Postseason

[jackdaniel]

After watching the whiny, poor sportsmanship mess that was the Iowa-LSU game (I know, I know... it could have been far worse still --- LSU has proven that), the UConn-USC game was a breath of fresh air. I was very impressed with all the UConn players and how they carried themselves. They of course showed their competitive frustration from time to time, but from what I saw, it always stayed in the respectful realm. Really, USC for the most part too.

My kids were already in bed, but I know for sure UConn's Qadence Samuels would have been their favorite, because she has "Minnie Mouse" ears! Ha!

Crazy to think the Jacks women just beat USC last year in the tournament, although they have certainly changed quite a bit...

Also of note - UConn has also been hit hard by injuries this year - and played two 6'3" girls tonight, then everyone else is 6'0" or less. Shows that on the women's side, fantastic guard play can carry you an awful long ways in this tournament too.

The Jacks have played a lot of upper seeded teams that have participated in the NCAA Tournament & beat some of them, we beat NC State in our pre-season schedule a year before they started to get a lot of attention and showing up more & more in the top 25 polls, Notre Dame , UCLA, Va Tech, Syracuse, Baylor (too many) , SC gamecocks,USC, Stanford. We haven't shied away from playing the best, but we've never faced UConn, which I'd like to see at some time or another. I love the Mini Mouse hairdo's , adds fun to the game for the kids and some adults too.

[RahRahRabbits]

After watching the whiny, poor sportsmanship mess that was the Iowa-LSU game (I know, I know... it could have been far worse still --- LSU has proven that), the UConn-USC game was a breath of fresh air. I was very impressed with all the UConn players and how they carried themselves. They of course showed their competitive frustration from time to time, but from what I saw, it always stayed in the respectful realm. Really, USC for the most part too.

My kids were already in bed, but I know for sure UConn's Qadence Samuels would have been their favorite, because she has "Minnie Mouse" ears! Ha!

Crazy to think the Jacks women just beat USC last year in the tournament, although they have certainly changed quite a bit...

Also of note - UConn has also been hit hard by injuries this year - and played two 6'3" girls tonight, then everyone else is 6'0" or less. Shows that on the women's side, fantastic guard play can carry you an awful long ways in this tournament too.

[jakejc795]

If you google NIL rankings, Caitlin Clark ranks 4th at $3.1M so(I think) she is already a millionaire. Angel Reese ranks 8th with $1.8M. Flau'jae Johnson (4th women- 19th overall) $1.1M.- The LSU gymnastics athlete (Livvy Dunne) was he highest paid on the womens side making $3.2 valuation.
LSU has 3 of the top 4 highest paid "college" athletes.

Side bar- Dions Sanders kid makes $4.1M and Travis Hunter makes $1.8M so Colorado pays their football players well.

I wonder how much Clark is getting for the State Farm ad.

I should concede that one benefit of the ad is that it could serve to reduce the number of people who ask if I'm "Jake from State Farm"

[jakejc795]

Reese is worse than Clark but I think Clark should have got a T when she headbutted the ball into press row in the round of 16 (I think). The officials don't "control" the game like they used to. Zeke has had a few T's for SDSU men's team for arguing but there are very few T's called against players that deserve them. Clark argues all the time. LSU and South Carolina had several players that should have been suspended for their actions but the NCAA can't do that anymore.
The NCAA is turning into semipro sports without a salary cap. The athletes act like entilted professional athletes. I did not miss Kevin Garnett when he didn't play college ball and I'm sure I would miss any of the players now either.

I can't argue with that ranking. I would say Reese ranks above Sjerven, who ranks above Clark when it comes to how the players whine/lobby officials without consideration for how their play/reactions may impact officiating

[91jack]

I guess I'm just getting Caitlyn Clark overload. She's a great player, but watching both the men's and women's tournaments, it seems I see a commercial featuring her at least once every hour. I walk past the magazine section and see a Caitlyn Clark magazine. She will likely be a millionaire before she plays a minute of professional basketball. Does she have more skills than most ? Absolutely. But she doesn't likely work any harder than hundreds of other players, who will go through their careers earning nothing but the joy of playing the game they love. Just wish the wealth could be spread out a bit.

If you google NIL rankings, Caitlin Clark ranks 4th at $3.1M so(I think) she is already a millionaire. Angel Reese ranks 8th with $1.8M. Flau'jae Johnson (4th women- 19th overall) $1.1M.- The LSU gymnastics athlete (Livvy Dunne) was he highest paid on the womens side making $3.2 valuation.
LSU has 3 of the top 4 highest paid "college" athletes.

Side bar- Dions Sanders kid makes $4.1M and Travis Hunter makes $1.8M so Colorado pays their football players well.

[jakejc795]

Clark is very fun to watch play but NO NO, I do not care for her antics either. If i was her coach, I would be like, act like you made a shot before maybe. honestly, Baylor does a bit of this himself and Luke does way more of it than i would ever like

I'm rooting for the Hawkeyes today, but I'll take watching the Jacks over watching them any day.

Maci Michelson was one of my favorite "'emotional' Jacks of yore" to watch. You could always tell when the Jacks were on a run and/or made a defensive stop when she was playing

[bigticket1]

I guess I'm just getting Caitlyn Clark overload. She's a great player, but watching both the men's and women's tournaments, it seems I see a commercial featuring her at least once every hour. I walk past the magazine section and see a Caitlyn Clark magazine. She will likely be a millionaire before she plays a minute of professional basketball. Does she have more skills than most ? Absolutely. But she doesn't likely work any harder than hundreds of other players, who will go through their careers earning nothing but the joy of playing the game they love. Just wish the wealth could be spread out a bit.

[91jack]

I think your point regarding subtle differences between coaches could also be applied to Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. While Reese is more annoying and "unsportsmanlike" to me, Clark has irked me too.

I guess I've been spoiled by Jacks players and coaches.

Reese is worse than Clark but I think Clark should have got a T when she headbutted the ball into press row in the round of 16 (I think). The officials don't "control" the game like they used to. Zeke has had a few T's for SDSU men's team for arguing but there are very few T's called against players that deserve them. Clark argues all the time. LSU and South Carolina had several players that should have been suspended for their actions but the NCAA can't do that anymore.
The NCAA is turning into semipro sports without a salary cap. The athletes act like entilted professional athletes. I did not miss Kevin Garnett when he didn't play college ball and I'm sure I would miss any of the players now either.

[OldHare]

Clark is very fun to watch play but NO NO, I do not care for her antics either. If i was her coach, I would be like, act like you made a shot before maybe. honestly, Baylor does a bit of this himself and Luke does way more of it than i would ever like

It is hard to find that line between exuberance and mild to over the top trash talking. It is fine for me to watch young athletes celebrate success. It is also over done many times.

[LetsGoRabbits]

I think your point regarding subtle differences between coaches could also be applied to Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. While Reese is more annoying and "unsportsmanlike" to me, Clark has irked me too.

I guess I've been spoiled by Jacks players and coaches.

Clark is very fun to watch play but NO NO, I do not care for her antics either. If i was her coach, I would be like, act like you made a shot before maybe. honestly, Baylor does a bit of this himself and Luke does way more of it than i would ever like

[MontanaRabbit]

when Clark announced she was going to Iowa and did this interview, i thought, wow.....pretty impressive young lady. yes, a generational talent.........however, having watched a number of her games (not to mention the vids on social media) i have lost all respect for her. sometimes it does make me wonder if she will "self-destruct". especially after watching that last viral video.

I also agree with this. I'm getting a little tired of Clark as well. She's very good, but man does she know it.

[rimmer]

when Clark announced she was going to Iowa and did this interview, i thought, wow.....pretty impressive young lady. yes, a generational talent.........however, having watched a number of her games (not to mention the vids on social media) i have lost all respect for her. sometimes it does make me wonder if she will "self-destruct". especially after watching that last viral video.

[MontanaRabbit]

I think Angel Reese is the only LSU player that people really have issues with. And that's because she shows the maturity of an 8 year old. Chasing Clark around after the game a year ago, putting the L sign on her forehead and other antics make her unlikable in my mind. She seems to be cut out of the same cloth as her coach.

100% this. The complete lack of class exhibited by Reese is what people dislike. It's not the color of her skin or how she wears her hair. It's what she did to Clark and the comment she apparently thought she needed say to the UCLA bench (both of which occurred when the games were essentially over) that people don't like.

Apparently, she was not eligible for the Wooden Award because of her GPA. The minimum GPA is 2.0! Hopefully basketball works out for her.

As far as their coach, another example in a long list of "examples of being a terrible human" is how she handled the fight at the end of the South Carolina game. Instead of denouncing the actions of the players and leaving it at that (like Staley did) she complains about how Cardoso should have picked on someone her own size.

[jakejc795]

i completely agree that Mulkey is a significant part of the problem

that said, Close does also get on the officials, much more than AJ does for instance
Mulkey is worse but, i might say they are somewhere in the same ball park minus the crazy outfits

but if you look at yesterdays game, there was a HUGE GLARING difference between the way the LSU players carry themselves and the way the UCLA players carry themselves. it is NOT CLOSE

LSU players are loud and angry and seemingly often looking to be or feel disrespected. UCLA look like a bunch of great kids competing their butts off. this description probably falls short of perfection. it is a little hard to define but it seems pretty easy to see

I think your point regarding subtle differences between coaches could also be applied to Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. While Reese is more annoying and "unsportsmanlike" to me, Clark has irked me too.

I guess I've been spoiled by Jacks players and coaches.

[LetsGoRabbits]

i completely agree that Mulkey is a significant part of the problem

that said, Close does also get on the officials, much more than AJ does for instance
Mulkey is worse but, i might say they are somewhere in the same ball park minus the crazy outfits

but if you look at yesterdays game, there was a HUGE GLARING difference between the way the LSU players carry themselves and the way the UCLA players carry themselves. it is NOT CLOSE

LSU players are loud and angry and seemingly often looking to be or feel disrespected. UCLA look like a bunch of great kids competing their butts off. this description probably falls short of perfection. it is a little hard to define but it seems pretty easy to see