Womens BBall coach turns down WNIT bid

[pick6pedro]

I haven't once mentioned recruiting rankings. Maybe that's a separate argument you need to have with OJ.

I guess mentioning "one higher rated recruiting class", "lesser recruits", and "greater recruits" in a sentence has nothing to do with recruiting rankings. Great work brach. Still drunk from Patty's Day?

[bignick33]

Not to interrupt the , but here is the Heights article about the Women's team turning down the bid.

BC Declines WNIT Bid
Crawley, DeFelippo Cite Lack Of Team Unity, Not Finances
By Adam Rose

For The Heights

| Published: Thursday, March 18, 2010

Updated: Thursday, March 18, 2010

Little did the seniors of the Boston College women’s basketball team know that they had played their last game in their semifinal loss to NC State in the ACC tournament.

The Eagles were on the outside looking in for the NCAA Tournament once again. As the team waited to hear where it would be headed in the Women’s NIT, though, disappointment began to fill the room. After the results were announced and the Eagles were not included, head coach Sylvia Crawley informed the team that it would not accept a bid to the NIT and notified the players that their season had come to an end.

“I really wanted our team to make it to the NCAA tournament,” Crawley said. “Now they’ve got motivation for the offseason.”

For the seniors, this announcement came as a shock. Ayla Brown, visibly displeased when asked about the decision not to accept the NIT bid, refused to comment. “I don’t think you really want to ask me questions about this,” she said.

For the second straight year in Crawley’s tenure, the team anxiously sat in the locker room watching the NCAA Tournament Selection Show, hoping it would hear its name called to compete in the Big Dance. Once again, though, the selection committee denied the Eagles.

“I was surprised,” Crawley said. “I was really hoping it would be enough.”

The “it” she referred to includes an impressive resume. Crawley’s team defeated eight top-50 teams, four of which are ranked in the top 25. The Eagles also reached the semifinals of the ACC championship for the first time in program history.

The team’s 17-15 record, however, may have cost it that bid, as the Eagles dropped four of their last five regular season games against last-place teams Virginia Tech and Miami. Only once in the past decade has a team with only two more wins than losses made the tournament.

Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo and Crawley talked the morning after the loss about the prospect of rejecting a WNIT invitation. “We talked and determined that it was best for our program,” DeFilippo said. “We didn’t want to send a team to the tournament if they all didn’t want to be there.”

Crawley affirmed this claim. “Obviously the seniors wanted another game, but others were torn on their desire to play,” she said.

DeFilippo also denied that the refusal of the NIT bid had anything to do with finances. “Finances did not motivate this decision at all,” DeFilippo said. “Not at all.”

Although the decision was made before the team made it home from the ACC championship, Crawley did not inform the players until Monday night. The team will now disperse for a few weeks, and Crawley is looking toward the future.

“We’ll lose leadership from our seniors, but we’re very excited about this incoming class,” Crawley said. ESPN ranks BC’s incoming class as 11th best in the country.
“This year taught me to seize the moment,” Crawley said. “Live each day and play each day as your last.”

BC’s last day came just a few weeks before most expected.

[twballgame9]

Pedro is fucking owning this thread.

[branchinator]

I haven't once mentioned recruiting rankings. Maybe that's a separate argument you need to have with OJ.

I guess mentioning "one higher rated recruiting class", "lesser recruits", and "greater recruits" in a sentence has nothing to do with recruiting rankings. Great work brach. Still drunk from Patty's Day?

I had to use your lingo to answer your dumb, pointless argument. I never once brought recruiting rankings up unprovoked, which was my point. For the record, I could care less about recruiting rankings. I don't care if Troy Bell is 2 stars and Tyler Roche is 4 stars or whatever. All I judge is what I see on the floor, which is why I was asking if you think that a recruiting class of Roche (shitty spot up shooter)/Kaba (shitty combo guard)/Spears (6'4 PF with no athleticism) is acceptable after a great run of success?

On paper, the 2007 recruiting class was fine. You had a 6'10 guy in Southern who had some skill entering the program, a wing with physical talent in Sanders, a quality role player in Raji, a flyer on a project big in Dunn, and a capable point guard prospect in Paris. Like I said, it didn't work out because it's my opinion that these players don't have the necessary drive to significantly improve. Or they're not being "coached up". Every single player with the exception of Dunn has shown me something during their time at BC. There isn't a star in the group but they all should have played far better than they did this year with the exception of Raji who was fine. So, why didn't they reach their potential under Skinner?

[bignick33]

On paper, the 2007 recruiting class was fine.

Wait, I thought you don't care about what recruiting classes are like on paper...you said you only judge them based on how they turn out.

[branchinator]

On paper, the 2007 recruiting class was fine.

Wait, I thought you don't care about what recruiting classes are like on paper...you said you only judge them based on how they turn out.

No, I said I judge them based on what I see on the floor (when they join the team) and not how they "turn out". Reading is fun. When all those guys joined the program, you could tell there was some physical talent and/or skill. But they've regressed. Southern wasn't nearly as bad his freshman year as he was this year.

[twballgame9]

On paper, the 2007 recruiting class was fine.

Wait, I thought you don't care about what recruiting classes are like on paper...you said you only judge them based on how they turn out.

No, I said I judge them based on what I see on the floor (when they join the team) and not how they "turn out". Reading is fun. When all those guys joined the program, you could tell there was some physical talent and/or skill. But they've regressed. Southern wasn't nearly as bad his freshman year as he was this year.

You are getting owned here. You don't even realize it, but you are making Pedro's point that you think is stupid.

[branchinator]

Nope. People are trying to put words into my mouth. It's a classic strategy on this board.

[bignick33]

Nope. People are trying to put words into my mouth. It's a classic strategy on this board.

It's too easy. But I don't really have a dog in this fight, so I'll keep my mouth shut and get back to the topic at hand.

Crawley is mean. Go Nags!!!

[pick6pedro]

I had to use your lingo to answer your dumb, pointless argument.

This is where you went all wrong - there was no argument there. It was a clearly phrased question.

I never once brought recruiting rankings up unprovoked, which was my point.

Who cares about not being the one to bring it up? I said you guys were getting caught up in that part of the question - and you did because your response was focused on recruiting.

All I judge is what I see on the floor, which is why I was asking if you think that a recruiting class of Roche (shitty spot up shooter)/Kaba (shitty combo guard)/Spears (6'4 PF with no athleticism) is acceptable after a great run of success?

No, it's not acceptable. That I believe this has been clear the entire time. As has been the fact that I've said these more highly recruited guys have sucked. You're too busy trying to wage war to notice.

[Eagledom]

I had to use your lingo to answer your dumb, pointless argument.

This is where you went all wrong - there was no argument there. It was a clearly phrased question.

I never once brought recruiting rankings up unprovoked, which was my point.

Who cares about not being the one to bring it up? I said you guys were getting caught up in that part of the question - and you did because your response was focused on recruiting.

All I judge is what I see on the floor, which is why I was asking if you think that a recruiting class of Roche (shitty spot up shooter)/Kaba (shitty combo guard)/Spears (6'4 PF with no athleticism) is acceptable after a great run of success?

No, it's not acceptable. That I believe this has been clear the entire time. As has been the fact that I've said these more highly recruited guys have sucked. You're too busy trying to wage war to notice.

Pedro is being an idiot. The whole point of this thread was that Al's recruiting has sucked the past 6 years. If you disagree, please explain. If not, then STFU.

[pick6pedro]

I had to use your lingo to answer your dumb, pointless argument.

This is where you went all wrong - there was no argument there. It was a clearly phrased question.

I never once brought recruiting rankings up unprovoked, which was my point.

Who cares about not being the one to bring it up? I said you guys were getting caught up in that part of the question - and you did because your response was focused on recruiting.

All I judge is what I see on the floor, which is why I was asking if you think that a recruiting class of Roche (shitty spot up shooter)/Kaba (shitty combo guard)/Spears (6'4 PF with no athleticism) is acceptable after a great run of success?

No, it's not acceptable. That I believe this has been clear the entire time. As has been the fact that I've said these more highly recruited guys have sucked. You're too busy trying to wage war to notice.

Pedro is being an idiot. The whole point of this thread was that Al's recruiting has sucked the past 6 years. If you disagree, please explain. If not, then STFU.

The whole point of the women's team turning down an NIT bid is that Al's recruiting sucked the past 6 years? Never change, OJ. Never change.

[Eagledom]

I had to use your lingo to answer your dumb, pointless argument.

This is where you went all wrong - there was no argument there. It was a clearly phrased question.

I never once brought recruiting rankings up unprovoked, which was my point.

Who cares about not being the one to bring it up? I said you guys were getting caught up in that part of the question - and you did because your response was focused on recruiting.

All I judge is what I see on the floor, which is why I was asking if you think that a recruiting class of Roche (shitty spot up shooter)/Kaba (shitty combo guard)/Spears (6'4 PF with no athleticism) is acceptable after a great run of success?

No, it's not acceptable. That I believe this has been clear the entire time. As has been the fact that I've said these more highly recruited guys have sucked. You're too busy trying to wage war to notice.

Pedro is being an idiot. The whole point of this thread was that Al's recruiting has sucked the past 6 years. If you disagree, please explain. If not, then STFU.

The whole point of the women's team turning down an NIT bid is that Al's recruiting sucked the past 6 years? Never change, OJ. Never change.

Don't be an idiot. The whole point of where this thread has focused the past 50 fucking posts.....

[pick6pedro]

Pedro is being an idiot. The whole point of this thread was that Al's recruiting has sucked the past 6 years. If you disagree, please explain. If not, then STFU.

The whole point of the women's team turning down an NIT bid is that Al's recruiting sucked the past 6 years? Never change, OJ. Never change.

Don't be an idiot. The whole point of where this thread has focused the past 50 fucking posts.....

Then say that tweedle dicklicker. Now I see: I'm not allowed to question why the recruiting has sucked and point out the irony of the recruiting rankings versus results. All I am allowed to do is agree or disagree and if I disagree then explain. Thanks for the clarification on the rules.

[bignick33]

I had to use your lingo to answer your dumb, pointless argument.

This is where you went all wrong - there was no argument there. It was a clearly phrased question.

I never once brought recruiting rankings up unprovoked, which was my point.

Who cares about not being the one to bring it up? I said you guys were getting caught up in that part of the question - and you did because your response was focused on recruiting.

All I judge is what I see on the floor, which is why I was asking if you think that a recruiting class of Roche (shitty spot up shooter)/Kaba (shitty combo guard)/Spears (6'4 PF with no athleticism) is acceptable after a great run of success?

No, it's not acceptable. That I believe this has been clear the entire time. As has been the fact that I've said these more highly recruited guys have sucked. You're too busy trying to wage war to notice.

Pedro is being an idiot. The whole point of this thread was that Al's recruiting has sucked the past 6 years. If you disagree, please explain. If not, then STFU.

The whole point of the women's team turning down an NIT bid is that Al's recruiting sucked the past 6 years? Never change, OJ. Never change.

Don't be an idiot. The whole point of where this thread has focused the past 50 fucking posts.....

The focus of the thread changed because you retardedly claimed that recruiting women's players to BC is the same as recruiting men's players. Never change OJ.

[bcsoxfan12]

A few thoughts on the recruiting topic that caused us to go in an opposite direction from the topic of this thread: How many times do we hear about a recruits “potential”, but the number one reason that they get recruited out of high school is based on results first and “potential” second. Just because someone has “potential” doesn’t mean they’re going to develop into the player you expect(Insert appropriate names both positive and negative) As far as I’m concerned one of the most important jobs of a coach the obvious in game responsibilities etc. is to develop his players and help them live out their potential, Al did this to some degree in the past….but how do you explain this group of mostly JR players not improving

[EaglesTalon]

All I need to know about recruiting, I learned from this board.

If Al recruits a guy with few stars and/or few offers from good schools who turns out to be an NBA draft pick, Al sucks because he got lucky.
If Al recruits a guy with lots of stars and/or lots of offers from good schools that doesn't pan out, Al sucks because he should have known that the player was overrated.

[bcsoxfan12]

Not to interrupt the , but here is the Heights article about the Women's team turning down the bid.

BC Declines WNIT Bid
Crawley, DeFelippo Cite Lack Of Team Unity, Not Finances
By Adam Rose

For The Heights

| Published: Thursday, March 18, 2010

Updated: Thursday, March 18, 2010

Little did the seniors of the Boston College women’s basketball team know that they had played their last game in their semifinal loss to NC State in the ACC tournament.

The Eagles were on the outside looking in for the NCAA Tournament once again. As the team waited to hear where it would be headed in the Women’s NIT, though, disappointment began to fill the room. After the results were announced and the Eagles were not included, head coach Sylvia Crawley informed the team that it would not accept a bid to the NIT and notified the players that their season had come to an end.

“I really wanted our team to make it to the NCAA tournament,” Crawley said. “Now they’ve got motivation for the offseason.”

For the seniors, this announcement came as a shock. Ayla Brown, visibly displeased when asked about the decision not to accept the NIT bid, refused to comment. “I don’t think you really want to ask me questions about this,” she said.

For the second straight year in Crawley’s tenure, the team anxiously sat in the locker room watching the NCAA Tournament Selection Show, hoping it would hear its name called to compete in the Big Dance. Once again, though, the selection committee denied the Eagles.

“I was surprised,” Crawley said. “I was really hoping it would be enough.”

The “it” she referred to includes an impressive resume. Crawley’s team defeated eight top-50 teams, four of which are ranked in the top 25. The Eagles also reached the semifinals of the ACC championship for the first time in program history.

The team’s 17-15 record, however, may have cost it that bid, as the Eagles dropped four of their last five regular season games against last-place teams Virginia Tech and Miami. Only once in the past decade has a team with only two more wins than losses made the tournament.

Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo and Crawley talked the morning after the loss about the prospect of rejecting a WNIT invitation. “We talked and determined that it was best for our program,” DeFilippo said. “We didn’t want to send a team to the tournament if they all didn’t want to be there.”

Crawley affirmed this claim. “Obviously the seniors wanted another game, but others were torn on their desire to play,” she said.

DeFilippo also denied that the refusal of the NIT bid had anything to do with finances. “Finances did not motivate this decision at all,” DeFilippo said. “Not at all.”

Although the decision was made before the team made it home from the ACC championship, Crawley did not inform the players until Monday night. The team will now disperse for a few weeks, and Crawley is looking toward the future.

“We’ll lose leadership from our seniors, but we’re very excited about this incoming class,” Crawley said. ESPN ranks BC’s incoming class as 11th best in the country.
“This year taught me to seize the moment,” Crawley said. “Live each day and play each day as your last.”

BC’s last day came just a few weeks before most expected.

Getting back to the original topic and the Heights article I think Crawley dropped the ball on the WNIT. Crawley affirmed this claim. “Obviously the seniors wanted another game, but others were torn on their desire to play,” she said. “This year taught me to seize the moment,” Crawley said. “Live each day and play each day as your last.”


I’m sorry why didn’t she “seize the moment”, allow her younger players who will be moving into a leadership role with next years #11 incoming class and build on this year for next year? Not to mention the women’s team made it to the semi-finals of the NIT last year, why not try and win it this year. GDF said $$$ didn’t play a role uh huh, he would have to spring for an adjustment to the women’s NIT banner….not to mention the embarrassment of Al’s team sitting at home while the women’s team at least made it into the post-season.

[Eagledom]

I had to use your lingo to answer your dumb, pointless argument.

This is where you went all wrong - there was no argument there. It was a clearly phrased question.

I never once brought recruiting rankings up unprovoked, which was my point.

Who cares about not being the one to bring it up? I said you guys were getting caught up in that part of the question - and you did because your response was focused on recruiting.

All I judge is what I see on the floor, which is why I was asking if you think that a recruiting class of Roche (shitty spot up shooter)/Kaba (shitty combo guard)/Spears (6'4 PF with no athleticism) is acceptable after a great run of success?

No, it's not acceptable. That I believe this has been clear the entire time. As has been the fact that I've said these more highly recruited guys have sucked. You're too busy trying to wage war to notice.

Pedro is being an idiot. The whole point of this thread was that Al's recruiting has sucked the past 6 years. If you disagree, please explain. If not, then STFU.

The whole point of the women's team turning down an NIT bid is that Al's recruiting sucked the past 6 years? Never change, OJ. Never change.

Don't be an idiot. The whole point of where this thread has focused the past 50 fucking posts.....

The focus of the thread changed because you retardedly claimed that recruiting women's players to BC is the same as recruiting men's players. Never change OJ.

Oops...try again.

[Eagledom]

Difference between her and Al is that this coach is going out and recruiting...3 top 100 players next year including # 10 and the # 7 in 2011 already committed...I might just switch to womens basketball...on second thought....naaaa

the #7 recruit is from CA making it even more impressive. Why cant the mens team do this...(Al Skinner)

3 top 100 players. I had no idea, and don't care about women's hoops, but for everyone that says BC has recruiting disadvantegs - if the women can get players like this, the men's team should b able to also....if we had a coach that could actually recruit, that is.

maybe you should try again, juice.

let me guess, you're not racist either...

From Page 1 of this thread:

"Not quite. There are differences in recruiting in mens vs womens hoops and differences in what a lot of the elite recruits are looking for in a school. But if the women's team can get 3 of the top 100 recruits in the country and 2 of the top 10, there's no reason Al shouldn't be able to get better recruits than we have over the past 6 years....the school has enough seeling points to get high quality recruits. Easier in women's hoops? Maybe. But these selling points are enough to bring better men's hoops recruits to BC, too."

The Al apologists think Al has recruited just great because you can't expect BC to do any better, so they argue this basic point - AL'S RECRUITING HAS SUCKED FOR 6 STRAIGHT YEARS.

[weinerdog]

Not to interrupt the , but here is the Heights article about the Women's team turning down the bid.

BC Declines WNIT Bid
Crawley, DeFelippo Cite Lack Of Team Unity, Not Finances
By Adam Rose

For The Heights

| Published: Thursday, March 18, 2010

Updated: Thursday, March 18, 2010

Little did the seniors of the Boston College women’s basketball team know that they had played their last game in their semifinal loss to NC State in the ACC tournament.

The Eagles were on the outside looking in for the NCAA Tournament once again. As the team waited to hear where it would be headed in the Women’s NIT, though, disappointment began to fill the room. After the results were announced and the Eagles were not included, head coach Sylvia Crawley informed the team that it would not accept a bid to the NIT and notified the players that their season had come to an end.

“I really wanted our team to make it to the NCAA tournament,” Crawley said. “Now they’ve got motivation for the offseason.”

For the seniors, this announcement came as a shock. Ayla Brown, visibly displeased when asked about the decision not to accept the NIT bid, refused to comment. “I don’t think you really want to ask me questions about this,” she said.

For the second straight year in Crawley’s tenure, the team anxiously sat in the locker room watching the NCAA Tournament Selection Show, hoping it would hear its name called to compete in the Big Dance. Once again, though, the selection committee denied the Eagles.

“I was surprised,” Crawley said. “I was really hoping it would be enough.”

The “it” she referred to includes an impressive resume. Crawley’s team defeated eight top-50 teams, four of which are ranked in the top 25. The Eagles also reached the semifinals of the ACC championship for the first time in program history.

The team’s 17-15 record, however, may have cost it that bid, as the Eagles dropped four of their last five regular season games against last-place teams Virginia Tech and Miami. Only once in the past decade has a team with only two more wins than losses made the tournament.

Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo and Crawley talked the morning after the loss about the prospect of rejecting a WNIT invitation. “We talked and determined that it was best for our program,” DeFilippo said. “We didn’t want to send a team to the tournament if they all didn’t want to be there.”

Crawley affirmed this claim. “Obviously the seniors wanted another game, but others were torn on their desire to play,” she said.

DeFilippo also denied that the refusal of the NIT bid had anything to do with finances. “Finances did not motivate this decision at all,” DeFilippo said. “Not at all.”

Although the decision was made before the team made it home from the ACC championship, Crawley did not inform the players until Monday night. The team will now disperse for a few weeks, and Crawley is looking toward the future.

“We’ll lose leadership from our seniors, but we’re very excited about this incoming class,” Crawley said. ESPN ranks BC’s incoming class as 11th best in the country.
“This year taught me to seize the moment,” Crawley said. “Live each day and play each day as your last.”

BC’s last day came just a few weeks before most expected.

Getting back to the original topic and the Heights article I think Crawley dropped the ball on the WNIT. Crawley affirmed this claim. “Obviously the seniors wanted another game, but others were torn on their desire to play,” she said. “This year taught me to seize the moment,” Crawley said. “Live each day and play each day as your last.”


I’m sorry why didn’t she “seize the moment”, allow her younger players who will be moving into a leadership role with next years #11 incoming class and build on this year for next year? Not to mention the women’s team made it to the semi-finals of the NIT last year, why not try and win it this year. GDF said $$$ didn’t play a role uh huh, he would have to spring for an adjustment to the women’s NIT banner….not to mention the embarrassment of Al’s team sitting at home while the women’s team at least made it into the post-season.

I agree, soxfan. (I wonder if there's maybe a more fitting thread out there where we can discuss this fringe issue of the women's coach turning down a WNIT bid!)

I think she's unfairly throwing her team under the bus. They were not showing a "lack of desire" or quitting on the season. The *coach* is. The players progressed from an unimaginably atrocious start to one with a three-game win streak against ranked teams. They recovered from a couple other three-game slumps, too. Less motivated teams would have packed it in on November 23, or January 30, or February 22. So they lost games down the stretch of the regular season, two of them against teams under them in the standings. Yes, but they were all tight games, three on the road, against teams that did not exactly suck. Losing a close ACC tournament semifinal is not the circumstance to pull the drastic "let's see how this motivates them" gimmick. Let the players build on the late-season successes, on the ACC tourney success. If they flop in the WNIT tourney, use THAT as your offseason motivator. But there is no more blatant way of "quitting on the season" than actually cancelling the rest of the season, which she effectively did by declining the tournament bid.

What a bitch.

[twballgame9]

The juice is still getting owned.

[EaglesTalon]

The juice is still getting owned.

C'mon, Eagledom and OJ are two completely different people, that just so happen to post from the exact same work and home IP addresses.

But I do love the similarities in the way they argue:

Post: The Sky is Green
get called out on saying the sky is green
Post again: The Sky is blue

and if someone calls you out again for you calling the sky green, you can point to another post of yours that says the sky is blue.

Really interesting how two completely different people routinely use the same way of weaseling out of their own bullshit. It's almost like they're the same guy.

[bcsoxfan12]

Not to interrupt the , but here is the Heights article about the Women's team turning down the bid.

BC Declines WNIT Bid
Crawley, DeFelippo Cite Lack Of Team Unity, Not Finances
By Adam Rose

For The Heights

| Published: Thursday, March 18, 2010

Updated: Thursday, March 18, 2010

Little did the seniors of the Boston College women’s basketball team know that they had played their last game in their semifinal loss to NC State in the ACC tournament.

The Eagles were on the outside looking in for the NCAA Tournament once again. As the team waited to hear where it would be headed in the Women’s NIT, though, disappointment began to fill the room. After the results were announced and the Eagles were not included, head coach Sylvia Crawley informed the team that it would not accept a bid to the NIT and notified the players that their season had come to an end.

“I really wanted our team to make it to the NCAA tournament,” Crawley said. “Now they’ve got motivation for the offseason.”

For the seniors, this announcement came as a shock. Ayla Brown, visibly displeased when asked about the decision not to accept the NIT bid, refused to comment. “I don’t think you really want to ask me questions about this,” she said.

For the second straight year in Crawley’s tenure, the team anxiously sat in the locker room watching the NCAA Tournament Selection Show, hoping it would hear its name called to compete in the Big Dance. Once again, though, the selection committee denied the Eagles.

“I was surprised,” Crawley said. “I was really hoping it would be enough.”

The “it” she referred to includes an impressive resume. Crawley’s team defeated eight top-50 teams, four of which are ranked in the top 25. The Eagles also reached the semifinals of the ACC championship for the first time in program history.

The team’s 17-15 record, however, may have cost it that bid, as the Eagles dropped four of their last five regular season games against last-place teams Virginia Tech and Miami. Only once in the past decade has a team with only two more wins than losses made the tournament.

Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo and Crawley talked the morning after the loss about the prospect of rejecting a WNIT invitation. “We talked and determined that it was best for our program,” DeFilippo said. “We didn’t want to send a team to the tournament if they all didn’t want to be there.”

Crawley affirmed this claim. “Obviously the seniors wanted another game, but others were torn on their desire to play,” she said.

DeFilippo also denied that the refusal of the NIT bid had anything to do with finances. “Finances did not motivate this decision at all,” DeFilippo said. “Not at all.”

Although the decision was made before the team made it home from the ACC championship, Crawley did not inform the players until Monday night. The team will now disperse for a few weeks, and Crawley is looking toward the future.

“We’ll lose leadership from our seniors, but we’re very excited about this incoming class,” Crawley said. ESPN ranks BC’s incoming class as 11th best in the country.
“This year taught me to seize the moment,” Crawley said. “Live each day and play each day as your last.”

BC’s last day came just a few weeks before most expected.

Getting back to the original topic and the Heights article I think Crawley dropped the ball on the WNIT. Crawley affirmed this claim. “Obviously the seniors wanted another game, but others were torn on their desire to play,” she said. “This year taught me to seize the moment,” Crawley said. “Live each day and play each day as your last.”


I’m sorry why didn’t she “seize the moment”, allow her younger players who will be moving into a leadership role with next years #11 incoming class and build on this year for next year? Not to mention the women’s team made it to the semi-finals of the NIT last year, why not try and win it this year. GDF said $$$ didn’t play a role uh huh, he would have to spring for an adjustment to the women’s NIT banner….not to mention the embarrassment of Al’s team sitting at home while the women’s team at least made it into the post-season.

I agree, soxfan. (I wonder if there's maybe a more fitting thread out there where we can discuss this fringe issue of the women's coach turning down a WNIT bid!)

I think she's unfairly throwing her team under the bus. They were not showing a "lack of desire" or quitting on the season. The *coach* is. The players progressed from an unimaginably atrocious start to one with a three-game win streak against ranked teams. They recovered from a couple other three-game slumps, too. Less motivated teams would have packed it in on November 23, or January 30, or February 22. So they lost games down the stretch of the regular season, two of them against teams under them in the standings. Yes, but they were all tight games, three on the road, against teams that did not exactly suck. Losing a close ACC tournament semifinal is not the circumstance to pull the drastic "let's see how this motivates them" gimmick. Let the players build on the late-season successes, on the ACC tourney success. If they flop in the WNIT tourney, use THAT as your offseason motivator. But there is no more blatant way of "quitting on the season" than actually cancelling the rest of the season, which she effectively did by declining the tournament bid.

What a bitch.

Well I thought the original point of this thread was for that before it veered off in another direction. Obviously the men’s team get the priority and rightly so. Nice to see a coach that holds herself and her team to high standards, but I agree she really threw the team under the bus. I know she has experience success both as a player and assistant coach at UNC, maybe that played into her decision. The NCAA tourney is obviously the main focus of the program, however I think she made a mistake turning down the NIT. Maybe she didn’t want a two year Nit blemish on her coaching record, I don’t know......I second that What a bitch

[ObserverCollege]

I think she's unfairly throwing her team under the bus. They were not showing a "lack of desire" or quitting on the season. The *coach* is. The players progressed from an unimaginably atrocious start to one with a three-game win streak against ranked teams. They recovered from a couple other three-game slumps, too. Less motivated teams would have packed it in on November 23, or January 30, or February 22. So they lost games down the stretch of the regular season, two of them against teams under them in the standings. Yes, but they were all tight games, three on the road, against teams that did not exactly suck. Losing a close ACC tournament semifinal is not the circumstance to pull the drastic "let's see how this motivates them" gimmick. Let the players build on the late-season successes, on the ACC tourney success. If they flop in the WNIT tourney, use THAT as your offseason motivator. But there is no more blatant way of "quitting on the season" than actually cancelling the rest of the season, which she effectively did by declining the tournament bid.

What a bitch.

Well I thought the original point of this thread was for that before it veered off in another direction. Obviously the men’s team get the priority and rightly so. Nice to see a coach that holds herself and her team to high standards, but I agree she really threw the team under the bus. I know she has experience success both as a player and assistant coach at UNC, maybe that played into her decision. The NCAA tourney is obviously the main focus of the program, however I think she made a mistake turning down the NIT. Maybe she didn’t want a two year Nit blemish on her coaching record, I don’t know......I second that What a bitch

You guys are fools. Anyone who knows what matters in college basketball and cares for quality coaches who want to rise above the mid-major stench of a program like yours truly appreciates this decision. If you're going to recruit at the uppermost levels, you have to show respect to your top-level recruits--the ones who will bring in more recruits.

OK, Ayla Brown and the other seniors wanted to play. But really, so what? Recruiting season is over. The 2011 recruits won't be visiting campus until next year, so Brown won't be legally permitted to host them. Not to mention maybe Brown should have thought a little more about her coach rather than her father this fall when she had to chance to show some commitment.

As far as the players, I've heard the arguments that a team should want to play each possible game , that they should lay it on the line , and that the coach should want to spend every possible moment coaching them up and seeking each possible opportunity to improve . But, you know, does Crawley really want to be associated with the WNIT two seasons in a row? Crawley never appeared in the WNIT while she played on Tobacco Road. But, you know, last season it was early in her tenure last season so she said:

All right, fine, you juniors want to play in some meaningless tournament when I could be networking at the coaches' convention, but I'll go along if it means that much to you.

Then when BC dropped out in the WNIT semis, she said:

Now did any of you ever watch Say Anything? Why did those guys sit and drink at the Gas n' Sip rather than score with chicks? Because it was their choice. But since you played in the WNIT and lost, we can't claim that we belonged in the NCAA Tournament. Congratulations, losers.

Get to this year, and Coach Crawley's words stuck with the players. Not the mediocrities that Inglese brought in, but the real talents. Those who had some sense that, you know, why waste coaching time on a possible loss in the WNIT? Why not say we should have been in the tourney and that we're too good for the WNIT? Coach Crawley needs to recharge her batteries to bring in another top recruiting class, and she shouldn't waste her energy traveling to Austin or whatever podunk town hosts WNIT games. Perhaps the seniors were too selfish to figure this out, but luckily somebody realized that a pleasant vacation schmoozing with fellow coaches and with recruits is a lot more important than time in Power Gym.

Instead of worrying about yourself and your classmates, think about that when you're warming up on the White House basketball court, Ayla.

[BCEagle74]

Fuck GDF and SC.

Those Senior girls went through 4 years of practice and their votes should count not SC's and the new brats.

Disgrace.

Disrepsectful to the Senior Girls.

[Dirtywater]

I don't understand. We have never won the WNIT. And that should have been a good enough reason to accept. This decision was arrogant and immature. I am amazed that GDF went along with this - but he was probably frightened by the whole experience - what a little weenie.