Win #1

[UConn82]

For me, the best part of last night was seeing, what I counted, was 8 players from the 85-86 team. Wow.

These ladies played in the old Fieldhouse, which I was in in the late 70's and early 80's. The crowds for them were in the low hundreds. No Gampel, no XL, nothing like that. No national TV. No articles in the papers.

But without them, well, they were the pioneers, as it were.

I was so moved to hear the cheers for them. They deserve it.

Thoughts?

 

[TWG236]

Really enjoyed the photo of the first win team and the 1000 win team together. Lots of former players at the game. As the announcers mentioned several times, UCONN is a family.

 

[eebmg]

It never occurred to me that they would do that but in hindsight, it was so natural to do. Probably alot harder to do for NC

I also loved the fast game counter they did where they highlighted some of the greatest moments. Again, harder to do for NC.

 

[ME Husky Fan]

I used to go to some games in the late 70's and early 80's when there were no lines to go to the bathrooms and if there were hundreds in the stands that was a stretch.

 

[CL82]

For me, the best part of last night was seeing, what I counted, was 8 players from the 85-86 team. Wow.

These ladies played in the old Fieldhouse, which I was in in the late 70's and early 80's. The crowds for them were in the low hundreds. No Gampel, no XL, nothing like that. No national TV. No articles in the papers.

But without them, well, they were the pioneers, as it were.

I was so moved to hear the cheers for them. They deserve it.

Thoughts?

'82 you and I overlapped. Your saying that crowds were in the 100's is generous. They didn't even close the Fieldhouse. They just closed that big curtain. The distance the program has come in a relatively short time is staggering for those of us who watched it happen.

 

[HopJim]

'82 you and I overlapped. Your saying that crowds were in the 100's is generous. They didn't even close the Fieldhouse. They just closed that big curtain. The distance the program has come in a relatively short time is staggering for those of us who watched it happen.

Amazing to see these ladies walk onto the floor. With my wife growing up in Norristown and going to high school with Geno's family, we are surprised when he took the UConn Women's job and used to just walk in to games his first few years. I don't remember paying anything to enter games- so few people there they seemed happy just to have a few fans. And there were just a few.

 

[Dove]

Really enjoyed the photo of the first win team and the 1000 win team together. Lots of former players at the game. As the announcers mentioned several times, UCONN is a family.

Can someone post that photo here?

 

[CTyankee]

For me, the best part of last night was seeing, what I counted, was 8 players from the 85-86 team. Wow.

These ladies played in the old Fieldhouse, which I was in in the late 70's and early 80's. The crowds for them were in the low hundreds. No Gampel, no XL, nothing like that. No national TV. No articles in the papers.

But without them, well, they were the pioneers, as it were.

I was so moved to hear the cheers for them. They deserve it.

Thoughts?

Thoughts? How about this crowd was the largest they have ever been on a basketball court in front of...

 

[oldude]

Geno’s comments about the 1st 12 wins being the toughest, how hard that original team worked and how much satisfaction that team took from each one of those wins was a moving tribute to the women who started what would become the greatest dynasty in the history of WBB.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

To me the biggest take away from these games is always the demonstration of "family" showing up and being totally comfortable with each other across the generations. It's hard to know if this is truly unique or not, but if it isn't the others out there are being real quiet about a great trait and strength.

Kia can be quite eloquent and last night she summed it up pretty well.

"They all talk like that. They always have. It can be almost grating on cynical ears. But then you watch the way they pass, the way they defend, the way they react to each other. It grows easier and easier to believe that they believe it. It grows easier to believe it yourself.

"What's so great about them, what we're so fortunate to be a part of in this program, is they genuinely want you to be better basketball players but better people as well," Kia Nurse said. "And they go out of their way each and every day they come back. They have the passion for this game and the passion to make you a better person. When people care about you for an extended period of time, that's why you see all these people coming back."

It wasn't really about the number."

 

[warbler1055]

Hot damn, I am getting really emotional about this!!!

 

[BostonCanuck]

Not sure how many of you caught it, but at one point last night there was also a wonderful, extended embrace between Geno and Tina Charles. Tina's a pretty cool customer, which for me made it all the more heartwarming to see.

 

[CL82]

To me the biggest take away from these games is always the demonstration of "family" showing up and being totally comfortable with each other across the generations. It's hard to know if this is truly unique or not, but if it isn't the others out there are being real quiet about a great trait and strength.

Kia can be quite eloquent and last night she summed it up pretty well.

"They all talk like that. They always have. It can be almost grating on cynical ears. But then you watch the way they pass, the way they defend, the way they react to each other. It grows easier and easier to believe that they believe it. It grows easier to believe it yourself.

"What's so great about them, what we're so fortunate to be a part of in this program, is they genuinely want you to be better basketball players but better people as well," Kia Nurse said. "And they go out of their way each and every day they come back. They have the passion for this game and the passion to make you a better person. When people care about you for an extended period of time, that's why you see all these people coming back."

It wasn't really about the number."

Kia is going to end up being the Prime Minister of Canada one day.

 

[Plebe]

Kia is going to end up being the Prime Minister of Canada one day.

If that happens, I may just finally overcome my aversion to cold weather and move to Canada.

 

[warbler1055]

I cannot help when looking at the 1985 team and thinking about " A League of Their Own". They all went through Geno's Hell. For them to come back bring tears to my eyes!!!

"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard ... is what makes it great."
-- Jimmy Dugan

"Are you crying? Are you crying? There's no crying. There's no crying in baseball!"
-- Jimmy Dugan