Seattle vs. LA

[EricLA]

I am so glad that some have taken the discussion to a higher plane and disappointed at posters who say things like "And I especially hope it cleans USA basketballs house of people with an agenda and that they are replaced with fair and unbiased committee members with the courage to speak up for what is fair for US athletes." That was recently posted by what I assume to be a Tennessee fan a page or 2 back in this thread.

I totally agree that this kind of innuendo is hardly something to emulate and is unfair to Geno and the US Olympic committee. After all, Geno is currently "in the house" of USA Basketball, and doing a wonderful job I might add!

Also, FWIW, I am in total agreement with people like Jim Fuller who said he "believe that something significant must have taken place behind the scenes for such a drastic move to be made" . Some may choose to live in fantasy land, but just because someone doesn't have specific sources to quote doesn't make it untrue. Smoke, fire... you know the drill.

To echo what Fuller said, back on April 29th in reply to something Linn Dunn tweeted... an exchange between Doug Feinberg and Mechelle Voeppel. Certainly food for thought. Lacking specifics, but hardly irresponsible... Makes you wonder what all these journalists are referring to!

Mechelle Voepel ‏@MechelleV Apr 29
@Coach_Dunn Of course we don't. You have to rely on what people tell you, what you observe, and then write as best you can.

Doug Feinberg Verified account ‏@DougFeinberg
.@MechelleV @Coach_Dunn or sometimes you can't write what goes on because it's off the record conversation that won't see the light of day

 

[shinobimono]

Morgan Tuck. Maya Moore. Kelly Faris. At least.

Yes, but they have their down games too. If you carefully analyzed everyone's stats you would find games where the star player just didn't perform as expected. I don't think this applies ony to Candace. I followed the NY Liberty last year, and there were a number of games where Tina's stats were down. Did she disappear, stop playing to her potential, have an off day, stop plyaing up to Geno's standard? Who really knows the answer, but it happens to all players. Former UConn players are not immune.

 

[Bayareahusky]

I will say one last thing before I sign off and leave the commenting to others. I remember well 1984 and the controversy..... watched a lot of SEC that year.... was my first year of grad school.... according to you Barkley "came out of nowhere"..... but he was #5 overall draft choice in NBA that year... before the Olympic team was chosen..... Jeff Turner (who's he?) was 12 picks later. out of Vanderbilt... same conference... ..... he made the Olympic team..... Again I appreciate your labeling my citing the Barkley thing "desperate" and "outrageous"..... yes it is your opinion, and you may be right.... as u say it is a chat forum, and I thought it was a valid point.....

Why do you think he wasn't initially favored to make the team? After all he was the 5th pick, right? The reason why he wasn' favored to make the team was because at the time he wasn't believed to have been among the 5 best players. He only got one vote for 2nd team. It wasn't until after his impressive showing in camps did he move up the ladder. How does a sleeper have the same similarity with Parker who's been regarded as among the world's best for many years? Barkley wasn't even regarded that high until DURING/AFTER the tryouts.

I'm sorry about this but it just seed to me you were talking down to those of us who believe very strongly that Parker should be on. If we have a strong conviction she should be on, then how else are we supposed to sound?[/QUOTE]

Yes, Barkley was a hidden talent... Knight knew his value though and invited him to camp, where, by all accounts, he outplayed all vying for his position, including the aforementioned Jeff Turner...... Joe Kleine of Arkansas and Sam Perkins as well...... I believe (going from memory) Knight didn't bring him on team because he said CB did not constitute the complete player (defense liability Knight said when pressed..... others thought he just did not like his schtick) Heard the same stuff about Parker, this is why in part I thought the example was appropriate....

No harm no foul..... I have thick skin.... but I was surprised at how hard you came at me.... I am a veteran of this board, and never have taken anyone to task in my years here..... at least knowingly.... and I like to think anyway I respect everyone's opinions..... even those from our friends at Duke, Tenn, and Baylor (that was a joke) But please understand (and I think you do) that I would not put anyone down.... if I am sometimes unaware I definitely am respectful.... Yeah, on Parker..... i think she deserved to make the team also, and I am a fan..... where I voiced my opinion was when many voices rose up and were strident about the travesty of her omission..... and i thought of the times I thought I was qualified for the job, only to be beaten out..... or other Olympic and National Team snubs over the years in various sports..... I have not researched it, but I well remember Dean Smith finishing his roster with Carolina players he had coached..... and facing incoming fire for it

Yes and going forth, I am going to follow your lead and stay out of the fray for a while..... being on this forum for such a long spell has been so much fun.... but highly charged discussions like the Candace one just serve to remind me how quickly fun can turn into no fun..... and would rather bask in the glory of all my UC memorabilia here (as I admire my signed Moriah poster on my wall) than yap my opinion about something which is ultimately non-consequential..... someone today (yesterday? and I forget who) in this thread actually called me out on misspelling Candace's name.... saying or strongly implying that I had acrimonious intentions.... you know like other boards misspell GA's name..... for the record..... BYers and my Tenn friends, I did think it was "Candice"..... but no enmity intended..... I truly am a Candace lover.... just not smart enuf to spell the name correctly....

Be well HH, and thx 4 posting.... we r together wishing CP was on the team, but 4 time being will have to settle for WNBA

 

[shinobimono]

As always great stuff Nancy. Of course it will never put to rest the accusations of people who have chosen the "anti-Geno" side, but as Jim said, if Parker wants to make the next Olympic team...well we will have to see. It seems like she may have some things to address. I also agree that something drastic happened behind the scenes, that we may never be privy to, for the committee to have decided the way they did.

I think this viewing of those that support Candace's inclusion on the Olympic team as the "anti-Geno" side is part of the problem. Perhaps in some cases a person does say something that implicates Geno, but many of the posts do not. I brought up the "sentimentality" criteria for selecting players in a previous post. It is this criteria that makes me think this was a Committee decision, because we should all know that "sentimentality" is not a criteria that Geno operates his program under. It is more likely rewarding USA Basketball players for their loyalty and wanting to send them out with Olympic Gold in their final year(s) of play. I think it is a decision that Geno had to accommodate himself to because he does not have absolute authority.

 

[UcMiami]

I am so glad that some have taken the discussion to a higher plane and disappointed at posters who say things like "And I especially hope it cleans USA basketballs house of people with an agenda and that they are replaced with fair and unbiased committee members with the courage to speak up for what is fair for US athletes." That was recently posted by what I assume to be a Tennessee fan a page or 2 back in this thread.

I totally agree that this kind of innuendo is hardly something to emulate and is unfair to Geno and the US Olympic committee. After all, Geno is currently "in the house" of USA Basketball, and doing a wonderful job I might add!

Also, FWIW, I am in total agreement with people like Jim Fuller who said he "believe that something significant must have taken place behind the scenes for such a drastic move to be made" . Some may choose to live in fantasy land, but just because someone doesn't have specific sources to quote doesn't make it untrue. Smoke, fire... you know the drill.

To echo what Fuller said, back on April 29th in reply to something Linn Dunn tweeted... an exchange between Doug Feinberg and Mechelle Voeppel. Certainly food for thought. Lacking specifics, but hardly irresponsible... Makes you wonder what all these journalists are referring to!

Mechelle Voepel ‏@MechelleV Apr 29
@Coach_Dunn Of course we don't. You have to rely on what people tell you, what you observe, and then write as best you can.

Doug Feinberg Verified account ‏@DougFeinberg
.@MechelleV @Coach_Dunn or sometimes you can't write what goes on because it's off the record conversation that won't see the light of day

I also think viewing this as a 'momentous' decision elevates a single player above the team - you can look at the pool of players and come up with 15-18 total players that 'deserve to be on the USA team' and can make an argument that any one of the twelve players on the team could have been replaced by one of the 3-6 players who were left off, and in the next breath argue that the one you just left off deserved to be included over one of the remaining eleven original selected members. And you can go around in circles.
And this is the exact same argument that you can make about the results of the GM's poll regarding the pre-season honors and player qualities in the WNBA.

And the exact same argument we hear every time USA selects a team for any level of competition - the last most vociferous one I remember was about the obvious bias on the committee about FL high school players.

Candace is a great player and if you want to choose her and build your team around her fine. I would make a different choice. Just like you might choose Michael Jordan and I might choose Magic Johnson, or someone else would choose Wilt over Bill. Different horses for different courses as they say.

Rebecca Brunson - great player who has never made a USA team. Lavender the same. Candice - good enough for a WC team (playing against the exact same competition) but not good enough for an Olympic team?

 

[msf22b]

Milford noted "The much-maligned Sue Bird"
And Hoophuskee stated; "I completely understand why BOTH Bird and Catchings are on." (based on 2012 showing).

Sue is surely one of the most beloved and respected Huskies of all time.
A player of consummate skill and poise in her prime.
No one on this board queries what she has brought to the game.

The questions that are being asked now are, does she have anything left to bring to the table at present?
Not any disrespect for her past body of work (though last season was not to her previous standard).
She was closely guarded the other evening and seemed unable to deal with the physicality of it.
I'm sure the International teams will make note of it.

I didn't see Catching's game, but stats weren't great.Again, great, great player and ambassador of the game.

It's one game; making judgements on one game are folly.
But I can't but think of (as a kid) glued to the TV when Joe Lewis fought an unknown youngster from Brockton MA.
America's hero got old, very old before our eyes. It was sad to see.
Hard not to think that taking a superstar in her prime and a young point wouldn't have been a more sensible choice.
And I don't have any opinions (despite the above) of whom you leave off.

 

[UcMiami]

Milford noted "The much-maligned Sue Bird"
And Hoophuskee stated; "I completely understand why BOTH Bird and Catchings are on." (based on 2012 showing).

Sue is surely one of the most beloved and respected Huskies of all time.
A player of consummate skill and poise in her prime.
No one on this board queries what she has brought to the game.

The questions that are being asked now are, does she have anything left to bring to the table at present?
Not any disrespect for her past body of work (though last season was not to her previous standard).
She was closely guarded the other evening and seemed unable to deal with the physicality of it.
I'm sure the International teams will make note of it.

I didn't see Catching's game, but stats weren't great.Again, great, great player and ambassador of the game.

It's one game; making judgements on one game are folly.
But I can't but think of (as a kid) glued to the TV when Joe Lewis fought an unknown youngster from Brockton MA.
America's hero got old, very old before our eyes. It was sad to see.
Hard not to think that taking a superstar in her prime and a young point wouldn't have been a more sensible choice.
And I don't have any opinions (despite the above) of whom you leave off.

You don't have to go back to 2012 - in 2015 Sue finished second in the WNBA in assists per game on damaged wheels and she took the winter off from Europe (as did Whalen) to be ready for this WNBA season and the Olympics. DT took the full WNBA season off and Candace half the WNBA season off for similar reasons.

The other three are playing for good veteran teams, Sue is playing for a young and in-transition team. I suspect her WNBA stats will suffer, as they did last year with an even worse team.

 

[VAUConnFan]

IMO this post is an over-exagerration of Geno. Wildly over exaggeration. To think a committee of professionals would let themselves be walked over by a college coach whieel they will have to be stuck with answering the questions imo is wrong. To think they'd let Geno pick every player- then why are they there? They are professionals in their jobs and they have no say? Please stop. Geno was quote specifically speaking of DT and Bird. Not also 10 other players.

Coach Auriemma is a college coach, but he is not just any college coach. He is the most accomplished coach in the women's game and his teams have been perennially among the Top 5 for the better part of the last three decades. It would take a full encyclopedic volume to list all of his accomplishments, the least of which might very well be his induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame.

The committee as listed below is certainly distinguished:
Carol Callan (USA Basketball)
Reneé Brown (WNBA)
Dan Hughes (WNBA)
Chris Sienko (WNBA)
Katie Smith (Athlete Representative)
And it is tasked with choosing the 12 players who will represent the United States in the Olympics.

Why are they there?(Why is there a committee making these decisions?) A good question; For who here believes that Coach Auriemma needs help with basketball personnel decisions? Does USA Basketball not trust his integrity? Is USA Basketball there to make sure that Coach Auriemma does not stack his team with former players? Are there similar committees in other Olympic sports? Has there always been a committee picking the women's basketball team? When, why, and how did selection by committee come into vogue? I seem to recall a US Olympic Swimming Team comprised overwhelmingly of Michigan Wolverines. No one had a problem with it. They were the best swimmers who just happened to be part of the Wolverine program.

IMO, it is more than coincidental that the two most talked about snubs of the last two Olympics involve former Tennessee Lady Vols.

 

[Striper69]

Katie Lou Samuelson ‏@33katielou 2h2 hours ago
Out here supporting @bre_stewart30

10 retweets 118 likes

I LOVE Saniya!

 

[Striper69]

Relax...


(that's directed at CP3). Enjoy the time off from the Olympics.

That miss-skee-to virus freaks me out anyway...

 

[UcMiami]

Coach Auriemma is a college coach, but he is not just any college coach. He is the most accomplished coach in the women's game and his teams have been perennially among the Top 5 for the better part of the last three decades. It would take a full encyclopedic volume to list all of his accomplishments, the least of which might very well be his induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame.

The committee as listed below is certainly distinguished:
Carol Callan (USA Basketball)
Reneé Brown (WNBA)
Dan Hughes (WNBA)
Chris Sienko (WNBA)
Katie Smith (Athlete Representative)
And it is tasked with choosing the 12 players who will represent the United States in the Olympics.

Why are they there?(Why is there a committee making these decisions?) A good question; For who here believes that Coach Auriemma needs help with basketball personnel decisions? Does USA Basketball not trust his integrity? Is USA Basketball there to make sure that Coach Auriemma does not stack his team with former players? Are there similar committees in other Olympic sports? Has there always been a committee picking the women's basketball team? When, why, and how did selection by committee come into vogue? I seem to recall a US Olympic Swimming Team comprised overwhelmingly of Michigan Wolverines. No one had a problem with it. They were the best swimmers who just happened to be part of the Wolverine program.

IMO, it is more than coincidental that the two most talked about snubs of the last two Olympics involve former Tennessee Lady Vols.

There has been a committee for as long as I can remember involved in choosing all olympic/wc team sports for the USA as there are committees for individual sports who set up the trials and organize the criteria for the inclusion in those parts of the US team. I believe it has always been thus, including the decisions about which athletes are included in various relay races (controversy caused at the Berlin Olympics when they pulled a jewish athlete off one of the relay teams to appease the Nazis!)

The committees are in place because no individual coach has the insight into the available talent and may have slightly different priorities than the USA national team committee itself has. Van Chancellor given a choice I am sure would have selected Lisa Leslie and a few other veterans over Candace Parker and some of the younger players on the 2006 WC Bronze team, and Tara reportedly was unhappy to have Lobo added to the 2006 Olympic team. Suspect Geno would have chosen a more experienced guard than Sims in 2014 if he had control of the team.

Not sure who was 'snubbed' at the last Olympics from TN - are you talking about Kara Lawson? - don't remember that being all that controversial, she was replaced in 2010 by Whalen for the WC so by the Olympics it was pretty old news. And I am pretty sure that if you asked Kara she would object vehemently to the use of the word 'snub'. I doubt anyone in the pro ranks from 2008 on would have traded Lindsey Whalen straight up for Kara Lawson. In college Whalen was probably as good as Lawson and since they both turned pro Whalen has had a much better career. I love Kara as a person and as a player but ...

IMO you are stretching credulity with your opinion of a conspiracy against TN players.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I LOVE Saniya!

me too.... she's in my top ten all-time favorites

 

[CocoHusky]

I'm with blueballer- I've seen these comments before from Chris Sienko. Somewhere else his comments were posted. They really don't say why. It's generic. I've agreed all along that I don't believe for one second Geno could step over / stomp over the 5.
By, who ma the decision to fire Coach T and hire Anne D? I don't who it was - but was it Chris? Who on here thought once it was announced that it was good move?

The one new aspect to this article is the question posed by Jim " Will Stewart be more willing to accept a role, even a limited one, than Parker would have been?". The answer to that question is a valid consideration for an olympic team and speaks to the point @UConnCat made in an earlier post that is not best 12 players it best team.
Regarding this bunk that "something happened" and no one from the committee is is willing to go on the record with it, is like going into a crowded kennel, seeing a wet spot and saying yup must have been the Boxer Pup .
There is a wet spot, so something happened, equally irresponsible to assign blame to either the Boxer Pup (Candace) or the Husky Pup (Geno) unless you happen to be the Kennel attendant (USA Basketball Selection Committee) on duty at the time of the incident. It is even more irresponsible to speculate that it was that one wet spot (incident) that led to the committee's decision because guess what puppies piss all the time.

 

[VAUConnFan]

(controversy caused at the Berlin Olympics when they pulled a jewish athlete off one of the relay teams to appease the Nazis!)

That athlete was the venerable broadcaster, Marty Glickman. Thankfully, the USOC would not be able to get away with such appeasement today. Which begs another question because Hitler was none too fond of blacks either. Was it easier to leave Glickman home because the US was a prohibitive favorite in the relays without him?

 

[MilfordHusky]

Didn't he bench Morgan Tuck for something not so good in her jr year?

Geno was pi$$ed at Morgan and Stewie for 5 MINUTES of lackluster play.

 

[hoophuskee]

Milford noted "The much-maligned Sue Bird"
And Hoophuskee stated; "I completely understand why BOTH Bird and Catchings are on." (based on 2012 showing).

Sue is surely one of the most beloved and respected Huskies of all time.
A player of consummate skill and poise in her prime.
No one on this board queries what she has brought to the game.

The questions that are being asked now are, does she have anything left to bring to the table at present?
Not any disrespect for her past body of work (though last season was not to her previous standard).
She was closely guarded the other evening and seemed unable to deal with the physicality of it.
I'm sure the International teams will make note of it.

I didn't see Catching's game, but stats weren't great.Again, great, great player and ambassador of the game.

It's one game; making judgements on one game are folly.
But I can't but think of (as a kid) glued to the TV when Joe Lewis fought an unknown youngster from Brockton MA.
America's hero got old, very old before our eyes. It was sad to see.
Hard not to think that taking a superstar in her prime and a young point wouldn't have been a more sensible choice.
And I don't have any opinions (despite the above) of whom you leave off.

I deliberately did NOT read much of any of the other posts and replies. I don't want to get involved in these discussions but I can't resist peeking.

in this case- I couldn't resist - it's mroe than just "I disagree." You missed my point. I said 2014--NOT 2012 regarding Bird. I think I mentioned Sims. She wasn't on the team in 2012. IMO Bird was solid - clearly outshining -- it;'s as though Sims and Bird were light light years apart. In 2014 Bird's decline had begun if you look at the WNBA stats- she shot 38.6% from the floor - look at all of her advanced stats- nearly every one went DRAStiCIALLy down. But if you want watch 2014 games -- man she was still solid in regards to what the team needed her to do.

IMO it is WRONG to look at SUe Bird's WNBA season the way many are doing. imo THIS OLYMPIC TEAM DOES NOT NEED 2 PG PLAYMAKERS. THIS OLYMPIC TEAM DOES NOT NEED 2 PG PLAYMAKERS. THIS OLYMPIC TEAM DOES NOT NEED 2 PG PLAYMAKERS. they didn't need it in 2014, why should they need it in 2016? This team HAS play makers in Maya, EDD and DT. And Augustus and as long as Angel is on there she is a playmaker too. And Catchigns is still very good with the ball in her hands too. SO if a team wants to press Sue Bird and open up the floor and which may even lead to less help defense on the USA Bigs we as fans of Team USA should say "Thank you very much for trying that."

For example there is a certain poster that called my opinion for believing Parker should be on the team over Fowles (I also said over Angel) as "IGNORANT." How Fowles is doing at the moment - I'd lean more toward Angel out Parker in- but that is beside the point. Do we really want to start calling other people's opinions as IGNORANT on here? I've called that ND poster in the past "a homer" or "you have extreme views" -- I tried not to use the word ignorant but he or she did. IS what I said to him or bad - so I got what I deserved? ----------- so this brings me to Skylar Diggins -- a classic example of Bird vs Sklyar. this USA team doesn't need Skylar flying through the lane offensively - and in a physical game which the Olympics are refs don't tend to give you those drive-in-the-lane calls, do they? And I mentioned to the ND poster that Skylar being hurt last year- can't totally trust she could play as well He or she didn't care. In fact he or she posted that in part Skylar said she is okay so that means she is okay.

Anyhow-- for any of you that think there is basketball reason why Parker didn't make the team- when you look at all the weapons team USA has with not only their size but with EDD, Maya, Dt, Augustus, Angel and Catchings (team making the finals last year. Catching terrific handler of the ball.)-- how many other scorers does this USA team need? Why wouldn't you want a pg that is more of a stationary shooter? A pg less likely to break plays? A pg for example going against Australia that isn't going to force going in the lane? Isn't Bird a very good fit for this USA team? Why look at this year vs Seattle as a VERY meaningful measurement unless until Stewie and Lloyd develop? With team USA- there are ELITE starts all over. SO Bird will have superior teammates. She won't have to do as much. On this Seattle team she still does. She needs to make plays. So you need a pg like Skylar to make plays such as taking shots away from the above mentioned or you need a pg like Vandersloot to make plays because the other "teammates" can't? Bird fits. Skylar could have but injury concerns too. y would you risk tht?

Final point we can all disagree on this subject of player's but if one thinks Parker or Bird should be in and recommends a tough decision for another player to be left out- unless it is Maya, Dt, Griner - should that opinion be called "ignorant?" you start calling other people's opinions ignorant - you open up a door you shouldn't want to go through. I can see if the other poster is trashing another poster or a player and things get personal. But the discussions on this stuff hasn't been personal, has it? Or am I too thin-skinned and should star calling other people's opinions regularly as ignorant if I have a strong opinion on something?

 

[CocoHusky]

" I thought it was a tremendous performance by Candace,” said U.S. head coach Geno Auriemma of Parker. “We saw a little bit of everything that she’s capable of doing. There are things that Candace can do that no other player can do.”

Parker's record setting performance leads Team USA past Angola

 

[UcMiami]

" I thought it was a tremendous performance by Candace,” said U.S. head coach Geno Auriemma of Parker. “We saw a little bit of everything that she’s capable of doing. There are things that Candace can do that no other player can do.”

Parker's record setting performance leads Team USA past Angola

Yup - I always evaluate players on what they can accomplish in 52 point blow-out wins against completely outclassed opponents. That is why I am so surprised every year in the NCAAs when Uconn's bench proves how good they are in the first two or three rounds and then we never see them again until the next fall - why aren't they getting significant minutes in the E8 and FF?!

I really like the composition of this NT and I think based on what I am seeing in watching the WNBA it all makes sense to me. The only guard currently playing that I would consider as a possible replacement for Bird or Whalen should they be injured is Vandersloot (and she has missed their last game.) Sims is a really good scoring guard as is Loyd, but they are not that good in the role needed on the NT

 

[Gate81]

That athlete was the venerable broadcaster, Marty Glickman. Thankfully, the USOC would not be able to get away with such appeasement today. Which begs another question because Hitler was none too fond of blacks either. Was it easier to leave Glickman home because the US was a prohibitive favorite in the relays without him?

For those of you who are fans of Marty Glickman, I saw a documentary on him about a year ago. You may want to Google it -- 'twas excellent.

 

[EricLA]

Yup - I always evaluate players on what they can accomplish in 52 point blow-out wins against completely outclassed opponents. That is why I am so surprised every year in the NCAAs when Uconn's bench proves how good they are in the first two or three rounds and then we never see them again until the next fall - why aren't they getting significant minutes in the E8 and FF?!

I really like the composition of this NT and I think based on what I am seeing in watching the WNBA it all makes sense to me. The only guard currently playing that I would consider as a possible replacement for Bird or Whalen should they be injured is Vandersloot (and she has missed their last game.) Sims is a really good scoring guard as is Loyd, but they are not that good in the role needed on the NT

I've never been on the Vandersloot love train in the past, but I'm starting to change my mind. I think there's a reason Bird is considered the greatest PG of her generation - mainly because while she CAN score, she's much more valuable as a facilitator. When you are surrounded by 11 other "greats" as she always is on the Olympic or WC teams, it's not necessary for her to be a scoring guard. And aside from Vandersloot, I'm not sure how many other true PG's there are in the game. I think Jefferson is one as well, and I do believe her time will come. But my point is that CVS's game is really growing on me.

I have no idea who will replace Bird and Whalen when they retire from the US National Team, but CVS would be a great choice as a pure PG who also CAN score, but doesn't need to in order to be effective...

 

[CajunHusky]

IMO the committee looked at this way:

There is going to be a rookie. There is a history of the top College player having a spot and this year that is

Stewart

Griner, Fowles and Charles are must haves.
and the four guards: SB, DT, LW, McCoughtry....
The last four spots go to the forwards: EDD, Maya, Catchings, Augustus.

Bird and Catchings were chosen at least as much for their unquestioned leadership as for their skill.

I think it came down to Augustus vs Parker. I can see where it was a really tough choice.

It it is reasonable to believe it is the last hurrah for the underlined players on the National team .... almost half the team will turnover.
CVS, Diggins, McBride ... Jefferson is on the outside looking in at this point but a two years in the WNBA could change that.

 

[UcMiami]

Cajun - yup.
On the future - Fowles, and McCoughtry are 30/29 and could well be around in 2018 if not 2020 - Whalen might be the transition guard for 2018 if they felt they needed that. Augustus is 32 and could also make it through 2020 if she can stay healthy. DT is 33 and might be hanging it up as far as the NT after the Olympics.

 

[CocoHusky]

IMO the committee looked at this way:

There is going to be a rookie. There is a history of the top College player having a spot and this year that is

Stewart

Griner, Fowles and Charles are must haves.
and the four guards: SB, DT, LW, McCoughtry....
The last four spots go to the forwards: EDD, Maya, Catchings, Augustus.

Bird and Catchings were chosen at least as much for their unquestioned leadership as for their skill.

I think it came down to Augustus vs Parker. I can see where it was a really tough choice.

It it is reasonable to believe it is the last hurrah for the underlined players on the National team .... almost half the team will turnover.
CVS, Diggins, McBride ... Jefferson is on the outside looking in at this point but a two years in the WNBA could change that.

Cajun, perfectly reasonable way for the committee to look at it.
Parker sure show out tonight. EDD was sub par, it happens, everyone can have a bad game, even Candace. For all the people pumping up Vandersloot she must have been injured tonight.