Westbrook to Uconn [merged thread]

[oldude]

I have a more nuanced question regarding waivers. Assuming that a transfer’s prior school can block a waiver, can they just say “no” or do they have to give a detailed response in support of their denial?

Say for instance that a player felt intimidated or threatened by fans. Not entirely out of the question for some of the more zealous LV fans as we’ve seen from Margo’s rant. Does TN have to counter a transfer’s waiver request with documentation?

 

[MilfordHusky]

So will Kelly Jolly block Evina’s waiver request? In the spirit of the rivalry she probably should, no?

Blocking the waiver would seriously jeopardize the series with UConn. Tennessee has more to gain by letting it slide.

 

[Rocket009]

Tennessee and their fans don’t care about being petty. They berated this girl, and like their ex-coach, made the team responsible for their downfalls.
I would be surprised if Jolly supports the waiver, and if Evina were granted a waiver

Fortunately the've moved on to insulting each other now. Let's hope it stays that way.

 

[UcMiami]

When people talk about playing time at Uconn and especially associate it with transfers, it seems that they forget two important factors: the basic tenant of the team is 'playing time is earned in practice' and, this isn't some huge mystery to the players. Molly Bent isn't sitting on the bench talking to herself and going 'I can't believe I'm not starting. Why doesn't coach put me in?' She already has a very good idea of when she will get into games and a pretty good idea of how many minutes she is going to get.

Some HS players have a fantasy view of their college career and how it will evolve from day one on campus to graduation. That usually lasts a day or two into the first practices. At Uconn the coaches do not blow smoke during the recruiting process, but that doesn't stop the fantasies for some of the recruits. Freshman year is a reality check and it is a rude awakening. Being on a championship caliber team is really really hard work and requires sacrifices. But the important aspect that we fans tend to ignore is the 95% of the court time and the off court time we are not seeing, when the coaches are constantly communicating with the players and the players are seeing what good and bad 'Uconn basketball' looks like.

Hopefully most transfers off the Uconn team are based not on what is happening in the current games, but where the road is leading. So yeah it may be about playing time, but in reality it is about what is required to earn that playing time and the realization that either they do not have the intrinsic talent to reach that point, or they aren't willing to work quite that hard at this point in life.

I think it is telling that none of the Uconn transfers out have actually had professional careers (I think.) Someone like Azure has not transferred out of the Uconn program. There have been some talented players who have, but for whatever reason they have not had what it takes to extend their career beyond the amateur level. (EDD is the exception, but that had nothing to do with Uconn basketball.)

There was a thread where someone posted win #90 against South Florida yesterday (and then it was deleted) and it was really fun to watch - Uconn scored 65 points in the first half demolishing USF. Most of the second half the starters sat, and it was pure bench for the 4th quarter. The team scored 37 points in the second half and 20 points in the last 13 minutes when the starters were sitting. It was one of the best bench games in the last decade and still it did not look much like 'Uconn basketball' during that 4th quarter. And one of the bench players was Dangerfield so it wasn't all based on talent.

 

[victor64]

When people talk about playing time at Uconn and especially associate it with transfers, it seems that they forget two important factors: the basic tenant of the team is 'playing time is earned in practice' and, this isn't some huge mystery to the players. Molly Bent isn't sitting on the bench talking to herself and going 'I can't believe I'm not starting. Why doesn't coach put me in?' She already has a very good idea of when she will get into games and a pretty good idea of how many minutes she is going to get.

Some HS players have a fantasy view of their college career and how it will evolve from day one on campus to graduation. That usually lasts a day or two into the first practices. At Uconn the coaches do not blow smoke during the recruiting process, but that doesn't stop the fantasies for some of the recruits. Freshman year is a reality check and it is a rude awakening. Being on a championship caliber team is really really hard work and requires sacrifices. But the important aspect that we fans tend to ignore is the 95% of the court time and the off court time we are not seeing, when the coaches are constantly communicating with the players and the players are seeing what good and bad 'Uconn basketball' looks like.

Hopefully most transfers off the Uconn team are based not on what is happening in the current games, but where the road is leading. So yeah it may be about playing time, but in reality it is about what is required to earn that playing time and the realization that either they do not have the intrinsic talent to reach that point, or they aren't willing to work quite that hard at this point in life.

I think it is telling that none of the Uconn transfers out have actually had professional careers (I think.) Someone like Azure has not transferred out of the Uconn program. There have been some talented players who have, but for whatever reason they have not had what it takes to extend their career beyond the amateur level. (EDD is the exception, but that had nothing to do with Uconn basketball.)

There was a thread where someone posted win #90 against South Florida yesterday (and then it was deleted) and it was really fun to watch - Uconn scored 65 points in the first half demolishing USF. Most of the second half the starters sat, and it was pure bench for the 4th quarter. The team scored 37 points in the second half and 20 points in the last 13 minutes when the starters were sitting. It was one of the best bench games in the last decade and still it did not look much like 'Uconn basketball' during that 4th quarter. And one of the bench players was Dangerfield so it wasn't all based on talent.

Let's assume that Evina gets her waiver. Also, based on Geno's past recruiting philosophy, Westbrook was not promised a certain spot, an amount of playing time or even a starting position. I find it interesting that a point guard that started for two-years would transfer to a school where she will almost certainly not play point (at least the first year) and may not even play guard. She will only start if Geno chooses to go with two guards and two wings to go with ONO. Evina must have really wanted out of Tennessee and Megan must be a really good recruiter.

 

[UcMiami]

Let's assume that Evina gets her waiver. Also, based on Geno's past recruiting philosophy, Westbrook was not promised a certain spot, an amount of playing time or even a starting position. I find it interesting that a point guard that started for two-years would transfer to a school where she will almost certainly not play point (at least the first year) and may not even play guard. She will only start if Geno chooses to go with two guards and two wings to go with ONO. Evina must have really wanted out of Tennessee and Megan must be a really good recruiter.

Part of that gets into how you define PG - Lou played a lot of PG during the last few years and it has happened before that multiple players on the court trade off PG duties. It is one of the beauties of Geno's system that spreads the 'playmaking' duties across the five players on the court at any time.

If Westbrook buys in to the system, she will get plenty of court time and plaenty of play making time. And her choosing Uconn having had her 2 year orange experience suggest she is already buying in. Certainly if she is as close with Walker as some imply and given Walkers freshman experience she should have few illusions about the Uconn process.

 

[BRS24]

Some amusing responses to tweets today ...

 

[BRS24]

And another ...

 

[UConnNick]

Blocking the waiver would seriously jeopardize the series with UConn. Tennessee has more to gain by letting it slide.

That's right. All the game contracts have an out clause. All you have to do is pay an agreed penalty and you're out of it.

 

[BRS24]

I may sound like an idealist here, but I don't get when adults take it personally that a kid, that's right, a kid, realizes that a decision they made a year or two back isn't working out for them now. Seriously, now many adults would do this, be brave enough to completely turn their life upside down, know that the trolls will swarm out of the woodwork to criticize a decision when they've not lived the life of a college hoop player? Bravo to them for having the introspection and bravery to make a decision that is right for them.

 

[Jim]

Everyone anointing Evina as the 5th starter is underestimating the amount of work it will take for her to learn a new system — particularly one that actually runs offense. No more dribble, dribble, dribble, chuck it up and go for the rebound. She is going to have to learn how to move without the ball, to expect passes at any time, and to know what good shot selection means in a team context.

 

[sperry3]

Seems to me Evina wanted to be a husky long time ago. Pictures on the left are a young Evina wearing husky gear.

 

[oldude]

Everyone anointing Evina as the 5th starter is underestimating the amount of work it will take for her to learn a new system — particularly one that actually runs offense. No more dribble, dribble, dribble, chuck it up and go for the rebound. She is going to have to learn how to move without the ball, to expect passes at any time, and to know what good shot selection means in a team context.

Every other player that we might reasonably expect to be the 5th starter (Ania, Evelyn & Aubrey) are all learning a new system. Evina has a high basketball IQ. She lead the LV’s in assists. She will be the 5th starter, unless Geno has yet another player up his sleeve that we don’t know about.

 

[Mdoggie]

Everyone anointing Evina as the 5th starter is underestimating the amount of work it will take for her to learn a new system — particularly one that actually runs offense. No more dribble, dribble, dribble, chuck it up and go for the rebound. She is going to have to learn how to move without the ball, to expect passes at any time, and to know what good shot selection means in a team context.

"Everyone"? How many people is that exactly? My children arent allowed to say "everyone"

 

[oldude]

I have a more nuanced question regarding waivers. Assuming that a transfer’s prior school can block a waiver, can they just say “no” or do they have to give a detailed response in support of their denial?

Say for instance that a player felt intimidated or threatened by fans. Not entirely out of the question for some of the more zealous LV fans as we’ve seen from Margo’s rant. Does TN have to counter a transfer’s waiver request with documentation?

I’ve done a little research and there are several potential problems with a school opposing a waiver request:

• A player’s previous school does have to document their objections to the NCAA. Many schools don’t want the hassle.
• Transferring player’s families have both threatened and initiated lawsuits which have, more often than not, caused schools to back down from opposing a waiver request.
• Schools just don’t want the bad PR. It can negatively impact everything from future recruiting to fundraising.

So TN can oppose UConn’s waiver request for Evina if they choose to. But do they really want to go to war with both Geno and Eva Westbrook?

 

[Plebe]

Some amusing responses to tweets today ...
View attachment 43187

Evina's defection is bringing out some endearing qualities:

 

[eebmg]

Evina's defection is bringing out some endearing qualities:

Perhaps your program is a bit dated if you need to dig into the b/w archives.

 

[Argonaut]

Evina's defection is bringing out some endearing qualities:

Geno has won 11 NCs while drinking fermented grapes instead of just mashing sour ones.

 

[SVCBeercats]

90% of the players that transfer from UConn, do it because of a perceived lack of playing time. Sure, Geno runs tough practices and demands a lot from his players, but that is not the reason why most decide to transfer,

Yes, of course you would know this as a fact.

 

[Mdoggie]

Perhaps your program is a bit dated if you need to dig into the b/w archives.

They got nothing else. When all else fails, pull the PS card.

 

[Mdoggie]

Geno has won 11 NCs by drinking fermented grapes instead of just mashing sour ones.

Classic!

 

[MSGRET]

When people talk about playing time at Uconn and especially associate it with transfers, it seems that they forget two important factors: the basic tenant of the team is 'playing time is earned in practice' and, this isn't some huge mystery to the players. Molly Bent isn't sitting on the bench talking to herself and going 'I can't believe I'm not starting. Why doesn't coach put me in?' She already has a very good idea of when she will get into games and a pretty good idea of how many minutes she is going to get.

Some HS players have a fantasy view of their college career and how it will evolve from day one on campus to graduation. That usually lasts a day or two into the first practices. At Uconn the coaches do not blow smoke during the recruiting process, but that doesn't stop the fantasies for some of the recruits. Freshman year is a reality check and it is a rude awakening. Being on a championship caliber team is really really hard work and requires sacrifices. But the important aspect that we fans tend to ignore is the 95% of the court time and the off court time we are not seeing, when the coaches are constantly communicating with the players and the players are seeing what good and bad 'Uconn basketball' looks like.

Hopefully most transfers off the Uconn team are based not on what is happening in the current games, but where the road is leading. So yeah it may be about playing time, but in reality it is about what is required to earn that playing time and the realization that either they do not have the intrinsic talent to reach that point, or they aren't willing to work quite that hard at this point in life.

I think it is telling that none of the Uconn transfers out have actually had professional careers (I think.) Someone like Azure has not transferred out of the Uconn program. There have been some talented players who have, but for whatever reason they have not had what it takes to extend their career beyond the amateur level. (EDD is the exception, but that had nothing to do with Uconn basketball.)

There was a thread where someone posted win #90 against South Florida yesterday (and then it was deleted) and it was really fun to watch - Uconn scored 65 points in the first half demolishing USF. Most of the second half the starters sat, and it was pure bench for the 4th quarter. The team scored 37 points in the second half and 20 points in the last 13 minutes when the starters were sitting. It was one of the best bench games in the last decade and still it did not look much like 'Uconn basketball' during that 4th quarter. And one of the bench players was Dangerfield so it wasn't all based on talent.

@UcMiami my post is still up, but it's on the "NOW Can We Talk Starting Line Up" thread, it's #116. That was soooooo much fun to watch.

 

[UConnCat]

Good lord. One transfer and look at what has been unleashed. Here we go.

BTW, Pat Summitt invented cheating in women's basketball. Do we have to drag out those Sports Illustrated articles again? It's called tampering and she was the master.

 

[Mdoggie]

Good lord. One transfer and look at what has been unleashed. Here we go.

BTW, Pat Summitt invented cheating in women's basketball. Do we have to drag out those Sports Illustrated articles again? It's called tampering and she was the master.

If you aint cheatin you aint tryin. Lol

 

[Waquoit]

It's what Sal Marchiano said when ESPN fired him in the early 1990's. I just changed "Bristol, CT" to Knoxville.

Actually, it's what he said to get himself fired. They didn't want to keep him from being happy.