why doesn't women's soccer play a harder schedule?

ascchamp · October 2, 2003

Has anyone wondered why the women's team doesn't play a harder schedule? At times i begin to wonder if some people are actually as good as they seem to be, or are their stats a bit inflated because of the games that unt plays????? I personally would love to see the ladies play more ranked opponents, and teams that are solid. Nothing wrong with playing teams that are horrble, however, the conference isn't exactly the strongest conference in the nation, so why not help themselves out and give themselves a better rank of schedule. That way, should they not win conference tournament, they have a decent chance at getting an at-large bid. After all, you would love to win those non conference games, but how important are they really? if you lose them and you lose them to teams like notre dame, or duke, or portland, santa clara, or A&M, you can deal with that, cause they are solid squads and you are gaining valuable experience, should you make the post-season. i think that is more benefitial, than playing teams like nicholls state, or grambling or any other non- conference game, that you win by 7 or 8 goals. yes, you get stats, but will you honestly win a game by that margin in the post season, or conference tournament????? I hate losing, but you don't mind losing to a better opponent. i know that winning blow out games gives you a chance to fine tune things, and work out some kinks, but at the same time, as a player, to maybe other players and fans, how serious do you really become after already being up 6 goals?????? Take this perfect example, when the ladies team played Nicholls state, pina was sitting on the bench with sunglasses on joking around with other players after she was substituted out of the game. I wonder if she did that at notre dame????? did anyone??? Those are the things in my opinion, that you shouldn't do, or let allowed to be done and i think that playing a more humbling schedule, would eleviate that.

Also, who scheduled the notre dame game, and the game before?? i think it was a horrble job of travel plans. No way that the team even had a chance to win, the way the time was set up! If people want to know, feel free to ask, and i will tell why i think that!

Edited October 2, 2003 by ascchamp

CMJ · October 2, 2003

I doubt they want to go on the road to *alot* of ranked schools...and it'd be tough to get them to play us in Denton. Obviously 1 or 2 a year can be done(ie ND), but they don't wanna tour the country to get kicked in the stomach...like our football team does.

That would by my guess.

ascchamp · October 2, 2003

Well, true, i understand that you do want to attract competition at home, how ever, for you to say that they wouldn't want to tour the country to get kicked in the stomach, doesn't sound like your very optimistic about how the girls would do against better quality teams! i think it would make them a better team, you only get better by playing better teams! that is evident in any sort of athletics. I know schools have traveling partners, so why not try and get something going on with smu?? they can draw better talent than unt, just cause of the school and the mens program and what not? why not get together with them and try it for a year or two? that might be an option. and they don't have to be ranked opponents, just teams that are better than unt, but not ranked! i am sure there ar plenty of them!

Edited October 2, 2003 by ascchamp

CMJ · October 2, 2003

I'm not disparraging about our women's team..just like I have alot of respect for the football team. But look at the schedule..at OU, at Air Force, at Arkansas....

Even top 25 teams would be wary of facing that kind of schedule. By the same token do you want our girls to go AT all top 25 schools? That doesn't necessarily make you better if you get consistently whipped - and you have no confidence playing conference. Just look at what playing that kind of schedule has doen to football squads like LA Monroe. I feel that NT is lucky, that it didn't destroy our program.

ascchamp · October 2, 2003

well, wow, once again, your very true in what you say, but there is a great difference between a football team and a 10-12 game schedule when 2 or 3 games are non conference and a soccer team, that will play 18-20 games, and they play each team twice in conference. there is nothing wrong with getting whipped by a better team, but if you are so negative about it, it just goes to show your confidence in the team! Maybe it would wake people up to see the level that the best teams are at, and give them a hands on experience, the good teams would take that experience and learn from it, they would get serious about training and how they conduct themselves. They would make themselves better. But that also comes back to the coaching also, they have to get the girls in that attitude. My question to you is this, Did Mari get any all-american awards the last few years??? Cause it is sad, when the NATIONS leading goal scorer, and points leader last year has only received FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICAN, 2 years ago. That all has to do with the teams that they play.

CMJ · October 2, 2003

Okay, if you wanna compare sports with a longer schedule...look at what Trilli's murderous schedule did to our basketball team. We're still recovering from that.

ascchamp · October 2, 2003

Well, i am not really wanting to compare sports here, not my point at all. I am just wondering if anyone feels that the girls could be at a higher level than what they are at, if they were ro play a more difficult schedule. That is all i wanted to know, to see if anyone feels the same way?? or are people complacent with beating 5 teams a year 8-0 and then struggling come the end of the season?? also, what is the team going to do, when mari graduates, and you only have one player that has proven herself?? not much of a team when you depend on one person? I mean i know others score, but no one else has the out put that mari and pina have? where does it come from????????

res1dg16 · October 2, 2003

perhaps UNT soccer can't get "big time" teams to come to Denton

& can't get the $$$ to go play quality OOC games ... just a thought

ascchamp · October 3, 2003

well, i know they can't draw them to come to denton, but i never said anything about having to be big time, just teams that are better. teams that aren't ranked, but tend to always be in the post season and make the tournament frequently. those are the teams that will test you! so, who is up next for the girls to play? does any one know when the new field will be done and ready?