Top 5 OU QBs of all time

[KStateFootball82]

Was curious how Sooner nation ranks them. I’d go:

1) Baker - 3 11 win seasons in a row + Heisman
2) Jamelle Holieway - 3 11 win seasons in a row + natty
3) Steve Davis - 2 natties
4) Sam Bradford - 2 11 win seasons + Heisman
5) tie Jason White or Heupel - tough one

What say you?

 

[iasooner1]

Davis
Holieway
Baker
Bradford
Mildren, Heupel, White

 

[CTOkie]

Mayfield
Mildren
Bradford
Holieway
Davis

Honorable mention:
Heupel
Harris
White
Warmack
Arnold
Watts
Lott

 

[JConXtsy]

I gotta go with National Champions first:

1950 - Billy Vessels (1)
1955 - Jimmy Harris (2)
1956 - Jimmy Harris
1974 - Steve Davis (3)
1975 - Steve Davis
1985 - Jamelle Holieway (4)
2000 - Josh Heupel (5)

 

[CTOkie]

I gotta go with National Champions first:

1950 - Billy Vessels (1)
1955 - Jimmy Harris (2)
1956 - Jimmy Harris
1974 - Steve Davis (3)
1975 - Steve Davis
1985 - Jamelle Holieway (4)
2000 - Josh Heupel (5)

Vessels was not a QB.

 

[Schoonerman]

Mayfield
Bradford
Holieway
Davis
Heupel

 

[Soonerborn59]

1. Davis
2. Holieway
3. Hueple
4. Mayfield
5. Bradford

In my lifetime its how I would rank them. The top 3 all accomplished NC but in Bakers defense those teams actually had defenses. Something Baker never had. Davis and Holieway will always be my all time two favorite QBs st OU.

 

[JConXtsy]

Vessels was not a QB.

Oh yes, you're right! It was Claud something, right?

Being so young, my knowledge of Vessels is limited. I always think of him as the leader of the 50 team, so my natural inclination is to think of him as the QB.

 

[KStateFootball82]

1. Davis
2. Holieway
3. Hueple
4. Mayfield
5. Bradford

In my lifetime its how I would rank them. The top 3 all accomplished NC but in Bakers defense those teams actually had defenses. Something Baker never had. Davis and Holieway will always be my all time two favorite QBs st OU.

I grew up a big fan of OU football in the 80’s and then my K-State family got the season tickets in the early 90’s when we got good, but always have remained an OU supporter when not playing K-State. Heck in 1987 (age 6 by then) I vaguely remember how bummed out we all were watching OU lose to Miami in really what should have been anther natty for OU. 1986 was close also but don’t remember that one as well.

With that said, I still remember watching Holieway Just torch the competition with his dynamo from 1985-1988. To me, he was the most dynamic and best (dual threat type) QB of the 20th century. I know Nebraska fans will argue Tommie Frazier and FSU Charlie Ward. But Holieway gets my vote (biased). Mike Bishop from 97-98 at K-State I would put in my top 5-10 also. I’m talking dual threat / dynamic QBs only.

 

[JConXtsy]

In context, I think White deserves a lot more love. Think about the star power of the recruits around him that couldn't even come close to this little guy from Tuttle. The way he made that offense hum was incredible and he was setting records the same as Bradford or Mayfield but when offenses weren't quite honed like theirs.

Then my personal story of watching him succeed. I'll never forget the year after his second injury and the day of the bowl game. I can't remember the exact year or bowl. But I ran into White at the local Blockbuster while my girlfriend and I were picking out a movie to watch after the game.

He was by himself and hobbling around on crutches. Looked like a guy picking a movie to watch rather than watch the game. Totally dejected and like he'd never see the field again. Definitely not the Heisman he ended up.

 

[JConXtsy]

I grew up a big fan of OU football in the 80’s and then my K-State family got the season tickets in the early 90’s when we got good, but always have remained an OU supporter when not playing K-State. Heck in 1987 (age 6 by then) I vaguely remember how bummed out we all were watching OU lose to Miami in really what should have been anther natty for OU. 1986 was close also but don’t remember that one as well.

With that said, I still remember watching Holieway Just torch the competition with his dynamo from 1985-1988. To me, he was the most dynamic and best (dual threat type) QB of the 20th century. I know Nebraska fans will argue Tommie Frazier and FSU Charlie Ward. But Holieway gets my vote (biased). Mike Bishop from 97-98 at K-State I would put in my top 5-10 also. I’m talking dual threat / dynamic QBs only.

Charles Thompson. One of those too. Just ended so badly.

 

[JConXtsy]

Looked it up... Claude Arnold, 1950 Champion QB

 

[Soonerborn59]

Looked it up... Claude Arnold, 1950 Champion QB

I actually enjoy hearing stories from those that were fortunate to live and watch that ERA of football at OU. I didnt really start following OU until 1966 when I was 7 years old. That ERA under Bud was what turned OU into a true power. All I know about those QBs and other players at OU is things Ive read but from what I understand Arnold was a very special player.

 

[KStateFootball82]

I grew up a big fan of OU football in the 80’s and then my K-State family got the season tickets in the early 90’s when we got good, but always have remained an OU supporter when not playing K-State. Heck in 1987 (age 6 by then) I vaguely remember how bummed out we all were watching OU lose to Miami in really what should have been anther natty for OU. 1986 was close also but don’t remember that one as well.

With that said, I still remember watching Holieway Just torch the competition with his dynamo from 1985-1988. To me, he was the most dynamic and best (dual threat type) QB of the 20th century. I know Nebraska fans will argue Tommie Frazier and FSU Charlie Ward. But Holieway gets my vote (biased). Mike Bishop from 97-98 at K-State I would put in my top 5-10 also. I’m talking dual threat / dynamic QBs only.

Charles Thompson. One of those too. Just ended so badly.

No doubt. Ya that time period sure sucked. Thompson in cuffs on the front page of SI.

Gibbs had some good things going but not great. Then Blake had all bad. Then Bobby To the rescue.

 

[Oklabama]

Oh yes, you're right! It was Claud something, right?

Being so young, my knowledge of Vessels is limited. I always think of him as the leader of the 50 team, so my natural inclination is to think of him as the QB.

“Being so young”. Go ahead. Rub it in.

 

[Sunburnt Indian]

Davis.
Jack Mildren was left handed. I wonder if he might have been a bit better had he used his dominate arm. Back in the day, parents and teachers instructed us to use our right.

 

[mcbrider]

Davis.
Jack Mildren was left handed. I wonder if he might have been a bit better had he used his dominate arm. Back in the day, parents and teachers instructed us to use our right.

Being an old guy (74) I have had the privilege of watching all the QB mentioned except Claude Arnold. In terms of pure accomplishment Jimmy Harris could be considered the best. Played from 1954-56. Never lost a game as a Sooner starter and won two National Championships(55,56). The 1954 team was undefeated but finished third (I think) in the polls. My personal favorite was Jack Mildren. But in terms of overall talent, accomplishment, leadership, Baker was the best.

 

[MiccoMacey]

National Championships are by definition a team effort. I don't fault a single position player for not having any National Championships. Barry Sanders is regarded as one of the best RBs to ever play the game at both the collegiate AND pro level, and he never won ANY championship (maybe division champions with the Lions???). I really think it's one of the sillier criteria, even for a QB, who admittedly has more impact than, say, a safety. But a QB can't make a tackle. So it's a moot point. Heupel is my perfect example. He statistically may be our worst QB ever under Stoops (20-15 TD/Int ratio in 2000), but he is loved because of his grittiness and that he led OU back to the promised land. And that had as much or more to do with our defense as it did anything Josh did under center.

College QBs have been graded for over 50 years by a simple metric, Pass Efficiency Rating. In that 50+years, with ALL the quarterbacks measured, there's only one guy who holds the top spot for a single season. He also holds the record for the second best season ever by a college QB. To go along with that, he led OU to three consecutive seasons of 11 wins (12 wins this past year), and played in two College Football Playoffs. That guy is Baker Mayfield. The list starts with him.

I'm a huge Jamelle Holieway fan, and if NCs actually were important, he is the only QB in NCAA history to win a NC as a true freshman. I never saw Steve Davis play, or at least while I was old enough to remember him very well. I think Sam Bradford was the most polished QB OU's ever had.

 

[Soonerborn59]

National Championships are by definition a team effort. I don't fault a single position player for not having any National Championships. Barry Sanders is regarded as one of the best RBs to ever play the game at both the collegiate AND pro level, and he never won ANY championship (maybe division champions with the Lions???). I really think it's one of the sillier criteria, even for a QB, who admittedly has more impact than, say, a safety. But a QB can't make a tackle. So it's a moot point. Heupel is my perfect example. He statistically may be our worst QB ever under Stoops (20-15 TD/Int ratio in 2000), but he is loved because of his grittiness and that he led OU back to the promised land. And that had as much or more to do with our defense as it did anything Josh did under center.

College QBs have been graded for over 50 years by a simple metric, Pass Efficiency Rating. In that 50+years, with ALL the quarterbacks measured, there's only one guy who holds the top spot for a single season. He also holds the record for the second best season ever by a college QB. To go along with that, he led OU to three consecutive seasons of 11 wins (12 wins this past year), and played in two College Football Playoffs. That guy is Baker Mayfield. The list starts with him.

I'm a huge Jamelle Holieway fan, and if NCs actually were important, he is the only QB in NCAA history to win a NC as a true freshman. I never saw Steve Davis play, or at least while I was old enough to remember him very well. I think Sam Bradford was the most polished QB OU's ever had.

You are correct, but the only thing I would change on my list would be to move Heuple down the list. Davis ran the wishbone to perfection and so did Holieway. I am not sure that Baker could have ran that same type of offense the way those two did. In fairness it is really hard to say who was the best because of the offenses each one ran. Baker didn't have the defense though to support him like Davis and Holieway did and for what he accomplished along with his surrounding talent is incredible.

Had White not gotten injured early in his career against Texas I think we may just be talking about him as one of the greatest at OU. He certainly had balls of steel to continue to play.

 

[MiccoMacey]

Had White not gotten injured early in his career against Texas I think we may just be talking about him as one of the greatest at OU. He certainly had balls of steel to continue to play.

I don't remember White getting injured against Texas. He replaced Hybl in 2001 when Hybl was injured against Texas (originally injured in the Kansas State game), and I remember White tearing his ACL against Nebraska in 2001 and Alabama in 2002.

 

[Soonerborn59]

I don't remember White getting injured against Texas. He replaced Hybl in 2001 when Hybl was injured against Texas (originally injured in the Kansas State game), and I remember White tearing his ACL against Nebraska in 2001 and Alabama in 2002.

I was thinking it was against Texas but I think you are correct. Sometimes I get confused

 

[mcbrider]

Being an old guy (74) I have had the privilege of watching all the QB mentioned except Claude Arnold. In terms of pure accomplishment Jimmy Harris could be considered the best. Played from 1954-56. Never lost a game as a Sooner starter and won two National Championships(55,56). The 1954 team was undefeated but finished third (I think) in the polls. My personal favorite was Jack Mildren. But in terms of overall talent, accomplishment, leadership, Baker was the best.

I don’t think national championships is one of the sillier criteria. I just said that in terms of pure accomplishment Harris could be considered the best. Hard to top never losing a game. Yes I know it is a team game. The list does not begin with anyone - it is matter of opinion. Hard to compare different eras and runners vs passers. Who was the best wishbone QB in term of talent as a runner, making the correct read on the option, pitching the ball, mechanics, passing ability. Mildred, Davis, or Holieway?

 

[mcbrider]

I don’t think national championships is one of the sillier criteria. I just said that in terms of pure accomplishment Harris could be considered the best. Hard to top never losing a game. Yes I know it is a team game. The list does not begin with anyone - it is matter of opinion. Hard to compare different eras and runners vs passers. Who was the best wishbone QB in term of talent as a runner, making the correct read on the option, pitching the ball, mechanics, passing ability. Mildred, Davis, or Holieway?

Sorry meant Mildren, not Mildred.

 

[Medic007]

Great thread KState! Lots of good responses. Post here often.

 

[Crimson_Warrior]

In my lifetime (starting watching in the early seventies)

1. Mayfield
2. Bradford
3. White
4. Holliway
5. Huepel

 

[KStateFootball82]

Great thread KState! Lots of good responses. Post here often.

Thanks. Been an OU football fan since 85 when I was 4 years old! Miss Coach Swag Switzer and his mink coat.

Family is Kstate but my dad and I watched OU games for years until Snyder got things going. OU still my #2 and always will be.

 

[roygbell]

All things considered here are my top 5.

1. Mayfield - Baker is the total package. His QB smarts are over the top great. His leadership abilities are the best. His arm is as good as any throwing QB OU has ever had. Then there is his moxie, courage and determination are at the top.

2. White - Jason, i think, with two could wheels likely would surpass Baker. Jason had all the tools and until his ACL issues he was great with es-capability and gaining yards with his legs. He had great accuracy on the long balls. Anyone who could endure and continue to play with his knees has to be one tough guy.

3. Bradford - Sam was a great player. My only knock on Sam is his laid back personality. I don't think he was the great leader as was Baker. I just like Baker and Jason better as OU's QB.

4. Mildren - Jack, in my mind was as good as it gets when it comes to the smooth ways he handled the ball. I really enjoyed Mildren as OU's

5. I waffle back and forth on the 5th best. I think I have to go with Jimmy Harris. Harris never lost over three years where he was the starting OU QB under Bud.

OU has had some great QBs over the last 75 years or so. So, many great Split-T, Wishbone and spread type offenses and great QBs to select as few as five. Davis and all the others were great ones. I just think it would be sacrilegious to not list one each for all the great eras of OU football since 1945.

Leaving Heupel off seems really bad. Josh was the QB that really lead OU back out of the wilderness left after Switzer was fired. Hate to leave him off. However, Josh was a great QB, but he didn't have the skill sets of some of the other greats. For sure Josh was the right guy for the right time in the 1999 and 2000 seasons.

 

[KStateFootball82]

All things considered here are my top 5.

1. Mayfield - Baker is the total package. His QB smarts are over the top great. His leadership abilities are the best. His arm is as good as any throwing QB OU has ever had. Then there is his moxie, courage and determination are at the top.

2. White - Jason, i think, with two could wheels likely would surpass Baker. Jason had all the tools and until his ACL issues he was great with es-capability and gaining yards with his legs. He had great accuracy on the long balls. Anyone who could endure and continue to play with his knees has to be one tough guy.

3. Bradford - Sam was a great player. My only knock on Sam is his laid back personality. I don't think he was the great leader as was Baker. I just like Baker and Jason better as OU's QB.

4. Mildren - Jack, in my mind was as good as it gets when it comes to the smooth ways he handled the ball. I really enjoyed Mildren as OU's

5. I waffle back and forth on the 5th best. I think I have to go with Jimmy Harris. Harris never lost over three years where he was the starting OU QB under Bud.

OU has had some great QBs over the last 75 years or so. So, many great Split-T, Wishbone and spread type offenses and great QBs to select as few as five. Davis and all the others were great ones. I just think it would be sacrilegious to not list one each for all the great eras of OU football since 1945.

Leaving Heupel off seems really bad. Josh was the QB that really lead OU back out of the wilderness left after Switzer was fired. Hate to leave him off. However, Josh was a great QB, but he didn't have the skill sets of some of the other greats. For sure Josh was the right guy for the right time in the 1999 and 2000 seasons.

No Jamelle? Holieway just balled his way as a frosh to a natty. No big deal.

 

[Senior Sooner]

I've been wrestling with my decision ever since this Poll was first posted. I've changed my mind several times. For as long as I've been around OU Football, Jimmy Harris has been my All Time Favorite Player. Not only was he my husband's team mate, but he and his beautiful wife were good friends of ours, and we were fortunate, as underclassmen, to get to hang with them quite a bit. From The 47 Straight, right on up to 2017, Jimmy always stayed at the top of my list. My partiality never wavered. He had an 'It' Factor, second to none, as well as the talent to match.

However, and isn't there ALWAYS a However? In 2017 another Texas Kid capped off his own Amazing Football Career with such Sensational play, that I had to re-evaluate my position. Other than a couple of hiccups, Baker Mayfield was as impressive as any QB I've ever had the privilege to see play the game of Football, and I've seen all of the ones mentioned, other than Claude Arnold. For that reason, I'm going to split my vote, and call it a tie for my two QBs, who, IMO, separated themselves from the others...

This is the Highest Compliment that I can pay Baker...

1. Jimmy Harris-Baker Mayfield...
2...3...4...5...Others...

https://newsok.com/article/3593158/the-quarterback-who-never-lost-ous-jimmy-harris-dies-at-76

 

[iasooner1]

RIP Mr. Harris

 

[CTOkie]

Harris was perhaps Wilkinson's greatest QB and a true OU legend.....but it didn't hurt him that OU's opponents during the 47 game winning streak had a 38% winning percentage and Notre Dame and Texas had their worst teams in the post WWII era during the 1956 season.
The best win was the January 2nd,1956 Orange Bowl win over unbeaten Maryland, 20-6, following the 1955 season..

 

[mcbrider]

Harris was perhaps Wilkinson's greatest QB and a true OU legend.....but it didn't hurt him that OU's opponents during the 47 game winning streak had a 38% winning percentage and Notre Dame and Texas had their worst teams in the post WWII era during the 1956 season.
The best win was the January 2nd,1956 Orange Bowl win over unbeaten Maryland, 20-6, following the 1955 season..

Please don’t disparage Harris’s accomplishments by reciting the winning % of his opponents. It is damn hard to win every damn game - I don’t care who the opponent is. I am a big fan of the U Conn women and it chaps my ass when people talk about their accomplishments in terms of their not being that many good women’s teams and they have a monopoly on the talent. It is hard to win and win and win. My favorite OU coach was Bud Wilkinson. From the second game of the 1948 season to the eighth game of the the 1957 season, the Oklahoma Sooners under Bud Were 94-4-2. I am going by memory here. Two of those loses were by a touchdown to Notre Dame (52,53), one to Texas and one to Paul Bear Bryant’s Kentucky team in the Sugar Bowl. One tie was with Pittsburgh. Don’t recall the other tie. How close were the Sooners to winning 100 games in a row!!!!!!!

 

[Salt City Sooner]

I don’t think national championships is one of the sillier criteria. I just said that in terms of pure accomplishment Harris could be considered the best. Hard to top never losing a game. Yes I know it is a team game. The list does not begin with anyone - it is matter of opinion. Hard to compare different eras and runners vs passers. Who was the best wishbone QB in term of talent as a runner, making the correct read on the option, pitching the ball, mechanics, passing ability. Mildred, Davis, or Holieway?

FWIW, I remember Switzer doing an interview in which he stated that Jamelle, for his entire career, made one wrong read on an option play, that being during the '88 loss at USC. I won't comment on the other two as they were before my time, but that stat is amazing to me, especially considering the fact that you have to decide where to go with it so quickly.

 

[Oklabama]

Hard to even do this because the greatest quarterbacks typically play in a different system. So I will base my list on how important they were to the team’s success.

There is no question in my mind that without Baker Mayfield, OU football would not have won nearly as many games during his time as the starting QB. I also believe, as others have pointed out, that Baker didn’t have the defensive support that other Sooner greats enjoyed. Otherwise, his win-loss record as QB would have been better and he may have left OU as a National Champion and Heisman Trophy winner.

Jamelle Holieway is my pick for the greatest Wishbone QB, and # 2 of all-time. Jamelle lead OU in rushing two of his three injury free years as starter, and won a National Championship as a freshman. This era was the most difficult choice, IMO. Steve Davis and Jack Mildren are my favorites, but I have to go with Jamelle for execution of the offense.

# 3 overall and second best Bob Stoops’ quarterback was Sam Bradford. He did everything except win a National Championship. But he should have, IMO.

# 4 Jack Mildren. I wish Jack had played in the Wishbone for all three of his years at OU. No telling what he could have accomplished. That formation benefited him greatly and I don’t think there was another quarterback on campus that could run the offense when Chuck Fairbanks gave Barry the okay to switch gears. He truly is The Godfather of the Wishbone.

# 5 Jason White. Jason undoubtedly would have accomplished even more than he did if injuries had not hounded him during his time with OU. Even so, he won the Heisman and was the leader of some great Sooner teams. He should have won a National Championship and if he had of been 100% healthy against LSU, Nick Saban would have one less Natty.

Josh Huepel , Steve Davis and Jimmy Harris get my honorable mention for the great Sooner head coaches, Bob Stoops, Barry Switzer and Bud Wilkinson.

 

[CTOkie]

Please don’t disparage Harris’s accomplishments by reciting the winning % of his opponents. It is damn hard to win every damn game - I don’t care who the opponent is. I am a big fan of the U Conn women and it chaps my ass when people talk about their accomplishments in terms of their not being that many good women’s teams and they have a monopoly on the talent. It is hard to win and win and win. My favorite OU coach was Bud Wilkinson. From the second game of the 1948 season to the eighth game of the the 1957 season, the Oklahoma Sooners under Bud Were 94-4-2. I am going by memory here. Two of those loses were by a touchdown to Notre Dame (52,53), one to Texas and one to Paul Bear Bryant’s Kentucky team in the Sugar Bowl. One tie was with Pittsburgh. Don’t recall the other tie. How close were the Sooners to winning 100 games in a row!!!!!!!

I’m a UConn women’s fan too. They can’t help playing in the conference they’re in, but their out of conference slate is very demanding. It has to be so the team can learn to win tough games especially in postseason play.
And in case you missed it, women’s college BB is evolving into a game of better parity.

 

[CTOkie]

Referring to Jimmy Harris as Wilkinson's greatest QB and a true Sooner legend is not "disparaging" him.
But the strength of schedule for OU from 1954-1956 is what it is. The non-conference opponents, scheduled years in advance, could not have been known to be weak or strong by the time OU played them, so the great OU teams of the 47-game streak should get a bit of a pass....even with being in a conference known as "Oklahoma and the seven dwarfs" during that era.

 

[mcbrider]

I’m a UConn women’s fan too. They can’t help playing in the conference they’re in, but their out of conference slate is very demanding. It has to be so the team can learn to win tough games especially in postseason play.
And in case you missed it, women’s college BB is evolving into a game of better parity.

Did not intend to be critical of you. But don’t say something like,”in case you missed it” implying that I am not paying attention to the women’s game. I coached high school girls basketball for 25 years. I have followed women’s college ball since Jody Condrat won a national championship at Texas. I have the utmost respect for Geno Auriema. I have several of his coaching videos. In my opinion he is every bit as good a coach as the great John Wooden.

 

[CTOkie]

Did not intend to be critical of you. But don’t say something like,”in case you missed it” implying that I am not paying attention to the women’s game. I coached high school girls basketball for 25 years. I have followed women’s college ball since Jody Condrat won a national championship at Texas. I have the utmost respect for Geno Auriema. I have several of his coaching videos. In my opinion he is every bit as good a coach as the great John Wooden.

Relax, there was no implication regarding your attention to women's BB.
Auriemma has a coaching style I like. His practices, according to his players and staff, are more demanding than the games are and he is a genius at implimenting team work. His conference (AAC) is indeed a week one, but that is why he 1...schedules a brutal out-of-conference schedule, and 2....demands his players play with intensity and focus the entire game.
My interest in UConn started when they won the 1994-95 championship with Lobo, Rizzotti and company. I found that the women's game was more about fundamentals and unselfish play than the men's game. I found it to be a pure form of basketball. I believe the players are more coachable and more team oriented. I don't care much for the men's game, even though the athleticism is far superior....but it's a different game to me.
When I watch UConn play I am not watching women...I'm watching basketball players.
I watch every game here in Connecticut and have seen most of the games played since 1995.
I follow the recruiting as well and am pleased to see the top player coming in this season (Cristyn Williams) and the 5th rated player (Olivia Nelson-Ododa, who is said to have been the top player early on had she not had a leg injury).
In defending his team's dominance for so long, Auriemma has often said that rather than criticize his program's dominance, the rest of women's basketball should elevate ITS game. He's just doing his job the way he should be. He wanted parity...and after the past two seasons, he got his wish.
Pat Summitt claimed UConn cheated in recruiting Maya Moore, but she never came forth with solid proof and simply said that Auriemma should fess up to his misdeeds....but SHE was making the claim, so SHE should have made her case. There was something mentioned that UConn arranged a tour of the ESPN studios here in Connecticut for Moore, but at the time of Moore's visit, those tours were free to the public.

 

[mcbrider]

Relax, there was no implication regarding your attention to women's BB.
Auriemma has a coaching style I like. His practices, according to his players and staff, are more demanding than the games are and he is a genius at implimenting team work. His conference (AAC) is indeed a week one, but that is why he 1...schedules a brutal out-of-conference schedule, and 2....demands his players play with intensity and focus the entire game.
My interest in UConn started when they won the 1994-95 championship with Lobo, Rizzotti and company. I found that the women's game was more about fundamentals and unselfish play than the men's game. I found it to be a pure form of basketball. I believe the players are more coachable and more team oriented. I don't care much for the men's game, even though the athleticism is far superior....but it's a different game to me.
When I watch UConn play I am not watching women...I'm watching basketball players.
I watch every game here in Connecticut and have seen most of the games played since 1995.
I follow the recruiting as well and am pleased to see the top player coming in this season (Cristyn Williams) and the 5th rated player (Olivia Nelson-Ododa, who is said to have been the top player early on had she not had a leg injury).
In defending his team's dominance for so long, Auriemma has often said that rather than criticize his program's dominance, the rest of women's basketball should elevate ITS game. He's just doing his job the way he should be. He wanted parity...and after the past two seasons, he got his wish.
Pat Summitt claimed UConn cheated in recruiting Maya Moore, but she never came forth with solid proof and simply said that Auriemma should fess up to his misdeeds....but SHE was making the claim, so SHE should have made her case. There was something mentioned that UConn arranged a tour of the ESPN studios here in Connecticut for Moore, but at the time of Moore's visit, those tours were free to the public.

I agree totally with all you said about the Women’s game. And I am well versed in all that Auriema has said, as well as his coaching philosophy. Again don’t tell me to relax. Your statement most certainly did imply that “I missed something “. Let just drop this.

 

[CTOkie]

I agree totally with all you said about the Women’s game. And I am well versed in all that Auriema has said, as well as his coaching philosophy. Again don’t tell me to relax. Your statement most certainly did imply that “I missed something “. Let just drop this.

My statement was aimed at anyone who read what I said, not just you.
Thought we could chat more on this subject. I was wrong.