Did everyone hear Meg Culmo re: Paige?

[Littlemin]

Paige, Williams, ONo and Ducharme will be in the starting lineup when everyone is healthy. I just don’t see Geno starting Nika. She will play, just won’t start in m opinion.

Why, because the team comes out of the gate with great intensity, defensive focus and energy when she starts? What coach would want that?
She may not, but people ignore what Auriemma says Muhl brings to the table and the fact she has virtually started every game she has been healthy for two years.

 

[CTBballfan243]

Team Chemistry is a factor, but Paige,, up to this point, has been the Franchise maker. Would Geno risk a quick return for 3 more NC's (likely with the team he has now). Also, there is HER future as a PRO player, Should, would her parents risk her next ( like Sue) 25 years?)

LOL…. When Paige is cleared to play by the medical team, her parents and Paige, she gonna start. Geno is by gong to be worried about team Chemistry. She is the best player in basketball, bar none. She will start.

 

[MrT]

I don't pay attention to what Meg has to say., turn her and her buddy off. Ducharme and Nika belong on the court , even when Paige comes back . Bring Azzi in at the end of the game if we need 3's, but there defense is better with out Azzi ,she has not grasped it yet. Start Paige, Williams , Ono, Nike and Ducharme you have a winning team there.
"True Grit"

 

[donalddoowop]

LOL…. When Paige is cleared to play by the medical team, her parents and Paige, she gonna start. Geno is by gong to be worried about team Chemistry. She is the best player in basketball, bar none. She will start.

Geno and any good coach are concerned about team chemistry.

 

[Longtime fan]

I heard it, but I don’t want to get my hopes up too much, so I ignored it. That being said… February 8 would be fantastic!

I think it would be scary. Make it another two weeks. Please.

 

[donalddoowop]

I read your comment with an incredulous smile. I could be mistaken, but wasn't it impressive when Meg was talking about Geno's monochromatic dressing habits today. There are times when she is calling the game where she can be quite sesquipedalian. Some people just want to hear about the game and not vocabulary is all I am getting at. This ties into the original theme of the thread where people were talking about what Meg said...

I did not hear her comments, but now I understand.

 

[Tonyc]

JMO folks and no inside information Paige and Azzi will be back in February. I believe we are focused on the NC and we need them both healthy. What happens the rest of this season isnt as important as getting them both back 100% and up to speed. Our quest is to win the NC and imo if both are 100% and ready to go and there are no other injuries or sickness to key players we will win it all

 

[Topdawg]

IMO if Azzi is on the treadmill already, she will start getting limited minutes soon. Can come off the bench in set plays and knock down shots. That said, my “soon” is 1 week and Feb is 2 weeks away!

 

[Alydar]

Team Chemistry is a factor, but Paige,, up to this point, has been the Franchise maker. Would Geno risk a quick return for 3 more NC's (likely with the team he has now). Also, there is HER future as a PRO player, Should, would her parents risk her next ( like Sue) 25 years?)

Bueckers and Fudd will turn this offense into a point machine deluxe. I know many need to see her do it. I have seen enough.

 

[Woof 101]

I read your comment with an incredulous smile. I could be mistaken, but wasn't it impressive when Meg was talking about Geno's monochromatic dressing habits today. There are times when she is calling the game where she can be quite sesquipedalian. Some people just want to hear about the game and not vocabulary is all I am getting at. This ties into the original theme of the thread where people were talking about what Meg said...

No attack @01Neaggrad02 or others that complain about Meg, I just don't understand it. There are many much worse court side announcers out there. Allen Bestwick is the play by play guy, Meg is the analyst / color commentator. She never interferes with his call and it is her job to fill. The term color refers to levity and insight provided by a secondary announcer.

She played for Geno and knows him well therefore an extra barb now and then. She spoke well saying Geno looking quite monochromatic today in all black. We'll have to ask him about it at the half. She used a perfectly proper word and explained what it meant in the same sentence. Something I would think a Neag grad would appreciate. On the other hand I had to look your word for it here up, and I thank you for that. Vocabulary a word a day one way or another.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

No attack @01Neaggrad02 or others that complain about Meg, I just don't understand it. There are many much worse court side announcers out there. Allen Bestwick is the play by play guy, Meg is the analyst / color commentator. She never interferes with his call and it is her job to fill. The term color refers to levity and insight provided by a secondary announcer.

She played for Geno and knows him well therefore an extra barb now and then. She spoke well saying Geno looking quite monochromatic today in all black. We'll have to ask him about it at the half. She used a perfectly proper word and explained what it meant in the same sentence. Something I would think a Neag grad would appreciate. On the other hand I had to look your word for it here up, and I thank you for that. Vocabulary a word a day one way or another.

To quote an amazing person.... Abigail Adams, when speaking to her husband John ( a very much under appreciated and respected president...) she said "You do not have to quote great men to prove that you are one" I may be paraphrasing the quote a little... but When it comes to Meg, to use words to try to show off and not inform the general public is not something I would appreciate...... it is something that turns off the vast majority of the public and makes them think that someone is snooty and uppity. Meg wants us to think that she is an intellect. In the past few years I have heard her use words from, most like a word of the day calendar... incorrectly. While I give her credit for trying to increase the vocabulary of the people of Connecticut I do not respect her for her attempts, because again, they are forced and do not do what real educators are aiming for.... real academic improvement

 

[Littlemin]

JMO folks and no inside information Paige and Azzi will be back in February. I believe we are focused on the NC and we need them both healthy. What happens the rest of this season isnt as important as getting them both back 100% and up to speed. Our quest is to win the NC and imo if both are 100% and ready to go and there are no other injuries or sickness to key players we will win it all

Again, I wonder at the realism of posts like this.
What is 100% for a player who hasn’t played in a couple of years and outside of one game where the opposition essentially let her play H-O-R-S-E has looked like she doesn’t belong on the court? One who had to be shut down on 11/5, a week shy of two months ago and is just now running, not on a court, but on a treadmill? No lateral movement, no stopping and starting, no cutting, no jumping, nothing remotely simulating basketball, never mind fast paced, physical ultra competitive basketball? Especially for one who had problems keeping up with the game when supposedly healthy?
I hope for the young ladies sake she can play in a month, but again, I offer, what is 100% in such a situation, a miraculous return to highlight reel level play from a couple of years ago? D1 high level basketball is not matching shots with Steph Curry.
As for Bueckers, she is still in a brace, just having come off crutches. She has been operated on and has been physically inactive since 12/5; to think she will be ready to play by 2/7 seems a stretch and again what will 100% be for her?
I suppose I am beating a dead horse but optimistic opinions and wishful thinking is certainly your prerogative but Uconn has a team now trying to compete and get better. With all due respect, to say the rest of the season isn’t as important as getting Bueckers and Fudd back seems borderline disrespectful to the current players and a tad unfair, unrealistic expectations to put on both those inactive players.

 

[CTisballers]

We don’t even play on the 8th so must mean 1st practice in that date or a make up game possibly

 

[jchusky]

if she doesn't return by the Tenn game (which she won't) then there's no reason to have her back regular season. It's meaningless games vs low quality big east teams.

 

[jabstep]

Xavier was doing that today (leaving Nika unguarded). If other teams do that, I would take the over on Nika's scoring. I guess no one remembers last year, when (after a very cold start from 3) she started drilling them in about her fifth or sixth game as a starter. She doesn't have to hit 40% from 3, just enough (30%?) so that teams don't feel free to ignore her.

Remember Floor Game Faris? UConn won a lot of games (and some NC's) with Kelly in the starting lineup before she became (in her senior year) a real scoring threat. Nika's current role is very similar to Kelly's in her early years, and I think she will perform it just as well. Have you noticed how many rebounds she is getting from the PG position?

I am starting to see Nika have better court vision on the break after rebounding the ball. Pushing it up court and Christyn and Caroline have been doing it as well. We even have had Dorka and Liv dribbling up the court now. The whole mindset of the team is changing without Paige for the way UConn plays best which is fast with energy. No one is as good as Paige on the break but others have been filling out that role. Nika has also come back towards the rim from the perimeter as Paige does for rebounds. If the bigs box out it should be a clear path to the short rebound. She has been watching Paige or Paige has been working with her.
One weakness we have to correct is the long rebound that the perimeter players don't seem to box out because maybe they want to get out on the break but we lose a lot of those rebounds. Our perimeter shooters don't ever seem to follow their shot and just watch the launch and hope it goes in and on some the ball bounces back almost to where they shot from.
The cupcakes have provided the good feeling for players and fans Oregon will be a great test. I hope we continue will the same energy we have played the last two games. Paopao is a very good PG lets put slime dog on her. Who do you think will guard Serbally. With her and Prince they could test our Bigs depth. Go Huskies

 

[Skeets]

Again, I wonder at the realism of posts like this.
What is 100% for a player who hasn’t played in a couple of years and outside of one game where the opposition essentially let her play H-O-R-S-E has looked like she doesn’t belong on the court? One who had to be shut down on 11/5, a week shy of two months ago and is just now running, not on a court, but on a treadmill? No lateral movement, no stopping and starting, no cutting, no jumping, nothing remotely simulating basketball, never mind fast paced, physical ultra competitive basketball? Especially for one who had problems keeping up with the game when supposedly healthy?
I hope for the young ladies sake she can play in a month, but again, I offer, what is 100% in such a situation, a miraculous return to highlight reel level play from a couple of years ago? D1 high level basketball is not matching shots with Steph Curry.
As for Bueckers, she is still in a brace, just having come off crutches. She has been operated on and has been physically inactive since 12/5; to think she will be ready to play by 2/7 seems a stretch and again what will 100% be for her?
I suppose I am beating a dead horse but optimistic opinions and wishful thinking is certainly your prerogative but Uconn has a team now trying to compete and get better. With all due respect, to say the rest of the season isn’t as important as getting Bueckers and Fudd back seems borderline disrespectful to the current players and a tad unfair, unrealistic expectations to put on both those inactive players.

Both Azzi and Paige will practice before they play. One would think that Geno would have a handle on how ready they are and determine their minutes/situations accordingly. I doubt either plays major minutes the first game back.

 

[mbr33ct]

Did everyone notice that Meg got the Word of the day calendar again and is using whenever she is on the air????? There are times when you use a 50 cent word and sound intellectual and then there are the times you use a 50 cent word and everyone knows you are forcing it and it makes you look sad. I think with Meg it is the second and not the first....

What word would you have chosen for "monochromatic"?

 

[Stymie]

What word would you have chosen for "monochromatic"?

“Channeling Johnny Cash?”

 

[Veteran]

Lot's of "interesting" comments about Meg Culmo. To paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, "You go into the broadcast with the Meg you have, not the Meg you wish you have". I, for one, like the Meg we have.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

My main point is that when the Team is fully healthy, Ducharme is not going to the bench. Her play has locked that in stone.

Agree 100% on Ducharme, but then you should have said that instead of saying “would like to see a lineup of Paige, Azzi, Ducharme, Williams, and Ono”. Playing three short guards, even if they are three great players, against physically big teams like South Carolina or Stanford is a gamble, especially if the UConn guards are not hitting their three’s with only Ono near the basket. We need more of a post presence to keep teams like that honest. It’s better to have two guards on the floor (not three), Ducharme, Ono, and Edwards or Dorka. If South Carolina’s bigs get into foul trouble, yes only then would Geno load the floor with talented jackrabbit guards to try to run then out of the gym.

 

[Littlemin]

Both Azzi and Paige will practice before they play. One would think that Geno would have a handle on how ready they are and determine their minutes/situations accordingly. I doubt either plays major minutes the first game back.

You think? Come on, that was not the point of my post at all.
My point is that the idea of “waiting” for them to return and “save the day” is unrealistic IMO. Of course disagree if you feel differently but then give me your opinion as to when and why you think they will get to 100% prior to the NCAA’s. With no real info as to either situation, I could certainly be wrong but I just don’t see it.

 

[Papa33]

To quote an amazing person.... Abigail Adams, when speaking to her husband John ( a very much under appreciated and respected president...) she said "You do not have to quote great men to prove that you are one" I may be paraphrasing the quote a little... but When it comes to Meg, to use words to try to show off and not inform the general public is not something I would appreciate...... it is something that turns off the vast majority of the public and makes them think that someone is snooty and uppity. Meg wants us to think that she is an intellect. In the past few years I have heard her use words from, most like a word of the day calendar... incorrectly. While I give her credit for trying to increase the vocabulary of the people of Connecticut I do not respect her for her attempts, because again, they are forced and do not do what real educators are aiming for.... real academic improvement

Former English teacher here. Words, like many other things, can be played with . . . just for fun. Why assume that her motives are suspect, meant to demean others or promote herself? That seems harsh.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Have you noticed how many rebounds she is getting from the PG position?

Yes! She's been outstanding there. Also picks up a lot of tipped-around rebounds.

 

[Gus Mahler]

I heard the Croatian diving coach has been asking Geno for game film.

And the Jets.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Did everyone notice that Meg got the Word of the day calendar again and is using whenever she is on the air????? There are times when you use a 50 cent word and sound intellectual and then there are the times you use a 50 cent word and everyone knows you are forcing it and it makes you look sad. I think with Meg it is the second and not the first....

You mean like wise-ily?