Tenn vs Syracuse

[mrmojack]

I would like to hear from Margo on Rocky Top.

 

[Goodgood]

Tenn will be fine. Prob more so in the next two years they will be one of the teams to beat. This year good but elite eight is their ceiling. I think if Cooper continues to improve, she will win national player of the year before she graduates. Coaching and staying hungry and the skys the limit for her. I can imagine how good she would be with Geno...WOW. One other thing I notice about most, not all of these other all American level players is that they arent in as good shape as the uconn girls and its usually the difference. Example was Mitchell Ohio state.

Don't know about next two years. They have no recruit for next and nothing so far for 2017 and they have a few graduating unless they get a couple transfers somewhere.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Tenn will be fine. Prob more so in the next two years they will be one of the teams to beat. This year good but elite eight is their ceiling. I think if Cooper continues to improve, she will win national player of the year before she graduates. Coaching and staying hungry and the skys the limit for her. I can imagine how good she would be with Geno...WOW. One other thing I notice about most, not all of these other all American level players is that they arent in as good shape as the uconn girls and its usually the difference. Example was Mitchell Ohio state.

Yes. I was surprised at how un-svelte she looked.

 

[bballnut90]

Don't know about next two years. They have no recruit for next and nothing so far for 2017 and they have a few graduating unless they get a couple transfers somewhere.

I'm guessing Holly nabs a transfer for 2 in the off season next year. But next year is their best shot IMO, of course assuming everyone is healthy. Russell could be one of the premier posts in the nation, and when healthy, DeShields is one of the very best players in the country. They have solid players to fill out the line up in Reynolds, Carter, Cooper, Jones and Nared and will have virtually the same roster next year sans Graves. They'll return the same squad the following year if DeShields and Russell both stay, but I think it's a long shot to assume both players of their caliber will opt for 1 more year of college ball over going pro.

Their biggest issue for 2016-17 is that everyone else in college basketball outside of UCONN should be peaking next year, too. South Carolina, Baylor, Ohio State, and Notre Dame will all be unbelievably stacked, and UCONN still has a championship roster.

 

[Bayareahusky]

Tenn will be fine. Prob more so in the next two years they will be one of the teams to beat. This year good but elite eight is their ceiling. I think if Cooper continues to improve, she will win national player of the year before she graduates. Coaching and staying hungry and the skys the limit for her. I can imagine how good she would be with Geno...WOW. One other thing I notice about most, not all of these other all American level players is that they arent in as good shape as the uconn girls and its usually the difference. Example was Mitchell Ohio state.

Next year TN has Graves and Moore graduated.... and i think very little coming in..... perhaps THIS should be the year for them.... gonna be hard though if they do not develop some semblance of an offense..... I mean jeez Louise!! they have 7 McDonald's All Americans..... that is a formidable force....

Yes our conditioning is great..... i remember last year even utilizing a short bench, we outran all others..... South Carolina didn't want to run with us.... and I think Dawn hired a conditioning coach in the off season.....

 

[Goodgood]

DD doesn't seem right. I hope for Tenn that it is temporary and that she'll be ok when it counts. She had a year and a half to recover from whatever her physical problems were, but she was so out of synch playing. Did she not practice with Tenn all last year? how did she make the USA team last summer without being healthy or did she make it on reputation alone same as Asia Durr who was injured at the time? I hope Natalie Butler is less tentative when she comes back.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Margo on Syracuse Win:

 

[Wbbfan1]

Margo on the Penn State Win:

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Yes. I was surprised at how un-svelte she looked.

Hopefully that choice of words spares you the PC Patrol!

 

[j66kicker]

Hopefully that choice of words spares you the PC Patrol!

Mitchell - OK
KML - NO-K

 

[uconnever]

Next year TN has Graves and Moore graduated.... and i think very little coming in..... perhaps THIS should be the year for them.... gonna be hard though if they do not develop some semblance of an offense..... I mean jeez Louise!! they have 7 McDonald's All Americans..... that is a formidable force....

Yes our conditioning is great..... i remember last year even utilizing a short bench, we outran all others..... South Carolina didn't want to run with us.... and I think Dawn hired a conditioning coach in the off season.....

I just don't understand why these other teams aren't as conditioned as us. I think that's a huge reason they get blown out. Discipline and condition. Don't these other coaches see that.

 

[PhillyCoach]

Great thread here. The BY really covers the top 10 and most of the top 25 teams. What I've noticed (as other posters have pointed out) are the cracks in so many of the top teams. Most team are out of sync--even for the early season. The team defense is pretty poor. Lots of one on one. Many teams are short of the assists (Ohio State for one.) There is lack of effort. Conditioning is surprisingly missing. Several coaches seem to be less control of their team than usual. Shooting % is down. Transfers are at an all-time high. Tats are bursting out all over. Headsets are now part of the uniform. I am sure that other posters could add a few more.
Each time one of these cracks is exposed I think of UConn and Geno and say to myself--UConn knows how to either eliminate or avoid most if not all of these distractions/obstacles. Just another reason why UConn stays ahead of the crowd.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Great thread here. The BY really covers the top 10 and most of the top 25 teams. What I've noticed (as other posters have pointed out) are the cracks in so many of the top teams. Most team are out of sync--even for the early season. The team defense is pretty poor. Lots of one on one. Many teams are short of the assists (Ohio State for one.) There is lack of effort. Conditioning is surprisingly missing. Several coaches seem to be less control of their team than usual. Shooting % is down. Transfers are at an all-time high. Tats are bursting out all over. Headsets are now part of the uniform. I am sure that other posters could add a few more.
Each time one of these cracks is exposed I think of UConn and Geno and say to myself--UConn knows how to either eliminate or avoid most if not all of these distractions/obstacles. Just another reason why UConn stays ahead of the crowd.

I dislike the observations, but cannot deny their accuracy and it is troubling. Why does CD say it is harder and harder to find players acceptable to UConn. Why does Geno say if it was like this when he started, he would not have started? All the AAU team play without practice, flash without substance, ratings manipulations, personal trainers and hangers on whispering in kids ears, etc., etc., etc. (no lectures Kib on etcetera usage!) As a society we are short on the virtues of discipline and hard work, and our young athletes are on the cutting edge of whatever the opposite is of both. They are victims of parents who stuck cell phones with game apps in their hands when they were 6, 'cuz it was easy. I will cut this curmudgeonly editorial short.

 

[PhillyCoach]

I dislike the observations, but cannot deny their accuracy and it is troubling. Why does CD say it is harder and harder to find players acceptable to UConn. Why does Geno say if it was like this when he started, he would not have started? All the AAU team play without practice, flash without substance, ratings manipulations, personal trainers and hangers on whispering in kids ears, etc., etc., etc. (no lectures Kib on etcetera usage!) As a society we are short on the virtues of discipline and hard work, and our young athletes are on the cutting edge of whatever the opposite is of both. They are victims of parents who stuck cell phones with game apps in their hands when they were 6, 'cuz it was easy. I will cut this curmudgeonly editorial short.

Hey Rock - I have to tell younger coaches, teachers, and parents that "just because it is old school, doesn't mean it isn't true." Most coaches and teachers will tell you in a second that it is not the same anymore. People can't wait to get out or sadly recognize the difficulty (like Geno does.) My son is a teacher/coach in Philly. If he is lucky, there are some years with good groups of kids and good classes where it is enjoyable to interact. Every once is a while he gets a bad crop and it is ..#%*&##. Well, we can imagine the difficulty.
My wife pulled out an old elementary report card from the 50's and the first thing listed was a grade for Obedience. Hey posters, when was the last time you even HEARD THAT WORD let alone seen the behavior on a consistent basis. There are still good families and parents out there, don't get me wrong. There are just less of them. Many of us clearly understand what CD says about finding the right player for UConn. I hear ya Rock!

 

[huskyd]

Meanwhile, over at Volnation, the pack is baying very loudly behind Holly's sled.

Check out the Vol fan board: sounds as if the folks are looking for a rocky top to jump off. May not be a holly, jolly Christmas.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Check out the Vol fan board: sounds as if the folks are looking for a rocky top to jump off. May not be a holly, jolly Christmas.

As much as I get a kick out of their suffering - and the usual annual delusion that precedes it - they are a loyal fan base that deserves better than they are getting from that program. Hmmmm...maybe they should consider the possibility that the unreasoning, slanderous hate they throw UConn's way is bouncing back their way. Karma is a bitch.

 

[tennparker3]

Great thread here. The BY really covers the top 10 and most of the top 25 teams. What I've noticed (as other posters have pointed out) are the cracks in so many of the top teams. Most team are out of sync--even for the early season. The team defense is pretty poor. Lots of one on one. Many teams are short of the assists (Ohio State for one.) There is lack of effort. Conditioning is surprisingly missing. Several coaches seem to be less control of their team than usual. Shooting % is down. Transfers are at an all-time high. Tats are bursting out all over. Headsets are now part of the uniform. I am sure that other posters could add a few more.
Each time one of these cracks is exposed I think of UConn and Geno and say to myself--UConn knows how to either eliminate or avoid most if not all of these distractions/obstacles. Just another reason why UConn stays ahead of the crowd.

I have noticed a higher than average number of top teams opening up their season with less than stellar performances. Notre
Dame struggled against Toledo for more than half that game and then had a tough game versus SDSU. Texas A&M wins at Duke and then almost gets beat by an average TCU team. South Carolina versus Clemson, Louisville versus anyone (they are very young though... but very talented), Baylor are all examples.

Stanford has looked better than expected. Tough win at Gonzaga and smoked GW today. McCall playing like the AA some thought she would be coming out of high school.

Seems like WCBB is having a MCBB start to the season where you see multiple eye popping results. #1 UNC lost at UNI today, which is not that surprising because big upsets happen far more often on the men's side.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

I have noticed a higher than average number of top teams opening up their season with less than stellar performances. Notre
Dame struggled against Toledo for more than half that game and then had a tough game versus SDSU. Texas A&M wins at Duke and then almost gets beat by an average TCU team. South Carolina versus Clemson, Louisville versus anyone (they are very young though... but very talented), Baylor are all examples.

Stanford has looked better than expected. Tough win at Gonzaga and smoked GW today. McCall playing like the AA some thought she would be coming out of high school.

Seems like WCBB is having a MCBB start to the season where you see multiple eye popping results. #1 UNC lost at UNI today, which is not that surprising because big upsets happen far more often on the men's side.

Yes, I've noticed all the shaky starts too. But, as people have been saying, it's still early.

Last year when UConn lost early to Stanford it was disconcerting but nobody felt the sky was falling.
After the Christmas holidays, when conference play starts, I think we'll have a better idea of who
(besides UConn) is in the hunt for a final four spot and who isn't.

 

[HuskyNan]

I have noticed a higher than average number of top teams opening up their season with less than stellar performances. Notre
Dame struggled against Toledo for more than half that game and then had a tough game versus SDSU. Texas A&M wins at Duke and then almost gets beat by an average TCU team. South Carolina versus Clemson, Louisville versus anyone (they are very young though... but very talented), Baylor are all examples.

Stanford has looked better than expected. Tough win at Gonzaga and smoked GW today. McCall playing like the AA some thought she would be coming out of high school.

Seems like WCBB is having a MCBB start to the season where you see multiple eye popping results. #1 UNC lost at UNI today, which is not that surprising because big upsets happen far more often on the men's side.

Toledo is a pretty good team with a very good coach (Tricia Cullop). The Rockets had a couple rough rebuilding years but overall, Cullop's tenure has been quite resoectable.

 

[msf22b]

Margo: after Syracuse win debacle

"Shout out to Holly..."

She lost me there...I turned her off.