Why I Love Watching UConn Play

[Sonny44]

Enjoy these moments Sonny- because our college experience will be different soon enough- and three nothing we can do to change it.

I guess you're right. Spectacle vs. sport. We are forced to wear ugly uniforms, put up with rotten music at the breaks, etc.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I'm an old man who played through the 40's when the game was always "below the rim" and playing as a team was core to playing. All the things we strived to do and practiced to do better are there for me to watch and wonder why we couldn't do it as well. So many moments of beautiful execution.

I too played, but a few years later, 3 or 4. I saw a lot of, what I thought was great BB then. I thanked Mr Naismith often (albeit not in person) Fundamentals were driven into us. Innovations were not. These Uconn ladies do things and play at a speed and pass with such skill--we couldn't even dream about.
If you look up the definition of PURITY OF MOTION--YOU WILL SEE THE UCONN WBB TEAMS PIX. Thanks for these thoughts--for you and me.

 

[Rixxx]

I also played in the fifties and sixties, not in Indiana though. We learned to dribble and how to set up the picket fence pretty quick.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I also played in the fifties and sixties, not in Indiana though. We learned to dribble and how to set up the picket fence pretty quick.

Yea, I saw that move too!! I also watched a lot of Navy Men (later lots of Navy Women BB) BB they had 3 set plays on the foul line (2) and one along the lane. I used both when I coached. Geno uses both, with variation, in recent games.

FYI--Both the Courant and NHRegister have Geno speaking about the past 30 years of winning. Pretty good. Had trouble getting my computer to pick off the Addresses--I'm working on that.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Having wacthed the men's game this season, they are much different than years past. It is not run and gun by the guards. Passing the ball is a priority to get the best shot. There is a chemistry that cannot be denied. Even with the additions of Miller and Gibbs, it seems that this team has played together for a while.

And to further cement the concept that the men and women have much in common, the Alumni Night featuring both Geno and Kevin cements this idea. Their concepts/ ideas on how the game should be played is very similar. Both believe in ball movement, players who can play multiple positions, team speed and defense.

I also remember reading somewhere that when Ollie became head coach, he and Geno had several long conversations about program development, character development of their players and the like. And they seems to genuinely like and respect one another.

It AIN'T the Calhoun era any longer!!! Kevin and Geno are bonded to make Uconn BB (total) greater.

 

[HoopsHoppy]

I still remember my first coach telling me that basketball was easy - all I had to learn was to shoot, pass, dribble, rebound and play defense. After a pause, he stated "and you play defense half the game". Don't play defense - don't play. And that's the core of Geno's program. Years later, passed that insight along to a basketball playing daughter. She adopted and played for a long time. What really got to me was driving my grandson to CYO basketball practice some 65 years after I first heard the "bible" and having him parrot to me that mom told him that basketball was easy, "all you had to do was learn to shoot, rebound, dribble, pass, and play defense - and you play defense half the game."

 

[Biff]

I still remember my first coach telling me that basketball was easy - all I had to learn was to shoot, pass, dribble, rebound and play defense. After a pause, he stated "and you play defense half the game". Don't play defense - don't play. And that's the core of Geno's program. Years later, passed that insight along to a basketball playing daughter. She adopted and played for a long time. What really got to me was driving my grandson to CYO basketball practice some 65 years after I first heard the "bible" and having him parrot to me that mom told him that basketball was easy, "all you had to do was learn to shoot, rebound, dribble, pass, and play defense - and you play defense half the game."

Kinda like the five D's of Dodgeball : Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Agree that they are playing differently this year - and to date more enjoyable to watch. The ball is being moved (mostly crisply) with very little dribbling - and no one player just dribbling while the clock runs down. Hamilton is key as when he moves into the key, the defense has to move and his lob passes are "right on". A different roster and more experienced players and less dependence on the point to be key to their entire offense.

The Uconn men's game was annoying to watch--dribble, dribble, dribble, bad pass. Defend, a bit, then more dribbl dribble, dribble.
Stopped watching Uconn men.
Geno ---take the ball off the basket

I still remember my first coach telling me that basketball was easy - all I had to learn was to shoot, pass, dribble, rebound and play defense. After a pause, he stated "and you play defense half the game". Don't play defense - don't play. And that's the core of Geno's program. Years later, passed that insight along to a basketball playing daughter. She adopted and played for a long time. What really got to me was driving my grandson to CYO basketball practice some 65 years after I first heard the "bible" and having him parrot to me that mom told him that basketball was easy, "all you had to do was learn to shoot, rebound, dribble, pass, and play defense - and you play defense half the game."

What goes around ---comes around--if you are lucky to have a Grandson!! Some of my best time was spent coaching St. Mathew's CYO boys BB team. Energetic, good kids---. Had a couple in my 4H club too. Congratulation, you just won your personal NC...!

 

[Huskies Rule]

I'm an old man who played through the 40's...

I too played in the fifties and early sixties...

I'm a 50's player as well...

I'm 50s, 60s vintage...

A million thanks, guys. You're making me feel like practically a kid again, having played in the 70's.

 

[Gus Mahler]

I played in the 60s and 70s. Back then you weren't allowed to travel or carry the ball on every play.

 

[Rayvin56]

I played in the 60s and 70s. Back then you weren't allowed to travel or carry the ball on every play.

Shhh...if they start enforcing that, Mo and Saniya (and just about every other PG in WCBB) would foul out almost every game.

 

[Huskies Rule]

Gus-"I played in the 60s and 70s. Back then you weren't allowed to travel or carry the ball on every play."

Shhh...if they start enforcing that, Mo and Saniya (and just about every other PG in WCBB) would foul out almost every game.

Travels and carries as personals? Darn, I must have missed those rule changes.

 

[Rayvin56]

Gus-"I played in the 60s and 70s. Back then you weren't allowed to travel or carry the ball on every play."


Travels and carries as personals? Darn, I must have missed those rule changes.

Got me there--time for that second cup of coffee...

 

[UcMiami]

Played pick-up in the late sixties and seventies but never on a HS team and just loved the game but followed mostly the pros. Got excited by watching the mindbendingly stubborn teams at Princeton give the big powers fits withe their passing and back door cuts and finally winning the NIT one year when they had Armond Hill.
Free agency and showboating finally killed my interest in the pros and I found Uconn women through my dad in the nineties and have loved it ever since.

I think it was Randy Moss who celebrated a touchdown his rookie year and his teammate took him aside and said 'Try to look like you have done it before!' That is what I think of whenever I see some silly dance after a play.