UCONN recruiting - simply UNREAL...

[RoyDodger]

I was explaining this to my cousin who doesn't follow sports at all the other day. I was bringing out how prolific of a player Breanna is and how we have Moriah as well, (didn't even get in Morgan, who is just as valuable) Then I added in KML for this year and she basically said, whats the fun in that? Although I still think it will be very fun to watch, am I the only one who got a little bored during parts of the streak? I love UCONN basketball and want nothing more than our team to win in March/April but this is just not going to be fair. If these players play to the level they have shown in high school, there won't be a team that can get within 20 points of them, which is not something I want to happen. Hopefully a young team like Baylor or A&M will have great development and be able to give that team a challenge.

Now let's not get carried away. I agree that the potential for this team is unreal, but KML hasn't played a minute yet. And Breanna, Morgan, and Moriah still have a year to go before they even set foot on the UConn campus as students.

The interesting question you raise is about whether it's boring to watch a great winning (dominating) team. Well, I was always fascinated with Yankee fans who never seem to tire of winning. I grew up in New York City in the 1950s when the Yankees were in the World Series every year except two until I was 20 years old (1965, the Twins played the Dodgers in the WS). We anti-Yankee fans hated it, and people screamed about breaking up the Yankees, but no one said they were bored by rooting for a great winning team. I was never much of a basketball fan because I never really enjoyed watching 7 foot tall guys dropping the ball in the basket from overhead. But when my wife and I started watching the UConn women on CPTV during the 2003-2004 season, I got excited because this was the kind of basketball I remembered from my youth. And I kept watching and watching and enjoying the winning and the incredible quality of the play. I remember telling my wife that UConn had a fabulous kid coming named Maya Moore, and I feel privileged that I got to see virtually every game she played in college. Ultimately, I realized that it was sheer joy of watching a team with tremendous talent being coached by the best, the amazing Geno Auriemma. I think I saw all the games in the 90 game streak (as long as they were on TV) and I thrilled to their victories, sometimes a little less, such as the slaughter of Holy Cross, and sometimes with glee when they beat teams like Baylor and Notre Dame. So, is it boring? Absolutely not. It's a thrill and I can't wait to see if they can dominate again with three new talented freshmen. The UConn women--they're my Yankees.

 

[RoyDodger]

And I should add that, although extremely rare, there was also the agony of the first half of the championship game in 2010 vs. Stanford, and the second half in the Final Four vs. Notre Dame this past season. The UConn women are great but they're human and that's the element that makes watching them even more exciting.

 

[Olde Coach]

Maybe someone, some time, said or thought something similar to what Jack Lambert (arguably the NFL's greatest -- and certainly the nastiest -- linebacker at 220 lbs.) said about football:

"Football is designed to reward the one who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, don't play."

I'm in the camp that enjoys excellence -- whether it is seen in Penn State Volleyball, USA Softball, or UConn Women's Basketball et al.

I believe the demonstration of excellence in any sport advances that sport at every level from 6th grade to College to USA Olympic Teams.

This idea applies to all athletics whether they are team sports or individual (like swimming, gymnastics, track and field, skiing, skating etc.).

Great performances expand many athletes' understanding of what is possible. This expansion then stimulates the imagination, leads to further experimentation, and continuously fuels the quest for setting new records at all levels of sport.

If UConn (or any other team) can win 100 consecutive games, that will be great for women's basketball.

 

[Sonny44]

Don't forget about the 2nd best thing about getting a top recruit.
Our rivals aren't getting her!

 

[pinotbear]

Maybe someone, some time, said or thought something similar to what Jack Lambert (arguably the NFL's greatest -- and certainly the nastiest -- linebacker at 220 lbs.) said about football:

"Football is designed to reward the one who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, don't play."

If I recall correctly, after retiring from the Steelers, Lambert went on to become a Fish & Game Warden for the state of Pennsylvania. How'd ya like to run into him, with one trout over the limit in your creel?

 

[EricLA]

i figured i'd revive this thread so tennessee fans could continue to argue that Pat has gotten anything remotely close to UCONN the past 4 years...

 

[triaddukefan]

i figured i'd revive this thread so tennessee fans could continue to argue that Pat has gotten anything remotely close to UCONN the past 4 years...

I cant see how any can argue that point. The argument starts at #2 in terms of recruiting. Just including the 2010, 2011, and 2012 classes.... I would make a strong case that Duke has been #2 in recruiting during that period.

 

[EricLA]

I cant see how any can argue that point. The argument starts at #2 in terms of recruiting. Just including the 2010, 2011, and 2012 classes.... I would make a strong case that Duke has been #2 in recruiting during that period.

i tend to agree. ultimately with the loss of walker i'd put Duke's 2010 class ahead of UCONN's. for 2011, Williams, Henson, and Johnson is pretty close to UCONN and Tennessee. for 2012, tho, JOnes is awesome, but Moore and Heckman don't really compare to Carter and Jones for tenn...

 

[bbsamjj]

i tend to agree. ultimately with the loss of walker i'd put Duke's 2010 class ahead of UCONN's. for 2011, Williams, Henson, and Johnson is pretty close to UCONN and Tennessee. for 2012, tho, JOnes is awesome, but Moore and Heckman don't really compare to Carter and Jones for tenn...

I think dominance for a sport can be good, and I'm not going to argue that UConn's streak was bad for the game.

But what I think is bad for the game, and not just WCBB but any game, is when you have a #1 vs #2 or something similar, and the #1 team blows the other team out. Y'all would know much more than myself about the close games during UConn's streak, but I think what is most interesting as a fan is when two great teams play each other, and there is drama in the outcome.

As an example, Phelps' 7 golds in the last Olympics would have been exciting on their own, but what made them especially outstanding was how close many of the races were.

I also wonder about the mindsets of 3 #1 players in a row signing to one team. There is a lot to be said for their belief that they will be developed the best at UConn, but I don't think it's fun for players to blow out every team they face either. They are all super competitive, so I would think, for example, that KML would be more motivated to lead a team against Stewart than to decide they just want to blow every team out together. Great players want to play great players, but great players also want to prove they can beat the best.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Great players want to play great players, but great players also want to prove they can beat the best.[/quote]

True for Michael Jordan, but not LeBron James.

 

[triaddukefan]

i tend to agree. ultimately with the loss of walker i'd put Duke's 2010 class ahead of UCONN's. for 2011, Williams, Henson, and Johnson is pretty close to UCONN and Tennessee. for 2012, tho, JOnes is awesome, but Moore and Heckman don't really compare to Carter and Jones for tenn...

Of course Im a bit biased, but I'd put our class 2010 class at the top... even before the loss of Walker.... although your two had more of an impact than our 5 in their first year. But yes... 2011... it was pretty much a wash between UCONN, Tenn, and Duke... and 2012 Duke might be slightly behind Tenn. Not sure what the future holds for us in the 2013 and 2014 class.... but hopefully the great recruiting will continue.

 

[EricLA]

Of course Im a bit biased, but I'd put our class 2010 class at the top... even before the loss of Walker.... although your two had more of an impact than our 5 in their first year. But yes... 2011... it was pretty much a wash between UCONN, Tenn, and Duke... and 2012 Duke might be slightly behind Tenn. Not sure what the future holds for us in the 2013 and 2014 class.... but hopefully the great recruiting will continue.

well i think even with walker at least 1 service rated ur class higher. and you got Alexis Jones - she's going to be fantastic for you. i hope McCallie can figure out how to mesh her, williams and the rest of the fab sophomores

 

[triaddukefan]

well i think even with walker at least 1 service rated ur class higher. and you got Alexis Jones - she's going to be fantastic for you. i hope McCallie can figure out how to mesh her, williams and the rest of the fab sophomores

I know the Jefferson kid is rated higher than Jones. on the Hoopzgurlz site.. but its very close. Not sure how they rank the two on the other recruiting sites. From what I gather Jefferson is more of a pure point guard.... Jones is more of a scoring point guard. Is it a little gap between the two.... or a wider one ?

 

[Icebear]

Jefferson has the same 98 rating as Stewart but is ranked #2, Jones is rated 97 and is in the cluster with Jewell Loyd, Bashaara Graves, Malina Howard, Jordan Adams, and Rachel Holivay.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I know the Jefferson kid is rated higher than Jones. on the Hoopzgurlz site.. but its very close. Not sure how they rank the two on the other recruiting sites. From what I gather Jefferson is more of a pure point guard.... Jones is more of a scoring point guard. Is it a little gap between the two.... or a wider one ?

Some, though not HoopGurlz, think Jones is a little better than Jefferson. She is very, very good.

But Stewart and Jefferson together are like Maya and Tina or like Ruth and Gehrig. Plus, Morgan Tuck is just about as good.

 

[EricLA]

I know the Jefferson kid is rated higher than Jones. on the Hoopzgurlz site.. but its very close. Not sure how they rank the two on the other recruiting sites. From what I gather Jefferson is more of a pure point guard.... Jones is more of a scoring point guard. Is it a little gap between the two.... or a wider one ?

jones is actually higher from a couple of places - PBR has her as the #1 kid in the class, and she made the USA team while Jefferson was one of the last ones cut...

 

[magical2]

I'm in the camp that enjoys excellence -- whether it is seen in Penn State Volleyball, USA Softball, or UConn Women's Basketball et al.

I believe the demonstration of excellence in any sport advances that sport at every level from 6th grade to College to USA Olympic Teams.

This idea applies to all athletics whether they are team sports or individual (like swimming, gymnastics, track and field, skiing, skating etc.).

Great performances expand many athletes' understanding of what is possible. This expansion then stimulates the imagination, leads to further experimentation, and continuously fuels the quest for setting new records at all levels of sport.

If UConn (or any other team) can win 100 consecutive games, that will be great for women's basketball.

For me there has been no problem/disappointment to be lucky enough to watch<and be a fan of> a player/team that exhibits excellence! Watching the performances are so often poetry in motion.
Excellent post and for me so true!