We can beat them

[jibsey]

Everyone please stop. We are not as good as SMU with our current team as it stands. After all of theevidence this year to back it up what will it take to convince? NO quality teams beaten by us this year, none, zero. When we got within 5, Rodney jacked a 30 footer, going 4-18. Our 7 foot center rebounded well with 11. And scored 1 point. That is not a misprint. I say it again. 1 point. SMU was never afraid they would lose and it was an away game. This isn't negativity it's reality and I'm sorry that it is what it is. They had better players than us. Why so hard to accept?

 

[kobe]

I don't care about SMU, I want to beat Cincinnati for a 4th straight year in heartbreaking fashion!

 

[mustangxc]

For the most part SMU fans have great respect for the UCONN basketball program. We all want to see UCONN be the UCONN of old. I think what bothers our fans is the people that minimize each of our accomplishments. If UCONN played to its level our league would actually be very good. Unfortunately, UCONN, Temple, and Memphis have been mediocre the last few years. Temple had a great run last season in conference play but did not do anything to elevate the league in non-conference or post-season play. The same goes for Tulsa. Cincinnati and SMU are the only two programs that have been consistently good the last 4 seasons. If SMU, Cincinnati, and the UCONN women can win in the American there is no reason for Memphis, Temple, and UCONN men to be solid programs in the league as well. Add Houston and UCF which are on the rise and Tulsa which is a historically solid program and our league could be very good.

 

[Matrim55]

We all want to see UCONN be the UCONN of old.

Careful what you wish for. These are your salad days.

 

[mustangxc]

Careful what you wish for. These are your salad days.

As long as SMU makes regular appearance in the NCAA tournament I would be ok with finishing 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th in a 5-6 bid conference.

 

[ctchamps]

I'm laughing reading the SMU board. They think they are the kings of basketball because they beat us. This is coming from fans of a team who hasn't won a NCAA tournament game since 1988

I hope we face them again and kick the out of them.

Because in spite of the paranoia in this forum UConn is still a blue blood in the minds of many fans outside this forum. You consider it arrogance on their part. I consider it something I wish more than one fellow Boneyarder would reconsider.

 

[ctchamps]

For the most part SMU fans have great respect for the UCONN basketball program. We all want to see UCONN be the UCONN of old. I think what bothers our fans is the people that minimize each of our accomplishments. If UCONN played to its level our league would actually be very good. Unfortunately, UCONN, Temple, and Memphis have been mediocre the last few years. Temple had a great run last season in conference play but did not do anything to elevate the league in non-conference or post-season play. The same goes for Tulsa. Cincinnati and SMU are the only two programs that have been consistently good the last 4 seasons. If SMU, Cincinnati, and the UCONN women can win in the American there is no reason for Memphis, Temple, and UCONN men to be solid programs in the league as well. Add Houston and UCF which are on the rise and Tulsa which is a historically solid program and our league could be very good.

Even before the first NC, even with the incredible accomplishments of coach Calhoun, there were some UConn fans who couldn't accept failure, which at that time was not getting into a final four. After the first NC the number of fans who insisted on success increased and that rose even further with each successive NC. Any program that enjoys the degree of success UConn has enjoyed would have to suffer a larger fan base that can't handle adversity. Why? Because successful programs typically attract bandwagon fans, fans in which success is the priority over anything else. In general they lack the appreciation the original fans have about winning it all because the original UConn fans went through long stretches of bad seasons prior to this period of success. Of course there are exceptions. But the general rule applies imo.

In addition the UConn fan (particularly the men's bb fan) has suffered more than most fans of other programs because they lived through the destruction of a conference that was arguably the best bb conference ever. And where most of the members in that conference landed in comparable or better conferences money wise UConn has ended in a conference with no geographical or historical rivalries and a monetary reduction.

The Boneyard is a collection of the most passionate fans. And most of the people here really understand the game. It's hard for some of us to move past the difficulties we been dealt with over the past six season even with the fourth NC. But I can pretty much guarantee you once the APR situation passes and this recent rash of bad luck ends, Kevin Ollie is the coach that will bring UConn back to its glory days no matter which conference UConn is in.

 

[mustangxc]

Believe me, if anyone can understand your plight it is SMU fans. We were one of the premiere teams in one of the premiere college football conferences in the country and after the death penalty and breakup of the Southwest Conference have wandered through the desert ever since. Many of us have said ever since that our future lies in basketball and getting into the Big East which turned into the American along with the hiring of Larry Brown is the first sign of true hope in a long time. June Jones appeared to be our savior in football but he was too lazy to recruit. I think it is in UConn's best interest to stick it out in this conference in order to give football a chance to succeed. If SMU and Cincinnati can maintain or improve and UConn, Memphis, Temple and Houston can get back to being their historic levels this can be a fun conference. I know it will never be the SWC or the Big East but I hope our schools can make it work.