"Lady Vols rout Connecticut"
DGrooms4
Now, before you bear your husky fangs, that is a quote of the Eastern Sports
Promotional Network. Personally, I wouldn't consider 15 points a rout. The Lady
Vols can do much better than that. They didn't look too sharp to me. Still, I
guess they were good enough for January. They'll have to be better in March.
Especially with Stanford getting Folkl and UCONN getting Ralph. Of course,
Tennessee has the reputation for being better in March than at any other point
in the season...if that were to happen this year, well...let's just say the
tournament would look more like a coronation ceremony.
Anyhow, to the game, which I imagine anyone who claims to be a wbb fan was sure
to watch. I didn't get to go, so I'd love to hear from any of the 24K+ people
who were there to set a record in attendance(I can't believe they had to turn
people away!!!). It must have been pretty intense. I didn't hear the band. Did
they send everyone to Miami for the football disaster?
I did hear the radio version of Rocky Top quite a bit, but it's just not the
same. It's too hard for the fans to sing along with that one. I made sure to
sing it just a little here at home.
Well, as for the game itself. Catchings came ready to play, but she kind of got
silent after the first few plays. Randall looked wonderful. Her body control is
absolutely astounding. Geter was tough, but she wasn't astounding. Clement
looked just plain bad...I hope she gets in the flow soon. I know she has hurt
her foot twice and even had whiplash(don't ask me how one gets whiplash in
practice, unless she was trying to guard one of the other 3 and they threw one
wicked fake at her...IT COULD HAPPEN! :)
Jolly played extremely solid at the point which is all she needs to do. That
three she hit in the second half pretty much sealed Connecticut's fate. Elzy
was extremely tough in the first half and played solid throughout. Stephens
made some tremendous hustle plays. Gee, I feel like I've left someone out. Who
could it be? Oh yeah, Tennessee does have that player who "may not even be the
best on her team". The one who can't lead her team like Sales does the husky
women. Well, I doubt anyone would argue that she was the best player on the
floor. The six steals alone were incredible, but the 25 points that went along
with them weren't bad either. Now, if anyone wants to continue the mythical
debate about who is the best player in the country, please stick to Dalma
Ivanyi or Ticha Pinichiero or somebody else who I may have skipped. As I
suspected, though, Coach Summitt enforced the Katie Smith rule once again: big
name-small performance in the big game. Sales was a "non-factor" and a "role
player" though what role she was playing aside from spectator, I don't know.
(By the way, those quotes came from Nancy Lieberman-Cline and her lovely and
beautiful assistant whose name eludes me ;)
Sales did manage to chunk in a few(6 points) as the game ended, but she didn't
have much impact on the game. Now, using a standard applied in football when
deciding the top player: if you can't make your team win the big game, you
can't be the best player. Gee, I guess Sales is disqualified. Now, don't get me
wrong, I think she is a fine player, an All-American no doubt(right up there
with "POY" Holdsclaw , Catchings and Pinichiero...I haven't seen enough players
from lesser schools to decide on a fifth yet, like Ivanyi, Redd, Stiles, and
Thompson of TTech-21ppg 8rpg 53%FG); however, she just does not compare to
Holdsclaw. The only player who can legitimately be compared to Chamique is now
a coach in the WNBA, Cheryl Miller. Beyond that, comparisons don't do her
justice.
The best of the Huskies in my opinion was Abrosimova who was impressive on
offense as I expected, though her defense was sorely lacking. Still, she and
Sauer at least managed to make Tennessee get out of cruise control in the third
quarter and refocus.
Well, I could rant and rave about the Lady Vols some more, but what's the
point. You all saw the game. You know they're the best. My only question is:
will Geno do the classy thing like Barmore and Vanderveer and concede that, at
this point, they are far and away the top team in all the land? I guess it's
more likely he'll whine about physical play or some unfair advantage like
letting all those people in orange into the game. Yeah, that's it, maybe Sales
was in an orange haze the whole game! ;)
woof woof,
Danny
Gee, my dog doesn't look too happy. Maybe she thinks I was serious about that
eating husky meat for dinner comment!
Litton
>
> woof woof,
> Danny
>
> Gee, my dog doesn't look too happy. Maybe she thinks I was serious about
that
> eating husky meat for dinner comment!
I was there and enjoyed the game with all the excitement. It would have
been better if the band had been there to add to excitement. The only thing
I did like was the 10 minute quarter deal. I think it slows the game down.
Jerry eating my hotdog by the fire.
Hootmor
>
>Anyhow, to the game, which I imagine anyone who claims to be a wbb fan was
>sure
>to watch. I didn't get to go, so I'd love to hear from any of the 24K+ people
>who were there to set a record in attendance(I can't believe they had to turn
>people away!!!). It must have been pretty intense. I didn't hear the band.
>Did
>they send everyone to Miami for the football disaster?
>I did hear the radio version of Rocky Top quite a bit, but it's just not the
>same. It's too hard for the fans to sing along with that one. I made sure to
>sing it just a little here at home.
>
It was pretty intense at the arena. I arrived at TBA at 2:50 pm in what I
thought was plenty of time to get good seats to save for some friends. WRONG!
The gates didn't open until 3pm, and there were already several thousand people
waiting to enter. The section where we usually sit was filled, so a friend and
I ended up in the upper deck. My other friends, I never found....but they ended
up, up, up, up....can you say "bleacher seats"?
The Pep Band was a no-show. They probably are in Miami or on break. You're
right, they played Rocky Top over the speakers. The Pep Band was also missing
for the Arkansas game Jan 1st.
I was really impressed with Abrosimova also. However, How 'bout those "Three
Amikas"!!!!! I think the word is really getting out and about around town
about this team and how exciting they are to watch. I think this team will be
playing before much larger crowds this year. I know a lot of people that are
going to the games this year that haven't in the past (including several of my
friends).
I'm one who always wants Tennessee to lose a few games before the NCAA Tourney.
However, it is tempting to think of UT going undefeated this year.....it's one
of the only few things that a Pat Summitt team has not done.
COS2000
First let me congratulate Tennessee on a fine game and win today -- clearly the
better team won. UCONN fought back valiantly after being down big inthe first
half and closed to within one...but they just did not have the horses to match
Tennessee.
As to the comments about Sales -- Pat Summit recognized her value and she was
consistently double and triple teamed the entire game.
COS
"Life is meant to be celebrated not endured"
Sibyl Marshall
In <19980104062...@ladder02.news.aol.com> cos...@aol.com
(COS2000) writes:
>
>
>As to the comments about Sales -- Pat Summit recognized her value and
>she was consistently double and triple teamed the entire game.
As opposed to Chamique, who was left wide open the entire game and
that's how she was able to score those 25 points.
No, really, Chamique was double-teamed, triple-teamed, junk-defensed
the entire night and she still ended up with more than twice as many
points as Sales. She made her shots with people hanging off of her,
she went by her defenders, she shot over them, she stole the ball and
made her own shot. That's what a player of the year should do.
--Sibyl
MAPgraph
>Chamique was double-teamed, triple-teamed, junk-defensed
>the entire night and she still ended up with more than twice as many
>points as Sales.
The night game you watched was evidently something you must have dreamed
sweetie. The afternoon game I watched was a bit different.
homer rules I guess. Woof woof.
g
I agree Holsclaw was the best player. and sales couldnt get the ball...
without the ball you cant score right?
g
Greg Heagerty
I agree that Holdsclaw was the best in this game, but it isn't always up the
player. A lot of it has to do with the scheme. Several times during the game
Tennessee tried Chamique at the low post right under the basket with her back
to the basket. Connecticut stopped this play every time. When she ranged
left and right further out, she was able to get free. I wan't really aware if
UConn was trying different sets with Nykesha or not.
Greg.
Clark/Walker
I don't know which Sibyl is writing sometime. The down-to-earth greatest Vol
fan who does great analysis, or the shameless Vols-are-goddesses promoter. I
like the former. The latter sounds too much like DGroom4 or whatever his/her
name is.
Look at the tape, Sibyl. Because TN has three great shooting athletes, plus
a point guard who will drain a 3 the moment you forget about her, no one can
triple team Holdsclaw, and this year , mostly they can't double team her,
either. Very few double teams. But then, not too much good help defense,
either, b/c Tn is just plain too quick for this UConn team. That's why we
got wupped. But if Sales had a few reliable scorers around her, she would
look a lot better. I say this recognizing that Holdsclaw put up amazing
numbers last year, with a much more limited scoring cast than she now has,
and pretty constant double teams.
It's almost unfair that she's so nice, too. (I noted all the upperclassmen
from UConn stopped to give her a hug yesterday.) I hope she will teach that
talented twit Randall how to win gracefully, even when its a big win over a
rival.
BTW, I don't think I was replying to your post when I talked about all that
unsupported woofing. I think it was that other person's.
Sibyl Marshall wrote in message <68s4cf$c...@dfw-ixnews5.ix.netcom.com>...
>In <19980105133...@ladder02.news.aol.com> mapg...@aol.com
>Sorry, I didn't get out of the arena until about 7:30, so I keep
>thinking night game. And you are right, UConn didn't start
>double-teaming Holdsclaw until the second half. Duran did a fairly
>nice job on her the first half though. Abrosimova somehow ended up
>guarding her a few times which was a big mistake.
>Nykesha Sales is a great player who had an off night. Much of that
>probably attributable to commendable defense on the Tennessee side.
>Holdsclaw has had her off nights too (witness her 5 point outing
>against Arkansas last year).
>
>
Sibyl Marshall
Sibyl Marshall
In <34B0BB...@virginia.edu> g <mm...@virginia.edu> writes:
>
>I agree Holsclaw was the best player. and sales couldnt get the
>ball... without the ball you cant score right?
>g
Maybe Sales didn't get the ball as much as she wanted, but she
certainly got it enough to take some shots. She took sixteen shots,
which was significantly more than anyone else on her team. They just
weren't good shots (she wasn't as open as she likes, etc.), but she did
have the ball and she did manage to fire a few off.
Sibyl Marshall
In <68s7ke$nci$1...@winter.news.erols.com> "Clark/Walker"
<jgc...@erols.com> writes:
>
>I don't know which Sibyl is writing sometime. The down-to-earth
>greatest Vol fan who does great analysis, or the shameless
>Vols-are-goddesses promoter. I like the former. The latter sounds too
>much like DGroom4 or whatever his/her name is.
personalities?
Really, though, I am not much of a Vol fan at all. I just don't have
much interest in men's sports. The Lady Vols, yes, I consider myself a
huge fan.
I love DGRooms4 (Danny, or whatever his name is)'s posts and I am
flattered to even be compared.
I guess what it comes down to is that I love all women's basketball and
I do try to be rational but when it comes down to the Lady Vols, I love
them best and rationality becomes irrelevant.
>
>Look at the tape, Sibyl. Because TN has three great shooting athletes,
>plus a point guard who will drain a 3 the moment you forget about her,
>no one can triple team Holdsclaw, and this year , mostly they can't
>double team her, either. Very few double teams. But then, not too much
>good help defense, either, b/c Tn is just plain too quick for this
>UConn team.
I have looked at the tape, and as you know I retracted what I said
about Holdsclaw being multiple-teamed all night long. But in the
second half she fought her way through a lot of multiple teams and help
defense. She also, as I said, is very good at stealing the ball and
creating her own shot.
>That's why we got wupped. But if Sales had a few reliable scorers
>around her, she would look a lot better.
I actually think Hansmeyer is, or is going to be, a reliable scorer.
Isn't she putting up some great numbers in terms of field goal
percentage? I thought the guards should have been looking for her a
bit more than they were. She only shot the ball three times the entire
night! But this may also have to do with the fact that Kyra, Semeka,
Chamique, and Tamika were incredibly fast at snatching up those
defensive rebounds, preventing Stacy from getting those offensive
rebounds and putbacks on the weak side that she likes so much.
>I say this recognizing that Holdsclaw put up amazing numbers last
>year, with a much more limited scoring cast than she now has,
>and pretty constant double teams. It's almost unfair that she's so
>nice, too. (I noted all the upperclassmen from UConn stopped to give
>her a hug yesterday.)
I noticed that too. Chamique is a ferocious competitor on the court,
but she seems to win friends wherever she goes. Here in Knoxville she
is followed by a constant throng of adorers, well-wishers, and
autograph-seekers, and she is always extremely graceful and friendly
about it, even when she's doing something like shopping at the mall or
trying to watch a movie.
>I hope she will teach that talented twit Randall how to win
>gracefully, even when its a big win over a rival.
Semeka is not a twit. She is a sweetheart and quite bright. People
shouldn't read one quote from her and assume they know everything about
her. What she said was to an audience of about 700-1000 Tennessee
fans, immediately after the game, and it was along the lines of:
"when we all came out onto the court and looked up and saw all those
people in the stands, I think Connecticut got so scared" ... etc. etc.
It was immediately preceded and followed by statements about how
wonderful the fans are and how great it is to play in front of such a
big crowd of devoted fans. It was perfectly obvious to those of us who
were present and saw her speaking that she was trying to say something
to thank the fans for their support, along the lines of "you helped
us." It was also perfectly obvious that she was joking about
Connecticut being scared. It may not have been the nicest joke ever
made, but it was a joke and it was not meant seriously.
I hope people who read about her comment can understand that it was a
joke and take it as such, not as seriously-meant trash-talking. She is
a good person (who, incidentally, also had a lot of nice things to say
about UConn, Geno, and Chris Dailey, not that anyone is ever going to
pay any attention to that now that they have gotten all worked up about
her joke) and doesn't deserve to be made into the latest UT whipping
girl by the UConn press and fans now that Marciniak is gone.
--Sibyl
>
>BTW, I don't think I was replying to your post when I talked about all
that
>unsupported woofing. I think it was that other person's.
>Sibyl Marshall wrote in message
<68s4cf$c...@dfw-ixnews5.ix.netcom.com>...
Sibyl Marshall
In <68tfpj$p...@sjx-ixn5.ix.netcom.com> si...@ix.netcom.com(Sibyl
Marshall) writes:
>
By the way, I just read Geno Auriemma's profanity-laced response to
Semeka's ill-considered joke. Geez. At least she has an excuse, being
eighteen and not used to the idea that the media are going to swarm all
over her. He was, at best, extremely uncordial to the Tennessee
program and finished by saying "and if it's coming from the [Tennessee]
coaching staff, the hell with them too."
Now, in a recent article that I read published in the Connecticut
press, Pat Summitt is the only long-term, established coach who has
been friendly and respectful to Geno and with whom he has a good
relationship. This really isn't the way to improve on that
relationship. No doubt Pat will see it for what it was -- an
understandable if somewhat overheated and vituperative response,
considering it was from an adult responding to a casual comment by a
teenager, but I think Semeka is perhaps not the only one who doesn't
think before she speaks.
--Sibyl
COS2000
<<By the way, I just read Geno Auriemma's profanity-laced response to Semeka's
ill-considered joke.>>
Here is the excerpt from the Hartford Courant referred to in this post. It is
HARDLY profanity-laced. I also think (since we are interpreting for Semeka)
that Geno's troops were really down after the loss and Randall's comments were
like throwing water on a drowning man and Geno was trying to get them mad
instead of down in the dumps.
``I'm not sure what to think of what Randall said,'' Geno Auriemma said. ``How
do you interpret something like that? I'd like to believe that kids aren't
stupid, that they understand what's going on. Is it just a case of kids
talking? Or do they sense a lack of aggression on our part?
``If she played for me, I'd make sure to talk to her about it. You
shouldn't be making judgments about other teams. She's a little cocky, I'll
admit. That's one of the reasons I recruited her. But if she had any guts, she
would have said the things she did to [the Connecticut media].
``I think it's about personalities. What Chamique and Semeka might have been
alluding to is Tennessee's feeling we don't have kids tough enough to beat
them. But I don't want to say our guys were scared. If they were, they would
have fallen apart for the entire game.
``Hey, the year we beat Tennessee for the national championship [1995],
Michelle Marciniak [the Vols' point guard] looked like a wreck. But we never
accused anyone of being scared. They can say what they want, I guess. Bottom
line, they had the greatest team ever to play the sport at that time and we
beat their butts.
``But we never said they looked scared. If that stuff is coming from
their coaching staff, then to hell with them, too.''
I800LAW
The press in Connecticut is blazing at what they perceive as a lack of class
by the UT program The major story on the top headline in sports in the New
Haven Register sports section is about this.
Subject: Re: UConn Huskies
Date: Tue, Jan 6, 1998 16:26 EST
From: I800LAW
Message-id: <19980106212...@ladder02.news.aol.com>
Well, the Conn press is blazing at Randall's arrogant comments and they are
regurgitating that Chamique said an equally stupid thing before. Now the front
page of the New Haven Register Sports section has top headlines of this story.
Other papers are giving no credence to the theory that she is kidding. They
are basically blaming it on a hopelessly desparate Tennessee program, that
cannot win with class
Geno blasts back, and here we go again. Local News | New Haven Register |
Article
Irv
COS2000
Here is the excerpt from the Hartford Courant referred to in this post. It is
HARDLY profanity-laced.
Whoops -- Sib obviously read the New Haven Register story with two expletives:
<<Randall said the Huskies were so scared they couldn't wait to get off the
floor at Thompson-Boling Arena. The statement was similar to one by her All-
America teammate Chamique Holdsclaw the previous year when Tennessee knocked
off UConn in the NCAA tournament.
"Let me tell you something," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said Monday. "The year
we beat Tennessee for the national championship, (Tennessee's) Michelle
Marciniak was scared (senseless) all over the court. We never accused her of
being scared. So they can (bleeping) say whatever they want. The bottom line is
they had the greatest team ever to play at that time and we beat them.
"And if it's coming from their coaching staff, well, then, the hell with
them, too. Did (Tennessee) look real confident at the Civic Center last year
(in a game won by UConn 72-57 last January)? They have a lot to say when they
win, but they don't say squat when they lose.">>
Personally, as an old athlete, I happen to agree with the last line in the
Register's story:
<<In the world of men's basketball, words of that sort would be aimed at
challenging a team's manhood. But a challenge by any other name (or gender) was
clearly delivered Monday by Auriemma to his Huskies.>>
Laurin Baker
Sibyl Marshall wrote:
>
> Semeka is not a twit. She is a sweetheart and quite bright. People
> shouldn't read one quote from her and assume they know everything about
> her. What she said was to an audience of about 700-1000 Tennessee
> fans, immediately after the game, and it was along the lines of:
> "when we all came out onto the court and looked up and saw all those
> people in the stands, I think Connecticut got so scared" ... etc. etc.
> It was immediately preceded and followed by statements about how
> wonderful the fans are and how great it is to play in front of such a
> big crowd of devoted fans. It was perfectly obvious to those of us who
> were present and saw her speaking that she was trying to say something
> to thank the fans for their support, along the lines of "you helped
> us." It was also perfectly obvious that she was joking about
> Connecticut being scared. It may not have been the nicest joke ever
> made, but it was a joke and it was not meant seriously.
> I hope people who read about her comment can understand that it was a
> joke and take it as such, not as seriously-meant trash-talking. She is
> a good person (who, incidentally, also had a lot of nice things to say
> about UConn, Geno, and Chris Dailey, not that anyone is ever going to
> pay any attention to that now that they have gotten all worked up about
> her joke) and doesn't deserve to be made into the latest UT whipping
> girl by the UConn press and fans now that Marciniak is gone.
I was at the game and heard Randall's comments in the context they were
said. I agree she was complimenting the crowd and was not saying that
the UT team scared them, but the crowd. She had great things to say
about UCONN and the coaching staff and of course none of that was
published. Interesting comments made by Geno concerning Randall's
comments. Said something like "if her comments are coming from the
coaching staff to hell with all of them.
I don't think Randall's comments warrented all this and know from
hearing her say it that she had no ill intent.
I am sure Randall will be very careful the next time she goes to speak
and it really is ashame that her comments were taken out of context.
Maybe her entire conversation should have been published and I believe
people would have a very different view of the situation.
Oh well, lets play ball and enjoy the talent and games!
John R. Doggette
Its a shame as always to let words have importance when they were made in
the "heat" of battle.
that refers to the coach - and the player.
I was listening to Randall in the after the game show where she was the
star of the game. She was commenting on the size of the crowd vs when she
was inhigh school 24,000 vs 100. and she remark was made about the crowd
scaring Connecticutt off the floor. It didn't make sense in context or out
of context.
The most interesting discussion by theCONN coach was his lengthy discussion
with the media about the quality of his team. "are we capable of winning a
national championship" We are a good team but not a great one...." I
don't see how a coach who has the record that he does feels any need to
feel any need to either evaluate his team, or apologize for losing a game.
Good coaches don't like to lose...
good players may say something wrong while celebrating or feeling down
from a loss.
Both should be tolerated by us spectators.
Danny Grooms
Wow, Sibyl, I'm touched :)
I figured even the Tennessee fans considered me a raving lunatic! Glad to
see some people REALLY understand the game hehehe.
Now, for my response to the unprovoked attack by jgclark on both Semeka and
me.
As for me, I probably deserve it, but Semeka has done nothing to warrant
being called a twit. I guess it's just that old idea that a kid who plays
hard for your team is "fiery" but one that plays the same way for another
team is a "punk" or "dirty". Example: Geno makes comments just ripping the
Tennessee team who beat him in the tourney last year, all a bad case of
poor loseritis. Is he a twit?...well, okay, bad example ;)
Anyhow, back to Semeka: she is an emotional player(kind of like Andrade
from ODU except without all that crying), and she relies greatly, I'm sure,
on things like tremendous fan support(which by the way, Tennessee has the
most of in the country by leading in attendance, woof woof). Is that wrong?
Only if you're not a UT fan. Of course, then you're wrong.
Is Semeka going to win any popularity contests? Unless you're asking the
Knoxville News-Sentinel, probably not. Still, she's a fiery player who gets
the job done. Maybe, you should take it as a compliment if you're a husky
fan that the Tennessee players even consider you worth mentioning after the
game. If you were another VSU(Victim State University), you wouldn't get a
mention after the game. Has UCONN been tough for UTK the past few years?
Absolutely. They have one of the best programs of 1995-1997. Do Tennessee
players get fired up to play them? You had better believe it.
Hey, at least there wasn't any of that blasted chest-thumping going on!
Now, as for the comment that Tennessee had the greatest team of all time
(or whatever Geno's exact comment was) when UCONN beat them in 95...that's
insane. Geno is deluded if he truly believes they beat the best team of all
time. It wasn't even the best Tennessee of all time...and correct me if I'm
wrong but Tiff Woosley blew her knee out that year, and she was a fairly
important member of that team. Anyways, in my opinion, any comments about
the game are not neccesary, but this one surely doesn't deserve the
scruting it has gotten. It Auriemma wants to make a statement to his team
about alleged lack of respect, do the smart thing and cut out the comment
and hang it in the locker room. Why rant and rave in the media and attack
Pat Summitt, which was completely uncalled for. Besides, isn't telling God
to go to hell kind of out of line??? ;)
UCONN has a tough team...tougher than I gave them credit for...definitely
tougher than most one man gangs should be. They aren't at Tennessee's level
right now. Join the club and quit whining. It's only January. If/when Shea
Ralph gets back, they'll be legitimate contenders for more than team with
the most sportscenter highlights. :)
Oh, and one last thing, it's time for me to get off the UCONN fans. We
don't have to worry a bit about them for at least two more months. We only
beat the Lady Roosters by 42(94-52); it must have been the post-big game
letdown. Next up is Florida. They really worry me. Stocks is going to be a
big time player inside. She comes from, in my opinion, the best HS program
in the nation in Pickerington. Page already is a big time player. If
Tennessee comes out cold against the Florida zone, we might look a lot like
North Carolina looked against them, scoring 12 points in the half....wait a
second, we could never look as bad a UNC!
Huskies- at least you're not Bulldogs, you're a step up on the breed
classification(Miller and Miller Lite shot 9-36 combined against
Wisconsin!!!).
woof woof,
Danny <---Yes, a he is me....wait, me is a he...ok, I be a he
I800LAW
Hi John Doggette:)
I really like your concept, but I think Geno was throwing fire and brimstone to
rally the faithful. I would have done it slightly different, but I never
proved I could coach like he can.
The Conn community is being hyped up by a press that is blazing and has
labeled Tennessee some sort of football thuggery mentality. I think our press
could have done a better job of showing your perspective, but they are not.
On the other hand, I wonder how much hyping the gate is involved. As
distasteful as the MM vs Jenn years were, they put this hoop stuff on prime
time tv weekends and that is what it takes.
Of course to a sane person, like yourself, it possibly makes it look like
WWF and maybe it will become that, at the extremes. I keep thinking of the
mad marketing genius Dennis Rodman who has not gotten thrown out of a game
this year ---image is a lot. ......and can sell sneakers to any alternative
culture that exists. ...and wrestle/spank on tv wwf , too.
I really like these kids, their desire, and their pioneering spirit.
GO HUSKIES, Go women's bball.
Irv
>$e9388acd@doggette>
g
Could you just leave andrade and odu alone, please?
Sibyl Marshall
In <19980106213...@ladder01.news.aol.com> cos...@aol.com
(COS2000) writes:
>
><<By the way, I just read Geno Auriemma's profanity-laced response to
Semeka's
>ill-considered joke.>>
>
>post. It is HARDLY profanity-laced.
Register, and the quote I read was a little different. I have inserted
the differences below.
>``Hey, the year we beat Tennessee for the national championship
>[1995], Michelle Marciniak [the Vols' point guard] looked like a
>wreck.
The New Haven Register had this as "looked scared [sense]less."
>But we never accused anyone of being scared. They can say what they
?want, I guess.
NHR: "They can say whatever they [bleeping] want."
>
>``But we never said they looked scared. If that stuff is coming from
>their coaching staff, then to hell with them, too.''
It's really not too hard to figure out what the "[sense]less" and
"bleeping" were inserted in place of.
Telling someone to go to hell is both profanity and really not very
nice.
--Sibyl
MAPgraph
>Semeka has done nothing to warrant
>being called a twit. I guess it's just that old idea that a kid who plays
>hard for your team is "fiery" but one that plays the same way for another
>team is a "punk" or "dirty". Example: Geno makes comments just ripping the
>Tennessee team who beat him in the tourney last year, all a bad case of
>poor loseritis. Is he a twit?...well, okay, bad example ;)
...Simply a matter of good sprotsmanship dg. A winner who propounds
(paraphrased):
"I guess we crammed it down Wolters throat..."
"They looked scared..."
"guess they just about ran off the floor, they were so scared..."
and like winded stuff, is going to have that as the sound bite that is
remembered and repeated. At best it shows insensitivity, at worst it shows no
class. An 18 year old kid that isn't shown how to respect an opponent - in
loss or win - is going to be used in the media as a reflection of the program
(as perceived).
...And unfortunately, UT is now in the position of being protrayed as poor
winners or worse by the North East media. ...Muck around with or ignore the
media if you want, but don't give the N.E. media ammunition!!!! It's like
handing over a screenplay for the next blockbuster to a Holywood studio and
saying - "here, it's yours - all yours... I'm not interested in it anymore."
All I can say is bless you Semeka! Bless you!!! Bless you! Bless you! Give
'em more leash Pat!!!! Win those games!
Trash away dg. Trash away!!!!!!!!!!!
smappy (this is so much fun!!! Oooooooeeee!!!)
Greg Heagerty
In article <19980107165...@ladder01.news.aol.com>,
mapg...@aol.com (MAPgraph) wrote:
>>Semeka has done nothing to warrant
>>being called a twit. I guess it's just that old idea that a kid who plays
>>hard for your team is "fiery" but one that plays the same way for another
>>team is a "punk" or "dirty". Example: Geno makes comments just ripping the
>>Tennessee team who beat him in the tourney last year, all a bad case of
>>poor loseritis. Is he a twit?...well, okay, bad example ;)
>....And unfortunately, UT is now in the position of being protrayed as poor
>winners or worse by the North East media. ...Muck around with or ignore the
>media if you want, but don't give the N.E. media ammunition!!!! It's like
>handing over a screenplay for the next blockbuster to a Holywood studio and
>saying - "here, it's yours - all yours... I'm not interested in it anymore."
>
>All I can say is bless you Semeka! Bless you!!! Bless you! Bless you!
Give
>'em more leash Pat!!!! Win those games!
>
>Trash away dg. Trash away!!!!!!!!!!!
>
>smappy (this is so much fun!!! Oooooooeeee!!!)
It's hard to describe newspapers in the state of Connecticut, as fine as some
of those journalistic institutions are, as THE North East media. What, for
example, did the Boston Globe, the Philadelphia Inquirer, or the New York
Times have to say about Semeka Randall's earth-shattering, end-of-time
comments to a group of Tennessee fans?
Of course, there is Connecticut's main media outlet, the Eastern SPorts
Network. You might get them to join Geno's brave hatchet job on that evil
Semeka.
BTW, when Geno made that gracious comment about Michelle Marciniak this week,
it wasn't the first time he's said that publicly. What a hypocrite!
Greg.
Danny Grooms
Gosh, when I said Semeka resembled Andrade in her emotional play, I
wasn't meaning it as an insult. If I were, wouldn't I be falling right
into that same trap of excusing "fiery" behavior from players like while
attacking "punks/dirty players/out of control players" on someone else's
team.
Did I enjoy seeing Andrade cry so much in last year's tourney? No, but
that's primarily because she was also helping them get to the National
Championship game(though I can't say as I minded them beating Stanford
for us! ;)
The same holds true for Vanessa Nygaard at Stanford. I can't say I have
ever been a big fan of hers, but I can see how Stanford fans could find
her style of play, moreso two years ago it seems, extremely exciting.
Yes, most of us will proclaim the highest respect for players who JUST
play the game and let that speak for itself(like a Chamique or a
Starbird last year), but truth be told, many people LOVE to see a kid
enjoy the game and raise her teammates to another level with her "fiery"
play. It's usually in your point of view and which side of the fence you
find yourself at the time.
Still, I apologize if you thought I was attacking Andrade or ODU. They
are tough and have my respect. While I prefer Nyree Roberts, strictly
for style of play since I love a good physical post, Mery is definitely
an emotional spark for their as of yet undefeated team.
Did I just jinx them by calling them undefeated? Boy, I hope so! ;)
In a similar vein, I think we have seen the same phenomena in the
discussion on Katie Smith. It seems fans of her team say she plays a
physical style while fans of opposing teams have called her a thug and
worse. It's hard to like that player on the other team who is doing the
"dirty work" so to speak. It's also hard not to love them when they play
for you.
I know I will kill for a girl who just wants to go set a bone rattling
pick on that tough defender from the other team. Of course, when
somebody sets one of those on one of my players, I'm usually out of my
seat begging the officials to protect my players on the floor. If that's
being a hypocrite by one's definition, I guess you can put me, along
with Geno, 99% of all other coaches, and 100% of all fans of a TEAM
rather than just the sport in general, right in that category...and
thank you very much I'll happily stay there.
woof woof,
Danny
g
nice post danny. I do agree with you I love fiery players like Andrade,
Randall and Nygard. I do not like smith but hey life is tough;-) and she
is not as emotional as these other three. I responded to you because you
mentioned Andrade's crying. I think she was criticized enough for that.
I had to defend her then and I would defend her now too but I think you
didnt mean it a bad way so I'll leave it at that.
looking forward to see my monarchs play your vols!
g
G...@sprynet.com
On 6 Jan 98 19:43:59 GMT, "John R. Doggette" <dogg...@esper.com>
wrote:
John - Geno always comments about the quality of his team. He is
always asked about it and always gives his candid opinion of where he
thinks the team is at that point in time. Last night, in an interview
broadcast during half-time in the Providence game, he said basically
the same thing - that UCONN is a good team now and that there is
another level, where Tennessee and, maybe, ODU are and UCONN
needs to figure out how to get to that level. He also said that he
didn't know if they could do it.
As for last night, he had a few words for certain UCONN players after
the Tennessee game. Stacy Hansmeyer and Kelly Schumacher came
down with the "flu" at Monday's practice and Geno had words with them
before banishing them to the training room. Neither played in the
first half of the game last night.
Last night was Svetlana Abrosimova's night and the "real" Svetlana
finally showed up to play. She was dazzling in UCONN's 126-48 win
over Providence.
GJ
Sibyl Marshall
>In a similar vein, I think we have seen the same phenomena in the
>discussion on Katie Smith. It seems fans of her team say she plays a
>physical style while fans of opposing teams have called her a thug and
>worse. It's hard to like that player on the other team who is doing
>the "dirty work" so to speak. It's also hard not to love them when
>they play for you.
This is so true. I remember last season after the Tennessee win over
UConn, all the UConn fans were just up in arms over the dirty,
thug-like play of our big mean horrible post players (reality check:
which Lady Vol is most likely to bash an opposing player with her elbow
when she goes by just to let them know she is still around? That's
right -- that nice, sweet looking Kellie Jolly. Watch her for a while.
She rarely gets called for it because she does it very surreptitiously
and she looks so angelic). Then the UConn fans discovered that one of
their players is a big, mean, tough post players who likes to bang and
all they can talk about is how much fun it is to watch her knock people
down.
I'm a fan of strong, physical posts as well (Shalon Pillow, we need you
right now!), so up until Hansmeyer played the Lady Vols on Saturday, I
liked watching her play. On Saturday, as you say, I was one of those
on my feet pleading for those idiots Morningstar and Bell to call her
for having Tamika Catchings in a headlock.
>
>I know I will kill for a girl who just wants to go set a bone rattling
>pick on that tough defender from the other team.
I miss Pashen too ... it's a skill little appreciated by many people,
but I believe she set the best picks in the collegiate game last year.
No one could get around her picks.
--Sibyl
I800LAW
They really don't know that Semeka exists:(
>for
>example, did the Boston Globe, the Philadelphia Inquirer, or the New York
>Times have to say about Semeka Randall's earth-shattering, end-of-time
Irv