The In-Game Fan Reaction Here Was Very Disappointing......

[huskyd]

I'd say spoiled would be the least of their problems. People, fans, especially rabid, die-hards are a different breed. I saw someone mention '95 - guess I've been a UConn follower for at least that long, and have noticed over the years this issue comes up again and again. I tried following message boards a few times but never lasted long for lack of patience with people who for some reason feel like they've earned a kind of ownership by virtue of no more investment than watching a team play. I'd remind them that win or lose it's still only a game and the real winners were the kids getting a good education they might otherwise have been unable to afford while participating in an activity they enjoyed. This never goes over well and the 'fans' morph into a mob in a blink and I move on. Take a stroll through the boards that supposedly live and breathe all things Lady Vols basketball. It's hard not to see passages from Lord of the Flies playing out by chapter and verse in post after post. You think that's just a flaw to be found in people who love the color orange but it's not.

A really smart post, NW. "It's only a game" is a bit radical, but it's the truth. Geno addressed the subject on one of his SNY shows: UConn is about entertainment. Occasionally in a high stress situation, persevering and coming out on top in the end can be very satisfying. Some people do find blood sports entertaining, some find sports an outlet for their anger, some identify way too closely with their teams (so that a team's loss is somehow a personal loss). Bad manners, however, are apparently not a liability, especially if you're running for president . . .

 

[HuskyNan]

In the game threads, some people post in the heat of the moment and kind of blurt out things they may not otherwise say. I try to keep the poster's overall history in mind when looking at the game threads. Some posts do get deleted but (believe this or not) I really don't like to delete posts. Instead, I've been trying to head off certain lines of discussion that appear to be going down the wrong path.

I don't necessarily like the negativity but it is allowed here as long as the poster doesn't cross any lines. I will say, though, that there are two things that I would like to point out to those posters in hopes they'll consider them before posting negative comments again.
1. Don't beat on one player over and over again. If such postings continue to annoy the board, you could get a temporary ban during game threads. If posters persist in harping on one player ad nauseum, it can get them banned. I don't have time to go around cleaing up posts all day.
2. Criticsm of play ("she's had three straight turnovers" or "her offensive rebounding is bad tonight") is a vastly different thing from sniping ("she just lays bricks. someone else should start"). Talk basketball, please. If you're just going to bitch and moan, do it elsewhere.

On the other side, I would tell the folks that don't like the critical posters that they need to be careful not to drive off posters because they're not positive enough. If someone goes too far with the negativity, a mod has probably spoken with that person via PM. I'm not a fan of calling out people who make unpopular statements. Put those guys on Ignore, if they really bother you. You can also use the Report feature to flag a post that seems particularly out of bounds. A mod will review it and delete, if necessary.

I hope that with a little understanding we can all coexist peaceably. I appreciate everyone's cooperation.

 

[Huskies Rule]

In the game threads, some people post in the heat of the moment and kind of blurt out things they may not otherwise say. I try to keep the poster's overall history in mind when looking at the game threads. Some posts do get deleted but (believe this or not) I really don't like to delete posts. Instead, I've been trying to head off certain lines of discussion that appear to be going down the wrong path.

I don't necessarily like the negativity but it is allowed here as long as the poster doesn't cross any lines. I will say, though, that there are two things that I would like to point out to those posters in hopes they'll consider them before posting negative comments again.
1. Don't beat on one player over and over again. If such postings continue to annoy the board, you could get a temporary ban during game threads. If posters persist in harping on one player ad nauseum, it can get them banned. I don't have time to go around cleaing up posts all day.
2. Criticsm of play ("she's had three straight turnovers" or "her offensive rebounding is bad tonight") is a vastly different thing from sniping ("she just lays bricks. someone else should start"). Talk basketball, please. If you're just going to bitch and moan, do it elsewhere.

On the other side, I would tell the folks that don't like the critical posters that they need to be careful not to drive off posters because they're not positive enough. If someone goes too far with the negativity, a mod has probably spoken with that person via PM. I'm not a fan of calling out people who make unpopular statements. Put those guys on Ignore, if they really bother you. You can also use the Report feature to flag a post that seems particularly out of bounds. A mod will review it and delete, if necessary.

I hope that with a little understanding we can all coexist peaceably. I appreciate everyone's cooperation.

I very much enjoy the differences of opinion, experience and perspective the Boneyard offers. I'm just fine with people bumping heads and seeing things from opposite points-of-view. How boring and uninteresting it would be if every poster thought the same way; this blog would be nothing more than an exercise in mutual congratulations. The banter is healthy and fun.

I just really don't like it when some can't express a difference of opinion without making it personal and petty.

Fortunately those uncivil folks are far and few between here.

 

[Woof 101]

There was one upside to the comments that I liked. The fans that were bashing Kia slithered back under their rock after the first half. I hope we don't have to hear from them during the tournaments, it is really getting tiresome.

You got to this one before me but I am glad others noticed! Nice to see Kia get her stroke back at the right time of the season. As for the OP topic I enjoyed the heck out of that game. People have to remember UConn is every teams #1 target, can some of these folks give the other team credit for playing hard? USF is a scrappy team and well coached and we are lucky to have them in the conference. They simply could not maintain it for forty minutes against us. Of course in the second half the ladies picked up the defensive intensity and it created offense which turned things around.
Two finals on this, no team has ever been awarded a trophy for leading at the half. It just gives them something to talk about at the half. That and the talking heads be it former coaches or not who proclaim going into the half time locker room with a lead gives a team momentum. This is laughable, it may pump an underdog up but more often than not a 30 second time out or a key substitution is what changes momentum. That's why they have them.

 

[Charliebball]

In the game threads, some people post in the heat of the moment and kind of blurt out things they may not otherwise say. I try to keep the poster's overall history in mind when looking at the game threads. Some posts do get deleted but (believe this or not) I really don't like to delete posts. Instead, I've been trying to head off certain lines of discussion that appear to be going down the wrong path.

I don't necessarily like the negativity but it is allowed here as long as the poster doesn't cross any lines. I will say, though, that there are two things that I would like to point out to those posters in hopes they'll consider them before posting negative comments again.
1. Don't beat on one player over and over again. If such postings continue to annoy the board, you could get a temporary ban during game threads. If posters persist in harping on one player ad nauseum, it can get them banned. I don't have time to go around cleaing up posts all day.
2. Criticsm of play ("she's had three straight turnovers" or "her offensive rebounding is bad tonight") is a vastly different thing from sniping ("she just lays bricks. someone else should start"). Talk basketball, please. If you're just going to bitch and moan, do it elsewhere.

On the other side, I would tell the folks that don't like the critical posters that they need to be careful not to drive off posters because they're not positive enough. If someone goes too far with the negativity, a mod has probably spoken with that person via PM. I'm not a fan of calling out people who make unpopular statements. Put those guys on Ignore, if they really bother you. You can also use the Report feature to flag a post that seems particularly out of bounds. A mod will review it and delete, if necessary.

I hope that with a little understanding we can all coexist peaceably. I appreciate everyone's cooperation.

Whenever I am about to say something critical about a college player, I always remind myself that these are student athletes NOT professionals and therefore they need to be judged on a different level. I've been closely following my own daughter's progression from youth basketball to high school and I am appalled at the way some "adults" react if the ball doesn't bounce their kid's way.
This attitude clearly progresses at the college level which is somewhat understandable but no less objectionable.

 

[Jeff H]

A few things:
1. I freely admit to yelling at the TV last night, but that's the way I look at it, I'm yelling at the TV not the girls.
2. I think we own the second half. If we're going to get beat a good team needs to be up by at least 10 at the half.
3. I think the last two games have been good for the girls. Dealing with some adversity and responding without getting rattled can only be a plus going into tournament time.
4. They are so good I think our expectations can be over the top. They're human not machines. It's amazing they have as few bad quarters/halves as they do.

 

[geneticrex]

I slit my wrists midway through the 2nd quarter.

Lucky for me, I can sew.

 

[JordyG]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Next year watching Geno coach a team less talented than this with a group of hard nosed hustling gals will be one of the best seasons ever. I can't wait until the WCBB world writes them all off. Heaven.

 

[OldAlum]

Looking back at the game thread, I only saw a few posts that I thought were too negative or personal and they were by even fewer posters. Most were just expressing concern or frustration at watching such uncharacteristic play. Since we were not at the game and cheering cant spur the team on, many chose to vent on this BB. As Nan said, when it is about the play and not the person, it is fair game, even if overstated in others' opinions.
Maybe my perceptions are skewed by growing up with a frustrated NY Giants fan as a father way back in the Tarkinton days. When he watched at home he would get frustrated and yell and carry on so that most of us left the room. When I was young and innocent, I asked him why he watched if he disliked the team so. He was surprised at that perception! (My mom had a different approach - if he got too excited over yelling at a player, she would calmly say "Yeah, kill him!" ) That said, there were no internet BBs and I don't know what audience he would have shared his views with.
Maybe this thread will encourage more to post positively. Human nature, I guess to post more about concerns/worries. Some are more confident than others about games, others worry until our team is up 20 with a minute to go!

Tournament time! Cant wait to watch Tournament UConn!

 

[Roundball fan]

So many good post to this thread, even on the Boneyard we can have a good second half. Love our girls. Go UConn.

 

[SWHuskyFan]

I was at the game and in and around my section everyone was positive and involved thru the whole game. My take on the first quarter plus was that they're eventually going to miss. They were making some pretty difficult shots. We were also missing more than our normal share. It happens and when it happens against a good team it can look bad, I thought the team did a good job of competing and not letting USF build much of a lead. When the half ended with USF only leading by 1, I gave them very little hope of winning. The game was over a few minutes into the third quarter.

I also think part of the fun of a close basketball game is the emotional highs and lows. People deal with those highs and lows differently. I don't think we should judge too harshly those that post at some of the low moments. It's all part of being a fan.

 

[Nuyoika]

I loved this game. It was awesome to see my wife get all riled up. She never does that. I sat there calmly and predicted a 50 point second half and I think they scored 55 or so. I mean you have to look at the law of averages here. Who honestly thought UConn was going to go an ENTIRE game shooting that poorly? Other teams can compete with UConn for 10, 20, 30, 35, maybe even 37 minutes and its okay that's probably the way it should be if the teams around the country are getting any better. Honestly, it rarely even gets to the 20 minute mark before the competition is over but that's why they play the games right to prove over and over again that they are the best. I do fear for the mental health of some fans next year. We will take our lumps for sure. Let's just hope we don't turn into cannibals and start feasting on the misfortune of our own next year like current state of Volnation.

 

[Icebear]

There certainly were some fans who were negative. Not many but a few...

More than you think, eric.