Samarie Walker has good game

[Husky68]

Just checking Thursdays results and saw Kentucky close win. She had 18 pts on 8-10, 9 rebounds - in 20 minutes. Saw her against Tenn. and she didn't get much action as seemed Kentucky was all guard play. She definitely looked slimmer, almost didn't recognize her.

 

[ThisJustIn]

I don't understand why people insist on posting about her. She was here, now she's gone. Why does anyone care about her? She's no Husky! I mean.... oh. Wait. Right rant, wrong thread.

 

[EricLA]

I don't understand why people insist on posting about her. She was here, now she's gone. Why does anyone care about her? She's no Husky! I mean.... oh. Wait. Right rant, wrong thread.

ha-ha... to answer your question, i actually really liked Samarie and given that she had some overwhelming personal issues, not only do i give her a pass for leaving, but i'm rooting for her to have happiness and a great career at Kentucky.

it also doesn't hurt that Kentucky is in the SEC and any team that can beat Tennessee is A-OK in my book. plus i love the new hair with the burgundy stripes in it. no way would she have been able to do that at UCONN. she seems to be a nice kid who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

i would think that any true UCONN fan would have a little more respect and admiration for a kid who at least spent a semester in Storrs trying to make it work in spite of her personal struggles before deciding to transfer.

i realize there are some on here who would strongly disagree, but i find it much easier to root for Samarie than the player who decommitted due to being unsure of her commitment to basketball, strung UCONN along for about a year, then recommitted, only to last 1 day at the summer session before deciding at that point UCONN was not the right place for her.

if people can forgive that, then they certainly can forgive Samarie for at least giving it a full semester of committed effort before realizing Storrs was not the place for her.

 

[Dawson]

Samarie was my favorite freshman last year and nothing has changed. So glad that she had a big breakout game last night against a very solid conference opponent.

 

[Icebear]

Eric, I think some people still think that Samarie abandoned the team failing to remember that it was Geno who ended the angst ridden situation and issues Samarie was struggIing with. He did because it was becoming a distraction for the team.

 

[CTyankee]

I watched a couple of Kentucky games on TV while down in South Carolina and Samarie got very little playing time, much less than she had at UConn... It is nice that she seems to have made a big jump with a big game... When the Regionals were in Dayton a couple of years ago I ran into some of her family... I hope she can parlay this into more playing time now that she is nearer to her home and her family...

 

[EricLA]

Eric, I think some people still think that Samarie abandoned the team failing to remember that it was Geno who ended the angst ridden situation and issues Samarie was struggIing with. He did because it was becoming a distraction for the team.

good point. well those of us who know can help set the record straight!

 

[Kibitzer]

Nothing.

 

[Icebear]

good point. well those of us who know can help set the record straight!

Exactly.

 

[Olde Coach]

ha-ha... to answer your question, i actually really liked Samarie and given that she had some overwhelming personal issues, not only do i give her a pass for leaving, but i'm rooting for her to have happiness and a great career at Kentucky.

it also doesn't hurt that Kentucky is in the SEC and any team that can beat Tennessee is A-OK in my book. plus i love the new hair with the burgundy stripes in it. no way would she have been able to do that at UCONN. she seems to be a nice kid who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

i would think that any true UCONN fan would have a little more respect and admiration for a kid who at least spent a semester in Storrs trying to make it work in spite of her personal struggles before deciding to transfer.

i realize there are some on here who would strongly disagree, but i find it much easier to root for Samarie than the player who decommitted due to being unsure of her commitment to basketball, strung UCONN along for about a year, then recommitted, only to last 1 day at the summer session before deciding at that point UCONN was not the right place for her.

if people can forgive that, then they certainly can forgive Samarie for at least giving it a full semester of committed effort before realizing Storrs was not the place for her.

All the folks who are negative on Samarie should remember:

UConn would not have beaten Baylor last year without Samarie.

And POOF --- there goes the 90 game win streak. My take on Samarie is that she played a critical role in sustaining the win streak that will always be a great achievement in UConn history. That's enough for me to ALWAYS remember her with appreciation, respect and a spirited "high five" !!!!!!!

 

[VAMike23]

I don't overthink all of the issues surrounding Samarie. I fully understand that people have different emotional reactions to all she did or did not do last year. For me, what's done is done, and I wish her the best.

Would love nothing better than to see her happy and excelling in Lexington, particularly against certain SEC rivals. Unless she takes the floor against UCONN, I'm a fan, so I appreciate the Samarie threads that crop up from time to time.

YMMV

 

[DaddyChoc]

I would think UConn fans would be more pissed with her than with EDD... EDD left before she started so UConn knew how to adjust before the season started, SWalk left when UConn needed her the most.

strange!

personally I dont hold anything against EDD nor SWalk but just funny how we accept one departure over the other.

 

[EricLA]

I would think UConn fans would be more pissed with her than with EDD... EDD left before she started so UConn knew how to adjust before the season started, SWalk left when UConn needed her the most.

strange!

personally I dont hold anything against EDD nor SWalk but just funny how we accept one departure over the other.

EDD left after stringing UCONN along for a very long time - she wasn't sure what she wanted to do, stopped her recruiting process, and UCONN basically wasn't able to recruit anyone over her. there were reports that Sykes was very interested in UCONN but UCONN waited for EDD. then after finally deciding she wanted to commit to UCONN, she came to campus and quit after 1 day.

i totally get her reasons and respect her decision to leave, but the bottom line is she left UCONN in a much worse position than Samarie did and at least Samarie gave it a full semester to try to work out her issues.

again, i'm not suggesting that people should dislike EDD or root against her, and her decisions to do what she did were personal and very much her right, but she strung Geno along for a very long time and he held out either being unable, or unwilling, to recruit kids over/around her.

i have no idea what went on behind closed doors, but if UCONN fans are willing/able to get past her actions, there is zero reason they can't get past Samarie's. just my opinion of course, and like i said, i know some will disagree, but just because EDD's actions were based on personal issues with her family doesn't change the results or problems it caused the UCONN team.

And by the way, while very different in nature, Samarie's issues were just as personal and difficult to struggle through. i will always hold Samarie in high esteem simply for really trying to make it work. IIRC, she even went to Geno after she was left home for the trip to UNC for that game but Geno knew it was not best for her or the team.

 

[meyers7]

EDD left after stringing UCONN along for a very long time

As did Samarie.

i totally get her reasons and respect her decision to leave, but the bottom line is she left UCONN in a much worse position than Samarie did

I would disagree. I think leaving in the middle of the season, with the numbers we had last year, left us in a worse situation. (although I think her leaving improved our team in the long run)

And by the way, while very different in nature, Samarie's issues were just as personal and difficult to struggle through.

I would disagree here too.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

I suspect that the stronger reaction to EDD's departure has to do with
the fact that she's obviously a much more talented player and would
have meant much more to the team in the long run (although we won
two championships without her). I don't know what Samarie's issues
were, but Elena's were obviously compelling. Bottom line is that each
young woman is better off following their heart.

My own feeling is that I only want kids at UConn who really want to be
at UConn. I have always wished the best for Elena and Samarie. In
particular, I'm delighted that Elena is having her year in the spotlight
this year.

 

[Icebear]

EDD left after stringing UCONN along for a very long time -

I don't think EDD strung UConn along at all. I don't think she had any idea she would react to separation from Lizzie as she did. If she strung UConn along it was only as she strung herself along as well believing everything would be fine and great at UConn.

 

[EricLA]

I don't think EDD strung UConn along at all. I don't think she had any idea she would react to separation from Lizzie as she did. If she strung UConn along it was only as she strung herself along as well believing everything would be fine and great at UConn.

she may not have done it purposely, but the net result was the same. say it any way you want - and perhaps i used words that gave it negative connotation, but the facts are the facts. it probably would have sounded nicer to say that UCONN chose to wait for her while she made up her mind and decided if she was still committed to basketball. She lost her passion for the game. at the age of 13 she decided it wasn't fun and wasn't sure she wanted to play hoops any more.

Her comments when she left UCONN after 48 hours were that she realized she no longer had the passion to play the game at the highest level. Geno could not understand it and said as much in his comments.

so again, i'm not trying to crucify her, but i don't get why some would give her a free pass and not Samarie.

 

[Icebear]

she may not have done it purposely, but the net result was the same. say it any way you want - and perhaps i used words that gave it negative connotation, but the facts are the facts. it probably would have sounded nicer to say that UCONN chose to wait for her while she made up her mind and decided if she was still committed to basketball. She lost her passion for the game. at the age of 13 she decided it wasn't fun and wasn't sure she wanted to play hoops any more.

The fact is that indeed UConn chose to wait for her, it isn't just about sounding better. Strung them along smacks of a conscious act which I do not believe it was at all. Imagine the routine under which Elena was playing bball at 13. It was already very much more a job than just a sport for fun. She had a personal trainer, coaches, etc.


Her comments when she left UCONN after 48 hours were that she realized she no longer had the passion to play the game at the highest level. Geno could not understand it and said as much in his comments.

Those comments were representative of her trying to make sense of the situation, much in the same way Samarie was struggling. Clearly with further reflection it became much clearer that it was about her relationship with Lizzie and the accompanying home sickness. Teens aren't likely to be instantly aware of the issues they are struggling with. Elena knew she wasn't excited about being where she was and about playing basketball. Her statement indicated that but the deeper reasons were not yet identified.

so again, i'm not trying to crucify her, but i don't get why some would give her a free pass and not Samarie.

I, absolutely, agree that both young women had ample reasons for their difficult decisions. Samarie's departure being mid season left the team in more of a lurch but Geno made the call and ended the situation, not samarie who was still struggling.

 

[hoopsdiva]

I liked Samarie a lot when she was here. I was disappointed when she left, and disappointed in the circumstances under which she left, but I don't hold any of it against her. Sometimes things just don't work out. I wish her all the best, especially against certain other SEC teams, but I won't be rooting for her if we ever play UK.

I'm still interested in following Samarie's career, just as I follow the careers of other former UConn players to whom I developed an attachment. I never had a chance to develop an attachment to EDD, so I don't read the threads about her, but it doesn't bother me that other people do. Live and let live.

 

[Kevin G]

If Samarie is much happier at Kentucky then I am happy for her. I wish her the best and wish her a great career as long as it is not against UCONN. I am grateful for whatever work she put during her stay in a UCONN uniform. However, she did screw us over. She acted as a kid when she started to become deceitful (although none of us have the complete story) in her reasoning and story telling. There are other players who act much more responsible therefore they are called young women. Again, we messed up when we were younger. Just stating the facts as I see them.

Who's EDD? Never heard of her

 

[WillB4]

I don't understand why people insist on posting about her. She was here, now she's gone. Why does anyone care about her? She's no Husky! I mean.... oh. Wait. Right rant, wrong thread.

That's my line!!!