Tenn v UConn

[BroadwayVa]

Geno has established that Tennessee will not be placed on the UConn schedule unless/until he receives an apology from Tennessee. Case closed.

It has been my experience when public figures make dogmatic "forever" statements that is rarely the case. And the smart ones assess their possibilities and adapt. Geno has made statements, albeit not of this level, that he didn't abide by or live up to or still believed. Nothing in this changing world is forever, that is a fact--as unfortunate as it maybe. I too suggest that Holly and UT apologize backdoor/privately and everyone move forward. But to me an apology is necessary to sooth Geno's battered ego in this case. Case like this are rarely about logical factoids and some times not about the issue that started it--time will tell.

 

[2Husky]

MONEY is a nice motivator. I suggest a non public/back door apology from UT at least offered.

Agree money is a good motivator, that's why in addition to a private apology, the university should release some sort of official statement that it was in error to file the NCAA complaint and it has changed its internal policies to prevent future frivolous complaints. Then Tennessee can compensate UConn for the amount of time and effort they spent responding to the complaints, along with some punitive damages. Then we could consider playing them again.

 

[BroadwayVa]

FWIW, the Vols have always vehemently denied being the source of that accusation -- perhaps not coincidentally, the most ludicrous.

They suspect Andy Landers, (The supposed ride was in Atlanta, to the Naismith Award ceremony, not in CT.)

Have always been a bit amused by these protests. It's kind of like an accused serial killer of 23 people getting all indignant and saying "Hey, I didn't do #17, that's an outrageous accusation!"

I wasn't sure of the DT Sue trip to/from the airport --my memory said Atlanta , logically I thought Hartford-Storrs. Thanks for clearing it up.
I like your analogy---I didn't do 17. That seems to be the most hear protestation of those caught these past 20 years or so. He was a good boy he only stole from people he didn't know and mama wanted it.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Jim, by this standard "not good enough to play us" we would have eliminated many teams from our schedule. Louisville, Rutgers, Duke, Penn State, Maryland, Stanford???, South Carolina?? Who would have been good enough to play us since Stewie became Stewie?

You were probably right in "not good enough to play us" but except for the current Penn St, the rest qualify by most standards even while Stewie is being Stewie. Geno has usually accepted decent teams or decent programs even if they were not to your standard above, which is good. I understand what you were trying to say --but Stewie alone does not build the barrier, as much as I like Stewie, Tuck, Butler, Moriah,Nurse, Gabby, KLS, Collier, Boykin, Saniya, Lawlor, Pullido.

 

[Intpseeker]

I forgave Germans for the holocaust.
I can much more easily forgive a pre-demented Pat for any over-indulgence and loco accusations.

Only the Boneyard and other UConn groups (and Geno) are keeping this feud alive, no one else gives a crap.
95% of the rest of WBB fans want to see the teams play (especially ESPN in whose interest it is to advance the game, which should be ours as well; even if we beat the crap out of them).

Play ball!

Yikes! Really?

Ever read Vol Nation?

I agree it is a game and forgiveness would be in order, but to state that it is all on the UConn side of the house...not even close.

 

[svetbird]

Yikes! Really?

Ever read Vol Nation?

I agree it is a game and forgiveness would be in order, but to state that it is all on the UConn side of the house...not even close.

I am not sure they are relevant enough to have 95% of fans wanting to see us play them.

 

[AnotherVolFan]

HOPEFULLY we can settle this whole thing on the court in the ONLY game that really matters in the next couple of years....who really cares at this point if we play in the regular season?? The only time the teams should meet from now on is in the tourney! Forget all the "talk"....if we can make it far enough, I'd like to see it played out on the court.

 

[Tonyc]

Tenn needs to make an apology, and admit to the lies. They need to come clean before they can even think of playing UConn. The scum that peddled a 37 page NCAA Violation were grasping for straws to bring UConn down which was the only chance they had to try to keep their program atop of WCBB. Tenn is a has been. UConn has maintained their dominance in WCBB and each season has set themselves further apart from the rest of WCBB. What Tenn did and tried to drag other teams from the SEC in with them was a desperation move. It failed and now they are trying to act like it never happened.

 

[Alydar]

As a manager to be asked to apologize for another manager --should be the easiest thing in the world. But Holly was along side of Pat at the time. I don't know what input she may have had or didn't have--so that part is mute. But the onus was on Pat not Holly.

Your second paragraph will never fly with Geno or Uconn--it takes no responsibility for their actions of starting this "made up" assertion.

I suggest that Tenn do this: 1. Contact Geno off line out of the media/privately and offer that Holly or the Vols Administration will contact Maya Moore and her Mother, privately, and offer an apology. 2, If that is accepted, Holly and/or their Admin will offer to Geno and staff an apology privately. Holly and the Vols don't have to eat public crow, Geno, Staff, Maya and Mother will have the apology wanted--to me this is a Win Win Win (ESPN win). The public need not know, if the games begin again I'm sure we'll all realize some back door stuff was accomplished and Geno can smile after being immersed in the rare waters of apology success.

Most of the vitriol on the LV side has come from rabid LV fans who have posted vile comments about Auriemma and the Moore's, mostly on the Summitt site. While the Tenn program has been above this sort of gutter behavior, by failing to condemn it they in essence are endorsing it. And it's this sort of behavior that needs to end. A private apology wouldn't accomplish that. That cadre of UConn/Geno haters would continue on. Holly will never apologize for Pat. What I think is needed is a public apology from the university through their AD Hart, along with a strong suggestion to the Summitt mods that they wash a few mouths with soap.

These are the two most popular programs in wcbb and they should be playing every year. Committing to play a game for charity might be a way to start.

 

[Bayareahusky]

HOPEFULLY we can settle this whole thing on the court in the ONLY game that really matters in the next couple of years....who really cares at this point if we play in the regular season?? The only time the teams should meet from now on is in the tourney! Forget all the "talk"....if we can make it far enough, I'd like to see it played out on the court.

Amen AVF!!! I totally agree ... who cares if we meet in regular season...... and both sides are set in their minds on what is prerequisite to any potential game.....

When it comes to pizazz, the two most talked about subjects in WCBB are Pat and Geno..... perhaps more so than the teams..... After all , you are up in the echelon of John Wooden, Phil Jackson, Auerbach, Bowman..... thus the clamor for the game..... and many think it would be a bonanza for ratings..... I disagree..... UConn and Tenn were relevant at same time many years ago..... and where is the great matchup of Pat and Geno..... so no drama in that part of it..... the appeal would have to come from the game itself and the nostalgic piece of it.....

 

[Bayareahusky]

All this talk about apologies..... public or private.... from university or by individuals..... maybe I am wrong, but I just do not see this happening at all, and thus all the speculation now and in the future will be just that.

We want to do the right thing, and with the proper remorse from down south ... resumption of the series could happen then...... but it won't

But with all this aside, what is there to gain? In my mind, nothing!!!

 

[LadyVols9]

I could care a less if TN plays UCONN in regular season. Do I think it would be a media frenzy and good for the game? Yep. That being said, TN just needs to take care of business and keep building on defense and recruiting. We should be back to FFs this season and beyond.

 

[Kmoney]

They should give this kind of apology:

 

[Bestiarius]

HOPEFULLY we can settle this whole thing on the court in the ONLY game that really matters in the next couple of years....who really cares at this point if we play in the regular season?? The only time the teams should meet from now on is in the tourney! Forget all the "talk"....if we can make it far enough, I'd like to see it played out on the court.

The demand for a public apology should include the NCAA tournament. If no apology, UConn should forfeit the game. There are principles involved here.

 

[VFLfan]

The demand for a public apology should include the NCAA tournament. If no apology, UConn should forfeit the game. There are principles involved here.

That would never happen, IMHO.

 

[Icebear]

Well, either we play them or we don't. Publicly asking for an apology is over the top. It will not happen. They and US do not need the oneanother. In some strange ways it has some of the features to be found in the Uconn - BC standoff.

It is not over the top at all. Nor is Geno's interested in it for himself but rather for the smearing that Maya and her mother suffered at the hands of Vol Nation.

 

[AnotherVolFan]

That would never happen, IMHO.

Lmaooo....not at all!

 

[Woof 101]

They will play us again once they think they have a chance of winning the game. It does not look like this hook up will happen any time too soon!

 

[triaddukefan]

The demand for a public apology should include the NCAA tournament. If no apology, UConn should forfeit the game. There are principles involved here.

 

[Zorro]

Point of clarity; the real issue is NOT the list of little piss-ant violations filed y the SEC on behalf of UT. Kibitzergate, and all that. That was an annoyance, like the Vandy nonsense about the Mo'ne call. The real issue is the insinuation by Pat of far darker, awesomely awful actions by Geno in his recruitment of Maya, so profoundly shocking that she could not speak them publicly "for the good of the game" and "because she was too much of a lady" to sully her lips with their mention. She could only hint at them, but they were so awful that she could not bring herself to further associate herself with a coach/program that could commit such atrocities. Not only were the charges "unsubstantiated", as JS correctly posted, they weren't even "made up" or "supposed", as Nan posted; they were merely insinuated.. (If you can believe that Pat would not have gleefully fed Geno to the lions, had she had any real information about serious violations, you can believe just damned near anything!)

This, of course, left each and every Geno hater and UConn envier to fill in the blanks with whatever whacked-out scenario their fever dreams spewed out, and there have been and are some doozies, ranging from the Pink Elephant idiocy to massive bribery of Maya and her mom. The calumnies continue, and the tales continue to grow in the telling.

While Pat might (and the word is might) get a pass on all this on medical grounds, the people around her have no such defense, including Holly. Also note; Geno has not asked for an apology to HIM, but rather to Maya and her Mom, who would have had to be very dissolute characters to have been influenced by any of the wild-ass actions that Pat's insinuations have caused to be hypothesized. All that would be necessary is for Holly or the athletic department to issue a statement disavowing any and all claims of underhanded dealings in Maya's recruitment, and stating that they are sorry if any statement of theirs or Pat's cast doubt on the characters of Geno, Maya or Maya's mom. The fact that it ain't gonna happen does not mean that it would not be easy to do. Bottom line; UConn is doing much better without them than they are doing without UConn.

 

[Sonny44]

UCONN isn't bigger than the sport.
Geno isn't bigger than WCBB.
Most fans probably want it, ESPN says so. It would be good for the game. We need some tougher competition.
This is a no-brainer.
Play the game Geno. You know we'll crush them.
.

 

[Carnac]

Who knew when Summit and the University of Tennessee lodged formal complaints publically against UConn in the recruiting of Maya Moore, that it would cause such heated and emotional debate between the two programs that is still a sticking point to this day. There are many fans on both sides of the argument that are still very passionate about their stance and opinion on this topic. I've got to side with Geno on this one. He didn't start this fight, but he's sure in the middle of it. Geno has ALWAYS maintained that Tennessee must apologize to the Moore family and to UConn "the same way you accused us and called us out....publically". Summit threw down the gauntlet, and threw caution to the wind. Now let her or her successors walk through it. It takes a big man or woman to apologize. If Tennessee really wants the series to resume, then said apology would be in order. As long as Pat Summitt is alive, I don't think an apology will be forthcoming. Many UT fans would see it as a slap in the face to them and Summitt. Supporters of the Volunteer program would view an apology as "taking a knee". What's the old saying?....pride goeth before the fall. I guess the real question here is what's more important to the Tennessee coaches and administration, pride, or the resumption of the Tennessee-UConn series? Up to now, it appears that pride has the inside pole position, and continues to pull away. I agree with other posters. Right now, the best and only way for the two programs to meet is in the NCAA tournament. With the influx blue chip talent coming in this summer for Tennessee, that possibility may be closer than ever before.

 

[LadyVols9]

guys and gals TN is never going to apologize for anything related to Maya Moore's recruitment. if that's a prerequisite, then they will only play in tourney games. just my thoughts.

 

[Zorro]

guys and gals TN is never going to apologize for anything related to Maya Moore's recruitment. if that's a prerequisite, then they will only play in tourney games. just my thoughts.

I totally agree; they oughta but they ain't gonna.

 

[BroadwayVa]

All this talk about apologies..... public or private.... from university or by individuals..... maybe I am wrong, but I just do not see this happening at all, and thus all the speculation now and in the future will be just that.

We want to do the right thing, and with the proper remorse from down south ... resumption of the series could happen then. but it won't

But with all this aside, what is there to gain? In my mind, nothing!!!

You are more than likely right--nothing to be gained by the posting herein. But opinions/speculation are most common place today in everything. Then there is the possibility (remote as it may be) that Holly and or her staff reads these posting and Geno's staff read these positing (which they do) and feels which way the wind is blowing or get a means of getting out of untenable- stuck position-- and moves on towards games restoration. I don't think Uconn fans really miss the Tenn games, but with the limited competition gained within the AAC competition from mostly any place may be acceptable. It's mainly food for thought and opinion/speculation!! Isn't that a big part of what the Boneyard is about--allowing speculation (not nasty type) and Opinions.. and supporting Uconn WBB.