glad Coach Dailey didn't allow it

[DaddyChoc]

that purple hair isn't standard... but now that you're out on your own, do as you wish!

 

[CL82]

Not loving it myself, but it does seem like a classic Steph kind of a thing.

 

[Gate81]

hair plus her play made her seem less focused?
Even with the 40 pounds she has on Chiney I still think Geno should have kept Chiney instead (precisely because the game is faster, and so is Chiney). don't care that there are fewer true centers with Fowles out -- will be BG and Tina Charles getting the time anyway.

 

[ThisJustIn]

The committee didn't keep Chiney, not Geno. It was something Peck and Ward kept on conflating in their discussions of who was there, hurt, cut and missing...

 

[sarals24]

Stef is focused, she always played with a smile on her face last year. She probably knows that she isn't going to make the final cut, and was enjoying playing in front of a Connecticut crowd and her former teammates. The game is much faster and she looked too slow last night. I sincerely doubt the color of her hair had anything to go with it.

She's 22 years old. Let's cut her a little slack, shall we?

 

[Gate81]

Understood on the ages, understood that they're all special players. However, the "committee" (quotes intentional) must be influenced by Geno or other factors. Lavender seems to make a strong case for herself as the third center (if that's how they allocate the numbers) better than Stef right now.

 

[Vowelguy]

hair plus her play made her seem less focused?
Even with the 40 pounds she has on Chiney I still think Geno should have kept Chiney instead (precisely because the game is faster, and so is Chiney). don't care that there are fewer true centers with Fowles out -- will be BG and Tina Charles getting the time anyway.

Still not clear that BG is healthy enough to play.

And speed isn't a problem for the US.
If anyone challenges the US, it's not because they're more athletic than the US. A big body in the middle is something you want to be prepared for.

 

[dannykuconn]

I will never understand why anyone would walk around intentionally with weird hair.

 

[ThisJustIn]

Understood on the ages, understood that they're all special players. However, the "committee" (quotes intentional) must be influenced by Geno or other factors. Lavender seems to make a strong case for herself as the third center (if that's how they allocate the numbers) better than Stef right now.

Think what you will - but there are several reasons why I'm stressing that USA Basketball has always emphasized that it's their decision, not the coaches. Read the intriguing "Venus to the Hoop" and Tara's very honest "Shooting from the Outside" and you'll know that coaches aren't always happy about it....

It's a bigger issue with coaches and the younger aged players - grumbling about recruiting and such.

This is not to say these issues are not legitimate and worthy of discussion. But it is useful to put them in context of the very explicit mission of USA Basketball: To win gold medals.

To those within USAB, agendas that distract from that goal, especially the idea a coach coaching the younger teams might attempt to recruit those players, seem incomprehensible. Anne Donovan, who has been involved in USA Basketball since 1983, first as a player and most recently an assistant coach for the Gold medal winning team in Athens, seemed almost stunned at the possibility. “I understand and recognize why they’d be concerned but – and forgive me, but I’ve been so entrenched in USA Basketball for more than half my life – that organization is not run with that intent. You’ve got all these all-stars who want to play, all who have been starters, and now you’re the coach that doesn’t think they’re a starter? You’re going to make five friends – your five starters. And you better win a medal, because that also affects their career. USA Basketball program has been so much about gold and silver medals, that anything less than that is almost unacceptable.”

 

[wallman]

hair plus her play made her seem less focused?
Even with the 40 pounds she has on Chiney I still think Geno should have kept Chiney instead (precisely because the game is faster, and so is Chiney). don't care that there are fewer true centers with Fowles out -- will be BG and Tina Charles getting the time anyway.

So what happened when Dolson D'd up Chiney?

 

[Biff]

I will never understand why anyone would walk around intentionally with weird hair.

Well you've shown that it takes balls to do it.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

I will never understand why anyone would walk around intentionally with weird hair.

As Stef herself has said - "when you're 6'5" people are going to look at you, so you might as
well give them something to look at". Thus the hair and the eye-catching clothing choices.

 

[Kibitzer]

Well you've shown that it takes balls to do it.

Classic Biff!

 

[jsloanjr]

Who cares what color her hair is? Hopefully, she quiets the fans with her play on the court........I like it..

 

[HoopsFan21]

Who cares what color her hair is? Hopefully, she quiets the fans with her play on the court...I like it..

Apparently some guy named Geno Auriemma cares about that sort of thing. But, heck, what does he know?

 

[winlots]

Understood on the ages, understood that they're all special players. However, the "committee" (quotes intentional) must be influenced by Geno or other factors. Lavender seems to make a strong case for herself as the third center (if that's how they allocate the numbers) better than Stef right now.

GATE: Speaking of making a strong case, are you suggesting that Lavender is to be preferred to purple?

 

[choochoo]

Anyone have a picture of Cassi Kerns get up and hair doo at the final four this year. Talk about outrageous and statement!

 

[doggydaddy]

that purple hair isn't standard... but now that you're out on your own, do as you wish!

Me too. I feel the same about tattoos.

 

[RadyLady]

I will never understand why anyone would walk around intentionally with weird hair.

I'll have you know Danny UConn that my sister is making her own Danny UConn wig with multi color hair and little basketballs attached do it and she plans on wearing it to Madison Square Garden for the Maggie Dixon classic

 

[RadyLady]

Well you've shown that it takes balls to do it.

This is fabulous I laughed so hard and loud at this so much so that I startled the people on the train tonight. However I don't understand how a post of this nature can stay and my little post with Frank Sinatra had to get deleted... Maybe I should have put a wig on old Frankie

;-)

 

[intlzncster]

Loving that purple hair.

 

[Gate81]

GATE: Speaking of making a strong case, are you suggesting that Lavender is to be preferred to purple?

good joke and sense of humor!

 

[hjoerring]

that purple hair isn't standard... but now that you're out on your own, do as you wish!

Would blond be more acceptable? Afterall, she would be right inline with every 3rd white (and even non-white) woman who have colored their hair. Stef played herself into shape for the college game, she will need to do so for the WNBA or, she will be a 2nd or 3rd string player-- probably moving around a lot. Perhaps she can consult with Moore about how to take care of yourself.

 

[phil sampieri]

Would blond be more acceptable? Afterall, she would be right inline with every 3rd white (and even non-white) woman who have colored their hair. Stef played herself into shape for the college game, she will need to do so for the WNBA or, she will be a 2nd or 3rd string player-- probably moving around a lot. Perhaps she can consult with Moore about how to take care of yourself.

who says she is not in shape ?

 

[willtalk]

It's a bigger issue with coaches and the younger aged players - grumbling about recruiting and such.

This is not to say these issues are not legitimate and worthy of discussion. But it is useful to put them in context of the very explicit mission of USA Basketball: To win gold medals.

----------- You’re going to make five friends – your five starters. And you better win a medal, because that also affects their career. USA Basketball program has been so much about gold and silver medals, that anything less than that is almost unacceptable.”

Up until now the USA is still far ahead enough in talent that it gives them a bit of slack in selecting a few players not entirely based on merit. The men's national team was the same until they were beaten by the Russian for the second time.

So the five friends the coach makes are the best players. Boy that really works against them doesn't it. I'll take those five players as my friends any day if I were a coach wanting an in with players.