UCONN v. Maryland 10/12/02 [R]

Do you have a full schedule of the UConn matches that will be on CPTV? I heard before the season that there would be many.

I've got a gig, so all I have to do now is bribe the bartender where we play to put one TV on the game.

 

Where's the gig? This is a must see game. The Georgetown game had 5000+ there. The general admission was sold out. With Maryland at #4 this game will probably be sold out too.

 

You can check www.cptv.org but they don't give an actual listing of the soccer games, you have to check the full schedule and search for soccer on the page. The only one in October is the 12th.

 

The gig is in East Windsor. Trouble is I have to load-in at 7, soundcheck at 8, and play at 9:30. I'm going to try at the other matches too. Maryland should be a great match.

 

re:

any chance this game might be on the satellite dish? i am huge uconn fan in all the sports they play but the only time i get to see them play soccer is if they make it to the BE champ game or go deep in the tourney. i live in nj btw

 

I doubt it's on satellite because cptv is a local station (CT Public Television)

 

How do you get to UConn?

 

UConn with a 1-0 win. Goal was scored in the first half. Judging by the stats, it was a defensive battle with not many shots.

 

UConn with 2-0 win.

Damani Ralph in the first half
Cuellar sets up both goals.

Didn't feel good, and kept raining. I didn't make the match.

 

I'll have to watch the whole tape, since I only caught the game here and there on the radio and the last 15 minutes on TV in a bar, so maybe someone who was there can give some analysis.

Also, the play-by-play guys on WHUS are absolutely clueless. Have they seen a soccer game before? Bring back John Tuite!

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/AllStories/MSoccer/2002/10/12/20021012.html

 

You guys are so d a m n lucky! Games on the radio AND on TV at the bars!!!! Appreciate how good you have it...

 

Sometimes, I forget. Not too many of the games are on TV (2 or 3 last year, only 1 this year), but just about every game is on the radio.

 

What radio station?

I saw Central Connecticut v Fairleigh Dickinson.

 

WHUS 91.7 FM. It's hard to get the station west of Hartford. There's a shadow effect from Bolton Notch that I don't know if they ever addressed with a higher tower. They do have a webstream of their broadcasts on their website. I'll find the site.

 

I went to the game. Miserable weather. Thank God for North Face gear! It was pouring at my house and nothing when I got there. It got steadily worse and some wind. The field looked in good condition but there were a lot of slips on both sides. I'd say with all the rain we had that the field still wasn't much of a factor since it didn't favor either one. Curtis's hammy kept him out of the second. Leandro de Oliveira was a stud in the game. Excellent defensive midfield stuff and moved the ball forward with speed and pressure. The goalie looked a little out of position on Leandro's goal (a little too much towards the near post) and he took advantage of that. Ralph half volleyed his ball right past the keeper. I thought we dominated for most of the game. Maryland swung the momentum in the first half for about 15 minutes. Boy, those guys are really good in tight spaces. The Terps can handle the ball so well when they are "surrounded". Svensson looked calm and cool in back as usual. What a difference from Zieki. No offense meant, but they are two totally different players. A big win in a big game. U - C - O - N - N

 

I was impressed with Cuellar's passing.

By the way, Scott Gray can hang it up for announcing soccer.

Svensson was class, very good on the ball.

Do any Americans play for UConn other than the goalie and left mid?

 

Not really. It's interesting, because back in the Morrone days, he fielded only American players for the most part, and things started going downhill when he wouldn't budge from this as other schools brought in more foreign players.

The more I hear from WHUS and CPTV announcing, the more I'd like to be a color commentator. I'm not the greatest authority on the game, but at least I wouldn't compare everything to another sport ("He's like the running back in football...") and I know the language of the game. Someone hire me. I beg you.

 

I've got some experience behind the mike, who do I call? I think I'm going to send my tapes to ESPN - I can do the job.

 

As best I can figure, 4 Americans start for UConn. Scheurman (Wisconsin), Thornton (Pennsylvania) Pecorelli (California) and Fernandes (Connecticut).

Pecorelli is orignally from El Salvador but he grew up in Cali and was in the US U17 pool. I'm assuming that Fernandes is of Portiguese herritage but there's nothing indicating he's not a US citizen.

That said, 4 Americans for a Top 10 program is just not enough. I understand programs that have trouble getting top talent going the foreign route but a program with UConn's success should have no problem bringing in the best American players.

I have no problems with a couple of foreign players but to have a team dominated by internationals is not good for the overall growth of the game.

I like the way Reid's teams play but it would be a lot easier to like UConn if there were more US players on his team.

 

I sense a PBP combo for Wolves matches. That way, you can ensure my attendance next season. We can't be more annoying than Jack and Ty.

 

I want to do some webcasting for the Wolves next season, but we have to survive till next year.

 

I'm not going anywhere.

Back on topic: It's amazing that UConn's team makeup has gone from one end of the spectrum to the other. UConn hadn't been able to get any home-grown talent for a long time. It always seems like Reid isn't that interested in rebuilding years. It's not just the number of foreign players, it's that he puts them in vital spots in the lineup. And the Shavar Thomas career at UConn is simply puzzling to me.

 

I think it is the nature of the game. If you can get a Jamaican U19 national player vs a kid from CT - you take the star.

How many CT kids are playing college ball somewhere?

 

They actually have a lot from the U.S. I checked the roster. 18 guys players. But I agree the big players seem to be foreign. Shavar, Damani, Curtis, Cuellar, McLeod, Svensson and de Oliviera are all foreign starters and pretty much the core of our offense, midfield and defense. This shouldn't be too surprising since I believe Reid did the same thing down at Southern.