We might get 'The Game' again?

[connboy77]

I think its time to bury the hatchet and play Tennessee. They are a top ten team and with UCONN'S weak conference schedule it can only help playing another top team.

 

[Fightin Choke]

The Volunteers need the rivalry much more than the Huskies. They haven't been anywhere near the team they used to be. Ever since Candace Parker left, it's been downhill from there. UConn already has forty scheduled if they make it to the finals. Maybe in the tournament?

I don't think either team needs the rivalry. Both teams are top 2-3 in SOS every season, so the game is not needed by either team. But forecasting which school's SOS will be lower in the 2014-2015 season, I would guess it would be UConn's, so in that regard, UConn needs it more than Tennessee. What Tennessee needs most is to actually win games against the top 10 teams on their schedule, something that has been lacking the past several years.

Like CamrnCrz1974 stated, I think the rivalry is good for WCBB, and would benefit the Huskies, the Vols, and WCBB fans everywhere.

 

[Blueballer]

According to John A. on The Courant it's NOT happening:

LINK

 

[Kevin G]

The renewed rivalry will be great for the sport, fans, and exposure of WCBB. Personally, I could care less if we play Tennessee.

 

[UCONNfan1]

But it's extremely unlikely that it will happen — mostly because it appears that Tennessee may not be all that interested in the concept.

Very interesting. Not a surprise really. I would not be surprised if it never happened. Tennessee seems unlikely to purposely desire the butt kicking that would ensue, and the chances of them actually being better than UCONN in the near future is somewhere between slim and none. Let's hope we get to wipe the court with them in the NCAA's...

 

[Fightin Choke]

CamrnCrz - Thanks for posting an outside view. I agree about needing a strong OOC, but I think with MD, PSU, Baylor (agree about the drop), Stanford, and Duke, etc. Uconn will continue to have a pretty good OOC. And there are a few other teams that are traditionally on the schedule but not currently like NC and OK. I also think that as long as Uconn continues to play most if not all of the contenders for NC and the others do as well, the RPI is less important than the actual head to head records.
I think the advantage of not having the TN/Uconn game over the last 5 years is that other rivalries got promoted out of desperation, and the wealth was spread. Generally a good thing, especially because it involved some nationally prominent schools like ND and Stanford and Duke (even with the blow-outs.)

I think the rise of the ND/UConn rivalry was unrelated to the cessation of the Vols/UConn series but rather was coincident with the matriculation of Skylar Diggins to Notre Dame. ND's recent WCBB success has greatly elevated Muffet's recruiting success, which should mean continued success for the Irish, unlike the brief spike at the turn of the century.

 

[cferraro04]

I don't know about you...but, I got a headache just reading the Courant article. Tennessee doesn't really want to schedule UConn, Holly mentioned that they should renew the series, Holly doesn't want to renew the series out of respect for P. Summit, Holly put it out there, Summit may have renewed her friendship with Geno but Holly hasn't...are you kidding me...I have never seen an article present both sides of an argument by the same person...my head was hurting so much it reminded me why we don't need to play Tennessee in the regular season...nothing but headaches. Don't get me wrong it is always a pleasure beating Tennessee but canceling a series over losing a recruiting battle is just way too unprofessional and immature... Like the old saying goes..."you made your bed now lie in it..."

 

[uconnell]

Someone speaks with forked tongue and it isn't UConn!

 

[Adesmar123]

According to John A. on The Courant it's NOT happening:

LINK

So lets see if I have this right.....Warlick approaches GA to see about resuming the game, but says she doesn't really want to resume it when asked about it. The University doesn't want to renew the game out of respect for PHS. But PHS has renewed the friendship with GA after GA gave her Foundation $10,000.

Does anyone else find all this rather odd?

 

[ed4ourgirls]

As I said in a similar thread a few weeks ago, if those who are clambering for a renewal of the
series think that it's going to be like the good old days they are going to be disappointed. It
can't be and won't be like the old rivalry unless and until Tennessee regains the stature it once had.

Still, Tennessee is a quality opponent, and UConn needs to schedule all the quality opponents
that it can. And as someone said in a previous post, ESPN would probably pay to make it
happen , and UConn can always use the money.

 

[UCONNfan1]

Like several other posters, it's odd, petty, and lacking any southern sensibility. "Not" scheduling it out of respect for Pat still implies that UCONN did something wrong. Pat was petty, vindictive, and jealous that she was constantly getting beaten out by UCONN for the top recruits, specifically Maya, Caroline, and Elena. Maybe there were others if you want to throw Annie in there. She was also miffed that UCONN was pounding her teams in the series, which only evened up at 13-9 after a 3 game winning streak during the Parker years.

Once Parker was gone, Pat realized, rightfully so, that UCONN was light years ahead of her teams and once she lost out on those top kids, knew the 13-9 would quickly become 20-9. The 30 page report of violations accusations (wasn't there also a FBI investigation of a UCONN beat writer or BY poster?) and everything else she apparently "accused" UCONN of in private is apparently bygones in her mind, so I guess that means the Tennessee AD and/or administration still holds a grudge.

Anyway, if they still want to act like babies, let them. We will continue to win NC's whether or not they decide to schedule an annual loss vs. UCONN...

 

[pppggg]

Tennessee needs the Husky game. We don't need to play them.

Having said that, Geno will play them again--for the good of the game and that's the only reason.

After we win our 9th title in Knoxville, we can talk about it.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

. . . After we win our 9th title in Knoxville, we can talk about it.

I hope we win our ninth title before that. Like maybe next year in Nashville.

 

[RPM101370]

"The Game" was played on April 9th. We were there. Tennessee could have been but didn't get it done. Nashville, anyone?

 

[Icebear]

I don't know about you...but, I got a headache just reading the Courant article. Tennessee doesn't really want to schedule UConn, Holly mentioned that they should renew the series, Holly doesn't want to renew the series out of respect for P. Summit, Holly put it out there, Summit may have renewed her friendship with Geno but Holly hasn't...are you kidding me...I have never seen an article present both sides of an argument by the same person...my head was hurting so much it reminded me why we don't need to play Tennessee in the regular season...nothing but headaches. Don't get me wrong it is always a pleasure beating Tennessee but canceling a series over losing a recruiting battle is just way too unprofessional and immature... Like the old saying goes..."you made your bed now lie in it..."

She wants to have her cake and Edith, too.

 

[Fiftyish]

With multiple conflicting reports and quotes it sounds like the it was a slow day in the sports news department and they needed to generate some hits for their blogs and on-line editions. Or the sources thought it would be fun to yank our chain.
In any event my preference would be to not play them again until they indicated some remorse for thrashing Geno's rep.

 

[pap49cba]

Geno should let them twist in the wind for a good long time.... like until he retires.

 

[intlzncster]

The reason it's still a rivalry, and would be approached with renewed intensity, is that both fan bases dislike each other more than any other 2 teams in WCBB. The fans make this a rivalry.

 

[UCONNfan1]

Geno should let them twist in the wind for a good long time.... like until he retires.

True, but then the next head coach couldn't play them out of respect for Geno. After all, Pat made all kinds of false accusations at Geno. Therefore, the next coach shouldn't play Tenn even when they come begging...

You know, I really don't get all their issues. For someone who supposedly was "all about the good of the game", the petulant stance she took in canceling the series, and now the petty stance by the administration "out of respect for her" - what a load of horse . If she (and the administration) were all about the "good of the game", they never would have allowed the series to be cancelled. They should have told her to "man up" and stop being such a baby.

"Geno got recruits I wanted. Waaaaa. He said things I can't repeat so I'm canceling the series. If you want to know why go ask him." Good lord - what a joke... That's how a 10 year old behaves, not the Hall of Fame coach of one of the greatest WCBB programs of all time.

 

[meyers7]

Does anyone else find all this rather odd?

Anything coming out of that God forsaken place is odd.

 

[Bestiarius]

UConn should only consider playing Tennessee when Holly apologizes to Geno for Pat's unreasoned cancellation of the series.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Could care less! Would rather see ND and Muffet!

I would rather see ND and Niele Ivey

 

[DaddyChoc]

I think the rise of the ND/UConn rivalry was unrelated to the cessation of the Vols/UConn series but rather was coincident with the matriculation of Skylar Diggins to Notre Dame. ND's recent WCBB success has greatly elevated Muffet's recruiting success, which should mean continued success for the Irish, unlike the brief spike at the turn of the century.

I agree... we had no choice but to play ND, atleast twice a year. It didnt help that Rutgers wasnt as good. The Lady Cards with Angel was a nice challenge also

 

[triaddukefan]

I would rather see ND and Niele Ivey

 

[jdubct]

Reporting on the renewal of the regular season rivalry seems like an April Fool's joke. If it ever happens, I would guess that it would be after Geno retires.