You guys will like this quote

[HuskyNan]

From Geno’s interview at the GHO. The UConn sportswriters have had a busy day

 

[meyers7]

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Geno talked about injuries rather extensively for Geno. It's the first time in my memory that he said most kids with injuries are coming out of HS injured and some tell you and some don't and he doesn't know why that is. On the men's side they are seeing the same thing, but they tend to blame the games, games, games, games a day AAU. Conditioning, strengthening what's that? When's that? I suspect the same factors are operating on the women's side. Just playing HS ball doesn't cut it if you want visibility and a high rating. So it's play, play, play, get invited to this, that and the other thing. There was a time when Geno would say a thing or three about the AAU, but he's silent, publicly at least, and for obvious reasons. So now it's out of my head and on the page.

 

[Gabbyfan]

i think this article provides some explanation for injuries. too much specialization for kids in sports. i you play other sports you don't use the same muscles etc. over and over again not to mention the life lessons learned fron a variety of sports.

Life Lessons Through Sports: The More They Play, the More They Learn – Seasons Magazines

seasonsmagazines.com

 

[Charliebball]

This is the deepest UConn team I can remember with three top-of-the-line point guards, terrific shooting guards, and a plethora of talented wings and big forwards/posts......if God forbid the injury big hits again UConn will have additional insurance this season unlike last year.....

 

[Bone Dog]

Have other top teams had the injury bug as bad as UConn? tOSU was without Sheldon for part of last season. IU lost Berger for a few weeks. ND lost Miles at the end of last season. Anyone else? Does it seem to anyone else like the other top teams have had a two year reprieve from facing UConn at its best? I don't wish the bug on anyone. But I would like to see the top teams compete injury-free for a few seasons. Maybe it will be a reminder of what UConn really can be.

 

[HuskyNan]

Have other top teams had the injury bug as bad as UConn? tOSU was without Sheldon for part of last season. IU lost Berger for a few weeks. ND lost Miles at the end of last season. Anyone else? Does it seem to anyone else like the other top teams have had a two year reprieve from facing UConn at its best? I don't wish the bug on anyone. But I would like to see the top teams compete injury-free for a few seasons. Maybe it will be a reminder of what UConn really can be.

DePaul. Rash of injuries hit DePaul

I think Oregon suffered injuries as well

 

[Bone Dog]

DePaul. Rash of injuries hit DePaul

I think Oregon suffered injuries as well

I thought about Oregon too. They’ve had injuries the past few years. But I restricted my question to top teams. I know that’s a vague category, but top 20 is not a bad start. Was Oregon in the top 20 the past two years? I can’t remember.

 

[CL82]

I could see how it becomes kind of a "cascading failure" kind of a thing. You get one or two significant injuries which forces other players to play longer minutes, which causes additional injuries, which causes other players to play longer minutes, etc.

 

[JellyBean]

I am hoping that AP and Amari are able to fully recover by the time October rolls around for official practice.

 

[JellyBean]

I thought about Oregon too. They’ve had injuries the past few years. But I restricted my question to top teams. I know that’s a vague category, but top 20 is not a bad start. Was Oregon in the top 20 the past two years? I can’t remember.

Yup. Oregon was in the Top 20 in 2020 and 2021. Of course, they faded by December/January time. For the 22 season, they were ranked 20th and rose to 16 or 15 and then faded out of the Top 20 again by January.

 

[Bone Dog]

Yup. Oregon was in the Top 20 in 2020 and 2021. Of course, they faded by December/January time. For the 22 season, they were ranked 20th and rose to 16 or 15 and then faded out of the Top 20 again by January.

Thanks for the info. That means at least one other top team had comparable injuries. Of course, they didn’t lose the NPOY for more than a year and a potential NPOY for parts of two years in a row, and a potential AA for parts of two years. In addition to several lesser injuries including losing a starting center just before the FF. I’m pretty sure no other team has anything as bad as this.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

A post script on the injury thing. In this interview Geno appeared to rule out UConn's notoriosly hard practices as a contributing factor. Well, maybe not rule out, but cast serious doubt on it. A parapjrase: In the old days we went a lot harder than we do now. Let me add that the biometric microscope they have on the kids now should tamp down risk. These considerations may put even greater focus on too many games from too young until matriculation.

Like too much racing for a 2 year old thoroughbred only to see them breakdown the following year. Had to stick this in for @Alydar.

 

[Rowdy831]

Almost every team has to deal with injuries but very seldom do you have a situation where your injuries happen in numbers and the ones impacted are arguably your best players. With UCONN the players lost were back to back top players in their recruiting classes and last year it included the person most likely to back one of them up when needed.

UCONN needs to look at their strength and conditioning program and compare it to what other schools are doing for the women specifically. I don't believe in bad luck or even the over use excuse because every other team out there has players who do the same thing. One knee is bad luck, four or five in a few years might be something all together different.

 

[huskeynut]

Almost every team has to deal with injuries but very seldom do you have a situation where your injuries happen in numbers and the ones impacted are arguably your best players. With UCONN the players lost were back to back top players in their recruiting classes and last year it included the person most likely to back one of them up when needed.

UCONN needs to look at their strength and conditioning program and compare it to what other schools are doing for the women specifically. I don't believe in bad luck or even the over use excuse because every other team out there has players who do the same thing. One knee is bad luck, four or five in a few years might be something all together different.

You missed Geno saying kids are coming in with injuries from high school. Some tell him and some don't.

This is not about UConn's strength and conditioning program. Besides, I would bet the UConn evaluates its program, top to bottom, every season.

 

[Ron and Vida]

I could see how it becomes kind of a "cascading failure" kind of a thing. You get one or two significant injuries which forces other players to play longer minutes, which causes additional injuries, which causes other players to play longer minutes, etc.

This is nothing new but over the years we have heard that compared to other teams the UConn practices are “harder than the games”, the Huskies usually play fewer players only 6 or 7 players in a game and the players may play even harder on defense than on offense as in both ends of the floor
Really don’t know where this is going but if nothing else it shows that over the years I really do pay attention to what I read in the Boneyard!

 

[hard2please]

health is a day to day event. one day you are healthy, the next day you may not be. the teams health at the present time is a elephant

 

[From France]

It's not the first time it happened, remember 2001 with Svet & Sheah, that was probably the best Husky Team ever but that was the year we(they) lost