RebKell's Junkie Boards

[njjosh]

http://www.courant.com/sports/hc-jeffcol0403.artapr03,0,4579474.column

[PRballer]

Ugh, I can't stand Jeff Jacobs.

[luvDhoops]

I'm really tired of this now.

[Carol Anne]

ESPN and UConn's adoring local media have cast Pat in a classic role: the withholding woman. Poor Geno's sleeping in the doghouse and doesn't know why. This isn't basketball, it's a soap opera.

All the more reason to root for Stanford and LSU!

[CourtsideTix]

I'm so very tired of the male-entitlement complex.

[beknighted]

Oh, please.

The gist of this piece is that he's unhappy because Summitt won't confirm (or deny, although apparently he doesn't think she can do that) a story that the Courant got from an anonymous source. Gee, that's awful of her. I mean, I know that to be a journalist you have to have a deep belief that you're entitled to know everything, but this is a little much.

And, as an aside, if she did hold a press conference and say that she ended the series because Geno gets on her last nerve (which undoubtedly he does), there'd be a whole series of columns from people like him saying that she should suck it up for the good of the game. Why would she put herself through that?

[CamrnCrz1974]

Male entitlement?

Lets be real here. UConn-Tennessee is the only women's basketball game that consistently garners national media attention from the casual male sports fan. The two are the most successful programs in WCBB history, and no one else is close.

Pat chose to end the series, but wouldn't say why. She says Geno knows why. He says he does not. The TN athletic director mentions recruiting in an interview last summer as one of the reasons.

If she believes he engaged in recruiting violations, she needs to report them. Otherwise, there is a lot of innuendo that hurts his reputation, if it is not true.

And Pat earlier threatened to cancel the Duke game because she didn't like the taunting of Alexis Hornbuckle with the Walmart cheers back in 2006. For someone who says she will play anyone at any location, she has decided to cancel one series with her main rival, threatened to cancel another, etc.

If she wants people to focus on the games and not on the Pat-Geno sideshow, she should consider speaking up and explaining why. Because if she doesn't, the sideshow will always be present. Why? Because there is intrigue and a hint of scandal...and that can mean ratings.

[luvDhoops]

I don't think either disclosing the reason for the cancellation will bring the series back anytime soon.

We have a great Final Four coming up. ESPN ratings were up during the regular season and so far through the tournament while the men's actually decreased by about 10% (not that I'm happy about that, just saying). Uconn is back in the FF after what I'm sure they would consider an extended hiatus. Why not focus on those things. Instead we get for the one zillionth time "Pat needs to tell us why she cancelled".

I'm at the point now where IDGAF and if I had known the cancellation would have caused this nuclear meltdown across the northeastern media outlets, I would have wanted her to do it sooner.

[fancy_daniel]

[mercfan3]

[HistoryWomensBasketball]

Does anyone know how the money gets split up when 2 teams play on something like CBS?

Does CBS/ESPN etc pay so much for so many games and all teams get an equal slice?

Was just wondering if CBS could pay more for a specific game each season like this game. Each college would get more, CBS probably would promote it more and may outdraw the NC game itself.

Heck, network like CBS could even off to donate a big sum to Breast Cancer awareness instead of to the teams directly. Fans get what they want, CBS gets a great game, and a terrific cause gets a huge donation.

Have it scheduled before NC/Duke game or something like that.

I know...I'm probably way out there, but do think it could come back.

Then again, I've enjoyed the Rutgers rivalry up here.

On Pat saying much more, I don't expect it.

_________________
Author of: "Barnstorming America, Stories from the Pioneers of Women's Basketball"

www.barnstormingamerica.net

[hoopfan24]

[CamrnCrz1974]

[mandih23]

[Grumps]

[kbailey3131]

I'm over both of them right now, I get that UConn/Tenn is a game most casual or not-even- fans would watch every year, goodness knows I circled the date every year. However, to steal from Pat's argument for why I shouldn’t miss that game, with the ratings up on the tournament generally…there are other matchups that have been good and that should be worthy of attention.

If the national media (this means you ESPN and anybody else still trippin’ on why Pat called an end to the series) can’t find them, it’s a loss on the growth of this sport.

Oh and btw, coach…your argument that watching Tenn play [insert name of a school Tenn still has a series with or has established a series with] as a reasonable substitute for the good of growth? Um, no…growth means not being dependent on your program either.

[gpark33]

[HistoryWomensBasketball]

As a UConn fan, I never got tired of watching them play the Vols.

However, I have watched so many other games involving other teams the last 2 years besides my UConn, as the blowouts put me to sleep right around 1/2 time.

I still have hope they will play each other, outside of the tournament, before Geno and Pat retire.

If not, I've certainly come to watch a lot of other teams and games. And after reading other thread how viewership is up by some 40%.....maybe other fans are to.

Its been a good season, regardless if geno and pat meet up next week.

_________________
Author of: "Barnstorming America, Stories from the Pioneers of Women's Basketball"

www.barnstormingamerica.net

[luvDhoops]

Well if you truly don't give a rats ass about a sport no rivalry is gonna draw you in. I mean I have no interest in baseball whatsoever. I've never watched a Yankees/ Red Sox game and I never intend on watching one I don't care how much it's hyped. I have casual interest in Arena Football and if nothing else is on, will watch that no matter who's playing.

The viewership for the tourney so far is up 43%.

I think ratings for the regular season were up 26% though I could be totally confusing that number with some other category, but I do believe ratings were up.

This is an increase in a regular season ratings that didn't include a UC/UT matchup and a tournament that's yet to feature that game, if that game even happens (not likely).

Although who knows how much of that has to do with the recent recognition of the Don Imus victims, the Candace Parker farewell tour OR the Pat/ Geno feud.

And, while we're at it, how do we know the cancellation of the series and the alleged feud aren't the reason FOR the increase in numbers.

Besides, there's nothing that's gonna bring in more casual fans than Brittany Griner no matter how many Pat/ Geno showdowns we have or don't have.

[CamrnCrz1974]

[hoopfan24]

[CamrnCrz1974]

[mercfan3]

[PalaceAthena]

Well, technically, the 2004 Championship Game between UConn and Tennessee tied for the highest-rated game on ESPN. This game had a 4.3 rating, as did the 1999 Championship Game between Purdue and Duke. The 2004 game did have more total homes watching the game -- almost 600,000 more -- than the 1999 game, but many more homes had ESPN in 2004 than they did in 1999. As an aside, the 2000 and 2003 Championship Games between UConn and Tennesse were only tied for seventh-highest rated games (3.5 rating). I'm guessing DT was a big factor in the ratings in 2004, but she was also the star of the 2003 team, so it's hard to tell how much of the ratings was due to her. Ironically, the 2000 and 2003 games were tied in the ratings with a National Semifinal Game between Connecticut and Minnesota in 2004 (aka Taurasi vs. Whalen).

All info from the NCAA Final Four record book.

[Queenie]

God, this whole mess has overtones of the star quarterback and the head cheerleader breaking up in high school. Everyone wants to know whyyyyyyyyyy, and it's awkward when they have to deal with each other again, and they're still a little hung up on it but don't want everyone else gossiping about it.

_________________
Ardent believer in the separation of church and stadium.