UConn in Slate [MERGED THREAD]

[Orangutan]

I thought the author made a few relevant comments. But to say that Azura was the best player on last years team and sat for 17 minutes against ND while other less talented players who were 6 inches shorter played... is nuts! He also says Walker hasn’t developed (yes she has) and Danger is just good (I think she’s one of the top 2-3 PGs in the country) is just plain silly.

Saying Danger was "only a good player" is where he lost me. She's a finalist for the Lieberman award as best PG in the country. And of the 5 nominees, I think I'd rank her second.

Also, the backhanded dig at Gabby and Kia as "less talented". Yes, Gabby was so much less talented than Stevens that she went ahead of Stevens in the WNBA draft.

 

[Gus Mahler]

This post is probably closest to my feelings. What really drove me nuts was that the article strongly implied that Azure went to the WNBA because of misuse. Please. She went because she saw a 1st round opportunity. Azure had a strong game against ND and I could see where he might have been criticized for his rotations in that game but overall, she was a mercurial player with significant weaknesses (remember her 3pt shooting/ limited rebounding etc) which Geno wanted to help her improve in her senior year.

Plus she missed about as many bunnies as she made. Then there was the matador defense, followed by a futile flail.

 

[UConnCat]

Maybe a little hype, but otherwise I thought the author was pretty much spot-on. Unbiased and objective.

He’s far from a close follower of the program, though. A total outsider could put that piece together from Wikipedia, and reading the Boneyard, in an hour (just search “Charlieball”). Being “objective” doesn’t mean he has any clue about the heart and soul of this program, not to mention what schemes G might be working to get a player or 2 in here next year.

I expect KLS and Phee to leave with another NC, and to leave the program in good hands.

After reading his article on UConn a couple of years ago I said he did his research by reading message boards. Clearly he's bored reading law journals.

 

[oldude]

Think Diamond DeShields with a little less athleticism and a little more discipline. Aubrey is long and fast.

I agree, sort of. DD had a stronger frame than Aubrey at this point in their respective careers, which allowed her to do some things a little better. Once Aubrey adds some muscle, along with the significant difference in development that will occur as a result of the respective coaching that Aubrey will benefit from vs DD, I think Aubrey has the potential to be every bit as good as DD, if not better.

 

[veryolddog]

It seems that this author of the article pushed all the right buttons to produce the anger in this thread. Whatever, he is entitled to his opinion.

On the points the author made, they make sense from an outsider's perspective. If you are in the dog house, then you are infuriated. I have my own point of view and you have yours. If I let you know, what I really think, you would bounce off the walls. But, I am not a basketball coach, and I could not coach a team even if I tried. However, I could take them out to dinner. What I am is a retired Marine Corps officer from many days gone by and I would not like to be second guessed on my decisions when I had to make them in the field. So, I sit back and let Geno be Geno and run the team the way he wants. I may not like everything the man does, but HE is the expert and I am just a watcher.

 

[meyers7]

Since Stewart graduated, there hasn’t been another star of her magnitude to fill the void.

Anywhere, on any team, in WCBB.

 

[oldude]

Since Stewart graduated, there hasn’t been another star of her magnitude to fill the void.

Anywhere, on any team, in WCBB.

Of course you’re correct, but frankly, it’s unfair to compare other players to Stewie. Players like Stewie come along once in a generation. She has literally redefined the role of a post player in WBB and is already in the discussion as the GOAT.

 

[meyers7]

Of course you’re correct, but frankly, it’s unfair to compare other players to Stewie. Players like Stewie come along once in a generation. She has literally redefined the role of a post player in WBB and is already in the discussion as the GOAT.

Exactly. It isn't UCONN failed to fill the void, there isn't anyone, anywhere in WCBB to fill the void. (Maybe in a couple years with Fudd??)

 

[Fairfield Fan]

The author writes: "And then Stevens left for the pros. Perhaps she realized last year’s draft was weaker than this year’s. Or perhaps she left because she didn’t like her lack of playing time. Whether Geno benched her because he trusted his system too much or because he was too loyal to his seniors, it’s possible that his choice cost UConn the 2018 and 2019 national titles."

This might be correct. We are a #2 seed this year, and certainly would have been a #1 seed with Azure. We did lose the title last year, and we all would admit that we're not the odds-on favorite this year. So as much as we might not like seeing a critical essay like this one, he's not talking through his hat. If we're honest, we can admit that he's entitled to a critical viewpoint.

 

[Jmsdawg]

Not a bad article, but time is not on UConn's side. Geno isn't going to weather another five (or six or seven) year drought at his age. He will eventually get annoyed at the headwinds he is facing that he cannot change. Recruiting is hard work, more so now than ever before, and today's kids are fickle, distracted, and easily influenced by shiny objects. The conference we are stuck in certainly does us no favors either.

You say “conference we are stuck in” is that correct? It would seem to me the conference UConn should be in is the Big East. Is it not possible to make an application for Big East membership?

 

[Fairfield Fan]

And he's right about this: "Since Stewart graduated, there hasn’t been another star of her magnitude to fill the void. UConn has been led by Katie Lou Samuelson and Napheesa Collier, two seniors who are great players but not among the greatest of all time."

Connecticut wins national championships with All-Time Great Players: Rebecca Lobo, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Tina Charles (together), and Brianna Stewart. We don't win NC's when we don't have great players. KLS and Pheesa are excellent players, even first-round picks in the WNBA. But even we can't ignore that they're not going to go among the first selections. Indeed, a recent mock draft has KLS barely remaining in the first round. That could be because of injuries, including her recent back problems. But that will be a question mark in the upcoming tournament as well.

The author is pointing out what many of us would like not to see: we're vulnerable. And next year will be a far greater challenge.

 

[UConnCat]

I say we nominate Mr Bronsteen for a Pulitzer. Such brilliance.

 

[oldude]

You say “conference we are stuck in” is that correct? It would seem to me the conference UConn should be in is the Big East. Is it not possible to make an application for Big East membership?

The BE would welcome UConn with open arms. It would reduce travel costs and re-establish historic rivalries with St Johns, Villanova and others.

The problem is that it would necessarily eliminate D1 football at UConn. While some of us see that as a blessing, the UConn community has put a lot of money and effort into the football program, and there is a reluctance to abandon football.

 

[JB123]

I say we nominate Mr Bronsteen for a Pulitzer. Such brilliance.

Serious question: What would you have written if Slate had asked you to write this article about the current state of UConn women's hoops? You probably know more than most if not all of the people who write these articles, so what do you think they should say?

 

[Jmsdawg]

The BE would welcome UConn with open arms. It would reduce travel costs and re-establish historic rivalries with St Johns, Villanova and others.

The problem is that it would necessarily eliminate D1 football at UConn. While some of us see that as a blessing, the UConn community has put a lot of money and effort into the football program, and there is a reluctance to abandon football.

ND is in the ACC for basketball but is an independent for football, can UConn not do the same? Usually football teams benefit from a conference because there is a sharing of post season bowl funds, is that what UConn would want to stay in ACC? To me UConn membership in the BIg East for basketball makes sense.

 

[UConnCat]

Serious question: What would you have written if Slate had asked you to write this article about the current state of UConn women's hoops? You probably know more than most if not all of the people who write these articles, so what do you think they should say?

I would decline of course. I might tell Slate that if they were serious about publishing a piece on women's basketball UConn every 2-3 years that they might want to look at a journalist who actually covers the sport and who might be willing to do some real reporting rather than hiring a law professor who researches on the internet. Then again, I'd probably tell Slate to stick to politics.

 

[oldude]

ND is in the ACC for basketball but is an independent for football, can UConn not do the same? Usually football teams benefit from a conference because there is a sharing of post season bowl funds, is that what UConn would want to stay in ACC? To me UConn membership in the BIg East for basketball makes sense.

ND is a special case. As part of their affiliation with the ACC, ND is contractually obligated to play at least 5 games a year against ACC opponents. No conference wants UConn football enough to allow them to join/remain part of the conference without bringing along their flagship basketball program.

 

[hoopsfan22]

ND is in the ACC for basketball but is an independent for football, can UConn not do the same? Usually football teams benefit from a conference because there is a sharing of post season bowl funds, is that what UConn would want to stay in ACC? To me UConn membership in the BIg East for basketball makes sense.

The Big East is not much better than where we are now. There has been a ton of debate about this in the conference realignment board. We're a flagship public university, not some small private Catholic school. Our profile academically and athletically is more in line (better than most if we're being honest) with the P5 schools. Also, half of our modern era old rivals now are in the ACC.

 

[HopJim]

This post is probably closest to my feelings. What really drove me nuts was that the article strongly implied that Azure went to the WNBA because of misuse. Please. She went because she saw a 1st round opportunity. Azure had a strong game against ND and I could see where he might have been criticized for his rotations in that game but overall, she was a mercurial player with significant weaknesses (remember her 3pt shooting/ limited rebounding etc) which Geno wanted to help her improve in her senior year.

While always difficult to understand someone else's mind set/emotions, it seemed Azure preferred pros to UConn. Did Geno's rants and her inconsistent playing time contribute? Not sure. "Significant weaknesses? Ha ha. Why so defensive? All players except a Stewie level have some but she was one of the best players in country as measured by draft.

 

[uconnell]

Tell me jmsdawg do you watch Fox Sports channel much? I don’t. I watch ESPN. I don’t think I have watched Fox Sports and the BE within the last year or so. Have you?

 

[oldude]

The Big East is not much better than where we are now. There has been a ton of debate about this in the conference realignment board. We're a flagship public university, not some small private Catholic school. Our profile academically and athletically is more in line (better than most if we're being honest) with the P5 schools. Also, half of our modern era old rivals now are in the ACC.

I have to disagree on several points. After UConn, there is no team in the AAC as good as either Marquette or Depaul. The AAC is a mix of both public and private universities spread all over the country and makes no sense from a travel perspective, or traditional rivals. Just about all of the schools in the BE were there when UConn was in the BE. Not all universities in the BE are in fact Catholic schools.

UConn plays in the AAC for one reason only. There is no football in the BE.

 

[eebmg]

While always difficult to understand someone else's mind set/emotions, it seemed Azure preferred pros to UConn. Did Geno's rants and her inconsistent playing time contribute? Not sure. "Significant weaknesses? Ha ha. Why so defensive? All players except a Stewie level have some but she was one of the best players in country as measured by draft.

Not sure what you mean by defensive? Significant weaknesses relative to the potential Geno saw in her. Imho, she is a nice 2nd tier player in the WNBA and perhaps she will find the inner drive and coaching to push her foreward but Geno saw so much in her that he wanted to harness.

Oh well, the best laid plans.

 

[JoePgh]

I forced myself to read the entire article and thought that it was balanced, and the conclusion is unarguable -- either UConn will return to the level of consecutive NC's in the next few years, or it won't. (Does anyone want to disagree with that?) I agree that he downplayed excessively the play of Megan and Crystal during the current season.

On the specific issue of Azura's reasons for going pro, I think it is possible that she knew that if she stayed, Geno would coach her to be a traditional center, and (like A'ja Wilson) that is not really what she wanted to be. Geno is always going to coach players based on the needs of the team, rather than their individual desires regarding roles. So it may have been a case of "irreconcilable differences".

 

[oldude]

On the specific issue of Azura's reasons for going pro, I think it is possible that she knew that if she stayed, Geno would coach her to be a traditional center, and (like A'ja Wilson) that is not really what she wanted to be".

I have a different take on this. Geno loves post players who can play out on the floor and spread the offense, as well as playing strong in the paint. Think Stewie and EDD, who Geno finally got the opportunity to coach in the Olympics.

When Z first got to UConn, she had a tendency to float around on the perimeter. Geno & CD worked hard to expand her game to also encompass post play. The problem for Z is that she fell into a season long shooting slump from the arc, so that by the end of the season there was really no reason for her to hang around the perimeter.

There is no doubt in my mind that, had Z returned to UConn for another season, she would have been a far more complete player, with the ability to play both in the paint and out on the perimeter.

At the end of the day, I think Z’s decision was more about wanting to get on to the pros and earn a living then any perceived problem with Geno wanting her to be a traditional Center.

 

[Argonaut]

I've always looked at Z's departure as being a combination of two things:

1. She didn't want to be in a draft class with McCowan and Brown.
2. She was finished with school.

She was #6 in last year's draft and the #2 big. Would having stayed another year in school improved her draft position? Probably not. If she was projected to go in the second round last year, I think she'd be back this year.

And I haven't seen anyone consider the possibility that UConn may not have had a master's program she was interested in.

Selfishly, I wish she was back this year because I think she is the missing piece that would make UConn the stand-out favorite to win the NC. From a draft and academic standpoint, she seems to have made the most logical choice.