Dee as coach

[Blueconn]

Arguably the greatest player in women’s history never played a single moment in the Olympic Gold Medal game...and team USA lucked one out. Had Diana Taurasi been in charge Napheesa and Stewey would have joined in and the U.S. easily wins going away. They learned it in Storrs…so did Gabby.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think one of the Assistant Coaches said that Dee had a sore back. I haven't seen that reported elsewhere, so I'm not sure.

 

[Skeets]

I think one of the Assistant Coaches said that Dee had a sore back. I haven't seen that reported elsewhere, so I'm not sure.

I think I heard that somewhere too. Not surprising since she has had back problems on and off since UConn.

 

[EricLA]

I think one of the Assistant Coaches said that Dee had a sore back. I haven't seen that reported elsewhere, so I'm not sure.

In the semifinals, she had a back brace on. I thought the announcers would have said more about it, but possibly I missed it...

 

[AnonChoice]

Arguably the greatest player in women’s history never played a single moment in the Olympic Gold Medal game...and team USA lucked one out. Had Diana Taurasi been in charge Napheesa and Stewey would have joined in and the U.S. easily wins going away. They learned it in Storrs…so did Gabby.

Completely agree. Not to have given her a single minute of play in the final Olympic game of her illustrious career was bad. Especially when the team was struggling. Seems something would have been said about it if she had an injury? Not a word, during the game. Reeve is darn lucky they eked out a one-point win.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Dee had a bad back in the weeks leading up to the Olympics and she played both limited and no minutes in Mercury games leading up to the Olympic time out. Her stats leading up to the final game with the French were horrible. Bad decision making by Reeve and the Committee in the composition of the squad. Reeve as a coach ... not so much.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I think one of the Assistant Coaches said that Dee had a sore back. I haven't seen that reported elsewhere, so I'm not sure.

MilfordHusky and Skeets and RockyMTblue2:
I heard Mike Tirico on NBC after the game say DT didn't play because of a bad back!

 

[uconnfan68]

I think one of the Assistant Coaches said that Dee had a sore back. I haven't seen that reported elsewhere, so I'm not sure.

She was wearing a back brace for a while during the other games.

 

[Audi1954]

In the semifinals, she had a back brace on. I thought the announcers would have said more about it, but possibly I missed it...

I saw the brace too. I’ve seen her wear something similar before during a season. It may also have a heating feature to loosen up the muscles? She did have back surgery years ago.

 

[Cuango]

Look, Dee is obviously both the GOAT and a UConn icon but the simple truth of why she didn’t play in that final, a game that we should have lost from all I can see, (but for some very friendly whistles from the refs) was because, for whatever reason, (and this is the first time I’ve heard a whiff about an injury) she had played absolutely horrendously throughout her entire Olympic stay! She averaged 1 point, 0.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, on 11.1% shooting, 16.7% from three, in 11.2 minutes!

As painful as it is to say it, she didn’t play because the coaching staff couldn’t afford to play her in a game that close! Lord knows I agree that Cheryl Reeves (and quite a few other WNBA coaches) is just not a very good coach but in this case, not playing Dee in the final, she really had no choice! We were extremely fortunate to win that game! Ironically, we won because we had A’ja Wilson and Stewie, and they didn’t! Plum and Copper chipped in as well but Wilson was the big dog in that game and deserves the lion’s share of the credit!

 

[leepaul]

Arguably the greatest player in women’s history

Oops, I think you meant inarguably. -

 

[Skeets]

MilfordHusky and Skeets and RockyMTblue2:
I heard Mike Tirico on NBC after the game say DT didn't play because of a bad back!

Might have been where I heard it. I just don't remember. Too many brain cells giving up the ghost...

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Being reported that Reeve resigned/retired in press conference today with her Lynx.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Being reported that Reeve resigned/retired in press conference today with her Lynx.

I think this was a bogus, click bait report.

 

[Geew1992]

Look, Dee is obviously both the GOAT and a UConn icon but the simple truth of why she didn’t play in that final, a game that we should have lost from all I can see, (but for some very friendly whistles from the refs) was because, for whatever reason, (and this is the first time I’ve heard a whiff about an injury) she had played absolutely horrendously throughout her entire Olympic stay! She averaged 1 point, 0.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, on 11.1% shooting, 16.7% from three, in 11.2 minutes!

As painful as it is to say it, she didn’t play because the coaching staff couldn’t afford to play her in a game that close! Lord knows I agree that Cheryl Reeves (and quite a few other WNBA coaches) is just not a very good coach but in this case, not playing Dee in the final, she really had no choice! We were extremely fortunate to win that game! Ironically, we won because we had A’ja Wilson and Stewie, and they didn’t! Plum and Copper chipped in as well but Wilson was the big dog in that game and deserves the lion’s share of the credit!

I disagree. The team was very tight. They needed a leader on the floor and didn’t have it. DT was that person.

 

[The deacon]

Oops, I think you meant inarguably. -

Except there's a good argument to be made for multiple others...

 

[Skeets]

I disagree. The team was very tight. They needed a leader on the floor and didn’t have it. DT was that person.

You could be right. Maybe it would have been DT as the steady hand on the tiller, or it could have been the 1 for 15 DT in the playoffs. We'll never know. But, we do know she is the GOAT. So, we all move on.

 

[Blueconn]

MilfordHusky and Skeets and RockyMTblue2:
I heard Mike Tirico on NBC after the game say DT didn't play because of a bad back!

Bull——. These are the South Carolina years and we must just be patient until the depths of winter when Geno is about 24-0 & Dee is at a lot of games. Buckle up for the Grand Finale.

 

[Blueconn]

I disagree. The team was very tight. They needed a leader on the floor and didn’t have it. DT was that person.

Spot on. Dee has always been that person.

 

[Blueconn]

I think one of the Assistant Coaches said that Dee had a sore back. I haven't seen that reported elsewhere, so I'm not sure.

Odd that nothing was reported before, during, or after with definitive attribute. Dee was ready and NBC was already working o.t. to keep the Wilson Show cooking. And Dawn was always close to the bench with another product of Southern WCBB, Kara Lawson, on staff. Whatever will they be like when we cut nets in April ? Dee knows. And in recognition of the 30th Anniversary of an MLK surprise that rocked WCBB. From Bialosuknia to Bueckers.

 

[Blueconn]

Look, Dee is obviously both the GOAT and a UConn icon but the simple truth of why she didn’t play in that final, a game that we should have lost from all I can see, (but for some very friendly whistles from the refs) was because, for whatever reason, (and this is the first time I’ve heard a whiff about an injury) she had played absolutely horrendously throughout her entire Olympic stay! She averaged 1 point, 0.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, on 11.1% shooting, 16.7% from three, in 11.2 minutes!

As painful as it is to say it, she didn’t play because the coaching staff couldn’t afford to play her in a game that close! Lord knows I agree that Cheryl Reeves (and quite a few other WNBA coaches) is just not a very good coach but in this case, not playing Dee in the final, she really had no choice! We were extremely fortunate to win that game! Ironically, we won because we had A’ja Wilson and Stewie, and they didn’t! Plum and Copper chipped in as well but Wilson was the big dog in that game and deserves the lion’s share of the credit!

It’s Diana Taurasi…who would taken a few smart shots, completed her passes, and gotten some clean rebounds and turned to go up court. Clunky mis-dribbles, desperation shooting with 20 seconds remaining on the shot clock, air balls are not her style. That’s southern style WCBB. Team USA was lucky.

 

[GoUconn7961]

Team USA was lucky.

I agree. DT would've at least been a calming presence on the floor. She's an excellent passer who can read the defense. There was way too much dribbling and France had great defense (Gabby). If France had made more of their shots they would've won that game, and I'm not so sure the US would've pulled it out in OT if Gabby hit a 3 instead of a 2. France played to win, the US played not to lose, and it showed.

 

[Cuango]

It’s Diana Taurasi…who would taken a few smart shots, completed her passes, and gotten some clean rebounds and turned to go up court. Clunky mis-dribbles, desperation shooting with 20 seconds remaining on the shot clock, air balls are not her style. That’s southern style WCBB. Team USA was lucky.

Yeah! Just like she had been doing throughout the Olympics already! For whatever reason, she simply did not have it for those Olympics! My guess is that if she had played substantial minutes in that final against France, we would be looking at a silver instead of gold.

They were clearly very lucky to win at all and could not have afforded any reduction in play. I certainly couldn’t say whyshe could not perform there, but clearly something was off and she had multiple opportunities to break out of her funk but was unable to do so. It would have been nice to see her in the final but it’s pretty clear Reeves (who imo can’t coach a lick) had little choice in leaving her on the bench.

 

[AnonChoice]

My guess is that when Reeve and the Lynx come to Phoenix next week, Reeve may get booed. She'd deserve it.

 

[mainerhuski]

I think one of the Assistant Coaches said that Dee had a sore back. I haven't seen that reported elsewhere, so I'm not sure.

DT wore some sort of compression/back support thing on the bench the last couple of Olympic Games.

I think one of the Assistant Coaches said that Dee had a sore back. I haven't seen that reported elsewhere, so I'm not sure.

DT had some sort of compression/back support on when she was on the bench the last couple of Olympic Games.