Westbrook to Uconn [merged thread]

[Waquoit]

Welcome to UConn Evina Westbrook! Now you'll find out what winning is

As well as finding out what coaching is.

 

[oldude]

Evina's defection is bringing out some endearing qualities:

I’m trying to put myself in the shoes of LV fans. It’s not much fun. They were giddy back in November when Horston announced she was heading to Knoxville over Storrs, and UConn also missed on Jones & Boston. They looked at their young team brimming with confidence for the season ahead as well as the future when they would travel up to Storrs after a 13 year absence to avenge all the slights suffered at the hands of the Prince of Darkness, a.k.a. Geno Auriemma.

So what’s transpired in the interim. TN stumbled through a 19-12 season, losing in the 1st round of the Big Dance. HW was fired, and while that was cause for optimism among many LV fans, they didn’t hire a big name coach that many wanted. They hired a mid-major coach with a resume that does little to convince many that she can bring TN back to the promised land. Subsequently, the LV’s lose two of their best returning players, with one going to their hated rival.

Many LV fans are confused, angry, depressed, delusional and filled with uncertainty. Some are lashing out at Evina who they feel betrayed them. There is a good deal of infighting over on VolNation. While I find some of it amusing, at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters to me is that UConn WBB continues to maintain a level of excellence that we can all be proud of.

 

[CocoHusky]

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?

The entire process is confidential.meaning that no explanations, or detailed response or simple yes or no responses from TN will be made public.

 

[oldude]

The entire process is confidential.meaning that no explanations, or detailed response or simple yes or no responses from TN will be made public.

Having done a little research, there does appear to be a requirement for schools to respond in some detail to waiver requests if they oppose them. They can’t just say no arbitrarily. On the other hand, if they want to make things easy, they can just say “yes.”

 

[UConnNick]

Evina's defection is bringing out some endearing qualities:

This is very sad and pathetic.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Kellie could be an outstanding coach--if she had Chamique, Tamika, and Semeka on her roster.

 

[Ron and Vida]

Naw, we'll just have a couple of Havliceks. I suspect the virtues of having a regular starting 5 outweigh the swiss army knife approach, but I only coached 4th grade girls soccer and I stunk at that.

I also coached young girls soccer
It was bittersweet
The girls unlike boys I coached for the most part followed my directives.
Sweet
But we still lost.
So I had to face it was because the coaching stunk
Bitter!

 

[Ron and Vida]

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?

Either way we’re buying tickets early for the TN game!

 

[Ron and Vida]

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

Steel Magnolia?

 

[HuskyNan]

Evina's defection is bringing out some endearing qualities:

Someone should ask the Captain of the Tin Foil Hat Brigade if there’s an NCAA rule familiarly called the Geno Auriemma Rule because of questionable recruiting practices. No? Which 1000+ win coach could that be?

 

[CL82]

Someone should ask the Captain of the Tin Foil Hat Brigade if there’s an NCAA rule familiarly called the Geno Auriemma Rule because a certain coach used questionable recruiting practices. No? Which 1000+ win coach could that be?

Meh. Maria is Maria. Her act is old and tired at this point.

 

[HuskyNan]

Meh. Maria is Maria. Her act is old and tired at this point.

And that poop has a pretty bright shine after all these years

 

[JordyG]

Kia Wright was homesick, Kennitra Johnson disliked the fishbowl UConn lives in, and some were, um, encouraged to explore other opportunities. There are others reasons too

And of course AEH did not leave because of the lack of perceived future PT.

 

[Ron and Vida]

Either way we’re buying tickets early for the TN game!

That being said I don’t even want to think about what a circus the inimitable ESPN is going to make out of this......

 

[JordyG]

True, it’s not a mathematical equation. In a practical sense, having all those guards means that if someone is having a bad night (it happens, even if it causes temporary insanity for a handful of Boneyarders in the chat room), Geno can give another player more minutes. It’s going to be a “who’s giving us what we need tonight?” situation that determines playing time on any given night

Also, as usual, how practice goes and whether Geno feels he can trust certain players in game situations. Geno may feel this is a better pressing team than he's had in recent years and that too may alter how his lineups shake out.

 

[baggerbob]

That being said I don’t even want to think about what a circus the inimitable ESPN is going to make out of this.

The NCAA better think about the money, they don't want to get on the bad side of the mouse.

 

[MSGRET]

That being said I don’t even want to think about what a circus the inimitable ESPN is going to make out of this.

Maybe they can have Lobo and Lawson make a friendly wager that the loser has to sing the other team's fight song at the winners home court. If UConn wins Lawson can go out to mid court and sing it with ESPN covering it. IF LV wins, then Lobo sings it the following year in TN.

 

[JoePgh]

And of course AEH did not leave because of the lack of perceived future PT.

Not to mention Samarie Walker, whose reasons for leaving could not be related to playing time. She was getting plenty of it, including defending Brittney Griner until she (Samarie) fouled out, and being praised by Geno for her performance in that capacity. Also, there was AEH, who was getting more minutes than any of her freshman classmates except Megan when she left.

 

[JordyG]

Maybe they can have Lobo and Lawson make a friendly wager that the loser has to sing the other team's fight song at the winners home court. If UConn wins Lawson can go out to mid court and sing it with ESPN covering it. IF LV wins, then Lobo sings it the following year in TN.

I think I'd rather see UConn lose than hear either of those tin ears sing a vowel. Imagine after the torture of losing having to listen to that screeching.

 

[oldude]

Not to mention Samarie Walker, whose reasons for leaving could not be related to playing time. She was getting plenty of it, including defending Brittney Griner until she (Samarie) fouled out, and being praised by Geno for her performance in that capacity. Also, there was AEH, who was getting more minutes than any of her freshman classmates except Megan when she left.

Samarie maybe, but AEH’s PT was shrinking when she came off a bad few minutes vs Depaul and Geno sat her down after she committed several turnovers. The next thing we knew was that she was at home, supposedly deciding whether she wanted to return to the team or not. While PT may not have been the primary issue with AEH, it was certainly an issue.

 

[soxfan23]

Not to mention Samarie Walker, whose reasons for leaving could not be related to playing time. She was getting plenty of it, including defending Brittney Griner until she (Samarie) fouled out, and being praised by Geno for her performance in that capacity. Also, there was AEH, who was getting more minutes than any of her freshman classmates except Megan when she left.

Walker was the only transfer I can remember that decided to transfer while getting decent playing time. AEH was basically asked to leave the team by Geno(according to the since deleted video of Geno talking to boosters) after she continually failed to meet his expectations.

 

[UCBaller2012]

Someone should ask the Captain of the Tin Foil Hat Brigade if there’s an NCAA rule familiarly called the Geno Auriemma Rule because of questionable recruiting practices. No? Which 1000+ win coach could that be?

It is usually the ones who preach the “holier than thou” attitude that are the most culpable ones

 

[donalddoowop]

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.

I agree and some of those things you mentioned I believe Makurat already knows how to do. I believe Makurat may have as good a chance as Westbrook has at starting. Whichever one learns the system first, I believe, will play the most.

 

[BobbyJ]

I agree and some of those things you mentioned I believe Makurat already knows how to do. I believe Makurat may have as good a chance as Westbrook has at starting. Whichever one learns the system first, I believe, will play the most.

Makurat is going to surprise a lot of people I believe. If she plays defense to Auriemma's level, she's going to play a lot.

 

[oldude]

I agree and some of those things you mentioned I believe Makurat already knows how to do. I believe Makurat may have as good a chance as Westbrook has at starting. Whichever one learns the system first, I believe, will play the most.

Ania’s offense is impressive, but all indications are that Evina’s defense is much better at this point. I think Evina gets the nod as the starter, but I am really thrilled that UConn looks like they will have a legitimate 7 player rotation, and maybe 8 if Aubrey can figure things out sooner rather than later.