Texas Tech @ Texas 02.21.2024

[TempestHorn]

Tech is WBB's longest and bitterest rival. I realize Baylor vaulted into the rival position but that is recent. The depths of the rivalry may have been back in the 90s but when their coach was a player during that time period we should absolutely expect this kind of performance from them at least once per year. I feel like some people are expecting them to play down to their record and in a true rivalry game, teams hardly ever play that way.

 

[cnb]

Feel free to join Ashley and the others who think that kind of tough love is corrosive to their mental health.

Are we going to say that about Faye when she is wearing a differant jersey next year?

 

[brnkj]

Very concerning considering we play @ UCF this weekend.

And if we show up half-assed against UCF like we did against Tech, they will beat us.

 

[brnkj]

Are we going to say that about Faye when she is wearing a differant jersey next year?

If it comes to that I will.

 

[DFW_Horn]

And if we show up half-assed against UCF like we did against Tech, they will beat us.

I’m hoping that the team will bounce back/refocus the way they did after the OU (sux) game but without the consequences of a loss.

 

[hoopsalot]

Tech is WBB's longest and bitterest rival. I realize Baylor vaulted into the rival position but that is recent. The depths of the rivalry may have been back in the 90s but when their coach was a player during that time period we should absolutely expect this kind of performance from them at least once per year. I feel like some people are expecting them to play down to their record and in a true rivalry game, teams hardly ever play that way.

Yes. “Some people”, like maybe the Texas team last night! You’d think they’d know better by now.

 

[hoopsalot]

Are we going to say that about Faye when she is wearing a differant jersey next year?

I am sad about Fay. I think the team’s loss of her makes the rest of the season a bit harder. But my biggest wish re Fay is for her to do what she needs to do to be well going forward.

 

[brnkj]

Feel free to join Ashley and the others who think that kind of tough love is corrosive to their mental health.

Celeste Taylor left because Vic was not easy to play for... she's at her third school now I guess his isn't the only coaching style that's not for everyone. Celeste moved on and has had a good collegiate career but I don't think she's developed to her fullest potential. I still think she was Vic's type of player and, had she stuck it out, there's no telling how good she would be right now. But I do get it... demanding, tough love isn't for everyone. I'm definitely still wishing her well unless, of course, she becomes an opponent at some point in the postseason.

 

[hornsup1986]

Vic was a bit more sanguine in today’s presser.

 

[Sangre Naranjada]

Are we going to say that about Faye when she is wearing a differant jersey next year?

If Faye leaves the program citing "mental health" and taking potshots at our team and coaches, then yes.

@brnkj cited Celeste, who also left, but who didn't badmouth Texas on her way to Duke. I don't think there is a single person here who has ill will towards her because she did what she thought she had to do, and was classy about it.

 

[WCBBNUT]

If Faye leaves the program citing "mental health" and taking potshots at our team and coaches, then yes.

@brnkj cited Celeste, who also left, but who didn't badmouth Texas on her way to Duke. I don't think there is a single person here who has ill will towards her because she did what she thought she had to do, and was classy about it.

Burning bridges is so short sighted but also on brand for a teen/early 20’s individual. Didn’t like it when Ashley did it. Didn’t like it when Sedona did it. Fully supportive of someone moving on if the fit isn’t good, but will always respect Celeste for how she handled it.

 

[WCBBNUT]

Vic was a bit more sanguine in today’s presser.

Mea Culpa​

 

[brnkj]

Burning bridges is so short sighted but also on brand for a teen/early 20’s individual. Didn’t like it when Ashley did it. Didn’t like it when Sedona did it. Fully supportive of someone moving on if the fit isn’t good, but will always respect Celeste for how she handled it.

Absolutely.

 

[Born in ATX]

Mea Culpa​

Yeah, that really stood out to me too. Do ya'll think someone might have said something about the "it never means as much to them as it does to us" comment?

 

[JoeDallas]

I would prefer if Vic kept his negativity in the locker room rather than in the media room, but that might be a me thing. The whole “it’s on me” fell flat and insincere. He’s sitting there next to a young woman who just pulled down 15 rebounds, including 10 offensive and he could barely throw her a compliment. Maybe that’s the way to motivate, but I don’t like it playing out in public. Not saying it’s not true. But Jones seems to agree so what do I know?

I completely agree with you. And I agree that his taking responsibility fell very flat. He always throws that in, when he is really furious at his players. I loved it when a press member asked him, if was "on him," what was he going to change. (He didn't seem to find anything he was going to change, chew them out even harder, I guess.). They were very unfocused tonight. I would not agree that they didn't play hard. It was at least partly up to him, the coach, to make the adjustments to what Tech was doing. Tech had amazing 3 point shooting. You can't always stop that. And you can't always make your shots go in. They weren't missing on purpose.What does he mean by "playing cool?" To be so furious sitting there with the two players had outstanding games, completely off key. Taylor was in a tough spot. She didn't have much choice but to agree with him. Nancy Lieberman talked one time about the differences in Pat Summit and Jody Conradt. She said Pat would chew you out, but Jody didn't do that, which she seemed to appreciate.

 

[STHAustin]

I guess I'm too soft, but I don't like to hear Vic talk this way about his players at the press conferences. I'm sure he'd already chewed them out in the locker room, and then two players who played well had to sit and listen to him blast their team in front of the press. After a game they won. Taylor handled herself much better than Vic did, in my opinion. I had a hard time listening to the whole thing.

 

[Run Pincher]

I guess I'm too soft, but I don't like to hear Vic talk this way about his players at the press conferences. I'm sure he'd already chewed them out in the locker room, and then two players who played well had to sit and listen to him blast their team in front of the press. After a game they won. Taylor handled herself much better than Vic did, in my opinion. I had a hard time listening to the whole thing.

Me too, I guess. But I've read plenty of books on motivation and if I've learn anything I've learned encouragement is 10x more powerful than criticism.

 

[justabbfan]

Glad Vic backed down somewhat in the next day media availability interview. The initial post game presser was so negative and ugly that I felt embarrassed for Mina and Taylor having to sit there and listen to him rant. I hope he also apologized to the team and coaches.

 

[GoHorns22]

If you are going to use the parental analogy, kids do better encouragement, than they do with anger and negativity. I find adults do also.
Relative to the game, I was hoping Vic would try a zone defense against Tech to see if it might slow their offense. I can't imagine their 3 pt. shooting being any better against the zone.

 

[brnkj]

If you are going to use the parental analogy, kids do better encouragement, than they do with anger and negativity. I find adults do also.
Relative to the game, I was hoping Vic would try a zone defense against Tech to see if it might slow their offense. I can't imagine their 3 pt. shooting being any better against the zone.

I feel that a 3-2 matchup zone would have been very effective... especially considering that Tech had no size inside. It irritates me that he is so stubborn when it comes to defense.

 

[flash34]

Horns #1 seed in new bracket per Crème.

 

[WCBBNUT]

I feel that a 3-2 matchup zone would have been very effective... especially considering that Tech had no size inside. It irritates me that he is so stubborn when it comes to defense.

And yet a couple of games ago he said he was going to use more zone. It’s all confusing at this point and yet here we sit as a potential one seed.

 

[STHAustin]

The Thursday media availability was certainly an improvement over the post-game press conference. I would imagine that Vic would be especially troubled by the comparison to Augie Garrido's famous rant, which was laced with profanity. Vic said he didn't think the comparison was fair, but in a way I think Vic's press conference performance was worse. At the time of Augie's rant it was between him and his players and it occurred after a humiliating loss. Of course, it later became public in a big way-- it was included in the documentary about Augie and was all over the internet. I felt that Vic was criticizing the character of his team to the media, not just that they had a poor performance. And that team has already shown a lot of competitiveness and character, in my opinion.

 

[brnkj]

And yet a couple of games ago he said he was going to use more zone. It’s all confusing at this point and yet here we sit as a potential one seed.

I think the reason I understand Vic the way I do (other than the refusal to switch up defenses was totally baffles me) is because I see the games the same way he does. Yes, at the end of the day, a W is a W. But, like Vic, I see all the little details that aren't being paid proper attention that could cost us a game(s) against stiffer competition. I get especially annoyed when the same mistakes you're being made repeatedly. I was coached the same way Vic coaches his players, and when I coached I did it the same way. That's probably why I get where he's coming from.

 

[UrsusArctos]

Burning bridges is so short sighted but also on brand for a teen/early 20’s individual. Didn’t like it when Ashley did it. Didn’t like it when Sedona did it. Fully supportive of someone moving on if the fit isn’t good, but will always respect Celeste for how she handled it.

Three levels of this for me. 1. leave and bad mouth the team. 2. Quit on the team and leave before the season’s done (Faye). 3. Make a logical assessment of your playing time going forward (or whatever you don’t like) and transfer after the seasons done. 1. Shut up, 2. Grow up, 3. I wish you all the best. Thank you for your service.

 

[UTSUgrad]

If Faye leaves the program citing "mental health" and taking potshots at our team and coaches, then yes.

@brnkj cited Celeste, who also left, but who didn't badmouth Texas on her way to Duke. I don't think there is a single person here who has ill will towards her because she did what she thought she had to do, and was classy about it.

Website says Faye wants to be a doctor. Maybe she just wants to study and get on with her life, perhaps return to Senegal. Vic's coaching is probably good preparation for the stress of medical school ...

 

[WCBBNUT]

Three levels of this for me. 1. leave and bad mouth the team. 2. Quit on the team and leave before the season’s done (Faye). 3. Make a logical assessment of your playing time going forward (or whatever you don’t like) and transfer after the seasons done. 1. Shut up, 2. Grow up, 3. I wish you all the best. Thank you for your service.

Not sure if that’s what is going on with Faye, but that seems to be what happened with Hunter. That said, I try to remind myself that we have no clue what might be happening for them personally. UT isn’t an easy school. Family issues can happen. It could be any number of things. They owe me nothing. It’s between them and their coach and teammates.

On a lighter note, I remember a Hall of Fame coach tell me over lunch many moons ago, “It’s not like I can tell the media that half of my starters are on their period this week!” LOL

 

[Sangre Naranjada]

On a lighter note, I remember a Hall of Fame coach tell me over lunch many moons ago, “It’s not like I can tell the media that half of my starters are on their period this week!” LOL

This was a real problem when I was coaching HS girls. You had to be a little more careful and understanding with "up and down" performances at that level, because you couldn't just make assumptions about whatever outside influence was impacting them. Could've been boyfriend troubles, general drama at home, biological issues, etc.

With that said, once a player gets to the high NCAA level of competition, they have had more than enough time and personal coaching to learn how to balance these issues with the need to be relentless and focused on the athletic task at hand. (Freshmen may still need an adjustment period - no pun intended whatsoever.)

 

[WCBBNUT]

This was a real problem when I was coaching HS girls. You had to be a little more careful and understanding with "up and down" performances at that level, because you couldn't just make assumptions about whatever outside influence was impacting them. Could've been boyfriend troubles, general drama at home, biological issues, etc.

With that said, once a player gets to the high NCAA level of competition, they have had more than enough time and personal coaching to learn how to balance these issues with the need to be relentless and focused on the athletic task at hand. (Freshmen may still need an adjustment period - no pun intended whatsoever.)

The brain isn’t fully developed until 24-26. Most of us did stupid things in our youth. I know I did and I sure as hell know my daughter did.

 

[UTSUgrad]

It's just hard to cope with the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune* until you have lived a while.

*Thank you, UT English Dept and W.Shakespeare.