So, I’m watching TV on my iPad...

[HuskyNan]

Yeah, watching TV during working hours, that’s right. Anywho, I’m watching a show about WWII on the National Geographic channel when an ad for the women’s tournament comes on, featuring Paige and Caitlin. The only game mentioned was the UConn vs Iowa game, none of the other Sweet 16 games.

Only three (or four) more years of Paige vs Caitlin to go, although Azzi may throw a monkey wrench into that scenario.

 

[Kaizen]

Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark Make UConn-Iowa a Star-Studded Sweet 16 Bout​

“It’s not Caitlin Clark versus Paige Bueckers,” the freshman guard said. “It’s Iowa versus UConn.”

She’s correct: The bracket does, in fact, read No. 5 seed Iowa versus No. 1 seed UConn. It’s not “Big Ten Freshman of the Year and national scoring leader Caitlin Clark versus Big East Freshman of the Year and national win shares leader Paige Bueckers.” But you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise. The hype for Saturday’s game is at a rare level for the Sweet 16, and all of it is focused on Clark and Bueckers, the two most dynamic freshmen in the game.

Bueckers, Clark Make UConn vs. Iowa Appointment TV

On Saturday, the two most dynamic freshmen in the game will meet in a tantalizing Sweet 16 matchup.

www.si.com

 

[Bald Husky]

I'll say it again, this may be the most watched WCBB of all time. This will include thousands of non WBB watchers as well as mens fans since those games won't be started at that time. Do not let the officials screw this up for WBB, we need the players on the floor, not on the bench. Dee Kantner and crew ( I assume she will be there ) let them play please.

 

[JordyG]

I'll say it again, this may be the most watched WCBB of all time. This will include thousands of non WBB watchers as well as mens fans since those games won't be started at that time. Do not let the officials screw this up for WBB, we need the players on the floor, not on the bench. Dee Kantner and crew ( I assume she will be there ) let them play please.

Oh the players are going to play alright. The question is not whether the officials will let them play, but whether which team is smart enough to adjust to how the game is being called and disciplined enough to take advantage of it. People complain that TAMU pushed and shoved their way to a victory over Iowa State and that State was "robbed". Well, why didn't Iowa St. take advantage of the way the game was being called and be just as physical as TAMU? In boxing if you get hit below the belt a 100 times and the ref is letting your opponent get away with it, you do the same. Then let's see how the other guy likes it.

 

[MSGRET]

I'll say it again, this may be the most watched WCBB of all time. This will include thousands of non WBB watchers as well as mens fans since those games won't be started at that time. Do not let the officials screw this up for WBB, we need the players on the floor, not on the bench. Dee Kantner and crew ( I assume she will be there ) let them play please.

Do you really think that Dee Kantner can let most likely the most watched WCBB game of all time on TV and NOT TRY to be the center of it? If so I have some really cheap future investment ocean front property for you near Jean, Nevada.... You just might have to wait for a few years before California finally slides off into the ocean.

 

[Centerstream]

So a thread about the publicity of a certain Sweet Sixteen WBB game has swerved into another "referees bad" thread. Hmm.

BTW: I also believe that Dee Kantner does seem to enjoy the limelight during her refereeing assignments on National tv.

 

[Twolf]

Do you really think that Dee Kantner can let most likely the most watched WCBB game of all time on TV and NOT TRY to be the center of it? If so I have some really cheap future investment ocean front property for you near Jean, Nevada.... You just might have to wait for a few years before California finally slides off into the ocean.

Don’t disagree with you, but I still would rather have her crew than several others we’ve witnessed in the first two rounds. Speaking of Nevada & your avatar, went to Vegas for the first two rounds of the men’s tourney since my season is over, & your first question was ”what pandemic”? Wouldn’t have gone if I wasn’t fully vaccinated, but the Striip was crazy. Masks strictly enforced on the plane, in the casinos, and sports books, but outside of those it was a zoo. You could get high just walking along the Strip with a favorable breeze- not used to that in my part of the world.

 

[Dublin]

And we know that Mark and the NCAA will do right by making sure that the March Madness logo is featured on the center of the court.

 

[MSGRET]

Don’t disagree with you, but I still would rather have her crew than several others we’ve witnessed in the first two rounds. Speaking of Nevada & your avatar, went to Vegas for the first two rounds of the men’s tourney since my season is over, & your first question was ”what pandemic”? Wouldn’t have gone if I wasn’t fully vaccinated, but the Striip was crazy. Masks strictly enforced on the plane, in the casinos, and sports books, but outside of those it was a zoo. You could get high just walking along the Strip with a favorable breeze- not used to that in my part of the world.

Masks are supposed to be worn outside in crowds, but the police do not have the manpower to enforce that. The casinos try to enforce the mask rules, but you have idiots out there who try to get around it by holding a drink or cigarette in their hand and take a sip or puff when security or other employees walk by and say something. My wife works in one and had a lady removed because she kept on lowering her mask when she thought no one was watching. Security had the lady on tape where they timed her and out of a 15 minute period she was warned by at least 7 security and casino supervisors to wear her mask. The lady by the way was from Boston and she was a hotel guest. Management informed her that she would not be allowed on the casino floor and was given a choice of staying in here room or go to another casino and play there. The casinos try to keep everyone in line because they can get fined by the State for violations and don't want to take a chance of the State Health division temporally shutting them down.

 

[Aluminny69]

As I pointed out on another thread, today is the anniversary of the first meeting of Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird, 42 years ago. How long did that rivalry last?

 

[KY Card Fan]

I'll say it again, this may be the most watched WCBB of all time. This will include thousands of non WBB watchers as well as mens fans since those games won't be started at that time. Do not let the officials screw this up for WBB, we need the players on the floor, not on the bench. Dee Kantner and crew ( I assume she will be there ) let them play please.

The most-watched WCBB game of all time was the 2014 championship game between UConn and Notre Dame. That game got a rating of 2.8 with an estimated 4.3 million viewers.

I'll wager that tomorrow's game won't come close to that number of viewers. I'll be watching, as will many other WCBB fans, but it's at 1PM on a Saturday afternoon. And the casual sports fans, and for sure the MCBB fans, will be mowing the lawn/going to the grocery/playing ball with the kids/washing the car in preparation for 8+ hours or MCBB tourney action.

I hope I'm wrong.

 

[mudcat]

Oh the players are going to play alright. The question is not whether the officials will let them play, but whether which team is smart enough to adjust to how the game is being called and disciplined enough to take advantage of it. People complain that TAMU pushed and shoved their way to a victory over Iowa State and that State was "robbed". Well, why didn't Iowa St. take advantage of the way the game was being called and be just as physical as TAMU? In boxing if you get hit below the belt a 100 times and the ref is letting your opponent get away with it, you do the same. Then let's see how the other guy likes it.

It's hard to be just as physical if you are smaller (don't have the physique for it). It's like Liz trying to be as physical as A. Boston.

 

[KY Card Fan]

It's hard to be just as physical if you are smaller (don't have the physique for it). It's like Liz trying to be as physical as A. Boston.

I agree. There was lots of complaining on the Louisville fan boards after the loss to NC State in the ACC Final. Went something like "OMG - NC State played so physical and got all the calls." Well, it was a physical game inside and the Louisville bigs just weren't up to dealing with Cunane and friends.

 

[cabbie191]

This observation might, or just as likely, might not be an indication of a slight uptick in the public’s interest in WCBB: most days I do 3 online crossword puzzles, and I am seeing with some regularity clues that involve women’s basketball. Previously this didn’t happen.

A WCBB promotion on a National Geographic show? I think that’s great.

 

[LoboDays]

As I pointed out on another thread, today is the anniversary of the first meeting of Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird, 42 years ago. How long did that rivalry last?

To have a rivalry, players need to play each on some kind of a consistent basis. Paige and Caitlin may never play each other again in college. That’s not a rivalry. It’s a chance encounter.

 

[BBallF]

The most-watched WCBB game of all time was the 2014 championship game between UConn and Notre Dame. That game got a rating of 2.8 with an estimated 4.3 million viewers.

I'll wager that tomorrow's game won't come close to that number of viewers. I'll be watching, as will many other WCBB fans, but it's at 1PM on a Saturday afternoon. And the casual sports fans, and for sure the MCBB fans, will be mowing the lawn/going to the grocery/playing ball with the kids/washing the car in preparation for 8+ hours or MCBB tourney action.

I hope I'm wrong.

Or playing golf and then watching 8+ hours of MCBB. That would be an automatic 3 day icy stare penalty.

 

[BBallF]

Do you really think that Dee Kantner can let most likely the most watched WCBB game of all time on TV and NOT TRY to be the center of it? If so I have some really cheap future investment ocean front property for you near Jean, Nevada.... You just might have to wait for a few years before California finally slides off into the ocean.

Perfect. She has to prove how good a ref she is by making ridiculous petty calls and missing the big ones. Let's call Aubrey for an illegal pick because her legs are too wide. If she puts Clark or Paige on the bench she will never do a game like this again. ABC has a lot riding on it.

 

[Aluminny69]

To have a rivalry, players need to play each on some kind of a consistent basis. Paige and Caitlin may never play each other again in college. That’s not a rivalry. It’s a chance encounter.

Perhaps you are right. But I can see Geno trying to schedule a home and home with Iowa. And these two teams very well meet again in future tournaments. I highly doubt they will both be drafted to the same WNBA team, So that will be a rivalry. Magic and Bird only met once in college, but still had a decade long rivalry, so I'm anticipating that scenario.