What was the Boneyard Like?

[B1GEast]

Here was probably another topic , When the ACC expands we're guaranteed a slot. I joined the board in 06

 

[temery]

The Boneyard was a little smarter back then I think -- more humor and less repetition of the same complaints over and over again. At least that is how I remember it, maybe because the times were better and there was more optimism.

We were ground breakers in the anti-social media movement.

 

[Paesano]

The Toto site was the best site we had. People weren't anonymous but they were still passionate. Arguments got ugly at times, like siblings arguing, but we all eventually learned to get along. I made some great friends on that site and some of them have since passed away.

One of the older members (Papa K) gave me some sage advice which convinced me to name my first son after my father, who passed away when I was a junior at UConn. Another older member became a good friend who also passed on great advice. His name was Jack Wright. I was very sad when he passed. And then there was Annie. We argued a lot. I don't even remember about what. But then we became friends. Sadly, she passed from cancer. Some of the people from there are still on here. Deadrody and I went to see the UConn/Maryland tournament game in Syracuse. Huskyhawk and I have remained in contact too. I venture to guess there are others here that I just don't know about.

I think the nice thing about that group was that it was a smaller and tighter knit community. When we shared life events, it was very personal.

 

[temery]

The Toto site was the best site we had. People weren't anonymous but they were still passionate. Arguments got ugly at times, like siblings arguing, but we all eventually learned to get along. I made some great friends on that site and some of them have since passed away.

One of the older members (Papa K) gave me some sage advice which convinced me to name my first son after my father, who passed away when I was a juniot at UConn. Another older member became a good friend who also passed on great advice. His name was Jack Wright. I was very sad when he passed. And then there was Annie. We argued a lot. I don't even remember about what. But then we became friends. Sadly, she passed from cancer. Some of the people from there are still on here. Deadrody and I went to see the UConn/Maryland tournament game in Syracuse. Huskyhawk and I have remained in contact too. I venture to guess there are others here that I just don't know about.

I think the nice thing about that group was that it was a smaller and tighter knit community. When we shared life events, it was very personal.

And of course the occasional email intended for a girlfriend sent to the email group by mistake.

 

[mauconnfan]

I was mainly a lurker then, now I am mainly a lurker.

Now you're brilliant!

 

[mauconnfan]

Technology was a much different. Youtube wasn't what it is now and recruiting information and highlight videos werent anywhere near as readily available.

I was a lot more active back then.

I has subscriptions to the three big recruiting sites. I made my own site (UConnRecruiting.net) a free site with just UConn recruits. I would kind of average out the rankings and strengths and weaknesses of each player UConn was recruiting. There was also McD's UConn site way back in the day which is how I (and many others) found the boneyard.

Myself, @Marat, and a guy named Matt (cant remember his screen name) made most of the highlight videos (very painstakingly).

I used to record the games to my computer (basically a computer based DVR) to make highlight videos, and to put the games on DVD for my collection, and for my Boneyard friends who missed games. That was amazing technology back then.

A bunch of us used to go to various summer events and do write ups on UConn recruits here on the boneyard. Again, there wasnt much info out there on recruits except for "the big three" subscription recruiting sites. (I once spent a memorable afternoon puking my guts out at ABCD camp in New Jersey with @Fishy, @HooperScooper, and @DogMania)

Back then I Posted "scrimmage reports" here in the summer, before I was officially covering the team. I had a connection that would let me know what time the kids were scrimmaging each day, and I would go watch the games and post summaries. A few Boneyarders came out to check out scrimmages. I remember @mauconnfan coming down one day, I think @HooperScooper may have come once too.

At one point around then we had a "premium board" as well with more exclusive and inside info. At that time Fishy and Tom took over Husky Blue & White newspaper and turned it into a magazine, which I thought was really cool. With a subscription to the premium site you got the magazine as well, if I remember right. I always loved Husky Blue and White growing up, so it was a real thrill that I got to write some articles for it, alongside Gavin Keefe, Phil Chardis, and a few others. I still have copies in storage somewhere in a box.

A lot of the regulars from then are still here. It was a fun time. Fishy was in full "Fishy" mode (He has mellowed a bit over time). We had a wood chipper, some weird cluster oak award, and Boneyard Golf events where people got drunk and flipped over golf carts. I think Boneyard hangings were introduced around that time also (maybe a couple years earlier).

Ahhhh, the good old days.

THIS ^^^^^^^^^Bravo Bravo 33

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Found the Yard by chance around 2006/2007 if memory serves.

Seriously, not much has changed.

The W/L have but the hand wringing over every game hasn't. Self included.

 

[Greathusky]

I started out on the Courant site and migrated over the years to where we are today.

The atmosphere has stayed the same over the years.
Losses were magnified beyond their importance with individual barbs against the poor performers of the game.
Wins were sources of optimisms boasting of national championships.

I do sense a foreboding on today's board that we are never going to get back to where we once were. I hope that it isn't true but I am personally okay with that.
I will continue to root hard for these kids but I have to confess that my old "my day sucks if UCONN loses" attitude has bit the dust perhaps due to lower expectations and an older me.

From the days of attending UCONN games at the New Haven Coliseum in the seventies to attending all four final four championships, I have great memories of the Huskys which no one can take away.

 

[ZenConn]

Same complaints in regards to the recruiting of Ryan Gomes as you see today in regards to the recruiting of TW.

 

[mauconnfan]

Same complaints in regards to the recruiting of Ryan Gomes as you see today in regards to the recruiting of TW.

If MAL becomes a Gomes you will see what it was like back then in 2-3 years LOL. And I can tell you who the leaders will be too.

 

[CL82]

I started out on the Courant site and migrated over the years to where we are today.

Same.

I did find this on the wayback:

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Quinnipiac

Date: November 25, 2002

The Good

This year's QU game - Last year's Quinnipiac game was the gateway to a disaster. UConn's struggles against the Braves in an ugly win looked like good times in the very next game as St. Bonaventure came in and removed UConn from its senses. If the St.Bonaventure game was the ashes from which UConn's season rose, the Quinnipiac game started the fire that turned the Huskies into ash in the first place. Calhoun called a time out just a minute into the game last year after QU hit an uncontested three to take a 3-0 lead. Three minutes later, Calhoun had used his second timeout and had also picked up a technical along the way. He seemed a much happier camper this time 'round.

Taliek Brown - Taliek started last season with a half-dozen or so very uneven performances and a couple of games that were the stuff of horror stories. There was no such slow start on Saturday. Taliek scored 12 points in the first half by going through, around or over whichever Bobcat guard had the misfortune of drawing the assignment. On several drives to the hoop, Quinnipiac defenders looked more like pylons than people as Taliek went by them. More important than putting points on the board, Brown kept UConn's transition offense on boil and he did so under control. Sixteen points, 10 assists against one lonely turnover. I won't even mention the 6-6 free throw shooting.

Shamon Tooles - There's nothing remarkable that jumps out of the boxscore or off the tape about Tooles' game last night unless you consider where Tooles is and where he was. No one knew who Shamon Tooles was coming out of high school. The first time I heard of Tooles was when I read a clip in the Courant that he had arrived in Storrs after spurning an offer to walk on at St. Joe's. Now, he's starting the season opener and he just looks like he belonged. He did foul out in just sixteen minutes' time, but he also had a big hand in Jeremy Bishop out in minute more. He was productive and efficient gathering eight points in 3-5 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds before the refs gave him the rest of the night off.

Ben Gordon - The body control on this kid is unreal. The bottom half may be going any which way, but the top half is always squaring itself to the basket. Now, I don't recommend dropping cats, (I'm not discouraging it either), but Gordon reminds me of a falling cat; no matter how he starts out the fall, he'll twist himself right side up before he lands. Quinnipiac didn't really have much of an answer for Gordon; the three-point shot wasn't falling, but he didn't have any problem going wherever he wanted and getting a good shot off. Did a competent job of running the point when Taliek was off the floor and it looked like Calhoun gave him some extra time at the position in the closing minutes of the game. Looked to me like he has accepted Calhoun's directive that he become more assertive and to look for his offense; I thought he forced a one particular shot in the second half and in thinking about it, I'm not so sure that his coach minded that one.

Quinnipiac - They're a Northeast Conference team and as such they sport talent that might shade to the wrong side of mid-major. However, they're a well-coached bunch, they're aggressive and they play a fun style of basketball. Jeremy Bishop is a pleasure to watch and here's hoping he doesn't mangle himself too badly crashing into scorer's tables, basket supports and whatever else that might come between him and the basketball.

Free throw shooting - 14-16 in the first half. Life is easy for a team that shoots 88% from the freebie line. That's the good news. The bad news is that there was a second half.

Tempo - If the UConn students were as effective in running their up-tempo offense, they would have gotten to those goal posts after the Kent State win. This team is fast; if the UConn basketball team had gone after those goal posts, they would have had them down, disassembled and for sale on eBay before pepper-spray totin' campus cops could have said, "stop or we'll spritz".

The Bad

The Freshmen - Bad is relative. They didn't play poorly, but they did play with some happy feet. They looked nervous and they played nervous. Denham Brown showed a nice stroke and he had his moments on defense, but he deferred to the veterans. Showed some court sense on pass to Emeka Okafor that arrived so quickly that it took Oak a moment to realize that he had the ball. As his comfort level rises, so will his aggression. Rashad Anderson got lost on defense on at least two occasions and he looked a little rattled in his eight minutes. The most comfortable of the freshmen appeared to be Hilton Armstrong; he didn't hesitate driving in for a dunk the first time he had the chance. He's got a good build for basketball; lean, wiry and 6'10" works very nicely.

The Defense - The defense was clearly more ragged than the offense. Some inexperienced freshmen on the perimeter and opponent that avoided Emeka Okafor like he was on fire made for an uneven performance. Transition defense did not always get back down the court the way it needed to and players occasionally had problems finding their man. Not only did Quinnipiac shoot 46% in the second half, but they also got the line 13 times and converted 11 of them.

Emeka Okafor - C.J. Vick is no dummy. The Quinnipiac center looked at times to prefer shooting from the Gampel parking garage rather than wandering inside for the privilege of being pole axed by Okafor. What was good and life preserving for C.J. Vick, however, didn't play to Okafor's strengths. He didn't look comfortable for much of the game; I think he got anxious on occasion and left his feet on a half-hearted pump fake by Vick in the second half. It happens to everyone, but it doesn't happen often to Okafor. He did look for his offense, but he appeared to leave some of his jumpers a little short - pulled the string a tiny bit. Did the same on a few free throws. Tough to complain about a 16 point, 12 rebound game, but I managed.

The Reserves - Sort of a mixed bag here. Justin Brown got just three minutes, but Quinnipiac never put a player on the floor that Brown could cover and there's no sense in having him chase a 6'6" power forward all over creation. Hazelton played ten minutes and looked pretty good; the faster the pace, the more he seems to thrive. There are still some questions on defense and Calhoun seemed to put an end to Scott's playing time when he committed an awful foul on Patrick Eagan well after Eagan had released a three point shot. Mike Hayes played 15 solid, but unspectacular minutes and Chad Wise remains bottled up behind the shooting guard/small forward traffic jam.

The Ugly

Free Throws - UConn shot 53% from the field in the second half with Quinnipiac trying their best to prevent that from happening. However, with Quinnipiac playing no special free throw defense than I could see, the Huskies managed to shoot just 15% from the line. If only the rest of the team could shoot free throws like Taliek Brown….

ESPN Full Court - Sign up today for Full Court and catch 450 games throughout the season! Which 450 games, you ask? Who knows! Hand over your money first and we'll worry about the details later. ESPN really, really needs to work this out and they need to do it quickly. If they drop another UConn game, we're hijacking SportsCenter.

Tommy Amaker - The media builds him up to be the next Coach K. After watching his teams absorb beating after beating over the past two-plus years, I'm more inclined to believe he may be the next Pat Kennedy. There's more talent on Michigan's roster than there is at St. Bonaventure or Virginia Tech, but that didn't stop either school from pulverizing the Wolverines this past weekend.

Frankly, I remember him as being funnier.

 

[Chief00]

I never knew what the difference was between a fan and a casual fan. Now I do.

Music to my ears, it’s all worth it.

 

[Guapo]

Thanks, everyone.

This has been very interesting to read.

 

[willie99]

I started out on the Courant site and migrated over the years to where we are today.

The atmosphere has stayed the same over the years.
Losses were magnified beyond their importance with individual barbs against the poor performers of the game.
Wins were sources of optimisms boasting of national championships.

I do sense a foreboding on today's board that we are never going to get back to where we once were. I hope that it isn't true but I am personally okay with that.
I will continue to root hard for these kids but I have to confess that my old "my day sucks if UCONN loses" attitude has bit the dust perhaps due to lower expectations and an older me.

From the days of attending UCONN games at the New Haven Coliseum in the seventies to attending all four final four championships, I have great memories of the Huskys which no one can take away.

It's not over just yet my friend, we're still young

But we do have experiences and banners that most people in this country will never get to enjoy

 

[Fishy]

And of course the occasional email intended for a girlfriend sent to the email group by mistake.

As he said, it was personal.

 

[RichZ]

Taliek was killed here. He beat the ball into the ground and didn't run offense.

Okafor's back was a huge concern. The Utah/Georgia Tech games at the garden were not pretty.

Okafor was vilified for this cover photo. "How could he agree to that with his back issues!" In retrospect, many of us were not as good at recognizing obvious photoshopping back then, I guess.

 

[willie99]

I started on the old ESPN boards, where I would typically interact with fans from other Big East schools.

BC fans were by far the most abrasive, they believed they were Dook (or us) in basketball and ND in football. They just had no sense of reality

Then there was one dude who called himself "TruthaboutUConn", and every one of his posts was about bashing UConn. He once even said that everyone in CT lived in trailer parks, a very delusion perspective of things, but I do remember him to this day.

 

[nadav]

We used to walk to school, 5 miles in the snow, uphill, barefoot.

 

[Waquoit]

We used to walk to school, 5 miles in the snow, uphill, barefoot.

But when you tell kids today, they just don’t believe you

 

[HuskyNan]

And of course the occasional email intended for a girlfriend sent to the email group by mistake.

Is he still here? He let me use his game tickets once, in like the third row, center court. Heck of a fan.

 

[nadav]

Calhoun with two timeouts and a technical in 3 minutes. I was just thinking yesterday if present day Calhoun was on the bench yesterday we would have won by 30.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

If MAL becomes a Gomes you will see what it was like back then in 2-3 years LOL. And I can tell you who the leaders will be too.

How is that even analogous
MAL was our top 2017 commit stolen from us at the last minute by PC under somewhat shady circumstances.
Gomes was rejected by JC a fact he was reminded of every time Gomes but up big numbers. If that kid played every game like he did against UConn he would have been first team AA.
The moral of the story is never anger a Valley Kid we don’t get made we get even.
(Okay Im not quite a Valley Boy but my Dad and Grandma were from Derby and Ansonia so that’s close enough.)
Also don’t trust former conference mates they will steal you blind if your not vigilant.

 

[mauconnfan]

How is that even analogous
MAL was our top 2017 commit stolen from us at the last minute by PC under somewhat shady circumstances.
Gomes was rejected by JC a fact he was reminded of every time Gomes but up big numbers. If that kid played every game like he did against UConn he would have been first team AA.
The moral of the story is never anger a Valley Kid we don’t get made we get even.
(Okay Im not quite a Valley Boy but my Dad and Grandma were from Derby and Ansonia so that’s close enough.)
Also don’t trust former conference mates they will steal you blind if your not vigilant.

Sorry it's not exactly Gomes in all reality but be creative you'll know where I was going.

 

[geordi]

It was significantly better back then. At least we had HuskyDan and RutgersAl. Always a push which one was loonier.

 

[hoopsknowitall]

The “1>1” argument with Cuse fans still had some merit.....