Notre Dame wins Big East reg season and Tourney by beating UConn three times this season and then lose to them in the Final Four. My nightmare with UNC.
<devildeac> anyone playing drinking games by now?
7:49:36<Wander> drink every qb run?
7:49:38<loran16> umm, drink every time asack rushes?
7:49:38<wolfybeard> @devildeac: drink when Asack runs a keeper
7:49:39 PM<CB&B> any time zack runs, drink
Carolina Delenda Est
Thanks for bringing that memory back. While you're at it, why don't you give me a nice paper cut and pour lemon juice on it?
Everything looked like it was falling into place for Duke in that Tournament. Beat UConn in the regional final (in Bridgeport, no less); beat LSU (and the best player in women's basketball that year, Seimone Augustus) convincingly in the semifinal; build a 13-point second-half lead against Maryland in the title game -- and then, disaster.
The head scratcher play was when Duke (Waner or Bales IIRC) was guarding on the perimeter. Duke had a 3 point lead, but Maryland had the ball with under 10 seconds to go. All we had to do was defend the 3 and not foul. Toliver faked inside and Duke bit on the fake, and then Toliver stepped back and drained a three. For the life of me, I never understood why we wouldn't just let her have the baseline, as a two is not nearly as damaging as a 3 in that scenario.
I thought I'd buried that memory so deep I'd never have to relive it. Guess I was wrong.
"There can BE only one."
Didn't mean to bring back bad memories; just was pointing out that what ND just experienced was something Duke already had.
<devildeac> anyone playing drinking games by now?
7:49:36<Wander> drink every qb run?
7:49:38<loran16> umm, drink every time asack rushes?
7:49:38<wolfybeard> @devildeac: drink when Asack runs a keeper
7:49:39 PM<CB&B> any time zack runs, drink
Carolina Delenda Est
I know -- I was just recalling the moment and needed to commiserate.
If I recall correctly, that was around the same time that the lacrosse scandal/hoax went nuclear. And of course, the men's team had been upset by LSU the week before, ending the careers of the JJ/Shelden/Dockery class. It was kind of a depressing time to be a Dukie -- then Fate tantalized us with a ray of hope in the women's team, before cruelly yanking the football away and kicking us while we were down.
Yep and then we went undefeated the next year only to lose to State in the ACC Tourney and Rutgers in a shocking NCAA upset. Not a good 2 year stretch for Duke athletics. Thankfully things have gotten much better since (Men's Lax Title, Men's BBall title, Bowl Game, Coach P looking like she's got the team ready for a F4 run next year...)
<devildeac> anyone playing drinking games by now?
7:49:36<Wander> drink every qb run?
7:49:38<loran16> umm, drink every time asack rushes?
7:49:38<wolfybeard> @devildeac: drink when Asack runs a keeper
7:49:39 PM<CB&B> any time zack runs, drink
Carolina Delenda Est
Just an observation or the matchup. The two coaches for the finalists are both men. Connecticut was expected to be a power by UL was really not that highly regarded going into the tournament. Do the teams play better for a male coach or some reason?
I don't think there's any great statement made by Jeff Walz in upsetting Purdue, Baylor, Tennessee, and Cal, all of which have women's coaches. I guess one might find it an interesting coincidence. It's not as if the entire coaching staff is male, after all.
Back in the day Geno Auriemma used to complain that the NCAA Selection Committee was conspiring to ghettoize male coaches by putting his Connecticut team and Andy Landers' Georgia team in the same bracket. The problem with his argument was that Georgia was an annual second fiddle in the SEC to Tennessee, so they had to be put in Connecticut's region to avoid being shipped further out to the other two regions. It was the first of many things Auriemma has said for me to consider him one of the least likeable people in sports.
Apparently they do, in the Bluegrass State.
<devildeac> anyone playing drinking games by now?
7:49:36<Wander> drink every qb run?
7:49:38<loran16> umm, drink every time asack rushes?
7:49:38<wolfybeard> @devildeac: drink when Asack runs a keeper
7:49:39 PM<CB&B> any time zack runs, drink
Carolina Delenda Est