What were the circumstances?

[Zorro]

Does anyone know just how it came about that in the "Hall of Fame Classic" we ended up hosting BU, Monmouth and the Bonnies? Just curious.

 

[vtcwbuff]

I don't know the circumstances, but the pickings must have been really, really slim.

 

[tomcat]

Any answer to this will cause some of us to remember the extended discussions the board used to have about a truly dreadful tournament UConn used to play in (I think it was) early December. They would play teams like Iona, Hofstra and what I called Fairleigh for cryin' out loud Dickinson. There were a number of us, as I recall, who moaned that UConn was wasting its time on these lesser lights and longed for a game against a more worthy opponent, such as Marist or Gonazga. Then there were others who, if not wiser, had more experience with the business side of the sport, who pointed out that it can be difficult to get teams of quality to agree to one-off games (as opposed to home-and-home series), so the team ended up playing the Fairleigh Dickinsons of the world.

This may be the same thing. Certainly the net benefit to UConn is the same. But I would think that as UConn settles into its reduced circumstances at the top of a mid-major conference, it would have to consider whether three games in an event of this kind is really a benefit to the program. This year and maybe next, probably makes no difference. beyond that, though, things may be different.

 

[ThisJustIn]

$$$

 

[UcMiami]

I was thinking about this from the perspective of the other teams and why they come - and it does make sense for them - they get a three game weekend with two games they should be competitive in and a blow-out loss to the nations best team. Whether they can get teaching moments out of the loss, they all hope they can ... seeing what the top end of the BB world is and the intensity, pace, etc. Plus getting to play in front of the largest crowd they will get all season and of course some money for their program.
For Uconn - it is three games in three days which has some interest, and it is a chance to tinker and prefect some things in games that are not too pressure filled. It really does act like a mini preseason period a month into the year after seeing problems against the earlier stiff competition.

 

[HGN]

$

JustIn, that's a good answer. And in this day and time it's as good an answer as college's need.

 

[pap49cba]

And today in college football....

Clemson vs The Citadel

SC vs Coastal Carolina

Alabama vs Chattanooga

 

[Zorro]

And truly, once you get past the top four or five teams, it is going to be a rout anyway, so it really doesn't make much difference.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Any answer to this will cause some of us to remember the extended discussions the board used to have about a truly dreadful tournament UConn used to play in (I think it was) early December. They would play teams like Iona, Hofstra and what I called Fairleigh for cryin' out loud Dickinson. There were a number of us, as I recall, who moaned that UConn was wasting its time on these lesser lights and longed for a game against a more worthy opponent, such as Marist or Gonazga. Then there were others who, if not wiser, had more experience with the business side of the sport, who pointed out that it can be difficult to get teams of quality to agree to one-off games (as opposed to home-and-home series), so the team ended up playing the Fairleigh Dickinsons of the world.

This may be the same thing. Certainly the net benefit to UConn is the same. But I would think that as UConn settles into its reduced circumstances at the top of a mid-major conference, it would have to consider whether three games in an event of this kind is really a benefit to the program. This year and maybe next, probably makes no difference. beyond that, though, things may be different.

I was told they should be referred to as Fairleigh Ridiculous.

 

[tomcat]

That's not bad, actually. I just hated that stretch of games, and FDU seemed to epitomize everything that was wrong with it.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Wondering if JA was reading the BY . Explains how teams are selected.

http://courantblogs.com/uconn-women/how-did-uconn-end-up-in-this-tournament/

 

[RadyLady]

Apparently the question was posted to Geno. Jim Fuller tweeted the clip:

Jim Fuller ‏@NHRJimFuller1h
UConn coach Geno Auriemma on competition in HOF tourney http://www.tout.com/m/z710rl?ref=tw1znuzy…

 

[Zorro]

OIC. Thanks, John. On the bright side, it might serve as a confidence builder for Saniya and Kiah. Unfortunately I don't have any access to watch the games (looking forward to my first consignment of dvds), but it certainly looks as if Kiah has grown some offensive fangs, as well as swatting away a lot of shots and grabbing a lot of rebounds. Could serve us well later in this season, as well as next. Self-confidence is sometimes a hard thing to come by.