I don't want to go on with this much more. I usually lurk on the men's board and I like the poster mau - apparently the feeling is not mutual. I asked him before but he didn't answer if he used to post on the old hartford courant board - a long long time ago - though I don't recall nor do I recall I had beefs with him. But I just wanted to get back to you - I like your post for a much different reason. Anyhow to start with you missed my point.
All 3 UCONN teams you speak were "marginally great or not quite great" but I was speaking of the talented supreme great which is why I specifically spoke of future recruiting. The UCONN teams you reference - the DT team one year they were a 2 seed - 1 year a bottom 1 seed. They had 1 a/a - DT. The other team - TiffanyHayes was there best upperclassman. Other than that they were led by frosh and soph- they lost 5 games that year. Tht was a terrfic gritty team but not a super team. This year's team was UNANIMOUS number 1. I expect UCONN to win this year (ofc they could lose)- next year they will be an extreme giant as well. Then 2 years later - a supreme giant again more than likely. You'll hear the media and these boards etc and friends speak of the extreme greatnes of these team and IF they lose to a number 5 team or worse - I am certain you'll find an excuse (I could use a abtter word here than "excuse - maybe "a reason? But to me an "excuse.") to call them "embrassing" because for them to lose to that type of team something horrendeous had to go wrong. Effort? Husltle? Not ready to play? Or them to lose to a team so lowly rated something inexcusable in the eyes of some would have to break down. The games you currently identify- those UCONN teams (one won a title) were't considered all-time great. UCONN women frequently have all-time great teams. And the game UCONN lost - Maya - lost to Stanford- Stanford was a final four team- and that UCONN team wasn't super great either.
What I wanted to mention I found funny is how we look at things- no right or wrong - I've followed UCONN men since the 1970's - Tony Hanson. I believe he went off as a frosh in the NIT. Anyhow, I "laughed" (figuratively) at women's basketball for a long, long time. I used to get into hammering players. "too soft " - no outside shot ... Not a battler etc. But the hammering of Taleik Brown - imo got way out of control. So while you say you walk on eggshells mostly over there- I think over here I feel like I mostly have to fire/release bombshells in order to fit in.
Ok, just a few more things and I'm done.
1. First of all, I'm quite certain you have no idea what I would do or say following a hypothetical loss by a 'supreme' UCONN team sometime in the future. I'm certain that I am the only one who knows that. And I'm telling you how I feel and would act. If that's not enough, I don't know what to tell you.
2. I didn't miss the point of your post. I was pointing out that the WAY they lose is important,
regardless of their level of talent. Even if one of the most stacked UCONN teams lost, whether because of poor shooting, or lack of effort, or another team being on fire, I would not feel embarrassed for them. Disappointed and pissed, yes, but not embarrassed.
The embarrassment stems solely from the fact they made so many mental mistakes and the quality of their play with respect to those mental mistakes was so poor, that they were a laughing stock nationally. It was so fundamentally far from proper basketball, that it was shocking. It falls first on Geno, then on the staff, then on the players.
And make no mistake, they have a very, very talented team right now. Potentially 3 First Team All Americans. They will not recruit anyone in the next 5 years who will be as good as Stewie. She might end up being a top 5 all time WBB internationally before it's said and done.
3. The upside: despite said mental mistakes and disorganization, they lost by 2 in OT on the road against one of the better teams in the country. Furthermore, their errors are wholly correctable.
4. No need to fire bombshells. In fact, the more reasonable posters are generally the most respected, except for a few wildcards. There are plenty of idiots over here.
5. The TB bashing was beyond ridiculous, yes. Hell, it still goes on. He was one of my favorite players too.