We are who we are and the sky isn't falling

[caw]

It's like all the bad luck that could happen this year, did happen. Two questionnable calls in Maui destroyed that trip completely. Then health issues (McNeeley, Diarra, and Nowell) curbed the growth of all three of UConn's best playmakers. Karaban has his issue which is very strange (though not unheard of, see Anderson, Nick).

UConn needed to have a perfectly healthy and lucky season to be anywhere close to 2023. UConn basically has gotten the worst of that instead. As the end of the season comes up, I do think there is still some potential though, if healthy and if Karaban can get out of his funk. I am 50/50 on if either of those two things are possible.

 

[boog204]

Not being No. 1 but still likely making the tournament (and the season is far from over) is not in the same galaxy as 2017-18.

Comparing the two is dumb. And entitled beyond belief.

It's not comparable in terms of performance. But the level of disappointment, I'd wager, is more this year than in the latter Ollie years. We sucked. We knew we sucked. The league we were in sucked. The team knew we sucked. Our coach might've known we sucked but then again he was busy doing other things. As a fan, I was becoming completely apathetic with those last KO years. I expected us to be .500.

I didn't think we would three-peat, but I did think we'd be a top 10-15 team who wouldn't be worrying about being on the bubble or getting a crappy seed. I didn't expect us to be a sieve defensively, be incapable of inbounding a basketball, or have multiple guys consistently getting picked 30+ feet from the hoop because we can't dribble. I didn't expect our coaching staff, for better or worse, to be commenting in season about how the team was not coachable and that major systemic changes are necessary

We've had issues in coaching, execution, and bickering on the court. I don't think it's entitled to be disappointed/frustrated with this year. But I'd think everyone involved - coaches, players, fans - is pretty surprised we are 19-9 and have had the lapses like we've had.

 

[Inyatkin]

It's not comparable in terms of performance. But the level of disappointment, I'd wager, is more this year than in the latter Ollie years. We sucked. We knew we sucked. The league we were in sucked. The team knew we sucked. Our coach might've known we sucked but then again he was busy doing other things. As a fan, I was becoming completely apathetic with those last KO years. I expected us to be .500.

I didn't think we would three-peat, but I did think we'd be a top 10-15 team who wouldn't be worrying about being on the bubble or getting a crappy seed. I didn't expect us to be a sieve defensively, be incapable of inbounding a basketball, or have multiple guys consistently getting picked 30+ feet from the hoop because we can't dribble. I didn't expect our coaching staff, for better or worse, to be commenting in season about how the team was not coachable and that major systemic changes are necessary

We've had issues in coaching, execution, and bickering on the court. I don't think it's entitled to be disappointed/frustrated with this year. But I'd think everyone involved - coaches, players, fans - is pretty surprised we are 19-9 and have had the lapses like we've had.

I can't tell you how to react to things. My view is despite all that you mentioned we're a few bounces here and there away from being exactly what you described -- a top 15 team. It's not hard at all to see a 22-6 team here.

But we're not. So what? We're still a good team that can get hot and compete with anyone.

Why people choose to be miserable about sports when there's so much else in the world to be miserable about is just beyond me.

 

[homunculus]

It's not comparable in terms of performance. But the level of disappointment, I'd wager, is more this year than in the latter Ollie years. We sucked. We knew we sucked. The league we were in sucked. The team knew we sucked. Our coach might've known we sucked but then again he was busy doing other things. As a fan, I was becoming completely apathetic with those last KO years. I expected us to be .500.

I didn't think we would three-peat, but I did think we'd be a top 10-15 team who wouldn't be worrying about being on the bubble or getting a crappy seed. I didn't expect us to be a sieve defensively, be incapable of inbounding a basketball, or have multiple guys consistently getting picked 30+ feet from the hoop because we can't dribble. I didn't expect our coaching staff, for better or worse, to be commenting in season about how the team was not coachable and that major systemic changes are necessary

We've had issues in coaching, execution, and bickering on the court. I don't think it's entitled to be disappointed/frustrated with this year. But I'd think everyone involved - coaches, players, fans - is pretty surprised we are 19-9 and have had the lapses like we've had.

Even with all of the valid points you make about our weaknesses - change the results of a couple free throws, one or two bad calls, one or two missed shots, and one sprained ankle, we would in fact be a top 10-15 team, maybe even conceivably 5-10, with the exact same makeup. Maybe a paper tiger, sure, but does that really matter in the long run, when people look back at this season in a couple years? And I know the whole refrain about “if my aunt had b@lls…”

 

[boog204]

I can't tell you how to react to things. My view is despite all that you mentioned we're a few bounces here and there away from being exactly what you described -- a top 15 team. It's not hard at all to see a 22-6 team here.

But we're not. So what? We're still a good team that can get hot and compete with anyone.

Why people choose to be miserable about sports when there's so much else in the world to be miserable about is just beyond me.

I'm not miserable. Just disappointed at the product/season. I don't think it's entitled to feel that way or have criticisms. It doesn't negate the championships or question your fandom.

I get the "few" bounces theory, but I feel like we could say the same for a couple of games we've won, and I believe our record is indicative of how we've played. 22-6 and ranked in the top 15 would be a mirage to me.

Regardless, I'm with you that I legitimately think we could beat any team in the country. Think we could pretty much lose to anyone, too. I'm in for the ride.