Samarie Walker doesn't know

[Harry Mangurian]

"Samarie Walker doesn't know what to make of Kentucky's recent struggles."

How about - Geno doesn't coach Kentucky ?

 

[Frodo]

Geez, I do! They aren't a really good shooting team and don't have a real go-to perimeter player. In the past they relied on getting a lot of easy buckets off TO's with their so-called '40 minutes of BS dread' and that's not happening now (they have fewer steals this year than UConn). They have a terrible half-court offense, not much of a post presence, have an Assist/TO ratio under 1, are a relatively poor free throw shooting team (this one is deadly if you rely on slashing to the basket for points instead of outside shooting). Put those together and it's not a pretty picture. My guess is they end up a 4-5 seed and won't be around after the first couple of games.

 

[Samanthabrown3]

Matthew Mitchell is a pretty good coach. Who's their talent except Jennifer O'Neill and Samarie? Stop them and you've pretty much stopped the team.

 

[jsloanjr]

Great points, you cannot win big games in the post season without 2 good guards and a good post players..........KY has neither........Will they get the Sweet 16......Not this season..........Furthermore, there might not be any SEC teams beyond the Sweet 16......

 

[Bestiarius]

I think those Public Relations Department slogans like "40 minutes of dread" and "Grind for 9" are never a good idea. They will only highlight any errors made toward those goals and give the opposition fodder for ridicule. And never, never use the word dread, as it rhymes with dead, bled, shred, misled, stop dead, swelled head.

 

[sawxfan23]

I think the new rules regarding "freedom of movement" have really hurt Kentucky. Last year they just pressed and fouled all over the court to generate easy transition baskets. This year they are not allowing that and they can not score out of a set offense.

 

[Icebear]

Nor can they disrupt the opposition's offense in the same manner without being liable for foul calls.

 

[rocky rococo]

They also lost a key player to graduation, I believe her name was something like Matheis. Unlike the rest of the team she could create her own shot in the half-court, while also being a nightmare in their press.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think Linnae Harper will be very good for them.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

"Samarie Walker doesn't know what to make of Kentucky's recent struggles."

How about - Geno doesn't coach Kentucky ?

Well Geno coached her. But sometime in the fall of her freshman year a kid with promise said no thanks. Team mates were glad to see her go. Has her game appreciably advanced since then - I don't see it. Of course she does not know what to make of their struggles. Did she once have aspirations for basketball beyond college? I would be surprised if she goes on to the WNBA.

 

[msf22b]

Rocky
Your comments seem a little harsh to me (even if true).

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Well Geno coached her. But sometime in the fall of her freshman year a kid with promise said no thanks. Team mates were glad to see her go. Has her game appreciably advanced since then - I don't see it. Of course she does not know what to make of their struggles. Did she once have aspirations for basketball beyond college? I would be surprised if she goes on to the WNBA.

You are the guy who called DD Boorish? hahaha...good one.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

You are the guy who called DD Boorish? hahaha...good one.

Were you around at that time? That is the way it was - she shut down and the fall had been encouraging. If the facts are boorish, so be it. Yeah, I'm that guy. I've watched her play at Kentucky for two years and she is just very ordinary and her game has not grown.

 

[ThisJustIn]

sometime in the fall of her freshman year a kid with promise said no thanks. Team mates were glad to see her go.

Not particularly boorish, and not particularly factual, but definitely the opinion of someone for the outside looking in.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Rocky
Your comments seem a little harsh to me (even if true).

If they come across that way then I will try to be less harsh in the future. I went back and found one of the articles about her and the departure: http://www.ctpost.com/uconn/article/UConn-wasn-t-for-Walker-who-finds-happiness-at-3428322.php

It was no secret at the time that she had become someone who was bad for team chemistry. Note in the article Geno said her departure was good for Samarie and for the team. She was a kid and she was homesick and did not want to play. Geno forced the issue. My comment was not directed against her so much as the program she is in. Year over year Mitchell has improved the games one but not built a national championship contender. Scoring is perpetually the issue. It isn't for her to figure it out, it is for Mitchell and staff to figure it out and work at it. Samarie ought to be a slashing forward who is a hand full but her game is too passive.

Regarding team chemistry Geno was pretty direct. He is quoted here: http://www.swishappeal.com/2011/1/2...e-walkers-departure-leaves-bench-even-shorter

 

[ThisJustIn]

I read the article you referenced.
From the article:

The players were understandably reluctant to make outspoken comments regarding the departure of their friend and former teammate.

It's not conducive to good team chemistry when someone is struggling with wanting to be with any team, not just this team." - Geno Auriemma

Meh. I read it as honest assessment of the human situation, not the harsh condemnation you want to turn it into - as if Samarie was some sort of poison. Your choice.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I read the article you referenced.
From the article:

The players were understandably reluctant to make outspoken comments regarding the departure of their friend and former teammate.

It's not conducive to good team chemistry when someone is struggling with wanting to be with any team, not just this team." - Geno Auriemma

Meh. I read it as honest assessment of the human situation, not the harsh condemnation you want to turn it into - as if Samarie was some sort of poison. Your choice.

You want to over read and misstate my posts. No point in this.

 

[huskiemaniac]

I followed Samarie on twitter and she and many of her former teammates stayed in touch after she left the team. They were forever tweeting how much they missed each other, setting up phone calls, Etc...there was nothing to suggest they were happy she left.

 

[Rob Signor]

I remember how good Samarie was against Baylor when we played them. I think if she stayed we would have won the title that year. We were missing a forward. She is a very good player. Plays big for her size.