Sherri and Gino

[Soonerbay]

There is probably not a NCAA Div I team (or any college team for that matter), that is not having their team to participate in community service projects. I happen to believe that a coach can teach the values of community service AND win a national championship.

 

[Soonerbay]

Just a quick look tell me UConn recruits a certain type of player. Courtney could have been that kind of player, but she wasn't willing to make the commitment. Gino wants his players to be 100% committed to winning! everything else is subordinate to that.

His players are big, physical and quick. Sherry knows as much basketball as Gino, but she's not as demanding as he is.

I think Sherry's team's are more fun to watch.

You, Mac and Norm...well, I'll just say we have a difference of opinion but I think the facts will speak volumes regarding this so called "out of shape" and lack of commitment stuff regarding CP. I don't think anyone in the history of OU sports was more committed to winning than CP. She never quit and when it really mattered, she made EVERY free throw, even when Mulkey had her crew clearly blatantly fouling CP. Maybe you guys have forgotten those days. Maybe you've also forgotten that her commitment included her willingness to pay back the value of her scholarship. That sounds like someone that is not committed!

Does anyone remember Kaili McLaren, UCONN 2006-2010? High school WBCA and McDonald’s All American? Her nickname on the AAU/Club circuit…”Courtney’s Twin”. Averaged 12 mins her SR year. Remember Danielle Adams, TAM 2009-2011? Averaged 30 mins a game her SR year. Both have similar body types to CP’s. Neither’s stats come close to CP. CP averaged 29 mins a game her SR year, 33 as a JR...tops on the team...the high mins for UCONN the same year were Montgomery at 31 and Moore at 29..., 30 as a SO, and 29 as a FR. Difference? They won NC’s at UCONN and TAM.

P.S. Maybe the rest of the 2008-09 OU team was “out of shape” along with CP…Avg mins for DR-30, AP-30, NS-20, WH-28, AT-21, CR-13, JV-13, JH-9, AO-6, LW-4, RH-3, CW-3

And SC vs Geno on basketball knowledge. Knowledge is one thing, implementing the knowledge in game situations is another story.

 

[sybarite]

Soonerbay, I used to read your posts with interest since they contained some valuable information. But, after a while, "I hate Sherri," gets tuned out.

 

[KCRuf/Nek]

Take the girl for UConn - #30 - and put a 75 pound weighted vest on her and see how well she does. I know it doesn't do any good to tell you this but extra fat makes you a worse player and not a better player. Why couldn't she sniff the court in the WNBA? Why did she keep getting cut? Did you watch her play? She moved like she was 80 years old. I loved her here and am very appreciative for everything she did for our program but she was out of shape. I'm sure you'll go on and defending her but the truth is the truth. Enough of that.

You all can say what you want about UConn but only one team looked like a mid major tonight and it wasn't them. Hopefully we don't play them this year.

 

[badger]

First of all, I respect the success that UConn has had in the past and their recent track record under Geno is definitely something all programs should aspire to, ours included. Also, I love Sherri.

But, this is UConn's first year in this new Big East (which the Catholic 7 to name their "new" conference in basketball) known as the American Athletic Conference, or AAC. My argument is not that UConn will suddenly become worse in sports, but rather, there will be a gradual decline. Consider:

Attendance will be lower at home and away.

Instead of marquee matchups against tourney regulars like Marquette, Georgetown, Xavier, Villanova or Butler, UConn will now play host (and be hosted by) UCF, ECU, Tulane, etc. About the only quality addition was Memphis.

Lesser TV deals

One of UConn's strengths is being one of the few womens programs that gets featured regularly on ESPN. That is not under dispute --- they have quality matchups whether its November or January or March. Of course, they won't have the Notre Dame in-conference game anymore.

What is at stake is money:

First-tier rights: $126 million, ESPN, seven years for basketball (2013-2020); six years for football (2014-2020)
Second-tier rights: Basketball, $54 million, CBS, six years through 2012-13 (negotiations ongoing)

Dwarfed by major conference deals.

Please don't make me try to do the math on AAC travel distance, but I'd have to assume that regular trips to both Florida and Texas (and Tulsa!) from the state of Connecticut is going to be a struggle.

UConn is undoubtedly looking at across the board athletic cuts from the conference downgrade, an expected attendance decrease and increased travel time and costs. We're not looking at a Grambling situation by any means, but it's going to hurt them somewhere, or more likely, EVERYwhere, womens basketball included.

 

[soonerstar]

It will not happen, but what if all the top programs like Duke, Stanford, Tennessee, and so on quit playing UCONN in the pre season. Do you nthink he would still get the cream of the crop in recruiting each year? I know ESPN will not let this happen because of their lovefest with UCONN. Most of the schools will do anything for money. They would play all their games at midnight if enough money was involved and to hell with the fans.

 

[badger]

It will not happen, but what if all the top programs like Duke, Stanford, Tennessee, and so on quit playing UCONN in the pre season.

Tennessee dumped them a few years ago, so there's one down (and precedent!). That used to be the top non-conference duel in the game.

Do you nthink he would still get the cream of the crop in recruiting each year?

Nope, unless the rest of this new AAC suddenly gets stronger. Not holding my breath, as the only reason it exists is BECAUSE FOOTBALL

I know ESPN will not let this happen because of their lovefest with UCONN.

ESPN complaints, heh heh. One little feature on Sportscenter is not a lovefest. Hell, they didn't even give Geno his own "This is Sportscenter" ad yet, have they? They did for Pat.

Most of the schools will do anything for money. They would play all their games at midnight if enough money was involved and to hell with the fans.

Very true... think UConn would drop womens basketball in return for Big 12 invite? If Title IX lawsuits would not be lining up afterwards, I'd fathom a "yes" guess

 

[tycat947]

Very true, Badger. But I think they would drop other sports rather than diminish their basketball programs. But will be a gradual decline. Geno is going to attract the premier women's players until TV exposure gets diminished. I would expect that he may look at retiring or moving to another school within 5 years unless UConn can latch onto ACC, or even more remotely, B1G.

 

[badger]

UConn can latch onto ACC, or even more remotely, B1G.

The only hope for that happening is if 16 is the new 14 (which was the new 12 thanks to the SEC). B1G will be at 14, SEC is already at 14, ACC will be 14. I think TV dealios are ready to hold up their hands and scream "enough, no new contracts" so that would add no incentive to add more teams (the reason the SEC lowered their standards and admitted Mizzou)

I guess the Pac may someday decide to go to 14. Hell, they nearly went to 16 a few years ago. Would Big 12 go to 14? We apparently have the trademark renewed, along with Big 16

 

[tycat947]

The only hope for that happening is if 16 is the new 14 (which was the new 12 thanks to the SEC). B1G will be at 14, SEC is already at 14, ACC will be 14. I think TV dealios are ready to hold up their hands and scream "enough, no new contracts" so that would add no incentive to add more teams (the reason the SEC lowered their standards and admitted Mizzou)

I guess the Pac may someday decide to go to 14. Hell, they nearly went to 16 a few years ago. Would Big 12 go to 14? We apparently have the trademark renewed, along with Big 16

I'm pretty sure they trademarked those names at the same time they did Big 12. I don't see anyone to add to Big 12 that would add value. I think the last bastion of hope was Fla State and potentially Ga Tech or Clempson. It's a problem of being in flyover country!

 

[SoonerNorm]

I think Arkansas and LSU would both add value to the Big 12 but I doubt either would leave the SEC.

 

[badger]

I think Arkansas and LSU would both add value to the Big 12 but I doubt either would leave the SEC.

The NCAA could end the conference ballooning by making the football playoff have auto bids for every conference champion (similar to basketball), mid major and (current) BCS level. Sure, there'd still be room for a few at-larges, but emphasis on "a few," and everyone guaranteed one.

Why join (or stay in) the SEC if you have a better shot at the playoffs in the Big 12?

And yes, I know this is a basketball board, but we all know that conference reallignment isn't dictated by basketball (unless you are the Catholic 7 and basketball is your one and only)

 

[badger]

I'm pretty sure they trademarked those names at the same time they did Big 12. I don't see anyone to add to Big 12 that would add value. I think the last bastion of hope was Fla State and potentially Ga Tech or Clempson. It's a problem of being in flyover country!

There are some flyover states that have yet to embrace what we could call the TCU, Utah or Boise State model, which means there's still hope for our mighty Midwest region to have an expanded field, rather than just a buffet for other expanding conferences to pick at.

New Mexico? Great tradition in men's basketball (and I think they beat us in womens recently, so they're not bad on that end either). If they stopped sucking at football (and oh many have they sucked lately), they'd be a candidate. Hell, Texas Tech isn't too far from that state, so they'd probably love a region partner like New Mexico.

If Memphis wasn't terrible at football, they'd also be a regional candidate for expansion. Sadly, their football hasn't been good lately, even though they've done a fairly good job in mens basketball post-Calipari.

 

[Mac]

Maybe I should say that Geno would have made Courtney lose a few pounds because that’s the only way she would have been WNBA ready. Geno had a 2006 mcdonalds all American named Kaili McLaren who didn’t get a lot of playing time because she wasn’t in the best shape she could be in, I’m sure the same would have applied to Paris.

 

[Soonerbay]

Maybe I should say that Geno would have made Courtney lose a few pounds because that’s the only way she would have been WNBA ready. Geno had a 2006 mcdonalds all American named Kaili McLaren who didn’t get a lot of playing time because she wasn’t in the best shape she could be in, I’m sure the same would have applied to Paris.

You can have your own opinion about what you think CP would have done or not done under the tutelage of Geno, but you might want to pay more attention to the WNBA. They need all the fans they can muster. Since you hadn't heard....CP is one of the fav players for the Tulsa Shock...in the WNBA! :facepalm

http://www.formstack.com/forms/?1637255-BxZdUIOvsL

Furthermore...and again, it's not that she can't play in the WNBA because she does. She is not utilized the same way she is in Europe or when she was in college. And the WNBA is not the end all to women's basketball. Some of the teams could use a few tips from some of the foreign leagues.