Tenn Putting Westbrook Behind Them | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Tenn Putting Westbrook Behind Them

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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.
 
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meyers7 said:
Well at least she probably doesn't have an offense to learn. ;)
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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.
 
JoePgh said:
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.
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I'll go with that, but the opposite way. Until proven otherwise, I'll assume it's still Holly's/Pat's offense. :cool:
 
DeeHusky said:
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.
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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.
 
j66kicker said:
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.
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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.
 
EricLA said:
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?
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I don’t think you’re giving Megan enough credit. Did you know she’s already on several WNBA teams radar?
 
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oldude said:
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.
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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.
 
oldude said:
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.
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While every Board has its fringe set of posters, many never have put anything to do with UConn in the past.
 
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.
 
Tonyc said:
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.
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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.
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
RockyMTblue2 said:
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.
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The definition could just as easily apply to many message board posters and bloggers, many of whom are considerably older than young Ms. Westbrook. Even our own fearless leader Geno is not one to avoid making the occasional snarky remark. I'd chalk it up to the exuberance of youth in her case.
 
If you were 6, 7, 8 years old the last time UConn and Tennessee played of course you are aware of and understand the rivalry:rolleyes:..especially if you didn’t plan on going to Tennessee until you visited :rolleyes:
 
veryolddog said:
Look, hate is hate....

...By the way, the way, the picture of the two supposed Rednecks is inappropriate. These guys could also be from Middletown, CT.
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OK I changed it. Sorry if I offended you. The guys in the new pic (video) are clearly Vol fans and it is highly unlikely they would be found in Middletown, CT (see post #26).
 
Despite the bad coaching she got at UT, she simply made Tennessee a much better team. When she had to sit out against Miss St, the lady vols got hammered by 30 plus points, but when she was back for the sec tourny game it was much more competitive matchup with her in the linuep. I suspect Geno will turn her into an all american before her time is up. As a Tennessee fan myself, I'm not bitter about her transfer one bit and I think she made the absolute right choice by going to UCONN. She was never going to win a NC under Holly and she was def not going to be developed any further under Holly, and Harper is to much of an unknown, especially with her questionable coaching years at NCST. I don't blame Westbrook one bit...I wish her all the best and will be excited to see how she excels under her new hall of fame coach
 
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Boxerpups4me said:
Despite the bad coaching she got at UT, she simply made Tennessee a much better team. When she had to sit out against Miss St, the lady vols got hammered by 30 plus points, but when she was back for the sec tourny game it was much more competitive matchup with her in the linuep. I suspect Geno will turn her into an all american before her time is up. As a Tennessee fan myself, I'm not bitter about her transfer one bit and I think she made the absolute right choice by going to UCONN. She was never going to win a NC under Holly and she was def not going to be developed any further under Holly, and Harper is to much of an unknown, especially with her questionable coaching years at NCST. I don't blame Westbrook one bit...I wish her all the best and will be excited to see how she excels under her new hall of fame coach
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You can’t be a Tennessee fan. With all the stuff I’ve been reading, how is this possible?!! :eek:
 
RockyMTblue2 said:
Not enough rust on the junker for it to be a New Englander.
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what concerned me about this message is the sterotype that this message conveys about people in Tennessee which I do not believe is true anywhere. Nashville is the heart of Country Western Music which a lot of folks enjoy, Memphis is known for great BBQ and music, and Knoxville is a business and education center and the entrance to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. I live in Northeastern NM and don't want to be classified as a Cowboy whatever that is these days. (I was and still am a United States Marine). A lot of people I know who are my friends in Texas have a dim view of the people in Connecticut which is completely untrue.

I graduated UConn in 1964 and was stationed in Groton during the late 70's and 80's. If everyone could have served in the military, I think that we would have a more even view of everyone else no matter where we come from. Even me from Albuquerque.
 
Alydar said:
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.
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Sorry @Alydar but in the language of today's youths "Sorry/not sorry" is a taunt. IMO Evina would have been better off saying nothing in this case and also in the case where she commented to a reporter about coaching changes at the conclusion of TN's season. There are good, better, worst ways to end any relationship this falls under the category of should have been better.
 
CocoHusky said:
Sorry @Alydar but in the language of today's youths "Sorry/not sorry" is a taunt. IMO Evina would have been better off saying nothing in this case and also in the case where she commented to a reporter about coaching changes at the conclusion of TN's season. There are good, better, worst ways to end any relationship this falls under the category of should have been better.
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It wouldn’t have mattered what she said, short of admitting she was crawling in bed with the Devil himself, that would have satisfied the angriest of Tennessee fans.

And as someone who is youth-ish (30 and working in a high school), I don’t see “sorry, not sorry” as taunting or instigating as many people have claimed it to be.
 
oldude said:
Horston is a great athlete. But she’s not a particularly great shooter and if she’s thrown into the fire as TN’s pg as a freshman, it’s going to be one tough learning curve.
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She's a better shooter than Westbrook and I've always been a big fan of Evina, who will assuredly get better, but Horston does have a better offensive game. To be fair, I do believe Evina has played through tough injuries in the latter part of both of her seasons.
 
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