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Walker's Visit this weekend

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My daughter had a similar reaction on our visit to Columbia University. We visited on Columbus Day and were met with several organized student protest. It took forever to find a parking spot and as we walk across campus to try and find the coaches offices nobody made eye contact and everyone was in a hurry to get somewhere. Five minutes into the meeting I got the sense things weren't going well. When one of the assistant coaches asked her "Could you see yourself going to school here?" "Not really" she responded. 30 Minutes later we were heading home down the NJ turnpike- "Dad I just couldn't she said.
We did an unofficial 3 years back. My daughter said of Columbia "Dad its old and smells" lol kid are funny. Cornell was next. "It cold and no one looks happy". Her visit to Cuse just happen to be the same weekend they played Uconn on the men's side. The atmosphere in the Carrier Dome and all that GD Orange sold her.
 
Ah, you are so logical, bags. But the effect of environment is likely to be subconscious. The player is likely to say, "it just didn't seem like a fit," without being able to say why. They may be 5-star players, but they are 17-year-olds. remember when you were 17? I'm guessing you might have been far less logical then.
Good point, but I'm also calculating that for a player for whom so many people along the way--parents, friends, coaches at ever level--have invested in, they will help normalize out any of the spontaneous reactions of a 17 yr old. A college decision for what is essentially a pre-professional athlete surrounded by a kind of brain trust is made differently than for most kids, I think. Sure, some prevail in their spontaneity, but most get talked back from the cliff.
 
Or as one highly sought recruit experienced - within minutes of arriving on campus her father slips on some ice, busts his ankle and they spend the day in a hospital and the following day with a dad made miserable by a cast and crutches. They couldn't get out of town fast enough.
I'm curious as to who this was. I remember this story from Geno's book, and Geno says something in the book like "by the time this is published, she'll probably have made her decision, so stay tuned," but I didn't read it until several years later, so I never knew who it was or whether she chose UConn in the end despite her father's broken ankle. It was during a shootaround at the Hartford Civic Center though, not on campus (unless this has happened multiple times? :eek:).

I've enjoyed reading through the discussion here about how some colleges, towns, etc. just feel right while others don't. I like UcM's use of the word "visceral" to describe people's reaction to a new place to which they're considering a relocation. We always have to keep in mind that these recruits are selecting both a program and a school/campus, and how much weight they place on each of those things will differ from player to player. One recruit who wants badly to be the best player possible may choose UConn regardless of how much she may dislike the campus atmosphere. A different recruit who also wants badly to be the best player possible may still decide to go elsewhere because, after visiting Storrs, she feels in her gut that she will not be happy spending four years there. I don't think either decision is necessarily irrational; it just means that different people, and even different elite basketball prospects, have varying perspectives on what will make them happy or satisfied in life.
 
As long as she is on campus he can speak with her. Unless the rules have changed, anything she purchases such as meals, souvenirs, etc. on campus can't be paid for by UConn. Also, if lodging is off campus, it also can't be paid for by UConn.
But Kibitzer is not allowed on campus while she is here!!!
 
I'm curious as to who this was. I remember this story from Geno's book, and Geno says something in the book like "by the time this is published, she'll probably have made her decision, so stay tuned," but I didn't read it until several years later, so I never knew who it was or whether she chose UConn in the end despite her father's broken ankle. It was during a shootaround at the Hartford Civic Center though, not on campus (unless this has happened multiple times? :eek:).

I've enjoyed reading through the discussion here about how some colleges, towns, etc. just feel right while others don't. I like UcM's use of the word "visceral" to describe people's reaction to a new place to which they're considering a relocation. We always have to keep in mind that these recruits are selecting both a program and a school/campus, and how much weight they place on each of those things will differ from player to player. One recruit who wants badly to be the best player possible may choose UConn regardless of how much she may dislike the campus atmosphere. A different recruit who also wants badly to be the best player possible may still decide to go elsewhere because, after visiting Storrs, she feels in her gut that she will not be happy spending four years there. I don't think either decision is necessarily irrational; it just means that different people, and even different elite basketball prospects, have varying perspectives on what will make them happy or satisfied in life.

It was Jayne Appel and a very serious injury.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/05/sports/ncaabasketball/05women.html?_r=0
 
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Okay, now I'll tell my kid to college story which fits right in with this debate. Youngest of 3, most diligent student, can go anywhere, a pre-med program anticipated based on senior year mentorship with a big time ortho surgeon in Fairfield Cty. We set out on a late summer 2 week grand caravan, Cornell, Penn, Yale, Harvard(also an alma of mine) yadda yadda. It was a wonderful trip - great memories. But I couldn't get a read on her reaction to any school except mine, Cornell - no way dad. Why not? Just no. In the end she chose her school - unvisited in the grand tour...Fairfield, a 20 minute drive from home. Ivy league prices, just no ivy! I now what you're thinking, I thought that too. But no, she lived in the dorms (all 4 years, no Fairfield beach wild child this), but we only saw her laundry...very little her. So, yeah, never try to figure out what drives a 17/18 year old.
 
But even the reporter acknowledges that UConn may not have had a chance anyway:
"The incident is not the sole reason Appel passed on Connecticut — the opportunity to stay close to friends and family tugged at her — but it served as an omen, if nothing else."

proximity to home can be its own reason, but it can be factored into the "basketball" reason as well, to play before friends and family.
 
This discussion about campus environment has certainly been enriching and that is surely an important factor for recruits like Ms Walker to consider. . .

. . . Along with academics, coaching, tradition, NC prospects, and PT.:rolleyes:

There is yet another: future teammates. IIRC Lexi Gordon was pleasantly surprised that Huskies are "not robots," but a close knit and fun-loving group - just the kind of girls she would like to be with for arduous practices, extended travel, challenging games, and FOUR YEARS of constant close relationship.

Sooo, if I were in some recruit's sneakers :eek: I would closely check out Kia, Gabby, Lou and Pheese -- and, if possible, Kyla, Molly, Andra, Crystal, and Lexi. After all, they might be a huge part of my life for four important years!

Fitting right in with this is an SNY segment with Kerith Burke that is embedded in an April 6 NY paper article that I have seen bits of, never the whole thing til Bing said to me today, hey Rocky check this out, and it is pretty special and right at the top of the piece. You might want to check it out.

UConn wins fourth straight NCAA women's basketball title
 
My son visited only two colleges, Amherst and Brown, and immediately chose the latter. We live in Lower Manhattan in an area with low-rise buildings. My son went to high school in Brooklyn Heights in a similar setting: urban with low-rise buildings. When I asked him why he chose Brown, he said he liked its urban setting with low-rise buildings. Go figure. BTW, he loved Brown, so I guess he knew what he was doing.
 
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My daughter had specific criteria among them the size of the school. That eliminated anything over about 5,000 students. She visited William & Mary, Gettysburg, Union, Williams & Smith. After listening to the informational spiel she turned to me and said "Do we have to stay for the tour?" I said we didn't and we left. It simply didn't feel right to her.

She loved her four years at Smith.
 
Unofficial self guided tours of ESPN and the UConn Dairy Bar.
ESPN wouldn't get me ---but that DAIRY BAR--I loved it when I worked there and as a FAN. I enjoyed the Beef and Pork cuts too (but not at the dairy bar) that I got at Uconn. Ice skating rink was a family favorite as well as tobogganing on the slight slopes up from the old Dairy Bar.
 
My daughter had specific criteria among them the size of the school. That eliminated anything over about 5,000 students. She visited William & Mary, Gettysburg, Union, Williams & Smith. After listening to the informational spiel she turned to me and said "Do we have to stay for the tour?" I said we didn't and we left. It simply didn't feel right to her.

She loved her four years at Smith.

Three of my daughters opted for Harvard, MIT, and Uconn---each made a terrific choice. I was impressed by the MIT efforts to work with students to make the MiT experience a pleasure for parent and student. Others of mine went to Hawaii, USC Irvine, Ca, San Diego St, Ca and West Chester (but Geno didn't visit them there)and American University in Puerto Rico
 
Bags27 - I am not disagreeing - just saying that most people do have a visceral reaction to some places. Had a friend who arranged to meet me in NYC when I was living there - we were supposed to meet for a late lunch and around 12:30 I got a phone call that they were back in NJ, having spent 10 minutes in the city and gotten on the next train out. Ten minutes was all they could stand of that environment. That was surely a little extreme, but I know there are a few places i have visited that you could not pay me enough money to move to for four years, and at least three that I spent months living in that I hope to never visit again. (Interestingly two are located in Tennessee. :eek::))
Memphis and Knoxville?

I vaguely remember your saying something about this a long time ago but don't remember which places, if you even said.
 
Memphis and Knoxville?

I vaguely remember your saying something about this a long time ago but don't remember which places, if you even said.
Crossville - in the middle of nowhere about equidistant from Knoxville, Nashville and Chattanooga. And Clarksville. One was for a summer theater gig and the other was a small company my company bought out and I was there for about 5 months transitioning and closing down the operation.
 
Three of my daughters opted for Harvard, MIT, and Uconn---each made a terrific choice. I was impressed by the MIT efforts to work with students to make the MiT experience a pleasure for parent and student. Others of mine went to Hawaii, USC Irvine, Ca, San Diego St, Ca and West Chester (but Geno didn't visit them there)and American University in Puerto Rico
BroadwayVa = Mike Brady
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I'm not a Connecticut resident--never lived there, though have spent a fair amount of time doing stuff there--and I happen to like Storrs. It's not (say) Ann Arbor, Madison, or Berkeley (what is?), but it has enough to do, okay food, really nice people. And it really is a pretty campus. If you're a WCBB player, your life is so directed that it pretty much takes up all the emotional slack that most other students need diversion to fill. I don't think UConn has anything to be ashamed of, when it comes to recruiting.
 
Do we know what she has been doing on campus? Geno is in the hospital, but even if he wasn't it looks as if he was flying somewhere today. Are we sure she is definitely there on campus?
 
Boo Williams posted on his twitter that she scored 17 points in their game today, so it looks like she isn't in CT after all
 
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Boo Williams posted on his twitter that she scored 17 points in their game today, so it looks like she isn't in CT after all
Not a good sign unless they reschedule because of Geno illness. I'm hoping But if not wonder why it was reported that she'll be coming
 
Walker played in an AAU tournament in Brooklyn today. She was in Storrs on Friday and reportedly had a "great day."

Where this info come from? Not doubting you. But it was ease my nerves to have it validated.
 
Where this info come from? Not doubting you. But it was ease my nerves to have it validated.
She tweeted she had a great day yesterday from Storrs. Then this morning really early she tweeted from Brooklyn.

<a href="">April 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


"">@RoseClassic</a> <br><br>M. Walker 17pts<br>A. Owusu 12pts<br>X. Wiggins 11pts</p>&mdash; Boo Williams (@BooWilliamsAAU) <a href="">April 16, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>



 
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Three of my daughters opted for Harvard, MIT, and Uconn---each made a terrific choice. I was impressed by the MIT efforts to work with students to make the MiT experience a pleasure for parent and student. Others of mine went to Hawaii, USC Irvine, Ca, San Diego St, Ca and West Chester (but Geno didn't visit them there)and American University in Puerto Rico

BROAD: Dude, you were (or are) an impressively busy boy! Comin' up on double digits there....reminds me of my great grandpa's active evenings on the PA farm. Thirteen in all.
 
I thought she was going to be on campus for the entire weekend. She was there Friday but she has official visits planned for ND but not us :(
 
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