UConn vs. Stanford

[Alydar]

Funny but whenever Stanford beats UConn there is plenty of talk about Tara's coaching prowess but when UConn wins it's always about the superior talent Geno has on his team.

As far as this year, Tara will have a difficult time planning because she has to come up with a way to stop Dolson/Stewart in the paint and KML/Hartley et al on the perimeter. Her best hope is UConn's young players losing their poise at Maples. If the game becomes a FT shooting contest the trees have a shot. Or if they shoot 60% from 3pt. This will be the first big road game for the freshmen and might as well toss Banks into that group. How they handle it will determine the outcome of the game.

 

[cardfan]

Not remotely true, Cardfan...I had a friend in high school that got a Stanford football scholly...unless things have changed pretty dramatically in the last 40 years...possible I guess (tempus fugit)...the standards were substantially relaxed...

Very remotely true. They have changed, very dramatically. A few years ago, there was an article or Q&A series where Tara talked about recruiting process. I'll look for it.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Funny but whenever Stanford beats UConn there is plenty of talk about Tara's coaching prowess but when UConn wins it's always about the superior talent Geno has on his team.

As far as this year, Tara will have a difficult time planning because she has to come up with a way to stop Dolson/Stewart in the paint and KML/Hartley et al on the perimeter. Her best hope is UConn's young players losing their poise at Maples. If the game becomes a FT shooting contest the trees have a shot. Or if they shoot 60% from 3pt. This will be the first big road game for the freshmen and might as well toss Banks into that group. How they handle it will determine the outcome of the game.

The free-throw shooting contest only works if Chiney is protected...

 

[OneTrickPony]

Very remotely true. They have changed, very dramatically. A few years ago, there was an article or Q&A series where Tara talked about recruiting process. I'll look for it.

If so...I'll apologize...!

 

[cardfan]

Funny but whenever Stanford beats UConn there is plenty of talk about Tara's coaching prowess but when UConn wins it's always about the superior talent Geno has on his team.

As far as this year, Tara will have a difficult time planning because she has to come up with a way to stop Dolson/Stewart in the paint and KML/Hartley et al on the perimeter. Her best hope is UConn's young players losing their poise at Maples. If the game becomes a FT shooting contest the trees have a shot. Or if they shoot 60% from 3pt. This will be the first big road game for the freshmen and might as well toss Banks into that group. How they handle it will determine the outcome of the game.

Not me. We won in Tampa because of talent, namely Wiggins. It helped that UConn left her open for threes, twice, and that Geno didn't press us, but we won because of talent. And we won at Maples because of a great game by Pohlen and great team execution.

No doubt you have more talent this year, but that's why we play the game.

 

[UConn990411]

It's about the recruiting pool and getting top players. It is easier at UConn because they have a bigger pool, as do most all schools than Stanford. Of course Stanford is a draw, but not all can get it in.

That's a different argument.

If you made me head coach of Stanford or UConn and wiped away both teams' history, where do you think I would have an easier time attracting recruits? If you answer UConn, then you're wrong.

UConn is a very good school, but the reason it attracts recruits more than schools like Duke, UNC, Stanford, etc. is because of Geno plain and simple. They didn't get the huge fan support until after Geno had turned them into a national power.

Tara is one of the finest coaches ever at any level of basketball - all you have to do is watch her teams play to realize that. And she's been unlucky to have her prime years and best years coincide with Pat's and Geno's.

But arguing that a head coach with one national championship is better or even equal to a coach with seven NCs is either blind homerism or lunacy. Or both.

 

[cardfan]

That's a different argument.

If you made me head coach of Stanford or UConn and wiped away both teams' history, where do you think I would have an easier time attracting recruits? If you answer UConn, then you're wrong.

UConn is a very good school, but the reason it attracts recruits more than schools like Duke, UNC, Stanford, etc. is because of Geno plain and simple. They didn't get the huge fan support until after Geno had turned them into a national power.

Tara is one of the finest coaches ever at any level of basketball - all you have to do is watch her teams play to realize that. And she's been unlucky to have her prime years and best years coincide with Pat's and Geno's.

But arguing that a head coach with one national championship is better or even equal to a coach with seven NCs is either blind homerism or lunacy. Or both.

It's not homerism, they are facts. Geno and Tara both started at UConn and Stanford in 1985. I know Geno is a great coach, but I don't agree he is a "better "coach than Tara with her Gold medal, 11 F4s and 2 NCs. He has gotten more talented players, by far. The admissions at Stanford do in fact limit Tara's pool. Do you know who has applied and didn't get in? Players who would have made a huge difference.

Tara won her first NC in 5 years because of Azzi and a few other talented players, but Azzi was the catalyst and began it for us. Of course, Stanford has the name to help recruit, but again, not everyone who wants get in, can, far from it. The AD gave Tara the budget to recruit nationally, which was ahead of many programs, including UConn. Tara also was the first coach to really utilize the 3 pt game. We would have won again in '91 had it not been for injuries to our post players, but we won in again in '92. Fast forward to 1995, 1o years after Geno got there, he won with Lobo and Rizzotti, and built from there because they keep winning, kept getting great players, ESPN/east coast media certainly helps too.

 

[wallman]

I find this argument " remotely " amusing. Anyway I know 3 players that could not get into Stanford. The ones that got in early were the athletes with exceptional scores. But I also think that 1 cardfan is dissing his own players to argue a moot point and 2 Geno is clearly the better coach, just my lowly IQ opinion

 

[UConn990411]

It's not homerism, they are facts. Geno and Tara both started at UConn and Stanford in 1985. I know Geno is a great coach, but I don't agree he is a "better "coach than Tara with her Gold medal, 11 F4s and 2 NCs. He has gotten more talented players, by far. The admissions at Stanford do in fact limit Tara's pool. Do you know who has applied and didn't get in? Players who would have made a huge difference.

You know whose responsibility recruiting is? THE COACH'S.

I'm going to be nice and only call you delusional.

 

[cardfan]

You know whose responsibility recruiting is? THE COACH'S.

I'm going to be nice and only call you delusional.

did you not comprehend anything about recruiting/admissions at Stanford? Hello? Tara does quiet well recruiting, but, and it is a big but, the pool is smaller given the academic requirements and timing (process) of applying to get in.

 

[cardfan]

I find this argument " remotely " amusing. Anyway I know 3 players that could not get into Stanford. The ones that got in early were the athletes with exceptional scores. But I also think that 1 cardfan is dissing his own players to argue a moot point and 2 Geno is clearly the better coach, just my lowly IQ opinion

1) her- I'm not a dood. I thought we discussed this...
2) not dissing our players, at all
3) clearly the better coach? based on what? # NCs or head to head?

 

[doggydaddy]

Stanford do in fact limit Tara's pool. Do you know who has applied and didn't get in? Players who would have made a huge difference.

What you fail to mention are the players that could have gotten into Stanford that didn't even apply because they wanted to go somewhere else. Maybe Geno would have made a diffence in getting those.

It's ok to be a homer. But just don't deny it.

 

[wallman]

Even though I said it in my post, based on my OPINION, which I garnered from watching both coaches for many years and talking to both coaches players!!

 

[Alydar]

Very remotely true. They have changed, very dramatically. A few years ago, there was an article or Q&A series where Tara talked about recruiting process. I'll look for it.

Just meeting minimum entrance requirements will get a recruit in but I'm willing to wager that there are many many applicants who exceed the academic records of those athletes that do not get admitted. Of the 34,000 mentioned as applicants, I'd bet maybe 10,000 or more met the requirements but only 2400 got admitted. I'd bet that any recruit who met the minimum got in ahead of more academically qualified applicants. So there is a lower threshhold for athletes.

 

[cardfan]

What you fail to mention are the players that could have gotten into Stanford that didn't even apply because they wanted to go somewhere else. Maybe Geno would have made a diffence in getting those.

It's ok to be a homer. But just don't deny it.

Maybe...there are other factors too, like location, staying close to home (Lobo, Bird and Diggins). and playing with people you know. Sure, I am of Stanford over UConn, but I know the data and facts regarding recruiting at Stanford.

 

[cardfan]

Just meeting minimum entrance requirements will get a recruit in but I'm willing to wager that there are many many applicants who exceed the academic records of those athletes that do not get admitted. Of the 34,000 mentioned as applicants, I'd bet maybe 10,000 or more met the requirements but only 2400 got admitted. I'd bet that any recruit who met the minimum got in ahead of more academically qualified applicants. So there is a lower threshhold for athletes.

The application and recruitment process is more complicated with many factors. An example of the pool is Stanford coaches can to a summer camp of 100 players, but they can only actively recruit 10 of them, which limits their pool from the get go.

All applicants get points for a variety of areas, including being an athlete, concert pianist, excels in biology or computer science, and legacy (did your family go and do they have $ to donate).

 

[doggydaddy]

I just find it funny that Cardfan calls me arrogant.

 

[cardfan]

I just find it funny that Cardfan calls me arrogant.

dood, I'm just providing facts how recruiting works at Stanford based on hearing it directly from the folks who work there, to the players and parents who went through the process.

I'd love to stay and chat, but gotta run.

Have a great day.

 

[doggydaddy]

dood, I'm just providing facts how recruiting works at Stanford based on hearing it directly from the folks who work there, to the players and parents who went through the process.

I'd love to stay and chat, but gotta run.

Have a great day.

I am turning 60 this month, so I'm really not a dood either.

No, you are saying that Geno is not a better coach than Vandaveer. No facts involved there. You are guessing at who would go to Stanford if Geno was there.

I am SO looking forward to writing up my Stanford/UConn analysis.

 

[semper]

Doggy, let's have bit of early analysis NOW. I'd love to hear a prediction about the ways Geno will be thinking, at least as of today.

 

[OneTrickPony]

I am turning 60 this month, so I'm really not a dood either.

No, you are saying that Geno is not a better coach than Vandaveer. No facts involved there. You are guessing at who would go to Stanford if Geno was there.

I am SO looking forward to writing up my Stanford/UConn analysis.

We're talking California here, DD...age is no hurdle...

The Big Lebowski (3/12) Movie CLIP - I'm the Dude (1998)

 

[Bestiarius]

You are completely wrong about admissions at Stanford. They do not admit athletes early. And yes, they have to meet the same requirements as all students and they follow the same process as the general applicant pool. In 2011, 2, 437 freshman were admitted and just over 34,000 applied.

Can you cite an official source for your allegations? I don't mean a quote from Tara - something from the school.

 

[Phil]

But arguing that a head coach with one national championship is better or even equal to a coach with seven NCs is either blind homerism or lunacy. Or both.

She has two. Which doesn't change the argument much, but there's quite a difference between a coach with one - which can mean being in the right place at the right time with a special player - and two, which speaks to sustained excellence. A lot of coaches have one. Only six have multiple NCs (assuming you credit Barmore with two). That's select company.

 

[msf22b]

I think that this has been a silly arguement.
When you have as much talent as does Stanford plus Tara, you're gonna have a game.
And when you're as good a coach as Tara is, she's going to give her kids every chance to win.
But we all know that the UConn talent and depth is very unusual (to say the least)
But you can only play five at a time.
Should be a great game.
And if we beat the crap out of them, we'll all know its the great coach, the great recruits, and the great vets.
MSF
Puerto Barrios, Guatemala

 

[wallman]

And the great boneyard posters, c'mon spread the love!