Poll: Part of the Game or Cheap Shot - Louisville vs BYU

[AndyCT]

But he does think it is ok to make one or he would have sat her down for a talking to. Also his quote from the newspaper seems to be the old "boys will be boys" type philosophy, in other words he doesn't care because they are just college kids.

Similarly, when Monique Reed tackled Stefanie Dolson in the 2013 National Championship, he could have kept her on the bench for the rest of the game (about 7 1/2 minutes) but chose to put her back in later. Lesson not learned.

Which makes me respect Matthew Mitchell all the more for benching Azia Bishop and sticking to it, even though he needed Bishop far more than Jeff Walz needed Reed (down by 30 at the time). Azia and her team learned an important, painful, and expensive lesson on accountability, that actions have consequences, and that if you're part of a team those consequences can affect your entire team. Lesson learned.

And maximum props to Matthew Mitchell for sticking to his principles. I have always liked him, but this afternoon I also have far more respect for him than I did this morning.

 

[Outside Shot]

This behavior isn't surprising and the pattern keeps repeating itself. I think it was the 2012 NCAA Tournament, 2nd round, Louisville at Maryland (I was in attendance). On Maryland's first or 2nd offensive possession, a Louisville player (I think Asia Taylor), drifted near Alyssa Thomas and then flung herself to the floor, writhing in agony, as if Thomas had done something. The refs went to the monitor and saw that nothing had transpired. I have a hard time believing any college player does that on her own.

Then in last year's region final, a Louisville player got a technical for a dirty play against Maryland's Malina Howard.

The players change, but the tactics remain the same.

 

[chrissaran]

Some on the Boneyard have talked about Jeff Walz taking Geno's job one day. Not on your life. His teams have always taken cheap shots. I remember the shot on Stef in the championship game two years ago. I forget the players name, but she was a fifth year senior. Doris Burke said it wasn't a basketball play and that it should be a flagrant 2. She came across Stef's body never attempting to make a play on the ball. Stef went down real hard. Forget Walz. We have Jen, Shea and Marissa as candidates.

 

[ladybears4eva]

How they repeatedly get away with this stuff without ejections. Being sneaky or blatant shouldn't matter anymore, it's on video.

 

[ladybears4eva]

How did your team avoid Louisvilles thuggery? Does geno threaten their coach by asking for a clean game, or else we go italian job in the back?

 

[Outside Shot]

Louisville also had a brawl with Georgetown during pregame warm-ups a few years back.

 

[ladybears4eva]

That is why their "greatest upset victory" (against Baylor in the tourney) was tainted and bull ! L'ville was allowed to get away with it two years ago against Baylor so why shouldn't they continue to do it. If no further sanctions are imposed on them, then any future "agressive play" exhibited by L'ville is on the NCAA. Part of their MO.

The mauling of Griner and co was awful. They knew she could lose it and the gentle giant just tried to keep cool. Sims was pissed, she tried beating them on her own. Our seniors knew they couldn't get away with the kind of play on tv, and cardinals took advantage of the refs not calling those foils or techs.

The cussing and taunting alone needed to be controlled with techs, but the refs were overwhelmed it seemed.

 

[geneticrex]

Was it an intentional cheap shot???

Sure it was, but the way to combat that type of play is to annihilate the next person from the offending team that takes it to the rack and when I say annilhilate, that's EXACTLY what I mean. The way to send a message is to send it clearly.

 

[ladybears4eva]

LOL. Dream on.... 'cause you clearly have no actual memory of the Baylor/Louisville game.

I can't forget it. Taunting and pushing, and scratching was the majority of the game.

Griner had bruised forarms, scratches on her face, and was taunted terribly. I can't forget it.

 

[Blueballer]

Was it an intentional cheap shot???

Sure it was, but the way to combat that type of play is to annihilate the next person from the offending team that takes it to the rack and when I say annilhilate, that's EXACTLY what I mean. The way to send a message is to send it clearly.

So you're suggesting "an eye for an eye" resulting in a possible serious injury to a player who may have had noting to do with the cheap shot is the way to respond? Sorry, can't agree with that.

 

[ladybears4eva]

Another reason why I don't care for Walz- I don't believe that he even removed her from the game. And a shot of their huddle while the review was going on showed Walz talking to Moore, and she is laughing. She's a talented freshman, and certainly a good time to teach a lesson. But that's not his style.

They were both laughing. Like buddies agreed to cheap shot a sucker

 

[johnnyc]

How did your team avoid Louisvilles thuggery? Does geno threaten their coach by asking for a clean game, or else we go italian job in the back?

Breanna Stewart takes a pretty good beating from a lot of teams. She has said she expects it and you can't worry about what the refs are gonna call. Just keep playing. Geno I'm sure is letting the refs know about it.

 

[ladybears4eva]

No idea. Went to the link and I'm getting a still picture, no video at all.

You have to click on the picture. It's a vine clip

 

[HoopsFan21]

I can't forget it. Taunting and pushing, and scratching was the majority of the game.

Griner had bruised forarms, scratches on her face, and was taunted terribly. I can't forget it.

The one thing I'll remember from that game is the Shoni Schimmel in your face stare down of Griner.

 

[ladybears4eva]

Maybe that's what Stewart struggles with, attacks. I'm sure it can be distracting to a player if they are being hunted.

Stewart does play better when she moves around the court constantly, to not let the opposition get to double team her.

As soon as she stops moving she tends to get roughed up.


Griner wouldn't move around the court as much, so she took the hits.

Now in the WNBA, Griner is constantly moving to get the opponent off their defensive plans to rough her up, then again DT is probably yelling at her to move and attack.

Love her leadership.

 

[Blueballer]

How did your team avoid Louisvilles thuggery? Does geno threaten their coach by asking for a clean game, or else we go italian job in the back?

We didn't. Just not something quite so blatant (yet). The refs haven't let it get too far out of hand when we have played. Not like that Baylor game. That was awful.

 

[ladybears4eva]

The one thing I'll remember from that game is the Shoni Schimmel in your face stare down of Griner.

She was cussing at her and taunting her. It was bizarre

 

[ladybears4eva]

It's sad the people can resort to violent moves. Please don't hurt each other girls, just defend and play ball. No need to touch.

 

[ladybears4eva]

Why doesnt bruno or geno coach rough play to their teams?

They focus on fundamental guarding without fouling. Not do whatever it takes, including fouling, to get the shooter to miss.

I liked reading about geno pushing his teams to guard with his practice line/guard/shooter drill. Tough to do.

 

[HuskyNan]

Baylor wouldn't have lasted a month in the old Big East. Every game was like roller derby.

 

[PalPa]

How did your team avoid Louisvilles thuggery? Does geno threaten their coach by asking for a clean game, or else we go italian job in the back?

We don't always avoid it. In the same tournament that they roughed up Griner Monique Reed tackled Stefanie Dolson and pushed her head to the floor. She was promptly rewarded with high fives from her teammates, and later returned to the game.

 

[BoomBoom]

It was a dirty play, but Moore is not a dirty player nor is Louisville a dirty team nor is Walz a dirty coach. Some responses to this thread are careful not to collapse all of these things into one another. While some responses use a single play to vilify an entire program.

Nor is it any more convincing to dismiss what Walz is doing at Louisville or what Walz has done at Louisville by forcing a false equivalence between Moore's single play yesterday and the team's play against Baylor in the 2013 tournament.

Yes--it was hugely disappointing to see Moore do what she did. But it's also disappointing to see a moment transformed into something else through fandom.

 

[HuskyNan]

How did your team avoid Louisvilles thuggery? Does geno threaten their coach by asking for a clean game, or else we go italian job in the back?

UConn is very physical and is well-coached in using size and bulk to move defenders around. Asjha Jones used to wipe out players in the paint, sometimes more than one would hit the floor at the same time, making a nice clear lane for her teammates. We had a player we nick-named Bam Bam for her enforcer qualities. Stef Dolson set some big picks, many not exactly motionless, and we loved all of those player for playing tough.

 

[Blueballer]

It was a dirty play, but Moore is not a dirty player nor is Louisville a dirty team nor is Walz a dirty coach. Some responses to this thread are careful not to collapse all of these things into one another. While some responses use a single play to vilify an entire program.

Nor is it any more convincing to dismiss what Walz is doing at Louisville or what Walz has done at Louisville by forcing a false equivalence between Moore's single play yesterday and the team's play against Baylor in the 2013 tournament.

Yes--it was hugely disappointing to see Moore do what she did. But it's also disappointing to see a moment transformed into something else through fandom.

A single play? Sorry but history doesn't lie. They are thugs for sure.

 

[Geno-ista]

I saw it live- couldn't open the link. Really dirty - not even worth a discussion. Refs should be fired.
The other issue the NCAA and their refs will have to look at is The undercutting after players leave their feet. It's getting to be common against Stewie. It is occasionally an accident boxing out. But there is a lot more dangerous intentional stuff going on that clips kids so quickly while they are airborne- the landings are scary. It's the same way KML got hurt - but that play did not look dirty or intentional. Stewie has gotten clipped often this year, and very intentionally and dangerous.