Are you going to watch?

#27
#27
I flipped on (then "OFF") ESPN at the end of the game just in time to hear the love-fest for the dark side. Puked in my mouth, then quickly changed the channel.
No doubt UCONN is far superior to any other women's bb program, but it doesn't change the fact that geno is still a dirt-bag.
:whistling:
 
#29
#29
UTLadyvolsfan said:
Just my $.02 but this team seemed to get it together late as we made it to the elite 8. We are in desperate need of good guard play - not Cooper's scoring mentality, but rather a leader, distributor and controller of the game. Good guard play is a must have for next year to be successful (ie. final 4)...
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Seriously...Are you kidding? This team is not going to any final four no matter the guard play as long as HOLLY DOOLEY WARLICK is the head coach. She must go.
 
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#33
#33
Someone on here said that UConn didn't play defense all they do is score. Well Syracuse shot 2 of 19 from the three last night way below what they have done against anyone else. If they do what they did against us then they score 18 more points than they scored last night. They definitely play defense and offense better than anyone in WCBB.
 
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#34
#34
brassie said:
"The Syracuse head coach is not helping the image of the game."

All he needs is a big, fuzzy, floppy pimp hat.
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+++++++++++


I have been wondering who would characterize him best... Af-AM Mr Magoo... Older, bigger Steve Erkel... But brassie... you nailed it!
 
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#36
#36
NoBackBoard said:
What I used to love about UT wasn't just the winning. I followed them passionately despite us not winning a title from 99-06. I loved Pat. I loved the style of play. Our passion. How relentless we were. How hard our players worked. Our athleticism and speed. We had our tough times, but the Lady Vol spirit was still there. Something happened after Parker's class left and it has never returned. The Lady Vol way of playing basketball has deteriorated.

We don't recruit the players to fit that style. I don't want a team that simply replicates UConn's style. I want a team that plays Lady Vol basketball -- win or lose. I saw a few glimpse this year in the tourney but something is missing. I think we got lucky with Pat. And with every year that passes, I realize more and more just how lucky we were.
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that she made her mark in the early days of women's basketball. She built our program before a lot of schools took the sport seriously. That changed 20 years ago, and then we started losing our edge--under Summitt; started losing our edge in recruiting, and, offensively, the game started to pass by PS. PS got sick, we made the wrong hire (it's nice to have a passionate former Vol at the helm but you need the right leadership qualities and chops to head of a program like ours), and here we are. We can't just go out and recruit players to fit "our style." We don't have a style anymore--nobody does. The only style is to play good basketball. And recruiting has become very competitive. Our style--defense and rebounding--worked for 20 years--but the game is different now. You need to play defense, rebound AND score efficiently.
 
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#37
#37
LadyVol1908 said:
Can someone help me understand why the Syracuse coach's image is not helping the game?
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Thanks for asking. I wondered too. I don't particularly care for his style, but that's personal preference. I also don't care for Kim's (flashy), Muffet's (dowdy), or Holly's (dull). Their styles do not affect the image of the game in any way and don't see why his does either.
 
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#38
#38
Smallvol#1 said:
Thanks for asking. I wondered too. I don't particularly care for his style, but that's personal preference. I also don't care for Kim's (flashy), Muffet's (dowdy), or Holly's (dull). Their styles do not affect the image of the game in any way and don't see why his does either.
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I'll take a bad wardrobe over coach Steve Erkel any day....However, if Stevie can get the job done, I can definitely get past his eccentric style.
 
#39
#39
Being one of those "pitiable" folks who didn't watch, did the Syracuse coach have to have his assistants fake hold him back during the game?

Is that what was meant by "hurting the image" of the game?

I'll enjoy watching Stewart play in the WNBA...and can finally leave the sound on.

It'll be great not having to listening to Doris :stinker2: gush about "Stewy" and instead listen to a professional announcer who can hide her unrequited crush on an entire program.
 
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#40
#40
You want to see CLASS? Watch the post game presser. Sykes and Alexis two classy young women who really love their Coach.... followed by Q, who it turns out is also pretty impressive.
 
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#41
#41
Congrats UConn....You guys had another great season.

I watched most of the game and yes it was difficult to watch at times, but you guys play fine basketball, and I did not want to miss history...

Stewart seems like an extremely fine young lady. Again congrats.
 
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#42
#42
Ok, I admit it, I watched the whole game. I really like wbb. I don't really understand how you could not have watched. Take the Genome out of the equation. They play awesome basketball. I expect that every women's basketball coach was watching this game - or they should have been.
To say it starts with basic preparation is an understatement. Who ever heard (I know I never have) of a team using Navy Seals (? frogmen, whatevers) to help train them physically & mentally. Where did that even come from?
I don't know who said they don't play defense. The LVs could learn a few things by watching them. They completely shut down Q's game plan of 'chuck a three, get the rebound'. It may have worked on UW but it sure didn't work on these dogs.
Offense? They flat out know how to execute. I can't remember a game we were in that the press was broken so easily by either team. Not only broken but its part of their scoring game.
You can't help but being impressed by their ball handling. They don't dribble aimlessly. We should be passing to the open shooter like they do. We have enough good shooters that if we were to get them open shots our shooting % would be over 50%.

I don't get it. You don't have to love them, just learn from them.
 
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#44
#44
meekfan said:
Ok, I admit it, I watched the whole game. I really like wbb. I don't really understand how you could not have watched. Take the Genome out of the equation. They play awesome basketball. I expect that every women's basketball coach was watching this game - or they should have been.
To say it starts with basic preparation is an understatement. Who ever heard (I know I never have) of a team using Navy Seals (? frogmen, whatevers) to help train them physically & mentally. Where did that even come from?
I don't know who said they don't play defense. The LVs could learn a few things by watching them. They completely shut down Q's game plan of 'chuck a three, get the rebound'. It may have worked on UW but it sure didn't work on these dogs.
Offense? They flat out know how to execute. I can't remember a game we were in that the press was broken so easily by either team. Not only broken but its part of their scoring game.
You can't help but being impressed by their ball handling. They don't dribble aimlessly. We should be passing to the open shooter like they do. We have enough good shooters that if we were to get them open shots our shooting % would be over 50%.

I don't get it. You don't have to love them, just learn from them.
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Just to add on about passing, look at the difference. Assist totals told the story too.
"UConn had a whopping 399 in passes in the National Championship Game, compared to only 165 for Syracuse. Connecticut’s passing game was led by the back and forth combination of Moriah Jefferson and Breanna Stewart. Stewart and Jefferson combined for 88 passes to each other."

Team Touches Passes Asts HockeyAsts

Connecticut 497 399 22 14
Syracuse 253 165 5 0

Mission Accomplished: History-making four-peat for UConnn, Huskies beat Syracuse 82-51 for national title*|*Hoopfeed.com
 
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#45
#45
If you are are a fan of a team that got smacked by Syracuse and that sometimes goes up against KY's press defense more than once in a season, there were two very good reasons to study last night's game. Against both Cuse and the Wildcats, the LVs had 21 TOs, 5 more than their average. UConn last night had a few more than their usual, but for the most part they were able to pass over the zone, hit the control player in the middle of the court, and then move the ball with quick passes up the side for lay ups. Trying to dribble through that Cuse press is not the way to go, and CHW might have learned something from watching the UConn method of shredding the press.

Cuse also shot 14-30 in the Tourney game against the LVs, and they went 2-19 against the Huskies, with both makes coming in the 1st quarter and then going 0-11 in the last three quarters. Some may think that was just a fluke, but it wasn't. Anyone who saw how UConn was guarding the perimeter knows why the Cuse shot 10.5% on 3s. Again, something for CHW to learn there.
 
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#46
#46
Here's several takeaways from watching dominance last night.....

1. They are well coached. Meaning, Geno does not rely on their talent alone to get things done. He doesn't say "Stewart, Jefferson, Tuck do your thing!" He and his staff coach. UConn is a machine and it's their system and tradition that also helps them do what they do.

2. Did you see how UConn handled Syracuse's zone defense? Through ball movement and player movement. These girls were running through the lane, setting picks, and moving the ball at a quickened pace. And they were able to get a lot of easy baskets as a result. This Lady Vol team needs to watch UConn tape all day every day.

3. Tradition and Expectations.... There is a built in expectation and tradition that these girls know that they have to live up to. That has faded with this Lady Vols program. Look at the former players that have come through UConn and when you ask them about being a Lady Husky, they talk about tradition, expectations and excellence. Each crop of girls that come through UConn carry that on and wear it like a badge of honor. They know that they are there to work hard and play to a level that is beyond what they have ever done before and to win.

4. Coaching... I know I made a point about coaching in point #1 but I cannot stress the importance of it. Heck Q.Hillsman coached his girls to this Championship game. Having the talent that this Lady Vols team has means nothing if you don't have good coaches to coach them. ArmChair made a point earlier about selecting the wrong coach when Pat stepped down. There is merit to that. A good or great coach and staff would not allow a zone defense to stifle what they do all year. A good or great coach and staff will find a way to get all of this talent to play together as a team with and for each other.

A good or great coach and staff will either have Cooper playing at a higher level or sitting her and grooming her to get there. A great or good coach and staff would corral DD and get her to a level higher than before and refine her game so that when you mention Stewie it's followed by Diamond.

A great or good coach and staff would have good 3-pt shooting from Dunbar and Reynolds because their offense would get them a lot of looks and that coach would demand better from them. Not to belabor the point any further, you saw the culmination of great coaching last night...

A great or good coach and staff would set the expectation of excellence and tradition and demand it from everyone not caring who is a star or not a star.

Everything I described in point #4 is what UConn embodies.... Maybe it's time the Lady Vols embodied something....
 
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#47
#47
We do embodie something....turnovers, standing, excessive dribbling, and bad shooting....all of these, only on occasions.

Other times we embodie everything UCONN does well and we receive a glimpse of hope....but for the most part we're just not a very good basketball.
 
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#48
#48
GameTime said:
Congrats UConn....You guys had another great season.

I watched most of the game and yes it was difficult to watch at times, but you guys play fine basketball, and I did not want to miss history...

Stewart seems like an extremely fine young lady. Again congrats.
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A perfect season no doubt. The Dynasy will continue. Hope we can at least compete next season. Geno is the best and everyone has to figure out a way to beat them. And when Syracuse missed shots they stink!
 
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#49
#49
I enjoyed reading this thread. Some really good comments and analysis - a few thoughts:

1. Please someone put a gag in Doris' mouth. She may gush Uconn, but she is just as painful to my ear as to anyone else. I wish even in games that are no longer tight, announcers would stop blabbing on about everything except the game - true of all sports but especially WCBB. I want to know who is checking in and out, who tipped that pass, running game stats - I don't want to know who ate what for breakfast or what someone did as a twelve year old. They seem to think they can hold onto an audience by being 'interesting' - wrong, if a game is no longer competitive people who do not want to watch are not going to change their mind based on the bilge the announcers are spewing!! (sorry for the rant!)

2. I agree, this game was a clinic on breaking the press and running half court offense against multiple variations of zone defense. Short corner, free throw line, and ball movement, as well as continual motion and screening off the ball. And court spacing.

3. It was also a clinic on PG play - how to manage pace and control game flow, how and when to attack, and how to keep options open by never wasting you dribble.

4. And a defensive clinic on rotations, help, and pressure.

It may not have been 'exciting' for any but Uconn fans, but if you like studying the principles of good fundamental basketball it was fascinating. And Syracuse didn't stink up the joint - they were overmatched, but they competed, took care of the ball against a pressure defense and ran good offense and defense, just not good enough.

And yeah - next year will be a very different landscape in WCBB with Stewart, Jefferson, and Tuck all headed to the WNBA
 
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#50
#50
Syracuse played a good game. They had less turnovers than UConn, but it's the points off of turnovers that makes a difference. Also, teams that press don't like to be pressed. That takes them out of their offensive sets and they have to play against the shot clock. Clearly, Syracuse was distressed because they only shot 10% on 3's. That was their bread 'n butter in the post season.
 
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