UConn vs Tennessee - see you in a couple years | The Boneyard

UConn vs Tennessee - see you in a couple years

Veteran said:
I speak fluent Lady Vol so please allow me to translate, "We just have some scheduling conflicts" to English for you. It translates as, "We don't want too many losses".
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Absolutely true. They thought they would crush the walking wounded Huskies this year and took a humiliating loss instead. Harper wants no part of the Huskies for at least a while.
 
Anyone who reads the Lady Vol blog understands that a significant percentage of the posters are not strong coach Kelly Harper fans. Particularly after LSU was able to have a strong year without many losses, reducing the out of conference schedule of top 20 teams, UConn in particular, seems logical.
 
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RockyMTblue2 said:
Absolutely true. They thought they would crush the walking wounded Huskies this year and took a humiliating loss instead. Harper wants no part of the Huskies for at least a while.
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Didn’t Joanne P McCallie (Duke) say something similar after UConn destroyed Duke during the 2014-15 season? To the effect of “it hasn’t been close so there’s no point in playing them”? And Tara has been ducking UConn for a while, too. Seems like some coaches would rather have an easy win than challenge and believe in their teams.
 
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southofnorth said:
Didn’t Joanne P McCallie (Duke) say something similar after UConn destroyed Duke during the 2014-15 season? To the effect of “it hasn’t been close so there’s no point in playing them”? And Tara has been ducking UConn for a while, too. Seems like some coaches would rather have an easy win than challenge and believe in their teams.
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A weak OOC schedule didn't seem to hurt LSU this year...as I'd thought it would. So...
 
It’s all about tv ratings UConn can draw more viewers with some other team.
 
Hist-teacher said:
A weak OOC schedule didn't seem to hurt LSU this year...as I'd thought it would. So...
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Without knowing the historic strength of schedule (SOS) of every national-championship-winning team, we can’t really say how much LSU’s SOS impacted their ability to win the NC. There were plenty of teams that played weak schedules that didn’t win the NC this year, too. A team can get favorable matchups in the tournament and win it all or they can flounder against a lower seed and get booted early.

All I’m saying is that when coaches avoid playing a team in the regular season (by choice; I.e., NOT because of game limits, location, scheduling conflicts, etc.), it is more a condemnation of the coach’s belief in their team rather than a means to win a championship.
 
Kat said:
It’s all about tv ratings UConn can draw more viewers with some other team.
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Remember, it was an executive at ESPN, I think her name is “Lola“, that wanted that series renewed. I don’t believe Geno did. No doubt she convinced UConn's president and AD that it might be a good idea ($$$) and financially beneficial for them if that series were to resume. Money talks!!! It always has. And don’t forget, whatever Lola wants……;)
 
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Geew1992 said:
Ya'll need to stop. Geno said he didn't want to play them and was glad the series was over. SMH!
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He did, but said more. He wouldn't play them without an apology. Then, years later, he got cornered by the game being proposed as a charity event and he folded much to the chagrin of many of us.
 
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southofnorth said:
Without knowing the historic strength of schedule (SOS) of every national-championship-winning team, we can’t really say how much LSU’s SOS impacted their ability to win the NC. There were plenty of teams that played weak schedules that didn’t win the NC this year, too. A team can get favorable matchups in the tournament and win it all or they can flounder against a lower seed and get booted early.

All I’m saying is that when coaches avoid playing a team in the regular season (by choice; I.e., NOT because of game limits, location, scheduling conflicts, etc.), it is more a condemnation of the coach’s belief in their team rather than a means to win a championship.
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It must be pointed out that while some coaches see
RockyMTblue2 said:
He did, but said more. He wouldn't play them without an apology. Then, years later, he got cornered by the game being proposed as a charity event and he folded much to the chagrin of many of us.
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I remember that Rocky!!! You've got a witness. Sometime around 2010-2011 at an NCAAT site UConn was playing at, then LV coach Holly Warlick approached Geno and asked him if he'd be interested in resuming the series. His response was "Are you going to publically apologize to Maya Moore and her mother?" Her response was "No, I can't do that" Geno left it there. I read about that exchange right here in the Boneyard.
That is where it stayed until that ESPN executive stoked the ashes.
 
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I have always liked the intensity of UConn vs TN. I missed the games all those years it was gone and I thoroughly enjoyed the games when the “rivalry” was renewed, particularly when Paige, Azzi & Lou stepped up in successive years to rip the heart out of the LV’s.

Unfortunately, I fear the UConn-TN game is gone for good. Geno seems ambivalent and TN WBB is hanging by their fingernails, just short of permanent irrelevance, at which point they’ll want no part of an annual beat down by the Huskies.
 
I have zero problem with this series never being renewed. I wasn't really in favor of it starting up again, the things that made UConn-Tennessee must watch basketball was gone a long time ago. Namely Pat Summitt is gone (may she rest in peace) and Tennessee is no longer a major power in wcbb, never mind the major power in wcbb. The original rivalry could not be duplicated, the present series was a pale shadow of what was one of the fiercest rivalries in all of sports.
 
Not sad to see it go. I was not in favor of the renewal at all.

All those reason for not going forward have been stated.

But I will say I like Kelly Harper and what she is trying to do. A definite improvement. Hope she can hang on and keep the program going. Recruiting has not been good and that may undo Kelly in the long run.
 
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southofnorth said:
Didn’t Joanne P McCallie (Duke) say something similar after UConn destroyed Duke during the 2014-15 season? To the effect of “it hasn’t been close so there’s no point in playing them”? And Tara has been ducking UConn for a while, too. Seems like some coaches would rather have an easy win than challenge and believe in their teams.
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Tara has been ducking us. Losing her 6'7" center (Lauren Betts) to the portal (UCLA) doesn't help either. Some coaches like to not only build their team's confidence during the preseason portion of their schedule but also get them in the habit of winning and EXPECTING to win. If you suffer a crippling 30-40 point loss, it can destroy everything you've built to that moment, and cause you to go back to square one. :eek:

If I were a coach, I don't think I could find any silver linings in getting the crap beat out of my team. I can certainly understand why some coaches would duck or are ducking UConn. You may see it differently, but I don't see what can be learned from a blowout loss. :confused: The team's confidence is destroyed if nothing else, and their egos are deflated just a bit.

So.....why schedule a UConn when you know that very thing is most likely to happen? Especially if you know your team has a zero chance of winning. :oops: Other than using that game for recruiting purposes, or to fill your arena ($$$ - UConn still draws large crowds on the road), why do it?

We don't like Kim's philosophy and practice of scheduling the weakest preseason schedule she possibly can, but she does not care what we think. It works for her, and you can bet she'll continue to do it as long as it does. There are plenty of other teams that can be scheduled without playing UConn, especially next season when they expect to have their entire roster back, healthy, and raring to go.

I like the idea of playing some new teams in the preseason that we have either not played before or in a long time. Since the BIG East has reduced the number of conference games from 20 to 18, that means Geno can schedule two more preseason games. Whoo hoo. :)
 
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Carnac said:
Tara has been ducking us. Losing her 6'7" center (Lauren Betts) to the portal (UCLA) doesn't help either. Some coaches like to not only build their team's confidence during the preseason portion of their schedule but also get them in the habit of winning and EXPECTING to win. If you suffer a crippling 30-40 point loss, it can destroy everything you've built to that moment, and cause you to go back to square one. :eek:

If I were a coach, I don't think I could find any silver linings in getting the crap beat out of my team. I can certainly understand why some coaches would duck or are ducking UConn. You may see it differently, but I don't see what can be learned from a blowout loss. :confused: The team's confidence is destroyed if nothing else, and their egos are deflated just a bit.

So.....why schedule a UConn when you know that very thing is most likely to happen? Especially if you know your team has a zero chance of winning. :oops: Other than using that game for recruiting purposes, or to fill your arena ($$$ - UConn still draws large crowds on the road), why do it?

We don't like Kim's philosophy and practice of scheduling the weakest preseason schedule she possibly can, but she does not care what we think. It works for her, and you can bet she'll continue to do it as long as it does. There are plenty of other teams that can be scheduled without playing UConn, especially next season when they expect to have their entire roster back, healthy, and raring to go.

I like the idea of playing some new teams in the preseason that we have either not played before or in a long time. Since the BIG East has reduced the number of conference games from 20 to 18, that means Geno can schedule two more preseason games. Whoo hoo. :)
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Besides dukes former coach, can someone show me where a coach has said they are “ducking” UConn?? Or they hate uconn!!??
 
I don't mind not playing them even though we would have had them home this year. Of all the teams that we play, my anxiety level is the highest just before we play them. I want to beat them so bad, just reading what they say about us, and the thinking that they will kill us. I don't need that, but would rather play someone new, someone who is on their way up and wants to enter the "Big Boy" arena. Any PAC12 or BIG team will due, and I don't care where we play them. Tennessee is through, no recruits coming in for years with the portal their only friend. We don't need to waste our time with Tennessee, so let move on and not worry about playing them anymore. There are some newer exciting teams out there that need to know who is boss, and that we must focus on extending Geno and UConns legacy to other parts of the country. On to bigger and better teams.
 
stwainfan said:
November 4 Tennessee vs UConn in football.
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That’s a measuring stick game for us.

As to scheduling the Lady Vols, I shrug. If it happens in any given year, it’s fine if it doesn’t in any given year, it’s also fine. But it’s probably better for everyone not to pretend that it is the rivalry it once was. It pales by comparison.
 
They did what they did, 15 years ago, and remnants of that despicable episode remain. Geno had it exactly right when Holly gave him a bottle of wine and said she hoped the series could resume. But Holly Warlick was at Pat’s side 15 years ago and common sense says she was aware of what was simmering…nothing less than a bogus series of charges attacking Maya Moore, her mother, UConn alumi, Geno, Sue and Dee, and excited fans with homemade signs. Geno said no to Holly and Tennessee until an apology came. IMO, Pat’s decline and passing softened resolves and charity and ratings sealed the deal. The recent games have served their purpose. Kellie got TV, $, and fannies in the seats. And UConn could easily have reaped as much benefit from playing any number of other schools. Which we will now do.

The righteous fires of yesteryear have died down. Tennessee‘s wbb is now irrelevant to UConn unless it’s post season. The LVs may flounder all the way to LA Tech status, or aspire to equal the achievements of the mighty, mighty, Gamecocks ! Doesn’t’ matter now.
What was born in 1995, died in 2007. UConn goes on and Rocky Top is what it is.
 
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