What's McGraw Talking About?

[cardfan]

It's interesting to see how folks attitude towards/opinion of Muffet has shifted. Some, I'm guessing, has to do with the fact they beat UConn (you only have to read the "but OVERALL we have the record" or "but they didn't win the BIG one" to see the attempt to diminish their wins), the break up of the Big East, and the "hullaballoo" over schedule-gate, the fact they never get a foul called on them and that they're better at drawing fouls than most teams.

Clearly, there are other factors folks are bringing to the table - things they know or have interpreted in one way or another. But the increase in vitriol has been quite noticeable. Suggesting that, somehow, ND fans would be unsympathetic to a UConn player's injury is -- well, I don't even know how to qualify it. Cold? Condescending? Dehumanizing? Ridiculous?

I guess they ARE our rivals.

I, for my part, have always enjoyed Muffet, found her charming (I enjoy her Philly humor and poke-poke-tweak-ness) and thoughtful to speak with, and have enjoyed the quality of basketball her teams have demonstrated. I look forward to the series continuing and beating them soundly as often as the basketball gods allow.

+1 excellent post

 

[rocky rococo]

Muffet and ND used to be popular among UConn fans. The changed attitude toward them began among UConn fans (or is it among fans of winning?) at almost exactly the same time that the Irish began to be genuinely competitive, perhaps even got a slight upper hand, with UConn. Doesn't appear to be a coincidence at all. That's why I have to wonder if it's about being fans of winning. There have been a number of excellent, thrilling ball games going both ways between the two in recent years, the way great classic rivalries should be. No false accusations of recruiting violations, no attempts to trip coach in the handshake line, a classy, quality rival, that a classy quality program like Geno's deserves.

 

[Suebird10fan]

Muffet and ND used to be popular among UConn fans. The changed attitude toward them began among UConn fans (or is it among fans of winning?) at almost exactly the same time that the Irish began to be genuinely competitive, perhaps even got a slight upper hand, with UConn. Doesn't appear to be a coincidence at all. That's why I have to wonder if it's about being fans of winning. There have been a number of excellent, thrilling ball games going both ways between the two in recent years, the way great classic rivalries should be. No false accusations of recruiting violations, no attempts to trip coach in the handshake line, a classy, quality rival, that a classy quality program like Geno's deserves.

Agree with a lot of what you say Rocky and I'm squarely in the cut Muffet some slack camp. But let's face it, Diggins personality could get under anyone's skin and ND took on somewhat of an arrogant persona with her around.

All in all though great rivalry that we should embrace. And in terms of getting the most out of her team MM is right there with Geno and ain't nobody else close.

 

[JellyBean]

Around the 3:40 mark of her post-game presser McGraw stated that Achonwa's injury occurred on a 'really hard' foul. Huh?

I've watched the replay several times and I couldn't see a foul at all and my recollection is that no foul was called. Is my memory playing tricks on me?

As for Achonwa, it will be unfortunate if she's unable to play, but the way her knee buckled sideways it's hard to imagine that she hasn't suffered at least a severe sprain. Knees are just not meant to bend like that. Without Achonwa ND will struggle to get past the Louisville/Maryland winner.

I think coach is trying to play on the sympathy of the officials for future games. Plus this gives them an excuse if they win or lose. They can, if they win it all, say that Achonwa's injury inspired them to play hard and fight through the hard play of teams. If they lose, they can say that they were drained from all of the emotional and physical play of some teams.

Look many of us watched that game and saw the injury happen; there was very little contact on the play. Achonwa drove and her knee buckled. There was no hard foul by the Baylor players and it is sad that McGraw is hinting that Achonwa's injury is some how the results of "dirty" play by the Baylor players. I can't stand Baylor or ND. But watching enough basketball over the years, you know which teams are going to cross that line and Baylor is not one of those teams.

 

[cohenzone]

I'm cutting Muffet some slack on this.

Just be sure it's only this once.

BTW, many a Presidential debate (and election) has been lost in the heat of a spontaneous statement. If only we humans could speak with an internal auto-correct ready to immediately erase the emotional or erroneous stuff that comes out of our mouths, we could all give perfect interviews, and maybe avoid a war here or there, but then, we'd never see threads like this one.

 

[cabbie191]

Yes, I'd cut her some slack too. But this would be far easier to do if she were not such a whiney prima donna who typically blames others for her failings and misfortunes.

And I'm surprised no one else has posted this. Don't you wonder how much regret Muppet or the ND fan base would truly feel or express if it had been Stef or Breanna going down with an ACL? I don't know. I really don't.

Finally, I can't prove it, but the inability to hit point-blank layups and shoot free throws seems to be a determining factor in the games I have seen.

Some of the most vile comments towards Geno are found on the Summmitt, and some vicious comments have also been posted there on individual UConn players. Yet when our players have been injured, even LV fans tend to express sympathy. So I'd guess the same would hold true for ND fans.

 

[Striper69]

I think coach is trying to play on the sympathy of the officials for future games. Plus this gives them an excuse if they win or lose. They can, if they win it all, say that Achonwa's injury inspired them to play hard and fight through the hard play of teams. If they lose, they can say that they were drained from all of the emotional and physical play of some teams.

Look many of us watched that game and saw the injury happen; there was very little contact on the play. Achonwa drove and her knee buckled. There was no hard foul by the Baylor players and it is sad that McGraw is hinting that Achonwa's injury is some how the results of "dirty" play by the Baylor players. I can't stand Baylor or ND. But watching enough basketball over the years, you know which teams are going to cross that line and Baylor is not one of those teams.

I dvr'ed the game and watched it again last night (just the part where she was injured).

She and McBride were running a pick and roll and the Baylor player was behind her. She was trying to get control of the ball and took a step with her left leg and went down. Nothing really out of the normal about it. She wasn't trying to make a hard turn or anything.

 

[RadyLady]

Muffet and ND used to be popular among UConn fans. The changed attitude toward them began among UConn fans (or is it among fans of winning?) at almost exactly the same time that the Irish began to be genuinely competitive, perhaps even got a slight upper hand, with UConn. Doesn't appear to be a coincidence at all. That's why I have to wonder if it's about being fans of winning. There have been a number of excellent, thrilling ball games going both ways between the two in recent years, the way great classic rivalries should be. No false accusations of recruiting violations, no attempts to trip coach in the handshake line, a classy, quality rival, that a classy quality program like Geno's deserves.

I have never been a fan of hers- I have never met her personally, an event which to be fair could change my perspective, but as long as I have been following UConn basketball (early 90s), I have not been a fan.

 

[Cheddie]

Don't dislike McGraw, but I didn't enjoy seeing a game at the Civic Center several years ago when ND players would purposely flop if there was any contact, in what was clearly an attempt to win the game via the free throw line and exclusion of UConn players thru fouls. It was worse than Battier at Duke.

It's sickening that Achonwa was hurt. But I'd love to see all the teams @ 100%. I saw Morgan Tuck this year in her brief return and she was basically unstoppable, albeit against a weaker team. UConn would be unquestionably a stronger team with her, and she's been somewhat forgotten.

 

[2Infinity]

Any coach with the experience of McGraw should know better than to make an accusatory remark without first seeing the replay. If anything, she could've posed her remark as a question so that it was not accusatory in tone.

I haven't heard anyone talk about the feelings of the Baylor player who has been falsely accused in all of this. How do you think she feels...when she didn't even do anything? For that matter, has McGraw apologized publicly to that player, where everyone can see? That's a lot different than doing so to some tabloid.

 

[ctdad]

Any coach with the experience of McGraw should know better than to make an accusatory remark without first seeing the replay. If anything, she could've posed her remark as a question so that it was not accusatory in tone.

I haven't heard anyone talk about the feelings of the Baylor player who has been falsely accused in all of this. How do you think she feels...when she didn't even do anything? For that matter, has McGraw apologized publicly to that player, where everyone can see? That's a lot different than doing so to some tabloid.

What in the world should she apologize for? She said it looked like a "hard" foul (which in real time it did). She didn't say it was a dirty play. Hard fouls happen in basketball; I'd wager that on rare occasions even Husky players commit them. Big difference between "hard" and "dirty".

 

[2Infinity]

What in the world should she apologize for? She said it looked like a "hard" foul (which in real time it did). She didn't say it was a dirty play. Hard fouls happen in basketball; I'd wager that on rare occasions even Husky players commit them. Big difference between "hard" and "dirty".

I agree with you about there being a difference between dirty and hard fouls. And actually, McGraw used the term "really hard foul". By definition, that is more than just a hard foul. I certainly disagree with you that it looked like a hard foul, or a really hard foul. As a few have stated here, and I agreed after watching it a couple times, it was difficult to see where there was any foul committed against NA. Please keep in mind that the main point of my comment was how McGraw handled her remarks and not the play itself. She didn't do what an experienced coach should have done, which would have been to temper her remarks until AFTER she actually had a chance to see the replay. I think she commented in the post game interview. Certainly she would have had time, had she wanted, to take a look at the replay. Instead, she chose to react with emotion...and accused the unnamed Baylor player of committing a "really hard foul", when in fact, not even a regular foul ever occurred! When you accuse someone of something that bad on national television, it seems the least you can do is apologize to them for the wrongful accusation.

 

[JellyBean]

I dvr'ed the game and watched it again last night (just the part where she was injured).

She and McBride were running a pick and roll and the Baylor player was behind her. She was trying to get control of the ball and took a step with her left leg and went down. Nothing really out of the normal about it. She wasn't trying to make a hard turn or anything.

Thanks, Striper69

I mean you feel bad that the young lady suffered an injury on such a routine play, especially in her senior year and on the home court, that is tough. But I did not see anything physical on the part of the Baylor player.

 

[HGN]

As unfortunate of an injury as it was , Achonwa wasn't fouled , she just landed awkwardly and the knee gave way. No one touched her.

 

[HuskyNan]

Certainly she would have had time, had she wanted, to take a look at the replay. Instead, she chose to react with emotion...and accused the unnamed Baylor player of committing a "really hard foul", when in fact, not even a regular foul ever occurred! When you accuse someone of something that bad on national television, it seems the least you can do is apologize to them for the wrongful accusation.

Who, exactly, is Muffet supposed to apologize to? If it were Jeff Walz that made the comment, people would be understanding about a caring coach making an emotional comment but, no, not for Muffet McGraw.

 

[2Infinity]

Who, exactly, is Muffet supposed to apologize to? If it were Jeff Walz that made the comment, people would be understanding about a caring coach making an emotional comment but, no, not for Muffet McGraw.

How about the Baylor player? The one McGraw said fouled Achonwa "really hard". The point is, in her show of "caring" remarks about her player, she threw out an false accusation of a borderline dirty foul at a Baylor player. That's not what a classy, or truly caring coach does!

 

[Samanthabrown3]

And most of us would want Walz to apologize as well. Nothing to do with its being Muffet