A Message From My Daughter

O

outlookdude

250+ Posts
The following was sent to me from my youngest daughter who asked me to post it here for her. You will be able to tell that she still feels pretty close to this team, and sometimes gets pretty upset with us. I completely agree with some of what she says, not so completely with some others. Regardless of what I think, I think the perspective is interesting because it comes from a female the same age as our freshmen, and from someone who has, over the years, often known things about this team that were not public knowledge……Let her know what you think.

I have spent ample time since the lost to Mississippi State reading this message board and finally came to the conclusion that I needed to say something.

I grew up with UT women’s basketball – it was my life. Although I never had dreams of playing at UT I went to countless camps (something crazy like ten years in a row), and worked as a shorthorn from 3rd to 8th grade. I attended every home game from 1st grade until my junior year, except maybe two or three. I came at halftime sweaty from my own tournaments, ice strapped to my ankles, but I was there. My junior year I spent time in and out of the hospital and out of school – I went to the UT games, sat there for as long as I could, before I went home to bed. As much as a fan can feel – I feel a part of UT women’s basketball – it has a place in my heart and that will not change. If that was going to change it would have changed my senior year when head coach Jody Conradt was no longer and I moved halfway across the state but I still found myself hunched over my laptop watching game tracker night after night.

Now I am away at school, a freshman in college, and without the free time most freshman have, did not get the joy of watching these women play very often this year. I can not sit here and say in this game they did this wrong, in this game they did that wrong, the shots just weren’t falling, I can not give you a game by game analysis on what I think went wrong.

But there are a few things I CAN say. All of the young ladies on this team are individuals my age and just a little bit older, who play basketball. Basketball is a HUGE part of their lives, but there are things that go on OFF the court, things that affect them drastically that we as fans will NOT always, if ever know about. Before we start saying that they don’t care, that they aren’t working hard enough, we need to remember that those girls who put on a UT jersey are not just created so that you can have something to talk about, a game to watch, people to cheer for. They are people – with families – with friends – with lives that go on way past the time they leave the court. Yes, they signed to play division one basketball and so part of their lives are with this team, but that does not give us a right to bash them on a personal level. Sometimes their shots won’t fall – sometimes we won’t think they are living up to expectations – but we need to remember very rarely do we know the whole story.

These girls sacrifice more than most of us know to play on this team – if they didn’t care about the success on the court they wouldn’t be here. We have had players quit, we have had players transfer; if they don’t want to be there they won’t be. It’s that simple.

We have to remember that we are fans… We are there to SUPPORT this team in it’s ups and it’s downs; whether they have won ten games straight or lost ten games straight. This sport – this team is NOT about us… and I think we all need a reminder of that from time to time.
 
…..Now, part of what I would say…….

I love Coach G. I was not one who felt that it was necessary to replace the coaching staff a few years ago. But, if it was going to happen I don’t think we could have a better replacement.

Having said that……it continues to amaze me that it seems the people who feel like this past season was a disappointment do not point a finger at the coaching staff. It is the job of the coaching staff to have the team physically and mentally prepared to play at the highest level. Every game. 40 minutes of every game. When your salary is seven figures you don’t get excuses. So, if there was a disappointing performance don’t give the coaching staff a free pass just because they are still relatively new.

As I have said before, I do not see this past season as a disappointment. I believe that expectations were simply too high.

I have no problem with questioning coaching. I may disagree, but they are paid very well to produce results and are fair game. Talking about the limitations of a player, or things they need to improve should be fair game – even though we do not always agree with each other.

But, when it gets personal about the players it has crossed a line. EA (for example) never said she was the number one recruit in the country. We just bought into that media hype and then assigned expectations.

If I understand my daughter correctly her point is that she feels she has been close enough to this team to know that they all care, want to win every game, and are working as hard as possible toward that goal…..Given that, it would follow that it is the job of the coaching staff to tell them when and how they can do more, and it is the job of the fan to remain supportive throughout the process.

Regardless of what you feel is the purpose of a message board, or what rights you feel you have as a fan, I think this point of view is worth some consideration……My perception is that, while there have been exceptions, for the most part people on this board have been supportive. Obviously my daughter is sensitive to personal comments directed at players, and I think the players and prospects would be at least equally as sensitive.
 
hookem.gif


Thank you Horns for your work on the court and off the court for us and thank you for coming to UT and your efforts.

And as usual THANK YOU NORCO ISD FOR ERIKA!
 
Sometimes this team did play without the same energy and passion that their opponents seemed to bring to the table. As long as it appears that way then there will be posters who question commitment and drive. EVERY player on the team should have been crying like AT after a first round loss. I hope she was not the only one who shed a tear.

I suspect that some posters on this board are financial contributors to the university, thus supporting the granting of scholarships, and feel that they have the right to make comments about the team.

Just being the devils advocate...I am too broke to contribute to anything. But this is always going to happen, like it or not. Those who are extra sensitive to such criticisms will probably be offended or get their feelings hurts by reading fan boards like this one or any other board.
 
Excellent post by your daughter, dude. Realistically, this year's freshmen were Coach G's first class. When she came on board, the soph class was already signed, sealed and soon to be delivered that summer.

And people do tend to forget that these seniors were snakebit and played through a lot of pain. I also hope that they took the opportunity to enjoy the college experience outside of basketball.
 
Yet Baylor lost its leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker and has a hobbled Allison and is competing with Louisville. Mental toughness...Baylor has it. They are not making any excuses and could have hung their heads and said "just not our year" but they didn't, and look where it has gotten them. I don't think they will pull out this game but they sure are making a good showing.

With Griffin and Jones coming back, along with Wilson, and the recruits that Baylor has coming in they are going to be scary good next year.
 
TxtoCO – financial contributors – yes I understand, and that is a large part of what I meant by “rights as fans”. I understand the frustration and the expectations for success. I just think that even then it should not publicly get personal, especially toward the players.

– playing without energy and passion – this is borderline to me – I understand it may have appeared they were playing without energy and passion, but that is a subjective observation based on your perceptions. Playing without confidence can look the same. Playing with injuries can look the same. I think we can clearly say that it appeared the other team had more energy and was the aggressor without jumping to the conclusion that they lack passion or a desire to win……I’m not picking on you or trying to make you wrong for the statement. I am splitting hairs to an extent. I just think this gets into an area where we are all best served by being cautious with our words…….As another example….I don’t think the fact that AT was crying necessarily shows she has more passion than someone who didn’t. People show emotions in different ways. We certainly want everyone to care to that extent, but it won’t always fit our personal pictures.

BBV Horn – No. I didn’t expect the final four this year. I’m the one who made a point of saying that I don’t think this team under-achieved. My point was that anyone who thinks the team did under-achieve should not give the coaches a free pass for being fairly new. If there were posts questioning the coaching I missed them. But like I said, I have no complaints myself.
 
One last thing...does anybody here think that Coach G's style of play has sunk in yet???

To me (and keep in mind I AM NOT ANY SORT OF AUTHORITY ON B-BALL), it looks like they are still thinking about it too much out there. Now in my world view, that's O.K., because it simply means that they are learning and still adjusting to the new style of play.

The reason that I say this is because of the disjointedness that I've seen on the offensive end, but the REAL reason I feel this way is because of what I've seen on the defensive end of the ball. It seems like there has been many times this season (or at least in the games that I've seen), where the team would have an opponent drive in on the way to an easy basket (no defensive rotation). Either the defender who should have rotated had their back completely turned away from the play or they simply couldn't (mentally) bring themselves to leave their man. Chemistry and the ability to react to what's going on instead of thinking about it will cure all of that and I suspect things will continue to get better on the offensive end as well.

I think that both ends (players and coaches) have had a lot to deal with. It's going to get better and that's about all I can say about it........

That being said, I'm totally willing to admit that perhaps I'm clueless on this.
 
Part of what this board is about is getting the pulse of the fans. If the fans feel that players are playing without passion or energy this is where they are going to say it.

I may disagree with other posters on their ideas about the team, but what I try not to do is tell anyone what is appropriate or inappropriate for them to say. I want to hear what people think, and if that is sometimes not that pleasant, I still want to hear it.
 
This is a message board, everyone is going to have opinions, as it should be. Everyone has the right to express those opinions, as it should be. I'm not going to agree with everyone, nor disagree with everyone. That's OK.

What I don't care for is the smug tone that accompanies some posts (TXtoCo, that would be you - occasionally - not always), nor do I like a condescending tone of a poster either (yes, outlookdude, that would be you).

None of us are completely correct or completely incorrect on our observations and opinions. We disagree, and that is a fact. I don't appreciate someone telling me (or telling posters in general) what we should or should not think or post - or how we should think or post - or what we should write or not write. That's what gets my dander up!

Babhorn has a great way of disagreeing with me, and after I read his/her post, I think, "Well maybe........... nah I still think XXX" but I feel no animosity whatsoever toward Babhorn. He/she posts the facts, and backs them up with evidence. I don't feel the posts were smug pr condescending. I read them and think about them and either I agree or disagree, but I don't get a bad taste in my mouth about the way they were delivered. Telling members of a board how to think or behave, is rarely going to fly. Trouble is, usually the person doing that, does not see that he/she has done it.

So, there you go!
 
Good lord...more of this? Don't you guys (and that would occasionally be you, Rexy) ever get tired of trying to regulate what other posters say and how they say it? Most people on this board have the sense to know that half of what I say is probably ******** and don't give me any more attention that I deserve.

In reply to:
Click to expand...
 
I'm just here to say what I have to say and read the opinions of others. For those of you who want to obsess over the posts of others, enjoy. I will continue to chime in and express my views in my own "unique" style and look forward to others doing the same.
 
Outlookdude, very well said and very politely and respectfully delivered. I will admit that I have tried to piss the farthest a time or two and should not get caught up in that but instead focus on basketball.

Keep on posting...we all need a little reality check from time to time. Some of us more than others.
blush.gif
 
Exactly two people have the final say in what is appropriate to post on this message board. Screen names are Orangeblood and LonghornGirlie. Real names are Robert and Katy Agnor, the owners of this site.

The moderators help enforce the guidelines that we have established. They are publicly available at Posting Guidelines and each and everyone who posts on this board had to agree to follow them when registering for an account.

Part of that agreement is a commitment to using the Notify Moderator button
notifymod.gif
if you see something that you believe violates the guidelines. Something that the regulars on this board are woefully lacking in doing with regularity.

Our policy regarding players and coaches are listed first and foremost in those Posting Guidelines. I strongly urge all of you to read them.

This is worst board on HornFans after the West Mall of people taking sides. You so-called "positive" folks are just as much to blame as the negative ones.

I have enormous respect for women's sports. Enough respect that the same rules that apply to male players and coaches are applied to female players and coaches. You can critique play on the court. You can critique the professional responsibilities of the coaches.

Whining about heart and commitment is stupid and is not allowed. I have never met a player for the University of Texas that did not want to win and give their all to that end. People who fallback on the lack of passion excuse are those who don't know anything about sports, so keep your traps shut.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Recent Threads

Prediction Results Threads

Back
Top