Players or the system?

[hoophuskee]

Why don't you read my other post instead of trying to correct my spelling on a post that I didn't realize got posted...Because I hit the wrong key by mistake.....fee was supposed to be DEE. And I hit post without finishing my statement..

Another reason I don't come here often and post...Every board has someone like you waiting to explode on a spelling error....

Wow. -- Relax.

I thought you were talking about Collier too.

Don't take things so personal. MDoggie meant no harm. As I said - I thought you meant Collier too. She was a beast her sr year.

 

[uconnfan68]

Although things were quite different back when and UCLA had less competition (as did UConn in the early 2000s), John Wooden wasn’t the only coach with great players, granted he had some of the very best. Wooden did what Geno has done. He got a bunch of great players to drop their egos and think team first. He stresses defense and had his studs buy in. He had top point guard play to mesh the team. It’s definitely both players and the system. The question is can all systems attract the talent needed to be a great team. Could UConn’s most talented teams win an NC in say a Harry Perrata system and/or would he adopt a system to fit those players and get them to perform as Geno did. Maybe having top coaches switch teams in mid season would be interesting.

Bum Phillips knew the answer to that proposed scenario.

 

[Wally East]

The system can bring you to a certain point but, now, at this point, it's the players you put into the system.

The last bunch of titles was won with Stewie, Maya, and D. Without those players, UConn was very, very good but not title-winning good. KLS and Phee were both incredible but not on the same level as Stewie, Maya, or D, which is not throwing shade. Very few players are on that level. But, if it was *just* the system, UConn should've won a title with them after Stewie graduated.

 

[JonathanXIV]

The system can bring you to a certain point but, now, at this point, it's the players you put into the system.

The last bunch of titles was won with Stewie, Maya, and D. Without those players, UConn was very, very good but not title-winning good. KLS and Phee were both incredible but not on the same level as Stewie, Maya, or D, which is not throwing shade. Very few players are on that level. But, if it was *just* the system, UConn should've won a title with them after Stewie graduated.

In fairness, it took two last second shots in OT to keep us from winning another title.

 

[UcMiami]

I always think people over emphasize the results of most single elimination championship tournaments especially in team sports. Most of them come down to some degree of luck or fluke whether in the final or in one of the games leading up to the final. That is not to diminish the resulting champion, just to emphasize the quality of the runners up.

Uconn has both been a beneficiary of this in facing surprising opponents in the tournaments and or wounded teams, and or strange bounces and has been hurt by the same. It does not lessen the championships they have won, but maybe emphasizes the 9 FFs they have reached where they did not win the championship.

The record book for FF appearances
20—UConn, 1989-2019
18—Tennessee, 1982-2008
13—Stanford, 1990-2017
10—Louisiana Tech, 1982-99
9—Notre Dame, 1997-2019
5—Georgia, 1982-99
5—LSU, 2004-08
5—Maryland, 1982-2015
4—Duke, 1999-2006
4—Baylor, 2005-19

 

[UConnCat]

Don't know if this is players or system but it's pretty damn impressive.

 

[BostonBay]

Need a balance of talent - quick, talented guards and physical aggressive "bigs". With more talent spread across the top teams, hard to win with just a "system", or just guard play or just bigs. Talented balance is what will titles today.

 

[Wally East]

In fairness, it took two last second shots in OT to keep us from winning another title.

This is certainly true But, often (but not always), when UConn won its titles, it was the best team by quite a bit, which was not the case when they were sophs through seniors.