From the Just Simmer Down files

[schooner2]

I don't know if any of you out there ever listen to the ESPN radio show called "Mike-n-Mike" in the morning, but it's a fabulous show. Wish I could listen to all of it - they are extremely funny. One of the things they like to do on Tuesday's is give out a "Just shut up" award to someone that says something extremely stupid or outlandish during the past week.

Maybe we should also put together such an award within the Big 12 - but then again, it's such a wonderful conference with classy coaches, it may be hard to come up with weekly material. And I'm not saying that tongue-in-cheek!

But, I do want to bring attention to something to which I would like to respond by saying....Just Simmer Down. I hate the phrase "Shut-up". Afterall, I busy teaching my 4 and 2 year olds not to say such a thing http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif

But, it appears that Coach Cindy Stein, her players, and the local Columbia media have been on a mission to gain some respect for the Tiger team. Afterall Missouri did go to the Sweet 16 last year and lo-and-behold, they were picked 10th in the conference at the beginning of the season. How dare the media and coaches do such a thing!! And so, after Wednesday's big victory over Texas Tech, here we go again. The Columbia Tribune writes an article titled "Don't Call it an Upset" (http://hoopscoop.net/big12wbb/mu.cgi?url=http://www.columbiatribune.com/2002/Jan/20020110Spor004.asp). And you get a quote like: "It seems like we’ve always been the underdog, and I think we’re probably sick of it," Stein said.

First, kudos to the Tigers for beating Tech. BUT, let me be the first to say, it's only ONE game. Missouri lost a lot during the offseason as Amanda Lassiter and Marlena Williams were far and away Missouri's leading offensive contributors. And so far this season, the win over Texas Tech is the only game that Missouri can point to as being a quality win. In fact, they have a couple of bad losses, getting blown out by Illinois 74-53 and Oklahoma State 73-57.

Again, kudos to Missouri for a very good game against Tech. Now, let me see a couple more like that and I'll give this Tiger team a good measure of respect. For now, the Tiger coach, it's players, and local media win my first installment of the "Just Simmer Down" award.


[This message has been edited by schooner (edited 01-11-2002).]

[swok34]

hehehe, that's funny.

Given that Missouri lost the majority of their firepower and the entire coaching staff except for Stein......????I'm surprised that she feels the way she does.

[Daddo]

Southwest Missouri doesn't qualify as a quality win?
Missouri looked very good today, played some nice defense and good team offense in the 2nd half after missing a lot of little dinky shots early. Maybe Cindy's right!
Sure would like to have Amanda back, though...

[RaiderPower1]

It's like I was telling my mother the other day. When teams play Texas Tech they bring their "A" game every time and I mean every time. I mean it's Texas Tech! It's hard to find another team with the tradition and great coach that they have and to beat them would make their season. So, that's why Tech must not underestimate their opponents because they're Texas Tech and they have always been the favorite. Every game with Texas Tech is a "big" game. I don't know whether to call this a good thing or bad thing cause you know that every team you play is going to play their best against you yet IMO it is nearly impossible to play your best in every game so there is always that chance of an upset. I don't know, just my two cents.

[RaiderPower1]

oh yeah...and look for A&M to win the next Just Simmer Down award.

Welcome Daddo...I knew after the "big" win that there would be a fan or two that would show up on the board. Now all we lack is an A&M fan...I think that's it.

[This message has been edited by RaiderPower1 (edited 01-12-2002).]

[schooner2]

Originally posted by Daddo:
Southwest Missouri doesn't qualify as a quality win?
Missouri looked very good today, played some nice defense and good team offense in the 2nd half after missing a lot of little dinky shots early. Maybe Cindy's right!
Sure would like to have Amanda back, though...

A win over SMSU as a quality win? Probably not this season, they are down quite a bit this year.

Of course after A&M beat Iowa State today - I think I may want to retract all my statements this season. Looks like anything is possible.

[schooner2]

Oh! And welcome Daddo. I hope you come back and post more on HoopScoop! We don't have any Missouri fans here - at least none that have posted. Would like to hear your thoughts on the Tigers. Just how good are Barr and Bright?

[BEAR SKIN]

Schooner:

I gave myself a Just Simmer Down after yesterday's game. Contrary to the traditional nature of this board, I cannot just be P C and say "the officiating was bad, but didn't affect the game".

Yes, OU has a great team and should/would beat BU 8 of 10 tries, but yesterday should/would have been one of the 2.

[metromaniac]

Havng also been at the game, IMO, if officiating determined the game, OU would have lost. The game result far more was determined by the class,(junior and senior) of the Sooner women and the far greater number of big games for those ladies compared to Baylor's..

Yes, the Lady Bears should probably have won. Once these ladies have been in the same number of big games like this one, they will. http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/ou.gif ladies would probably have lost this game against a higher ranked opponent two years ago. Not this year. They are on the other spectrum.

Keep the faith, don't be discouraged, time is on your side.

[BEAR SKIN]

Oh really? I totally disagree

From the Trib this a.m. --

"In the second half, every time the Sooners made a push, the Lady Bears answered. But when senior post Brooke McCormack picked up two questionable fouls in the span of 97 seconds — both on the offensive end — the tide started to turn."

Boy, I'll say. Not just bad calls, but bad non calls. At that point OU really began pressing and was very agressive, including obvious hacks under the basket and pushing to get rebounds.

Coach Kim never blames a loss on the officiating (not that she's not allowed to, but that's just not her style). However, she came close today:

"We were up nine, and you had boom, boom, boom, three critical calls," Mulkey-Robertson said. "Now that will deflate your bubble right there. I'm not saying anything about the officiating, but that changes the flow of the game. And then you come back down and try to get back in it, and you have two critical turnovers. That's what we have to get better at, and that comes with experience."

Yes experience for the refs also to know the difference between a block and a charge, and to know not to check for the score before anouncing which way the call goes.

Pleses excuse the rant. You know that I'm not usually a FANATIC fan. Certainly I have the taste of sour grapes pervading my mouth (and fingers) and I may be expelled from this site, but I had to express my views.

Again, OU has a truly great team and may well go undefeated in conference, but they just dodged a big bullet with a little help.

[RaiderPower1]

I was watching the game too. While I won't make a comment on the officiating (because it was pretty horrid on both sides) I will say that those calls on Brooke were VERY VERY questionable. Calls against the offensive team tend to be the "tide changers" if you will.

[Hazel]

The charge call is the most misused call in the women's game today. It allows a poor defender who has been beaten by a step to flop on the floor and neutralize a great offensive move.

[metromaniac]

So are you saying that the charge "earned" by Caulfied,,,An All-American defensive player---against a slow post who was out of control was not fair----Ross still hadn't scored 8 in a row yet and did----

Don't take away from your team----I could go through more calls in the first half against OU that helped the Lady Bears take the lead----

40 minutes----Lambert and Danielle missed most of their shots when they were needed down the stretch, ----It was or isn't the ref's fault----

[Bob_Ballew]

Hazel, your assessment is correct in my opinion. I hate to see a charge called when it is questionable. The offensive player that is making a good move should be given the benefit of the doubt. Good officials are hard to come by and I really appreciate watching a well officiated game. I will say it again, the bad calls went against OU in the first half and against BU in the second half. The calling did not make the difference. Baylor ladies had that ..deer in the headlight look on their face down the stretch.

[This message has been edited by Zo3157 (edited 01-13-2002).]

[schooner2]

Officiating can change the tone of the game. The players should be able to change the tone back themselves. I hardly accept Brooke sitting on the bench with 4 fouls as breaking Baylor's back. Brooke was having a good game, but since when does Lambert and Crockrom all of a sudden let 4 fouls on Brooke affect them so much? They're seniors - that shouldn't happen. And it didn't. OU's defense was stopping BU's passing and BU couldn't buy a basket - nor were they rebounding as well down the stretch. It wasn't as if BU all of a sudden became real timid, thinking they were going to get all these fouls called on them.

If it were a 4th foul on Lambert and she had to sit for 5 or 6 minutes, then you can talk about changing the complexion of a ballgame. She was high scorer. Brooke had 7 points.

See UCONN-OU game. Having Dales out the 2nd half really, really hurt. But I can't blame that loss on the lack of having Dales on the floor. But I can blame them for changing the tone of the game.

Rewatch the game. The tide turned after the 8-minute media timeout. Ross hit two quick 3s, the bench and OU players were going nuts and just felt it. They knew they were coming back and were going to take control of the game.

[RaiderPower1]

I for one think that officiating needs a touch up. The refs get too caught up in the emotion of the game IMO and try to "make up" calls. They let the crowd get to them and try to hard to please everyone which results in bad calls.

[Hazel]

Just to set the record straight, I am not a BU fan nor was I referring to any specific call in the BU-OU game. I am merely stating that IMHO the charge foul is called way too many times when the defender gets beaten and then flops on the floor. My timing in this post may have led you to think what you did, but this is an ongoing and general object of irritation to me when I watch the women's game and not a reference to Ms. Caufield who, BTW, I think is an awesome talent.

[cyfanatic]

Along the same lines, I have yet to see a SINGLE GAME well officiated this season. And not just in the Big Twelve, either...I have been to two Missouri Valley Conference games, and one Big Ten game, and the officials just stink it up. Further, it seems teams like Nebraska and other aggressive teams really try and capitalize on officials who are selective about what they call, and sooner or later someone is going to get seriously injured. There's a difference between being agressive, and being blatently rough, and I hope the officials start tightening it up a bit before someone gets a concussion or worse. In my opinion, it's bad sportsmanship to play like that, and it's bad coaching. Hence, I have no sympathy for teams like Nebraska and Kansas. We talk about "class" some of the coaches in the Big Twelve have....there are a couple in the same league that could take a lesson from some of these more "classy coaches."