Stay Classy Brenda

[bags27]

Well, let's remember that Brenda has had a time of it, with a very sick child and the family (esp. her husband) heroically rallying, and all is good now. Having said that, yeah, this really sucks. She needs to chill.

 

[Checkmate]

Why the heck would any top 10 team want to schedule a 2-23 DII team for a tune up.....exactly how does that help her kids?....at least the team UConn played made the DII playoffs last year..find it hard to believe they couldn't find a more talented opponent....heck my daughter's teams scrimmage incredibly tough opponents early.....makes the regular season feel like a cake walk...

it is a typical Freeze stunt to get attention. She probably thinks it will help recruiting and maybe help their ranking. Most people (poll voters included) have no idea their opponent was 2-23. Maryland rarely schedules more than a couple non-conference games they could lose.

 

[housekeys]

The issue is not the point spread or who she schedules or that she is evil. One must question her view that beating a DII team (or any team), by 100+, is a "good tuneup"? A "good tuneup" for what? For preparing for the B10? For playing UConn? The hyperbole in that statement is the issue. I guarantee her practices are more a "tuneup" than that exhibition.

BTW, I pick Maryland as one of the top 5 teams in the country.

 

[JordyG]

Well, let's remember that Brenda has had a time of it, with a very sick child and the family (esp. her husband) heroically rallying, and all is good now. Having said that, yeah, this really sucks. She needs to chill.

Bags, we all feel for Brenda and how her child has had to battle leukemia. Trust me every parent out there knows how they would feel in her shoes. I've had an issue with Brenda as a coach and her statements about how easy it is to win when you get the best recruits, not as a mother. She has proved to be wonderful, caring and dedicated mom. But certainly choosing a 2-23 D2 team to iron her great recruiting classes wrinkles frankly sounds like a bad coaching decision.

 

[Vowelguy]

103-39
112-53
107-40
101-38
126-48

 

[Suebird10fan]

Well, if playing Bluefield gets everyone riled up ... wait til Sunday.

MD plays Mary Baldwin, 0-24 last year in D3!

I don't see why Frese shouldn't do this if she thinks it's good for her team, but how can it possibly help the team?

 

[Kibitzer]

Well, if playing Bluefield gets everyone riled up ... wait til Sunday.

MD plays Mary Baldwin, 0-24 last year in D3!

I don't see why Frese shouldn't do this if she thinks it's good for her team, but how can it possibly help the team?

This is not competition. It is premeditated carnage.

 

[Bayareahusky]

I am not going to criticize Brenda.... It is an exhibition...... why should I, on the outside, rag on her for beating some team by 130 pts? It is an exhibition, defined as a platform to work on improving your team prior to regular season games..... if she did that .... it is good

 

[HoopsFan21]

Why don't teams play their exhibitions against other D1 programs? Maybe not ones from in conference or other P5 schools, but there are 300 something D1 teams, surely you could find a couple of weaker regional schools to play that would provide a better test and opportunity to work on things in a more game like environment?

 

[TerpWomenFan]

Maryland worked on their press the majority of the game thus the 51 turnovers. Also the 5 highly touted freshmen (Stephanie Jones sat out) and two sophomores played a ton in the 2nd half and that created a major mismatch there. Connecticut native Kiah Gillespie was a +128 for the game.
As for the person with the Maryland Eastern Shore comment, Brenda likes to schedule the other Maryland schools so fans outside of central Maryland can see the Terps. Maryland have a ton of fans on the Eastern Shore thus the Md Eastern Shore trip last year. Maryland plays at Towson (game for Brionna Jones and Stephanie Jones family and friends) and at Duquesne (for SWK family and friends).

 

[iamcbs]

I don't understand the outrage? It's an EXHIBITION game, I also don't understand this whole "running up the score" mentality. Are you supposed to put players in a game that don't get much playing time and tell them not to play to the best of their ability because we may "run up the score?" Did the "Dream Team" run up the score in the 1992 Olympics? Why is University of Maryland exhibition game against a D-II opponent the topic of convo on a UConn Fan Message Board? Didn't the Huskies play Tuesday night? How many points did they win by? I just don't what the big deal is.....

 

[j66kicker]

Why don't teams play their exhibitions against other D1 programs? Maybe not ones from in conference or other P5 schools, but there are 300 something D1 teams, surely you could find a couple of weaker regional schools to play that would provide a better test and opportunity to work on things in a more game like environment?

It's not allowed

 

[HoopsFan21]

It's not allowed

Alright, well that answers that. Run up the scores then. If Brenda wants to score 160 points then let her team do so. I'd rather talk about why teams are forced to play such inferior competition rather than complain about the margin of victory.

 

[Kibitzer]

Maryland worked on their press the majority of the game thus the 51 turnovers. Also the 5 highly touted freshmen (Stephanie Jones sat out) and two sophomores played a ton in the 2nd half and that created a major mismatch there. Connecticut native Kiah Gillespie was a +128 for the game.
As for the person with the Maryland Eastern Shore comment, Brenda likes to schedule the other Maryland schools so fans outside of central Maryland can see the Terps.

Nice try. A good representation of the old adage about "creating a silk purse from a sow's ear."

 

[CocoHusky]

Maryland worked on their press the majority of the game thus the 51 turnovers. Also the 5 highly touted freshmen (Stephanie Jones sat out) and two sophomores played a ton in the 2nd half and that created a major mismatch there. Connecticut native Kiah Gillespie was a +128 for the game.
As for the person with the Maryland Eastern Shore comment, Brenda likes to schedule the other Maryland schools so fans outside of central Maryland can see the Terps. Maryland have a ton of fans on the Eastern Shore thus the Md Eastern Shore trip last year. Maryland plays at Towson (game for Brionna Jones and Stephanie Jones family and friends) and at Duquesne (for SWK family and friends).

Why come the Maryland Eastern Shore game is at the XFINITY center this year? Brionna & Stephanie are from Aberdeen, MD 20 or so miles up the road is University of Delaware- a much more competitive game for Maryland. The Maryland schedule includes games against 5 Maryland colleges (UMBC, Towson, Maryland Eastern Shore, Loyola (Md.), & Mount St. Mary's) this year, the roster includes only 3 players from the state of MD. This is not get the players a home game as you are suggesting and UM is not in competition with any MD school for instate talent. Other questions: St. Peter's & Niagara? Really? Way to stretch yourself there MD.

 

[Charliebball]

I don't understand the outrage? It's an EXHIBITION game, I also don't understand this whole "running up the score" mentality. Are you supposed to put players in a game that don't get much playing time and tell them not to play to the best of their ability because we may "run up the score?" Did the "Dream Team" run up the score in the 1992 Olympics? Why is University of Maryland exhibition game against a D-II opponent the topic of convo on a UConn Fan Message Board? Didn't the Huskies play Tuesday night? How many points did they win by? I just don't what the big deal is.....

The Dream Team didn't have a choice about who they played during the Olympics but I would say that if the DII team is willing to take the beating go for it............however, if the purpose of these exhibition games is to prepare your team for the regular season, how does playing against the little sisters of the poor help you do that...................are the Washington Generals still around..................that would be a much better contest

 

[HoopsFan21]

Why come the Maryland Eastern Shore game is at the XFINITY center this year? Brionna & Stephanie are from Aberdeen, MD 20 or so miles up the road is University of Delaware- a much more competitive game for Maryland. The Maryland schedule includes games against 5 Maryland colleges (UMBC, Towson, Maryland Eastern Shore, Loyola (Md.), & Mount St. Mary's) this year, the roster includes only 3 players from the state of MD. This is not get the players a home game as you are suggesting and UM is not in competition with any MD school for instate talent. Other questions: St. Peter's & Niagara? Really? Way to stretch yourself there MD.

As was just pointed out to me above by jbb, these teams are forced to play much inferior teams, so I really can't fault Maryland here.

 

[CocoHusky]

As was just pointed out to me above by jbb, these teams are forced to play much inferior teams, so I really can't fault Maryland here.

@j66kicker was talking about scrimmages against DII. I was talking about MD's regular season schedule against numerous extremely weak DI programs. You have to fault MD for this schedule.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

The reason for playing Towson in Towson is so the Maryland fans from Towson can see the team and not drive an hour to College Park to see them. Many do that anyway as well as coming from the Eastern Shore. Also many of these games are home and home. We played Delaware home and home when EDD was there.

 

[Charliebball]

If Maryland comes out flat in their first regular season game I really look forward to hearing Brenda say they just weren't ready to play tonight..................

 

[HoopsFan21]

@j66kicker was talking about scrimmages against DII. I was talking about MD's regular season schedule against numerous extremely weak DI programs. You have to fault MD for this schedule.

Oh that's a pretty sad OOC schedule then. I doubt Brenda is playing these games out of the kindness of her heart "for the people of Maryland." Baylor does the same thing because Mulkey is afraid of playing really good teams. It's obvious some teams just want to load up on cupcakes OOC or avoid teams with great players, and then blame their lack of success on parity or the lack of it.

 

[bob neal]

Please remember folks that D11 & 111 schools want to play these games. # 1 they get paid. # 2 remember when Geno came in 1986 he could not get other top schools to play UConn. He tried so hard to get a game against Penn State to no avail. Years later (when UConn was really good ) Penn State wanted UConn & Geno to come down and play them to open their new field house and Geno said NO !! He likes to schedule Holy Cross, U Hart etc to give them a chance to play a really good team. To play only other D1 schools would not help lower rank schools !!

 

[Carnac]

Why don't teams play their exhibitions against other D1 programs? Maybe not ones from in conference or other P5 schools, but there are 300 something D1 teams, surely you could find a couple of weaker regional schools to play that would provide a better test and opportunity to work on things in a more game like environment?

THIS is an excellent point, which I shall not belabor. Remember old adage: "Iron sharpens iron". A varsity team (in any sport) can't get better and sharpen their skills and/or their ability to make good decisions by playing the freshman team. I think that same philosophy or concept applies here. I realize we don't know all/any of the dynamics behind the scheduling of this game.

If this game was scheduled as a favor to the other coach, or for financial reason to help Bluefield State, then so be it. But don't beat down a small school that that, then say that you were happy with how your team played. I'm sure that exhibition game will go a long way in getting her team ready for the UConn's, Baylors, and the Notre Dames this year.

I'm sorry, I'm old school. I'd like to see my program use the limited time it has in the preseason to get the team ready for regular season play. Playing "cupcakes" and "twinkies" is NOT going to help build any team's skill and confidence. If a team has weaknesses, Twinkie teams are not going to bring that out, nor are they going to prove or indicate that a problem/issue that has been worked on in practice has been solved. If anything, they will give you a false sense of security, making you think you're all that and a bag of chips, only to find out you're not the first time you run up against the conference bully.

I completely understand the some games are scheduled against smaller schools for financial reasons. I applaud that concept. The smaller schools disparately need those funds to support their athletic programs, and keep them in the black. Football teams do it regularly. But please don't try and blow smoke up my Bu** b telling me that scheduling cupcakes is a good thing, and helps the younger players get acclimated to college level play. Playing against teams that are at or above your level help your players to get better. Remember this fact of life and sports: "If you want to be the best, you've got to play the best.

 

[JordyG]

103-39
112-53
107-40
101-38
126-48

Looks like the over/unders for the election.

 

[JordyG]

I am not going to criticize Brenda.... It is an exhibition. why should I, on the outside, rag on her for beating some team by 130 pts? It is an exhibition, defined as a platform to work on improving your team prior to regular season games..... if she did that .... it is good

So how exactly do you improve your athletic, team, or communicative skills by beating a child?