UConn - Time to Get off the Stage

[Wbbfan1]

They're Playing Basketball: Time to get off the stage

Now its a member of WBB Media that piles on.

 

[Sonny44]

Why talk to us about beating us? We'll get off the stage when someone knocks us off.

 

[Kibitzer]

Yeah, we have to make room for events like early April games played in arctic conditions in places like Cleveland.

 

[jcoton56]

watching Roy snivel yet again after his team chokes does not interest me

 

[Wbbfan1]

Lady Vols went to 8 Straight Final Fours, were they bad for WBB?
Notre Dame went to 5 Straight Final Fours, if they went this year for their 6th. Would they have been bad for WBB?
Lady Vols held the Record for 21 Consecutive Tournament Wins, Were they bad for WBB? Record broken by UConn this year Now 24 Straight.

If Notre Dame, Baylor So Carolina or even Maryland had made it to the Final Four, would the games have been more competitive? I believe so, with Notre Dame having the best chance to knock off UConn. WBB Media/Experts were ecstatic with the early round upsets as it was a sign of parity in the women's game. However they failed to realize that the teams that were upset had the best chance of knocking off UConn. The other team that Might have provided a more competitive game was Stanford. Tara would have come up with a game plan to slow UConn down, but don't think they could have lasted the full 40 minutes.

 

[HoopsFan21]

The problem with the comparison of Tennessee's accomplishments versus UConn's is they were done mostly out of view. There was no internet back then, at least not in the form we have had for the past 10-15 years, and women's hoops didn't get much air time until the late 90s early 00s time frame. UConn WCBB is promoted and in your face whether you like it or not, and perhaps that's what rubs people the wrong way. There's still half of this country that believes women are inferior to men. Can you imagine not having TV coverage for our games? We get mad if we're stuck with ESPN3 for that one early season lesser opponent game on the West Coast while other top programs in the country sometimes don't have any media coverage of their games - TV or radio - ask ND fans about that. Perhaps it's the disproportionate amount of attention UConn gets that many dislike because no other WCBB program has ever had anything like it.

 

[HuskyNan]

I've seen whining about the TV ratings being down for the UConn final a couple times now. Do any of these people actually do any research? Are they aware that the most compelling men's final in years had viewership down 37% from last year?

 

[HoopsFan21]

I've seen whining about the TV ratings being down for the UConn final a couple times now. Do any of these people actually do any research? Are they aware that the most compelling men's final in years had viewership down 37% from last year?

I wonder if the late starts for the east coast are the problem? Who can stay up until midnight in the middle of the week to watch a game in which your favorite team is not involved?

 

[willie99]

I've seen whining about the TV ratings being down for the UConn final a couple times now. Do any of these people actually do any research? Are they aware that the most compelling men's final in years had viewership down 37% from last year?

the answer to your (somewhat rhetorical) question is "NO"

just simpletons picking the low hanging fruit

 

[Huskie78]

ESPConN - LOL, I do like that!

 

[Charliebball]

[QU
OTE="Wbbfan1, post: 1659146, member: 74"]They're Playing Basketball: Time to get off the stage

Now its a member of WBB Media that piles on.[/QUOTE]

I really like what was written in the comment section after that article though:

• 
  
  Didn't need drama. There was too much of the joy of watching Basketball played like it should be played. No trick shots, bouncing the ball off the backboard hoping a follow-up would sink it. No dunks that just look cool 'cause the guy ends up playing cheeta on the rim. Just good, real, basketball. Footwork, passing, constantly passing, to the open shot. A play at the end of the tourney just to give the bench Senior a chance to score in her last game (and she did!). Man! As good as watching the UCLA Invitationals and better than watching Tiger or the Yankees in their prime. If you didn't see the purity of the game and just smile, you need to find another line of work.
  

 

[chrissaran]

It's not UConn's fault that their coaching staff is better than all the others, and it's not their fault that their players play harder than all the others. We're tired of the whining of everyone who is against playing the game at its highest level, so Sam Donnellon, suck it up, shut up and deal with it.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Every time UConn is on a National ESPN TV Broadcast, they aren't playing against themselves. There's another team that's getting the equal exposure to a National TV Audience. Its what that teams local Media does with the opportunity to follow up with stories about the game, players, teams accomplishments etc that determine the additional publicity the team receives. Many of the articles written by reporters that cover UConn end up in other newspapers or media websites. If ESPN ever stops broadcasting the number of UConn games that they do, WBB will lose out, unless a team like Notre Dame becomes the dominant WBB team. I'll add the Lady Vols as that would have the additional story line of the reemergence of the Lady Vols. A transcendent player like Brittney Griner did little to help WBB Nationally, although she did help to improve the popularity of WBB in Waco. WBB needs a dominant program to garner a National Audience. I'll add UConn probably doesn't get all the initial attention if they didn't have a polarizing coach that you either love or hate in Geno Auriemma. UConn became a National Story because of the Pat vs Geno Story Line and they continue to be the story because of their excellence on the court.

The problem with the comparison of Tennessee's accomplishments versus UConn's is they were done mostly out of view. There was no internet back then, at least not in the form we have had for the past 10-15 years, and women's hoops didn't get much air time until the late 90s early 00s time frame. UConn WCBB is promoted and in your face whether you like it or not, and perhaps that's what rubs people the wrong way. There's still half of this country that believes women are inferior to men. Can you imagine not having TV coverage for our games? We get mad if we're stuck with ESPN3 for that one early season lesser opponent game on the West Coast while other top programs in the country sometimes don't have any media coverage of their games - TV or radio - ask ND fans about that. Perhaps it's the disproportionate amount of attention UConn gets that many dislike because no other WCBB program has ever had anything like it.

 

[JSB60]

Why talk to us about beating us? We'll get off the stage when someone knocks us off.

Exactly. And while it may well happen next year, I'm not sure that knocking off a Geno-coached, Kia-led team in a tournament game is going to be as easy as some people think.

 

[BroadwayVa]

The problem with the comparison of Tennessee's accomplishments versus UConn's is they were done mostly out of view. There was no internet back then, at least not in the form we have had for the past 10-15 years, and women's hoops didn't get much air time until the late 90s early 00s time frame. UConn WCBB is promoted and in your face whether you like it or not, and perhaps that's what rubs people the wrong way. There's still half of this country that believes women are inferior to men. Can you imagine not having TV coverage for our games? We get mad if we're stuck with ESPN3 for that one early season lesser opponent game on the West Coast while other top programs in the country sometimes don't have any media coverage of their games - TV or radio - ask ND fans about that. Perhaps it's the disproportionate amount of attention UConn gets that many dislike because no other WCBB program has ever had anything like it.

\


PAT Summitt's Vols played a different game in a different time and place--the talent among Women then wasn't as developed as the last 15 years the skill levels couldn't match the current developed Women's game.
No knock on Pats accomplishments. For the Time her teams and Immaculata were the best.
Along comes Luigi Auriemma and the Women's basketball game changes dramatically. ESPN and CPTV took notice and the rest (and current ) is history. (Geno's given name is Luigi (which reminds me of J Caroll Nash))
Only bigots, idiots, and the uninformed, who don't know the history of the WBB game, could think the accomplishments of Geno and his Uconn teams was anything but good for Women's Basketball.

 

[HuskyNan]

They're Playing Basketball: Time to get off the stage

Now its a member of WBB Media that piles on.

She's a part time blogger, not a professional writer. Her opinion is no more valid than any poster on a fan forum. Take it FWIW.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Exactly. And while it may well happen next year, I'm not sure that knocking off a Geno-coached, Kia-led team in a tournament game is going to be as easy as some people think.

Over the last 15 years Uconn Women have been "knocked off" the big stage a few times but pulled themselves up , dusted off their game, and jumped loudly onto the big stage again. Was any of that BAD for WBB?? Most of Uconn's "big" games have been great theater, drama, suspense--Uconn taking on Duke (who beat them by one basket at home), taking on the Kara Lawson's Vols (who beat them at home), taking on ND (who beat them at home and in Indiana) Tara's Samuleson's team beat Uconn in Palo Alto--the Women's world waited for those games--great drama!!!! Could NCIS or Blacklist have presented better programming???
I think next years team will be Katie Lou led. But knocking off Lou, Kia, Napheesa, Natalie, Gabby, Dangerfield, etc will be more difficult than it may first appear--especially later in the year..

 

[BroadwayVa]

It's not UConn's fault that their coaching staff is better than all the others, and it's not their fault that their players play harder than all the others. We're tired of the whining of everyone who is against playing the game at its highest level, so Sam Donnellon, suck it up, shut up and deal with it.

Uconn fan's have to ignore the uninformed --stick out our chests and say---YES WE ARE THE BEST WOMEN'S TEAM AND COACHING STAFF IN WBB--SO WHAT?? COME AND TRY TO KNOCK THEM OFF!!!

 

[GoUconn7961]

it always makes me scratch my head when women write blogs like this or post negative comments after articles or respond negatively to tweets, etc. You're a woman hating other women? You're a woman saying other women who work hard, who sacrifice the typical college lifestyle, are bad for a sport? You're a woman saying that these women who play with selflessness and passion are not good for other women to try and live up too? I will NEVER understand that. I will never understand this "thing" of women bashing other women. Especially when these young ladies - these basketball players - have done it with so much grace, class, and humility.

 

[Jimbo]

Lady Vols went to 8 Straight Final Fours, were they bad for WBB?
Notre Dame went to 5 Straight Final Fours, if they went this year for their 6th. Would they have been bad for WBB?
Lady Vols held the Record for 21 Consecutive Tournament Wins, Were they bad for WBB? Record broken by UConn this year Now 24 Straight.

I agree with the rest of your post, but you give Tennessee far too much credit. The most consecutive Final Fours they've ever reached is four.

 

[NewCorn]

So how does this rant answer the suggestion that the rest of wcbb needs to get better and catch up to UConn? And let's kill the suggestion that UConn gets the "pick of the litter every year." If that were true, UConn would have A'Ja Wilson, Diamond Deshields, Asia Durr, and Barbara Turner, just to name a few. When those great West coast teams begin to regularly beat UConn, we UConn fans will find ways to watch them. Otherwise, we find them boring.

 

[HoopsFan21]

So how does this rant answer the suggestion that the rest of wcbb needs to get better and catch up to UConn? And let's kill the suggestion that UConn gets the "pick of the litter every year." If that were true, UConn would have A'Ja Wilson, Diamond Deshields, Asia Durr, and Barbara Turner, just to name a few. When those great West coast teams begin to regularly beat UConn, we UConn fans will find ways to watch them. Otherwise, we find them boring.

We did have Barbara Turner.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Stinky piece of rancid cheese and that ESPconn stuff is the give away. It is in no way journalism, but it is a poorly written rant by an internet hack.

 

[tomcat]

To pay attention to a Philly sports writer when he (always a he, isn't it?) talks about women's basketball is just plain ridiculous. Philly is not a town where anyone at all pays attention to women's basketball.I lived there for five years (including the year when UConn won the NCAA tournament there against TN) and whenever I talked about the sport, I found myself talking to myself.

The obvious exception was Greenberg, but (at least at the end) he was treated as an outlier and no one local paid much attention to him.

 

[Wally East]

PAT Summitt's Vols played a different game in a different time and place--the talent among Women then wasn't as developed as the last 15 years the skill levels couldn't match the current developed Women's game.
No knock on Pats accomplishments. For the Time her teams and Immaculata were the best.

Wow, those Tennessee teams weren't THAT long ago One of the players from those teams will be on the Olympic team this year. That's how good those players were and are. (I hated/feared Holdsclaw as a player and feel empathy for her now.)

And there was the Internet. I visited forums just like this one and discussed them and even wrote for several sites about women's basketball.

Good grief. Their 1997-98 season isn't even 20 years ago.