Tenn Putting Westbrook Behind Them

[j66kicker]

The 5 stages of grief are:

1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance

LV fans are experiencing all of the stages with the exception of #5.

Pretty sure they don't have #5 in TN. But to make up for it, #1 & #2 are extended stages...

 

[Dokey]

Coaches come and go. So do players. Sometimes that warm man, woman who sat in your living room pitching his/ her program turns into your personal nightmare. We are talking 16-17 year olds making life altering decisions. Or maybe that coach was every thing you wanted, then is fired or takes a job elsewhere. Whatever. Waivers should be automatically granted. Let them play. Give them the benefit of the doubt. As fans our only obligation is to cheer them on, not cut them down.

 

[donalddoowop]

There is talk on VolNation that Green may not be able to play next season.

 

[Nash83]

I didn't say there was a huge difference between Davis or Walker, but I would give a slight edge to Davis. She's bigger, quicker, more athletic, but I agree she does disappear a lot during games. Will new coaching change that? Not sure.

I have no idea what the starting lineup will be for Tennessee - many think Horston will start from day 1 as the PG. I would not be surprised to see Massengill start and Horston play the 2. But either way... If Tenn starts Horston, Massengill, Green, Davis and Kuskituah... Unless something changed, Davis doesn't like and will not play the 4 - she is on video stating her position. Therefore, LV will probably start Horston, Green, Davis, Brown (McCoy/Key if Brown isn't 100% after ACL injury), and Kushkituah.

Dangerfield will run circles around Horston. Danger will struggle with defending the much larger Horston, but she's way too experienced. Agree

Westbrook is much better than Massengill. It's a pretty large gap. True, Massengill will be a sub next year.

Green is good, but Williams is better. Simple as that. Yes but can/will new LV coach help Green stay close to Williams or will another year of Geno help separate these two...

Walker vs. Davis is the only matchup I'd give Tennessee a slight edge on. VERY slight. Then again I have no idea how much better Walker will be next year. I HOPE you are right about her! Davis is much better than Walker. Last year Davis was LV's #1 option. Teams focused on Davis. Walker wasn't even in UConn's top 3 offensive options last year. Walker can catch up/pass Davis if Kellie isn't any better than Holly.

ONO - based on her improvement, I'd say she's slightly better than Kushkituah. I thought Kasi got bumped off the starting lineup cuz Collins was better, but IIRC Kasi was injured and never quite came back 100% by the end of the season. C.Green should have played 4 but mostly played 5 spot last year with Kushkituah injured. Collins almost always played 4 so she didn't bump Kasi. ONO is much more athletic. Geno will put her in position to utilize that skill over Kushkituah. I don't like ONO can stop Kasi 1 on 1 offensively if Kellis's husband can teach Kasi few more post moves.

Then look at our bench - Griffin, Adebayo, Makurat, Bent and Irwin vs. Harris, Burrell, Brown, Key and Suanders - Tennessee has MUCH more size than we do. But none of them are as good as ONO and unless she gets into foul trouble, I could see her playing 30-35 minutes in a game like this. Massengill and Burrell are strong options off the bench. Key, McCoy, Saunders, and Rennie are question marks. Harris, bless her heart. Yes LV have size. If ONO gets into foul trouble that will change things. Benches are about equal mainly because Geno doesn't play he's bench players...

Geno vs. Kelli - need I say more? Probably the easiest, Geno. Kellie hasn't proven anything - we are all watching...

 

[CocoHusky]

There is talk on VolNation that Green may not be able to play next season.

Not able to play......... because?

 

[oldude]

Not able to play.... because?

There was a lengthy thread on VolNation discussing possible academic issues.

 

[meyers7]

I remember when they were better off without DeShields.

After she was gonna be their savior.

 

[nwhoopfan]

After she was gonna be their savior.

Ha, yes, that's the natural progression there. From savior to goat.

 

[formerlurker]

Did they really have a choice?

 

[donalddoowop]

Not able to play.... because?

See oldude's post above.

 

[CL82]

I know. "She did it on purpose" is an exact quote from one (or more) of them.

I suppose it may have been an accident. No, no they're right. Evina came to UConn on purpose.

 

[DeeHusky]

For me personally, I just think she was too young to understand the rivalry, I’m 26 and I didn’t really get to see the rivalry because I was young at the time and sparingly watched tv. So all this talk about what she did to them is nonsense. I just think she wants to be coached and she wants to win. What better place to go for those two?

Someone mentioned in this thread imagine if UConn’s top player transferred to Tennessee after their sophomore year. Well quite frankly UConn’s top players don’t leave. The only players, well most, that leave UConn are ones who don’t get playing time. So I can’t put myself in their shoes. They just have to realize that Summitt’s legacy put a lot of pressure on Warlick and she couldn’t perform. Nobody wants to be apart of a team that can’t perform.

 

[JoePgh]

Well at least she probably doesn't have an offense to learn.

That may have been true for Holly's teams, but I doubt that it will be true for Coach Harper. At least until proven otherwise, I think we should give her the benefit of the doubt. I would expect to see a typical SEC offense, similar to what we have seen from South Carolina.

 

[meyers7]

That may have been true for Holly's teams, but I doubt that it will be true for Coach Harper. At least until proven otherwise, I think we should give her the benefit of the doubt. I would expect to see a typical SEC offense, similar to what we have seen from South Carolina.

I'll go with that, but the opposite way. Until proven otherwise, I'll assume it's still Holly's/Pat's offense.

 

[j66kicker]

For me personally, I just think she was too young to understand the rivalry, I’m 26 and I didn’t really get to see the rivalry because I was young at the time and sparingly watched tv. So all this talk about what she did to them is nonsense. I just think she wants to be coached and she wants to win. What better place to go for those two?

Someone mentioned in this thread imagine if UConn’s top player transferred to Tennessee after their sophomore year. Well quite frankly UConn’s top players don’t leave. The only players, well most, that leave UConn are ones who don’t get playing time. So I can’t put myself in their shoes. They just have to realize that Summitt’s legacy put a lot of pressure on Warlick and she couldn’t perform. Nobody wants to be apart of a team that can’t perform.

Yeah, like you, because of her age she didn't get to see the rivalry. But, unlike you, she actually played (and starred) in the LadyVol program for two years. And she played for a coach who was Pat's assistant for years, and who played (and starred) there for Pat herself before that. That's about as close as you can get to the rivalry without "seeing" it. And since she knew she was getting skewered by LV fans on social media, message boards, etc., we have to assume she had an awareness of LV fans on social media, etc. She understands the rivalry.

I'm not saying she didn't transfer to UConn for all the right reasons. But she knew what she was doing, and she did it "on purpose." And then she taunted the LV fans she left behind, with her "Sorry/Not sorry" sentiments.

 

[Alydar]

Yeah, like you, because of her age she didn't get to see the rivalry. But, unlike you, she actually played (and starred) in the LadyVol program for two years. And she played for a coach who was Pat's assistant for years, and who played (and starred) there for Pat herself before that. That's about as close as you can get to the rivalry without "seeing" it. And since she knew she was getting skewered by LV fans on social media, message boards, etc., we have to assume she had an awareness of LV fans on social media, etc. She understands the rivalry.

I'm not saying she didn't transfer to UConn for all the right reasons. But she knew what she was doing, and she did it "on purpose." And then she taunted the LV fans she left behind, with her "Sorry/Not sorry" sentiments.

I think the LV fans were just looking for an excuse to hate her. "Sorry/not sorry" isn't a taunt. To me says that there are both positive and negative aspects to her leaving and it's time to move on. But to a lot of LV fans it's a black and white world and they represent white and UConn is the epicenter of evil black, using all sorts of despicable tactics. The ironic aspect to that is that their late sainted coach lived in the gray area of NCAA rules for her entire coaching career. The long list of LV violations at the NCAA, although minor, attest to that. There are several recruiting rules that were instituted solely because of Pat's "hard sell" approach. Free trips to the wcbb HOF, picture sessions at a recruit's high school and expensive scrap books as mementos of the official visit are recent but back when she was new she didn't hesitate to recruit players under scholarship at other schools. Two such "transfers" by AA's resulted in Pat winning her 1st title. That was a huge reason behind the current transfer rules.

I've no problem with my coach doing whatever they can to win as long as it's within the rules. But unlike some, I won't act "holier than thou" when another program makes the same effort.

 

[Coach]

I didn't say there was a huge difference between Davis or Walker, but I would give a slight edge to Davis. She's bigger, quicker, more athletic, but I agree she does disappear a lot during games. Will new coaching change that? Not sure.

I have no idea what the starting lineup will be for Tennessee - many think Horston will start from day 1 as the PG. I would not be surprised to see Massengill start and Horston play the 2. But either way... If Tenn starts Horston, Massengill, Green, Davis and Kuskituah...

Dangerfield will run circles around Horston. Danger will struggle with defending the much larger Horston, but she's way too experienced.

Westbrook is much better than Massengill. It's a pretty large gap.

Green is good, but Williams is better. Simple as that.

Walker vs. Davis is the only matchup I'd give Tennessee a slight edge on. VERY slight. Then again I have no idea how much better Walker will be next year. I HOPE you are right about her!

ONO - based on her improvement, I'd say she's slightly better than Kushkituah. I thought Kasi got bumped off the starting lineup cuz Collins was better, but IIRC Kasi was injured and never quite came back 100% by the end of the season.

Then look at our bench - Griffin, Adebayo, Makurat, Bent and Irwin vs. Harris, Burrell, Brown, Key and Suanders - Tennessee has MUCH more size than we do. But none of them are as good as ONO and unless she gets into foul trouble, I could see her playing 30-35 minutes in a game like this.

Geno vs. Kelli - need I say more?

I don’t think you’re giving Megan enough credit. Did you know she’s already on several WNBA teams radar?

 

[UConnNick]

I know you’re being facetious, but it’s absolutely true that a number of LV fans believe the only reason that Evina is at UConn is to spite them.

It never occurred to these folks that a young lady desperate to be coached, might actually seek out the best coaching staff in the history of WBB, with a very good opportunity to be part of a championship team.

In that regard, their problem is they hate Geno so intensely that they refuse to acknowledge there is any better coaching staff than those which included Summitt.

 

[HopJim]

IMO, Walker is every bit as talented as Davis, and unlike Davis, Walker plays hard the whole game.

Also, a couple thousand posts on VolNation, many of which are bitter and angry diatribes directed at Evina as well as UConn leads me to believe that some LV fans will never put this latest “slight” behind them.

While every Board has its fringe set of posters, many never have put anything to do with UConn in the past.

 

[Tonyc]

Westbrooks transfer has brought out the hate by some Tenn fans for UConn all over again. Just when Tenn thought they could beat UConn, Geno put together another group of talent which now includes their former prize player. This imo has refueled the hate which some of us knew over the past years. You can think and say what you want but those old fans that knew and lived in the past Tenn/UConn rivalry's know what we might be in for. Yeah it hurts to loose a top player especially when you loose her to your arch enemy. Some of you read Vol Nation which is a pretty calm board compared to the Summit board. BTW the Summit board is a pay for board. I can only imagine what is being written and talked about on that board. I dont expect UConn to have any problems against Tenn the next 2 seasons and if UConn blows them out well....it could get very nasty.

 

[oldude]

Westbrooks transfer has brought out the hate by some Tenn fans for UConn all over again. Just when Tenn thought they could beat UConn, Geno put together another group of talent which now includes their former prize player. This imo has refueled the hate which some of us knew over the past years. You can think and say what you want but those old fans that knew and lived in the past Tenn/UConn rivalry's know what we might be in for. Yeah it hurts to loose a top player especially when you loose her to your arch enemy. Some of you read Vol Nation which is a pretty calm board compared to the Summit board. BTW the Summit board is a pay for board. I can only imagine what is being written and talked about on that board. I dont expect UConn to have any problems against Tenn the next 2 seasons and if UConn blows them out well....it could get very nasty.

There was a wonderful and folksy old historian from MIssissippi by the name of Shelby Foote who wrote extensively about the Civil War and appeared frequently on Ken Burns multi episode documentary on the Civil War.

On one episode, Foote astutely contrasted the difference between how folks in the North dealt with the aftermath of the war vs those in the South. Of the North, he said, “Once the war was won, they moved on with their lives.” Of the South, he said, “When you lose a war it stays with you forever.”

While TN and UConn WBB is hardly of the magnitude of the Civil War, the emotions of that rivalry are similar in some ways. TN ended the rivalry for reasons everyone knows, and the LV program has sunk into 2nd tier status, nationally and within the SEC. UConn is a perennial contender for a national championship as the most successful program in the history of WBB.

For the most part, UConn has moved on. While I do enjoy some of the histrionics of the LV faithful, I concern myself more with the numerous WBB programs that have clearly surpassed TN as WBB powerhouses: ND, Baylor, SC, MS St, MD, OR, Stanford, OR St, Louisville, UCLA, etc. While the matchup with the LV’s in January will generate some buzz, it hardly worries me.

As for many TN fans, they can not let go of their hatred for UConn WBB and Geno Auriemma. In many ways hating Geno and UConn is the only thing that continues to allow them to believe they are still a great WBB program. If they let go of their hate they may sadly discover that TN WBB really doesn’t matter that much anymore. The game in January at UConn terrifies many LV fans as it could be a painful demonstration of the chasm that now separates what used to be two fierce rivals.

 

[CL82]

I think the LV fans were just looking for an excuse to hate her. "Sorry/not sorry" isn't a taunt.

Yeah, it pretty much is.

 

[veryolddog]

Look, hate is hate. However, all of this emotion is not pointed in the correct direction. The Tennessee program has significantly declined since Pat Summit. The program managed by her successor for her successor has been mismanaged to the point that the recruits have been misled about their expectation. The name Tennessee alone does not cause a program to be successful. The name UConn means success because of Geno and Chris Daly and a little from their helpers. Geno rules the team not the players. In the Tennessee program, there was a lack of discipline where the players without direction and strong management determined the outcomes of their games. The fact that Westbrook is seeking to change that environment is a credit to her own thinking that she is looking for direction that will improve her both as a person and as an athlete. She will hone her skills and she will win by following the leadership provided by Geno and Chris.

By the way, the way, the picture of the two supposed Rednecks is inappropriate. These guys could also be from Middletown, CT.

 

[UConnNick]

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Seems to me that it would have been more circumspect for Evina to have left the "Sorry not Sorry" out of her message. I understand how tough it had to have been for her to read Tenn fans on social media taking shots at her for that post-game answer about "off court stuff", but she should have let it go. I don't think there is any question but that it was a shot of sorts, albeit a pretty tame one, at the Tenn fans.

Per the Urban Dictionary:

"1) Typically used to signify that speaker does not care whether their behavior emotionally upsets someone . "

2) The term could also be used to acknowledge that the speaker's behavior could upset someone, but the speaker stands by their behavior. "

She could have meant #2 ala I know you won't like this, but I have to do this for me.