I have been scouring the internet the past few days to see what’s going on with this whole canceling business. Their are plenty of rumors out there as to why Tennessee canceled it. Pat Summitt has been heard from saying it was the athletic department’s decision and meanwhile, Geno Auriemma has only said that he can’t talk about it. There are rumblings it is because UCONN broke some rules in their recruitment of Maya Moore but that remains unknown.
Here is a look at Summitt’s remarks:
“It was a decision made by the University of Tennessee – Joan Cronan, Dr. Petersen and myself,” Summitt said. “It was the University of Tennessee that made the announcement and made the decision.”
“It’s been a great series,” she said. “There’s more to women’s basketball than just this game. If you look at the growth of our game, this has been a big part of it. But this past year, you had Duke, North Carolina, Maryland and all those ACC matchups. I think women’s basketball is in a whole different state, in a positive way. You’ve got a lot of quality teams and quality games.”
More to women’s basketball than just that game Pat? Did you realize that the rivalry was voted the best rivalry in women’s college basketball recently. Is your athletic department happy about losing a potential big revenue game?
Whether or not you are fan of UCONN or Tennessee, it is one of the games in women’s basketball that you would probably turn on just because of the rivalry between the two schools. But now for whatever reason, it is no more.
Even ESPN tried to save the game but to no avail.
It was their first matchup on ESPN, that started this rivalry.
“That first game is often referred to as the dawn of a new, more popular era of women’s basketball,” said Mike Soltys, ESPN’s vice president of domestic network communications. “There was more media at Gampel Pavilion that day than there certainly had ever been before or after for any regular-season game.”
“The series was a known commodity for the casual sports fan who may not have ordinarily been interested in women’s basketball,” Soltys said. “The games were quality, the personalities of the coaches were strong and they often met at crucial times, particularly in the NCAA Tournament. It became the showcase rivalry in the sport and we were happy to have the majority of them [on ESPN].”
“There are other teams that have emerged. There are top games that we will put together, but it still doesn’t diminish our disappointment about the end of [UConn-Tennessee],” Soltys said. “Both schools and conferences know our interest in this rivalry. And it will be something we will revisit in the future with all the parties involved.”
When the Worldwide leader can’t save it, you know it’s doomed.
Some more former players spoke out about the situation.
Nykesha Sales:
“That’s pretty odd. I don’t know why not. I think it is great for college basketball. I think a lot of people were very excited about that game and look forward to it. That is definitely one of the top matchups. That is kind of sad, I think it has been going on for a long time.
“You kind of do feel because Tennessee was a renowned program before UConn got big and anytime you played Tennessee it was a big game for any school but as we got better and stayed better, it became a rivalry. I thought it would last forever especially when I was in school because it was something I looked forward to every year.”
Ashia Jones:
“It is just a great rivalry, the fans want to see it and the players get up for it. That’s sad/
“It’s like the (NCAA) tournament. It’s like that final game. It is a tradition. You go to UConn and you know you are going to play Tennessee and it is going to be a huge game. You get nervous for it, you know they are going to come out intense. Every game is important but that one was kind of special, there is a lot that goes into it.
“Never between the players, it was just about the game. It’s not like ‘I don’t like you because you are from Tennessee.’ A lot of people where friends between the two programs. They are the two best programs, according to us any way. We won a lot of games and a lot of championships between the two. Pat Summitt, Geno Auriemma, the media coverage, the fans love it and it all those things going into it. It is a big deal.”
Swin Cash:
“I hate to see it end. I don’t know if it was the personalities clashes, I think it was more of a business decision than it was the coaches. Coach Auriemma and Coach Summitt, they will play each other every single year. I don’t think they would not play each other to avoid each other.”
One reporter went as far as to say that Summitt did it because as more information comes out, it is looking more and more like Summitt couldn’t handle the thought of losing out of all-everything recruit Maya Moore, an incoming UConn freshman, and the only way she could strike back was to strike a blow that is damaging to the sport of women’s basketball.
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out now with both schools hot on the trail of 6’4 G/F Elena DelleDonne, who is the top senior in women’s high school basketball. If Geno manages to nab her as well, we might have to rethink Knoxville being the “home of women’s basketball.” Well up here in Huskyland, we already do.
Here are two links to columns in the New London Day and Knoxville News.
[Information from the Hartford Courant was used in the making of this post. No animals were hurt in the process. Just the hopes and dreams of many who love the rivalry, yours included.]
