Why I'm rooting for Nova - A tale from the 2005 East Regional Final

[businesslawyer]

Like 2015, and 2012. And 2010 coming off a Final Four. And let's not forget 2000, what is still my all time most frustrating year, though that seems dumb in retrospect. Should've known we'd struggle a bit.

The '15 team just wasn't that good. Should it have been better than it was -- sure, but it was not a particularly good team.

I thought we had a good year in '08. We lost a first round game to an inferior teammate because we couldn't recover mentally from watching their team leader blow out his knee at the start of the game. I can't hold that against young men.

 

[gtcam]

No kidding. I ref U19 soccer games, club and high school, and I cover-up as best as I can before I get to the parking lot.

I don't blame you
I coached soccer for over 20 yrs from U-10 up to ODP U-19
Parents, players and some parents can be unreal
I remember one U-18 Premier game in RI during a tournament when parents of the losing team surrounded the refs car and wouldn't let him near it - Mothers with younger children swearing - it was a mess and the coach did nothing. I, as the winning coach and my asst. stepped in and tried to make some sense but I got hit with a small bag of ice - needless the police finally came. The team was from Long Island - the people were complete idiots.

 

[FartMan69]

The only reason that loss stopped stinging is because the very next year we had the Grand Daddy of all losses in the E8 with one of the most talented rosters we had ever had. NC State was a bee sting, George Mason was a bullet to the knee cap

 

[swami7774]

Julius Hodge got us back for '02.

 

[Showballot]

On top of it being a major bummer, it was also the hardest ticket market I've ever seen for any UConn game, and that includes the final fours. I was there with my younger brother and I found one in a distant parking lot that I gave to him and I sent him into the game, figuring I'd find another one before long. Wrong. First time I ever had to wait several minutes into a game before scoring a ticket. Of course, that ordeal only made me more pissed at the result.

I think I saw you on a main road with a sign up looking for one.

 

[King Jonathan]

I was almost relieved when the 2006 season came to an end. Just not the typical hard-nosed teams - they played down to the level of opponents then play just enough to beat them. Probably drove Calhoun nuts. Calhoun usually takes a project and is able to squeeze out all the talent. Some self destruct like Doug Wrenn. Some are able to get it together in the endof their UCONN days like AJ. Marcus Williams probably had the most talent that Calhoun could not get out of him. Rudy Gay was already having NBA thoughts.

People also forget the 2004 team was going down this road, and finally realized their full potential in the post-season.

 

[John]

I don't blame you
I coached soccer for over 20 yrs from U-10 up to ODP U-19
Parents, players and some parents can be unreal
I remember one U-18 Premier game in RI during a tournament when parents of the losing team surrounded the refs car and wouldn't let him near it - Mothers with younger children swearing - it was a mess and the coach did nothing. I, as the winning coach and my asst. stepped in and tried to make some sense but I got hit with a small bag of ice - needless the police finally came. The team was from Long Island - the people were complete idiots.

I'm amazed (not in a good way) by soccer parents. My kid is on a premier club - not saying that our club parents are any paragons of virtue, but I'm flabhergasted by what I see and hear during games from opponent parents. Soccer parents have got to be some of the most uptight, doucheiest, foul people in all of youth sports. What is it about the game that brings it out of grown adults like that? I don't see it with basketball, lacrossse or gymnastics parents.

Edit: wanted to mention too that one of my kids refs soccer - he's only comfortable doing the younger kids, U10/11 etc. He's a good ref - not great, but ok. I'm amazed at the stuff he tells me parents say to him on the sidelines. This is rec-level U10/11 here, and parents will ride him during the game about calls/lack of calls.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I'm amazed (not in a good way) by soccer parents. My kid is on a premier club - not saying that our club parents are any paragons of virtue, but I'm flabhergasted by what I see and hear during games from opponent parents. Soccer parents have got to be some of the most uptight, doucheiest, foul people in all of youth sports. What is it about the game that brings it out of grown adults like that? I don't see it with basketball, lacrossse or gymnastics parents.

Edit: wanted to mention too that one of my kids refs soccer - he's only comfortable doing the younger kids, U10/11 etc. He's a good ref - not great, but ok. I'm amazed at the stuff he tells me parents say to him on the sidelines. This is rec-level U10/11 here, and parents will ride him during the game about calls/lack of calls.

From what I have seen as a player, volunteer coach and referee, its a combination of 1) delusion of grandeur with respect to their 10 year old son/daughter getting a college soccer scholarship TODAY, 2) competition with the Jones, 3) living vicariously through their children to make-up for issues from their own childhood, and 4) today's belief among many parents that their child is the best and deserves to be #1 regardless of actual results, skill level, and interest.