Which Meant More Emotionally - Men's or Women's Championship?

[intlzncster]

A team that loses only one game during the season, to UCONN, and you say they aren't very good. I agree that there was no way they, or anyone for that matter, were going to beat UCONN. But I think you have allowed UCONN's dominance to skew your views as to what a very good team is.

Any other year, and that ND team would get crushed by opposing teams. They were good relative to the competition; that doesn't make them inherently good. That ND team would have been crushed by a lot of teams from the previous few years. I don't usually like the 'it was a down year for WCBB in general' argument. I do, however, think that there was a significant dearth of quality teams last year.

I disagree about your opinion that McBride and Lloyd are only respectable players. They are both top level players. The following were just some of Kayla's accolades along with being selected third in the WNBA draft : AP All-America First Team ... USBWA All-America Team ... WBCA Coaches' All-America Team ... Wooden Award All-America Team ... espnW All-America First Team (unanimous) ...Sports Illustrated All-America Team ... Full Court Press All-America First Team ... ACC Player of the Year (Coaches) ...WBCA Wade Trophy Finalist ... Naismith Trophy Finalist ... Wooden Award Finalist.

A respectable player is a good player, that was my point. And those two are definitely good players.

But again, all those accolades and they still wouldn't have started on UCONN. Who would they have replaced, Bria or KML?

 

[Waquoit]

When I was a kid, the first Christmas present I ever received that had a plug was a clock radio (AM only). The two teams that I started listening to as a 1st-grader are the two teams that I still live and die with - UConn Men's BB and the Red Sox. And they are both the current champs. Not a bad year for me, fan-wise.

 

[sparky]

Competition in both instances is relative. The men winning was so unexpected and the women essentially you wait for the big run and an expanding lead. I love both and am always pumped for their games.I live in Ga.but wear my UCONN gear proudly . I really didn't expect the women to win in 2013, but did expect a 2014 and 2015 championship. I may have shortchanged the women.

 

[Wally East]

A very good team does not get blown out in critical games. Sure they can lay an egg now and again, but they don't get crushed in a big spot, unless they aren't as good as was previously thought.

Totally disagree. The 1985 Memorial Day Massacre is is evidence enough. Game 1 of the NBA Finals and the defending champion Celtics (who went 63 and 19 for the regular season) destroyed the Lakers, who went 62 and 20, 148 to 114. The Lakers eventually won the series in 6 games including winning Game 6 in Boston Garden (including a blow-out win of their own in Game 3, 136-111).

Just to be clear about the greatness of both teams: the Celtics had 4 Hall of Famers and the Lakers had 5. These were both unquestionably great teams.

Here's a UConn example.

 

[intlzncster]

Totally disagree. The 1985 Memorial Day Massacre is is evidence enough. Game 1 of the NBA Finals and the defending champion Celtics (who went 63 and 19 for the regular season) destroyed the Lakers, who went 62 and 20, 148 to 114. The Lakers eventually won the series in 6 games including winning Game 6 in Boston Garden (including a blow-out win of their own in Game 3, 136-111).

Just to be clear about the greatness of both teams: the Celtics had 4 Hall of Famers and the Lakers had 5. These were both unquestionably great teams.

Here's a UConn example.

Not remotely the same in a seven game series though. Your example would have had to have been a game 7, where both teams go home no matter what. The level of 'criticality' of a game drops significantly when you know you have another one to play afterwards.

And UCONN didn't really get blown out against ND. DT simply didn't hit shots; it's not like they got manhandled. Oh, and UCONN was not a 'great' team, once we lost 2 first team All Americans. They were a very good team after that.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I am much more emotionally involved with the women's team, so that's the usual answer. But, considering what the men's team went through--with sanctions, transfers, JC stepping down--they could have been at rock bottom. Instead, they followed the model from 2011 and won a highly improbable championship. And the fact that it was their 4th put them on a par with or ahead of all teams but UCLA and Kentucky. Obviously, the men's stage is bigger, as well. The men were surprising; the women were great, as expected.

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

I just love that we are the only school that has had the opportunity to debate this (twice!)

 

[intlzncster]

I just love that we are the only school that has had the opportunity to debate this (twice!)

Best post in the thread.

 

[Paul1969]

Men's because I expect the women to win every year and with the men it becomes an emotional roller coaster.

 

[cabbie191]

I just love that we are the only school that has had the opportunity to debate this (twice!)

Amen!

 

[Wally East]

Not remotely the same in a seven game series though. Your example would have had to have been a game 7, where both teams go home no matter what. The level of 'criticality' of a game drops significantly when you know you have another one to play afterwards.

And UCONN didn't really get blown out against ND. DT simply didn't hit shots; it's not like they got manhandled. Oh, and UCONN was not a 'great' team, once we lost 2 first team All Americans. They were a very good team after that.

So, Game 1 of the NBA Finals isn't a "critical game"? And Game 3 isn't either? Good to know It seems as if you're defining "critical" in about the narrowest possible sense.

Also, look again at the UConn-ND box score. It's not from the tournament. It's when they lost on MLK Day with both Svet and Shea. And, yes, they really did get blown out. In both games.

 

[intlzncster]

So, Game 1 of the NBA Finals isn't a "critical game"? And Game 3 isn't either? Good to know It seems as if you're defining "critical" in about the narrowest possible sense.

Also, look again at the UConn-ND box score. It's not from the tournament. It's when they lost on MLK Day with both Svet and Shea. And, yes, they really did get blown out. In both games.

It's not a do or die situation is it? THAT is a critical game. If you get to play again, how is that as important as one and done?

My mistake on the box score...but that shows that it wasn't a critical game. It was simply regular season. And you and I have different definitions of blown out. UCONN wasn't thoroughly outplayed in the Semis. If DT hits even a few of those shots, I think UCONN wins.

 

[Husky25]

This is really a no-brainer.

The Women may have had the best team, not only in the history of the Program, but the best in the history of Women's College Basketball. They were a defensive juggernaut who did not let a single opponent match their average season offense output. (I believe the 1st Rutgers game was the closest, but then UConn destroyed the Lady Knights twice after). The degree of disappointment would have been far greater than the joy of winning in my opinion.

(Run-on sentence alert)
The Men's team was coming off a postseason ban with a depleted roster, lead by a coach who half the teams' fans think got the job by force rather than merit, and went from getting their A_$ kicked by Louisville in the final game of the season, to a not-so gimme free throw by a sub 60% shooter to force OT in the Round of 64, to beating arguably the four best coaches in college basketball (+ Jay Wright is no slouch either), with no inside offense really to speak of and a 5'-11 1/2" point guard who lead the team in every significant statistical category including rebounding.

Regardless of which style of basketball one enjoys better, I think the difference in emotional meaning is apparent and it's not close.

 

[intlzncster]

The Men's team was coming off a postseason ban with a depleted roster, lead by a coach who half the teams' fans think got the job by force rather than merit, and went from getting their A_$ kicked by Louisville in the final game of the season, to a not-so gimme free throw by a sub 60% shooter to force OT in the Round of 64, to beating arguably the four best coaches in college basketball (+ Jay Wright is no slouch either), with no inside offense really to speak of and a 5'-11 1/2" point guard who lead the team in every significant statistical category including rebounding.

I'm just arguing to argue here (for fun), as your post is so spot on, but what the hell.

• Ollie did get the job by force initially, no way to argue against that, and I applauded every second of JC's move. He always hinted at that, and damned if he didn't do it.
• Hoiberg/Martelli is not one of the Top 4 coaches. They're good, no doubt, but I can't conceivably put them in that category. Hoiberg might get there with time.
• Also, don't short change Amida, that wasn't just a clutch free throw. That was a board following by a layup, followed by an And-1, followed by a clutch free throw from a 7' tall 60% FT shooter. One of the top 5 plays in UCONN history.
• Also, we seem to do pretty well with those sub 6ft PGs, no?

 

[blackbird]

The funny thing about the Men's team..there's was just something about them...like Shabazz and Giffey's freshman year..I kind of thought the men were going to win. Logically, I knew it was unlikely..but gut feeling. First time, I just knew Kemba was going to win it all. He had that aura that Diana did.

This time..I looked at the men's team..Bazz was one of the best guards in the country. And he knew how to win an NCAA championship. Than you had Giffey as a senior who also knew how to win. For some reason, I just thought that class would get another. I said in the beginning of the year I thought they'd win.

I think, emotionally...I'd call them both equal for different but the same reasons. Bria Hartley, Stefanie Dolson, Niels Giffey, and Shabazz Napier. I can't remember a class of kids that I wanted to see leave Uconn with a championship ring as much as those four kids.

 

[Geno-ista]

I was in Nashville watching the men with "Stewie's" grandfather!!! The men's run was beyond and totally magical! The women were expected and the icing on the cake!!!

 

[Husky25]

I'm just arguing to argue here (for fun), as your post is so spot on, but what the hell.

• Ollie did get the job by force initially, no way to argue against that, and I applauded every second of JC's move. He always hinted at that, and damned if he didn't do it.

I don't dispute that the timing of the circumstances forced Manuel's hand and I don't dispute that Calhoun wanted a say in who replaced him, but Ollie was absolutely qualified to take over the program. He had 13 years experience in the NBA, six additional years under Calhoun, including two years as an assistant coach. He had already notched a National Championship as well as proved his salt as a recruiter up to that point (Facey, Samuel, Omar, and Daniels). The only question was his in-game coaching and program administration. Instead of being a contributor of ideas, he would be The Man making the decisions.

• Hoiberg/Martelli is not one of the Top 4 coaches. They're good, no doubt, but I can't conceivably put them in that category. Hoiberg might get there with time.

Ergo the term, "arguably." I was not thinking of Martelli in this group of 4 (Though his Point Forward Offense was the first edition that I've seen work so effectively). I was thinking Hoiberg, Izzo, Donovan, and Calipari. I think Hoiberg is closer to elite than most give him credit for.

• Also, don't short change Amida, that wasn't just a clutch free throw. That was a board following by a layup, followed by an And-1, followed by a clutch free throw from a 7' tall 60% FT shooter. One of the top 5 plays in UCONN history.

Cant's disagree with this whatsoever.

• Also, we seem to do pretty well with those sub 6ft PGs, no?

Indeed, Sir. Indeed.

 

[Waquoit]

Going back to the OP, last year's championship was more emotional. The feeling this year was more one of relief. They played so well and so hard all year it would have been a shame if they were upset in the tournament.

 

[Waquoit]

And you and I have different definitions of blown out. UCONN wasn't thoroughly outplayed in the Semis. If DT hits even a few of those shots, I think UCONN wins.

Yeah, they were blown out in the 2nd half only. They were up after 1. That game was a complete anomaly.

 

[Beemer]

The men's championship. Such a great story and beating Kentucky was icing on the cake.