation, as I think most here would agree, which accounts for its perennial success. For the rest of college basketball it is the perfect storm...and I see no end to the current storm. For the rest of WCBB being the runner-up is the real competition. If you finish second to UCONN that is the equivalent of winning a title.

 

[Phillyconn]

I agree wholeheartedly that Geno is the best at getting the most out of the talent that he lands. However, I would say that UCONN has the best recruiting in the nation, as I think most here would agree, which accounts for its perennial success. For the rest of college basketball it is the perfect storm...and I see no end to the current storm. For the rest of WCBB being the runner-up is the real competition. If you finish second to UCONN that is the equivalent of winning a title.

We have had a few lean years in recruiting, what happened to the teams that had the best class? Honestly, I can't believe with all the talent that Duke and Tennessee gets, that they haven't gotten to the Final Four. If I was fan of either of those schools, I would be highly upset. In the past, I actually feared playing those teams.

 

[CocoHusky]

Tennis involves four "championships" per year, while basketball has "one."

A different comparison might be the records in the "Final Four" - the semifinals and finals of Grand Slam tournaments for tennis (e.g., rounds after the quarterfinals) and the Final Four and title games for basketball (e.g., rounds after the Elite Eight).

Serena Williams: 46-7 (86.79 percent)
UConn: 20-6 (76.9 percent)

By that measure, Serena comes ahead.

But that is the point. It is nearly impossible to compare dominance between an individual and a team, much less among an individual sport with multiple majors per year and a team sport with one annual title.

Dominance is dominance. Excellence is excellence.

Sometimes, well most times, hell all the time, you make too much damn sense.

 

[JellyBean]

Oh yeah. In terms of her dominance over the women's tennis game, without a doubt! I would compare her to our beloved Huskies dominance in WCBB. She has high standards, winning mentality, high level of professionalism, and just the best women in tennis. For the last question "Is she bad for women's tennis because she wins so much?"; the answer is no. Nobody had a problem with Steffi Graf dominating women's tennis back in the late 80s and 90s. Nobody should have a problem with Serena. But haters are going to hate no matter what.

 

[easttexastrash]

We have had a few lean years in recruiting, what happened to the teams that had the best class? Honestly, I can't believe with all the talent that Duke and Tennessee gets, that they haven't gotten to the Final Four. If I was fan of either of those schools, I would be highly upset. In the past, I actually feared playing those teams.

I agree. They have had major talent go to waste. I have to wonder what would have happened if EDD had gone to either. Would she have pushed them to FF success?

 

[Phillyconn]

I agree. They have had major talent go to waste. I have to wonder what would have happened if EDD had gone to either. Would she have pushed them to FF success?

That is a good question. I mean Candace really lifted Tennessee to Greatness.
If, she would have played with Griner and Sims, they would have won at least one more championship. Scary thought!

 

[The Don]

As much respect as I have for the coaching staff, I also recognize that having the top ranked player in the nation goes a long way in deciding who wins a national championship. Has UCONN ever won a NC without having at least one of the number 1 recruits on the team. Having players like Lobo, Bird, Cash, Jones, DT, Charles, Moore, Stewart, Jefferson, etc., make a big difference in pursuing a championship.

I remember when Baylor had Griner and Sims, the conventional wisdom was that it had a choke hold on the national championship for at least 3 years, starting from Griner's 2nd year. We all know how that panned out! just ONE. So yes you need talent to win the national championship but there is more to it than talent. Again just ask Baylor!

 

[Phillyconn]

I remember when Baylor had Griner and Sims, the conventional wisdom was that it had a choke hold on the national championship for at least 3 years, starting from Griner's 2nd year. We all know how that panned out! just ONE. So yes you need talent to win the national championship but there is more to it than talent. Again just ask Baylor!

How many times has Geno beaten a team with superior talent? Maybe Tennessee ?Not that I care, I hope he wins the next ten titles.

 

[DaddyChoc]

How many times has Geno beaten a team with superior talent? Maybe Tennessee ?Not that I care, I hope he wins the next ten titles.

Stanford, Rutgers, Baylor, Notre Dame, TAMU... and ummm Duke to name a few

 

[Phillyconn]

Stanford, Rutgers, Baylor, Notre Dame, TAMU... and ummm Duke to name a few

Ok, give me some years, names if you can remember any. I mean have we ever been the underdogs in a FF and still won? Or, the favorites and lost? I'm drawing blanks.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Ok, give me some years, names if you can remember any. I mean have we ever been the underdogs in a FF and still won? Or, the favorites and lost? I'm drawing blanks.

you're not a UConn fan if you dont remember... I do have the time to refresh your memory but lets not act like UConn is the only team to win games.

Did Maya win a championship her senior year?

 

[easttexastrash]

I remember when Baylor had Griner and Sims, the conventional wisdom was that it had a choke hold on the national championship for at least 3 years, starting from Griner's 2nd year. We all know how that panned out! just ONE. So yes you need talent to win the national championship but there is more to it than talent. Again just ask Baylor!

Does anyone here think that if EDD had not decided to transfer to Delaware that UCONN would not have won a couple more championships? A coach is only as good as the talent that they have on the roster. I've already said that Geno is the best there is at getting the most out of his players, so I am not sure what point you are hoping to make that has not already been made.

 

[Phillyconn]

you're not a UConn fan if you dont remember... I do have the time to refresh your memory but lets not act like UConn is the only team to win games.

Did Maya win a championship her senior year?

That's not nice or true. I just never pay attention to stuff like that. I just want UConn to win at all times. UConn is in my heart, I love them like I love all of my philly teams. So, you are absolutely WRONG, DC.

Silly question about Maya, who could ever forget that heartbreaking loss.

 

[VAMike23]

Can we please clarify that there are 4 "majors" per year, not "grand slams." A "grand slam" is when you win all four "majors" in a calendar year.

That's the common usage for golf but in tennis I usually hear each of the big tournaments referred to as 'Slams' (short for grand slam), this from the analysts and talking heads themselves

 

[Phillyconn]

That's the common usage for golf but in tennis I usually hear each of the big tournaments referred to as 'Slams' (short for grand slam), this from the analysts and talking heads themselves

I thought the "grand" part was for winning all four "slams".