Teams/programs with something to prove this season

[DobbsRover2]

Again, "something to prove" is relative. Nikki Caldwell has something to prove because she makes 900K a year and is a hot name without a ton of tangible production. Tennessee is in a transition year with a million questions, with, empirically, expectations among the fanbase that they won't miss a beat. They could have a season that 98% of the programs in WCBB would be happy with, and it would raise questions because they are Tennessee. Kentucky is having a run of success- can they prove they are comfortable being the hunted. Notre Dame just finished a great two year run- are they ready to take the next step and be a perennial power as opposed to a sporadic one? Is Maryland a one-hit wonder or a team capable of contending on a regular basis? I bet Brenda sells recruits on the notion they can win championships at UMD. And Duke- can they prove they are legit contenders under Coach P? They took half a step back from Gail's heyday. Two of our regular Duke fan contributors "liked" my OP, so I guess they didn't take particular umbrage with that position.

Relativity- it's critical here. If UConn made the Sweet 16, or even the Final Four with the roster the Huskies have this year, hell no it's not a great season. If Duke or Maryland make the F4, they will have proved something. If Kentucky or Louisville make the Final Four, that would be a tremendous result. I tried to document what specifically each team I listed had to prove, and they were very different. And if they don't prove it, so what? So, they're open to criticism.

Relativity is indeed the essence of all, and for those who seem to actually find some divine order from the flights of birds, spots on sheep livers, and preseason rankings, here is the standings for the flops and upward flips based on last year's preseason rankings. We tend to forget about what was expected back in October of every year, but there is a record that nasty people like me can refer to as far as the "official" line about how teams are going to do. But for me a team has to miss its expected season's destiny by 2 places to be a genuine flop. And I'll also admit that all is relative in rankings, so the difference between Purdue which was ranked #16 in the AP poll and KY at #17 is big, making the Boilermakers a minor disappointment (but not a flop) and the Wildcats a raging success because of the NCAAs boundary line. But again, for those who take the 2012-13 preseason ranking seriously, this is the post-mortem on last year's duds and dynamos.

• Duds (teams that were 2 slots or worse in NCAA performance than predicted): Miami(FL), Rutgers, UNC, FSU, UCLA, USC, Texas Tech
• Dynamos (teams that were 2 slots or better in NCAA performance than predicted): St. Bonaventure (a NY team), Kansas, South Carolina (all three at +2+ since none were in top 50 preseason but made the Sweet 16), and KY, which was not a dynamo in ESPN\USA (which expected more) but was by AP.

So yeah, CViv and Hatchell and a host of others need to start packing the satchel, but if you're a St. Bonny coach, your red carpet awaits. And let me also put in a plug for another NY team that always overachieves, but last year by only +1: "Here are the Foxes" (aka Marist)

 

[Coler]

I thought that Laney was Top 10, or close to it?

She was 11th, so she could classify as top 15.

 

[UCONNfan1]

She was 11th, so she could classify as top 15.

I liked her game a lot last year. UCONN recruited her and i would have liked to have seen her at UCONN but in the absence of that, I'm glad RU landed her. IIRC, she needs to work on her outside and deep shooting a bit? she's more a slasher type? Anyway, she's gonna be a good one for RU. Help you beat Tennessee lol.

 

[Coler]

I liked her game a lot last year. UCONN recruited her and i would have liked to have seen her at UCONN but in the absence of that, I'm glad RU landed her. IIRC, she needs to work on her outside and deep shooting a bit? she's more a slasher type? Anyway, she's gonna be a good one for RU. Help you beat Tennessee lol.

Yeah, she showed that she could hit some threes, she had one huge three that sent our game against Miami into overtime. All she needs to do is keep working on it, and it will really help her game so defenders can't guard the drive on her as much.

I agree she's going to be really good for us. But I knew in my gut that we would land her in the end.

Yeah, we should be able to beat Tennessee this year. Hopefully.

 

[DobbsRover2]

You have the patience of Job. Nothing wrong with being optimistic about your team.

Yep, everybody tries to be optimistic about their team for the upcoming season, or you can't really be a true fan. But as in all realms of realism and relativity, you need to have at least a hint of a clue. Otherwise, you're the Alabama fan saying your team is going to win the WCBB title instead of the football crown.

 

[easttexastrash]

I think Baylor has a lot to prove. They want to be considered as one of the greatest teams ever and pribably the only way to prove it is to go undefeated again.

 

[easttexastrash]

Why exactly is Jeff Walz immensely likeable?

I've asked the same about Taylor Swift

I agree that Walz is likeable, although I can't say exactly why. Maybe it is his story with his stuttering. He seems like a nice guy who has beat the odds.

 

[easttexastrash]

I've always thought Walz was one of the good guys and had a good relationship with other coaches including Geno. And I thought recruits generally liked him. Mitchell is another one who I thought came across really well with recruits.

If Walz were at UT I think Russell would have alreally verballed to him. I get the impression that she really connects with him. I would be shocked if she ends up wearing orange. Could Harper, Davis and Russell end up at Louisville.

 

[doggydaddy]

You're correct, stats do not say everything.

Rather than keep this going back and forth, let's just agree to disagree here.
I've seen a lot of her and think she's a player, you're not convinced and have seen not much of her. We'll fix that this year.

Obviously her playing time will go up significantly this year, so it's put up or shut up time.

I've seen lots of her in college. I watched maybe 15-20 Tennessee games. If you are talking HS, no I didn't see her, but college is a different ball game.

 

[triaddukefan]

Duke has the most to prove in my opinion.

 

[DobbsRover2]

I think Baylor has a lot to prove. They want to be considered as one of the greatest teams ever and pribably the only way to prove it is to go undefeated again.

That's okay, I'm convinced Baylor is a really great team. Once is enough, they don't have to go undefeated again. Two in a row would be piggy. Maybe they can win 38 or so and go to the dogs (the kind that pull sleds) in the last game.

 

[easttexastrash]

Duke has the most to prove in my opinion.

Duke does have a lot to prove if they want to crash the perceived Baylor/UCONN party.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Duke has the most to prove in my opinion.

That's odd, a Savannah St. fan said the same thing about her team. I still think the Huskies need to get the 8th ring to show they're not just throwing punches at something orange.

 

[mudcat]

[quote="DobbsRover2, post: 315220, member: 807"]Relativity is indeed the essence of all, and for those who seem to actually find some divine order from the flights of birds, spots on sheep livers, and preseason rankings, here is the standings for the flops and upward flips based on last year's preseason rankings. We tend to forget about what was expected back in October of every year, but there is a record that nasty people like me can refer to as far as the "official" line about how teams are going to do. But for me a team has to miss its expected season's destiny by 2 places to be a genuine flop. And I'll also admit that all is relative in rankings, so the difference between Purdue which was ranked #16 in the AP poll and KY at #17 is big, making the Boilermakers a minor disappointment (but not a flop) and the Wildcats a raging success because of the NCAAs boundary line. But again, for those who take the 2012-13 preseason ranking seriously, this is the post-mortem on last year's duds and dynamos.

Relatively speaking, my big picks for achievement over expectations are UCLA and Nebraska. I think UCLA has a good chance to upset CAL and finish 2nd in the PAC12, not so sure they can upend Standford. I think Neb has a good chance of finishing first in the Big 10 over PSU. Having always liked C Viv, I hope she can produce a little more dynamic offense and finish behind UCONN in the BE. Isn't Tex A&M now in the SEC - they have a good chance of winning that just because I don't expect much from the conference outside of Kentucky.

 

[Man-Man]

I think Baylor has a lot to prove. They want to be considered as one of the greatest teams ever and pribably the only way to prove it is to go undefeated again.

If Baylor goes 40-0 again or even 39-0, I'd bet they'd have a dozen cupcakes to start off the 2013-14 season.

 

[meyers7]

I've asked the same about Taylor Swift

Who does she play for?

 

[connboy77]

That's okay, I'm convinced Baylor is a really great team. Once is enough, they don't have to go undefeated again. Two in a row would be piggy. Maybe they can win 38 or so and go to the dogs (the kind that pull sleds) in the last game.

Was it piggy when UCONN had two undefeated seasons in a row? If Baylor can do it more power to them! UCONN will go undefeated and win multiple NC'S again. If not this coming season then the next two or three.

 

[pinotbear]

Who does she play for?

barely pubescent girls with an over-inflated sense of dramatic romance.

 

[meyers7]

barely pubescent girls with an over-inflated sense of dramatic romance.

Well done.

But she does write her own music and doesn't need to be auto-tuned like most other popular "singers" (and I use that term very loosely). Gotta give her a little credit there. (won't listen to her music, but will give her a little credit)

 

[DobbsRover2]

Was it piggy when UCONN had two undefeated seasons in a row? If Baylor can do it more power to them! UCONN will go undefeated and win multiple NC'S again. If not this coming season then the next two or three.

Actually it was more doggy than piggy, but yes it was greedy, and greed is good. But only for UConn, not for Baylor. A little less power to them, maybe a bit of a short circuit in an NC game with Huskies.

 

[DobbsRover2]

[quote="DobbsRover2, post: 315220, member: 807"]Relativity is indeed the essence of all, and for those who seem to actually find some divine order from the flights of birds, spots on sheep livers, and preseason rankings, here is the standings for the flops and upward flips based on last year's preseason rankings. We tend to forget about what was expected back in October of every year, but there is a record that nasty people like me can refer to as far as the "official" line about how teams are going to do. But for me a team has to miss its expected season's destiny by 2 places to be a genuine flop. And I'll also admit that all is relative in rankings, so the difference between Purdue which was ranked #16 in the AP poll and KY at #17 is big, making the Boilermakers a minor disappointment (but not a flop) and the Wildcats a raging success because of the NCAAs boundary line. But again, for those who take the 2012-13 preseason ranking seriously, this is the post-mortem on last year's duds and dynamos.

Relatively speaking, my big picks for achievement over expectations are UCLA and Nebraska. I think UCLA has a good chance to upset CAL and finish 2nd in the PAC12, not so sure they can upend Standford. I think Neb has a good chance of finishing first in the Big 10 over PSU. Having always liked C Viv, I hope she can produce a little more dynamic offense and finish behind UCONN in the BE. Isn't Tex A&M now in the SEC - they have a good chance of winning that just because I don't expect much from the conference outside of Kentucky.

Reasonable choices as Nebraska had a disappointment in 1st game of NCAAs but has most of team back and presumably has a little more experience and focus this year. UCLA loses its top scorer but looks to have a fairly solid group returning to get back to NCAAs following 2nd round exit two years ago. Still think Cal has got to be set for a big challenge with everyone back and possibly a slight opening on the Cardinal dominance, and you gotta grab any chance that comes up out there since they don't happen often.