Was Walz's game plan Legit?

[Oxford Bob]

Did some googling - yes, it is a verb now.

Dee Kantner was a field hockey player. Can't find much information on some of the other officiating "stars" of the game

I have to assume most are former players at different levels (Div. I, II,or III) and those who aren't where most likely very good athletes in other sports.

 

[easttexastrash]

His game plan was disgusting and as has been said about Griner, I hope karma gets Walz. His "game plan" was not to take away BG's feet, it was to beat the crap out of her.

Check out my new avatar. This is what Walz' gamelan consisted of.

 

[easttexastrash]

 

[sarals24]

I can't fault Walz for this one. He had a plan, which was to basically force the rest of the Baylor team to beat them. And they didn't. The few times that Griner did get the ball she didn't go aggressively to the basket. The last play of the game she was completely out of position.

I am not a huge Walz fan, but credit L'ville with playing their hearts out and pulling off the unthinkable.

 

[easttexastrash]

I can't fault Walz for this one. He had a plan, which was to basically force the rest of the Baylor team to beat them. And they didn't. The few times that Griner did get the ball she didn't go aggressively to the basket. The last play of the game she was completely out of position.

I am not a huge Walz fan, but credit L'ville with playing their hearts out and pulling off the unthinkable.

Winning at all costs is apparently admirable to you.

 

[pap49cba]

This was typical Walz. He employed the exact same tactic against Uconn 2 years ago at Louisville... one of the ugliest, most physical and dirty games I've seen. His comment about playing "street ball" says it all.

 

[Icebear]

Winning at all costs is apparently admirable to you.

It is not Walz fault that the officials did not blow their whistles. Oh wait, they did and called 24 fouls and 3 players fouled out for l-ville. It is all part of the game. Just like the brutality in the UConn - ND games. Accept it and overcome it is what a champion needs to do.

 

[easttexastrash]

I think that the fact this thread was started has already answered the question before us.

 

[easttexastrash]

This was typical Walz. He employed the exact same tactic against Uconn 2 years ago at Louisville... one of the ugliest, most physical and dirty games I've seen. His comment about playing "street ball" says it all.

I watched that game and was stunned during that game. It was ugly and brutal, as well.

 

[housekeys]

I thought Walz was legit. I didn't think any of the plays on BG were dangerous, and if he had employed a more conventional gameplan, they'd have lost by 20. The refs were pretty bad but they missed calls both ways, including a ridiculous double standard on the T called on Walz and not on Mulkey.

I do not mean to pick on your post, but as I read the rest of this thread I see the same comment, highlighted above, mentioned all the time. This remark misses an important point. Missing calls both ways implies neutrality, but this is not true at all. This type of officiating adversely affects the more skilled (in theory, the better) team. To that affect Baylor has legitimate gripe, but LV deserves all the accolades because they did play a phenomenal game.

I also see posters say the refs need to let them play, otherwise there will be a parade to the free throw line. This is not true either. After the initial slew of calls and key players picking up fouls, you will see a much cleaner game, with basketball skills determining the winner. This is what should happen. Unless this was football, rewarding physical play or the ability to play through physicality, is not what this game should be about. BTW, the men's game suffers through the same issues.

Was it legit? Yes. Was it fair? IMO, no. Was it the only way to win? Yes. Was it entertaining? Yes. Do I favor this trend? No, because there are better ways to achieve all of the above without resorting to this style. JMHO.

 

[huskyharry]

I don't care for taunting in any situation...treat the opponent with respect.
The UL defenders were overally aggressive/ hacking during the first part of the first half. I don't like that tactic. However, the most effective and totally legal part of Coach Walz' tactic was to make a defensive triangle around BG with defender's within what we would normally consider personal space range. This didn't give Griner enough room to move and didn't allow em to comfortably jump or reach for passes.
Now, this defense allows most of the rest of the team to be open, but Mulkey never adjusted. Bring BG out to the top of the key and this defense results in free layups for Baylor.

 

[hoophuskee]

Pershaps it was covered in the game thread but, was the coverage of BG legal?

Obviously, the Cards were willing to sacrifice A LOT of fouls but, was the strategy "You can't call 'em all?

PS: I have no knowledge of the finer point but, appeared to me that LOU was fouling BG fon about every play, no?

PPS: I wouldn't want to see the same treatment on Stefanie Dolson 0 Though I KNOW she gets banged around every game.

PPPS: I was happy to see Baylor eliminated.

 

[hoophuskee]

L'ville won with their offense. He said it recently he did nothing different that other teams haven't already done with the defense. Baylor for one thing and most importantly, should have played better defense.

 

[willtalk]

A comment on White Horse's two and one on Griner. She did exactly what you should do against a player like Griner. Players in the NBA have been doing the same thing to very tall skinny for years. When you attack them you move into their body not away from them. It's the same way you fight someone who has a reach advantage on you. You move inside. You bump them and they lose their balance. Use their higher center of gravity against them. Also it's difficult to block a shot with your elbow.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

How many of the NCAAW refs are former players? Would former players make good refs, or would they be worse? I would think they would make for better refs. They have been in the trenches, know what is and is not a true foul. I suppose there is always the question of could they be impartial. I just have never thought of what qualifies someone to be a ref.

As others said, most probably played at some level.

I am pretty sure that I heard a few years ago that one ref - I never heard who - played for Vivian at either Iowa or Cheney, but it wasn't discussed much as she did ref RU games.

And, some obvious ones - Jamie Broderick, whose mother is a hall of fame ref, played for Grentz at Rutgers; Linda Miles was a Rutgers player in Vivian's early years. Both ref a variety of mid-major conferences in the mid-west; Broderick quite a bit and Miles once or twice a week. Julie Kroemenhook, a mid-major ref in the west area, is a former D1 player as well.

 

[meganmatthews]

What the heck was the rest of Baylor doing while 3 to 5 Louisville players swarmed BG?

1. Wondering why they were so alone.
2. Wondering what to do with that big orange globe in their hands.

 

[Pete]

Winning at all costs is apparently admirable to you.

Where you this upset when Tina Charles was being mugged by double and triple teams her last 2 years at UCONN? Or is it only because it happen to one of your players this time?

 

[easttexastrash]

Where you this upset when Tina Charles was being mugged by double and triple teams her last 2 years at UCONN? Or is it only because it happen to one of your players this time?

It is never good for any player, but I will say that I did not get to see a large number of Charles' games in her last two years.

However, if you go back and look at the thread from the UCONN vs Louisville game from two years ago you will find that my comments were very similar during that game, in UCONN's favor I might add.

 

[easttexastrash]

1. Wondering why they were so alone.
2. Wondering what to do with that big orange globe in their hands.

Baylor still scored 81 points. I don't consider that as a sign of "wondering what to do." You act as if nobody else on the team stepped up and scored any points.

 

[Sakibomb25]

View attachment 2633

And what about when Griner punched Hammond in the face? Check out the 0:14 mark here.

It is terrible that Griner was mauled physically. But it's not like she was a poor victim here - she dished it out as well.

In terms of physicality, that's one thing Stanford has done better over the years. They were known as a finesse team and then VanDerveer recruited players who could play a more physical game. Physical doesn't mean dirty - it just means willing to put your body up for extreme physical contact.

As many have mentioned before, Mulkey had a right to complain about the physicality of the game. But she didn't adjust and that was ultimately the downfall of Baylor (well, that and the Cards 64% from three...). She should have been on the refs the entire game. Maybe she was, maybe she wasn't, I don't know. Only she and the refs can answer that. But Walz came in with a great game plan - take away their best player and not give her room to operate.

 

[sarals24]

And here's a thought...get out on the three-point shooters. Face guard Schimmel or Slaughter. MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT, any adjustment. I was not impressed with Mulkey's coaching in that game. Sims almost brought the team back by herself, but Mulkey should have switched things up. Bring Griner away from the basket and try to open up the lane for drives. Take Griner out for a bit and see how L'Ville reacts when they have to play straight man-to-man. So many options, and yet she tried....none. Except yelling at the refs.

 

[meganmatthews]

Baylor still scored 81 points. I don't consider that as a sign of "wondering what to do." You act as if nobody else on the team stepped up and scored any points.

You are right. I am truly embarrassed for what I have written. I deserve to be thrashed. I will instruct my husband to beat me when he returns from work, and I will never post again.