OT: Where you from? How'd ya get here (CT or BY, take your pick)?

[UConnChapette]

I want to learn a bit more about all of you fine folk on the BY.

As I am not a native of Connecticut, it got me wondering how many of us BYers are transplants from another place? Or were native Nutmeggers but now live elsewhere? Or have always lived in CT. And for our visitor fans of other teams...where do you call home?

I was born in California - Southern Cali. Yes, I am a California girl. Lived there until I was 12.

Moved to Nebraska on the cusp of my 13th birthday. I have never forgiven my parents for that trauma! No ocean, no mountains, no Disneyland, no Knotts Berry Farm, no Magic Mountain...WHAT WERE THEY THINKING??? Okay...no brushfires or earthquakes either. But blizzards and tornadoes makes it a break even proposition.

Met my native born CT husband in college in South Dakota. Lived there for a bit after marriage, moved back to Omaha for a couple of years. Had a son. Husband decided he didn't think the Plains were all that great afterall.

Moved to CT. Had a second son. I started following the UConn men because, hey, - there was no college football to follow in CT. Then I heard about the UConn women, caught a couple of games in 1994. The rest is history. Been hooked ever since.

Truth be told...I would move back to Nebraska if I could but my job, husband and one son are still in CT. But I will be a UConn fan for life, no matter where I call home in the future.

 

[ChicagoGG]

Well, I'll just jump in here and bring a dish to pass to the party (Midwestern saying, folks)....

I was born in Ft. Worth Texas and dragged up north to Rye, New York at a tender age. A few years later, my family relocated to our parents native Chicago, where I lived for all of my school years (16 yrs a Catholic school girl, it's true). If you want to live in a world class city- Chicago is definitely up there. If you want to experience grim winters and lake effect snow, ditto. But I still miss it to this day.

I met my Chicago-born husband my last week in College. He went to the university across the fence from my college. We dated three years, married and moved to downtown Chicago. In 1988, we both got job opportunities in Boston, and moved to the burbs, about an hour away from my brother and his family.

We liked Boston (and still go up there often), but my brother and family moved to Switzerland in '91, so we had no ties to the area after that. In fall of 94, we moved (job opportunities again) to central CT, just in time to start hearing about UConn women and even catching some CPTV games. Hooked. Big Time. Immediately. Still are. Probably always will be.

Finally started getting tix to the games, first occasionally from my (at the time) employer, then was eventually able to score season tix after DT graduated. Still have XL seats, and catch Gampel games on the weekends if we can.

Gave my brother (same one as above) USF season tix for a "big" birthday, and got him hooked. Now we have a Friday phone call every week which the rest of the family calls "the basketball hour." (They tolerate us...but they don't really get it)

A friend at work told me about the Boneyard when you were still on the old site. I would read, but wasn't sure if I would want to post. When the Yard transmigrated to the current site, I said "why not" and gave it a shot. Most of you have been very welcoming and I very much appreciate that. The Yard and (99%) of you add to my enjoyment of UConn fandom immensely.

Enough about me - how about you all?

(Thanks, Chapette - this thread is very interesting!)

 

[FollowerCT]

Born in CT ... grew up in CT ... went to UConn for an undergrad degree in Biology ... married in CT ...worked in CT for over 30 years before retiring ... sunsetting in CT ...

 

[veryolddog]

I was born and raised in Albuquerque, NM. It was very quiet and very western. My Dad was from Meridan, CT. He wanted my brother and I to go to College in the East to see another perspective of the world. So, he ordered my brother and I to go to UConn. I graduated in 1964 and watched Toby Kimball play basketball for the men's team. I played baseball for Coach Panciera. After that other war, Viet Nam, I was stationed in Groton, CT and the Marine Corps paid for my advanced education at UConn. I have not been back since. We have settled in both New Mexico and Texas. Fortunately, cable TV provides UConn men and women's coverage on SNY, ESPN, and CBS sports which gives us the opportunity to see all of the games. It has provided great satisfaction to this very old dog who just enjoys the UConn sports and watching them make sports history.

 

[alexrgct]

Born in Paris, France in March 3, 1978 to American parents.

Moved to San Francisco in 1979

Moved to Eastern PA (about an hour west of Philly- very rural) in 1984

Moved back to San Fran in 1986

Moved to Hawaii in 1989

Moved to Austin, TX in 1990

Moved to Blacksburg, VA in 1993

Graduated high school and returned to Austin for college in 1995

Graduated college December 20, 2000, started my first job January 8, 2001, and agreed to corporate relocation to Atlanta in September 2002.

Met the woman I ultimately married (a CT native and resident) in April 2003. She moved to Atlanta and in with me September 2004.

Got married August 25, 2007. While in Italy on our honeymoon, we figured out my then-wife was probably already pregnant. This was confirmed two days after returning to Atlanta. As we were first-time parents, we decided to move to CT where her family was from. The timing was good, as I was getting my MBA from Emory while working full-time, and my classes finished up in December 2007. My employer let me take my job with me and work remotely.

SO, we moved to Manchester, CT in January 2008. My Daughter was born March 3, 2008. Yes, that was my 30th birthday. I caught my first UConn game in Bridgeport late March against Texas, my undergraduate alma mater. Since then, I've had a boy, I've gotten my daughter into UConn WBB, I've gotten a divorce, and as I indicated in one post I did right after the UConn NC game this year, I've gotten diagnosed with glioblastoma. But right now, my MRIs have been great, I pour myself into my children, I own and reside in a lovely home in Ellington, CT, and my girlfriend is a UConn alumna who knew everyone who was there between 1992 and 1996 (Jen, Rebecca, Nykesha, Pam Webber, Kevin Ollie, and Ray Allen).

Life is good. And that's my story.

 

[pap49cba]

Great off-season thread topic!

Me:

Born and raised in Meriden, CT. My dad was the first (and only) child of Italian immigrant parents to attend college.... UConn. He was co-captain of the football team and also played baseball. (Yes, some kids played two or more sports back then.) Thus, my brother and I were wearing UConn apparel from an early age. My dad later coached basketball and baseball at the high school level. In his later years he was obsessed with UConn basketball, both mens and womens. He loved Calhoun and Auriemma and especially, "that Russian kid" Sveta.

I was recruited to play football at UConn and was accepted to the engineering school but opted to go to Wesleyan Univ. in Middletown. Ended up living many years in Avon where I followed both the men's and women's programs. Our very best friends were UConn alums.... she was a cheerleader.

Later worked overseas for 20+ years in international banking but managed to sort of keep track of the teams thanks to (1) my brother's weekly video tapes of the games and (2) much later, the internet. Can recall sitting in front of the computer in Nairobi, Kenya in the middle of the night during one of the NC games waiting for the score to refresh.... which would take many, many, many minutes. It was agonizing.

Now retired and living in SC where I scour the internet for any and all things UConn wbb.

 

[calpedaler]

I was born in Edgerton, WI and began a nomadic journey that finds me in Lompoc, CA. It's the typical story of an Air Force brat moving from base to base and school to school. After my first 6 months in Edgerton, I was relocated to Sacramento, CA. Then it was Yigo, Guam, Oklahoma, City, OK. When I was 5 we moved to Hanscom AFB near Bedford, MA. My dad spent most of our stay there TDY but we didn't mind too much because my mom took us on day, weekend or week long trips exploring New England. We would, of course get souvenirs (usually t-shirts). On one trip I saw a cool shirt with a puppy on it. Now I had know idea what or where a UConn was, but I loved that puppy....I still do.

 

[huskeynut]

Amazing topic.

Born and raised in Poughkeepsie, NY. Graduated high school in 1969 and started college at Kent State University. I was a music education major. And yes, I was there on May 4, 1970. I was a freshman and I knew two of the victims. Left Kent State in 1971 and worked for a year in Poughkeepsie.

Enrolled at Western Connecticut State University in the fall of 1972 as a music ed major. Graduated in 1975. While at WESTCONN, met my future wife - also a music ed major. Married in 1975. We moved to Ridgefield, CT then to Danbury, CT. Also earned my master's degree at Westconn in 1981.

Raised three sons while living in Danbury. All three are married, one to a kindergarten teacher, one to a nurse and one who works in retail. Last wedding was a week ago!!!! Oldest son is a sales manager at a local car dealerships - works in Danbury. Second son is in marketing and research - works in Norwalk. The third son is a sailor in the US Navy stationed at Groton Sub Base in Groton. He is a submariner.

And we have two grandsons by our oldest son and daughter-in-law. Both are being raised correctly as Uconn fans!

Moved to Sandy Hook, CT in 2005. This is were we presently live.

I retired in 2008 after 33 years as a band director and my wife followed in 2010 after 35 years in education. Her last 10 were teaching computers. Getting ready to move south to warmer weather.

We started following the men's program in 1991. We stumbled upon Uconn women's basketball in 1994 by watching a gem televised by CPTV. We were hooked. Of course it didn't hurt when our second son enrolled at Uconn. Now we are season ticket holders for the women's games at the XL Center.

 

[zakalex]

I was born at St Francis Hospital in Hartford, CT and grew up in West Hartford. Went to college in NYC (Barnard) and grad school in Boston (BU). Returned to NYC to work and get married and when I was pregnant with my first son we moved to Guilford, CT. In Nov we will have been here for 40 years. Yikes! I started watching UConn women's basketball during the Rebecca, Kara, Jen days even though I have no UConn connection. Now I'm the most fanatic of fans.

 

[ctfjr]

I agree, great off season topic
My story isn't half as interesting as those ^ but. . .
I was born in New Haven, moved to Waterbury at an early age. Went to Northeastern & graduated in '69 - a couple of years before Calhoun started coaching there.
Met my wife while in school there - actually dated her best friend who is a year older than she is for a year. When I started dating wifey, my roommate started dating my ex. We both have been married for over 40 years to these women and still are the tightest of friends to this day.
Moved to Cheshire in '70. When UConn joined the Big East in 1980 several of my friends & I stared buying season tix. With the 'point system', at first it was less expensive to buy Women's BB tix to get an extra 2 points, than it was to make a $ donation for those same points. So that's how I started going to women's games. I (and most of my friends) were 'off the wall' men's fans & never missed a game. I started taking my kids to the women's games in the 80's probably because I didn't want them to see me totally out of my mind
In any case we were hooked. We have been to the Men's Maui Tourney every time UConn was there and once to an Oahu tourney that the women were in as well as going to several final fours.
Its been a great run

 

[Suebird10fan]

Born in Paris, France in March 3, 1978 to American parents.

Moved to San Francisco in 1979

Moved to Eastern PA (about an hour west of Philly- very rural) in 1984

Moved back to San Fran in 1986

Moved to Hawaii in 1989

Moved to Austin, TX in 1990

Moved to Blacksburg, VA in 1993

Graduated high school and returned to Austin for college in 1995

Graduated college December 20, 2000, started my first job January 8, 2001, and agreed to corporate relocation to Atlanta in September 2002.

Met the woman I ultimately married (a CT native and resident) in April 2003. She moved to Atlanta and in with me September 2004.

Got married August 25, 2007. While in Italy on our honeymoon, we figured out my then-wife was probably already pregnant. This was confirmed two days after returning to Atlanta. As we were first-time parents, we decided to move to CT where her family was from. The timing was good, as I was getting my MBA from Emory while working full-time, and my classes finished up in December 2007. My employer let me take my job with me and work remotely.

SO, we moved to Manchester, CT in January 2008. My Daughter was born March 3, 2008. Yes, that was my 30th birthday. I caught my first UConn game in Bridgeport late March against Texas, my undergraduate alma mater. Since then, I've had a boy, I've gotten my daughter into UConn WBB, I've gotten a divorce, and as I indicated in one post I did right after the UConn NC game this year, I've gotten diagnosed with glioblastoma. But right now, my MRIs have been great, I pour myself into my children, I own and reside in a lovely home in Ellington, CT, and my girlfriend is a UConn alumna who knew everyone who was there between 1992 and 1996 (Jen, Rebecca, Nykesha, Pam Webber, Kevin Ollie, and Ray Allen).

Life is good. And that's my story.

Praying for your continued good health Alex.

I'm confused on one point. This post makes it look like you began following tge women in 08. I had the impression from ither posts that it was earlier, but I guess not?

 

[Suebird10fan]

Born in Bloomfield. Went to school near Philly then up to Boston with my soon to be wife where we remain, now with kids, 30 years later.

Dad was a Tar Heel so I've been nuts for UNC men since 1968. But I followed UConn men pretty closely as my 2nd team. I remember Tony Hansen, Corny Thompson et al. Often listened to games as a kid lying in bed with lights out and transistor radio under the pillow.

Caught the women's bug in 95 and I've been hooked since. My wife and kids are casual fans and we try to get to one or two games a year. I'm anything but casual. Still remember like it was yesterday going to UConn vs TN games in the DT era. The electricity in the crowd and the great hoops on the court made those games special. As good as sports spectating gets.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I'm a born and raised NJ native. I graduated from Rutgers in '78 with a degree in Chemistry, however, chose to remain in the motion picture exhibition industry where I was working part time. I worked as a theater manager and later operational auditor for a large movie theater chain. After the company was sold, I was able to "sort of" retire, which coincided with my Mom becoming increasingly dependent (she is now 94) and my wife developing a non-life threatening illness which unfortunately prevents her from working. We have no children and the rest of the family was scattering, so we relocated to Tucson, AZ 3 years ago - and love it here.

As to WBB, and I have told the story before, I was watching (randomly) some RU WBB on late night TV which inspired me to watch the '94 Final Four ("the shot") on TV which got me quite interested. My wife got us tickets to a random Rutgers WBB game (against George Washington, a rival in the A10) and we were hooked, going to the A10 tourney that year. That summer, Coach Stringer came to Rutgers and we bought season tickets. Followed Rutgers to many away games and virtually every home game for 16 years or so. After moving, we have UofA season tix, but continue to follow Rutgers and did go to El Paso to see the WNIT Final.

As to the BY, my wife found a previous incarnation and enjoyed a forum of folks that are interested not only in their team, but in many cases WBB in general. Tom Emery was running the BY, I remember sending a donation to keep the board running. I still enjoy reading the BY after what is quite a few years.

The best post, incidentally, had nothing to do with Women's Basketball. It was Fishy's "onesie" post, one of the funniest pieces I have ever read.

 

[Geno-ista]

Great off-season thread topic!

Me:

Born and raised in Meriden, CT. My dad was the first (and only) child of Italian immigrant parents to attend college.... UConn. He was co-captain of the football team and also played baseball. (Yes, some kids played two or more sports back then.) Thus, my brother and I were wearing UConn apparel from an early age. My dad later coached basketball and baseball at the high school level. In his later years he was obsessed with UConn basketball, both mens and womens. He loved Calhoun and Auriemma and especially, "that Russian kid" Sveta.

I was recruited to play football at UConn and was accepted to the engineering school but opted to go to Wesleyan Univ. in Middletown. Ended up living many years in Avon where I followed both the men's and women's programs. Our very best friends were UConn alums.... she was a cheerleader.

Later worked overseas for 20+ years in international banking but managed to sort of keep track of the teams thanks to (1) my brother's weekly video tapes of the games and (2) much later, the internet. Can recall sitting in front of the computer in Nairobi, Kenya in the middle of the night during one of the NC games waiting for the score to refresh.... which would take many, many, many minutes. It was agonizing.

Now retired and living in SC where I scour the internet for any and all things UConn wbb.

Great story- we may be moving to Blufton/Beaufort soon! Happy So Car is bldg solid program so I can watch big time B Ball when down there!

 

[CTyankee]

The thought of reducing over 26,280 days of my life to a few paragraphs scares me... The worst part is that it is a reminder that I have forgotten a lot… That really bothers me especially since there are a lot more days gone than remaining.

Born and raised in New Jersey…Rutgers was my team… Not good enough to go to college after high school, I, knowing the draft was after me, joined the Army. I ended up as an advisor in Viet-Nam in 1962. My friends still joke that I started the war.

I went back for college never having seen the campus as a 21 year old freshman. My introduction to college life was my dorm counselor asking me to get him six-packs of beer.

Afterwards I went to work with a major textile producer, as a sales intern in the summer of 1965 and then rejoined them as a salesman in 1966 after graduation… I was transferred to Detroit in January of 1967. My teams at that time were Michigan State where my brother was on the swimming team and Michigan where I went to watch football. Michigan was beautiful but the sidewalks really do roll up in Toledo (and Detroit) at night.

In 1975 I was transferred back to New York. My wife and I settled in Connecticut. The commute to NYC was better from Connecticut than from NJ.

Sports are a part of my life. I was active for about the last twenty+ years in organized soccer. I started coaching soccer in Connecticut while my kids were young and turned to refereeing after a car accident… It turned out that not a lot of adult referees had experience in playing so I got a lot of games because I had played… I worked youth games, adult leagues and eventually in the 2nd tier professional games, USISL… I was asked to become the State Youth Referee Administrator and later Director of Referee Assessment for Connecticut… Lots of travel and interesting places and lots of great games and inside stories… But too much time and effort… I gave it up in 2003. Now I just watch.

That’s how I got involved with women’s basketball… CPTV… I have been watching since the first championship. I got caught up in the hype although I knew nothing about the game. I caught on to the Boneyard several ‘Yards ago and have not only learned a lot about the game, the players and the strategies, but have gone to a lot of games and a to a lot of different venues… Wouldn’t trade it for any other sport at this point. Now I am sucked in the post season tournaments and to pre-season tournaments... I drove 800 miles to see the Regionals without UConn playing. (Who does that?) I can't wait for the next season!!! Going for 10!!!

 

[bschwartz]

New Hampshire via Chicago, Hong Kong, San Jose and CT. I grew up near Hartford and did my college basics at ECSU then went on to become (dare I say it) a Terp. One of my favorite Husky moments took place off the court. In 1995, I wrote to the team saying it was my parents anniversary and could they send them some kind of promotional doodad they had lying around. My parents received a commendation letter signed by Geno and a poster signed by every member of the team that year. That poster still sits framed above my sister and me in my parent's living room. After that, I was hooked on Huskies and have followed them since. A few years after that, I met Rebecca at a reception in D.C. She was very nice and let me get her a drink (it was ginger ale). I am not a conversationalist so I wasn't sure what I wanted to talk with her about since everyone else was talking about bball. So, knowing where she grew up, I decided to talk to her about Riverside Park since I went there all the time when I was little. It was cool and she was very nice.

 

[alexrgct]

Praying for your continued good health Alex.

I'm confused on one point. This post makes it look like you began following tge women in 08. I had the impression from ither posts that it was earlier, but I guess not?

I'd been following the program since the UConn-Tennessee rivalry, which piqued my interest in WBB. The early part of the decade inspired me because of Sue Bird (she was a cutie and a great floor general), Diana Taurasi, and the ways UConn carved up Tennessee in the 2002 national semis. The 2000 NC game was also amazing to watch. I was loving what UConn was becoming. I kept following the sport, but getting to experience the team live in the 2008 tournament was what made me very passionate about being a fan. Renee played very well, and Maya had an incredible play (a rundown block from behind). The regional finals against Rutgers that year had me screaming for the Huskies! The heart of Ketia Swanier and the emotion between she and Geno at the game's conclusion got me to appreciate UConn fully. And then, after a disappointing loss to Stanford, UConn began The Streak, which only further captured my imagination.

That answer everything?

 

[Suebird10fan]

I'd been following the program since the UConn-Tennessee rivalry, which piqued my interest in WBB. The early part of the decade inspired me because of Sue Bird (she was a cutie and a great floor general), Diana Taurasi, and the ways UConn carved up Tennessee in the 2002 national semis. The 2000 NC game was also amazing to watch. I was loving what UConn was becoming. I kept following the sport, but getting to experience the team live in the 2008 tournament was what made me very passionate about being a fan. Renee played very well, and Maya had an incredible play (a rundown block from behind). The regional finals against Rutgers that year had me screaming for the Huskies! The heart of Ketia Swanier and the emotion between she and Geno at the game's conclusion got me to appreciate UConn fully. And then, after a disappointing loss to Stanford, UConn began The Streak, which only further captured my imagination.

That answer everything?

Yes! It all fits together now. Thx!

 

[HuskyNan]

Awesome topic, Chapette!

I was born at Manchester (CT) Memorial Hospital - I forget which year - the youngest child of four and the only girl. My oldest brother posts as JRRRJ, by the way. Our brothers are identical twins and our mom always called JR and me her "other twins".

Lived in Manchester until I went to college which was then called Clarkson College of Technology, it's now called Clarkson University in beautiful down Potsdam NY, which looks pretty much like it sounds. After graduation, I got a job as an accountant at Royal Business Machines. I moved onto my second job and this was the time I met my husband. We dated for several years before his Dad took him golfing and asked him why he and that nice girl weren't engaged (LOL, love ya George).

I was studying for my MBA at the University of Hartford when I became pregnant with Son #1 and suddenly having a post-graduate degree and moving up the corporate ladder didn't seem quite as important. My oldest son was born in November 1994 and since my husband traveled for work and it was just me and the baby some evenings, I started watching the UConn women on CPTV because I had nothing else to do. I was hooked shortly after and, to his surprise, my husband was hooked too, although he does prefer to watch the guys. Still, pretty good for a Georgetown grad.

Now my "baby" is a freshman in college and Son #2 and I have been making the rounds for his college search. I now work full time++ as a Financial Analyst but still clear my schedule to watch the UConn men & women & football too.

 

[mudcat]

Born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1946, moved with family (mother, father, 6 boys) to Brookly in 1952. Grew up in Brooklyn (Boys HS) and went to Grinnell College (IA) graduating with a degree in Poli Sci. Got married in '68, went to law school for 18 months in Iowa City, did not like it(law school) and moved to Minneapolis, where my oldest daughter was born in 1970. Fell into psychology by accident and started at Yale, but left in the midst of a divorce from my first wife. Worked for the US govt for 5 years and then completed my psychology degree at Duke. Went back and forth between clinical work and the academic world (Louisville, Ind. State, Ohio St) while acquiring three more daughters with second wife and moving all over the country (WI, KY, IN, OH, GA, IA, NY. Was divorced (painfully, after 28 years) in 2003 and left with two youngest children (saving grace) after my wife's affair and returned to IA. While there met my present wife on the internet (she was teaching at Zhanjiang Univ in Guandong, China) and eventually went to Zhanjiang and married her in July, 2008. Started working in Pyeongtaek, Korea in Jan 2009 at Osan AB to be able to be together while going through my wife's green card process. Have been in Korea since and now have a fifth daughter through my marriage and the three of us are still here in Korea.

Am now out of space but will detail the basketball part in the next post.

 

[msf22b]

Bronx Hood, picked up schoolyard BB and classical Music

Complete New York City Education: Music and Art HS, Queens and Hunter, City U Graduate Center
At West Point Band was clearly not going to compete with the Larry Combs' of the world on clarinet (solo Chicago Symphony for decades).
so took up skiing and played tennis instead of practicing.

Picked up Music Ed (as above), what my parents wanted, taught a decade, increasingly unhappy until a mountaineering fall that should have snuffed me, rather gave me the required ample time to contemplate next moves (from a 3-month stay in a hospital bed).

Formed the St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble in 1974, later the orchestra of St. Luke's and in the next 20 years, brought them to Caramoor, Carnegie Hall, BAM, Lincoln Center, TV, Recordings, yada yada, Bernstein Levine, Serkin Battle, Horne, Rudel, Pavarotti, Sting and mostly everyone else worth working with.

After leaving involuntarily in 1995, worked in New Zealand, China and co-founded a period orchestra in New York which had a nice three-year run.

Since then, I went back to teaching in the Bronx for a year or two, loved it and it turned into a decade except that every time I was assigned to school, it was closed by the board for poor performance…3 in ten years; I'm a jinx.

Retired three years ago this fall, ski, sail and write about woman's BB, exclusively "our girls."

Almost got run off the "yard," three seasons ago for my "pessimistic"
views, but recently have been awarded a degree in optimism by Doggydaddy,

Was called back to conduct a pretty cool Mozart concert this spring.

Still can be found in the schoolyard taking my old Carl Braun style one-handers.

 

[rford53]

I've lived perpetually in the golden era in sports! Grew up in San Diego in the 50's and 60's- Big LA Doggers fan, Basketball in high school played against Bill Walton's team before he went to UCLA. LA Lakers lifetime fan. College and early professional career in Ohio, in the 70's at The Ohio State University- Big Cincinnati Reds fan. Moved to Massachusetts, UMASS in early 90's and began to develop a real interest in women's basketball as Rebecca Lobo came to UConn. Swim Suit Issue of Sports Illustrated convinced me that supporting women IN SPORTS was beyond the sexism of supporting women AS sport. I moved to New Haven in 2003 and since then I'm completely into UConn women basketball, president of our church's fan club arranging game trips, house parties, etc. The is the most completely satisfying sporting focus- women's team of excellence in my state playing a beautiful brand of basketball, my favorite sport. I joined the boneyard last year after not really knowing about it before then. The Boneyard is my daily connection along with my email. So many ways boneyarders have found there way here yet we all are passionate about our Huskies. Our state, our team!

 

[mudcat]

Always was a big basketball fan: became interested in women's basketball in the late 1970's and I remember watching Immaculata with Teresa Grenz win a championship (not sure of the year, but it was held at Queens College NYC). Always followed the women's game after that and started following UCONN after they became the upstart challenging TN (back then THEY were the underdog) and have followed them ever since. While in IA (2004-2009) my two daughters who were at home and I had season tickets and followed the Hawkeye women's team, but I was always a Connecticut fan (even though I received my PhD from Duke). Have followed them since their first national TV appearance ('92?). Looking forward to retirement in two years so I can regularly go to the FF. That's it.

 

[RoyDodger]

I was born in Brooklyn, NY, at the end of WW II but wound up growing up in the Bronx about a mile from Yankee Stadium. Went to DeWitt Clinton HS in the Bronx which in those days (I graduated in 1961) had a top basketball team in the NYC PSAL Then attended CCNY, the only college to win both the NIT and the NCAA in the same year (1950) and to be found to have been shaving points at the same time. Big scandal. Did a lot of damage to college basketball in NYC. After graduating in 1965, I attended Brooklyn Law School, graduated in 1968, and went to work for the federal government in Washington, DC. I lived in northern Virginia for 13 years during which time I met my wife who was born in Richmond, VA, where we got married in 1975. I was a transportation lawyer at the ICC (a now defunct federal agency) and after deregulation of the railroads and the trucking industry, I left to be a federal Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). We moved to Stamford, CT. I worked in Manhattan from 1982 through 1989, when I transferred to New Haven. I was an ALJ in New Haven from 1989, until I retired in November 2012. During this time, my wife and I became fanatic fans of the UConn women, watching their games on CT public broadcasting starting with the 2003-2004 season. Since we started following the Huskies, we've seen every game shown on TV, but we've never seen them in person. After I retired, we decided to move to the Albuquerque, NM, area, where a large portion of my family has lived since late 1970. We moved to Corrales, NM, a suburb of Albuquerque, in May 2013, but only after I made sure I could watch the UConn women on SNY via Directv. My brother has been trying very hard to get me to root for the University of New Mexico Lobos.

I've been a Dodger fan (Brooklyn and LA) since seeing my first game at Ebbets Field in 1952. Finally saw my first game at Dodger Stadium in 1986, while traveling to LA to hold hearings. Strangely, I never really got into basketball until we started watching the Huskies back in 2003. Despite the fact that I attended CCNY and my wife is a graduate of the University of Maryland, we both feel an incredible attachment to UConn because of living in Connecticut for more than 31 years and because of our love for the Huskies.

 

[Geno-ista]

I'd been following the program since the UConn-Tennessee rivalry, which piqued my interest in WBB. The early part of the decade inspired me because of Sue Bird (she was a cutie and a great floor general), Diana Taurasi, and the ways UConn carved up Tennessee in the 2002 national semis. The 2000 NC game was also amazing to watch. I was loving what UConn was becoming. I kept following the sport, but getting to experience the team live in the 2008 tournament was what made me very passionate about being a fan. Renee played very well, and Maya had an incredible play (a rundown block from behind). The regional finals against Rutgers that year had me screaming for the Huskies! The heart of Ketia Swanier and the emotion between she and Geno at the game's conclusion got me to appreciate UConn fully. And then, after a disappointing loss to Stanford, UConn began The Streak, which only further captured my imagination.

That answer everything?

Awesome alexrgct- these are great. The game u mention with Rutgers- was that the Big East Championship game in Htfd where Lorin Dixon as a freshman came running off and jumped into Geno's arms after subbing for Renee who was in early foul trouble. I was behind that bench and it too was one of my favorite moments also!
And you know, it's unreal, Maya's rundown and block vs Texas in Bridgeport was one of the most awesome things I ever witnessed. I was about 3 rows from the court and saw the look in her eye after the turnover. She planted right in front of me, switched directions, and to play that hard and with that passion up 20-25 pts- I was dumbstruck. great post - I may copy it as mine!