Feb. 23, 2014

[Newportcat]

UCONN lost at home to SMU by 9 points.....how did their season turn out????

We beat UCLA by 10 points, we won which is all that matters.

Next, stop b8tching or moaning, its not the tournament yet. Nothing matters until the tournament, at this point in the season as long as you are in, thats all that matters. Seeding, etc, is stupid, eventually you are going to play hard teams and part of me thinks we are cursed playing in socal in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 anyways.

Do I have some concerns about this team, sure, but honestly when it comes to basketball those concerns mean nothing in February.

You think UCONN has some concerns after they lost to SMU at home by 9 points, sure, but pretty sure no one remembers or cares how they played on February 23rd.

Wake me up in mid-march, until then the guys who are moaning have too much time on their hands

[Newportcat]

Oh, and the last three games they played

60-54
63-53
60-54

Interesting, maybe defense does win championships

[UAEebs86]

I agree with you Newportcat, but it's kind of funny hearing you say to not bitch about a game at this point in the season when anything can happen in March. You spent a couple dozen posts bitching about a bunch of football players who most won't even see the field for 2 years from now.

[Newportcat]

Basketball and Football are very different. As long as you make the tournament you have a shot so to moan and groan before the tournament knowing you are in it seems like a giant waste of time. History has proven that there are upsets and honestly no one really cares if you win your conference championship or conference tournament etc. They care if you made a final four or won a national championship. Given the fact this team was pre-season #2, anything less then a final four will be a major disapointment. If we don't make it, then I am all for complaining, ripping on miller but until that point to get so upset seems foolish. Heck look when we won it in 1997, not exactly the year people expected us to win it.

With Arizona football, I was complaining about our lack of success on the recruiting trail because I think this fore shadows a continued issue of us not putting together a strong consistent program. In football, every single game matters and for us to take the next step we need to continue to improve in recruiting by bringing in top talent. Our basketball program is fine, Top 10 program, great facilities, great fan support, great coaching, great highly ranked players. To get worked up before the tournament is stupid because thats the only time of year that matters because in my opinion, our program is in that good of a spot. We can win a national championship in basketball, been done before and we have all the pieces to do it again. Football, well not so much and that is what I was complaining about...and here I thought I was done talking about 2015 football recruiting!

[UAEebs86]

History has proven that there are upsets and honestly no one really cares if you win your conference championship or conference tournament etc.

History has proven that you can't judge a recruiting class until 2, 3 or 4 years down the road, but that didn't stop you.
But I wasn't trying to get back into the star argument with you.

Pissing and moaning in one thread and then calling out people for it another thread is a bit hypocritical is all I'm saying.

Bring back Johnny Optimist. It looks like you are already half way there.

[Spaceman Spiff]

A bad game or two, or in this case, two awful 7 minute stretches doesn't mean you can't win a national championship. It does mean you can't win a NC playing like we did against UCLA. It isn't the end of the world, but we can't play like that and expect to beat a decent team.

[Olsondogg]

A bad game or two, or in this case, two awful 7 minute stretches doesn't mean you can't win a national championship. It does mean you can't win a NC playing like we did against UCLA. It isn't the end of the world, but we can't play like that and expect to beat a decent team.

Well..you can play like that and win in the tourney. I don't think you can win 6 games, but you can win in the tourney. Defense can win you games, just not the whole thing.

[psiclist23]

Well..you can play like that and win in the tourney. I don't think you can win 6 games, but you can win in the tourney. Defense can win you games, just not the whole thing.

I disagree. However unlikely, it is possible that every team we would play happens to have their terrible game, while playing us, and our defense would prevail, no matter how bad our own offense was. So defense could win out, and in the scenario it would be better to be the best defensive team.

[gumby]

2014 UConn and the 1997 Cats are outliers. Agree with the sentiment, but citing longshots isn't comforting -- unless you think we're that desperate. Far more examples of good things coming to teams that are 24-3 at this point.

Let prospective 7 seeds point to UConn (first ever to win it from that position).

[psiclist23]

2014 UConn and the 1997 Cats are outliers. Agree with the sentiment, but citing longshots isn't comforting -- unless you think we're that desperate. Far more examples of good things coming to teams that are 24-3 at this point.

Let prospective 7 seeds point to UConn (first ever to win it from that position).

I agree with you. It only makes sense to put yourself in the best position to take advantage of what happens.

I was referring to a common occurrence on this board, i.e. making definitive statements that in chaotic situations are untrue, and that's a pet peeve of mine.

Basketball is not like chess where you have total control over the moves. It's like backgammon, where the best strategies and the worlds best player can be upset at any time because of rolls of the dice. It takes luck every time to get to the FF or win a NC.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Well..you can play like that and win in the tourney. I don't think you can win 6 games, but you can win in the tourney. Defense can win you games, just not the whole thing.

I disagree. However unlikely, it is possible that every team we would play happens to have their terrible game, while playing us, and our defense would prevail, no matter how bad our own offense was. So defense could win out, and in the scenario it would be better to be the best defensive team.

So you're telling me there's a chance? Yeah!

Generally, it is best to play well both offensively and defensively. While possible to win without one of the two, it is far less likely. We won a close home game with terrible offense against a NIT team. That doesn't get you very far against most tourney teams.

Play a good game (like our home game against Utah) and we can go a ways and be a special team. Like one of those special teams where you get that old fashioned feeling where you'd do anything to bone them.

[Harvey Specter]

Well..you can play like that and win in the tourney. I don't think you can win 6 games, but you can win in the tourney. Defense can win you games, just not the whole thing.

I disagree. However unlikely, it is possible that every team we would play happens to have their terrible game, while playing us, and our defense would prevail, no matter how bad our own offense was. So defense could win out, and in the scenario it would be better to be the best defensive team.

So you're telling me there's a chance? Yeah!

Generally, it is best to play well both offensively and defensively. While possible to win without one of the two, it is far less likely. We won a close home game with terrible offense against a NIT team. That doesn't get you very far against most tourney teams.

Play a good game (like our home game against Utah) and we can go a ways and be a special team. Like one of those special teams where you get that old fashioned feeling where you'd do anything to bone them.

I can safely say I have never had this feeling you speak of, and I am pretty sure most would not classify it as "old-fashioned".

Please stay away from the players on the team...

[Merkin]

Especially the teenagers.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I disagree. However unlikely, it is possible that every team we would play happens to have their terrible game, while playing us, and our defense would prevail, no matter how bad our own offense was. So defense could win out, and in the scenario it would be better to be the best defensive team.

So you're telling me there's a chance? Yeah!

Generally, it is best to play well both offensively and defensively. While possible to win without one of the two, it is far less likely. We won a close home game with terrible offense against a NIT team. That doesn't get you very far against most tourney teams.

Play a good game (like our home game against Utah) and we can go a ways and be a special team. Like one of those special teams where you get that old fashioned feeling where you'd do anything to bone them.

I can safely say I have never had this feeling you speak of, and I am pretty sure most would not classify it as "old-fashioned".

Please stay away from the players on the team...

But I instinctively flock to them like the salmon of Capistrano. If I know Sean Miller like I think I do, he'll invite me in for tea and strumpets.