I was hoping to like Kellie Harper

[CTrefugee]

Was I the only one to resent her response at the presser as to what she thinks Geno has done for women's BB?
She didn't say one nice thing. Only that UCONN fans love him and everyone else not.
He does it on purpose to take heat off the team.
Nothing about him being a great coach (not to say the best ever) who put WBB on the map because someone could finally challenge the Lady Vols.
She didn't say one nice thing.

sorry, but get lost Kellie.

 

[my2cents]

I heard that too, and thought, how negative can you be. He's the "guy we love to hate" were her words. Geno went out of his way to give Kellie praise too.

 

[hoopsfan22]

I think this is reading into it too much.

 

[vtcwbuff]

I think it did not come across as she intended. I actually think that she thought that statement was a compliment essentially saying that everybody hates Auriemma based on envy. Unfortunately, a statement like that is going to get taken at face value.

 

[hoophuskee]

Was I the only one to resent her response at the presser as to what she thinks Geno has done for women's BB?
She didn't say one nice thing. Only that UCONN fans love him and everyone else not.
He does it on purpose to take heat off the team.
Nothing about him being a great coach (not to say the best ever) who put WBB on the map because someone could finally challenge the Lady Vols.
She didn't say one nice thing.

sorry, but get lost Kellie.

I thought she said - some like him - some don't.

 

[CTrefugee]

I think this is reading into it too much.

How's that ? It was either dumb or demeaning to say that was Geno's contribution to WBB. Pick one - dumb or demeaning.

 

[CTrefugee]

I thought she said - some like him - some don't.

That are not the words she used.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Was I the only one to resent her response at the presser as to what she thinks Geno has done for women's BB?
She didn't say one nice thing. Only that UCONN fans love him and everyone else not.
He does it on purpose to take heat off the team.
Nothing about him being a great coach (not to say the best ever) who put WBB on the map because someone could finally challenge the Lady Vols.
She didn't say one nice thing.

sorry, but get lost Kellie.

I took her on over your very point in some other thread here a while back. They treat the UConn game as a toxic rivalry which they need to reawaken a much deflated fan base. UConn doesn't need it and it is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship.

 

[CB360]

Hope I don't sound too off base here but, did anyone else notice some of the scowls KH was giving on the side line? I thought she looked like a young Pat S. (No disrespect to P.S). .I just noticed it and was curious if anyone else saw it????

 

[Mdoggie]

Yeah, she dodged the question. I figured she was just upset from the arse kickin her team took. I’ll give her a pass. Lol

 

[Kaizen]

Who is Kellie Harper? Why we need to care what she said?

 

[dtbtbtb]

well, if you read Vol Nation, they think she is on the hot seat or at least should be...

 

[NY Fan]

What I found inexcusable: Notwithstanding Geno's saying a lot of supportive stuff re Kellie Harper, and her inability to rise in the moment to reciprocate, it was totally unacceptable that she brought Rickea Jackson to the post-game presser! It was a form of accepting/overlooking Jackson's atrocious intentional foul to Aaliyah.

 

[hoophuskee]

That are not the words she used.

Well we can agree to disagree. You only picked up 1 part of what she said and ignored the follow-on in it's context.

She was asked about Geno to what he has meant for the game in terms of "a player and a coach" - and she started for one thing "If you are a CT fan you love him," then she said "If you aren't a CT fan you love to hate him."

Are you suggesting that there are no fans of basketball in general that love watching good basketball that because they aren't a UCONN fan but more a fan of the game, that every one of them hates UCONN too? You think she meant that too? In other words, you can't take the jump that there are some fans that are not a UCONN Lover or UCONN hater? You don't think she doesn't know that?

IMO she was talking about the fans that hate UCONN. And for the ones that hate UCONN - there is no reason as fans for them to not hate Geno. She was just making a generalization comment. And they asked her "as a player" too. You really thuink there aren't palyers that hate UCONN?

As she said "Geno is a big personality for women's college basketball." -- Yes! He is!!!! A "big personality" is not a nice thing?

 

[Zarathustra]

It must be painful to lose by 17 points in front of 13,000 + fans

 

[HuskylnSC]

I've followed her a bit. She is a nice person and in a terrible place. More and more fans are calling for her head. She has 1 high school recruit in the last 2 seasons. She has taken a pre-season favorite to challenge for the SEC title and got them out of the top 25. Losing to UConn is a tragedy to most Tennessee fans. (Imagine how a men's losing streak to Syracuse would be received.) She just came from a game where a second quarter filled her with the hope of a redeeming victory to see all hope dashed at her feet. To heap any praise on the villain who has topped Pat Summitt's records would have been viewed as traitorous acts by the Lady Vol faithful.

All her comments came from a dark place that she tried and failed to keep down.

 

[Mdoggie]

@HuskyInSC “in a terrible place”? A wise man once said “wherever you find yourself, remember at some point you made a appointment to be there”

 

[CTrefugee]

As she said "Geno is a big personality for women's college basketball." -- Yes! He is!!!! A "big personality" is not a nice thing?

Damning with faint praise.

 

[Topdawg]

Her response to the question was awkward.

Put yourself in her shoes. She has the very difficult challenge of recreating a legacy like Pat’s. That is what their fan base is looking for. Unqualified praise from her part could signal disloyalty.

When she matures, she will learn that it is ok to acknowledge the many contributions Geno has made to the game. He also donated generously to Pat’s cause. Kellie has a ways to go before she has the gravitas to voice fact based opinions and not worry about the consequences.

Disappointing, yes. Surprising, no!

 

[hoophuskee]

Damning with faint praise.

She just lost the game.
UCONN is an enemy to the program on even a personal type level.

IMO - she didn't say anything bad - and UCONN won in a good game with strong viewership. This coach didn't go off on a personal vendetta - so all-in-all a good day.

You want to see a bad day see some Booby Knight, or Calipari vs Cheney etc. This is what I would call "damning."

 

[JordyG]

And here we have the proverbial tempest in a teapot.

 

[UConnCat]

I like Harper. The question posed to her was awkward and she handled it as well as could be expected in the circumstances. No need to beat her up for her answer.

She's in a very tough spot with so many comparing her to Pat and expecting the same results.

 

[FridaFriend]

Dawn would have had more class.