CT SUN

[DICKG]

Has anyone noticed how poorly Katie Douglas has been shooting for the last several weeks? (And you can't blame the coach for that.) I think the Sun would have won 2 or 3 more games if it had been KML taking those shots. Admittedly, KML as a rookie would not have the savvy and defensive skill that Douglas has as a 13-year veteran. But recently, the trade-off would still have been favorable.

I don't think the Sun lack talent overall -- Chiney and Alyssa Thomas are extremely talented. They do lack a reliable 3-point shooter -- neither Douglas nor Renee has been able to do that, for reasons that aren't clear to me in either case. Their backcourt is OK but not outstanding by WNBA standards. Kelsey Bone is adequately talented as a WNBA center, but lacking in experience and maturity -- meaning that she still has a significant upside. Kelsey Griffin (particularly coming off the bench) has a great floor game -- she is for the Sun what Kelly Faris was for UConn. What the Sun really lack (going back to Thibault's days) is a serious scoring threat at the 3 position. KML would seem ideal for that role.

 

[DICKG]

I love Katie, but she is showing her age and she is a liability on defense. I think she would help the team more if she were the coach.

 

[DICKG]

By-the-by why do you think Asjha Jones is sitting out this season? She saw what Anne Donovan, with her 3 1/2 hour practices can do to your body and she'll sit out and either retire or sign with another team!
And I realize that Tina Charles can be a Diva at times but it had nothing to do with "going home to NY", she saw her career going south if she stayed with AD more than 1 year! Tina loved CT and wouldn't have even thought of bailing ship if Mike T. was kept on!

Does the league have rules about length of practices and how many practices are allowed? Most leagues do.

 

[Waquoit]

Hi RSHERM, If Donovan is that lacking as a coach, why on earth did USA basketball have her involved for so many years, including 2008 when she was the head coach of the Olympic champions? Yes, they were a very talented team, but there were certainly many, many other coaches that USA basketball could have entrusted with the job. Why her?

Look at the Sun this year and last. Forget ancient history, do you think she has gotten the best out of her players? Yes or no?

 

[DICKG]

Look at the Sun this year and last. Forget ancient history, do you think she has gotten the best out of her players? Yes or no?

No

 

[Striper69]

Look at the Sun this year and last. Forget ancient history, do you think she has gotten the best out of her players? Yes or no?

This year? Probably...

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

DickG- - - #1 on Asjha contract- I would think it is up at the end of this season or has 1 more year to go.
#2 I don't know if the WNBA has a length of practice rule but they leave it up to the coach discretion. Common sense says you can't practice more than 2 to 2 1/2 hrs. or you'll wear out the players bodies and be more susceptible to injuries!

 

[DishNSwish]

And I realize that Tina Charles can be a Diva at times but it had nothing to do with "going home to NY", she saw her career going south if she stayed with AD more than 1 year! Tina loved CT and wouldn't have even thought of bailing ship if Mike T. was kept on!

This is not correct.

 

[DishNSwish]

DickG- - - #1 on Asjha contract- I would think it is up at the end of this season or has 1 more year to go.
#2 I don't know if the WNBA has a length of practice rule but they leave it up to the coach discretion. Common sense says you can't practice more than 2 to 2 1/2 hrs. or you'll wear out the players bodies and be more susceptible to injuries!

Lin Dunn runs long practices and it isn't complained about.

 

[Beemer]

I know the Sun have had another rough year but I see a team that plays hard for their coach every game. If they didn't respect her and believe in what she's doing they wouldn't put in that kind of effort. And before anyone comes back with "well they're pros they're supposed to" just look at last year's team. They were supposedly pros too.

 

[DishNSwish]

I know the Sun have had another rough year but I see a team that plays hard for their coach every game. If they didn't respect her and believe in what she's doing they wouldn't put in that kind of effort. And before anyone comes back with "well they're pros they're supposed to" just look at last year's team. They were supposedly pros too.

Well said, and in my opinion that has to be considered when looking forward in the offseason. I'm not saying things are perfect or that Anne should definitely be back. I am agreeing with your assessment though.

 

[psconn]

By-the-by why do you think Asjha Jones is sitting out this season? She saw what Anne Donovan, with her 3 1/2 hour practices can do to your body and she'll sit out and either retire or sign with another team!
And I realize that Tina Charles can be a Diva at times but it had nothing to do with "going home to NY", she saw her career going south if she stayed with AD more than 1 year! Tina loved CT and wouldn't have even thought of bailing ship if Mike T. was kept on!

Do you have inside info or are you just guessing? Have you talked to Tina or AJ? Naming a source for these revelations would give them some credibility. Tina talked about her love for NY and being near her family frequently over the years... anyone paying attention knew the move was inevitable at some point.

 

[DishNSwish]

Do you have inside info or are you just guessing? Have you talked to Tina or AJ? Naming a source for these revelations would give them some credibility. Tina talked about her love for NY and being near her family frequently over the years... anyone paying attention knew the move was inevitable at some point.

Well asjha's torn Achilles could have a little something with her not playing too.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I love the players on this years roster of the Sun, but Anne Donovan has not and cannot get the best out of them! And even if they get 2 of the top college players in next years draft you'd still have AD to under-coach them!
As to my picking Debbie Black of Eastern Illinois Univ. as a replacement for AD, sometimes you go against conventional wisdom and go outside the box and say the qualities inside her and what made Debbie Black a successful player, and fan favorite you'd like her to instill in these and future Sun players! She is not brand new to coaching, she'd been an assistant at Ohio State Univ. for about 5-6 years and now Head Coach for 2 years at EIU! She is personable and fiery!

 

[Beemer]

If Anne Donovan has snapped at reporters when she didn't like a question so what? 99.9% of her fellow coaches have done the same thing at one time or another. And yes there are times when I wish she'd show fire out there [I loved that she actually got a T the other night] but I guess that is not her personality. That doesn't make it a character flaw.

I don't know Coach Donovan personally but I think she does get some unfair criticism because her personality seems to be in such stark contrast with her predecessor. Everybody liked Mike Thibault- heck I liked him too. He's just that kind of person. But that doesn't make her an awful person in comparison, just different.

 

[Striper69]

The coach can't go out there and run the plays, make the shots, play defense or get rebounds for the team. They have to execute.

A little tinkering and KML...they got a winner there!

 

[DishNSwish]

I love the players on this years roster of the Sun, but Anne Donovan has not and cannot get the best out of them! And even if they get 2 of the top college players in next years draft you'd still have AD to under-coach them!
As to my picking Debbie Black of Eastern Illinois Univ. as a replacement for AD, sometimes you go against conventional wisdom and go outside the box and say the qualities inside her and what made Debbie Black a successful player, and fan favorite you'd like her to instill in these and future Sun players! She is not brand new to coaching, she'd been an assistant at Ohio State Univ. for about 5-6 years and now Head Coach for 2 years at EIU! She is personable and fiery, 2 things AD isn't! AD has snapped at reporters when she didn't like the questions asked!
I have often in the past stated the reasons I do not like AD as a person and a coach and I won't repeat them again, but she is a nasty human being and IMHO is a lousy coach!

Everyone has a right to like or dislike a coach; I just don't like personal attacks. I've known her for a few years, and whether she's right for the team is to be determined, but to call her a nasty human being? Come on now....

 

[jdubct]

Everyone has a right to like or dislike a coach; I just don't like personal attacks. I've known her for a few years, and whether she's right for the team is to be determined, but to call her a nasty human being? Come on now....

So true. A good coach. Open to question. Otherwise, leave her be.

 

[psconn]

By-the-by why do you think Asjha Jones is sitting out this season? She saw what Anne Donovan, with her 3 1/2 hour practices can do to your body and she'll sit out and either retire or sign with another team!
And I realize that Tina Charles can be a Diva at times but it had nothing to do with "going home to NY", she saw her career going south if she stayed with AD more than 1 year! Tina loved CT and wouldn't have even thought of bailing ship if Mike T. was kept on!

Achilles tear, http://www.fibaeurope.com/euroleaguewomen/coid_2tZMlwl9IFMsKzfezwk-p2.articleMode_on.html.

John A on 12/17/13 - "A WNBA source tells the Courant that Jones tore her Achilles tendon and is returning to the states to have surgery, She obviously will not play this summer."

For an apparent insider with all that info on what players are thinking that's a pretty big miss. And that last paragraph? No way. Tina is NY to the bone. I don't doubt she is grateful for all the good stuff that came to her in CT but (2012 photo)...