CU-Fullerton ouch!!

[haleehoop]

Let me preface this by saying that I still think this team is going to be better than last year's team BUT this was a painful loss.(CalFullerton's RPI is 198)
Some questions and comments:
1. 1st loss for CU ever versus CalFullerton. Last year's team won against CalFullerton 100-71. It was 58-35 at the half!!!
2. Team shoots 45% from the field and 40% from 3-point land and outrebounds them and STILL loses?? Actually were down by almost 20 in the 2nd half.Defense must have been non-existent
3. Starting guard tandem combines for 5 points and 3 rebounds (they do manage 6 assists)in 47 total minutes of play. Maybe its time to mix it up more with some of the kids who have not been playing much - how much less could they do?
4. Your two top scorers combine for 1 assist and 11 turnovers - granted they shot well BUT now they have 24 assists and 63 turnovers so far this season
5. If non-conference is surely the easier portion of the schedule what happens when Big 12 play starts? A 5-4 record with 7 home games is more cause for conern
6.We are waiting for this staff to put their "stamp" on the program but where exactly would they be without McFarland who is a holdover from the previous staff?
7. Are transfers (who weren't exactly world-beaters at their prior schools) the answer?
Its a tough time to be a CU Buff hoop fan but I hold out hope that we are on the improve

[BeBe]

DITTO what (s)he said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! O-U-C-H !!!!

In addition to those concerns, we now have Aija Putnina, a freshman who had really stepped up when Kara Richards went out and was making serious contributions, probably out for a few weeks at least with a stress reaction in her foot.

And we have potential health concerns with both Houston and Rucker as well... no stamina ... and they have been here long enough and done enough training that it can't just be the altitude.

Then it seems we can have offense or defense but not both at the same time. Neither by itself has been able to win a game lately. And neither by itself will be able to win games in the future.

And pray tell where have the outside shots of Ilic and Nedovic gone???? As well as more consistency from the shooting guards. They are MIA it seems. Without more outside shooting threats, Jackie is going to find herself smothered whenever she touches the ball. No wonder she has a bunch of turnovers ... it hard to find a way to pass out through a mob of defenders. I'm amazed she still manages to get as many points as she does.

One VERY BAD habit this team still seems to have (a carry-over from last year) is to take some part of the first half off and get down in a big hole then work like the dickens to dig themselves out. That pattern happened all too often last season and its showing up again in some games this season, like last night. Why can't they work that hard to keep from getting in a 20 point hole?

I didn't get to see the #16 (?) Vanderbilt game but this team surely isn't playing like a team that came real close to having a shot at knocking them off.

End of rant for now.

I do hope to see the improvements that I thought I saw in some of the earlier games show up again. They did adjust well to playing without some of the bigs for much of the second half last night so maybe that can be carried over.

[LadyBuff]

I did see the Vandy game and haven't seen that team play again. I don't know how Kathy got them to play the way they did that night, but she hasn't succeeded in getting that out of them again.

I don't know how Jackie is able to do what she is doing either. We seem to only have two shooters--Jackie and Jasmina not that Aija is hurt. I hope she isn't out for long and I hope Kara can come back. But, it wasn't the same Kara as I saw during her freshman year.

I am still thinking this team is better than last year's team and even better than the one of two years ago. I am more than willing to give Kathy more than one recruiting class to show me what she can do. And I will be there rooting for the Buffs no matter what. Always have since the first game of the program and always will.

[unkiemark]

Then it seems we can have offense or defense but not both at the same time. Neither by itself has been able to win a game lately. And neither by itself will be able to win games in the future.

And pray tell where have the outside shots of Ilic and Nedovic gone???? As well as more consistency from the shooting guards. They are MIA it seems. Without more outside shooting threats, Jackie is going to find herself smothered whenever she touches the ball. No wonder she has a bunch of turnovers ... it hard to find a way to pass out through a mob of defenders. I'm amazed she still manages to get as many points as she does.

One VERY BAD habit this team still seems to have (a carry-over from last year) is to take some part of the first half off and get down in a big hole then work like the dickens to dig themselves out. That pattern happened all too often last season and its showing up again in some games this season, like last night. Why can't they work that hard to keep from getting in a 20 point hole?

Almost exactly the same observations I would state about the team. I would add that sometimes the team takes part of the second half off.

It's tough to watch the Buffs lose to teams that are less talented. They just don't seem to grasp the concept that at the college level you have to play as a team for forty minutes, taking for or five minutes off at a time just won't cut it, even against teams like Fullerton - see the last five minutes of the first half last night.

[LadyBuff]

They do just keep digging themselves holes, don't they?

I see in the morning paper, it is expected that four guards will start along with Jackie today. This should be interesting to see how it will work.

[friendlyfire]

"Initially when we played the first couple of games, I think we were trying to create for ourselves," she said. "Not that we were selfish, but we were all trying to be the one to make the play. That wasn't good for us.

"We've watched tape and we've worked on really sharing the ball and understanding it's not going to be about one person, it's going to be really a great team effort for us to be successful."

[Phillips66]

It looks as if Coach Miller is planning on living with her freshmen...she better plan on dying with them! The Big 12 is going to be very difficult this year. Perhaps this 11th place preseason ranking is satisfactory to the coaches and administrators, but it doesnt make sense by looking at the depth chart and statistics.

[haleehoop]

Am not sure that there is ANY solution to make CU a .500 big 12 team this season. BUT the freshman have not been awful - Houston 7.6ppg and 3.2 assists in 22 mpg makes things happen. Putnina was also effective particularly rebounding the ball (7.7 rebs in 20.4 minutes of action). I for one am happy seeing them getting more time.

[friendlyfire]

Stats Stats Stats Lines Lines Lines Points Points Points

Blah Blah Blah Wah Wah Wah

What we need is a collective effort.

Old and overdone there is no I in team.

Smart Steady Methodical possesions wil get us a win anywhere.

GO Buffs!:CU:

[haleehoop]

Sorry to have injected some facts, stats and personal observation into an analysis of what is going on with the Buffs. Goodness gracious no.
Let's just stick to cliches and maybe some quotes from Duke.
This team could win anywhere? with some teamwork?? no I in team. I think those observations stand on their own merit.
Yeah go Buffs. Let's just stick to the non-facts.

[Jimi]

Hang in there Halleehoop. You have the makings of a good member of the board. There is room here for both rah-rah fans and cold realists. (And or combinations thereof) In fact many of us combine a lot of elements of both. As long as you are a WCBB fan and especially if you do your homework you will be valuable here.

[tx4OU]

I agree with Jimi, haleehoop. I enjoy reading educated perspectives from other fans.

[friendlyfire]

I meant nothing personal, Gosh a wee bit sensitive? so again I am sorry.

Thought I would get creative ...you've covered all the facts . I thought I would cover the intangibles like if we have so many point makers where are the wins? IE Harry Perreta style of ball, was all I meant, thought people who read this board would get that.

So bye ya'll back to an observer.

[Jimi]

I meant nothing personal, Gosh a wee bit sensitive? so again I am sorry.

Thought I would get creative ...you've covered all the facts . I thought I would cover the intangibles like if we have so many point makers where are the wins? IE Harry Perreta style of ball, was all I meant, thought people who read this board would get that.

So bye ya'll back to an observer.
Hey! You're OK too. Hang in there.

Besides, Ya wouldn't want us to think you were too sensitive also would you? ;)

Not everyone is going to agree with something any of us says and not everyone is going to agree with the way we say it. I don't think anyone in this thread was intentionally hurtful. I am far from a person who always looks on the bright side but I wish you would. WCBB can use all the passionate and knowledgable fans it can get. I think we can learn to accept each other's shortcomings or percieved shortcomings. I hope you all keep contributing.

[Jimi]

And btw, :cu: can sure use all the fans it can get right now.

[tx4OU]

friendlyfire, I can hear the frustration coming from both of you and I've been there with my team (although a different sport). My comment was for everyone on this board. Without individuals like both of you, we wouldn't have the perspectives outside our own and what fun is that?

[swok34]

I got a kick out of your post, friendly fire......
I rarely show a post to a fellow co-worker, but I did show yours to one.

I think we all understand that kind of frustration.

I know I would be an OU women's basketball fan win or lose. I enjoy watching the girls improve and develop their skills from year to year.

[agent99]

Howdy - I'm Katie Zemko, as some of you know I've been a beat writer covering the CU team for quite a few years now. I resigned today after it became all-too obvious that CU expects reporters covering the team to be nothing more than an extention of their public relations.

Now that I am absolutely through with sports writing - I have a real job - and I can assure you I haven't been covering the team because i needed the money

Anyway - I thought CU fans - especially those who have complained about the coverage of the team over the years - might be interested in what I now feel free to state.

I'll just link ya to what i had to say on another board.

WARNING: there is a little profanity in what i had to say - but it was part of what led to my resignation today. So if that bothers you, please don't read the link.

http://boards.rebkell.net/viewtopic.php?t=22376

[Jimi]

I'll repete what I said. Sad to see you gone as a reporter and I'm glad to have you back as a FREE fan of WCBB.

[Jimi]

Considering the feelings of the Buff fans I hate to give this a seperate thread.

Colorado 58, South Dakota State 80 final. SDSU is on a tear right now.

[swok34]

Katie...

I'm sorry to see you've given up reporting as well. Though it does sound as though if reporting on the Colorado team leads to pulling one's hair out.

Are many university/media outlets similar to the Colorado situation? ok, with the exception of Mechelle V. :D

[haleehoop]

Katie- Heard the rumor that the paper is naming one of coach miller's sisters as your replacement - any truth there??

[tx4OU]

Katie- Heard the rumor that the paper is naming one of coach miller's sisters as your replacement - any truth there??

You've gotta' be kidding me?!!:eek:

Katie, as a former assistant sports editor I have experienced similar situations from school SID offices. I almost lost my job over publishing a quote from a former prominent coach in another sport. He called my editor and then my editor's boss claiming I had published an off-the-record quote. Thing is, I had the entire conversation on tape and he knew it, b/c I had set my recorder on the end of his desk immediately upon the start of the interview.

After hearing the complete recording of the interview, my editor backed me up 100%, but that didn't make a difference as there were relationships way beyond my paygrade higher up between the paper and the university. Needless to say, I was reprimanded. Soon after that, I too found other employment. This was many years ago. And what one poster in your linked board said is correct. Journalism isn't what it used to be and this goes way beyond sports. Edward Murrow has long since turned over in his grave.

[buffgal]

Katie,

You've been my hero for years, because you *haven't* just regurgitated what the CU media types put out, but worked hard to get your own stories.

Best of luck, and hope you'll keep cheering for those gals in black and gold.

[Scamp]

Katie, I posted the link to your Rebkell's post on ESPN.com's board this a.m. How frustrating this is!

[LadyBuff]

Katie, I'm sorry to see you resign. I liked your articles. They were good. Is this the norm? I so want the Buffs to be a good team and this is going to be a long season.