I have been watching the RU women's basketball teams since the year of Phila. I loved being in Cleveland. I was so proud. I have never posted until tonight. Watching these past few years, I must publicly say how much I miss watching Tammy, Cappie, Essence, Matee, and Piph in Scarlet. They were a joy to watch. There is no reason why we shouldn't have these types of players now.
Miss the past
- Thread starter RU old timer
- Start date
So I'm guessing people like Glutz and Coyle, or Howard-Malouf-Wicks-Foley-Austin are REALLY for old timers? :) Yikes. I better schedule that hip replacement ...
Yes, those names were great, too. (Maybe I am middle-aged with my comments!) I guess the sad thing for me is that while basketball is a team sport, I loved watching specific players...some of the best players in America. Matee was one of the best point guards I have ever seen in the women's game. Cappie and Piph...All-American guards and scorers. Essence...so graceful and all-around talent. Tammy...one of the best in her position. Why is that talent--all-American talent--not here anymore?
An example of what raw talent can do for a program is South Carolina. Yes, they are a fine team. But they have specific players--all-American types--that are producing. And I'm sure SC fans come to see those individual players--not just the team as a whole.
Diana, by definition, I enjoy watching all Rutgers players. Because they play for Rutgers. But this is a scaled feeling--we watched national excellence with the players I named. Of course, that joy was greater. We should be at that level of talent. There are no excuses for the last several years.
I really don't understand the reason for this thread (especially as a first post).
I loved watching Mickey Mantle play but he doesn't any more. Willis Reed and Bill Bradley aren't with the Knicks any more.
But I still look at Yankee and Knicks box scores and results. And I'm happy when they do well and not as happy when they don't.
Being a fan means that you root for and support a team through everything - good and bad.
Color me confused
I loved watching Mickey Mantle play but he doesn't any more. Willis Reed and Bill Bradley aren't with the Knicks any more.
But I still look at Yankee and Knicks box scores and results. And I'm happy when they do well and not as happy when they don't.
Being a fan means that you root for and support a team through everything - good and bad.
Color me confused
that's true but then a huge dropoff...problem seems to be the lack of recruiting...there is no one on the bench or role players that can come in. Cynthia has been spotty...her use and better term not use has been questionable. We have a pretty good starting 5 but beyond that when no one else provides anything it puts pressure on the starters who as we see start pressing their shots and missing under that pressure
The lack of player development is the reason for the lack of contributions from the bench.I don't know the reasons for poor performances in the last two games.I do know ,however,that it was just a matter of time where the over dependence on three players to score most of the points would come back to haunt Rutgers .Injuries and slumps in shooting are part of the game which means quality bench players are needed to fill in the gaps .
The point of the post is that we have been blessed to watch all-Americans. We need better players. And we should have them based on our history and our coach's rich history. This post has nothing to do with loyalty or player support. But let's face reality. We have dropped off significantly since Cleveland and the Piph years. Rutgers should be a top 10 program every year. Not UConn. Not Tenn. But a 6-10 ranked team should be expected. Call me spoiled as an old timer, but once you reach top 10 status, you should stay there most years...especially with the same coach. There are no excuses.
I agree with you premise in theory, but after Cleveland, we got a spectacular recruiting class (Sykes, Lee, Pope, Speed, Dixon) whose signing helped to derail us for seaspns to come. Between transfers (Pope and Dixon) and unfavorable team dynamics that IMO caused Prince to leave early, we are still in the recovery phase. CViv changed her offensive strategies to attract better players - according to her father, why we were able to land Scaife, but for last year and next year's recruiting classes, we haven't gotten any top level talent, with the possible exception of the incoming Jeune.
I agree with your comments. But one recruiting class bust post-Cleveland should not prevent us from having more Matees, Cappies, and Tammies. We haven't had a player who has developed into a national star player since Piph. And I truly can't see a reason why ladies will not come here to play...given the many who have a made an impression on the national scene. It is all about recruiting...but I have been baffled for years (since Piph left). I guess I don't like to live in the past...when I see no reason to do so given a big 10 team with one of the most famous coaches in the game. Just an old timer...who wants desperately to see Rutgers women's basketball where it truly belongs...near the top again.
Man, I had such a crush on Kristen Foley when I was on the banks.
I think you have got to say this year's team is one of the most fun to watch in a long time. I team with so many players capable of making a mid-range jumper and running again...if we had a kia v. in the middle we'd be top 10.
Yes and no.
It's hard to understand, even in retrospect, what damage that class did, but one way to think of it is this:
2001 - Chelsea, Cappie
2002 - Michelle Campbell
2003 - nobody significant
2004 - Essence, Matee
2005 - Kia
2006 - Piph, Brittany Ray
2007 - Khadijah
2008 - the "Fab" Five
2009 - Mo Oliver
2010 - Daisha Simmons
2011 - Betnijah, Briyona, Syessence
2012 - Kahleah
2013 - Tyler
The 2008 class was sort of an elephant eaten by a snake - 5 players who everyone thought would take up a lot of playing time (and did) (and don't forget that Khadijah redshirted, so she was there through the end of 2012, too). I think it's fair to say that recruiting for 2009 and 2010 was hampered significantly (Mo Oliver was a very late commit after UCLA changed coaches and let her out of her LOI, as I recall). Things picked up in 2011, but still it took quite a while to digest that class.
I'd also say that it's an overstatement to say there hasn't been a national star player since Piph - Betnijah has developed quite well, Syessence is a finalist for the Lieberman Award and I expect to see them, Kahleah and Tyler getting honors from the B1G this week. (And remember that even Piph never made the WBCA All American Team - only a couple of RU players ever have done that.)
The original comments were of course subjective. The reality though...and some may even disagree with this comment...is that we have not had the talent to be a top 10 team...or to make a legitimate run to the final 4...since those years...and with those players. It all comes down to the coach getting the right players.
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