The marketing of a national POY candidate

[pap49cba]

Baylor Lady Bears ‏@BaylorWBB 9h
Another game, another 30 points for Odyssey Sims. 11th time this season with 30+ for the #NationalPOY. #SicEm pic.twitter.com/ITM10KuDo1

 

[DobbsRover2]

Still think OS is trailing CO in the totally imaginary votes counting, but an 11-19 shooting game and 6-9 for 3-pts is a much better sign of a player playing within her game and just putting the ball in the basket efficiently. Of course she only got 1 assist, but Niya Johnson seems to be taking care of the heavy dishing there with 8. Best of all, she helped inch UConn's ratings up incrementally last night.

 

[Vowelguy]

Baylor Lady Bears ‏@BaylorWBB 9h
Another game, another 30 points for Odyssey Sims. 11th time this season with 30+ for the #NationalPOY. #SicEm

I hope you're not suggesting that UConn doesn't market its players.

 

[intlzncster]

Have to market your players, especially if you are not in a huge market. WCBB doesn't have enough coverage nationally. I'd be surprised if most voters have seen more than 50% of the potential candidates play at least once this season.

 

[Aluminny69]

Reminds me of the year Amanda Beard (Duke) beat out DT for POY ( 2004?) Thanks to Coach GG for padding AB's stats by leaving her in games longer than necessary. DT was beat up that year, as that was the strategy to slow her down. DT got the last laugh though, a third NC.

 

[uconnell]

It was Alaina Beard.

 

[Sakibomb25]

It was Alaina Beard.

Alana Beard.

 

[PacoSwede]

I don't mind schools promoting their kids.

I do have a problem with the national media swallowing it whole and simply regurgitating it. Be nice if they would present alternative ideas.

 

[cabbie191]

I suspect Kim Mulkey would gladly trade a couple of NPOY Lady Bears for an additional NC trophy.

 

[Woof 101]

Some teams have a goal of getting a POY trophy for one of their own.
Some teams the only goal is a NC. Should we be lucky enough to win it all this year I think we have five Players Of The Year.

 

[pap49cba]

I have never seen UConn "market" a POY candidate by sending out tweets, blast emails, etc. Does Geno 'talk up' certain players? Of course. But at the end of the day the team is more important than any one player.

 

[cardfan]

I have never seen UConn "market" a POY candidate by sending out tweets, blast emails, etc. Does Geno 'talk up' certain players? Of course. But at the end of the day the team is more important than any one player.

same for Stanford and Tara.

 

[Vowelguy]

I have never seen UConn "market" a POY candidate by sending out tweets, blast emails, etc. Does Geno 'talk up' certain players? Of course. But at the end of the day the team is more important than any one player.

Geno is the most prominent name in wcbb. Anything he says is going to get maximum attention. On many occasions he has said that person X is the best player or best guard or 2nd best center, etc. it surely get these kids exposure and raises their status, and probably gets them votes.
Other programs without that same microphone have to go other routes to talk up their players. I don't see the problem.

 

[ThisJustIn]

I do have a problem with the national media swallowing it whole and simply regurgitating it. Be nice if they would present alternative ideas.

So, other than the two other candidates "the media" have been regurgitating ad nauseam (Chiney and TBS) who else should the be throwing up over?

 

[pap49cba]

Geno is the most prominent name in wcbb. Anything he says is going to get maximum attention. On many occasions he has said that person X is the best player or best guard or 2nd best center, etc. it surely get these kids exposure and raises their status, and probably gets them votes.
Other programs without that same microphone have to go other routes to talk up their players. I don't see the problem.

First, I never said it's a "problem". So Kim Mulkey - one of the top coaches in the game - doesn't have a "microphone"? Frankly, if Baylor University wants to highlight the accomplishments of one player over the accomplishments of its team that is their business. I'm just saying you would never see UConn or some other top programs take that approach. If Baylor loses in the Elite Eight but Sims wins the POY I guess the institution will be happy and can hang another banner.

 

[PacoSwede]

So, other than the two other candidates "the media" have been regurgitating ad nauseam (Chiney and TBS) who else should the be throwing up over?

I'm not the one claiming expertise on the WCBB scene, nor am I making a (for some) nice income based on supposed expertise.

Just repeating what the SIDs send out, or repeatedly reinforcing whatever narrative the hit-and-run national media have decided to adopt doesn't help me or anyone else learn who some of those other kids are that maybe should be getting some attention.

As a casual observer, I recall that when Beard was getting ballyhooed and D was being handed demerits (because her performances weren't quite as boffo as during her junior year) there was a fairly good player from Minnesota being ignored. Lindsay Whalen led that less=than-elite school to a FF but I don't think her name even was merely mentioned as a possible POY. As far as big media were concerned, Alana Beard was the better narrative and they were gonna do what they could to make their selective narrative the reality. (That'd prove the expertise, you know.)

I wish there would be a media aversion to pushing and pushing a pleasing (to them) narrative and a passion for exploring as many alternative narratives as they can manage.

Can you agree with that?

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

First, I never said it's a "problem". So Kim Mulkey - one of the top coaches in the game - doesn't have a "microphone"? Frankly, if Baylor University wants to highlight the accomplishments of one player over the accomplishments of its team that is their business. I'm just saying you would never see UConn or some other top programs take that approach. If Baylor loses in the Elite Eight but Sims wins the POY I guess the institution will be happy and can hang another banner.

The various recruiting benefits of having the NPOY at your school - or even scoring an all-American - merits the advertising if it is going to help. Rutgers did it with Kia Vaughn, Cappie and Essence Carson, IIRC. Poster hand-outs and an "entry" screen on the web site.

I don't see the problem with it.

 

[Icebear]

So, other than the two other candidates "the media" have been regurgitating ad nauseam (Chiney and TBS) who else should the be throwing up over?

I think the point was just forwarding material from Sports Information Directors is the lazy easy way out and does not serve the viewer well. I would add an if, "IF that is all a media outlet does without an attempt to put it in the context of the sport overall." SID's goal is promotion of their interests, not the interests of the public or the integrity of awards overall. It is just not their job.

 

[Vowelguy]

As a casual observer, I recall that when Beard was getting ballyhooed and D was being handed demerits (because her performances weren't quite as boffo as during her junior year) there was a fairly good player from Minnesota being ignored. Lindsay Whalen led that less=than-elite school to a FF but I don't think her name even was merely mentioned as a possible POY. ?

POY voting is done before the tournament.

Whalen missed several weeks that year with an injury. As a result, MN lost several games and only got a 7 seed. That was unfortunate for 2 seed Kansas st which had to face a really really good 7 seed in the 2nd round.