Tennessee topics (merged threads)

[RockyMTblue2]

They could not score as many as 60 points against Vanderbilt. They won't make it to the final four with that kind of scoring.

It was 52-49 with 2 1/2 to play, then it was foul line time.

 

[Bestiarius]

Woof perfectly OK for us to disagree on this one. Been listening to college basketball for a long time, I have never heard a commentator blame a specific school for missing out on specific prize recruits. The only notable exception being Pat Summit's infamous "They know what they did" nastiness in reference to Maya's recruitment.
Most good professions are self-policing so I'm OK with Dawn not shutting up- As if that were really going to happen.

Missing out on a recruit is generally not newsworthy. Recruits make their decisions based on many different reasons. Top programs primarily lose out when their current rosters are stacked with young talent.

What makes Tennessee's whiffs newsworthy is their pressing need at the 5. For a program with a history of having the pick of the litter to come up zero, despite a lots of available playing time is unheard of. That's what makes it a "Man bites dog" event.

 

[Waquoit]

Doris Burke played WCBB at Providence. She served as an assistant coach for her Alma mater for two years (1988-90). She is the lead commentator for the only National Network ESPN that carries the most WCBB as well as the WCBB championship game. She is a voting member of several WCBB National Awards, including the Liberman & Naismith. She is very much of the WCBB profession just like Rebecca Lobo, Meg Culmo & Kara Lawson are of the same Profession.

No sale. Her profession is broadcaster now, not a WCBB coach or administrator or press agent. I just saw her on an NBA show. And she does men's games. Big difference between being "of" and being "associated with". If she's not pointing out the obvious to the mass audience she is not doing her job. Those taking her to task for these mild criticisms are guilty of small time thinking and that hurts the sport more than anything Burke said. The comic strip Tank McNamara said something years ago that always stuck with me. To paraphrase, "Does WBB want to be a sport or a cause?" The right answer of course, is a sport. But folks like you and Staley apparently feel that it's a cause. That's no way to grow.

 

[CocoHusky]

Missing out on a recruit is generally not newsworthy. Recruits make their decisions based on many different reasons. Top programs primarily lose out when their current rosters are stacked with young talent.

What makes Tennessee's whiffs newsworthy is their pressing need at the 5. For a program with a history of having the pick of the litter to come up zero, despite a lots of available playing time is unheard of. That's what makes it a "Man bites dog" event.

I agree, "pressing need" check, "history of pick of the litter" check, "available playing time" check.
The repetition and the specifics whiffs (McCoy & Cox) by a specific school UTENN is also unheard of -more like woman bites Hyena.

 

[CocoHusky]

No sale. Her profession is broadcaster now, not a WCBB coach or administrator or press agent. I just saw her on an NBA show. And she does men's games. Big difference between being "of" and being "associated with". If she's not pointing out the obvious to the mass audience she is not doing her job. Those taking her to task for these mild criticisms are guilty of small time thinking and that hurts the sport more than anything Burke said. The comic strip Tank McNamara said something years ago that always stuck with me. To paraphrase, "Does WBB want to be a sport or a cause?" The right answer of course, is a sport. But folks like you and Staley apparently feel that it's a cause. That's no way to grow.

Not trying to sell you. The criticisms were not mild. That shot about "small time thinkers" is beneath you. " Folks" like me and Dawn are also concerned about growth-concerned enough to tolerate disagreement. Let's try and be substantive.

 

[Waquoit]

Let's try and be substantive.

Talk about giving someone a "shot".

 

[RowdyFan]

I just hope when the time comes for a new coach, it will be another young, handsome but tough mentalist like Geno.
Well, at least that was how Lobo decided to come to Uconn.

But DT picked UCONN because of Lew Perkins!

 

[CocoHusky]

I'm not sure that there is such a thing as the WCBB profession. There are professions and roles within, for want of a better word, the WCBB industry - and, you listed a few of them (player, coach, broadcaster, commentator, voting member). As I oft do, I quote my great Aunt Kathryn, who said "where you stand depends upon where you sit". Staley is a head coach, and her stance of "speak no evil" regarding recruiting, reflects that. Burke isn't a coach - in fact, her job as commentator requires her to -*ahem* - comment.

And, whether Dawn or Holly or Margo or whomever likes it or not, for any - ANY - nationally-prominent basketball program, men's or women's, to have an "0-fer" recruiting class, that's at least worthy of comment during a broadcast.

When you add in all the other stuff - high school AA's on roster, disappointing early-season play & results, history of the program, transition from a legendary coach, team chemistry concerns - that just makes recruiting weakness an even greater issue.

Folks are upset that Burke commented on Tennessee's difficulties, on and off the court. That's part of her job. I'd be more concerned if she didn't mention these issues, at least from an integrity standpoint. Public Relations for the University of Tennessee, or any other school, is not her job.

What distinguishes an industry from a profession is the application of ethics and standards of knowledge or education.
Ethics are often unwritten but establish the standards by which Human beings interact with each other. Rebecca Lobo, Doris Burke are not just on the air bloviating, they are there because they have acquired a significant level of knowledge about the game of WCBB and make a living from the application of this knowledge.

 

[CocoHusky]

Talk about giving someone a "shot".

You drew first blood.

 

[UcMiami]

As I see it - the issue is not in stating facts, but the repetitive nature of the comments - an issue I have with most commentators most of the time, and with Peck and Burke specifically and continually. They seem to come into a game with a preplanned 'hook' on which they will base their whole commentary and worry that 'hook' to death over the course of a two hour broadcast - it can be about a specific player '______ needs to work on her conditioning, she is constantly slow in getting back in transition', '_____ needs to get her teammates involve', or 'her teammates need to find _____', or it may be team based '_____ have issues with transition, or rebounding, or ....'. Or with the state of the game of WCBB, or whatever they or their research team have come up with. And the patter and worrying continue regardless of what actually is happening on the court.

American television and sports commentary in general, have a real fear of broadcast silence - it is as if they have forgotten the second half of the name of their medium - 'vision' - and the adage about one picture being worth 1000 words. If sportscasters allowed a few seconds of dead air time, they actually might add to their product, by not making ill considered, stupid, or redundant statements. Let us watch the action, and comment on what is happening to let us know who made a particular play, or when they actually have something to add to the experience.

 

[Biff]

...the repetitive nature of the comments
...a preplanned 'hook' on which they will base their whole commentary
...worry that 'hook' to death over the course of a two hour broadcast
...the patter and worrying continue regardless of what actually is happening on the court

check
check
check
check

 

[msf22b]

Let us watch the action, and comment on what is happening to let us know who made a particular play, or when they actually have something to add to the experience.

There's always "the game" to speak of, often gets short-shrift...Who the subs are, who committed the foul, the changing ebb and flow.

My mild disagreement Uc is that with at least some of these "themes" ...I suspect are discussed with their producers or even suggested by above.

 

[Hongster]

But DT picked UCONN because of Lew Perkins!

Are you sure? You don't think paijano connection has anything to do with that?

 

[pinotbear]

Are you sure? You don't think paijano connection has anything to do with that?

Hongster, Rowdy is referring to DT's response at a press conference when some reporter asked if she came to UConn because of the handsome coach. Without missing a beat, DT replied that, no, it was because of the good-lookin' AD. It helps to recall that Big Lew kinda looked like Peter Boyle in Young Frankenstein, only not as neatly groomed.

Gotta love DT!

 

[Hongster]

Hongster, Rowdy is referring to DT's response at a press conference when some reporter asked if she came to UConn because of the handsome coach. Without missing a beat, DT replied that, no, it was because of the good-lookin' AD. It helps to recall that Big Lew kinda looked like Peter Boyle in Young Frankenstein, only not as neatly groomed.

Gotta love DT!

Thank you I missed the joke! That was cute of DT. Oh man! DT is a sharp at everything.